My Christmas List

I always try and give parents a sort of wish list for their child. You know, those games, toys, and movies that would help their development. Here's this year's.

1. Super Why ABC Letter Game

 2. Super Why movies (which you can also find on Itunes)

3. Lucky Ducks

4. Leap Frog Letter Factory Board Game and movies

                                              

5.  Textures and Colors Matching game

6. Candy Land game

Dancing Leaves

Supplies: three silk leaves, one string tied into a loop, hot glue, and streamers

Process: Have the children hold thier items while you hot glue the pieces together. I have used a stapler for this project, but trust me, you will want hot glue instead. Pieces stay together and everyone is happy. ;) Glue silk flowers layered on top of each other like a fan. Cut red, orange, or yellow streamers at about 12 inches long. (You don't want them too long because then the children start stepping on them as they dance). Glue three pieces on the back of the silk leaves. Then tuck the string in between and glue in place. When everyone is ready sing this song:

Leaves are Falling (sing to the tune of London Bridges)

Leaves are falling all around
All around
All around
Leaves are falling all around
It is autumn! (fall down on the ground as you sing this last line)

Red leaves are falling all around
All around
All around
Red leaves are falling all around
It is autumn!

Continue with the colors that the children call out that might be on the leaves in their hand.

Teach Well: Use classical music to dance with their leaves. Is the music fast? Or slow? Dance to the way the music plays.

Children's Post: Autumn Leaves

Fall leaves are these colors... yellow and red.

When it gets cold outside... "the leaves fall down and then they turn to colors." - Terron

If you were a leaf on a tree and it was autumn, what would you do? "Fall down!" - Ethan

"Fall down and I would hop around when I'm a little leaf. I could hop around like this. I would talk and I would hop to my home. Then, I would go skateboarding with my mom!" - Terron

October is in Full Swing!

I love October! It is one of my favorite themes. Our schedule includes:

Theme - Harvest

Literacy - C, D, E, F; Writing Readiness
Math - Shapes
Science - Harvest; Observation; Cause/Effect
Physical Education - Ball Skills Coordination; Aerobic Wednesdays
Spanish - Colors
Bible - Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
Verse - Ephesians 4:28

Teach Well: Let the season inspire you!

Good Night Gorilla!

Read Good Night Gorilla, watch Scholastic's video, and go on your own walk through the zoo!

Supplies: Stuffed animals that you may find at the zoo, clipart keys, a 3x5 index card for each animal, & markers

Process: Use clipart of a key and make several and cut them out. Color each index a different color. Color a 3x5 index card to match each colored key. Then place your stuffed animals around the room an index card at its side. Hand out enough keys to the children so that everyone has an even amount. Take a walk around the room and together find an animal to let out of "its cage." Match the key with the colored index card and have the child with that colored key "unlock" the animal. Let the child carry the stuffed animal around as you go walking through the "zoo."

Teach Well: Keep the animals and keys out at center time. You will be surprised how the children act out the story. Add blankets and pillows to the center so they can pretend to be the zoo keeper and zoo keeper's wife.

Learning Spanish: Colors

I think it is important for my son to learn another language. I didn't learn a second language until high school. It wasn't easy for me either. I think if I was introduced to the language early I could of caught on faster. In the school that I taught at, there was a Spanish teacher that would come into our class and teach. I am beginning to teach my son the same lessons that she taught.

I thought I would share with you some sites that I found helpful and fun to teach colors in Spanish. Using technology is great for teaching a foriegn language. I am learning right along with my son since I have only graduated Preschool Spanish. ;)

Here is a great game to help with learning the names of the colors. Here is a video to help too.