Inquiring Minds is delighted to once again welcome a Parent guest blogger for today’s post. Special thanks to Ms. McV for sharing her perspective on this amazing experience with us.The pending arrival of the baby chicks to their Prekindergarten classroom was such a lovely way to experience a baby chicks’ life cycle for my sons. Days before the arrival of the eggs to the classroom, the boys would remind me that they would be here soon and they would get to name one of the baby chicks each. There were very excited by the fact that the eggs would be hatching any day now and would keep me updated about how the eggs were being cared for in the classroom. My sons were fascinated that they had to turn the eggs sometimes because that would keep them warm and cozy.

One afternoon when picking up my sons I had learned from the teacher that the eggs would not hatch. I worried about my boys and other children in the class would take this news and was surprised about their reactions. The children were told that the eggs were sick and had to go back to the farm but the Farmer would be bringing in two baby chicks for them to care for a few days. I found it surprising how accepting my sons were about losing the eggs and appreciate the way the news was explained to the children. Being sick and the eggs needing to be back at home (on the farm) is a concept children of this age can relate to.

The two chicks, Baby Chicky and Donald Duck lit up my sons’ world for the duration of their stay. Dinner conversations included how Donald Duck was very silly and would chirp loudly while Baby Chicky liked being held. Although the eggs did not hatch I feel that my sons had a very special experience and still talk about how Baby Chicky and Donald Duck are doing back on the farm.