February 2026: All Things Animals!

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” 

– Anatole France

Animals Exploration:

Taking Care of Pets, Habitat Matching, Mom and Baby Matching

February is always a favorite here at SimpleLife! Who doesn’t love to learn about all the incredible animals we have! We talked about how to take care of pets and what animals need to stay happy and healthy like food, water, shelter, and lots of love. The children enjoyed discussing their own pets at home and learning how being gentle and responsible helps animals feel safe. Through stories, discussions, and even some pet shop dramatic play, we practiced what it means to be kind animal caretakers.

We also had fun learning about where animals live by matching animals to their habitats, such as farms, forests, and oceans. Another favorite activity was matching baby animals with their mothers like kittens with cats and calves with cows! These activities helped the children build observation skills while learning more about the natural world. It has been so exciting to see their curiosity grow as they discover more about animals and how to care for them.

- Miss Mallorie

Love Day Celebration: The Many Ways to Say “I Love You”!

At our preschool, we celebrate Love Day as a simple and meaningful way to focus on the many ways we say “I love you.” Throughout the month, we talk about how love can be shown through kindness, sharing, helping, and thoughtful actions. We sing about love, practice caring for one another, and look for small opportunities each day to serve our friends. On this special day, we intentionally call it Love Day instead of Valentine’s Day to keep the focus neutral and centered on the true purpose—showing love in action.

Children were invited to bring small, simple tokens to share, such as handmade cards, stickers, bracelets, or little trinkets. During our special snack time, we enjoyed homemade cookies and strawberries cut into heart shapes, which the children loved because it was a fun change from our usual snack. As the children passed out their gifts and treats to classmates, each child also received a homemade cookie to take home and share with their families. Later, we headed outside for a Love Day scavenger hunt, where the children searched for hidden cards with ideas for showing love—making our beds, putting away toys, creating a card for someone, and more. It was a joyful, heartfelt day filled with kindness, and we hope the love they practiced at school continues to shine in their homes and throughout our community.

- Miss Annie

Art Exploration:

Background, Foreground, Step by Step animal Drawing and recyclable pet.

This month, children at SimpleLife Preschool have been exploring different techniques used in art. The art lesson included creating the background and foreground of a painting. In the first step, students were led through the process of creating a background for their painting by using the three primary colors: cyan (blue), magenta, and yellow. They were able to experiment and mix two colors together at a time to observe what color was produced. This was a learning process for me as well! As I observed the children during the art lesson, I noticed something magical starting to take shape. Each child started with the exact same board and paint colors. However, as they begin to paint their backgrounds, the collage of colors evolved into beautiful, unique pieces of artwork! It was inspiring to see each child expressing their creativity and ideas. Once the background paint had dried, the students then focused on creating a foreground for their painting. They learned how the color and method in painting the outline of an animal would allow their foreground to be seen first and easily in front of the background colors.

A second art project this month provided students with a fun, whimsical opportunity to use their imagination while creating a recyclable pet and “home”. Children painted their rock pets and then chose eyes and a tail for the teacher to glue on. The rock pets were given a recyclable berry clam-shell “home” created and decorated by the children. They then chose pieces of fabric for a cozy interior and filled water bottle lids with paper “food” and “water”. The children enjoyed playing with their newly created pets and homes and were excited to bring them home that day to share with their families.

At SimpleLife Preschool, art provides opportunities for the children to practice and develop many important skills including fine motor skills, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and even building self-confidence. It is a special offering at our school where each child’s unique creations are encouraged and celebrated.

- Miss Missy