Neeley's Niche

Neeley is beginning to find her niche here. She loves art. A good portion of her day is spent coloring or painting with her water colors or making things for friends. She is really pretty good! She is asking us how to spell out words for her to write all the time. She also loves the challenge of figuring out how to spell words by herself, too. She'll eventually learn all the tricky grammar rules, but for now, it is all phonetics!

To reinforce her artistic bent, I have been taking her to "Start with Art" classes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art about once a week. It's an easy bus ride, straight shot crosstown about about 7-8 blocks. There she attends a class for 3-7 year olds in which an instructor talks about particular works of art while touring the museum. They listen and learn while observing and answering basic observational and interpretive questions. The instructor also reads them a related story or poem while sitting in a group on the museum floor by the piece being discussed. The kids get to make a craft or draw a picture of that piece as well. It is pretty interactive and educational. I enjoy it too. (Judson just likes to hear his own echo in the vast hallways!) CULTURE, CULTURE, CULTURE!

FYI--Neeley will also be starting in a Pre-K class at PS 158, our public school a couple of blocks away. She starts Monday, March 7th, in a 2 1/2 hour afternoon program that meets Monday - Friday. She was able to enter mid-term. I know that she will enjoy meeting friends and getting ready for Kindergarten next year. She's growing up! She has so many great characteristics and budding interests. We are proud of our Neeley-girl.