A delightful preschool experience
“OOPS!” Probably the most common phrase uttered by every preschooler, it can induce sweaty palms, racing heart, and rising blood pressure. But it doesn’t need to be this way. Mistakes happen. That’s just part of life. The most important lesson any person can have is how to clean up a mistake that they have made. Taking…
One of the main goals of preschool literacy instruction is to teach young children the alphabet. For some children, this comes very easily and naturally but for many others, it takes a lot of time, energy, and practice. It is tempting to think that sit-down practice with paper and pencil is the best way for our…
You might know that we really, really, love the Dramatic Play center. By changing it regularly from the basic Home Living center to other scenarios we give our students the opportunity to take on different roles. Since it’s the beginning of the year and we are just exiting survival mode and moving toward real playing and learning, we…
Concerns about a child’s development are an inevitable part of teaching. As teachers care for their students and only want the best for them, this is natural. Sharing those concerns with parents, however, can be an intimidating, yet vital, conversation to have. First things First: Acclimate At the beginning of the year, it is so…
The dramatic play center is the perfect place for young children to “play to learn”. Our basic home living center is a kitchen, with play food, dishes, babies, dress-up clothes, and a phone. For a week or two each month we transform it into something extra special. This Sandwich Shop is a great one to…
We are always looking for new and exciting ways to practice fine motor skills in preschool. Lacing and sewing are super for helping to strengthen those little muscles and improve hand-eye coordination. The invitation to play at this center was simple: a bowl full of large, colorful buttons, sheets of plastic canvas and lacing cords…
Bring the outdoors inside with light table flowers! Sometimes, the rain that is so necessary for flowers can make it impossible to play outdoors. These cheery light table flowers will lift the gloom off of any rainy day, and provide some essential learning skills as well! Light Table Flowers Skill: Fine Motor Practice Grasping and…
Children who begin kindergarten with a solid foundation and knowledge base will have a much easier time adjusting. They don’t have to know everything, but knowing these 10 Important Things will help them make an easy transition. Starting kindergarten is such an exciting and important time! Parents naturally want their children to have a terrific first…
Starting preschool is such an exciting and momentous occasion! When children are 3-years-old, they are no longer toddlers. They are “big kids” ready to start preschool. As parents, we can help our children prepare for this next big step. As a preschool teacher and mom, I’ve had the advantage of seeing hundreds of kids start…
Sensory centers, like this rice table, serve a very important function in early childhood development. Not only does sensory play engage all of the child’s senses, it also builds language, dramatic play, math, science, and social skills Why rice? It’s extremely versatile. It doesn’t leave a residue on small fingers. It can be colored with…