Mrs. Whitney’s 2026-2027 Pre-K Class Family!

Why are self-portraits important in preschool?

When preschoolers draw themselves, they're doing serious brain work. They are combining memory, fine motor skills, body awareness, and emotional expression all in one little masterpiece. We use self-portraits to get a baseline of where each child is developmentally and then watch the progress as their portraits develop throughout the school year. The changes are visual proof of growing confidence, coordination, and self-awareness!

Fun in Centers

Following our discussion on “What names do we need to know at school?”, we talked about the different names of our classroom centers. We went around the room identifying each center, learning the rules and expectations for using them, and then had the opportunity to explore the different toys and manipulatives each center has to offer.

I intentionally keep the number of items in our centers minimal as a form of classroom management. Having fewer choices helps prevent students from becoming overwhelmed while also encouraging them to use their imaginations and creativity with the materials available. Throughout the year, I will periodically rotate and change out the toys and materials in our centers to keep them fresh, exciting, and engaging for the children!

Reading Comprehension

Last week, we read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn as our class read-aloud! I did a check for understanding and comprehension by spreading the students out around the classroom and having them complete a coloring sheet while I asked questions about the story. Reading comprehension is the ability to process what we read, understand its meaning, and connect it to what we already know. As I asked questions, I was able to see which students could remember important details, understand the characters and events, and make connections to the story. It was a fun way to see what they remembered and how well they understood our story! We will continue practicing these skills as we read, discuss, and explore new books together.

Mrs. Whitney’s 2025-2026 Pre-K Class

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Step-up to Kindergarten

The Pre-K classes took a trip to Kindergarten to see what is in store for them next year. They were mentored by current Kindergarten students and were able to see what the different centers look like, learn rules and expectations, and ask all their questions. A big “Thank you” to Mrs. Sarah and the 25-26 Kinder Class for taking the time to give us a tour.

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Teamwork through Puzzles

At the beginning of the school year, the class worked together to solve puzzles as a group. We recently revisited this activity to see how much progress we have made, and the students had a wonderful time engaging in it again.

Puzzles are a great way to strengthen fine motor skills, build perseverance, and encourage problem-solving. Through this activity, the students are also working toward Objective 11: demonstrating positive approaches to learning. They are solving problems, showing curiosity and motivation, and practicing flexibility while collaborating as a team.

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Matching Games

We have played numerous games this week to review the skills we have been learning, and the students thoroughly enjoyed this fun and engaging approach to practicing and recalling what they know.

As a group, we worked together to solve rhyming and alphabet puzzles. Students matched rhyming words by finding classmates with the corresponding word (for example, car with star), which encouraged both listening and collaboration.

We also practiced identifying uppercase letters and matching them with their corresponding lowercase letters. This hands-on review helped reinforce important early literacy skills while keeping learning interactive and enjoyable.

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Snow Cones

Mrs. Denise rewarded the class with snow cones to celebrate all of their hard work in the talent show! The students loved watching her shave the ice and had so much fun choosing their own flavors. It was a sweet and refreshing way to wrap up such a wonderful performance.

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Happy Mother’s Day Pot Making & Planting

Toothpick Art

Taffy

Talent Show

What a wonderful talent show! We know that any great performance takes time, effort, and flexibility. Please know that this was time well spent, not wasted. Experiences like this are just one of the many ways St. James Pre-K stands out.

Through this process, your children practiced important skills such as following expectations, developing gross motor and movement skills, speaking clearly, following directions, staying engaged, and persevering through challenges. They also gained a tremendous amount of self-confidence and self-control. Performing in front of an audience at 4 and 5 years old is no small task, and we are incredibly proud of how well they did.

This event would not have been possible without the support of our parents, Mrs. Denise, and her lower school helpers. We are so grateful for each of you who helped make this special day a success!

Gardening Field Trip to H&N

To conclude our gardening study, we took a field trip to H&N. During our visit, we toured the nursery and learned about the differences between perennials and annuals. We also explored how to identify plants with thorns and discussed why some plants have them. The children were introduced to the idea that certain plants can be toxic or poisonous to people and animals.

One of the highlights of our trip was planting our very own strawberry plants while wearing our gardening gloves. We learned that strawberry plants need plenty of sunlight, fresh air, and water to grow.

A big thank you to H&N for providing our Pre-K classes with such a special and memorable hands-on learning experience! 

I is for Ice cream

Sensory Center Fun

Growing a Garden

After wrapping up our Box Study, we transitioned into our new unit—Gardening. The children planted a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers including cherry tomatoes, peppers, basil, cilantro, chives, sunflowers, and marigolds. Throughout the spring, we will observe how the plants grow, care for the garden, and even taste some of the things we harvest. This hands-on experience helps children learn about science, responsibility, and God’s creation while giving them the opportunity to explore nature in a meaningful way. The students loved getting their hands in the soil as they planted seeds and started what will soon become our class garden. We are excited to watch our plants grow and continue learning about the wonderful world of gardening in the weeks ahead!

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Class Mural

We studied Objective 33, exploring the visual arts, by painting a mural to serve as the backdrop for our garden center. Throughout the process, students showed appreciation for both their own artwork and the artwork of their peers, while also developing an increased awareness of color, lines, space, and design. Each student had the opportunity to use and care for a variety of materials and artistic processes. We began by painting the grass, then added the sun and sky, and finally completed the mural with colorful flowers.

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Happy Easter!!

Box Study Visit

We concluded our Box Study with a special visit from delivery driver Aaron LeJeune (Mia’s dad) and a box car drive-in movie.

Mr. Aaron, with Old Dominion, visited our school and showed us his 18-wheeler that delivers all kinds of things—including BOXES! He showed us his protective vest and hard hat, and we discovered that the tires are as big as the students. We also got to see the cargo in the back of the truck and learned about the many different things he delivers.

Each student had the opportunity to climb inside the truck and see what it looks like from the driver’s seat. At the end of our visit, we all raised our arms up and down, and Mr. Aaron honked the horn!

Thank you to Mr. Aaron for taking the time to visit our class and share about his job.

Box Car Drive-in Movie

Our box car drive-in movie was a fun way to incorporate creativity into our Box Study. The students were given the task of creating a car out of a box. It was so fun to see what each child designed and how their individual personalities shone through in their creations. We ended our celebration by watching The Lorax and enjoying popcorn together.

Gardening in the Classroom

The dramatic play area has transformed into a Garden Shop! Students have been busy pretending to be Master Gardeners as they plant seeds and bulbs. At the planting station, they dig into play dirt to fill pots and create beautiful blooms. Our Pre-K gardeners have enjoyed using tools like shovels, rakes, and gloves while working in their Garden Shop, bringing their imaginations to life through hands-on play

Dramatic play is an important part of early childhood development, as it encourages creativity, problem-solving, and language skills. Through role-playing, children build social skills, practice cooperation, and make meaningful connections to real-world experiences.

The Life Cycle of a Chicken

The past few weeks, we have been learning about the life cycle of a chicken! Studying life cycles helps children better understand the world around them, encourages early scientific thinking, and fosters empathy as they learn how to care for living things.

The students have especially enjoyed counting down the days until our eggs hatched. Watching the exciting moments they finally hatched was such a special experience for everyone! Now the class is helping care for them by making sure they have plenty of food, water, and the proper temperature in their container. It has been wonderful to see the children take such an interest in observing and caring for these new little lives.

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Our Class Pet, Peck

Each week, a student took our class pet, Peck, home for a special visit. They were given instructions to take great care of Peck, have a fun and clean time together, and then journal about their adventures. On Monday, the class practiced being a polite audience while their friends shared the fun things they did with Peck during their time together. Show and Tell in the preschool classroom is so important in building a strong foundation for confidence in speaking in front of others. These experiences help encourage self-confidence and communication skills that will benefit them as they grow. 

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Read Across America Week

We had so much fun celebrating Read Across America Week in preschool! Each day, the students enjoyed activities inspired by some of our favorite books. We kicked off the week with Cat in the Hat Day, where students wore their favorite hats to school. On Tuesday, inspired by If I Ran the Zoo, the children brought their stuffed animals to join us for the day. Fox in Socks Day on Wednesday brought lots of laughter as we admired everyone’s fun and silly socks. On Thursday, we celebrated The Lorax with mustaches provided by the school, which the students absolutely loved! We wrapped up the week with Pajama Day, inspired by The Sleep Book, making for a cozy and fun end to our celebration.

It was a wonderful week full of books, creativity, and excitement about reading!

Post Office Dramatic Play Center

To kick off our Box Study, our Dramatic Play Center has been transformed into a Post Office, complete with different-sized boxes, student mailboxes, bubble wrap, and more. Our Writing Center has also become a place where students can write letters, use our Address Book to address envelopes, apply stamps, and deliver their mail to classmates’ mailboxes.

The students are having so much fun pretending, creating, and exploring the many different uses for boxes!

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Which comes first - The chicken or the Egg?

Our Pre-K classes are going to find out thanks to Cherrie Curtis, CEA - 4H and Youth and Development Leader, and Cora Wieneck TX 4-H Poultry Ambassador. They brought us eggs, an incubator, and read a book to us about the life cycle of a chicken.

This week, we carefully removed several eggs from the incubator to examine them using an egg candler. A candling lamp is a special tool designed to shine light through the egg so we can observe the developing embryo inside. We dimmed the lights and took turns looking closely at each egg. It was amazing to see that all of the eggs we checked had baby chicks growing inside!

With only a few more days until hatch time, we are full of anticipation and can hardly wait to meet our baby chicks!

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I can make green!

This week we studied Objective 33, which explores the visual arts and increases our awareness of color. We experimented with mixing yellow and blue to create green. It was fun to hear the students’ predictions about what would happen when the colors were combined. They were all excited to see the final result and watch the new color appear.

After answering our focus question, “What do our bodies need in order to move and exercise?” our class explored different nutritious foods. We discussed how these foods help our bodies move, grow, and stay strong.

Guacamole

We read the book Guacamole! by Jorge Argueta and Margarita Sada. In the story, a young girl joyfully prepares guacamole for her family, describing the ingredients and the steps needed to make this tasty treat. We discussed the texture, color, and smell of the ingredients, as well as how avocados help keep our bodies healthy.

After combining all of the ingredients, the class had the opportunity to mash the guacamole. At the end of the lesson, we enjoyed chips and dip together. Many friends who began the lesson saying they did not like guacamole decided to give it a try—and discovered that they actually liked it after all!

Protein Balls

To make our protein balls, the class followed the steps in a recipe together. Each student was responsible for adding one ingredient, such as oats, coconut flakes, flax seeds, chocolate chips, peanut butter, vanilla, or honey. We mixed all of the ingredients and strengthened our fine motor muscles by rolling the mixture into balls. We discussed how protein balls help our bodies move, grow, and stay strong, and we wrapped up our lesson by enjoying a tasty and healthy snack!

Fruit Smoothie

In the month of January, we will study exercise! Young children are in nearly constant motion—movement helps them feel confident, releases tension, and builds strong bodies and minds. Their natural love of moving will make this study especially fun and engaging!

Throughout the month, we’ll explore many types of exercise, observe how people move, and learn what our bodies need to stay active and healthy. As we study exercise, children will build skills across physical development, literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts, and technology. They’ll also practice important thinking skills as they observe, investigate, ask questions, solve problems, make predictions, and test their ideas.

We are excited to kick off the New Year with a fun and active study of movement!

Running is a type of Exercise!

ABC Snowman match

We played a group game where we matched letters to their corresponding sound. This was great practice and review of the letter sounds!

Yoga is a type of Exercise!

Thank you to Molly Kendrick for teaching a yoga class to our Pre-K kiddos! The children learned different breathing techniques, discovered their dominant hand and leg, and participated in fun stretches and balancing poses. It was a wonderful, engaging experience for everyone!

Christmas Write the Room

“Write the Room” is a fun, movement-based literacy activity where children walk around the classroom with a clipboard to find themed picture cards for each letter of the alphabet. As they locate each card, students trace the corresponding letter on their recording sheet. This engaging activity reinforces letter recognition and penmanship skills while also getting the kiddos moving during a classroom scavenger hunt.

Letter & Number Review Practice

With this week being a review week, we have been practicing the letters and numbers we have learned so far. To put this into practice, each student was given their own whiteboard and marker to write the letters and numbers as I modeled them on the board, using the same verbal cues we use in class.

Fine Motor Work

Christmas Party Fun!

Pre-K Christmas Program

Each year, St. James Pre-K students present a retelling of the first Christmas. Through the process of preparing for their program, the children learn the story of the birth of Jesus, memorize songs, lines, and movement, and then have the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience full of the people they love most. I am so proud of their determination, courage, and hard work!!!

Community service

The Pre-K classes chose to help pack boxes at Harvest Regional Food Bank as our community service project this year. We felt it was important for the children to donate their time in a meaningful, hands-on way. Through this experience, our students learned what community service is, why it matters, what a food bank does, and how it helps people in our community.

Before our field trip, we asked our students two guiding questions:

What is community service?

Community service is doing helpful work for your neighborhood or town. It is work you do for free—giving your time and effort instead of getting money. Community service makes a positive difference and helps build a stronger community.

What is a food bank?

A food bank is a place where people donate food to help those who don’t have enough to eat. It is like a grocery store, but people do not have to pay money to get their food.

Bread Study Field Trip

To conclude our Bread Study, we took a trip to Gusano’s to answer our focus question, “Who works with bread?” The students not only had the chance to visit a restaurant, but they also rolled out pizza dough and made their own pizzas—sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and all! The best part was getting to enjoy the delicious pizzas they created. A big thank you to Gusano's for their wonderful hospitality and for hosting St. James Day School Pre-K! Our students had an amazing experience!

Chicka Chicka HO HO HO

We read Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho written by William Boniface and illustrated by Julien Chung. This festive story is wonderful for reinforcing alphabet recognition and building language skills through its catchy, playful rhyme.After our read-aloud, students were given green paper cutouts along with the letters in their names. Each child practiced spelling their name to create their own Christmas tree. It was so much fun to see which names were short and which were long, and to watch them recall and arrange the letters to form their names!

Science with Butter

We are wrapping up our Bread study, and what a wonderful way to finish! A huge thank you to Cece’s mom, Ellen, for collecting baby food jars so our class could make homemade butter. During this activity, we explored Objective 26: demonstrating knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials.

We talked about liquids versus solids and observed how the heavy cream started as a liquid and, with shaking (adding energy), transformed into a solid—BUTTER! The children strengthened their gross motor skills while shaking their jars and then used fine motor skills to spread their freshly made butter on their bread.

It was a fun, hands-on learning experience for everyone!

We have continued our Bread Study throughout the month of November. Students have had the opportunity to explore questions such as: How many slices of bread tall are you? How is bread made? and What kinds of bread do we like?

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How many bread slices tall are you?

We focused on Objectives 20 (Uses number concepts and operations) and 22 (Compares and measures) as we counted and measured how many pieces of bread tall we are! The students were then able to graph our data. We are having the best time with bread!

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Homemade Playdough

We read Mmm, Cookies! by Robert Munsch this week. In the story, a little boy named Christopher makes “play clay” and tricks his family into eating pretend cookies. He soon learns an important lesson about not playing tricks on others when his teacher turns the prank back on him!

After reading, our class made our own playdough—our very own “play clay.” We followed a recipe, measured each ingredient, mixed the dry ingredients, and then combined the liquids. The students loved watching the mixture come together, and they were so excited to see the finished product: bright blue playdough!

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How is bread made?

We explored our focus question, “How is bread made?” A special thank-you to Genevieve’s mom for visiting the Pre-k classes and guiding us through the process. Students had the opportunity to measure ingredients, touch and smell the dough, observe the mixer, and enjoy a taste of the freshly baked bread.

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What kinds of bread do you like?

This week we explored the focus question, “What kind of bread do you like?” Before sampling different types of bread, we shared our initial answers. We then sampled several types of bread including brioche, a blueberry bagel, a tortilla, a Hawaiian roll, cinnamon raisin bread, and an English muffin. After tasting, we graphed our data and answered the focus question again. It was interesting to see how our responses changed!

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In the month of November, the Pre-K classes will be learning all about bread! Bread is everywhere!! Nearly every culture in the world eats some type of bread. A study of bread provides children with an opportunity to learn how bread is made, the kinds of bread we eat, who works with bread, and how and when we can eat bread.

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Our Class Bakery

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How many slices are in a loaf of bread?

To incorporate our objective #24—using scientific inquiry skills—we explored the question, “How many slices are in a loaf of bread?” Students practiced connecting new observations to what they already know, made predictions, and then organized the information they gathered. We learned that there are 24 slices in a loaf of bread!

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Sensory Fun!

Sensory play is a fun and meaningful way for children to explore their senses while developing fine motor skills, interacting with others, and experimenting with different textures. It encourages imagination and supports cognitive growth. The flour bin was definitely a hit!

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H is for Hat!

In the month of October, the Pre-K students have followed our Creative Curriculum study on Roads. We have explored questions such as:

• What do we know about roads?

• What are some characteristics of roads?

• How do we stay safe on roads?

Students have learned about the different types of equipment that use roads, how roads are made, and the signs that help us travel safely.

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Transportation Day!

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Pattern Practice

Practicing patterns in preschool is important for many reasons! It helps build a strong foundation for math concepts, logical reasoning, and sequencing, while also enhancing problem-solving skills. Pattern awareness even supports early reading development, as both involve recognizing and understanding sequences. The best part is—pattern practice is easy to continue at home, too!

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Alphabet Matching

The students played an alphabet matching game using magnetic car cards. The goal was to match the uppercase letter with its corresponding lowercase letter. This type of activity supports early literacy by strengthening letter recognition and visual skills, while also encouraging focus, problem-solving, and turn-taking.

P is for Pumpkin Pie

Each week, we enjoy tasting a food that begins with our focus letter to make letter recognition and phonics fun and hands-on. This week, we made pumpkin pie! While cooking, the students practiced number concepts by measuring ingredients like 1 cup of pumpkin purée and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. They also practiced important social skills by taking turns and waiting patiently for their turn to help. Making pumpkin pie was a wonderful way to strengthen our fine motor skills through pouring, stirring, and working together as a class!

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We wrapped up our Pet Study last week with lots of fun in our pet-themed centers and by painting our very own pet rocks! The students loved getting creative. We are excited to welcome October and begin learning all about roads next!

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P is for Police

Mrs. Bailee's husband, Officer Hunter, made a visit to our school! We learned about how police officers keep us safe, how to recognize their police cars, and even got to see some of his equipment up close. The students loved this special visit!

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Bouncy Egg Experiment

In science, we conducted an experiment by placing a raw egg in vinegar. The vinegar dissolves the eggshell, leaving behind a soft, rubbery egg without its hard outer layer. Before beginning, students made hypotheses to predict what they thought would happen. While the egg didn't explode as some had hoped, it was very exciting to see it transform into a "bouncy egg"!

Pet Visits

From cats to horses, and even a turtle and chickens, Pre-K has had so many furry and feathered friends visit! A big thank you to all of the parents who helped make these special visits possible.

Fine Motor Journal Work

Students have begun working on their Fine Motor Journals. Each week, they will tear paper to decorate a picture related to that week's focus area. Tearing paper is an excellent fine motor activity - it strengthens hand muscles, improves finger dexterity and hand strength, and enhances hand-eye coordination.

F is for French Fry

In the month of September, students will study all things pets. We will explore the different types of pets, what pets need, how pets make us feel, and the kinds of jobs that involve working with pets. As we study pets, we will learn concepts and skills in the areas of literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and technology. We will also develop thinking skills as we observe, investigate, ask questions, solve problems, make predictions, and test our ideas.

Piggy Bagels

A big thank you to Sonny and Mrs. Jessica for providing the fun pet-themed snacks this week! We kicked off our Pet Study with 'Piggy Bagels,' and the kids absolutely loved them!

Gross Motor Play in P.E.

This week the Pre-K students worked on their gross motor skills with Coach Nichole in P.E. by riding scooters. Riding a scooter helps build balance, coordination, and strength in your legs and core. Children learn to balance, push off with their legs, and steer all while enhancing body control and endurance.

Scissor Skills

Learning to cut with scissors is an important developmental milestone. As children practice cutting, they strengthen the muscles in their hands, improve hand-eye coordination, and build bilateral coordination - the ability to use both sides of the body together. Cutting activities also help children develop focus and attention to tasks, all while building confidence in their fine motor skills.

Learning with Puzzles

Puzzles are more than just fun - they are an excellent way for children to learn and grow. As children work with puzzles, they strengthen their fine motor skills, develop perseverance, and practice problem-solving. Puzzles also support memory, encourage planning, and give children the opportunity to test out new ideas in a hands-on way.

Fun in Centers

We’re going on a Chester Hunt…

We read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn this week. It is a sweet story about a mother who comforts her son by placing a kiss in his hand for the first day of school. At the end of the book, the son comforts his mother by returning the favor and placing a kiss in her hand. We finished our week by going a Chester Hunt to find Chester raccoon from the story.

GARDENING STUDY

Wow! I can not believe we have reached our last study which is the gardening unit. We will continue with study until the first of May. We have transformed our center into our very own garden shop where the kids will have a planting station, pick your own bulb and seed station, and design station. They will be able to take orders, create their own bouquets, and practice their planting/ gardening skills. This is one of my favorite studies and I'm so excited to open up this center for the class.

Painted backdrop

I absolutely love the hand painted backdrop for our garden center. Each child painted their own flower and all of them turned out so precious!

Gardening Time

Chelsea Claybrook (Lucas' mom) from the Miller County Master Gardeners visited our class this week. She shared some herbs and plants from her garden and talked to us about what a garden needs and what we can do to help our garden grow. She even helped us plant a garden on our playground. THANK YOU, Chelsea, for taking the time to come and visit our preschool class.

GisforGAMEWARDEN!

HUGE THANK YOU to Harper's Dad, Cody, for organizing this fun morning with Game Wardens! Officer Cody, Park, and Mills talked to Prek about water safety, wild animals they help catch and relocate, what their day to day looks like and so much more! Children even had an opportunity to hop into the boat and a patrol truck!

SisforS'MORE!

We wrapped the letter S up this morning with a sweet treat! S'MORES! The children loved being about "roast" their own marshmallow and make an ooey gooey sandwich!