Preschool joy.....or not?

This week has been a taxing week at preschool. Don't get me wrong....I LOVE the little children that come here every year. They are adorable and I would take any one of them and love them as my own ....if only their parents would let me! ;) This week, there was far too much Halloween excitement, not to mention an injury of a child that upset me greatly. I am exhausted. PHEW! Thank goodness for miracles (no broken bones, just bruising) and resting days. (that's what I call the days that we don't have preschool) I wanted to share this activity we did last week. We talk about how animals prepare for winter in all parts of the world. We talk about how birds fly south to warmer climates during the winter and how lucky WE are to have all those birds come and vacation with us here in Arizona. We made a pine cone bird feeder. This was the funnest (and stickiest) project for the kiddos! I mix up about a cup of Karo syrup or honey (with a little water added just to make it a little runnier) with a cup of birdseed. The kids push the mixture into the pine cone with a plastic spoon. The spoon is usually forgotten when the children figure out how "cool" it feels to push it in with their hands. :) We added a piece of yarn for hanging after it dried. This is Emma and her creation! When the honey or Karo syrup dries it is so shiny. The birds devour these sorts of treats! (**a funny side note.....A few days after completing this project, I discovered green things growing up from the drain in the preschool bathroom sink....it took me a minute to figure out what it was, but then I remembered how much birdseed I washed off of little fingers and hands that day!) There truly is never a dull moment! :)