Dinosaur week was great! We had the best time talking about all things dinos. We had so many good books for the kids to explore. 

We also practiced writing letters Pp and Uu. We did a variety of activities to help the kiddos listen for, say, and learn the sounds and letters. Our letter punch activity was the favorite. The kiddos got to punch a hole and say the letter name and sound. 

For math, the kiddos practiced writing and counting numbers. They used dinosaurs to practice their counting. 

Our sensory table was a hit. We had dinosaur bones buried in kinetic sand. They got to pretend to be paleontologists. 

The kiddos got to explore all of our dino books during our carpet center. They could play with all of our dinosaur toys. There also was a dinosaur puzzle they could put together. 

One of the favorite activities this week was our dinosaur matching game. This was great with helping the kids learn how to take turns, be a good sport, and recall information. 

We also did a alphabet review game. We listened to our dinosaur song while we danced around. When the music stopped the kids had to find a whiteboard. Each whiteboard had a different letter for them to practice saying and writing. 

I was able to snap some cute pictures of the kiddos during show and tell. Their speaking and listening skills continue to improve. 

Our play time continues to help the kiddos learn and grow socially. 

We had a blast doing some dancing and workout videos for inside recess this week. I had to share these adorable Zootopia Yoga poses. 

Dinosaur week was the best! 

Week 22: Pets 

We had such a fun week talking about pets. We talked about which animals could be real pets. We talked about which animals we wish could be pets. We also talked about what we like and don't like about pets. We played a few pet related games. Each kiddo got to pull an animal out of our "magic" box. Then they got to sort them into two categories: pets(happy to live with us, safe, etc.), and not pets(wild animals). They got to act like the animal they picked out. The wild animals were definitely their favorite to act out. 

We also play a dog game. One student sat with their back's to the other kiddos. They had a bone behind them on the floor. We all sang, "Doggy doggy, where's your bone? Somebody took it from your home. Who has your bone?" Then I quietly pointed to another kiddo. That student went up, grabbed the bone,  and whispered, "I have your bone." Then the student facing the front of the room had to guess which friend's voice it was. Only a couple of kiddos got tricked. I was impressed by how well they know each other's voices. 

We practiced writing the letters Kk and Jj this week. They are getting better and constructing their letters. Practice makes progress. One day they cut out little pet books. We also played a few games with identifying our letters' sounds. 

Our math table had a few activities this week. The kiddos got to make dog leashes out of links. Each doggy had a different number for their leash. This helped them practice identifying numbers and counting. The next day they did our roll and write game. This is a favorite, and it is great for their counting as well as practice with writing the numbers. We finished the week with Goldfish graphing. We talked about how fish can make great pets. They practiced counting Goldfish then writing the number below. 

Our sensory table had colored pet dishes. It was also full of different colors of pets (i.e. dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters). Then it was full of different colored pom poms. They got to sort according to color or pet. 

Our carpet had a few activities to pick from. I had a whole basket full of different pets. They could play with any of those. I also had wooden pictures and letter puzzles that they could play with. As always they can read a variety of books related to our theme, letters, shape, color, and numbers. 

For art we made dog and cat masks. We sang the song, "I have a pet," this week. The first two pets in the song are dog and cat. I told them they could use their masks to sing the song at home. We used our paint sticks to paint our pets. I let them pick whichever colors they wanted for their pets. Then they picked which eyes they wanted to use. They turned out cute. 

Each week we continue to practice with our speaking and listening skills during show and tell. Pet week was really fun to see pictures of some of their own pets. We continue to enjoy playtime. They are strengthening their social skills daily. 

Week 21: Valentines/Kindness 

We had the best week talking about love and kindness. We talked about the importance of telling the people we love that we care about them. Our letter focus was on Hh and Tt. Our number focus was 18 and 19. During circle time the kiddos practiced listening for initial sounds of words. Then they sorted the pictures according to letter sounds. 

We made heart puzzles out of our names. The kids wrote each letter of their names and then colored their hearts. After they practiced cutting. They cut zigzag and straight lines. 

Our math table had a few activities this week. We made number love bugs. The kids practiced writing the numbers 1-10. Then they drew circles for the corresponding numbers to create the love bug bodies. They had a lot of fun with this activity. They also got to make valentine "treats" using heart muffin molds. Each muffin mold had a number written inside. Then the kiddos got to use heart gems to fill up the muffin tin. This was great to help them with their counting. I have also noticed that kiddos have struggled with forming/writing number 8. So we did a worksheet to practice with number 8. "Make an S and close the gate. That's how to make an 8." 

The carpet center had a couple of activities to choose from. They could weave fabric hearts. This was great because a heart was our shape of the week. This also went with our Valentine's theme. This activity was great for their fine motor skills. There was also a box of chocolate game. They got to match the letters in the box with letter manipulatives. They had a great time doing this. 

Our sensory table had a Valentine mix of manipulatives. It also had cupcake liners and heart containers. They got to fill up the liners and containers. It was fun to hear them make little Valentines for their friends. 

We made Valentines one day as well. 

Before our Valentine's Party we did a couple class activities. We did candy heart graphing/counting. The kiddos got a bag of candy hearts. They sorted them according to color. They also counted which heart colors they had the most and least of. 

We also played a game called Cupid's Arrows. We talked about how Cupid is a Valentine character that has love arrows. We got to play Cupid. We each got a straw. Then we split into two teams, the purple and pink teams. The team with the most arrows that hit the point plates won. The purple team was victorious! :) 

Our class party was so fun! We had some wonderful moms come in and run a few centers. One center the kiddos got to decorate cupcakes. They were delicious. Another center they got to play Valentine Don't Eat Pete. It was so fun to see their excitement when it was their turn. They also got to decorate their own Valentine's bags to hold their Valentines. They got to choose from a variety a Valentine themed stickers. Peeling off the stickers is great for their fine motor development. Finally they painted a cute valentine that said, "I love to you pieces." I used a hot glue gun to separate the hearts into pieces. Then the kiddos got to use watercolors to paint the different pieces. We ended our party by passing out our Valentines. It was such a fun day! 

Week 20: Music 

We talked about all kinds of music this week. We talked about how music can change our mood. We danced to different rhythms,( i.e. soft, fast, loud, etc.). We also talked about following the beat. We used a variety of different instruments. They loved our music game. I played the sound of an instrument and they had to guess what instrument made that sound. 

We continue to learn more about our letters and numbers. This week we focused on letters Hh and Mm. We painted letter H using tape then peeled off the tape to see our painting masterpieces. We also made musical instruments for M. They had a fun time making their own instruments. 

At the carpet center we practiced writing and forming letters. We used magnetic letters, mini writing boards, and wax sticks to make the letters. They could also play with the musical instruments at this center. 

We played a dice rolling game at our math table. They rolled a die and counted the circles. Then they wrote that number on their papers. They also practiced tracing the numbers. 

Our sensory table had a variety of things that they could make into instruments. They could fill the jars or eggs to see if they made any noise. They were so excited when they made an instrument that could make sounds. 

Some of our friends brought instruments for show and tell. The kids were excited to see what sounds their instruments made. 

Play time was a hit this week. They had a great time playing together. 

Week 19: Space 

This week was out of this world! :) We had the best time talking about our solar system. The kiddos were great letter detectives while we explored the names of the planets as well as some fun facts. We also had a ton of fun books to look at. Some of them even read to the kiddos (FYI: Vox books-they have a whole section at the library). 

I was also able to snap some pictures from our whole group lessons (circle time) this week. Every morning we have our welcome song. Then we see who is there for the day. The kiddos have become amazing letter detectives. I am amazed at how well they know each other's name spellings. We usually do a fun activity to discover who our helper is. We also search for our letter of the day in our names. On Tuesday I gave the kiddos a picture. They got to sort whether they thought it was in outer space or not in outer space. If they got tricked we helped them out. We also sort our names into two columns every morning, names that have our letter of the day, and names that do not. 

On Wednesday, we learned more about the planets. Each kiddo got a picture of a planet. We looked for our letter of the day (Qq). We also broke down the sounds in each planet. They loved going over to our new classroom planets to see if they could find it. 

We also learned about constellations. That was a big word for them. I was surprised that some of the kiddos already knew what a constellation was. I had them practice writing their names in chalk on black paper. I helped the kiddos who are still learning their names write it on the back side (after they practiced first). Then they used their fingers to trace/smear the chalk. Finally, they used star stickers to put in the corners. We talked about how constellations are stars that make a picture. The lines are imaginary. How cool would that be if there were constellations that spelled their names? Each part of this activity was great for their find motor skills. 

Some of the kiddos are ready to start blending sounds to make words. We practiced by picking out some consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pictures. Then they got to use their Velcro letter tiles to spell the word. I told them to let each other think for themselves and not to give it away. They were proud when they got the sounds and letters right. 

Our carpet center had a fun Solar System puzzle. They could also search for the letters in space words. Their favorite seemed to be the books this week. 

Our math table was a favorite this week because we had mini Lite Brites (Do you remember this iconic toy? haha). These were great for strengthening their hands (which is a key prewriting skill). They could try to make numbers or count how many lights they used. We also had a space stew they could do. The stews help them practice identifying numbers, as well as their one-one counting skills. 

Our sensory table was full of black beans (dark night sky). There were also mini astronauts, stars, and planets. It was also full of our spikey balls. These are fun because you can connect them. Some of the kiddos used their imaginations to pretend they were planets. I also heard some of the kiddos calling them asteroids. It is fun to hear their imaginations work. 

Here are some cute pictures from show and tell this week. They are getting better at expressing themselves and taking turns to speak. Show and tell is great for their listening and speaking skills. 

Here are some pictures from our playtime this week. Free writing seems to be a hit during playtime. It is fun to see what they create. 

We ended our week at the Clark Planetarium! The kiddos have been counting down to this day the whole month. We finally made it! Here are some cute pictures from our trip. 

Week 18: Homes 

We had a fun week talking about our homes. We talked about what rooms our homes have. We talked about how homes provide us with shelter and comfort. We talked about different kinds of homes. Animals live in homes too. They just look different than our homes. We read a lot of different books that went with our theme. 

We focused on the letters Gg and Dd. In preschool we learn how to properly write the letters. We had a lot of practice with that this week. I reminded the kiddos about magic c. Letter C can be used to help them construct lots of letters, including: capital G, lowercase g and lowercase d. They begin by writing a c and then they can turn it into a G, g, or d. This trick can also help with their b and d reversals. I always say, "you can't write a d without c coming first" (alphabetical order abcd). We even practiced making letter c out of pink playdough. Then we added a blue playdough line to make a d. We then added a blue playdough hook to make a g. 

Our carpet center was a hit this week! The kiddos got to practice their social and creative skills. They got to build different homes with a new set of blocks. They could also add some of our doll house furniture. It was so fun to overhear some of their ideas and conversations. I also had a fun door lock puzzle they enjoyed unlocking. It had a variety of different kind of door locks. We talked about how each of our homes have a door and a lock. Some of our locks are the same and some are different. 

We did a variety of activities at our math center this week. We practiced writing the numbers 1-10. It is so important for preschool kiddos to learn how to properly construct the numbers. On the first day they practiced tracing the numbers using our wooden number boards. They used our writing tools to practice the next day. Our final day was playing math games. They played roll and count. They could also identify the numbers on our apple game. Then they counted the correct amount of beads. 

Our sensory table was full of different color homes. They could take the roof off and fill the home with the same color of people and pom poms. 

For art we did some shape art. We made homes. We talked about each part of our homes. We talked about the shapes and colors. The best part was drawing themselves inside the homes. 

Each Thursday we do a full alphabet review. We played our musical chairs ABC writing game again. There were whiteboards next to each chair. When the music played they could dance and walk around the room. The minute the music stopped they had to hurry to a chair. I put a picture of the letter on our TV. Then as a class we would do the action and sound. Then we were practice writing the upper and lower case letters. This was the only picture I was able to snap. We were having too much fun. 

Here are some candid shots from our free play. We continue to learn how to use our words to express our feelings. We continue to learn how to play well together. 

Week 17: Nursery Rhymes 

This week we sang recited nursey rhymes. We talked about what a nursey rhyme is. We talked about some of our favorite ones. We started the week with Humpty Dumpty. We read a story about Humpty Dumpty. We also watched the video below. The kiddos laughed so hard every time they watched this video. The kiddos got to practice writing the letter Z on their Humpty Dumpty. Then they got to practice their scissor skills. They cut Humpty Dumpty into a zig zag puzzle. Then we sang the song: 

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. 

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall  (they broke him apart).

All the king's horses and all the king's men,

couldn't put Humpty together again. 

BUT I CAN! (they put their puzzle back together). 

On Wednesday we reviewed the letter Cc. We practiced the proper way to write the letter Cc. We talked about words that start with C. In our circle time we also continue to do our phonemic awareness using Heggerty. During this time we practice adding and deleting sounds. Segmenting words into syllables and sounds. This is essential is helping the kiddos learn to read. 

For math we have been practicing our numbers 0-10. For circle time we focused on the numbers 10 and 11. During our math centers the kiddos got to practice writing the numbers 1-10. Each card had spots for them to count to that number as well. They used magnetic counters to count. Then they could use their magic wands to pick up the counters. The next day we practiced adding some of the numbers. The kiddos got to roll a die, practice writing the numbers, and use 10 frame counters to add. This activity was great for their number recognition, writing, and counting skills. 

Our sensory table was full of beans this week. They also got to sort according to color. 

The carpet was the class favorite this week. We sang the song 1,2,3,4,5 Once I caught a Fish Alive. The kiddos got to catch fish. They also loved sorting them according to color. Some of our fishing puzzles had letters under each fish. They got to practice identifying each letter. We had a variety of nursery rhyme books to look at and read. 

On Thursday, we review the letters that we have learned so far. We played a fun game with the whiteboards. I placed whiteboards on each table. When I played music the kiddos got to walk around the room. When the music stopped they had to find a whiteboard and sit down. Then one student picked a letter card. They got to identify the name and sound of the letter. Then we all wrote the uppercase and lowercase letter on our boards. They had a great time. At the end they got to draw a picture. So many of them drew their families. It was so sweet. 

For art we made our own baa baa black sheep (with a twist). We used "wool" (aka cotton balls) to paint our sheep's wool. The kiddos got to practice color mixing. I had red, yellow, and blue paint. It was fun to see them get excited when they created a new color.  

During playtime the kiddos continue to practice using their words to express how they feel. They problem solve and learn how to share. They love to free write/draw during playtime as well. We also continue to do inside recess. Duck Duck Goose was a class favorite this week.  

Week 16: Friendship 

We had a great week talking about friendship. We did a lot of fun role play with what it means to be a good friend. The best part is seeing the kiddos be great friends in our everyday preschool life. Their little conversations, complements, and hugs are so sweet. 

We talked about the letters Vv and Xx this week. We have almost covered the whole alphabet. They are growing so much. For letter V we talked about volcanos. They loved to make the letter V out of lava (aka paint sticks). For letter X we made a box of friends. The kiddos got to practice writing each friend's initial letter. It is amazing how well they are learning not just their own names, but their friends' names as well. 

Our circle time focus in math was on the numbers 8 & 9. During our math centers the kiddos got to make friendship stew. They got to read the recipe and count different items to put in their stews (i.e. hearts, flowers, love bugs, cards, friends, etc.) This allows them to practice identifying and counting numbers. They also practiced counting and identifying numbers using puzzles. They could choose to practice writing the numbers as well. 

Our sensory table this week was really fun and really messy. Have you heard of pluffle? Me either. :) It is pretty much shredded up foam. But it makes for a great sensory play experience. The table had rainbows, hearts, and letters mixed in. The kiddos could make patterns or spell their friends' names. They had a great time. They can also choose to use the whiteboard during this center. They had so much fun dressing their pictures up in different outfits. It was fun to hear them giggle together. 

Our carpet center had a variety of books about friendship. The class favorite was titled, "A Friend for Milton." It was about a cat that needed a friend. He kept trying and finally found a friend. The kiddos also got to make friendship bracelets. They had a great time making them for each other. I put out a new thing of toys each day  for them to play with the friends in their carpet groups. 

During playtime I have given them an option to color or free write. It is fun to see what they draw and write. They continue to explore and strengthen their friendships in class. 

Week 15: Christmas/Holiday Traditions 

What a fun week?! We talked all about Christmas time. We talked about some of favorite traditions. We read a lot of fun books. We also focused on two new letters this week, Ww and Yy. We talked about our Christmas wishes. 

We also had a fun time pretending to be Santa. I asked the kids some fun questions about what they would do if they were Santa Claus. They had a so much fun drawing their Santa bodies. 

We played a fun ABC stocking game. They got to pick a stocking that was missing from the ABC lineup. They got to identify the name and sound. For an extra challenge they could put it in the correct missing spot. They loved this game. 

We also continue to practice writing our names. Some of the kiddos are still working on getting the first couple of letters. Some of the kiddos are practicing both their first and last names. 

This week each center had some fun Christmas themed activities. We practiced with numbers 6 and 7 (Yes, I heard 6-7 every 5 minutes). The kids got to practice identifying, counting, and writing these numbers. They also loved our Christmas String Light Uno game. They got to draw a black string. Then they grabbed an uno card to see what color and number of lights (circles) they could draw (i.e. yellow 3, blue 4,etc.) They loved doing this activity. 

Our I-Spy table (sensory) was a Christmas stew. It was full of so many fun things. The kiddos got to use their imaginations. I heard some of them creating stories using the toys. Some of them sorted the objects by colors. Some of them did some patterning. 

The carpet had a fun homemade Lite Brite activity. :) They got to match colored lights to the colors on the trees. They also got to weave Christmas shapes with string. They are allowed to look at all of our Christmas books at the carpet as well. They can pick with activity they want to do. 

We continue to practice our listening and speaking skills during Show and Tell. I have my whiteboard handy during every show and tell. We always guess what letter each of our objects start with. We also make any theme/focus connections.

Playtime continues to be a favorite for the kids. I love watching them resolve conflict and strengthen their friendships. 

We ended the week with our long awaited Christmas Pajama Party! We had the best time doing some fun Christmas activities before we watched The Grinch. We made ornaments and Christmas cards. Listening to them giggle as we watched the Grinch was my favorite. We also got out our bells to sing Jingle Bells one more time for the week. It was a wonderful time! 

Week 14: Winter 

We had a great time exploring winter time this week. The first day of winter is coming so soon. We read a bunch of books that taught us about winter. We talked about different animals that hibernate or fly somewhere warm during winter time. We also talked about different activities we do in the snow. This was great because we focused on the letter s on Wednesday. 

This week our letters were Ee and Ss. E uses his ear e-e-e. S snake slithers s-s-s. We made books about letter E. Our younger kiddos make elf puppets. On Wednesday we made a snowman while talking about letter S. We used our whiteboards to practice writing letter S. Then we got to create our very own snowmen. They had so much fun. 

In math we practiced our counting skills. We practiced writing the numbers 4 and 5. We got to make "winter stew." The kiddos got to follow winter recipes. They mixed ice blocks, polar bears, seals, snowballs, fish, and penguins. Delicious! :) 

Our I-spy table (sensory table) was so fun! They got to play with pretend snow (conditioner and cornstarch). They had the best time building snowmen and playing with the winter animals. They all wanted to go to this center. 

During the carpet center the kiddos got to play snowmen tic-tac-toe. They got to read any of our winter books. They also got to make letters out of sugar cubes and sugar (That seemed to be the favorite activity of our carpet center). 

For art we got to paint salted glue snowflakes. I had glued and salted snowflakes on paper. The snowflake absorbs the watercolor right up. It was fun to hear the kiddos giggle in amazement as the snowflake absorbed the colorful watercolor paint. 

Our show and tell continues to be a great activity for them to practice their listening and speaking skills. They take great pride in showing their favorite things to their friends. 

We had inside recess again this week. They absolutely love four corners and the Elf Freeze Dance video. They are given the choice of dancing or playing with toys. Some of them prefer playing with toys. Providing choices for preschoolers is essential in their learning development. 

Week 13: Nutrition & Health 

This week was all about ways to take care of our bodies. We talked about foods that make us healthy and strong. We talked about exercises that we can do to strengthen our bodies. We also read a lot of books that helped us learn about nutrition and health. The kiddos favorite book was, "I'm hungry." The monster in the story decides to eat a bunch of non-edible things (i.e. chair, table, plate, etc.) The kids were rolling in laughter. I wish I could have captured it in a video. 

Our letter focus was Ff and Nn. We made frog puppets and fed him healthy foods. We also made letter Nn books. They got to practice their writing and cutting skills. We talked about things that start with F and N. During circle time we have also been using Heggerty to practice our phonemic awareness skills. Each Thursday we do a review of the letters we have learned so far. The kiddos love using the white boards to practice our letters. 

For art we created our very own scissor salad. The kiddos got to strengthen their cutting and gluing skills during this activity. This was great for their fine motor skills. 

We also played a game to teach us the importance of exercising. The kiddos took turns rolling a die to see what exercise we could do. They loved it and kept flexing their growing muscles. :) 

Our math focus was reviewing numbers 2-3. We practiced writing, counting, and adding these numbers. We also talked about cubes and how they are made of squares. The kiddos got to play with the cubes after they practiced writing the numbers 2 and 3. They loved using the stamps this week as well. 

Our sensory (I-Spy) table was a cold one this week. We talked about water and how important it is for us to drink lots of it. We talked about how ice is just frozen water. I froze a bunch of small food toys in ice cubes. They got to melt the ice and say what food items they found. They talked with their groups about the food, and whether is was healthy or not. We also talked about the food groups (vegetables, fruits, protein, grains, and dairy). It was fun to hear them say, "This is a fruit!" etc. 

Our carpet center had a few activities to choose from. The carpet is a great center for the kiddos to practice playing together. They got to play "Yeti Spaghetti." There were also a bunch of food puzzles to put together. They also got to pretend they were shopping at the store. They could buy a bunch of different food. 

We continue to build relationships and strengthen our social skills.. We have also had a great time doing a short inside recess before snack time. The kiddos favorite things to play include four corners and freeze dance party.

Week 12: Thanksgiving & Gratitude 

What a special week?! We had the best time talking about what it means to be grateful. These sweet kiddos had a great time naming things they were grateful for. We talked about the meaning of a feast. We talked about how in America we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a special time of year that we gather with loved ones to share a feast. To prepare for our preschool feast we made little turkey placemats. 

We focused on letters Bb and Rr. Our circle time had lots of practice with both letters. For math we practiced writing numbers 1-6. We made marshmallow pumpkin pies. They had fun rolling the dice and counting how many marshmallows their pies had. Eating the pie was their favorite part. 

They also practiced counting and writing numbers by making turkeys. They pulled a card that told them how many feathers to add to their turkeys. 

Our sensory table was all about pies! The kiddos had a great time making pies. This center required them to identify and count numbers. There was a variety of recipes they could follow. They got to make up their own pie recipes as well. 

Our color focus was rainbow! Our carpet center had a fun activity that the kiddos could build a rainbow. It was fun to see them build the rainbows. They also got to read some really fun books about Thanksgiving and gratitude. They also had a game where they could match capital letters to the right turkey. 

We ended the week with our Thanksgiving feast. The kiddos had a great time helping prepare the feast. They got to roll their own turkey/ham rolls. They got to mash their own potatoes. Our rule was they needed to take a least one bite of our different foods. It was fun to see them try new things. I could not have done this without the parent helpers. They were amazing. We ended our feast with sharing one thing they were grateful for. We have much to be thankful for. 

Week 11: Questions

Questions, questions, and more questions. We started the week by defining what a question is. We talked about how questions help us learn and grow. We learned how to answer questions. We learned how to look for questions. We looked for questions in everything we watched and read this week. The kiddos got so excited when they spotted a question mark in our songs and books. Below are some of the books we explored this week. Each week we also read books that align with our letters for the day/week. 

We are moving right along in our letter learning. This week we focused on the letters P and U. We learned the actions to our phrases P pops popcorn p-p-p, and U's under the umbrella u-u-u. During circle time we practiced reading words that start with our letters. During centers we continued searching for our letters. We got to practice writing them as well. 

We continued learning our numbers. We focused on the numbers 19 and 20. We spent time counting and writing our numbers. The kiddos had a fun time using the overhead project (blast from the past for some of us). We talked about why some things could glow on the projector and some couldn't. They need to be transparent (see through) to glow. I asked them to explore and ask themselves the question, will it glow? They had fun putting things on the projector to see if they would glow. 

Is it magnetic? Our sensory table was fun this week. We talked about how to test if something is magnetic. Our table was full of rice, bells, magnetic counters, etc. The kiddos used their magnetic wands to connect the things that were magnetic. 

Our carpet center was full of activities to practice our letters. They worked together to match letters. They also loved our "magic" water mats. They used their water markers to discover and write letters. This center is also where they get to read/look at our books for the week. 

We tried something new for art this week. I had them color on tin foil. I asked them if they thought we could use that to color our paper. They didn't think so. I asked them what if we sprayed it with water. Do you think it will move to the paper now? Some of them said yes and some said no. We tried it and it worked! We moved our colors from the tin foil to our papers. Our paper said, "Questions help us grow!" It is very true. When we ask and answer questions we learn so much! 

We played a fun question game. Each student got to put a picture card on their head. We gave them clues and they had to ask, it is a _______? They had so much fun guessing what their picture card was. 

Here are some sweet pictures that I captured during our playtime this week. They continue to strengthen their social skills and learn how to problem solve. 

Week 10: Transportation 

We had a great week learning about things that go! We had fun reading, singing, and exploring. We started the week with practicing our names by making name trains. We also focused on the letters J and K this week. J just jumps j, j, j, (make the sound). K kicks karate k,k,k (make the sound). 

During our math center we got to practice tracing numbers with our writing tools. Then we got to use cars to trace the numbers. We also used our dot markers to make numbers. 

When the kiddos go to the carpet center they get to read from a variety of books that focus on our theme. We also read some of these books at the end of each day. They get to practice their social skills at this center. I will always have manipulatives and toys for them to play together. This week they got to play with a variety of means of transportation (i.e. cars, planes, boats). 

Our sensory table was full of multicolored motors. There were boats, cars, and planes. They got to use their imaginations and play with the manipulatives. Some of the kiddos sorted them according to color. Some of the students sorted them into types of transportation. They can also use our whiteboard during this center. This week they could use little circle magnets to make our letters and shapes for the week. 

For art this week we got to create our own transportation scenes. The student glued on boats, cars, and airplanes. Our color of the week was white. They got to paint white into their scenes. They painted clouds next to the airplane. They painted the white lines on the road. They finished painting white waves into the water by the boat. They loved painting. 

Before we do centers we have playtime everyday. This time is essential in preschool. I am teaching them to be problem solvers. I am teaching them to use their words to express what they need, like, and don't like. They are building friendships and learning how to interact with one another. 

We also started using our whiteboards during circle time to review some of the letters we have already learned. They had so much fun testing their knowledge. :) 

Week 9: Halloween

We had such a fun week. We practiced with the letters Tt and Ii. Our phrase for t is "T taps his toes, t, t, t(make the sound). The phrase for I is, "I is icky, i, i, i (make the short i sound). 

The kids had a great time at our math center this week. We focused on the numbers 15 & 16. Then they got to make witches brew. Each card had a recipe that helped them practice their counting skills. 

During our carpet center they got to play with the Jack-o-lanterns. They loved the song of the week, "5 Little Pumpkins." They recreated the song using the pumpkins. They practiced balancing them on the "gate" (toiled paper rolls). They also got to make letters out of "bones" (cue tips). We also had a big selection of Halloween books they could look at. 

They got to melt ice cubes at our sensory table. The ice cubes were filled with Halloween surprises. They had a great time using warm water to melt the ice. 

They also had fun making a "5 Little Pumpkins" hat. 

We finished our week with our long awaited Halloween Party. Thanks to some of our moms we had a blast. We got to play Don't Eat Pete, Hat Ring Toss, and Pin the Spider on the Web. We got to decorate our own sugar cookies. We also got to make beaded pumpkins. We ended our party with a disco light dance party! 

Week 8: Pumpkins 

We read a lot of fun books during our pumpkin week. Here are a few of our favorites. 

Our letter focus this week was on Mm and Hh. Here are the phrases that we say to help us remember. It may be helpful to remind them at home. Letter M's phrase is, "M munches muffins, mm mm mm." Letter H's phrase is H is hot, hh hh hh." Ask your kiddos to act each of those phrases out for you. This helps activate your child's kinesthetic memory. It is a great way for them to remember the sounds. I will start adding these to the blog each week. 

Everyone is getting more comfortable using our writing and cutting tools. We got to make letter M and H books this week. 

We also had fun using shaving cream to write our names and letter Mm. 

The kids got to work together to glue scraps of paper to our large pumpkin. The goal was to fill up all of the white space. We got pretty close. They also got to use the flashlights to discover what letter was hidden in the pumpkin. They had fun doing that. 

Our math center was a hit this week. The kids practiced writing and counting the number of the day. Then they got to use the hammers to hit tees into pumpkins. This was great for their fine motor skills. They also had the choice to do our pumpkin shape kits. I try to give them a variety of choices at each center. 

At the sensory table they got to make their own pumpkin patches with sand. There were little green and orange gadgets that they pretended were pumpkins. They love when sand is in the sensory table. 

Our magnet wall was fun. I printed their faces off and they got to dress each other up in different costumes. They thought it was so funny. 

We also played a fun game to review the letters we have learned so far. They got to take turns hiding a little bug behind one of the pumpkins while one student stepped outside of the classroom. Then the student got to try to find where the bug was hidden. They had a great time playing this review game. We will definitely play this again. 

Week 7: Leaves 

We had a wonderful week talking about all things leaves, autumn, and fall. We read some great books that talked about fall time. Our class favorite was, "The Leaf Thief." The kiddos loved going on an adventure with squirrel to figure out who stole his leaves. You will have to ask your student who the thief was. :) I linked a read aloud of the book if they want to listen to it at home. They also loved the book, "There was an old lady who swallowed some leaves!" 

This week we focused on the letters Qq and Ll. We had fun using playdough to help us build the letters (great for our fine motor skills) . We also used our writing tools to practice writing the letters. I was able to capture some pictures of our letter box. The kids take turns reaching inside the box to discover objects that start with our letters. They love doing this. 

We continued learning our numbers. This week we focused on identifying and writing numbers 11 and 12. Our math center also had an apple counting game. The kids got to look at the apple to see the number. Then they could string that number of beads onto the apple. They also got to use stickers to count up to 12. Peeling those stickers can be tricky for their little hands, but great for their development. 

The carpet center is a great place for them to work together. This week they got to play leaf letter matching. They also had blocks they could use to build tree trunks. There were little pinecones and leaves to add to their trees. They could do patterns as well. They also get to look at any of our weekly books during the carpet center. 

Our sensory (I-spy) center had a mix of fake and real leaves. Hidden under the leaves were rocks with uppercase letters written on them. They got to find the rocks and place them on top of the matching lowercase letters' cardboard. It was fun for them to feel the difference between the real and fake leaves. 

I was also able to capture a few pictures of our show and tell. We have been doing show and tell for quite some time. They are getting better at taking turns, listening to their classmates, and speaking in front the whole class. 

We also had our first inside recess due to all of the rain we've been getting. We played some fun games. One of their favorites was four corners. They each took turns counting to 20, while the others had to quietly hide at one of our centers. The person who was counting then picked one of the centers (without looking). Whoever was at that center was out. They loved it! 

For art we did a fall tree scene. We traced their hand and forearm to make the trunk and branches of the tree. Then they used our dot paint markers to fill their trees with leaves. For the final touch they used fall leaf stickers. 

Each day we begin with free play. They continue to build relationships and strengthen their social skills. This week we added free write/coloring. Some of them loved using paper to draw whatever they would like. 

Week 6: Emotions 

We enjoyed talking about our feelings during Emotions Week. We read books that talked about our feelings. Here were a few of our favorite books. 

We also continued learning new letters and numbers. This week our circle time focus was on the letters d and g. Those 2 letters still work with the magic c letter formation rule. The picture below shows the rules. This can help them with the formation of letters o, a, d, g, and q. They all begin by creating a c first. They got to practice this using the magnetic chips and wands at the carpet. 

We learned how to write numbers 9 and 10. They got excited when they realized that we made it to 10. During our math center they practiced identifying 9's as well as how to write 9's and 10's. After they finished that they practiced counting using our number pegs activity. 

This week the kids got to sort the emotions into colors at the sensory table. The scribble spot story labels emotions by color (i.e. red-angry, yellow-happy, green-peaceful, orange-confident, etc) Our I -spy table had a bunch of spots that needed to be put with each other. The kids got to sort the pom poms according to color. When they were done they got to act out that emotion before dumping their bowls back into the sensory table. They had fun with that part! :) 

Small group with Ms. Michelle is a great time for me to help them individually, and differentiate my instruction based on their levels. During this time we practice different skills. We all got to do the letter d page. It gave them great motor skills practice. They used their writing tools, scissors, and glue. They also identified whether the picture had the initial /d/ sound. 

At Ms. Michelle's center we also talked about our scribble spots (list of emotions). We all feel a variety of emotions. Sometimes we feel more than one. That is when our spot becomes a scribble spot. It is important to spot our feelings to help us express ourselves. We practiced spotting our feelings by saying, "My spot is ________." We did a fun little art project. We used paint sticks to color each emotion in our scribble spot. On the back we got to pick one emotion to spot.

As always, we continue to practice great social skills. Their little relationships are blooming. They enjoy the time they get to play and learn how to be a good friend. 

Week 5: Farm 

We had so much fun on our first fieldtrip to Wheeler Farm. The rain tried to stop us, but we made it out just in time. :) We had a wonderful tour guide, Payton. First she took us on a wagon ride. We got to feel the autumn breeze while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Next, we got to see a bunch of farm animals. The pigs were the class favorite.  We also got to visit the blacksmith to see how tools were made. We ended at the milk house. We learned how they used to milk the cows. 

We had a great time talking about our field trip. We sang "Old MacDonald had a Farm" and compared Wheeler Farm to Old Macdonald's farm. We also started our letter of the day. We talked about magic letter C. Once we learn how to write lower case c it will help us be able to write lowercase o, a, d, and g. All of those letters start by writing a c. This week we learned Cc, Oo, and Aa. 

We also practiced the formation of numbers 7 and 8 at our math center. We also got to play a dice game that helped us with our one-to-one counting. 

We started doing our "sound box." We have little toys that start with our letter of the day hidden inside the box. The kids get to pull one toy out. We say the name of the toy and say what sound it makes. For example, on letter C day these are some of the things we found in our sound box: computer, cow, comb, cookie, etc. The students got to play with those at our carpet center. We also had a variety of books about farm life. They could also play with any of our farm animals and/or crops. 

Our sensory table was all about squares, patterns, and building. We talked about squares this week. The kiddos got to use the cubes and squares to build and make patterns. They had a great time. They could also go to the whiteboard station. This station had pictures that start with our letters of the week. They got to sort them in the correct sections. If they were unsure about our letters' sounds they could push our sound buttons for help. 

We continued to have a great time getting to know each other better. We are getting so good at names. It has been  special to see them make friends. During play time I brought out the whiteboards. This was just an option for them to free write. I wasn't sure if they would pick that over the toys. But, I was wrong. They had the best time with the whiteboards. I will make sure they are available during playtime from now on. 

Week 4: Bears 

We had a wonderful week exploring lowercase letters while talking all about bears! We read a lot of books with bears as the main characters. We also talked about real life bears. We learned some fun facts about brown, black, polar, panda, and grizzly bears. At snack time we do a question of the day. The kids each take a turn answering the question in a full sentence. This helps with their speaking and listening skills. One day they got to pick which bear they would like to be. The white polar bear was the favorite. We sang the song "Going on a Bear Hunt." The kids had a great time doing the actions and showing how brave they were while going on a bear hunt. 

We had a great time using cue tips to paint the lowercase letters. We practiced using our "baby shark" (ask your preschooler to show you) grip. We used our color of the week (yellow) to paint each lowercase letter. 

We also practiced our lowercase letters using magnetic counters. The kiddos got to make each shape of each letter using the counters. Then they used the magnetic wand to pick them up. They also used stickers to cover lowercase letters. This was great for their fine motor skills.

Our math table had little bears that the kids could count. They also played a dice game that helped them with counting and color sorting. We practiced finding the numbers 4,5, and 6. We also practiced writing the numbers. 

We had fun practicing our cutting skills. We cut out triangles, our shape of the week. We also practiced gluing them onto a big triangle. 

Our sensory table was another fan favorite. This week they got to find little colorful balls hidden in rice. Then they could sort them according to color. 

We read the story, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" The kids got to make their own brown bear puppet. They also got to color all of the animals that are in the book. They can use their puppet and pictures to retell the story to you. I will link a video read aloud of the story. They can use that to retell the story if you don't have the physical book.

Week 3: Weather 

We had a wonderful time exploring the weather and talking about capital letters. We also started our numbers, shapes, and colors. We learned the proper way to write the numbers 0-3. We talked about circles. We went on a circle hunt through the classroom to find as many circles as possible. We even got to use our hammers and plastic nails to poke holes in paper to make a circle. This was great for their fine motor skills. At our math table we got to make "Weather Stew." The kiddos followed recipes to make weather stews. This helped with their one-to-one counting. Some recipes called for 3 suns, 2 rainbows, 1 snowflake, and 3 raindrops, etc. They had a blast mixing the recipes together

We continued to talk about letters. We explored how letters are made of little, big, and slanted lines and curves.  We were able to use line and curve magnetic manipulatives. They had a great time trying to make letters with the lines and curves. We also practiced with our writing tools (markers) to make lines and curves.

We finished the week with our weather craft. The kids made weather pictures out of circles (our shape of the week). We glued a circle sun. Next, we glued circle clouds for each letter in our names. We practiced our cutting skills when we cut the grass for our pictures. At the end, we used our writing tools to add more weather details. 

We had a fun time exploring different types of weather, minus our picture book that mentioned tornadoes. That wasn't a big hit. :) We continue to practice our routines, procedures, and rules. We are learning how to share, use our words to express how we feel, and how to be kind friends. We are having the best time!  

Week 2: All About Me