Summertime gives way to an exciting world of possibilities! The sunshine invites children to play outside. The breeze whispers to us, “Come explore!” At Children’s Discovery Center, we’ve spent the past few months doing just that. Students in our pre-K classes have followed curiosity wherever it led wth a wide range of Reggio Emilia lessons that have allowed children and staff to learn more about the world around them while discovering their own potential.

Entomology

In May, we peeked into Ms. Felicia’s pre-K class and found butterflies, beetles and leaves coming to life in the most beautiful way.

Our CDC students dove into the world of entomology through printmaking, using clay, carving pads, printing plates and natural materials to bring their own designs to life. The creepy-crawling fun continued in other spaces as students took a deep look into eight-legged friends.

Spiders aren’t so scary when imagination leads the way. 

No two projects looked the same, and that is exactly the point. It’s been a blessing to watch these little ones learn.

Reflections and Recreations

Let’s jump ahead to July, when discovery looked a lot like… well, ourselves! The lesson took shape from one question on the board: How can you use these to create an image of yourself?

From there, children studied their reflections before getting to work arranging stones into self-portraits as unique as themselves.

And we can’t forget the times we shared in this summer’s Camp Discovery sessions.

From trips to the aquarium to a culminating event, it’s difficult to choose just one project. However, our adventures in the Everglades are certainly a standout.

Together, students created a six-foot papier-mache alligator while learning what makes this ecosystem so unique. 

Along the way, young learners discovered that the Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live side by side, spans more than 1.5 million acres and is home to nine distinct habitats.

As they built their beasts, campers made discoveries of their own, from identifying the differences between alligator and crocodile snouts to learning how alligators cool off and replace thousands of teeth throughout their lifetime.

Buzz-Tacular Finds

And in August? Curious learners stepped outside for inspiration! At first, a few bees in the garden led to some big questions. 

For several months, our young learners investigated “The Wonders of Flight.” When spring arrived, and they began working in the garden, students noticed bees visiting the plants and flowers.

Their observations led them to wonder: Why are bees important? Why do they sting? How do they make honey? From there, bees became the focus of their next classroom investigation, building on a discovery that began right outside. 

Before long, another question emerged during our garden work. “How do sunflowers grow?” That simple query planted the seed for a new investigation in our 795 Preschool B classroom. 

One student wondered what colors sunflowers are, while another wanted to know how long they take to grow. Together, the class followed a sunflower from seed to bloom through hands-on activities and artwork inspired by their learning.

And just like the sunflowers they studied, their understanding grew with every question.

There’s more to explore in our blog!

These updates are only the tip of the iceberg for CDC students, which we learned about during our lesson on the Titanic. For more featured projects, please explore our blog for a glimpse at how CDC’s student-led learning helps shape Toledo’s littlest learners. 

Discover the CDC Difference!

For more than 40 years, Children’s Discovery Center has helped children throughout the Toledo area learn through curiosity, creativity and meaningful relationships. From infant care and preschool to kindergarten Discovery School, our early childhood educators are ready to help your family succeed. Contact us to learn more about our programs or schedule a tour of one of our Toledo-area centers.