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So many preschool math skills, so little time!

April 28, 2017 by Cheryl Hatch Leave a Comment

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Do you look at your Math or Math & Manipulatives Interest Center and wish you had more activities for the children to choose from?

Most of us do.  We also think about all the math development we could support if only we had activities and games to support each of the math process skills (and there are over a dozen skills preschoolers develop in this area!).

First, remember that math happens all throughout your classroom every day!  I now think of my Preschool Math & Manipulatives Center as a storage area for the tools, materials and games for children.  It is simply just where they are stored within the classroom!

preschool math

Those table blocks might find their way into the sand table to make a cave for the dinosaurs.

The pom poms from the pom pom counting game you placed there may find their way into the most delicious cupcakes being baked in Dramatic Play!

The purpose of the materials you provide should not be for the children to sit at the table and use them only “at the Math Center” but also for use in the other areas of your classroom.  Regardless of where they use most materials, they will develop their math skills!

Counting pom poms into pretend cupcakes is math.

Create a cave for dinosaurs that is “6 blocks tall” is math (it is counting, non-standard measuring, spatial awareness learning and more!).

Even File Folder Games will be used for matching, comparing and sorting by your children when they are “teaching” each other in the Library area using the file folder cards, or by teaching their stuffed animals how to sort by color!

The important thing for us is to provide materials that lend themselves to hands-on play and learning!

There are many things you can do to set up your Preschool Math Center!  Click here to read my full article on it.

Then come back here and leave a comment:  What is YOUR favorite Preschool Math Center material?

Until next time!

Cheryl

 

Filed Under: math

Preschool Summer Planning Already? You bet!

April 20, 2017 by Cheryl Hatch Leave a Comment

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Do you work in a full year preschool program or does your program close for the summer months?  It may seem early, but Summer is right around the corner and it’s time for some summer planning!

Full Year Preschool Summer Planning

If you work in a full year, you usually are looking to “lighten up” a bit during the summer!

I have many ideas to help you to do that from simply changing the names of a few of your interest centers!

Sure, as penned by William Shakespear, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet!” – a Water & Sand Table or Science Center by any other name would still be super fun!  

If you have an overall theme for your summer planning, think of ways you can change interest center names to go along with it.  If you are doing a Space Theme, you might call the large group area “Mission Control” or the Science Center the “Space Station”.  Get creative!

I have many ideas for these types of changes as well as summer theme ideas here on this page.

School Year Only Summer Planning

If you are in a school year only program, then you have some serious cleaning and organizing to do as your summer planning!

 This means the preschool summer organizing involves “closing up the classroom” so to speak, after the end of the year celebrations. 

 You’ll need to decide which items stay in storage for next year and which items need to move on because they have served their purpose and have seen better days.

You’ll need to properly pack and label pictures, calendars, posters and more.  

For many of us, it means creatively packing them in a very limited space!

I have some tips to help you plan your preschool packing here on this page!

Have fun pre-planning your summer now!

Until next week,

Miss Cheryl

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Filed Under: teaching tips

Here’s a Preschool Theme for Tornadoes

April 12, 2017 by Cheryl Hatch Leave a Comment

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Many areas of the world are prone to Tornadoes, especially this time of year.  April marks the beginning of Tornado season here in the United States.

For programs that live in a tornado zone, there are licensing regulations in place requiring (as they should) that you have a tornado drill in place and that you begin practicing that plan each month with your children during this season.

To help you with this, I have created a full theme all about Tornados.  These activities will give you and your children the opportunity to talk about tornados throughout the day rather than just during a drill or evacuation.

For your tornado safety plan, consider the following:

If you are in this type of weather zone, it is important to do 3 things:  

1.  Have a safety procedure in place that all staff are trained in.

2.  Notify the parents of what your procedure is and that that you will practice it with the children.

3.  Practice it with the children just prior to tornado season and at least once during the season (I recommend once a month during the season).

For your tornado preschool theme planning, click here for a page full of activities to use!

Until Next Time,

Miss Cheryl

 

Filed Under: preschool themes

Earth Day Preschool Theme Ideas

April 5, 2017 by Cheryl Hatch Leave a Comment

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Earth Day is on April 22.  It happens each year on this day.  As teachers we typically create Earth Day preschool theme ideas to include children in learning about how to protect the environment.

There are many ideas and activities you could do that will not only support thier knowledge of protecting the earth but also support their development through art, math, science and more!

If you are looking for activities for your preschoolers, I have many here on this Earth Day Preschool Theme page.

I also found a wonderful project that you might want to take a look at on this website!

Happy Planning!

Until next time,

Miss Cheryl

Filed Under: preschool themes

Preschool Graduation Speeches

March 30, 2017 by Cheryl Hatch Leave a Comment

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Giving preschool graduation speeches can drive fear into the heart of any preschool teacher!

However…interacting with ALL of them, from the front of a room?  That’s giving a speech and for most of us, it was NOT our favorite college class or thing to do…ever!

Well, fear not!  Don’t think of it as a speech.  Think of it as a way to give a group high-five to your preschoolers.

Think of it as an opportunity to praise all the support you’ve received from families throughout the year.

As such, you just need to be you!  Remember Dr. Seuss’ phrase from his book (Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss):

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You

You don’t need to come up with some fancy, schmancy speech.  You need to say what you want to say in your own voice, as you would speaking to the families one on one!

I have 8 ideas to get you started as you think about what and how you will address families at your preschool graduation!

Click here to read the full article!

Until Next Time,

Miss Cheryl

Filed Under: graduation

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