Kindergarten enrichment class at Trinity preschool

We live in an area with half day kindergarten and so much expected of the children that we decided to offer an afternoon kindergarten enrichment class.  Right now we started with one afternoon a week, but may expand it to 2 afternoons if there is enough interest.  

The class will be focusing on language, phonics, and math activities, with occasional art, cooking, science and other activities that will extend the learning on a topic.we will look at books with rich vocabulary, and help the children recount stories, recalling details, and dictating their own stories.  We will engage the children in active learning, because many of them have to sit too long in the morning at school.  We will also be giving the children recess and time to use our wonderful materials at choice time.  In a small group setting, we can find where a child needs their skills built up and work on those skills.  We will also be working on important social skills and fundamentals like following directions, remembering instructions, etc.

We are excited to be offering this new class at our school.

Preschool Science- Color Mixing Experiment

Color Mixing

Instead of stirring the colors together in milk, let the molecules in the milk do the stirring for you!
Take about 1/4 cup of milk and put in a clear cup. Add a drop of food color near one side, and a drop of another color near the other side. Do not stir. Allow to sit several hours or overnight and see what happens. The color will mix all on it's own to make a new color.


Pictures didn't come up in correct order the middle picture is when you first put color in, the top picture is after 2 hours and the bottom picture is after 24 hours!

How to use play dough to teach concepts in preschool children

There is a debate about "academics" verses "play" in preschool years. Basically an academic program focuses on teaching children primarily reading skills, and math skills by giving them worksheets, and assignments. The children learn rote memorization and can often regurgitate facts back to the teacher or parent. An example would be to be able to count to 100. You can certainly teach a preschooler to count to 100, but the understanding of the concept of "what is 100?" may not be there. In a "play" preschool, the children are learning all of the time, they are just constructing their own knowledge and learning it through concrete means. A child learning to count will count objects, or stairs as they go up or down. Numbers themselves are an abstract concept, children develop into abstract thinkers by experiences.

Here are some ways play dough is used to teach the needed concepts:

You may just see a child squeezing play dough, and rolling it or cutting out shapes with a cookie cutter. Some of the things I see are:

1. Fine motor development, the small muscles of the hands need to be worked to develop properly, this aids holding a pencil or cutting with scissors later. Being able to use a rolling pin to flatten the dough works the fine motor muscles and the larger muscles in the arms. Sometimes the dough is harder and takes more pressure, having to learn how much pressure to apply without making it too flat.

2. Spatial relations: making the dough the right size to fit the cookie cutter, children usually start out making it too small, part of the cookie cutter hangs off the edges. Later they are able to judge the size easily.

3. Math concepts including addition and subtraction: how to divide the play dough evenly for everyone at the table. How many pieces do we need, real life counting. There are four children, plus one teacher, how many pieces is that. Also math skills such as adding and subtracting, start with two balls of play dough, make one more, how many do we have now. Add another, how many now? Lets take away two, how many now?

4. Measurement/Size comparison: Children compare sizes of play dough balls, which is bigger, smaller, put them in order from smallest to largest, which is longer, how long is it, use a ruler, or a block to measure it. How many balls can we make, let's count them, then they are learning to count real, concrete objects, and understand what 1 or 20 or 100 means. They can learn one-one correspondence, meaning that they understand that when I point to one object I say "one". They also can begin to understand object permanence, for example, if I put out five objects and we count them, and then I add one more, developmentally, children will have to count the original five objects again, and then count the added one; but as they gain understanding they will start at five and count from there. Another example is that if I take a piece of play dough and break the same piece of play dough into two pieces, younger children will say I now have more play dough. They have to develop the understanding through concrete objects to understand that it is the same amount of play dough.

5. Social Skills: what to do to divide up one large clump of play dough into enough for everyone at the table, evenly. Then when another child comes, being able to share the dough a little more. Sharing the tools, sometimes sharing ideas about what to do with the play dough, what to create, making a group project. Joining a group is often hard for children. The social skills needed to join play is hard, but play dough is something that is easy to join. It makes that social transition easier. Then often those same children will feel comfortable playing at another activity together later, or will leave play dough and go to something else together. Play dough is great for solitary play, parallel play, or social play. They children can play at their level and feel part of the play.

6. Alphabet/shape The teachers put out a variety of materials to use with the play dough. When the alphabet letters are put out, the children can use them in variety of ways. They may just use them as a cookie cutter, or may use the letters to make the alphabet or their name. Letters are also made out of rolled play dough. The same types of things are done with shape cutters. Children at this age are concrete learners, they must touch to learn. Things have to be in solid form in front of them for them to understand it, they are not little adults who think in abstract ways. That is a developmental process that takes many years. When children are able to manipulate play dough into letters, it helps them form those letters with a pencil to write their names, it helps them to remember those letters when they see them written (which is abstract).

7. Listening to directions/conversation with teacher: Sometimes at the play dough table the teacher will give directions, make a small ball, make a rope this long, etc. This gives children the skills needed of listening, following directions, two step directions, and more. The children also have the opportunity to talk in important casual conversation with a teacher at the play dough table. They can discuss their pet, or what they did this weekend, and have a relaxed opportunity to talk. Conversational skills are something which develops, they learn the give and take of conversation, another child may join the group and they learn how to include them in the conversation.

8. Sensory experience: sometimes the play dough is warm, sometimes it is cold, it may be hard or soft, it may be a different recipe, it may have cinnamon in it or peppermint oil. The color changes and sometimes two colors are there to mix. Play dough is a wonderful, sensory substance which also helps children who are unsure about being in school to feel ok. When a child is upset coming to school, or is having problems separating from mom or dad, play dough is one of the best tools to help them feel ok. When they start squeezing it and manipulating it, they become so involved that school is ok. It is also a quiet activity, and feels safe. It can be a solo activity if needed, or others can be involved too.

I hope from this glimpse at how "playing" with play dough helps children learn the concepts needed for current and later school success, you have a better understanding that "learning and academics" are going on all the time in a good preschool setting. The materials are chosen with specific goals in mind, and the ways children play with them is teaching them. The most important part to understand is that children learn different than adults. They must have concrete objects to manipulate to learn. The more experiences they have, the more the brain develops.

Learning the Alphabet- a few ideas

Children love to sing the "ABC" song, and it is a fun way for them to learn the names of the letters, but play with the song a little or all they are learning is a song. It will not have a connection to them that it has any meaning other then being a song they like to sing. Especially the "LMOP" part, it becomes a blob of letters that are one. Here are a few ideas for the song, and other things to do to help your child learn the alphabet.

• Sing the song slowly, emphasize each letter.
• Get some ABC cards (upper and lower case) and point to each one as you say the letter while you sing the song.
• Hum the song, leaving the letters out
• Using the flash cards, turn one over and when you get to it, don't sing that one....later turn a few over.
• You can do these same activities without the song too.

Introduce your child to upper and lower case letters, (capital and small) some look the same, but some don't so it is good to teach them both.

The letters that have the most meaning to children are the ones in their name. Write their name on things they draw or color, using an upper case letter for the first name and lower case letters for the rest. Write it in the upper left hand corner when you can. Point out the letters in their name when you see them in writing elsewhere.

You can also point out the sounds the beginning letter makes.....popcorn starts with the letter "P", that is the "p(a)" sound. As they get more used to this, you can say, "Can you think of another word that starts with the "P (a)" sound? Write down the words they say. If they say one that starts with a different letter, sound out both words to help them learn the difference, but praise them for trying and see if they can think of another word or suggest one yourself. You can even write a list for each letter and tack it up. The words they say do not matter, they are not words they need to learn, just words they have thought of that start with that letter. You will find later they will say "Goodnight papa" and then come running to say, "Papa....that starts with the letter P". The consonants are easier than the vowels, so start there. Later they will learn ending sounds.

At preschool we also talk about the letter's shape, and the children love to practice writing the letters with dry erase boards and dry erase markers. We make all of this part of fun activities, not drill work. We also have the children who are able to write their own name on their art work.

If you are ever concerned that your child has a speech delay due to inability to say some of the letters, pay attention to what they can and cannot say. Some missing letter sounds are very normal in preschoolers and will develop as they mature. But some require speech intervention. If you are concerned contact your local school district and ask when they do screenings for speech evaluations. At times, because you are always hearing your child speak, you get used to how they say words, but if other people ask "What did she say?" all the time, you may want a speech evaluation.

Letters and words surround us all the time, so make some games out of word fun and your child will learn the letters with more ease. Go on a letter hunt in the grocery store, have him point out each time he sees the letter "C" today and next time the letter "M".

Put magnetic letters on the front of the refrigerator and have a letter of the day.

Read fun alphabet books, like "Chicka chicka boom boom", and "Alphabet Rescue" .

Trinity Preschool Activities for Thursday, April 28, 2011

Oak Room:

We read "No roses for Harry" by Gene Zion

We made flower pictures. We used a cardboard tube with slits cut in it dipped in paint, so it looks like flower petals. We added other things to embellish the picture. The children dipped Q-tips in green paint to make grass, and we glued on mini muffin papers, and pom poms to be the center of the flowers.

We had rubber band design boards out, bead stringing, and bristle blocks.

We did a color rhyme- each child holds a flower and "Two little blackbirds"

We played a small group game - rhyming words.


Willow Room: T/TH class

We read "Let's paint a rainbow" by Eric Carle

We used watercolors on doilies, we will make something special out of them.

We had chalk and stencils at the easel.

We are practicing our songs for Mother's Day at music.

Four of our butterflies just opened! We were all very excited. We are still waiting for our moth and the rest of our butterflies to open up. We put flowers and sugar water in with the butterflies for some food.

Art Idea # 5 Home made Play dough and usage ideas

Basic Cooked Play Dough Recipe and play ideas

We did not create this recipe, most of the preschools I know use this recipe though because it is the best. I have no idea who originally created it or I would give them credit!

Keep it stored in an airtight container and it will last for at least a month. Some people store in it the refrigerator and that is probably a good idea, especially if it isn't played with all the time. We use this play dough every day in the classroom, it sits out on a table for at least an hour each day, is played with by many children and it lasts about a month.

Cooked Play Dough (Our basic playdough)

1 cup flour

¼ cup salt

2 Tablespoons Cream of tarter (important)

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Food color

Put all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, 2-4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When mixture pulls from side of pan and forms a ball in the center, remove pan from heat. Allow to cool a few minutes. Remove play dough and knead until smooth (will still be quite warm). Store in an airtight container.

Instead of food coloring, you can substitute a non sweetened package of koolaid to the pan before you start cooking the play dough, it will add a wonderful smell and color; but watch with young children as they may try to eat the play dough. There is nothing in this play dough that can harm a child, but it is best not to let children think it is OK to taste art materials in general.

This dough is soft and pliable and works great to help develop the fine motor skills children need to be able to hold a pencil, and scissors and have control of those muscles.

You do not need fancy play dough tools, raid your kitchen for fun, safe things to use with the play dough. I like to give the children a place mat (a fun kid design makes it special) to use as a work area. This helps children understand that the play dough stays here, and makes it feel special. Play dough should always be used in the same format, especially with young children, do not just leave it out for them to get into any time they want or you will find play dough stuck to your furniture, shoes, etc. Make it special to be allowed to use the play dough.

Toddlers: Play dough is great for toddlers, but either have them in their high chair and be nearby to supervise or join them in the fun of creating with play dough.

MATERIALS:

cookie cutters

rolling pin

plastic knife

straws, cut into pieces

melon baller

any non sharp kitchen utensil, (wooden spoon, rubber spatula, egg separator, etc.)

birthday candles, Popsicle sticks, clean rocks,

As you can see the ideas for things to add are pretty limitless, just make sure they are safe and clean.

IDEAS:

Roll play dough into balls, stack them, cut them with the knife (make two halves, cut into thirds- math idea)

Roll play dough between your palms to make a long snake and form it into shapes, cut it into pieces, make alphabet letters out of it.

Learning to write names: some children have difficulty forming the letters with a pencil or crayon. Form the letters of their name with play dough (have them do it too) and often this helps give them a concrete connection to the letters in their name. It is amazing how many times they can then write the letters with more ease.

Play dough is an amazing substance, and I prefer this type to store bought as it is more pliable, softer and fun to create.

Special note: cream of tarter is a little expensive (it is in the spice section of the grocery store). You can use a little less, but w/o it the play dough does not have the same consistency.

ENJOY!