Our PreSchool Blog

Today in small groups we used our fine motor skills to string a bead pattern onto our halloween necklaces.  Fine motor muscles are very important small muscles located in your child’s hands that need to be developed in order to hold a pencil properly and attain the ability to write successfully and without difficulty.  Scissor activities also help build these muscles needed to write.  If you find your child having trouble holding scissors properly, holding a crayon or large marker incorrectly, small muscles activities are needed to help build the muscles.  We include these activities into our daily curriculum through scissor “skill” activities, prewriting activities, playdough activities, through the use of stickers (it takes these small muscles in the hand to peel the stickers off the paper), beading, and the use of tongs in the sensory tables and center games…etc.  Click on any of the pictures for other small motor activity ideas.  Have fun!

Reading My Pattern

I did it!

Checking My Work

Stringing a Pattern

We are making great progress in our patterning skills.  Some children have progressed into extending their patterns much further this week while others began making more difficult patterns independently.  We observed some of the children choosing to create their own patterns at the art center this week with the halloween stickers available.  In small groups we used our fall felt stickers to create fun fall patterns to take home and share our progress with you.  We will be wrapping up our patterning unit next week and will revisit it at the end of the year.

patterning independently

introduction to mathematics and sequencing using patterns

The preschoolers had a howling good time today when they used the halloween cards to create different patterns.  We created AB patterns along with AAB patterns. Most children were able to extend the pattern I created, independently.  The next step is for the children to create and extend their own patterns.  We will continue patterning in math through the end of October.  They are doing a GREAT job.  Keep practicing at home…and have fun!  Helpful Hint:  Use the upcoming BUCKETFUL of halloween candy, before you begin to pass it out to the trick-or-treaters, to create yummy patterns (i.e. nerds-candy bar-lollipop; nerds-candy bar-lollipop; nerds-candy bar-lollipop).

sorting ourselves by hair length, shoes by color and frogs by pattern

We had a ball on Friday sorting on our giant math grid.  We sorted our shoes by color and type of closure.  We sorted frogs by the patterns on their backs and size.  We also sorted geometric pattern blocks by color, shape and number of sides.  And for the finale we sorted OURSELVES!  We sorted ourselves by hair color, type of clothes we were wearing (pants vs. skirts), and hair length…Pre-K sorting activities are easy to incorporate into your child’s everyday play. You have so many opportunities to practice sorting with your child.  Your child probably does some of it naturally- putting green blocks together, lining up matchbox cars, or putting farm animals in a play barn. Click the first picture for some other great sorting ideas to do at home.

Preschoolers are ready for many mathematical discoveries. If you provide them with opportunities, then they will learn.  Preschool is a terrific time to lay the groundwork for mathematical thinking and understanding.  One core mathematical understanding is patterning.  We continued to practice our patterning skills today with Halloween Bats and Ghosts!  The children are gaining a better understanding of patterning but it is still a work in progress!  Practice makes perfect 🙂

ABB Pattern

AAB Pattern

AB Patter

ABB Pattern

AB Pattern

One of a child’s most anticipated days of the year is, of course, their birthday.  We look forward to celebrating along with them on their special day.  We were lucky enough to be able to celebrate two birthdays today!  Happy Birthday Olivia and Chase!  We love you!

Olivia's Special Lightning McQueen Cake was Delicious!

Celebrating with Special Halloween Cupcakes

We are working on patterns this month in our Preschool Classroom.  The kids used the counting bears to create all different kinds of patterns during small groups today.  We completed AB, ABB, and AAB patterns by size and color (i.e. large-small-small; yellow-green; red-red-blue).  Some of the children caught on very quickly and were creating their own patterns independently before we knew it!  Way to go boys and girls!  Patterning is fun activity to practice at home, especially in the kitchen.  Click on the picture for some ideas…have fun!

ABB Pattern

AB Pattern

AAB Pattern

Ms. Joanie came today for a great musical experience!  We used rhythm sticks, bells, and cymbals to create our own orchestra.  We listened carefully and followed our leader to create our masterpiece.  The kids did a fantastic job listening (which is sometimes a challenge at this age).   Keep up the good work!  We also had a chance to play “Brownie,” which is one of Ms. Joanie’s special guitars she shares with us.  Each child had a chance to choose one of their favorite songs and help Ms. Joanie play the song on the guitar.  We heard everything from the theme song from Toy Story to Batman to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  Ms. Joanie will be back next Friday morning for another musical adventure.

miss joanie taking requests

We talked last week about how trees change during each season.  We sequenced these seasons during group time after reading A Tree is Nice.  We discovered that a tree “sleeps” during the winter even though it may look dead without the leaves.  We also discovered that all the rain in the spring brings small buds on a tree, which are the beginnings of the leaves.  Summer trees are full of bright green leaves but they begin to change colors during the Fall and tumble off the branches.  Some of the children in our Wednesday class had the opportunity to create their own seasonal tree using their arm as the trunk and fingers as the branches.  We added details to the trees with our fingerprints whether it be fall foliage, white snow, small green buds, or a full green canopy.  We are still working on these and our seasonal forest will continue to grow throughout the next week.   Check them out!

our seasonal forest project this week

When your child arrives don’t forget to have them find their name on our class name board by the sensory table and to answer the question of the day!   Some of the answers we get are just a hoot!  If you have a child in our PreK class, don’t forget to have them sign their name when they arrive in our Signature Book!  We encourage you to have your child carry their own backpack, find their name on the cubbies, and hang it up along with their own coats etc.  These are great experiences in independence, fine and gross motor development, name recognition and responsibility.  They all doing a fantastic job with being responsible in the classroom, we are so proud of all of them!

Class Name board and question of the day