2025-26 Smart Start Week 6

Last week was all about bringing back the fun! We revisited some of our favorite invitations inspired by the letters F, E, L, and H. As you can tell by the joy on this friend’s face, creating an image of herself using the Lite Brite was a wonderful form of self expression! In fact, Smart Start was buzzing with excitement as friends spotted familiar setups and jumped right in — remembering what they loved most and adding their own new ideas along the way. From funny favorites to fresh twists, it was a wonderful week of laughter and learning!

Our favorite invitations made this week extra special! The train tracks were busy with builders and conductors creating new routes and adventures, while the home center and baby dolls invited plenty of pretend play, nurturing, and laughter. At the art table, beautiful watercolor creations came to life, our magnetic cubes became robots and Legos inspired imaginative towers, landscapes, and rocket ships. Friends also enjoyed time together at the Listening Center and loved fishing for letters to practice sounds and recognition.

During Explorations, we practiced letters in a silly and fun way by Feeding the Frog, wrote in our journals about what we want to be when we grow up, and imagined what the first letter of our name would do if it came to life! We also explored patterns using fall candy — sorting, predicting, and creating colorful designs — before finishing the week with a sweet vote: Do we like candy corn?

In the Wiggle Room, our friends became engineers in action! Working together, they built creative homes, obstacle courses, and pathways using big blocks and various parts. There was so much teamwork and problem-solving as they tested their ideas, adjusted their designs, and cheered each other on. It was the perfect mix of movement, imagination, and collaboration!

We also combined Science and Visual Art for an exciting splatter experiment! Friends mixed paint (a liquid) with an Alka-Seltzer tablet (a solid) inside a sealed container. When the two mixed together, we observed a gas forming that built up pressure until — pop! — the lid flew off and the paint splattered everywhere! The results were colorful, surprising, and full of giggles. We added googly eyes to turn each creation into a one-of-a-kind Splatter Monster. It was the perfect blend of creativity, curiosity, and a little bit of science magic!

What a wonderful week! From revisiting our favorite invitations to experimenting with Science and Art, our friends showed curiosity, teamwork, and so much creativity. Review Week was truly a celebration of fun, imagination, and all the amazing things that happen when we learn through play!

See you soon,

The Smart Start team