Table Setting Moments, Snowflakes, and Clay

2/6/2026

MONDAY: A transition day from January to our new month of February!

TUESDAY: Time for a change in table setting decorations! The novelty invites playful exploration of different materials.

WEDNESDAY: With all the snow covering the ground outside, silver, white, and transparent materials are utilized!

THURSDAY: Attention to detail and adding decorative layers with snowflake design transparencies

Beading Wire Snowflakes

,Materials ready, and Maeve ready to begin! A selection of opaque and transparent beads and six pointed wire forms resembling snowflakes were assembled on the table, along with some needle nose pliers. Seems straightforward, but the trick is for the beads to not fall off! You fill up one wire "line" with beads and shift the snowflake and whoops - there go the beads, or maybe you start adding beads to multiple wire "lines" and once again the beads slide off when the snowflake is lifted or moved.

After minimal trial and error, Maeve recognized what is important to the process and shares this with Betsy and Elizabeth: "First when you're done with putting the beads you bend it and switch sides." Why do we have to bend the ends? Elizabeth thinks through it. "So then it won't be blank. (pause and restating the question) ... So, it looks more snowflake-ish? (pause) Oh, so the beads won't fall off!" Elizabeth concludes.

Working on fine motor development.

Also working on hand-eye coordination.

Sharing time together, exchanging knowledge and observational learning moments.

Cognition at play. The mind and the hand working hard in their communication with each other.

"Can I keep working on this tomorrow?" -Betsy

An "I did it!" moment for Elizabeth.

Clay Techniques

Creating with clay while learning new techniques and expanding what we already know about the techniques. A Rainey Room clay experience was passed on to CW and Eva led the way (having been the sub in RR). The new technique was to use vinegar as slip. The slabs were a combination of red and white clay that the children drew in and added clay pieces to.

Moving forward with more clay work, we thought it would be fun to embrace something a bit "cozy" adjacent and luminaries came to mind. In essence a clay structure that would hold, reflect, or even translate light. The children were shown a few images as examples but approaching the work in application influences an expression of a learning process and originality through this. So we are now establishing our own exemplary collection of luminaries.

"I'm using my hands to shape it." -Tommy

Max applies what he is shown about our hands being great tools for changing the shape of clay.

"Look! I made it stand up." -Max

Guiding the clay.

"Mine is standing up too." -Lily

Betsy, Lily, and Max worked in their own way at their own time and observation and interaction all supported a different outcome, which is beautiful.

"I like what you did, Max." -Lilly
"You like my rainbow?!" -Lily
"I like your rainbow (drawing) but I was saying I like your clay." -Lily

Inventing Things

"I want the seat of the crane to spin... I think a pushpin will make it spin." -Lily

Betsy's spinning invention

Lily and Betsy have been very excited about inventing things. Lily wanted to make a spinning crane, and Betsy made a fishing hole device!

Construction, Dramatic Play, and Small World

It takes a lot of negotiations and arguing to build and run a well functioning society! The CW children are demonstrating incredible skills at working together to achieve this.