Our PreSchool Blog

Today our preschoolers explored and discovered triangles in all kinds of ways! We first learned about the shape during groups. Click on the first picture to watch The Shapes Song with your preschool.

Next we counted the sides of a triangle. We used triangle shaped sponges as stamps.

During Yoga Relaxation today we used our bodies to practice Triangle Pose. Integrating new skills and knowledge with any physical activity is a really fun way to help preschoolers memory.

While focusing on developing our fine motor skills this week, we practiced ripping paper and using a glue stick to create our very own ocean! We talked about how we pinch the paper in our fingers and pull to rip it. Then on Friday we practiced holding our glue sticks and learning how to put glue on the pieces of paper and sticking it in our “ocean.” The skill of ripping paper is a great exercise  in gaining fine motor control, and we can always use more practice learning how to glue!

The boys and girls look forward to music and movement every day. They love to “shake out their sillies” and “drive in their cars”. Once a week we have the pleasure of having Ms. Joanie and her special guest, Elmo play music with us! Music helps children develop memory skills and language and literacy skills. Music and Movement helps develop listening skills, auditory discrimination, and concentration. Young children use this time to express feelings and emotions while increasing self esteem. Check out the children using their fine motor skills to strum the guitar as they sing along to some of their favorite songs!

While learning about the animals and habitat of Hawaii and the Pacific Ocean we watched a video of a starfish on the ocean floor. The preschoolers made their own starfish while strengthening their fine motor muscles. Any activity that requires tearing, scrunching, folding, or twisting of paper is wonderful for the muscles in preschoolers little hands and fun to do!

The Toddler class was able to spend some time outside today… enjoying the amazing fall weather! The playground is a natural place for physical development as well as for social and emotional development. Young children need challenging playground experiences to develop early self-confidence along with large muscle skills and coordination. The boys and girls are learning to share and take turns… they’re making new friends along the way!

Since we’ve been talking about water, we couldn’t leave out the ocean and all of the creatures that call it home! During group time we read “Mister Seahorse” by Eric Carle. The boys and girls were fascinated by the hidden fish in the pictures. During art center, we reviewed our colors and the boys and girls used their fine motor skills to sponge paint all over the paper. They loved the mess they were making and we loved the product that came out… check out our very own Mr. Seahorse!

In reading groups today the Pre-Kers focused on the sight word ‘make’. While reading our book of the week, Making Bubbles, we were exposed to the sight word used in context. Next we listened and identified the beginning sound of ‘make.’ We searched for pictures that had the same beginning sound. To close reading groups for today we searched for the sight word ‘make’. Working with sight words in different ways promotes comprehension and memory.

The Toddler room explored the theme of water throughout September. The boys and girls enjoyed reading “10 Little Rubber Ducks” by Eric Carle and the “Wide-Mouthed Toad” by Keith Faulkner. Although we were busy working on our masterpieces for the art show we were able to slip in a few water creature crafts too. The children made rubber ducks out of potato stamps using yellow paint. There were lots of giggles as their hands were covered in slimy green paint to make frog feet!