Our First Week of School!
What a wonderful first week of school! As a mother of generally non-communicative sons, it was always difficult to get them to share what happened in school. I try to email parents daily in order to promote language and communication at home! Here is Monday’s email:
What a wonderful morning! C, V and I were amazed at how well the children did today! We started off the first hour of school with “children’s choice.” It was interesting to see the different choices the children made. Just about everyone tried multiple activities today. We had several boys in the home center cooking, making coffee and selling ice cream! The blocks, trucks and teddybears were popular. Our new garbage truck is a big hit. The playdough certainly got a good work out! (The new supply order just came in, I’m excited for the children to use the new playdough scissors! )
The children also painted, played in the sand and the house. We rang the bell for clean up a little after 10:30. (They were playing so beautifully, they could have continued, but I wanted to make sure we didn’t wait to long to go to the bathroom!
The children did amazingly well for the very first circle time. (Teacher’s choice!) Returning parents: at the beginning of the year, circle time will be the hello song, calendar and show and tell on Monday and Wednesdays. Small group days will go a bit longer, as their attention span extends. We’ll eventually add the flag salute, weather, and counting the children!
Our pattern for September is ABAB, or in our case, Hermit crab, backpack, hermit crab, backpack… today J had to choose between the 12 with a hermit or backpack… and it’s a backpack day!
Today we read My First Day of School. The girl in the story had butterflies in her stomach! (How silly!) She had french toast and berries for breakfast. The children had a chance to tell what THEY had for breakfast. The children played, sang songs, read stories, and played just like we did!
J brought in trout bait for show and tell! It looked like glittery orange playdough, but it was STINKY!!!!
Mrs W and Mrs G took the children up to the bathroom before snack in two groups, while I read, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Shell. What a silly story! Ask your child if s/he remembers what she swallowed! (a shell, a hermit crab, a fish, a gull, a pail, sand and a wave!) After the wave, she BURPED and it made a sand castle!
At snack the children opened their napkins, poured their own juice or water and had a choice of pretzels, crackers, carrots and strawberries. THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN PRESCHOOL: DON’T EAT UNTIL WE SING THE THANK YOU SONG! (That takes awhile for everyone to learn that one!)
After snack, Mrs. W read Corduroy while we set up the tables for painting clam shells. (At this time of year, I just want them to get used to sitting at the tables together and working in a group.) Simple activities are the key! Then we all sat on the rug to show we were ready to go outside, and sang our song, Rocky Hill Co-op!
to the tune of Frere Jacques:
Rocky Hill Co-op
Rocky Hill Co-op
That’s my school!
That’s my school!
We all help each other
We all help each other
Cooperate!
Cooperate!
Yay for the first day of school! Yay for a great group!
Oh! I got the “guinea pig grant!” Petsmart said I should receive the paperwork in the mail in 2-3 weeks. We’ll get a free habitat, supplies, and a %50 off coupon on one pig! I’ll keep you posted!