You See a Recycling Sort, BUT....

 You see a recycling sort, but there is SO much more happening in this activity! During the months of March and April we focus on learning about taking care of our planet...Green is Our Scene! Today the preschool children discussed recycle sorting during their circle time. Classification and sorting are key academic skills that children will continue to develop throughout their journey in school. Preschool 2 teachers implemented an activity that embodied these skills and more! Using the trash trucks, children needed to haul the "garbage" from one side of the table to the other. On the other side of the table, they used tweezers to sort the materials into the correct bowls. The use of tweezers develops their fine motor skills and promotes cognitive development in the areas of spatial awareness, concentration, and using their brain and hands simultaneously. They don't know it, but the children are also laying the groundwork for positive social interactions. They are taking turns, sharing materials, collaborating, and developing language. All of these skills contribute directly to being able to communicate successfully with their peers! This is the kind of learning that keeps us coming back for more! 

Creative Expression on Arbor Day

 Happy Arbor Day! What would we do without our trees?? Children are busy learning and appreciating the trees today! It's fun to recognize different characteristics in our trees and using new language to describe what we see! Trees come in all shapes and sizes. For this activity children were give brown and green paint and tasked with creating a tree how ever they wanted to! Wide and skinny trees, trees with a lot leaves, and trees with a lot of branches - they are all important to us! 

Circle Time for Infants!

These infants have been busy lately! While an infant's basic needs are our top priority, we value the focused time that we get to learn and develop new skills with them. As the babies grow, our circle time sessions are becoming more and more exciting. The children are strengthening their muscles and preparing their bodies for the motion of crawling. Here they are also developing small motor skills by shaking rattles, twisting and pushing parts of toys, and experiencing the cause and effect relationship between their actions and the toys. Other circle time activities that the babies enjoy include looking at themselves in mirrors, feeling new textures, and listening to their teachers read stories to them! It is such a treat to witness their growth and development at this young age. 

Mixing It Up!

Today we celebrate the Week of The Young Child with Tasty Tuesday! 

Our Toddler Two classroom has been busy mixing it up in the classroom!  They used their fine motor skills to use the spoon for mixing and stirring. Then, they added some yummy toppings to create a fun and pancake bread! It was a great way to practice our fine motor skills all while making something delicious!