"Rounding up" a new batch of kinder babies

Today, we celebrated Kindergarten Round-Up. One of my favorite days of the year -- a day to "round-up" a new batch of kinder babies. 

... and that's exactly what they are at this point -- babies!

They were absolutely darling, wide-eyed, and excited. Every year, this day reminds me of how rewarding this job is... how this job gives me so much joy every single year.

However, this time of year is markedly harder for me. Although I love my class every year, this one will be especially difficult to part with. They are the most enthusiastic, eager-to-please group of students I've ever met. Everyday goes smoothly. Even my husband has noticed. One day, he said, "Ya know, everyday you come home this year and I ask you how your day was, you say 'Great!'"

My current kinders were very excited to hear about kindergarten round-up. To put it in their words, "The little kids are coming to practice kindergarten." (To which I think to myself, "Little kids? That was you 9 months ago!") But, of course, they have turned into "big kids" now. And it's almost time to usher in a group of little learners.

To help channel some of that excitement and enthusiasm, I had my current kinders make posters for kindergarten round-up. Not only was I able to show-off their darling "kinder spelling," but my students informed the incoming "newbies" exactly what they need to know about kindergarten. They turned out pretty stinkin' cute.

[Translation provided for those of you who do not read "kinder language."]

In kindergarten, you will learn...

to be nice, to read, it's never okay to disruptive, time, all about predators, Cat in the Hat, animals, everything forever (ha ha), art, colors of the rainbow, writing, science, math, patterns, about Dr. Seuss, how to do fire drills.

In kindergarten, you will need...

color words, a teacher, glue stick and crayon cup and water bottle, fun, math box, space stick, markers, books, play-doh, songs, a pencil, crayons, books to help you learn, jacket or coat.

In kindergarten, you will...

go on field trips, write, have fun, sing songs, count, see a gecko, have a cubby, have a pet, recess, have snack at 10:00 (ha ha!), do tornado drills, go outside, have science, feed Ecko, learn how to read.

Kindergarten is...

a place to learn, awesome, great, fun, learning, a place to have fun, big, clean, super fun, love-ful (my favorite word!), super, colorful, awesome to read books.