The toddlers have been talking about cats and often crawl around pretending to be cats. So following this interest the toddlers have set about learning more about them. We have flash cards showing the toddlers what the cats use as furniture such as their beds, bowls and scratching posts.
We are discussing what food cats like to eat. Beatriz told us cats like to drink milk. We spoke to some toddlers explaining that cats like to use scratching posts. Seamus kept asking “why” curious to find out more information. Some ideas we came up with included “It feels good” and “Cos they itchy” and “It stops them doing it to the chair”.
Outside we sometimes like to crawl around pretending that we are all cats. Even Danielle joined in the fun recently in the garden in Crawford. In one game we follow each other around in a circle meowing like cats as we go along. Daniel and some others preferred to watch but had a great time laughing as we crawled past them.
After all the crawling around we have to stop and clean ourselves like the cats as cats are “very clean” according to Robyn. We used our paws and started rubbing our heads against our paws just like real cats do. The toddlers all thought this was a great idea. Seamus and Aine climbed up on to the climbing frame as “cats are very good climbers” and Olivia pretended to be feeding the cats.
We love singing in the toddler room and have been practising “Three little kittens”. Here are the words if you want to give it a go:
The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear,
That we have lost our mittens."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meow, meow, meow."
"Then you shall have no pie."
The three little kittens, they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,
For we have found our mittens."
"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,
And you shall have some pie."
"Purr, purr, purr,
Oh, let us have some pie."