2025-26 Smart Start Week 9

P is for play, paint, and plenty of fun! Our friends had a perfectly pleasant week exploring all things Letter P. From practicing our Pp sounds to discovering new words and activities that begin with P, we packed our days with creativity, curiosity, and excitement.

James is modeling the pieces used when friends played and acted out royalty when playing “Pretty, Pretty, Princess”. Our puppet theater invited everyone to join in the fun of storytelling and imagination.

Once the curtain closed on our puppet theater performances, the fun continued with plenty of hands-on play. Friends rescued chilly penguins from ice, pieced together princess puzzles, cut out shapes from pumpkin dough, dressed wooden princess dolls, and built colorful creations with pattern blocks.

The excitement carried over into the Wiggle Room, where we used the parachute for games that encouraged movement, rhythm, and cooperation. Later, we turned our attention to science as we learned how heat can change things. Everyone loved watching the kernels pop into fluffy popcorn, and we wrapped up our day enjoying the treat while learning an important lesson about patience from one of our favorite characters.The excitement carried over into the Wiggle Room, where we used the parachute for games that encouraged movement, rhythm, and cooperation. Later, we turned our attention to science as we learned how heat can change things. Everyone loved watching the kernels pop into fluffy popcorn, and we wrapped up our day enjoying the treat while learning an important lesson about patience from one of our favorite characters.

Our little scientists had so much fun making pumpkin predictions this week! We guessed whether a pumpkin would sink or float and measured its weight, height, and circumference before testing our ideas. Then we explored the forces of push and pull, discovering what helps make moving a pumpkin easier. To explore our learning on a creative note, we practiced pointillism, using tiny painted dots to form a rainbow masterpiece!

Our week of playful learning and discovery continued as we explored science through cooking! Friends became chefs and scientists as they made their own pizzas, noticing how the ingredients changed as they baked. The best part, of course, was enjoying our creations together during snack time! We also learned about propagation by cutting a piece of a Pothos plant to place in water. Over the next few weeks, we’ll observe as new roots begin to grow, and later, we’ll have the joy of planting them ourselves.

In our Imagination Station, children explored what it’s like to be a veterinarian in our Pet Vet Care Center. They used pretend stethoscopes, thermometers, and bandages to care for their animal patients. This activity encouraged role-playing, empathy, and communication, while connecting perfectly to our Letter P theme!

Our Letter P Week was packed with play, problem-solving, and plenty of learning! From puppet shows and pumpkin predictions to pizza-making, plant propagation, and pet vet care, our friends explored the world through creativity, curiosity, and teamwork. We’re so proud of all they discovered and can’t wait to see what adventures await!

See you soon,

The Smart Start team