Just Playing

From an outsider's point of view, one might like at this photo and describe it as "kids playing." To extent you would be correct but for children of preschool age play is more than just a "game". Many activities we plan are designed to deceive even the keenest of children's eyes. What looks like mere play is more decidedly work. A student each day has a job to learn and through the work of play they are able to prepare themselves for Kindergarten. This activity consisted of playdough and numbered popsicle sticks. The children were to use the materials on the baking tray set at each space. hidden benchmark #1 defining a child's space, by placing the materials in a concrete boundary like a baking sheet, children will begin to turn literal space markers into a comfortable space created between themselves and their friends. The children where asked to push the popsicle sticks into the playdough putting the numbers in sequence. Hidden benchmark #2 the children have to use their fine motor skills to push the sticks into the playdough, without these fine motor skills children would be unable to develop the muscles needed to form letters. Hidden benchmark #3 the children have to recognize the numbers to place them in sequence. Hidden benchmark #4 counting and using sequential order of numbers. I could go on and on about all the social and emotional benchmarks being met when the children discuss and interact while participating in the game. So now you know when your child comes home and says all we did was play all day....you know better!

Three Days in!

We are three days into our first week of Preschool. The children have been working on learning the rules in our classrooms, expectations, and procedures of our day. The kiddos have done a great job. Check out our first day of centers!

Next week we will be discussing our All About Me unit, please work with your child to complete the "All about Me" page and return it to school. You may have received a welcome packet early this week, there are a few forms we need returned. Please accept or deny permission to allow us to post your child's picture on Facebook/Blog and return. We also included a volunteers wanted ad, if interested please complete and return.

Make it Glow

Glow Party

Our last fun day before school started was a blast!

Shut the front door...summer is half over!

Can you believe it, our summer is half over.....but no worries we still have lots of fun planned for the rest of our summer. We celebrated two birthdays this week (and we are still licking the frosting off) Happy 6th Birthday to Ellie, and Happy 5th to Bennett!

In the middle of all this Birthday celebration we were able to squeeze in some camping fun!

 We have done marble painting before...but never like this! It was really neat to bounce, swing, and dip the pool to change the pattern of the paint.

Just reading some camp fire tales!

The fish was how big Trent and John?

Paisley and Emma definitely caught some keepers.

It just looked like too much fun, Miss Tarah couldn't help herself!

What's a camping trip without a picnic??

Jonathon the Magician visited on Tuesday, check out our Facebook Page to see all the Photos!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ankeny-Christian-Child-Care-Center/282383391909970

Move it Mondays

The four's and pre-k love to work out and are self-described yogis. In June we had a chance to do some summer yoga with Megan. Megan is a therapist who specializes in children's yoga.

We love yoga and incorporate it in many learning activities. One of our Move it Monday experiences was Zumba with Miss Tami! The kids loved jingling to the tunes with their belly scarves.

If you have a love for exercising and would like to be a guest fitness instructor on a future Move it Monday, please let Miss Tarah or Miss Miranda know!

It's already Thursday!

It's already Thursday and yet we still have some more fun ahead this week.

 We did a little bit of rock climbing on Wednesday at Briarwood Park.

 We love just hanging out!

 On Tuesday we got a chance to express ourselves through many different Art forms. We let nature inspire us!

This weeks water day theme was shaving cream!