Camp-out

Camp-out!

As most of you saw we had a HUGE tent set up for "camping" in the preschool. In this environment the students practiced their "social" skills (sharing, turn taking, using polite words etc.) and had a fantastic day!! This is a classic example of using play as a teaching tool. During the rest of the week we will bring in writing opportunities, science and math skills into our campground. This was so much fun and enriching at the same time. Yes, our class was loud but it was filled with a joyous noise. I hope your children had a wonderful day with us.

Family Fun Night

Come join us in creating Mommy Memory Makers. Please bring 5-10 photos of your favorite pictures of your child with Mom or Grandma and get a jump start on a great Mother's Day Gift. We encourage Fathers, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents to bring the kids and have a fun evening celebrating Mom!

When: April 30th @ 7 pm
Where: Fellowship Hall
Cost: Free (we will accept a free-will offering to cover supplies)

Please sign-up on the sheet at the preschool door so that Kelly and I can have enough supplies on hand. We hope to see you there!!

Science and writing.

It was good to be back in the classroom this week. I always enjoy my vacations but I love seeing all of the children when school resumes. I hope you all had an enjoyable week and enjoyed your children. :)

We had a very busy week in our 3-day program.

We planted sunflower seeds and will be growing them in the classroom for a couple of weeks before we send them home. In addition to learning how to care for them (watering and making sure the plants get plenty of sun) we will be "documenting" their growth through little books. The children will draw what they see in their own individual "Sunflower Books". Later in the week the students planted california poppy flower seeds in our sensory table. When they are large enough we will transplant them into our preschool garden. We also took apart and categorized the parts of flowers at the science table.

Working on our ABC books we had fun with the letter Q. This letter has such a fun(ny) sound that the students had a great giggle over it. Many of the students are writing small words so a "word bank" was created for them. This activity is not for everyone for not every child is ready to write words. A few examples went home with some of the students who chose to take on this challenge. This activity was only created to continue to challenge the students who wanted to write/read small words. This is a small example of customized curriculum. We really want to teach and encourage each child at the level that they are at. If the child is pushed too fast or hard then their esteem will be marred. Each child should feel the joy of their own successes and efforts. A word of encouragement for the parents who worry that their child is not advanced enough; each child comes into their kindergarten class a wide, varied range of abilities.

For our Bible story we talked about the seed growing in different types of soil (good soil being the best, of course). Then we talked about how their kind hearts are the best kind of "soil" for God's love to grow in.

We also talked about liquids/solids using our art project to create our own planets. I used a hot griddle, circles cut out of wax paper and crayons. We talked about how the crayon is hard (solid) but when they started to draw on the wax paper which is laying on top of the griddle the crayon is melted into a liquid like paint. The students had a great time with this project.

Next week we will begin our "Sunflower Books". I'm looking forward to seeing how the students tackle this project.

Have a GREAT rest of the week and enjoy the sunshine!

Resurrection Rolls

Here is a really great way to tell the story of Easter through food. In class this week the students made their snacks called Resurrection Rolls. These rolls represent the tomb and the marshmellow wrapped inside represent Jesus. As the children were wrapping the marshmellow they were told that when Jesus died on the cross he was laid to rest in a tomb with a large stone rolled in front and soldiers posted guard. We then told them that after the rolls are baked something surprising will happen (the marshmellow is melted and their roll is empty). As the children are eating their snack we explained that three days later the rock was rolled away by God and the women found the tomb empty. Jesus had risen and is alive. They are always surprised to see their marshmellow gone but not disappointed because the roll tastes so sweet. This is a fun and easy activity to do at home. Here is the recipe:

1 can of refrigerator rolls (small)
Large marshmellos
Butter - melted
Cinnomon sugar

Have your child roll out the roll. Then they can place one large marshmellow in the center and wrap it with the roll pinching the edges closed. Your child then dips the roll in the melted butter and cinnomon sugar. Place rolls on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 6 minutes. Keep a close eye on it during baking time as they tend to burn quickly.

Enjoy your rolls and enjoy your Easter Holiday together! We will see you in a week. :)

Spiders, Caterpillars & Butterflies

The two-day class had a lot of fun with spiders, caterpillars and butterflies!

On Thursday we counted spiders. Alright, not real spiders. This is an easy game to take home. On a large sheet of paper or several smaller sheets draw 10 large spider webs and number them one through ten. For the toy part you will need toy spiders or bugs. Have your child recognize the number on the web then have them put that many spiders or bugs on to the web. To make it really fun add sound effects, play the game in a darkened room with a flashlight on the web drawings, or add your own special flare. Children learn best through play and this is a fun counting game.

We also added these GIANT insect toys to our sensory table which was filled with dirt. The best part was when one of the children found a worm in the table! That worm was well loved and I am sure was more than relieved to be released outside. :) All in the name of science, right?

At the art table we created spider webs by creating a "weaving" project. This is really good for small motor skills development. We also read "The Eansy, Weansy, Spider". This book does not have the original words to the well know nursery rhyme so it makes it interesting for the students. It still has the same melody.

We also had chapel time and the students met our new Youth and Music Director, Andrew, who was filling in for Pastor Paul. The children were captivated by his music and story. We really enjoyed him.

Friday, we studied caterpillars and butterflies. I have this butterfly puzzle which I tell the students "is the hardest puzzle, EVER!" Of course, it isn't for them and they love the challenge. I did put it together before class then removed several pieces for them to place. This is a great way to introduce those more difficult puzzles. The children can see the finished product before they begin and still "do" the puzzle with the pieces that have been set aside. This makes the project less over whelming and builds their confidence. Then as time goes by the challenge can be increased until they are doing the entire puzzle. We also counted caterpillars. Same concept as the spiders. I cut out ten large leaves and labeled them one through ten. Then I hole punched them so that the leaf with the number one had one hole, two had two holes etc. Using pipe cleaners I used a pencil to curl them around and created curly caterpillars. The caterpillars were our counting toy. Once again, this is a really fun game that teaches counting, number recognition and one-to-correspondence.

I hope y'all have a great weekend!! See you Thursday!

Bugs, bugs, bugs!

We had a fun week in the 3-day class! Don Ehland presented his but collection on Monday. He talked to the students about what classifies an insect from other families of bugs. Did you know that all winged bugs are insects? Don also explained to us that crabs and lobsters are a part of the spider family. It's true! Well, with that in my brain I still think they taste good with lemon and butter. :) Don brought about a dozen bug boxes that contained just about any type of bug you could imagine. The students enjoyed Don and his collection. They really had fun when Don brought out his various stick bugs (live). The children even touched a few of them. He also brought out cockroaches and a huge millipede (also live). It was fun and very educational.

On Tuesday, we visited Phillips Tae Kwon Do Center. This is the one place where the children didn't have to use their "inside voice" and they keeyup during their kicks. The children had an opportunity to run, kick and punch. Choginum Patty, the instructor, also showed them a couple of blocks. She talked about the tradition of Tae Kwon Do and where this art comes from. We also talked a little bit about respect and showing respect to others. It was a fun-filled hour and children got in a lot of exercise.

On Wednesday, we learned about the butterfly cycle. I introduced to them what a cycle was and showed them a typical cycle chart. Chapel time was fun as the children met our new Music & Youth Director, Andrew. Pastor Paul asked Andrew to step in this week to present the Chapel time. Andrew wrote a story about a butterfly and her friend worm. He equated the butterfly story to the Easter story. He also introduced a couple of new songs. The children loved it! It was a lot of fun!!

A fun outdoor project: BUG HUNT! Take your children outside to the park or a trail and have them look for bugs under logs, leaves and rocks. If you bring a white piece of paper with you, you can catch the bug on it and let your children observe it before letting it go. One of students found a millipede under a log. We put it on the paper and it curled up. The students were actually quiet long enough for the bug to unfurl and crawl around. It was cool.

Have a great weekend and we will see you on Monday!

Scavenger hunt!

Natural beauty can be seen everywhere. White fluffy clouds float above the playground, a spider's web flutters in a gentle wind, the moon sometimes graces the day sky, and flowers shoot up in a nearby garden.

You've heard me talk about the benefits of taking your children outside on nature walks. An added twist is to turn it into a scavenger hunt. A family scavenger hunt based on a nature-related theme could be launched over an afternoon, a weekend or even over a period of a week or two depending on the ages of your children. Each child could be assigned to find with his or her family two or three items, or children could be asked to describe and draw their observations.

Of course, you'll have to tailor the hunt to your environment - urban, rural, or suburban as well as region and season. Be creative and make the hunt an education adventure not only for the child, but also for parents and other family members.

When all the times are gathered, the children could put together an exhibit. Parents would be invited to visit at their convenience.

Or plan a family field trip to a nature setting (botanical gardens, nature center, state park, and other such places). Families could meet at the point of destination. Invite along a naturalist or an amateur naturalist to help identify and interpret the flora and fauna.

If the weather turns sour do a scavenger hunt inside the house. "Draw" a list (with the word next to your drawings) and have your children find the items. Have them discover things that they may have not noticed before. Maybe that plant that has white stripes down the leaves or the number of square windows in your house.

I hope you have fun with this idea. Have a great weekend!! :)

Flexibility

Today was a lot of fun playing/planning but it was not what I had intended. Today was a great day on flexibility. :)

For instance, today I had planned on "wiggly worms". My book was picked out, the sensory activity was ready and all kinds of worm play planned. But there were other plans that walked into the classroom door.

After all, did you know that many bridges needed to be built so that the cars can be driven? Then the bridges needed to be taller so that the cars can go under them. Of course, the cars needed destinations so signs and trees needed to be placed. There was the issue of "monsters" so a maintenance committee came about. Much was learned through this very elaborate, unplanned activity; sharing, turn-taking, communication, problem solving, math (size, shape), community building, pre-reading (signs) and etc. The most important lesson learned was love and respect. The students were listening to each other and collaborating together. They learn to not knock down other's buildings and that both creations were important. There were nice words exchanged.

So even though worms were on the agenda (and we did work a little with them) I think the plans that walked in the door today taught the students life long lessons and in a really fun way. Of course, if I had planned on doing lessons on bridges the plan would have been changed to worms. :)

This week we focused on many things but there are two that stand out the most.

First: The students come up to us teachers and ask for our approval on their projects. This is natural, of course, for they are trying to figure out if their work is acceptable by the adults in their lives. This week I wanted them to ask themselves if they liked their work instead of asking us "Do you like it?" See the difference? It's important that the children take a look at their own work and decide for themselves if they enjoy looking at it. Did they enjoy working on it? Using the tools and different mediums? etc... For some this was a nice turn-around. But for others it took some getting use to. It is alright to ask others for their opinions, too. What I want for the children is for them to take some pride in their own work without the influence of whether or not a teacher or parent likes it. This is a critical step toward working independently which will happen in their elementary years. So try asking them "Do you like it?" next time they come up to you and ask "Do you like it?" We received some great responses!

Second: On Tuesday, I created a maze out of tables in the backroom. The students enjoyed going through the maze finding the right way to get to the end which stood a cross. We then had a brief discussion on making good and bad choices in our day and how each choice we make can either bring us closer to God or mess up our path towards God. Of course, I explained apologizing and God's forgiveness because even when we make a poor choice or a mistake God still loves us and wants us to be found.

There were quite a few absences this week so I am sending out get well wishes to everyone that missed school. I hope to see you all well next week.

Messes are good.

Yes! Messes are good! Even great! If you saw our classroom this last week you would have seen an explosion of white stuff. But it was also an explosion of learning. The white stuff is "ooblick" which is very simple to make. Just mix water and corn starch together until there is this odd mix of liquid and solid that will ooze through the fingers. This is one of those substances that can be a solid and a liquid at the same time. We allowed the children to mix it themselves and they discovered the changes happening right in their fingers. Then as the ooblick took on it's characteristic slime/solid feel we talked about what is liquid and solid and the differences. This is science fun! To play with ooblick also took some courage for some. One child actually took a deep breath before plunging her little hands into the white blob. The best thing about this particular mess is that it easy to clean up! It simply washes right off the hands and hard surfaces. If it gets on the clothes (and it will) just use a little water. On your carpet? Wait until it dries then scuff it off and vacuum. This is a fun mess to have outside when it is so pretty and spring like.

Speaking of spring and changes we also talked about the changes that is happening out in their yard and in the playground garden. The students talked about the flowers, the flowers on the trees and even new leaves. This is a great time of year to take your children out for walks and listen to the birds and notice all of the changes that are happening in this new season.

Fun Language!

So many things happened this week but that is the beauty of spring! There is so much happening and the weather is warming up which opens up so many learning opportunities.

About Seasons: On Monday, we went out for a spring walk-a-bout to look at blooming trees. It's fun to simply point to the tree and ask "What do you see?" First answer is almost always "Flowers!" Then we just kept asking "What else do you see?" With this many answers and topics of conversation came about. Everything from moss, buds, to peeling bark came into focus for them. You can do this at home as well. Don't settle for the first answer, encourage your child to keep looking. Their world begins to unfold and they enjoy discovering spring.

Dr. Seuss: On Tuesday, we celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday along with every other school in the area. :) We incorporated math by taking a survey of which books the students had at home. Using this information a graph was created, counting occured and decision about the larger/smaller number was made. Your children were encouraged to create their own books. To become the author. They drew pictures and wrote letters. Some students noted random letters, some chose letters from their names and others chose words to create their books. This was all fun practice with our imagination, problem solving skills and of course letter writing. If you have an open art area at home put a few blank papers stapled together and let them create their own stories.

"Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus" book: This is an excellent book on many levels. It encourages listening skills because it is requested of the listener to respond to the bus driver. It also has simple pre-reading sentences for the young reader wanting to learn how to read. An important element of pre-reading is memorization. This book allows for this in a really fun way. Then my favorite thing to do with books; asking the students a question that changes the scenerio of the book. In this book I asked "What would happen if the pigeon drove the bus?" The students "wrote" the class book and we read it at circle time. Reading your child's work gives them validation in their work. It was a lot of fun. Try this concept at home and let them be silly. They are supposed to be at this age. :)

More on art...

Art is such an essential part of human nature whether we realize it or not. We use it to surround ourselves with beauty, to emulate what God has created and to express ourselves. Some of us are a bit too shy to claim ourselves to be artists (although I hold the belief that everyone who can imagine can create art). I am an artist and enjoy nearly element of creating a piece for my family and friends. The joy comes from the process of creating. This joy stems from my childhood. It gave me peace then and gives me peace now.

We grown-ups provide the time, the space, the materials, and the atmosphere needed to create the wonderful works of art that only children can create. In valuing a child's artistic attempts, however, we should appreciate the beauty of the color and design rather than worry about the finished product.

Real art for real children is:
Personal. Art can be as simple as colors representing a pretty day or as complex as a series of lives which express a sad/happy feeling. It is important that each idea be developed by the child without adult preconceptions.

Spontaneous. Always be ready for that creative moment!

Inventive. Children need to have access to a variety of materials. Some art masters paint with egg yolks, mash berries for color, and use sticks for brushes. Experiment!

Imaginative. Cows can be purple, tears gray with glitter. The moon really can smile, and mommies can have six arms. (yeah, in our hopes... )

Unique. An original idea, combined with imaginative expression and materials of the child's choice, encourages ownership and a positive sense of self-esteem. No two works of art look the same when young children are the artists.

Therapeutic. Art provides children with the means to gain control over their feelings. A completed creative work establishes feelings of self-satisfaction and self-confidence.

Fun. Whether kids concentrate alone or work in shared creative group, a positive, enthusiastic atomosphere of enjoyment is essential! Be encouraging and supportive. Ask questions about their work and talk about the elements that you see on the page. i.e. color, shape or size. Be careful to use "praise" language such as "good job" sparingly because that makes the child want to do the work for you and your approval. Ultimately, the child should want to create art for the pleasure of creating.

Enjoy art. Get in there and create with them. Sit down with them and glue a gillion google eyes on the supposed turtle. :) Visit art museums and science centers. Yes! There is art in science. Check out art books from the library. And enjoy the discoveries.

Choices

Why do we as adults pursue hobbies such as golf, crochet, or gardening? We spend time in such an activity because we find it enjoyable, we have some control over the activity, and we see it as offering some probability of success. We choose what we will crochet or plant; we decide where, when, and with whom we will play golf or tennis.

Children, too, learn best when they have some control over their learning, when activities are meaningful and relevant, and when they can make choices in the materials they will work with and how they will use them.

Children thrive when they have opportunities every day to make choices in their learning. We facilitate children's choices within a carefully planned environment. We create the environment to allow each child to choose activities that are developmentally appropriate for his or her age. The children choose the peers with whom they will work and play and usually determine how they will use the available materials.

These choices empower children to take control of their own learning. Children use materials and equipment in far more creative and innovative ways that we could ever plan, and they use the materials in ways that meet their own developmental needs.

Research indicates that intrinsic motivation - when we work on a task primarily because we find it satisfying - is the most effective and engaging way to learn. As efforts are being made to provide materials and activities that provide choices and interest the children you will see their excitement for learning grow and their horizons expand. Exciting!!

This little piggy...

In the two-day class this morning we had a lot of fun learning about pigs.

At the art table the children painted their pigs with "muddy" paint. This is easy to do. All you have to do is add coffee grounds to the paint. Not only does this add texture but smell. We often try to engage all of the senses to create a fun learning environment. This simple paint is a great way to engage at least four of the senses. I don't recommend that the taste sense be use. :) Other great smells and textures can be added to your paint. We have added a variety of flavors in the classroom such as lemon, cherry and mint. We also add sand during our beach theme. This makes for very heavy paint. Add shaving creme for a fluffy effect. It's fun to experiment. They are not all successes. One time I tried Karo Syrup because I was told it would add a sheen. Well, that is true but it took forever to dry and incredibly difficult to clean up. Even for me. :) It's a lot of fun to watch the children discover new things about their paint.

A note about art in the three and four year old class. Because of the brain development at this age research has shown that it is the "process not the product" that is important. Children at this age need time and permission to experiment with the different mediums and tools. Their scribbles are important. To get to the images that we as adults recognize there is a serious process that has to happen and this process is international. What this means is that through a variety of research world-wide it has been shown that children go through the same drawing stages at about the same ages. It's quite remarkable. So it's OK that you let your young child express themselves freely because there are many things happening in the order that they are to happen. Shortly I will post an excellent article regarding this topic. Enjoy your children's art. It is beautiful.

So Moooooch Fun!

Today we had delightful time learning about cows in a variety of ways.

MILKING COWS: At the art table the children had a blast "milking" cows. Between two chairs there tied was a rubber glove filled with white paint. Small holes were poked at the end of each fingertip so when the children squeezed the fingers the "milk" squirted onto their paper. There was aprehension at first and then a lot of giggles!

MAKING BUTTER: This is such a fun and easy science project to do with your kids. Fill a water bottle half way full with whipping cream. Fasten the lid tightly and let the children shake the bottle. After some time the whipping cream separates into butter and milk. You can have conversation about liquids and solids, what foods we can enjoy from cow's milk, and how God provides us with such healthy foods. The milk is quite good and we spread the butter onto crackers for our snack. You'll will need to cut off the top of the water bottle to get to the butter.

CLICK, CLACK, MOO: This is a wonderful book that the children can become fully engaged. It's perfect for this age group as they are developing their sense of humor. In class we are focusing on comprehension. To do this is easy at home as well. I read a page or two then I ask a simple question regarding something on a previous page. This helps the children begin to think on past text and practice their listening and memory skills. It is also fun to ask a "silly" question such as "What if the cows were warm instead of cold? Would they still ask for electric blankets? Whatelse would they ask for instead?" This engages their critical thinking skills and gets their imaginations going as well as their giggles.

All they do is play...

In early childhood this is good. Play is work for the young child's brain. Years of research on children's learning and development document the many benefits of play for children's intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and language development. Children at play are actively involved in creating themes, exploring and establishing environments, solving problems and developing shared understandings.

Children play in many ways. They play independently, sometimes near each other but with each child engrossed in his own activity. They engage in what is called "parallel play," perhaps using each others' toys or even talking, but not coordinating their play. They also play cooperatively, organizing roles and scenarios for group play. As they get older, children are capable of more cooperative, coordinated play. But all kinds of play are valuable.

As kids play with each other, they learn to see other children's points of view and begin to become more empathetic and caring. They come to understand customs and rules in their own culture and to appreciate those of others. They learn to use language in new ways to describe their play and to interact with others. And in play, children develop their muscles and coordination.

Adults can support children's play by providing space, opportunity, and materials. Setting up areas where kids can play without fear of damaging furniture or injuring themselves is important. Give the child or group of children time to choose and to become engaged in their own play activities.

Play is fun. But it also is serious business that pays big dividends to its eager, young investors.

January's New Bible Song

As most of you know Mrs. Collins teaches us a new song based on scripture every month. January's song comes from John 10:27. The piggy back tune is from "Who is sleeping..." It is also an echo song which means you sing a line then your child repeats it.

My sheep listen
(echo)
to my voice;
(echo)
I know them and
(echo)
they follow me.
(echo)

See? It's so simple but the children love it. :) Enjoy!

Fun Indoor Activities for Rainy Days

As I am typing this entry it is pouring!! And is predicted to do so throughout the weekend. Here are a few fun, quick and easy ideas to do inside.

SNOWBALL FIGHT! With a couple of bags of cotton balls your living room (or where ever) can transform into a very fun (and pretty safe) snowball fight. This can last a while and it excellent exercise. Exercise is very important for young children.

ICE SKATING. Use wax paper for iceskates. This works best on carpet but it is a lot fun for the kids. This is great exercise for you and the children!

FOR THE VERY BRAVE... Today in the 2-day class I taped down a very large sheet of blue paper with a puddle of white paint. The children had the opportunity to paint with their bare feet with me holding their hands. We talked about how slippery the ice and snow is for the polar bears and compared it to the slipperyness (new word) of walking in the wet paint. It was fun!

These ideas are geared towards exercising the children's bodies while having a lot of fun. The benefits of exercise for young children include developing the large muscles (an important step towards building the smaller muscles of the fingers - for writing and cutting skills), increased oxygen to the brain cells and keeps the body healthy. Even in the rainy times there are ways to have big fun inside. Enjoy!! :)

Polar Bears!

Today in class we studied polar bears. Our art project had many learning elements in it even though the activity itself was fairly simple. We had precut polar bear foot prints that the children used to paint with their own foot. Some of your children may have a little white paint in between their toes. Such a fun and simple activity! But within this activity they were learning science and math in addition to the obviouse art element. As we were stamping our own foot print onto the polar bear's foot print we were counting and comparing (math). We also talked about where the bears live and how cold it was. Much like the ice, the white paint was slippery and cold. The water that the students washed their feet in afterwards was warm. We asked: "Would the polar bear enjoy this warm water?" Ellie answered: "No, because the seals don't like the warm weather." After further deduction it was determined that since the bears liked having seals for dinner they would want to live where the seals lived. Very smart students we have! We also determined that due to the fat and the thick coat the bears would be uncomfortable in warm weather. (All science) It was a fun day!

Developmentally Appropriate

You probably have noticed that our classroom has a lot of bustle and noise, that children are up doing things, talking, playing, and exploring. Such a classroom environment differs from the old grade-school images of a teacher doing a lot of talking at a black-board while children sit and listen quietly at their desks.

Research and experience tell us that to be effective with young children, teaching practices need to be "developmentally appropriate." What this means is simply that educators need to think first about what young children are like and then create an environment and experiences that are in tune with children's characteristics.

Early childhood, after all, is a time of life quite different from adulthood, and even from the later school years. Children 3 - 6 learn far better through direct interactive experiences than through just listening to someone talk. They learn extraordinary amounts through play and exploration. And the youger children are, the more what they learn needs to be relevant and interesting on the day they learn it, not just in the context of some future learnng.

Designing our teaching and parenting to how the young brain is wired to learn is a lot better that trying to redesign the children.

Welcome!

Welcome to Peace Lutheran Preschool's first blog! Thanks for all of your support and encouragement of the preschool program. Our wish is to use this as a tool for communication about our program, the what and why we do things and to keep you informed of upcoming events. In addition, I will be adding articles about early childhood development and education, suggested fun activities that you and your child can do together and anything funny that happened in the class. If I use names it will only be the first name. Check in at least once a week even though it is most likely that I will be posting more often. Please feel free to respond and add requests. I would love to hear from you.