The classroom is akin to a family, with each person playing an important role. Everyone should be involved in caring for the classroom and its inhabitants, thus the need for preschool classroom jobs. Everyone should also be involved in the daily tasks that take place at school. Therefore, we always employ “helpers” in our pre-kKeep Reading
Teaching Writing in Preschool: Modeled Writing
When teaching writing to children, modeled writing is a great place to start. Modeled writing is pretty much what it sounds like — when a teacher/parent models the process of writing. The teacher does the writing, often thinking aloud as she does so. The students observe during this time, answering questions along the way. ModeledKeep Reading
Messy Play Fun with Shaving Cream
I had promised the kiddos they could play with regular shaving cream in the water table (back when we’d had to use my weird shaving cream). So I decided that was a good time to try out an idea I’d seen recently — Time for Play’s “Fluffy Stuff”. I grabbed a can of old-fashioned shavingKeep Reading
PVC Pipe Physics for Kids
This afternoon, Engineer and Snoopy were focused on a very important construction project on the back deck. They brought some of Engineer’s PVC pipes over to the water table to see what they could make. I had an absolute blast watching them build and rebuild the pipes, test them out, and giggle before starting again.Keep Reading
Chalk and Water Play
Once again, I bring you a tried-and-true kid activity. It doesn’t hurt to be reminded how much fun can be had with simple ideas, though, right? So today I’m talking about chalk and water play outside. Engineer and I are outside pretty much everyday in the summer, with and without his buddies. Related: Sidewalk ChalkKeep Reading
Sensory Play with Oats
Those who know me will agree that messiness doesn’t bother me too much, especially when it comes to kids playing and learning. Sensory play with oats is definitely a messy activity, just to warn you! I have done this in my classroom a few times, usually when we’re doing some kind of farm unit. WhenKeep Reading
Baking with Kids {Chocolate Croissants}
I have had a ton of fun cooking and baking with kids this summer! One of the items Engineer and I like to bake is our own version of chocolate croissants. They’re an easy treat to make on a lazy Sunday morning. I have had this “recipe” since before I was on Pinterest, so IKeep Reading
Shaving Cream & Water
Here’s another activity that many would look at as “just playing” . . . shaving cream in the sensory table, with water added later. During this activity, children practice language and conversation skills, practice turn-taking, explore many of their senses, make observations about volume and matter, practice basic life skills, retell stories/books, and create newKeep Reading
Watercolors & Secret Messages
This is by no means a new idea, but that didn’t make it any less fun. Plus, it was new to Engineer! To begin with, I grabbed some supplies from the craft closet — white construction paper, white crayons, paint brushes, and water color paints. Before I called the kiddos in, I wrote and drewKeep Reading
Homemade Marble Course {Using Recyclables}
Engineer, Snoopy, and I worked together to make a marble course! We started out with the following items: Paper towel and toilet paper tubes (stockpiled in the craft closet) Painter’s tape and packing tape Scissors A few pieces of cut up pool noodle Plastic eggs from Easter Marbles (of course!) We decided to use ourKeep Reading