Our PreSchool Blog

Using a Toothpick to Poke "Stars" into our Number Eight

Number Eight Constellations at the Light Table

Our focus this week is the number 8.  The children sat on the floor, placed their paper on the carpet, and used their fine motor muscles to poke holes through the paper along the lines of the number using a toothpick. This is a prewriting activity which allows the preschoolers to begin understanding the skill of writing.  We began at the top of the number (just as we would if we were writing the number with a pencil) and worked our way around to “write” the number.  When they were done, they took their papers to the light table to see the tiny stars in the shape of their number eight revealed.  This is an easy activity to be done at home with letters, names, shapes, or numbers.  You can give your child a flashlight and help them project the object on the wall!

Rhyming Game at Our Literacy Center

Block-Rock

Truck-Duck

We introduced the topic of rhyming last week in Preschool.  Rhyming is a tougher concept to learn than many people think.  Some children pick up on it very quickly while other need a lot of practice.  We played a rhyming matching game in small groups and the children now have the opportunity to play the game independently at the Literacy Center during free choice time.

Why do we teach rhyming words? Of course they’re fun to say, but the concept provides educational benefits as well. Learning word families that sound and end the same help with decoding words in text as your child begins to read. If a child knows the word “cat” and she understands word families (or rhyming words), she will likely be able to figure out words such as hat, sat, bat and mat as she reads.  Preschool is a wonderful time to introduce the concept of a rhyme so that later when word families are introduced, the concept will be easily understood.

Picture books with rhyming patterns are easy to find on the shelves of the library and offer a fun way to introduce the concept of rhyming. As you read the book to your child, emphasize the rhyming words. After you have read the book, mention that it contains pairs of words that sound the same. After rereading the first line with rhyming words, ask your kids to identify the pair that sounds the same. Continue reading, asking them to listen for rhyming pairs. A stop sign cut from red construction paper is a fun way for them to let you know they hear a pair. When they hear two words that sound the same in the text, the stop sign goes up so you can identify the pair. Here are some Books that are full of rhyming words to get you started:

• Dr. Seuss books
• Books by Sandra Boynton
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg
• Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
• Down by the Bay by Raffi

Your  librarian can suggest more rhyming books that are at the correct age level for your children.

Horse Pose

We started using our new Yoga mats this week and we love them!  Children can gain enormous benefits from yoga.  Our yoga program encourages children to be children. This is so very important in the academic world we live in today.  During yoga class they have the opportunity to imitate animals and nature through music and movement.  Children love to use their imaginations, create and explore. Yoga gives them an opportunity to use their imaginations as they relax, play and dance.  It also encourages their natural abilities and interests, while helping them to develop strength, flexibility and an overall sense of well being.

little chef

When your child takes center stage for Show and Tell, he or she is learning by doing. The experience is designed to teach and reinforce skills your child will use throughout life, like talking, explaining, and logical and creative thinking. By guiding your child in choosing an item to talk about, you can be sure the experience stimulates the youngster’s imagination.

Show and Tell works better when kids take items that aren’t toys. After all, most toys aren’t news; children play with them at home and school every day. Your child’s presentation will be much more exciting – to him or her and to the audience – if it’s about a post card or letter received in the mail, for example, or something made at home with Mom or Dad.

Other cool items to send: a photograph of a favorite person or from a special trip, a non-toy gift from a relative or friend, a one-page story you and your child have made up together, a picture of Mom or Dad as a child, or a natural object from outdoors, like a piece of quartz or a big pine cone.

Also, consider helping your child prepare a short talk that doesn’t need a “prop.” Why not tell about last year’s vacation or a day of helping with yard work, or make an entirely imaginary tale? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time to get ready. A little creative thinking makes it fun for everyone.

Remember these ways to help: Start early to choose something to tell about. Think ahead about what to say about the item. Maybe even rehearse a bit with your child. You’ll be glad you got involved.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Friday for our first annual Harvest Festival!  We are so lucky to have such wonderful families here at Tots and we always look forward to the times we get to spend with everyone outside of the classroom.  There were some GREAT costumes!  Thanks everyone!

Feeding the Goats

AARG!

Apple Prints

Dinosaur Fun

Happy Halloween!

Feeding the Bunny

With a cherry on top....

Memories for a Lifetime!

Letter Bb is our letter of the week this week and we “wrote” it with our feet today!  We took turns walking our letter Bb while the other children came up with words that began with the /b/ sound.  We focused on the similarities and differences of the uppercase B and the lowercase b.  We also learned that whenever we write a letter we always start at the top of the letter and pull down.  The children began at the top of each letter and walk it the same way we would correctly write it on paper.

Children learn best in many different ways.  Some children are auditory learners, learning best while listening.  Some children are visual learners.  These  children learn best when there is something visual to go along with something new that is introduced.  Other children are kinesthetic learners.  These children typically learn best by moving, doing and touching.  They are naturally good at physical activities like sports and dance. They enjoy learning through hands-on methods.  Kinesthetic learners learn best through doing including manipulating items, simulations and role plays, and other methods that physically involve them in the learning process. They enjoy and learn well from experimenting and first hand experience.  Always keep this in mind when working with your child at home.  Incorporating an activity that best fits your child’s learning style will make the experience more fruitful and more fun for both of you!

Walking our Letter of the Week

The Madeira fire department came to visit us on Wednesday and the kids just LOVED IT!  The firemen taught us alot of about fire safety.  They taught us what to do if:  1)we find a box of matches, 2) our clothes catch on fire, 3) what to do if we wake up to a fire alarm in the house, 4) when and when NOT to call 911, 5)  to let the firemen get any pets out of a house on fire and NEVER stop to bring toys with them  6)  how smoke rises and how we should always crawl out of a burning house.

We watched as a firemen put on each piece of gear including air tanks, hood and mask.  We gave the fireman high five as we learned never to be afraid of a fireman if he came to help us in an emergency.  Some of the children were a little unsure of the fireman and how funny his voice sounded when he talked through his speaker in his mask.  This was a wonderful experience for the kids to help them feel more comfortable.

After our special group time with the firemen, they took us all outside and showed us each part of their trucks.  The afternoon class got to see an aerial ladder truck and an ambulance!  Both classes got to get inside the fire truck and walk through!  The kids were amazed at this experience and were FULL of questions!

Getting Ready to Fight a Fire

The Air tank Helps him Breath

Stop, Drop, and Roll

Inside the Fire Truck

All the Equipment they need to Help Fight a Fire...

Gloves Keep His Hand Protected from the Flames

This Fire Truck can Produce it's own Electricity

Firemen Use Different Fire Hoses

Learning About the Aerial Ladder Truck

Fives for the Fireman

Hugs for the Fire Fighter

Come join us on Friday, October 30th at Creative Tots for our first annual Harvest Festival!  We will celebrate the year with costumes, pumpkin decorating, crafts and food.  We have a traveling petting zoo coming to Tots for the evening.  The kids will have a great time.  Don’t forget to dress up!

Your child has been working super hard with Ms. Penny and Ms. Lori to prepare for the upcoming art show on November 13th.  Ms. Penny has been in class two to three days a week over the past few weeks to help the children create their masterpieces that will be on display.  As you look into those “artless” cubbies day after day, please remember that all the very special artwork that your child is doing with our fantastic Ms. Penny, is being kept at school for their special debut!  Mark Your Calendars!  The children have also been working VERY hard on a top secret holiday surprise for their families…you’ll have to wait for December to see that!  It will be worth the wait!

Every child is an Artist!

Today in small groups, we practiced the movements the children need to form different letters in the alphabet.  We worked on slanted, vertical and horizontal lines on our map of the forest.  Then, we had a chance to use our fun Magic Wipe Boards to practice writing our names!  They did a great job.  Writing with your child even at this young age is a wonderful activity to become more accustomed to holding the pencil/marker correctly and building the strength in the hands that is needed for more fluent writing in the future.  The best place to start is with the letters in their name!  There is also a wonderful series of prewriting and letter writing books by Kumon.  Click on the pictures below to view different books in this series.

Some Children Wrote their Name Independently

Practice Makes Perfect

Pencil Grip is Important!

“Following the Road”

I did it!