Counting/Color Recognition

We counted using pegs and selected one color.  To choose the color, we used our color block, and one of the students threw the color block on the air, and orange was the winner!  The teacher selected three orange pegs and counted them in English and Spanish. 

Puzzles

Puzzles are fundamentally educational for young children. They come in a variety of themes: for example, shapes, letters, and animals. Children usually start with simple knobbed puzzles that are outlines of simple shapes that fit into corresponding board cutouts.  Two basic skills are the building blocks for puzzles, fine motor and cognitive skills.

Manipulative Toys

Manipulative toys are toys and tools that enhance children's fine motor skills.  It helps strengthen their hands and helps with eye-hand coordination.  The students are learning to differentiate between short and tall concepts. The teachers like to introduce different math skills using manipulative toys.    Using everyday items or items from our environment enables them to absorb information naturally. 

As Annabelle engages with the pegs, she is learning about colors, to grasp, twist the pieces together, and pull the pieces apart.   She made two different size structures.  

Teacher: "Annabelle, which one is shorter?"

Annabelle: "This one is shorter!" (She touched the shorter one)

Annabelle's focus and observation as she constructs demonstrate how she is forming information as she learns. 

Sensory/Fine Motor Skills/Creativity/imagination/LANGUAGE

Clay is an excellent sensory material for children to investigate.   Most children, when given a piece of clay, are motivated to explore its inviting sensory qualities.  Manipulating a piece of clay develops children’s large and small muscles. Clay fosters eye-hand coordination: they poke it, squeeze it, hit it, pick it up, and pound it down.  Each time they manipulate the clay, it transforms. The child is naturally motivated and empowered to keep experimenting. 

Creativity/Fine Motor and Cognitive Skills

We have been discussing different lines, but our primary focus is the straight and zig-zag lines.  The children applied some glue on black paper, arranged, and selected the lines.  Each collage of lines is different.  We will continue talking about these lines and create collages next week.

Sensory/Science

Science helps children develop essential life skills, including an ability to communicate, remain focused, and form their own opinions based on observation. Science also helps children develop their senses and overall awareness. Children are hands-on learners, and the world around them provides so many natural opportunities.  In this simple salt and ice activity, the children spread salt, and then notice how slow or fast the ice was melting. Not only is it engaging and fun, but a salt and ice activity is also a chemistry lesson that never fails to impress young children.