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May 11th is Provider Appreciation Day!
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In 1996 a volunteer group saw the need to appreciate providers for all their hard work and dedication to young children and since then each year the nation celebrates Provider Appreciation Day on the Friday before Mother's Day.
PreschoolFirst salutes all child care providers, teachers, and other early childhood educators for their commitment to provide quality care to all children and families they serve.
To honor and support all early childhood educators our parent organization, The Source for Learning, Inc. will offer a 20% discount off the Annual License Fee to any program that subscribes to PreschoolFirst during the month of May 2012.
For ideas and resources visit www.providerappreciationday.org
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NHSA- SFL Host a School Readiness Goals Summit & Survey!
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This Summit is part of a larger project to bring various key stakeholders together to discuss a common definition of school readiness and recommend a set of readiness competency goals that align with recognized research in the field of child development and the Common Core State Standards for Kindergarten.
A panel of distinguished experts began the day-long Summit presenting their expertise and perspectives about key issues in school readiness.
Panelists included:
- Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, Director of the Office of Head Start, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor on Early Learning to the Secretary of Education, US Department of Education (Recorded interview to be available in the next few weeks.)
- Thomas Schultz, Project Director for Early Childhood Initiatives, Council of Chief State School Officers
Survey results were summarized and shared at the School Readiness Summit to prompt discussion, illustrate points of view, and inform participants about perceptions regarding school readiness today.
The first step in the preparation for the Summit included a pre-summit survey offered online. The anonymous survey was open to early education and K-12 educators and administrators. A series of questions were asked based upon key topics related to perceptions and views of school readiness.
Read the Education Week's Early Years blog article that explained some results.
Watch our website for updates on the outcomes and results from the Summit at The Source for Learning (http://www.sourceforlearning.org/projects.cfm) and the National Head Start Association ( www.nhsa.org).
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This Month's Activity: Mother's Day Scented Bath Gift
|  May is a busy month filled with conferences, end of the year parties, and honoring mothers. This Mother's Day help children understand that every mother (grandmother or female caregiver) also needs to take care of herself. Create an aromatherapy gift that this special lady can use in the bath to relax and escape from the hectic end of the school year schedule.
Here's what you'll need for older toddlers and preschoolers: Materials:
- Several large boxes of Epsom salt
- Plenty of red, blue, and yellow liquid food coloring
- A bag of scented potpourri OR dried crushed lavender, juniper, pines needles, or mint, OR scented liquid extract such as vanilla, lemon or lime
- One small, clean, clear plastic water/juice bottle with a wide mouth and a screw top for each child OR you may use an old clear plastic baby bottle with a nipple
- Four large plastic Ziploc bags
- Three eye droppers (additional eye droppers are needed if you are using liquid scented extract)
- Four large spoons
- Four funnels
- A 12 in. piece of colorful ribbon or crepe paper for each child
- A thin permanent marker
- A small bowl of table salt with a spoon
Here's How:
Pour the Epsom salt in a large bowl, place the bottles of food coloring and the eye droppers on a plate and set the items in the center of a covered worktable. Arrange the empty Ziploc bags and spoons around the table to create individual work spaces. Write one child's name on the bottom of a bottle with a permanent marker; place the bottles and funnels on a shelf to use later in the project. Put the scented potpourri, dried crushed lavender, juniper, pines needles, or mint in separate small bowls, place these items on a tray and set the tray on the table. (If you're using scented liquid extract such as vanilla, lemon or lime, arrange the bottles and dropper on a plate and set it aside to use later.)
Invite a small group of children to join you at the project table. Point to the bowls and say, "What do you see on the table?" How does it smell?" Listen to the children respond to the questions and help them identify the items and the smells. Point out that these items taste terrible and are not safe to eat. Let those who cannot resist taste the table salt to learn how awful the Epsom salt tastes.
Encourage the children to gently touch the materials in the bowls. Say "What does it feel like?" Listen to the children respond to the questions and help them describe the textures. Say, "What colors do you see? What's your favorite color? Are any of these items your favorite color?" Listen to the children respond to the questions and help them identify the colors.
Hold up an empty bottle and say, "What do you think we'll make?" Listen to the children respond to the questions, and say, "You'll make a special scented bath gift for you to give your mother (grandmother or female caregiver) for Mother's Day! We'll mix the salt with your favorite colors and scents and put it carefully in a bottle. On Mother's Day your mother (grandmother or female caregiver) can sprinkle some in a special bath and relax."
Remove the tray of scented materials from the table and set it aside. Demonstrate how to scoop some Epsom salt into a Ziploc bag, use an eyedropper to drop several drops of food coloring into the bag, zip it closed and shake it. Hold up the bag and ask the children to describe what happened to the salt. Help the children copy your actions and create different colors using the three primary shades of food coloring. If you're using liquid extract instead of dried flowers or herbs to add scent, add a few drops to each bag of salt at this time and shake it.
Once the group has created four different colored bags, explain that by sharing the colors, everyone will be able to make a gift that looks like a rainbow. Remove the salt bowl and food coloring from the table. Place the bags of colored Epsom salt and the tray with the bowls of scented potpourri, dried crushed lavender, juniper, pines needles, or mint in the middle of the table. Demonstrate how to place a funnel in the mouth of a bottle and spoon some colored salt into the funnel to make a colored layer inside the bottle. Explain that children must keep the bottle VERY STILL during the project. Select a new color of salt or scented potpourri, dried crushed lavender, juniper, pine needles, or mint and demonstrate how to create a new layer. Knock over or shake up the bottle and show the children what will happen to the layers if the bottle moves. Ask the children to decide which looks prettier and why.
Continue to place different colors of salt and/or dried flowers or herbs until the bottle is almost full, screw the top on securely and tie a ribbon around the bottle. Place the bottle in the center of the table where the children can look closely at it.
Give each child a bottle and help him/her use the previous steps to complete the project. Place the completed bottles in a place where they can remain without being disturbed. Repeat the procedure with each group of children in the class. As the children work, model how to compliment the children's efforts with statements such as:
"You chose pink and green for your bottle. How colorful!"
"I see you poured all the salt right into the funnel. You poured the salt carefully."
"You worked very hard to fill the bottle all the way!"
"This looks like a gift that someone really enjoyed making. It looks like a piece of the rainbow." Encourage the children to draw a card and ask them to dictate a Mother's Day message for you to write inside. Help the children punch a hole in a corner of the card, string the ribbon through the hole and attach the card to the gift. Carefully wrap each gift with a simple message that reads: DO NOT SHAKE! Use the sample bottle you created in the House play area and let children use it to wash the baby dolls. Demonstrate how to sprinkle a spoonful of salt into a tub of water so the children can remember what the gift is when they take it home. Send the gifts home with the children in time for Mother's Day.
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| Infant & Toddler Activity: Mother's Day Gift Activity |
Even the youngest children in your care can create a lovely gift to give to Mommy on Mother's Day. This "experiential' art project allows your infants and toddlers to use non-toxic materials to create a gift while having fun!
Here's what you'll need for infants and younger toddlers!
Materials:
- A large tarp or old shower curtain
- A clear packing tape
- 2-3 small tubs
- White non-toxic glue
- A small cup
- Non-toxic tempera paint (varied colors)
- Empty and clean half-pint size bottle for each child
- Epsom salt
- Crushed mint, or scented liquid vanilla, lemon or lime extract
- Smock or water-proof bib for each child
Here's How:
To do this activity with young toddlers:
Prepare the area by spreading a large plastic tarp or shower curtain on the floor. Tape the plastic tarp/shower curtain on the floor with clear packing tape. Place two or three small tubs on the center of the tarp. Mix a few tablespoons of white non-toxic glue into small cups of non-toxic tempera paint, then pour just enough of the mixture in each tub to cover the bottom of the tub. Use different color paint in each tub. You'll need an empty, clean half-pint size water bottle for each toddler. Remove the label, fill each bottle 1/3 of the way with Epsom salt, and add some crushed mint OR scented liquid vanilla, lemon or lime extract. Do not fill the bottle too full or it will be too heavy for a toddler to hold. Replace the bottle cap and seal it in place with duct tape or packing tape. Put a paint smock or water-proof bib on each toddler and supervise them closely as they play with paint. This will be a messy activity - but its worth it! If you're really worried about clothes getting messy, do this activity in small groups. Show the children how to roll the bottle in the paint in the tub to decorate the outside. Encourage the toddlers to shake and roll the bottles freely in paint. Take their picture as they play!
As toddlers play and roll the bottles in the paint, compliment them by saying encouraging statements such as:
"You are having fun rolling this bottle in the paint!"
"Look at this bright red color. It feels so smooth."
"Make some noise! Let's shake, shake."
Talk to them about the color and how it feels. Do they hear anything when they shake the bottle?
Write the child's initials on the cap. Let the bottles dry and place them where the toddlers can see. Tie a colorful ribbon around the bottles when you are ready to send the gift home with toddlers for Mother's Day. Add the picture and explain that this was a "process art" activity and the learning that took place while the children played and explored and created the gift. For mobile (crawling) infants and non-mobile infants: Fill one empty half-pint size water bottle for each child about 1/3 of the way with Epsom Salt, and add some crushed mint OR scented liquid vanilla, lemon or lime extract. Do not fill the bottle too full or it will be too heavy for a toddler/infant to hold. Replace the bottle cap and seal it in place with duct tape or packing tape. Write the child's initials on the cap. Show infants who can crawl how to shake, roll, or bang the bottle to mix up the ingredients. Encourage them to shake, roll, and bang the bottles freely. Take their picture as they play! Point to the salt crystals rolling inside the bottle as your sing the following rhyme: "Let's shake, shake, shake - shake the bottle; Let's roll, roll, roll - roll the bottle; Let's smell, smell, smell - smell the bottle; Oh it smells so good!" For infants who do not yet crawl, sing the nursery rhyme and help them shake the bottle and try to grab it from you. Take their picture as they play!
Tie a colorful ribbon around the bottle when you are ready to send the gift home with the baby as a Mother's Day Gift. Add the picture and explain that while the children played and shook the Epsom Salt bottles, they were learning about how things move and created a special gift! (Alert: Supervise all children closely when they participate in any activities that use small objects and avoid letting them "taste" the art materials.) Top |
| Highlights of the Career Theme | |
Our Careers theme is filled with investigative activities that allow children to discuss and explore various careers and community helpers. Our activities will help your class learn about all the different jobs people do. Don't forget to discuss the most important job of all - that of a parent!
To locate these and other activities on our site, login, scroll over the red Your Class button, and click the name of your class on the dropdown menu. Look down the class page that appears on your screen and click on the Theme Activities button to bring up the Select Classroom Activities display. Now you can use the selections to browse all the activities for the Career theme for your class.
Uniform Shop 1 (Creative Play) 18-24 mos.
Children dream about their future careers and play dress up at the 'Uniform Shop'.
House Painters (Project Time) 24-30 mos.
Children pretend to be house painters and use fine motor skills to draw and paint a house.
A Firefighter's Job (Story Circle Time) 30-36 mos.
Children listen to the book 'Fireman Small' by Wong Herbert Yee and participate in a group discussion.
Who Uses This? 4 (Buddy Time) 36-48 mos.
Children identify objects associated with different occupations.
Do You Wonder Who I Am? (Game Time) 48-66 mos.
Children dream of their future careers and act out the physical movements of different workers.
Non-PreschoolFirst subscribers can download a PDF version of one of these theme activities.
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| Head Start Connection: |
 Our Careers theme directly supports all of the Social & Emotional Development Domain and the Social Studies Knowledge & Skills Domain from the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. Here's a perfect opportunity for children to increase their ability to listen and communicate their ideas in a group setting, cooperate with others, develop deeper play relationships and skills, and learn about the community in which they live.
Activities such as Night Jobs (36-48 mos.) provide many opportunities for children to learn about and discuss unusual jobs that occur while they're asleep. The activity Postal Workers 3 (48-60 mos.) gives children an experience in which to use the framework indicators presented in the categories of Print Awareness & Concepts, Early Writing, and Alphabet Knowledge in a playful way.
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| PreschoolFirst Classroom Tip | 
Tired of trying to be everywhere at one time to write a name on each child's artwork? We know that very few young children can write their own names on their work - here's a tip to be sure you get a name on every paper every time.
Use your computer to print out a page of address labels for each child with his/her name using large type on each label. If you do not have easy access to a computer, simply hand print the name of a child on every label. Remove the portion of the sticky border around the edges of each sheet. Demonstrate how to pull off one label and stick it on the back of a piece of paper before starting a project.
Place the appropriate sheet in each child's cubby and ask the children to use their stickers to label their artwork. Encourage them to help each other remember to use the labels, to use the name labels properly, and to "practice" writing their name in addition to using the labels. You can even ask parents to send in a sheet of printed labels with large type to keep available in their child's cubby. Never have another piece of artwork by an anonymous child again!
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NAEYC Scholarship Program for NAEYC Accreditation Fees
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Is your early childhood program pursuing NAEYC Accreditation? Need assistance with the accreditation fees?
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Any Suggestions?
We're always looking for more ways to make your job easier. PreschoolFirst continues to improve its site for our subscribers. If you have any specific ideas or requests about themes, we'd be happy to hear them! Click here to send us an email. Keep watching the site as we improve our functions. Remember all PreschoolFirst upgrades, improvements, and new basic features are available to all our subscribers at no additional cost. Your annual subscription gives you access to every basic site improvement PreschoolFirst has to offer, now and in the future. PreschoolFirst is always happy to answer all your questions. Call us weekdays at 1-866-584-2900.
Sincerely,
PreschoolFirst Team at
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