We are still "Exploring The Pond", we learned all about frogs. The kids made frog puppets. I encouraged them to hop around like a frog would. They loved it. Check out our frog puppets below. I also read "At the Pond" to them. There's a lot happening at the pond. Who's lurking in the reeds? Did you know? FROGS don't need to drink, they absorb water through their skin. DRAGONFLIES need warmth to fly and will often land when the sun goes behind a cloud. FISH don't have vocal cords but make a variety of low-pitched sounds with other parts of their bodies to communicate with one another. SNAILS are very strong and can lift up to 10 times their own body weight. Baby TURTLES are called Sparkles. (ok so these are not really baby turtles), but they are really cute. Our frog puppets, aren't they just the most adorable frogs
Before I decided to teach preschool, I often asked myself what learning objectives and/or school subjects are age or grade appropriate (i.e. What in the heck should I teach?). I had a lot of questions about this when I first started, so I'm going to share with you my experiences and opinions.
Simple is best! I can't stress this enough. I'm think I'm better than anyone I know at making things way harder than they need to be, so I am coming to you as mom who has lived and learned (the hard way). Simplicity is important. So is my time. It is far quicker and easier for me to plan and prepare a few simple activities that only work on a few skills. More importantly, it is far easier for my children to focus on just a couple things at a time. It has taken me sometime to get this but the more simple I make it, the happier everyone will be. I know that makes sense so I won't go on any more and end up making it more complicated than it needs to be. Yes, I tend to do that Young Preschool (about age 2-3-ish) I believe that all children learn best through play, but in this age range it is kind of a "MUST." The primary objective for this age group is try to instill a love of learning by making learning fun. I try to take the opportunity to expose my little ones to various skills while playing! Here are some concepts I aimed to familiarize my 2 year olds. We approached them through games, puzzles, learning toys, crafts and sensory play: Fine Motor Skills We all want our children to someday form letters properly and use scissors correctly. Fine motor "workouts" will give them a better ability to master these objectives later on. Play dough, beading, lacing, squeezing clothespins, etc. all get those small muscles ready for the "big kid" stuff of writing and cutting. Pre-Math We count out loud, work on number identification, practice 1:1 correspondence (one object represents the number 1, etc), learn basic shapes and colors, and sort objects by size, color or type. Letters Letter identification, the alphabet song, and teaching the sound that each letter makes. Reading Comprehension I know you've heard it said again and again, "if you want to raise a reader, read to your child daily." I would like to also add that getting a child to interact with books is an equally important goal. I will ask my little ones questions (even if they can't answer yet), I encourage them to point to pictures too. I will get them as involved as I can with the book that I am reading to them so they develop reading comprehension skills naturally-- not to mention a love of books and reading! So for my 2 to 3 year olds this is just a few of the things that I have found works good for me and them. I have to admit that since I started using the Mother Goose Time curriculum my life has been so simple! Yea Me :-) I will post what I think works for my older kiddos in a few days. The pond comes to life in March as my children learn all about the animals, plants and activities that take place in this exciting environment. We will be pretending to buy food for a picnic, make a tadpole turn into a frog, keep a pond notebook with a special writing tool, count the tails on the mayfly and much more! Boy what an exciting month this is going to be! On Friday we learned about turtles and animal life around the pond. Take a look at the turtles we created. We even raced our turtles to see who was the fastest. That was a lot of fun for the kids We will continue with the theme of "life around the pond" learning about snakes, tadpoles, frogs, alligators and lizards. I can't wait to post all of our exciting project that the kids made. Check back soon for more exciting pictures. Did you know that reading with young children promotes language development and literacy skills. Reading can help children learn about the world around them, aid in language development, and boost literacy skills. I love reading to children. But I have also learned that it takes a little work from the adult to maximize these benefits, because not all children, even if they are close in age, like the same books.
How to Read with Kids to Promote Language Development! Let the child lead! Children will be more interested in learning and talking about the items he/she is interested in. So it’s important to observe, notice what the child is attending to, and then take the interaction from there. Wait! This means stop talking, lean forward, and look at your child with interest. By providing wait time, you are helping the child learn to initiate, develop turn-taking skills, and foster a sense that they are communicators with things to say. Learn what type of communicator the child is! When using books with children, it’s important to first consider at what stage they are at, what type of communicator are they? I don't think it is too important to use ages on these stages, I feel it’s most important to look at their abilities, and not age, when determining how to use books with your child.
As a new In-home childcare Provider business owner, I am always searching for ways to grow my childcare business. I have done all of the following techniques such as:
Developing and distributing flyers Marketing (business cards, postcards) Advertising (local newspapers)Online directory Developing my own Web site Networking Developing a referral process and of course word of mouth. I do believe that in time and lots of hard work any business that you truly believe in will be successful and grow to its full potential. Going out and getting customers is where the magic happens. Nothing else matters if I don't have customers. The majority of time and effort must focus on finding and retaining customers. Having a smart marketing plan to attract interested people, and then convert them to customers is my number one priority. I try not to get overwhelmed about how to dive in: I keep saying to myself, "just start where you are". One thing I did was create a list of potential prospects and built a social media presence for my business where I can engage directly with my target market. Dreaming about how fabulous I want my business to be is good; but doing somethings to get it there is sensational. It's all about the hustle: the decisions I make and the actions I take each and every day – Prayfully, that'll get me where I want to go. Parents are you need of "Quality, affordable childcare you can trust", call Bright From The Start In Home Daycare today!!! In-home childcare often appeals to parents who want to keep their child(ren) in a warm, friendly, homelike environment. If you find a good home daycare — one you feel comfortable leaving your child in every day — it can be a wonderful alternative to center care. Your child has all the comforts and security of a home setting, as well as other children to play and socialize with. Studies show that home daycare is a good option because groups are often smaller than they are in centers, the homelike environment is comforting and reassuring, kids have a single, consistent caregiver (sometimes two, if the provider has an assistant), and children may be exposed to fewer illnesses. Of course, that's all assuming you've found a great provider. An ongoing study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development confirms the importance of quality in childcare, no matter what kind you use. So if you are looking for a fun and loving home environment for your child(ren) to grow and learn in? I run a in home daycare/preschool in Valley Stream, NY, where children of all age are welcome to join. I am Licensed through NYS Office of Children and Family Services, therefore all safety and regulations are met and kept up to date. This assures parents of a safe and loving environment for their children. I am First Aid/CPR Certified and fully insured! I offer home cooked meals that meet the NYS Department of Health, Child and Adult Care Food Program Health guidelines. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks. My hours are flexible and a regular day is from 7:00 A.M - 7:00 P.M. I welcome all ages and a diversified culture where children learn, communicate and have fun using a professionally designed preschool curriculum that nurtures the whole child and supports the child's social, emotional and intellectual growth. Toys and activities are updated and purchased continuously to ensure variety for the children. Contact us today if you are in need of quality in home care! Children Learn Through Play. Play is the child¹s work, perhaps the child¹s most important way of learning. This learning process occurs even when it may not be obvious, when children actively explore their environment and act on their inborn curiosity. Adults can contribute to this natural process by encouraging children¹s interests and efforts, talking to them about what they are experiencing, and helping them elaborate and extend their play. Children Learn from Their Peers When children play with siblings and friends, they learn from each other. As questions, challenges, and conflicts arise, they learn how to solve problems. For example, a three-year-old is in the block area trying to "put a roof on her house." Her more experienced four-year-old playmate suggests, "Let's try the longer block it looks like it might fit better." This mixed-age play in particular allows children to learn in two ways, both by modeling the behavior of older children and by "teaching" younger children. Children Learn With Support It doesn't work just to tell children "You must share." At best, such orders are effective only temporarily while adults are present. However, when adults guide children through the process of taking turns or waiting for a turn, the children can internalize those strategies and use them the next time. For instance, a two-year-old wants a turn pushing a wagon, but both wagons are in use. A teacher says so that all can hear, "Jason is really waiting for a turn. He'll be ready as soon as you're done. Let's see what you can do, Jason, until they are finished. You can help put some more leaves in the wagon. Here's a rake to get another pile ready." This approach helps the child have a role and a way to enter the play. Such emotionally supportive language also helps children view adults as their advocates. It helps them solve problems rather than turning the situation into a struggle. Children Learn by Using Basic Materials Young children learn by doing. Helping with cooking, chores, and other real work is of tremendous interest and value to them. This hands-on learning is also encouraged with open-ended materials such as:
Welcome Parents and Children of the Future. Bright From The Start Childcare, INC is now enrolling for the 2014 year. As you enroll your child(ren) into our early learning program, know here is where their learning starts. Our curriculum will help them advance and strive to learn. We understand the preschoolers are most responsive to hands on for development in an environment that embraces their individuality, encourages independence, and social skills. We offer a wide range of activities of art, sensory, motor skills, reading, and playground activities. Our classes have already started for the school year. Teaching our children in a safe, healthy, and clean environment, come and take a tour where children love to learn. We are open Monday-Friday 7:00 am - 7:00 pm We will serve breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Full Day/Part Day Classes After School Drop Ins call in advance We are open for the HOLIDAY'S when others are closed Discounts on referrals Discounts are available for our new students until JANUARY 31, 2014 We are licensed by NYS , CPR/first aid certified and fully insured. Please contact for more information, as we would love the opportunity to care for your child(ren)! |
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AuthorHi my name is Margo; I've lived in Valley Stream for over 15 years. I am the loving and very, very proud mother of one amazing 18 year old son, Isaiah. Thankfully, I am able to live my dream of caring for and nurturing young children. Archives
January 2019
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