Lone Tree
May 2025
Daily Reflections
Thursday, May 1
Today, we kicked off our morning with a growing curiosity for insects! Rylan’s curiosity led her to ask Ms. Rose again and again, “What’s this?” while exploring figures of insects at different stages in their life cycles. Together, they talked about eggs, larvae, chrysalises, and how a butterfly transforms over time. With careful hands and lots of focus, Norah and Kaya joined in, using tweezers to pick up tiny puffballs and drop them into special containers—“food” for our pretend insects! Each container had a number, so we tried to count just the right amount to match. Then we were off to the trail, where no morning is complete without a few lively rounds of hide and seek! Davis wasn’t too pleased when Glory found everyone right away. “No fair,” he said, frowning just a bit. When we asked why, he explained thoughtfully, “She’s supposed to look at all the other hiding spots first!” Turns out, Glory is just too good at seeking! We continued our walk, stopping to draw in the dirt—but Dane had another idea. “I’m a steamroller!” he declared, flattening the path with big stomping steps. Soon, we were all building little sand hills to be rolled over. “I made a hill for you, Norah!” Gabriel said, making sure everyone had a turn to steamroll. With hills flattened and dirt smoothed, we gathered to listen to a story about how fire came to be—how a clever coyote tricked three wicked yellow jackets to bring fire to the world. Later, at the sandy spot, we reunited with the rest of our friends. Norah lit up as she shared stories from her time with our class snake, Cotton Candy. “I went to the strawberry fields!” she told us, grinning. Her advice? “The green ones are yucky!”—a great tip for any future strawberry pickers. After settling in for snack, we dove deeper into the world of insects with another story. Gabriel colored an entirely blue “millipede,” carefully counting its fourteen legs. Meanwhile, up in the trees, Sasha shouted “this is a pirate ship! I’m on a pirate ship," pretending to steer with twisting branches. Baron took on a more grounded role, a tree trimmer, opting to tend for the bushes with his trusty stick tool. Nearby, Carolina gently cared for her “baby” skunk and Cotton Candy, showing nurturing love and thoughtful play. With energy to spare, we ventured together up the hill to a magical eucalyptus grove. Along the way, a helpful call echoed down the line: “Watch out for the cactus!” It was heartwarming to hear so many friends looking out for one another. In the grove, we explored a stick house, listened to Ms. Rose read a story, and practiced our bug-catching skills with nets. With only seven nets for eleven friends, we had a perfect chance to practice patience and turn-taking—and everyone did an amazing job. On our walk back to class, Baron and Davis discovered an exposed root. Testing their strength, they pulled and tugged until—“We did it!” they cheered, triumphant, before loading their treasure into the wagon. What an incredible week of insect adventures, teamwork, creativity, and care. We can’t wait to see all our friends again soon for more magical discoveries!
Tuesday, May 6
This morning we read a sweet book about a mother otter and her baby having the best day ever together. As we reached the page showing them floating under the stars, Gabriel thoughtfully said, “It’s nighttime because there’s stars in the sky and it’s dark… there’s sparkles on the water.” “It’s a baby!” said Carolina with a big smile. Norah jumped up and down and exclaimed, “Awwww it’s so cute!!” Davis added, “I want to see them! Awwww.” Next, we got to enjoy a special book that Dane brought from home called Mac and Cheese and the Perfect Plan, a story about two cats who wanted to the beach. Richard noticed the change in one of the more grumpy characters, saying, “Look, he’s so happy!” at the end of the story. “I love that ending!” he added with a smile. Sharing the story made Dane so happy and he said, “I like this book!” After lunchtime, we grabbed our nets to collect all sorts of things and we set off to explore the lagoon. “My car loves dirt!” said Dane to Richard, who responded with, “Yeah, car car loves dirt!” “I love dirt too,” added Dane, scooping a handful and letting it sprinkle back to the ground. Suddenly Kaya called out, “Look! I found something… look inside!” Everyone gathered around as she revealed a tiny spider nest within a curled up leaf. “Let me see, wow!! It’s another nest, it’s a spider nest and look, eggs!” said Davis “I wanna look inside… oh yeah, there’s something in there,” said Baron. After observing carefully, we gently placed the nest back into nature so the baby spiders could grow up safely. Davis had also brought in a nest he had found. “It was from a palm tree, I found it on the ground. And there’s something inside… see? It’s eggshells,” he shared proudly. “Wowww,” said Norah as the group leaned in for a closer look. “I think it was from a hummingbird because its so tiny” he added. To end our day, we worked on heartfelt Mother’s Day cards. “This is for my mom!” Sasha said as she concentrated on her artwork. “Miss Nicole, look at what I drew!” said Baron. “And look inside!” he added, revealing a big, beautifully colored heart. We love our moms so much, and it felt good to make something from the heart to show them just how special they are!
Thursday, May 8
Tuesday, May 13
We began our morning with a cheerful stop at the big chairs near the welcome office. “They’re not wet!” Kaya observed, which Davis quickly connected to the weather, pointing out that there must not have been much dew this morning. Moments later, Davis excitedly called out, “Look! A fighter ant!” While we couldn’t confirm if it was a fighter, it was definitely an ant, and his enthusiasm set the tone for a curious and playful start to our day. We followed that energy into a few rounds of hide and seek, laughing as we took turns hiding and spotting one another behind the chairs. Not far down the path, Baron announced, “I got the lighter!” while Sasha added, “I’ll get more!” as the two worked together to build a pretend campfire with sticks they had gathered. Nearby, Gabriel, Davis, Dane, and Glory took off on an imaginary racetrack, racing around before cozying up on a bench for a story break.
As we listened, our attention was captured by the busy freeway below. “Cement mixers!” our friends shouted, followed by “school bus!” and “car carrier!” as we spotted interesting vehicles zipping past. Davis recalled a special memory of riding a school bus on a field trip—a fun connection to the world around us. At the sandy spot, our sensory play took over. We noticed two distinct types of sand—one browner and darker that formed “sandy rocks,” which crumbled and disappeared under our feet, and a lighter, softer sand. Gabriel then made a magical discovery. If you swirled the darker sandy rock sand into the lighter one, the dark sand would vanish. We tested his theory, and sure enough, it worked like magic! Friends were quickly whisking away the sandy rocks with their hands and feet, completely immersed in their discoveries.
It was soon time for snack, and as we gathered, Ms. Amber read a fascinating book about space and gravity, sparking wonder and questions among our friends. Inspired by the story, many headed straight to the construction area afterward. “Rocket ship! Vroom!” shouted Gabriel, flying his creation through the sky. Dane carefully showed a box he had received from Richard, saying, “Richard gave me a box and said be careful with it because I don’t want it to break”—wise advice for our sometimes-fragile magnet tiles! While some friends joined Ms. Amber for a walk, others stayed back with Ms. Emily for more classroom adventures. On the trail, Davis shared an exciting find, "we see a baby stink bug!” before he and Baron headed off to play construction workers. Meanwhile, Carolina and Glory found a cozy spot in a dirt hole, with Glory sweetly patting the space next to her, saying, “I found space,” inviting Carolina to join.
Back at class, the kitchen was bustling with creativity. Norah kindly offered, “I brought you a coffee in case you were hungry. I put sprinkles, donuts, and plants,” while Naomi worked diligently on making sprinkles for the strawberry cakes that Gabriel and Sasha were baking. When Gabriel asked if he could use some, Naomi graciously offered, “You can use all of them!” Such generosity and collaboration warmed our hearts. With bellies rumbling, both groups gathered together for lunch, sharing stories and laughter. Soon after, we were off to the pickup spot, ready to reunite with our loved ones. It was a day filled with wonder, kindness, and play, and we can’t wait to do it all again soon!
Thursday, May 15
Our morning began with Kaya and Norah hard at work, building elaborate castles with different-shaped blocks during drop-off. Their structures inspired curious glances and excited ideas from friends as they arrived, but it was Gabriel who quickly became the center of attention when he walked into class holding three beloved stuffed animal turtles. These soft-shelled companions sparked lots of conversation, laughter, and most importantly, practice in turn-taking as we all took gentle turns holding, hugging, and sharing them throughout the morning.
Soon, it was time to head out on our morning walk. The racetrack was calling! After running a few energizing laps, we gathered on the bench for a story. Gabriel kindly shared his Peppa Pig Earth Day book, and before we opened it, we admired the colorful cover. “How many dots do you think are on there?” we asked. Without missing a beat, Gabriel responded, “at least a million!” We smiled at his enthusiasm before diving into Peppa’s story about visiting the botanical gardens with her family. Inspired and energized, we headed into free play. Kaya got to work building a volcano from sticks and sand, while Dane’s monster truck bravely drove straight through it! All around, we admired the sand drawings on the ground and stepped carefully around them. Davis and Baron got busy with stick “chainsaws,” cutting down pretend trees along the trail and proudly helping the park rangers with their work.
As we made our way back to class, Gabriel, Kaya, Dane, Norah, and Glory decided to hide behind a park bench, whispering and giggling until—surprise!—they popped out to greet the rest of the group. We continued our walk up to class together and got ready for snack time. While we ate, Ms. Amber shared all about wetlands and marshes, even showing us photos of real crocodiles and pigs she had seen during her trip! With full bellies and imaginations buzzing, it was time to dive back into play. Baron transformed into a beekeeper, pulling his hat over his face like a mask, while Kaya gently launched a rocket ship right onto the moon on Ms. Emily's head! Soon after, friends became one with the trees, climbing high into the branches. “I’m almost about to touch the sky!” Gabriel exclaimed as he stretched his arms toward the clouds.
Then it was time for another adventure—this time to practice balance on a fallen log. First we walked forward, then backwards, sideways, and even spinning! As we spun, we pretended to be hurricanes, laughing as we wobbled and tumbled off the log. It was a wonderfully silly way to build our gross motor skills. Our final stop was the palm tree slide, where a fishing expedition was underway. “Look at it!” Carolina said proudly, holding up her catch, while Glory’s eyes lit up at the sight of tiny tadpoles in the water. Rylan joined in, holding up her own “catch of the day”—a big scoop of moss!
Back in class, we filled up on lunch while listening to a few final stories. As we waited for pickup, Carolina and Naomi set up a cozy salon. Naomi gently brushed Carolina’s hair out of her face with a stick, sweetly explaining that she doesn’t like when hair gets in her own face, so she wanted to make sure Carolina was comfortable, too. It was a beautiful moment of friendship and care to close out our day. With hearts full and smiles wide, we packed up and headed home. What a fantastic Thursday! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone—we can’t wait to see you again soon!
Tuesday, May 20
We jumped into our morning full of ideas and energy, teaming up with Glory, Kaya, and Davis to build something spectacular—a freeway! With sticks as our roads and cars lined up just so, we stacked them high—cars on top of cars, sticks on top of that, and a bit of brush for good measure. But wait! There was a pileup! Firefighters to the rescue! With dramatic swoops and careful hands, we saved the day and the traffic jam. After our successful rescue, we decided to head onto the trail. On our trusty reading bench, something caught our attention—mud! Without missing a beat, our cleanup crew got to work. Gabriel, Glory, and Kaya grabbed paper towels, while Dane came in like a pro with the trash bag in hand. Teamwork makes the clean-up shine! Once our space was tidy, we cozied up with a story about zoo animals. Perfect timing, because soon after, the animal energy returned to our play!
Over in the sand, Sasha was busy writing her name with pride. “My name starts with S-A-sha,” she said proudly as she practiced each letter. Nearby, Naomi was creating what she described as “a really beautiful picture”—but it wasn’t done yet! We can’t wait to see the final masterpiece. Further down the trail, Rylan found a teeny-tiny friend—a roly-poly! She carefully placed it on a stick for safekeeping. Gabriel had bug luck too. “Look at the green bug! He is super tiny—you can barely see him!” “How did you see him?” asked Baron, wide-eyed. “I have good eyes,” Gabriel said matter-of-factly. Indeed he does!
After all that adventuring, it was time for snack. Ms. Amber gathered us for some cozy reading time with stories all about Winnie the Pooh. With full tummies and full imaginations, we headed back out to build. “I’m building a rocketship!” declared Kaya. Sasha was hard at work on one too—except hers had a twist. She had created “a rocket ship with people.” With a different creation in mind, Dane declared “my air conditioning goes to the top of the house,” building inspired by this warm day.
Then came monkey time! With trees filling fast, Baron declared, “I’m the man who lets all the monkeys stay in their spot,” while Davis joined him, wielding a special stick tool to help monkeys who got hurt. Sasha, playing the part of a runaway monkey, was gently guided back to safety. “Watch out! I’m going to swing!” she called, just before she soared from the branches with a big grin. Nearby, Naomi pointed curiously to the lemonade berry bush. “Can I pick one of those?” she asked. While they are technically edible, we paused to wonder if they were ready—or tasty—this time of year. Best to just observe for now! Dane wrapped up the morning with some musical ABC practice, singing along joyfully with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, pointing out each letter with care and confidence. At last, it was time for lunch and the end of another magical day. Full of building, rescuing, creating, swinging, and singing—what a wonderful adventure we shared together!
Thursday, May 22
We rolled into the day with energy and imagination—our friends quickly gathered around the magna tiles, ready to build something big! Norah, Kaia, Richard, Dane, and Glory got right to work constructing buildings on wheels! Soon, little tile cities were zooming across the blanket, full of creativity and teamwork. As we made our way to class, we decided to make a very important pitstop—to build a fire! Glory, Kaia, and Norah carefully rubbed two sticks together over a small pile of wood, hoping the friction would make a spark. “It just needs a little more rubbing!” they encouraged each other. Not long after, Baron and Carolina followed in their footsteps, trying their hand at fire-making too. So much determination and wilderness know-how on the trail today!
But we had a very special surprise in store, snack time at Palm Tree Slide! Instead of our usual snack spot, we took the long—but exciting—trek over to the shady slide under the palms. We made it! Ms. Amber read us a silly story about connecting two islands separated by shark-infested waters, which inspired us to climb the trees like monkeys, deciding whether we lived on Banana Island or Coconut Island. Some of our friends even played the part of the sharks, sneaking up and chanting, “Yummy yummy in my tummy!” just like in the book! After escaping the “sharks,” we headed down to the lake to check on some old friends—the tadpoles! “Look what I found!” Baron exclaimed. “It’s super super big!” Gabriel added, eyes wide with amazement. We loved noticing how much they had grown since our last visit.
With our curiosity still buzzing, we made our way to Jumping Log! One by one, our friends climbed up and balanced with care, but oh no! Here came the hurricanes—and down our friends tumbled, laughing all the way! Luckily, Ms. Amber and Ms. Emily were there to help everyone get back up and give it another go. Finally, we reached our classroom, where the mud kitchen was alive with delicious ideas. Our friends decided to make pasta using nearby leaves. But—whoosh!—a gust of wind blew some of the pasta away! “That’s okay,” Davis said calmly, “I’ll drive to the store to get some new ones!” What a quick-thinking friend!
Then, it was time for lunch! Dane was an all-star helper, carefully cleaning up all the tiles and putting them back in the bag. Rylan, Naomi, and Sasha helped everyone clean their hands—teamwork really does make the dream work! With hands washed and bellies ready, we gathered for a couple more stories, settling in after such an adventurous day. Then, it was time to pack up and head to pick up, full of stories to tell and memories made. What a wonderful day it was—full of building, balancing, and big adventures with our amazing friends
Thursday, May 29
Today, we started our morning excited to embark on a new adventure! With some new and returning faces, we decided to head down a trail we'd never been to before. When we got there, waiting for us was Eucalyptus Grove—the other Piccola class! With all our friends in a big circle, we went around introducing ourselves to a new group of friends! When Ms. Riley asked if we remembered any new names, Glory jokingly said that she'd never met Norah before! Then, it was time for snack. While filling our tummies so they were full for our adventure later on, Ms. Jessie read us a story about Scooby-Doo. Eucalyptus Grove reminded us that if we started to feel scared about the stories, to remember that it was always just a person in a costume. Thanks for always looking out for us!
Then, it was time to head to the beach! With water bottles in our backpacks and tummies full of food, we headed off. To get to the beach, we had to climb over rocks, but with strong legs and hands, we made it! Waiting for us on the shore were beautiful black shells and scampering crabs. "Look what I found!" yelled Davis, carefully holding a crab with a glove on hand. "I can throw this rock really far," shared Gabriel, then encouraging the rest of our friends to be a part of a rock throwing competition. Then, we noticed how many egrets there were nearby. We watched their graceful wings expand as they glided above the water. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to class for lunch!
On our way back, we had to be extra careful, because all of our beach fun ended with muddy shoes. Using both hands and feet on the rocks, we slowly, but surely, made it back. We were so excited and filled with pride, that we had even more energy to run around. When getting back to class, we ran up and down the kinder hill a few times, giggling the whole way down. This made our tummies rumble, telling us it was finally time to open our lunches and get ready to listen to a story. We listened to Ms. Jessie read another Scooby story before packing up and heading to pick up. What a wonderful day at the lagoon!