Monthly Archives: November 2009

Soup from a Stone?

The story of Stone Soup is a popular old fable that has been retold countless ways.  (If you need to brush up on the tale, you can find books at the library or online, and can even find online versions … Continue reading

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Filed under Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills, Snack Time

Positive Guidance Tools of the Trade – Redirection

I’m hoping you’ve spent enough time in your life observing water to understand the following analogy (and if you work much with preschoolers, I’m sure that you have).  Imagine water running down a slight decline.  It’s spreading and gaining speed, … Continue reading

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Filed under Child Development & DAP, Positive Guidance and Social Skills

Preschool Christmas Party – The Spirit of Giving

With Thanksgiving just now appearing in our rearview mirrors, it’s time to start  planning for Christmas!  Most everyone needs a Christmas party idea.  Whether you call it a  “Christmas Party” or “Winter Celebration” or what have you, most preschools have … Continue reading

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Filed under Celebrate!, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills, Snack Time

Thanksgiving Turkey Craft Times Two

Now, before you get all worked up over the word “craft”, let me reiterate what I said in this post.  Crafts are not inherently evil.  They’ve just gotten a bad rap because too many people have misused and abused them as … Continue reading

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Filed under Celebrate!, Create, Learning through Play and Experience

The Story of Milk – Making Butter with Preschoolers

While exploring a food theme, I really like to teach the children about where food comes from.  Milk and dairy products are a great group to explore this way.  I start out by asking the children if they have milk … Continue reading

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Filed under Learning through Play and Experience, Snack Time

Book Activity – The Hungry Thing

I was first introduced to Jan Slepian and Ann Seidler’s The Hungry Thing at a workshop on phonemic/phonological awareness (learn more about that here).  So, obviously, this book and activity are great for building those critical prereading skills.  In this story, the Hungry … Continue reading

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Filed under Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience

Positive Guidance Tools of the Trade – Say What You Need to See

Have you ever told a child not to do something, only to have them do that very thing one second later?  Infuriating, isn’t it?  The child, it seems, is being belligerent and willfully disobedient.  But things aren’t always as they … Continue reading

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Moving Water

Here’s a quick and easy, yet fascinating , activity for your sensory table.  (Find how to make your own here.)  Inside the table, place two smaller containers.  (I used the shoebox size storage containers here.)  Fill one box with water.  … Continue reading

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Filed under Learning through Play and Experience