MEO Moloka‘i preschool is ‘Where The Wild Things Are’

The “Where The Wild Things Are” summer for the preschoolers in the Moloka‘i Head Start program concluded with a Rumpus Dance around the Maui Economic Opportunity Kaunakakai office earlier this month.

Head Start staff turned their summer session classroom into the forest where Max encounters the “Wild Things” in author and artist Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book. Vines hung from ceiling windows, and pictures and dolls of the Wild Things, Max and his crown adorned the classroom.

Preschoolers engaged in lessons including language arts, math, science and music, as well as arts and crafts aligned with the Wild Things theme. They painted Max’s red boat, made Wild Things masks and claws, played games, like finding Max’s crown, and ice painting.

On the last day of summer, July 5, youth and teachers staged a Rumpus Dance for the Moloka‘i staff. Children dressed in masks and claws they made, selected instruments, and paraded around the office following teacher Valeny Dudoit in Max’s red boat. 

And the children did their best to emulate a passage from the book.

“And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.”

The MEO Head Start summer program on Moloka‘i and Maui began in June and ended July 5.  The new school year gets underway Aug. 12.

Head Start offers 3 and 4 year olds from low-income families an opportunity for preschool at no cost to those enrolled. The program focuses not only on the child but the family as well, providing health, nutrition, social and other services to promote school readiness.

For more information on MEO Head Start, call 808-249-2988.