Barnyard Bulletin | November 2026

This month, our Calves and Piglets will welcome fall by exploring science concepts and art through hands-on experiences with voice vibrations, bubbles, breathing techniques, and tunnels. We will also practice Conscious Discipline strategies as the children discover more about their unique abilities and preferences through everyday learning and play.

This Months Theme: Fall

Weekly themes: Voice Vibrations, Bubble Chasers, Breath in & Blow out, and Tunnel Tricks

Interested in being a “Guest Reader?” Please let us if would like to volunteer to come read a book to the kids. Parents, grandparents or other close family members are welcome to volunteer.

Incidental Learning: Learning Without Trying

Incidental learning occurs unintentionally during activities in which learning is not a conscious goal. It can be beneficial in many contexts, making it important to understand. It is especially significant during the early stages of native-language acquisition.

One study described incidental learning as unintentional learning that occurs without awareness of the learning itself. Another defined intentional learning as “learning which occurs as a result of specific training accompanied by instructions to learn” and distinguished incidental learning by “the absence of any specific training.”

Incidental learning can sometimes be more effective than intentional learning. For this reason, educators may deliberately create opportunities for it through activities such as educational games, which help students absorb material in an engaging, intuitive way.

However, incidental learning is not effective in every situation and may not help learners achieve specific goals. For example, a student preparing for an exam on advanced statistics is unlikely to master the required concepts through incidental learning alone.

Incidental teaching promotes learning in situations where individuals are not consciously trying to learn. For example, a parent may support incidental learning by reading a history book with their child and discussing the ideas that arise naturally.

(Incidental Learning: Learning Without Trying to Learn, https://effectiviology.com/incidental-learning, 2026)

Reminders:

📜🪧We need copies of your child’s health appraisals and immunizations. APA and CO licensing requires that children see their pediatrician at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months of age. Children will also receive vaccines at these appointments (expect 9 & 15 months). Please stop by the office for the correct form so that the pediatrician can sign the health appraisal before your next visit. Copies of vaccines are always appreciated, and are provided during your visit.

📜You are welcome to take a photo of the signed General Health Appraisal form and send it through playground on the “Admin” chat, drop it off, or upload it to playground. Please let us know if you have any questions about these documents 📜🪧

>> ❄️Cold Clothing Check

🥾Please ensure that your kiddo has closed-toed walking shoes

for outdoor play, if your child is mobile! 👟

Colorado mornings can start getting chilly! Please be sure to send a jacket and hats daily along with appropriate walking shoes. Some kiddos may need some cold weather clothes options, as the season continues to change. Teachers will be notifying you if your kiddo needs different clothes.

🏷️Friendly Labeling Reminder

All glass containers or bottles must have a silicone liner. This prevents dangerous situations in the classroom if a teacher or child were to drop the glass accidently.

Please make sure all of your child’s belongings are clearly labeled with their full first and last name! This includes, but is not limited to items such as:
• Bottles/sippy cups/Water bottles
• Food containers
• Sleep sacks
• Extra clothes
• Backpacks and lunch boxes; all personal belongings

Proper labeling helps us keep classrooms organized, and ensures belongings are returned to the correct child. We highly recommend using sticker labels whenever possible, as Sharpie and Expo marker labels can fade or rub off throughout the day. If something is not labeled, teachers will do their best to label it with tape or sharpie. 📛

>> 🤧 Cold and Flu Season is here!

We encourage you to help us keep your little ones and our teachers healthy by keeping your child home when they are feeling unwell and communicating any symptoms or illnesses with us. Just as a reminder children displaying fever (100.4+), with multiple symptoms are unable to attend, until 24 hrs. symptom free.

Please make sure you are washing your child’s hands upon entering their classroom each morning. Starting the day with clean hands helps reduce the spread of germs while building healthy habits from an early age. 🧼💛

>> 📲 Keep Us in the Loop

We want to encourage all parents to communicate changes in sleep, feeding, medications, routines, or anything happening at home that may affect your child’s day with their teachers. Even small updates can help teachers better support your little one.