Author: Joy Martin

Five to Try This Week!

Grace Cooperative Preschool, April 13-17, 2020

Make a Memory- We are all missing our routines and the friends and activities that were a part of our “regular life.” However, the shelter in place has also given us an opportunity to slow down and connect with our families. Why not take a moment to remember the sweet part of this time at home? Years from now, let this be a memento of when our families came together to care for the world by staying apart.

Count and Sort- Gather a group of items- buttons, beads, small cars, jellybeans, coins, etc. Count them! Can you group them by color? Keep counting! Can you sort them by size? How else can you sort your items?

Chalk it up! Head outside and have some fun! Use chalk to make a hopscotch board. Spread out the letters of the alphabet for preschoolers to hop on as they sing the alphabet. Leave a picture for a neighbor to enjoy!

Sink or Float- One of our favorite preschool activities is experimenting with what might sink or float in water. Fill a tub with water and test a variety of objects- paper clip, block, cork, small toys, acorns, etc.

What comes out of eggs? Explore your environment. What can you find outside that came from an egg? Birds? Ladybugs? Chickens? Don’t forget inside! Do you have any toy animals or critters that came from an egg? Dinosaurs? Snakes/ Frogs? You might enjoy Chicken Aren’t the Only Ones by Ruth Heller.

The Importance of Play

All over the world today, school children are being encouraged to play. At Grace Cooperative Preschool, we don’t wait for Global School Play Day- we understand the importance of play every day in young children’s lives.

Play is more than fun. In early childhood, play is important. It is a child’s work. Seemingly simple childhood activities have layers of developing skills embedded. For example, working with play dough, children strengthen hands, wrists and fingers. Pinching and pulling the play dough develops pincer grip and fine motor control. Additionally, a busy play dough center with many children provides an opportunity for social emotional development as children share utensils and discuss their creations. In Kindergarten and first grade, children who have had the benefit of this experience have stronger muscles and greater stamina for writing, cutting and other fine motor activities. They have the social emotional readiness necessary to work collaboratively. Play based preschools foster school readiness skills and allow children to develop at their own pace in a meaningful way- through play.

Saturday School at Grace

One of the great things about our parent participation preschool is Saturday School. We are fortunate to have moms, dads, and grandparents who regularly co-op in our classrooms. Saturday School is a morning designed for the non-co-oping parent to come and enjoy a typical school day. This optional school day is offered once in each class during the year. Students happily show off the daily routine, having their special guest join them in free choice play, project, snack, outside play, and of course, circle time. We appreciate the time our parents devote to make our cooperative preschool special all throughout the year. Saturday School is no different. When children and their parents spend time together like this, they are making memories that last a lifetime!