A delightful preschool experience
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…
Young children are natural learners who form ideas about math when they experience it in their daily lives. Setting the table for snack, counting the friends in their class, using a timer to share a toy, and measuring sand at the sensory table are all ways that children begin to understand mathematical concepts. One of…
Teachers hear it constantly. Parents hear it every day. “I’m thirsty.” “He took my toy.” “I have to go to the bathroom.” “My pencil’s broken.” “I can’t find my socks.” “She won’t play with me.” Children constantly state their problems. From an early age, they are wired to notice things around them. It is SO tempting…
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…
Help!! My preschoolers are so selfish. They’re always snatching, grabbing, and they never seem to listen when other people are talking. Is this normal? Let’s take a closer look… Egocentrism – What is it? The stages of development are extremely necessary to consider when teaching preschool-aged children. Egocentrism refers to the child’s inability to see a…
Spring is in the air, the preschoolers are starting to get restless and you need an art project that requires no special supplies or preparation. Enter these creative butterfly sun catchers! Butterfly Sun Catcher supplies are simple: wax paper colorful tissue paper glue sticks The process is simple, too: Cut the wax paper into butterfly…
Is there anything better than a dollar store find and some recyclable materials that can be transformed into something gorgeous and intriguing? I say no! These Dollar Store Rainbow Discovery Bottles offer young children a rich sensory experience, opportunities for science and fun light table play all rolled into one. Last week we made weighted…
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…
What is the most important sign of a high quality classroom? Is it the books? The art supplies? The cleanliness? How about the methodology? Lesson plans? Organic home-made snacks? I’ll tell you a secret: It’s not any of those things. But it is something that will not cost you a single penny. You won’t have…
Beginning color theory is all about mixing colors to obtain new shades. As children are naturally attracted to bright colors, the light table is an exciting tool to help them understand color theory! It’s a bright and beautiful world, and children love bold colors. Recognizing the colors and identifying the color names is an important…