Preschool is Right Around the Corner

Preschool is About Almost Here

So it has happened summer is ending and the first day of school is just around the corner. Are you panicking? Regretting sending in your paperwork?  Trying to figure out a way out of this preschool thing? OR are you so excited you can't hardly contain yourself?  If you answered any of the former than I am hoping I can help maybe just a little bit. 

First, lets change our way of thinking, lets be excited, especially around our future preschooler, they pick up on your tension so take a deep breath and RELAX.  Try and focus on the positives, the fun things they will learn in preschool, the friends they will make and the awesome new things they will get to do.  And let's not forget about you, you get two and half hours to yourself, you can do so much with that time, take a shower, shopping, reading a book or even making an uninterrupted phone call.  

Second,  if you haven't already you should really go back in time and read through some of these blog posts. Not only will they give you an idea of their day, but more importantly there is a post from January 31st titled "After you Say Goodbye". It will remind you that this is the first time for lots of kids, mommies and daddies, but not for your new teachers.  So anything that your new preschooler throws at us is going to be okay.  Even if they cling to you with a grip you only thought Superman had or scream and cry all while hiding under a table.  It will all work out, and every other parent there will understand, because believe me ALL kids are going to try something like this at one time or another and well, the first day of school just might be your day.  Repeat after me IT WILL ALL BE OKAY!!

Third, it had to happen sometime.  At some point in your child's life you are going to have to send them off on their own without you. Unfortunately this is not something that delaying makes better.  (Well unless you can somehow manage to stick by their side every moment until they are 18 and then you might get away with no angst ever.) They are several totally awesome things about doing it now. First you should know that Kim and I are experts on distraction, we can get the most unhappy child doing a 180 in just a few short minutes.  

Also preschoolers have really short memories so none of their new friends are going remember them as the kid who ran screaming from the room and cried.  Your child's fellow preschoolers will instead feel empathy for them, they will try and make them feel better and they will still want to play with them no mater what. 

Kim and I say all the time this is the place for them to make all their mistakes and to LEARN so that when they get to Big Kid school with all those kids who will remember them FOREVER they can breeze right through and have the time of their lives.  

There are so many more reasons why sending them to preschool is an awesome decision, but you get the idea.  The growth you will see this coming year will amaze you and melt your heart all at the same time.  Your preschooler has an awesome year ahead of them and I can't wait to see what it shapes up to look like.

  

HEARTS!!!

Biggest to Smallest Hearts!!

Here is our morning paper.

For our activity we cut a 12x18 piece of construction paper into thirds.  Then we wrote on the bottom, one side said "Biggest to...." the other said "Smallest" 

  

We also cut out a series of hearts in different sizes and colors.  

This is a really simple craft for the kids and teaches a really important concept.  

Here is what their work mat looked like.

They were asked to write their names on the paper and then turn it over when done.  

After

We started by explaining how to figure out which one is bigger than the other,  this is called comparing and contrasting, they learned how to hold one next to the other to compare it to the size of the other.

Then they laid them out on their paper BEFORE they glued them to make sure they had each size correct.  

After they thought they got them in the correct order they then were able to glue them on.  

That is all there is simple and easy, but a much needed concept to learn.  

Hearts and the Color Red

This weeks theme is two things that go together, The color Red and Hearts. Since we are fast approaching Valentines Day our activities for the coming week are going to have a lot to do with that.  

Here is our morning paper, they had to color the things that would normally be Red.

Our activity is a simple Heart book, that will work a lot on Cutting skills, following directions and fine motor skills with coloring.  Here is our supplies.

They are going to cut on the big black line in the center, once done cutting we will staple the book together for them.

Not sure why,but I don't have any other pictures of the craft, BUT if you look at the pictures you will see that they have to color a specific page a certain color.  When they are done they get to show how well they can read the book they made.  

Sorry I promise to get more pictures next time.

Hearty Groundhog

Groundhog's Day

Well the Superbowl put me behind in blogging so I am going have to catch you up on what we have been doing at Preschool the last few days. 

Today was the day before Groundhog's Day and since it is also the first day of February we decided to do the Hearty Groundhog.  When finished he should look like the below picture.

For Prep you will need the following: Brown paper with half a heart traced on it, A smaller Brown Heart with a line down the middle, A smaller White heart, 2 White Ovals, 1 Black Oval and 6 small thin rectangles.  

To start you give your preschoolers the big Brown half a heart, (we stapled it together so it wouldn't open before we wanted it to).  Then explain to them how to properly hold the scissors and also where you want them to cut and let them cut away.  When they are done have them write their names on one side.

After you show them what they cut out (a heart) have them lay it on the table upside down with the pointy side up.

Still with their name facing them give them the smaller Brown heart with the line down the middle and have them cut it in half.  They then glue it on the top part of the heart, (can you see my two little x's that is where they were to put their half a heart)

I missed getting a picture of it, but still with the name facing out glue the small White heart to the bottom of the upside down heart. 

Then have then hide their name, now the work begins on the front of our Groundhog. 

Glue the two White Oval's on the front and the one Black one for the nose.

Have them color in a smaller Black oval in the middle of the two White ovals for the eyes.

Then finally glue the 6 thin rectangle's around the nose for whiskers. 

And there you have it a Groundhog made out of Heart's how fun is that?

And a lot of artistic interpretation too!

After you say Goodbye

Writing their Name!

 The first thing we do at school after your child is dropped off and you have said Goodbye is what we call an "Opening" usually it has something to do with the letter or theme for the week.  It is a small activity that can involve coloring, using scissors and glue or something similar.  (Normally the parents read the directions (if there are any) to the child and then this is when they say goodbye and transition out of the classroom.)  

We encourage the kids to write their name on it, and this is the first step in being able to do this skill.  The most important part of being able to write their name is encouragement even if they can only make a "mark" on the paper.  We start with them being able to recognize how to write the first letter of their name.   We are not looking for perfection at this point we just want to be able to recognize what letter it is that they are writing.  

Some need help with how to shape a letter and some need help with how to hold a crayon.  We use a couple different types of crayons.  We have regular round ones for our kids who hold them correctly to start with and then we have bigger triangle ones for our kids who need help with getting their fingers into the right position or their finger muscles have just not developed enough yet.  

We make the rounds of the classroom checking with and encouraging each child.  Helping them learn the proper positioning if we need to.  

Our goal is that by the end of the year you could look at the name they wrote on the paper and know who wrote it.  Why do we care about this? 

It is because their Kindergarten teacher needs to know who's paper it is that they are looking at and this is a necessary ability to know by the end of preschool.

This entire activity doesn't take longer than 10 minutes and usually only just a few minutes for most.  Who wants to sit and color perfectly when there are books to look at? You see after they finish their opening they get to go to the book center until we call them to line up for our morning activities.

They are learning knew things every day and I cannot even tell you the fun of watching it happen.  

     

Pet Store Field Trip

Field Trip

Pet Store and Udderly Sweet

At Sunshine Preschool we take a field trip every month, (except for December as it is already busy enough without us adding to it.) Since this is January it is time for our trip to the Grocery Store, the kids absolutely LOVE to see behind the scenes of somewhere they go to all the time.  The are amazed at the size (and the chill) of the HUGE walk in freezers and they get a "treat" from each department.  

BUT this year our "Go to" Grocery Store is remodeling so we put out the word that we needed an idea for a new place to go.  We hit upon an idea to go to a local pet store, now this is more than just a pet store it is AMAZING, one person described it has a free zoo and really I couldn't agree more.  

The kids got to learn about Bunnies and pet one too.

Then they learned about the birds.

I have to say I was glad they didn't take the birds out to be petted.  

Then they went into the reptile area, what a great spot they kids got to sit down on this wonderful carpet and learn about a lot of the reptiles.  They even got to pet a baby Bearded Dragon.

This is Jeremiah and he walked us through the field trip and helped us learn about all the different animals.  

Here is the baby Bearded Dragon, isn't he cute.

Then they saw snakes and frogs, toads and skinks too.  

All this was on the way to the Fish Zone, where they have these HUGE tanks of fish that live at the pet store.  

This is a Catfish and while we were there they feed him, it was lots of fun to watch.  

They had lots of other animals for us to look at too.  

All this took about an hour, and since we knew that before we started we decided to do an add on.  In the same shopping center as the pet store there is a great shop called Udderly Sweet.  They are a locally owned frozen yogurt store.  They have lots of flavors and so many yummy toppings it is crazy.  

Ms. April the owner welcomed us and showed the preschoolers how they make the Yogurt and also talked about how to properly get your treat and toppings.   

After that they went to town and if you ask me I think they had a blast. 

  

When they were all done they went on their way back home, but I think that they will remember this day for long time to come.  Thanks for all the help from the parents today you guys ROCK!!