Infant Program

February 2023

While on route to daycare one morning, R's mom had shared that he had noticed the moon. The sun hadn’t risen yet, and the moon was very big (just past being full) and shining brightly in the dark sky.

When he arrived in the room, he kept repeating the word ‘moon’. So we asked him, “Where’s the moon?” and he went right to the window and started looking outside, and there it was just behind the trees

As the other children began to arrive, we continued to go back to the window and look for the moon. It prompted a lot of curiosity with the children; ‘Where did the moon go? ’Is it still there?’

For us (the educators), we had some questions, too. What caught R’s attention in regards to the moon? Was it the moon’s size? Was it the moon’s brightness against the dark sky?

For several days we continued to look for it out the window. However, it was gone! Where did it go?

To provoke the children’s curiosity even further, we cut out a circle shape from our white painting experience and hung it in the window at about the same level where we first discovered the moon.

We also cut out a similar circle in yellow and hung it in the opposite window; I wonder if the children will associate it with the sun?

This was a really interesting parallel to some of the explorations the children have had in regards to light. We recently added a new light table to the room with different materials, and our disco ball has been moved to a different window to take advantage of the longer periods of sunlight we’re getting.

How else could we explore this idea further? It will be interesting to see how this interest in the moon develops…..any thoughts? We would love to hear your ideas!

Don McMahon RECE

Hailee King RECE

Madi Osborne Educator