Blogs in Kindergarten?

I love the idea of using blogs in the classroom to enhance lessons and increase student engagement and learning. However, I’m having a difficult time thinking of ways that I might utilize a blog with my group of kindergarten students. Children at this level are only learning computer basics and cannot read and write well enough to use blogging. I would love some ideas and suggestions!

My only thought for using blogs in my classroom is I might partner up with my fifth grade reading buddies and sixth grade science buddies to use a blog to respond to one another and the lessons we work on together. I would work with my students as a class to post a blog topic based on our unit themes, and our buddies would respond by giving information or sharing stories to help expand the learning of my students on specific topics based on our state standards. I would hope that my students would be able to pick up more knowledge than I would otherwise be able to teach alone, and our older buddies would gain a sense of ownership and expertise on our topics through teaching concepts themselves.

I already have a plan in place to do this type of activity with paper and pencil, but I believe that a blog might be a better tool for allowing “anytime, anywhere learning.” Plus, with paper and pencil, students will only collaborate with one or two other students. Through the use of a blog, the entire class would be able to collaborate with one another at all times.

Full-Day Kindergarten vs. Half-Day Kindergarten

My school is in the process of moving from a half-day kindergarten program to a full-day kindergarten program. With states requiring more and more from teachers and students, full-day kindergarten seems to be the best (and only) option. In terms of curriculum, I have plenty of ideas and my lesson plans are full. But I worry about the effect that my state's strict requirements will have on my young students. Can kindergarten students physically and mentally handle the demands of a full-day kindergarten program? Or are half-day programs more developmentally appropriate for our youngest students? Any suggestions for dealing with a full-day program in terms of scheduling, routines, and expectations are welcome.