Dear parents and families,
This week, April 16th- April 20th, is The Week of the Young Child. The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children’s success in school and later in life. This week allows us to celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. We will be participating in activities each day in our classroom and I will be sharing these with you through the school website and Facebook page, as well as posting pictures outside of our classroom. Please join in by participating in activities with your child at home!
Music Monday! April 16, 2018
Sing, dance, celebrate, and learn
Through music, children develop math, language, and literacy skills-all while having fun and being active
TRY THIS: Find the beat to connect music, movement, and math. Practice clapping, drumming, or stomping to the beat of the music while counting.
Tasty Tuesday April 17, 2018
Healthy eating and fitness at home and school
This fun, food-themed day is about more than just cheese and crackers. Cooking together connects math with literacy skills, science, and more. With the rise in childhood obesity, you can encourage healthy nutrition and fitness habits at home and in the classroom.
TRY THIS: Measure your ingredients while making your snacks! Ask children if they’d like the same or different amounts of each ingredient.
Work Together Wednesday April 18, 2018
Work together, build together, learn together
When children build together they explore math and science concepts and develop their social and early literacy skills. Children can use any building material—from a fort of branches on the playground to a block city in the classroom, or a hideaway made from couch pillows at home.
TRY THIS: Practice organizing blocks by size! Try building a block tower with large blocks on the bottom and little blocks on top!
Artsy Thursday April 19, 2018
Think, problem solve, create
Children develop creativity, social skills and fine motor skills with open-ended art projects where they can make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. On Artsy Thursday celebrate the joy and learning children experience when engaged in creative art making. Use any materials—from crayons to paint, clay to crafts!
TRY THIS: Bring art outdoors! Offer dark and light paper, chalk and pastels, and suggest children create their own versions of the day and night sky!
Family Friday April 20, 2018
Sharing family stories
Engaging and celebrating families is at the heart of supporting our youngest learners. NAEYC applauds family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers. Since we do not have school on Fridays, this would be a great day to plan an activity as a family!
Dot Day is September 15th-ish. Officially it is the 15th, but if you can’t do it on that day, you do it when you can. We are reading The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and creating different dot projects. The Dot is the story of a girl who thinks she can’t draw, but an understanding art teacher gives her the courage and creativity to draw numerous dots. She passes this message on to a small boy who says “I can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler.” Click on Dot Day to see the students’ work. Different projects will be added all week so continue to check in.
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