Kudos!

In March, the 3 & 4 year old classes at my preschool engage in a learning unit about construction.  This is always a favorite unit as there is lots of hands-on learning available to the children.  I am fortunate to employ a number of very creative and dedicated teachers who are always looking for ways to make learning fun.  One of the teachers in the 4 year old class remembered something she had recently read and applied it to her class.  She provided the children with our homemade playdough and then added golf tees and plastic hammers to the playdough table.  The children LOVED it!  They were always successful both at pounding the tees and pulling them out.  They had FUN, they developed their small motor skills, hand strength, and hand-eye coordination.  They learned to cooperate with others and expanded their vocabulary.  In the past, we have pounded into Styrofoam, wood scraps, tree trunks, and even pumpkins but what could be simpler than a mound of purple playdough?!  Sometimes we just need to remember that "less is more" and that we don't need expensive, elaborate manipulatives to reinforce a concept.  Thanks--I needed that!

Learning To Love Learning

This is the time of year when many parents are thinking about sending their preschool-age child to school in the fall.  So, the hunt is on for the "right" preschool.  Of course, each family has their own definition of what constitutes a good preschool and a good education.  It is a very individual choice as well as a very important one. 
It seems to me that the main purpose of preschool is to help children learn to love school.  We want them to know that preschool is a safe, happy, and fun place.  We want them to want to come to school every day with the eagerness that only a child can exhibit.  Yes, parents need to ask pertinent questions of the administration of the school in order to find out answers to their adult concerns.  But, children just want to know that they are going to have a great time at a great place with great people! 

Academics are important but, at this age, socialization is equally important.  Learning to be a friend, learning how to resolve conflicts, learning how to separate from parents, learning to take turns, learning to safely explore their environment, learning personal responsibility, learning to care for others, learning to see a world outside themselves....these are are cornerstones to all future learning. 

There's a country song called "Let Them Be Little" that hits the nail on the head.  Why are we in such a hurry to have our infants, toddlers, and preschoolers grow up?  Is there an advantage to pushing the envelope?  These beautiful years are much too short for us to try to move them forward so quickly.  Time is a wonderful gift--a gift your child will benefit from in a myriad of ways. 

So, give your child the gift of time--time to grow and learn at his/her own pace and time with those he/she loves the most.  Choose wisely and you won't regret it!