Nini's Neighborhood

Counting is an integral part of the daily life at Nini's Neighborhood, such as counting items on a page in a book, how many jumps on the trampoline, number of colors created by mixing paint, how many fruits vs. vegetables are in the dramatic play area, and the list goes on.

Counting activities are a fun way for children to understand that numbers have meaning. Here are a few table activities the kiddos engaged in utilizing beans. Working with them one-on-one with each activity, I can gauge where each child is developmentally and adjust the activities accordingly. These opportunities improve their logical thinking skills and enhance their understanding of numbers and quantity.

Another year, another graduate!

We had our first graduate last year and started the tradition of celebrating with a small ceremony and graduation party. We said goodbye to her in September as she started her new journey in Kindergarten. This year, our graduate is engaged in a summer program at his new school where he will be attending Kindergarten so we celebrated early.

It’s a great opportunity for families to come together and mingle. We truly are like our own little family at Nini’s Neighborhood and love the moments that we can bring all the families together.

Here at Nini's Neighborhood, materials and books in the environment are rotated every 4-6 weeks, depending on interest and engagement.

We took a closer look into our solar system during the month of May, with a special focus on Earth. We had many discussions about what factors and elements make Earth habitable compared to the other planets in our solar system. Attached are some examples of activities/art projects the kiddos engaged in during this month and a few areas in the environment.

They took a collaborative approach to create a paper mache sphere and then proceeded to paint it like our Earth. Using a variety of Earth items as inspiration, the kiddos painted their version of our planet. Documentation is also rotated along with materials. Documenting and displaying children's art/experiences helps children reflect on these moments and gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Good morning Bend families 😊 my goal is to share posts regularly to remain engaged with the community.

Here is an example of the kiddos exploring loose parts. Loose parts are defined as “materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, taken apart and put back together in multiple ways.” Exploring loose parts inspires creativity and imagination. They are strengthening their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they manipulate the objects. Loose part activities are extremely engaging for kiddos due to the endless opportunities.

Beginning at a young age, I had an innate ability to connect with younger children. I have always been a natural nurturer and found myself spending time with and caring for young children when they were in my presence. I knew when I started my college career, I wanted to major in Early Childhood Development. It was through school assignments that I found myself at my first center working with infants to age two for three years. From there, I continued my professional growth at another company where I gained experience working with infants to age five for nine years. I have created “Nini’s Neighborhood” with the mission to provide exceptional care for children. I believe a teacher never stops learning and I continue my education by attending conferences and engaging in seminars/webinars to keep up to date with new research in regards to providing quality care for children.

Some photos of the indoor and outdoor environment at Nini's Neighborhood.