{preschool} five senses...

Experiencing our five senses is a fun unit we like to include in the winter months.  It is interesting hearing the kids reaction to what they think the senses are and how they are used.  I love how preschooler's minds work!

We spend time focusing on each sense and helping the kids discover more about each one.

sight....make binoculars and look for specific items, shapes, colors around the room.
hearing...make a shaker using beans and plastic cups, listen to music and play with instruments
taste...sweet, sour, salty taste test
touch...feeling different textures and learning to describe them, playing with play dough
smell...smelling different scents and seeing what smells good or bad, painting with koolaid/jello

Here are a few of my favorite reads about our senses...

Me and My Senses by Joan Sweeney takes you through a girls day as she uses her senses to figure out what's for lunch.

My Five Senses by Aliki is a simple text that helps kids learn what their five senses are and how they experience the world with their eyes, hands, nose, ears and tongue.

I Can See Just Fine by Eric Barclay is an adorable story about a little girl who doesn't realize she is having trouble seeing until she gets her new glasses and everything is clear!

The Eye Book by Theo LeSieg is Dr. Seuss's hilarious ode to eyes book.  He takes children on a rhyming adventure exploring all the wonderful things their little eyes can see.

The Ear Book by Al Perkins is a similar style story about ears.  A boy and his dog listen to the world around them.

Usborne Touchy-Feely books by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells such as That's Not My Bunny, That's Not My Dolly, and That's Not My Reindeer just to name a few!  The kids enjoy getting to interact and feel the textures as we read together.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday ~ fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits
Tuesday ~ crockpot creamy tortellini soup, garlic bread
Wednesday ~ taquitos, chips & salsa, mango slices

Thursday ~ chocolate chip mickey pancakes, bacon, bananas

Friday ~ fish sticks, mac & cheese, apple slices

Linking up with Org Junkie...check them out for more recipes.

{preschool} Valentine week

Last week at Preschool we celebrated Valentine's Day.  I wanted to share some of the activities that we incorporated into our unit.  Even though they are heart themed, they can be adapted to many different themes!  

Pom pom painting...We printed a heart outline on red paper and then gave the kids pink and white paint to dip their pom pom painters into.  Just take a clothespin and clip in a pom pom and let the creating begin!    

How many hearts?...This was a free download and is a wonderful math activity.  It incorporates counting, number recognition and fine motor.  The students must count the hearts in each box, identify the number and then circle it.  

Heart patterns...I love the worksheets that Paging Supermom creates and this one worked perfectly into our Valentine unit.  We work on patterns with the kids, especially during our calendar time.   So this worksheet helped the kids create their own AB pattern.  

Beading chenille stems...This is a great fine motor activity but also another idea for learning patterns.  I put red, white, light pink and dark pink heart beads in a container and let the kids string them onto pipe cleaners.  One student was super proud to show me his ABCD pattern using all the colors!  

Cut hearts...The kids also cut hearts.  I used publisher to created a template with 4 simple hearts on a page.  Then we copied it on pink, purple and red paper for the kids to cut out.  We then hung them around the classroom for decor!  

Heart transferring...I put some small plastic hearts in a container and had the kids spoon them into smaller heart containers.  

Valentine sensory bin...The kids always love playing in the sensory bins.  These are usually simple and easy to create!  For the Valentines bin we had a base of white and red rice, red pom poms, rose petals, heart erasers, red jewels, small heart containers, mini spoons and scoops.  The kids loved pretending to make soup!  ;)

Here are a few past Valentine posts to check out as well...

{check} this out Valentine's Day

{valentine} tree

{heart} day reads

preschool registration time...

I posted this article about preschool registration last year.  Since it's that time of year again and the preschool I work for just opened registration this week,  I thought I'd share again....

Now is the time!  If you have a little one that is 3 or 4 OR will be by September 1st, now is the time to register for preschool for the fall.  I know it seems early but that's just how it works.  I posted about my first time preschool experience and expectations here.

Here are a few ideas of what you can do to find the right Preschool for you and your child...  

Talk to your friends who have children of similar age or older and ask what they did or are doing for Preschool.  Nothing is better than hearing positive feedback from trusted friends about a potential school for your child.  If you don't have friends who can offer you advice in this area, get out the phone book...if you still have one around, lol...or Google Preschools in your area.

No matter if you have a good recommendation for a school or not, call and schedule a visit to check it out for yourself.  Our director shows the interested families what our classes look like in action, tells them about our program and what they can expect from our Preschool.  

Once you have decided which Preschool is right for your child, get registered!  There are usually several forms that need to be filled out, physicals to be gotten and registration fees to pay.  

Now you can start getting your child excited for starting school!  Some are ready from the get go but others need a little more time.  Here are a few fun books to help get them ready for their new adventure...

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney.  {This series is a favorite of mine!}
What to Expect at Preschool by Heidi Murkoff 
Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins
I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas

Menu Plan Monday

Monday ~ Subway...mother/daughter dinner date
Tuesday ~ grilled hamburgers, chips, pickles, apple slices
Wednesday ~ taquitos, chips & salsa, grapes

Thursday ~ chocolate chip mickey pancakes, bacon, bananas

Friday ~ dinner on the road

Linking up with Org Junkie...check them out for more recipes.