J is for Jobs!

Sing to "Adams Family"

Different jobs (clap, clap) different jobs (clap, clap) 

different jobs, different jobs, different jobs!

You can be a (fireman) or (baker), a (scientist) or (doctor)

Or anything you want!

Different jobs (clap, clap) different jobs (clap, clap) 

different jobs, different jobs, different jobs!

Fireman Eric!

We had so much fun learning all about fire safety with a special visit from 

FIREMAN ERIC!

We learned the importance of having a fire escape plan and a designated meeting spot outside (mom and dad--do you have one at home?  Do the kids know what to do and where to go in a fire at your house? Do you have a specific place outside everyone will meet to make it easy to know if anyone is still inside?)

We learned not to be scared of someone who looks like this . . .

We even got to try on his uniform . . . 

Thanks Collins for sharing your dad with us!

Can't wait for our visit to the fire station in May!

CALENDAR

Here's what is ahead this week as we celebrate the letter . . .

Monday 4/26

• We'll continue last week's fun and talk about all the JOBS people do!

Wednesday 4/28

• Jumping Jelly Beans!!

Friday 4/30

• J is for Jaguar! Yikes!
• Show & Tell: Anything with the letter J . . . you might have to get creative with this one!

FYI

May is around the corner . . . here's some things to mark on your calendar . . . 

Monday 5/3 Field Trip to McKinney Fire Station #3! 

• Watch for permission slips and details coming out this week.  Anyone who wants to come is welcome to join us! 

Friday 5/7 Celebrate MOM! Happy Mother's Day!

• I asked the kids what they wanted to do to celebrate Mother's Day with their mom's at school and they said . . . A Pajama Pizza Pillow fight Party in a real tent! (Not quite what I had in mind . . . guess they really LOVED this day and want to share it with you) So . . . plan on coming to school in your PJ's and bring a pillow! Invites will be coming out this week.

Friday 5/28: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL/Evening Graduation Celebration 

• Regular school time: End of year Party
• 6 pm: Preschool Graduation.  Family and friends are invited to celebrate with us all that your child has accomplished this year! Set aside the time now, you won't want to miss this fun event! 

Phone number song

As part of safety week, I created a little song to help kids learn their phone numbers.  We'll be working on this the rest of the year and hopefully they'll have it down by graduation.  So far it's been a hit . . . the kids are singing it EVERYWHERE!

Here's the song card to print:

Here's a little video to help you get a feel for how the words work with the tune.  Just fill in the phone number on the "da da da" parts.

Playdough Perk-up

Need a little something to make the same 'ol playdough a little more entertaining?

Here's a simple solution . . . 

mini cup-cake pans, 

measuring spoons, 

tiny cookie cutters 

and 

rolling pins.  

It wasn't too long before I was being invited to a fancy bakery that was making wedding cakes and preparing for a big reception! 

It was pretty fun to see those tough little boys (wish I got a picture of them . . . ) making wedding preparations!

Gotta love those imaginations.   

I had no idea when I set everything out we'd end up planning and attending a wedding!

Officer McOsker

Today we had a very special visitor--

Office McOsker from the Dallas Police Force. 

Not only did he talk to us about staying safe, 

he let us explore all of his neat equipment!

We even tried on his REAL handcuffs . . . 

Then we  went to police academy where we 

did pushups . . .

and practiced running FAST!

After successfully completing our training, we got our own police badges!

You better watch out, bad guys!

We are police officers in training!

Thank You Office McOsker!

CALENDAR

This week (April 19th-23rd) it's all about . . .

We have an exciting week ahead of us! Here's what you can look forward to . . .

Mon. April 19th: A special visit from Officer McOsker from the Dallas Police Force.

Weds. April 21st: Personal Safety--let's meet the Safety Kids!

Fri. April 23rd: We are having another special visitor--this time Mr. Rowen from the Dallas Fire Department!

I am still working on the field trip to the fire station--hopefully we'll get things finalized and can go next week--I'll keep you posted!

The Block Challenge. . .

Ms Tamra's Block Center Challenge:

See if you can build a tower with blocks as tall as you are.

The results . . . 

 . . . were creatively impressive! 

It was so fun to watch kids try to come up with ways to meet (and far surpass!) the challenge! 

This was a great teamwork activity! Sharing ideas and working together to bring it to pass. 

I think the kids liked it almost as much as I did watching and listening!

Elephants at play . . .

Here's a twist on a familiar song that the kids have REALLy enjoyed.  

We are singing it ALOT! 

In case your kids are trying to sing it at home--here are the words!

(to the tune of "five little ducks went out to play")

One elephant went out to play

Over the hills and far away

He saw another elephant

"Hey, come over and play with me!"

Two elephants went out to play

Over the hills and far away

They saw another elephant

"Hey, come over and play with us!"

We sing all the way up to ten . . . or sometimes even farther!

Friendship Punch

Here's a recipe for a great (and very cute) friendship discussion:

With a pitcher of water on the table, I explained that I needed everyone to help me make friendship punch. I poured in some "friendship," a powder juice mix (I used crystal light) and we watched as it hit the water and magically started changing color (both the powder and the water).  Each child took a turn stirring and explained what they were adding to the friendship.  We had sharing, taking turns, being nice and even obeying our parents in our punch! 

When the kids finally got to taste their Friendship Punch . . . there were LOTS of exclamations of "delicious!" "Man, that's good stuff!" "we are GREAT cooks!" and other equally cute stuff. 

And to remind us of our friendships . . . we had mustaches for the rest of the day!

Q is for Quilt

Exploring Quilts as a class was a lot of fun! 

During our center time, I had stacks of these quilt blocks out for the kiddos to color.

As they completed them, I punched holes in the corners 

and used some thin yarn to tie them together like this . . .

The end result is fantastic.  It really looks like a paper quilt!

Because I don't want to spoil the excitement of showing this to parents at preschool graduation, I'll have to wait to post pictures of the entire thing. Trust me, though, it's cute!

Here's the quilt block pattern.

These would be super cute with pictures or handprints in the centers too--that could be a cute mother's day gift for a grandma who lives far away!

For another fun quilt activity, we took a large quilt outside . . . 

and each child held onto a corner or side and we bounced fire balls in the middle.  We couldn't let them fall off or the grass would start on fire and that would be "DISASTROUS" (as a child explained to me)! 

We also tried just bouncing one ball as high as we could and then moving wherever we needed to catch it.  Talk about team work . . . but a LOT of fun!

Finally, what is more fun then using a quilt to make a fort to eat cookies and hide in?  BUT . . . you better watch out . . . Ms. Tamra might turn into a big bad wolf . . . 

Who knew letter Q could be so much fun??

CALENDAR

It's time for another exciting week at preschool! Here's what we have going on this week:

We are going to start talking about different kinds of communities. This week's theme is "Our Classroom Community." Next week we'll talk about the community we live in and have some very exciting visitors!

Mon 4/12:

• Friends! Friends! All sorts of Friends!

Wed 4/14:

• Emotions: We all got 'em!

Fri: 4/16:

• Kindness makes the world go round!
• Show and Tell: Something about YOU! 

The Quiet Queen's Quest

Today we had so much fun going on the Quiet Queen's Quest.  It was really exciting for everyone.

Moko greeted us at circle time with a note from the Quiet Queen asking us to go on a special Quest. She had several crowns with various quests to complete quietly (it was a fun challenge and we did a lot of whispering).  After each quest, the children reported back to Moko, received a jewel for their Qq crowns, and learned what the next quest was.

It was so much fun completing our quests! Take a look . . . 

Painting the royal fence with water and brushes (kids LOVE doing this!) . . . after the fence they moved onto the bricks!

Signing names on the castle steps

The final quest was to steal the treasure from the dragon.  

I (the dragon) laid down on the back porch with my arms around a basket of dragon eggs (plastic easter eggs).  A treasure box was put across the backyard. 

There were four rules. 

1) No opening the dragon eggs.

2) When the dragon roars, freeze in place.  

If she sees you move, you have to put any eggs you have in your hands back.

3) No throwing dragon eggs.

4) Your quest: get all of the dragon eggs (one at a time) from the dragon and into the treasure box.

There were lots of giggles as I snored and roared and kids froze in place.  This was so much fun we'll have to play it again soon. 

Inside the dragon eggs we found a large jewel with the letter Q (old scrapbook letter stickers work great for this! How often do you use Q??) for the center of their crowns.  We also found a lot of edible jewels (m&m's). 

After all that hard work . . . we had to take a picture to show off our completed crowns!

Quiet Queen, thanks for the very fun Quest!

Q is for QUIET

Who better than Elmo and Kermit to explain Quiet vs Loud?

Lightsabers!

One of our very creative parents made these lightsabers for the class. 

 It was such a great idea! The kids LOVED putting them into action--and what is better than lightsabers/swords that don't hurt? 

They are just pool noodles wrapped with black tape on the bottoms.  What a simple and fun idea!

Here they are in action . . .

This would be another great "I'm bored" actvitiy . . . and a bonus . . . you could try them in the pool!

Bonus: Hearing the kids talk to each other in their best Star Wars imitations!

March Bulletin Board and Art

When I was taking down the bulletin board for March, it suddenly hit me that because of the way our space is set up, parents rarely get to see our displays.  

So--here's how we welcomed the month of March . . . 

Those are little packing peanut lambs (you know . . . March comes in like a lamb . . . )

and rainbows with a pot of gold.  

We made these by dipping toy cars in paint and then running them on the rainbow road.  

The kids had so much fun with it they didn't want to stop--so a lot of the rainbows ended up a muddy brown . . . but those kids sure had fun!

CALENDAR

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a fantastic Easter.  I sure did! 

I'm looking forward to the excited reports from your children!

Here's what is ahead for this week . . .

Monday 4/6

• Introduction to the Letter Qq
• Questions, Questions, Questions!

Wednesday 4/8

• The Quiet Queen's Quest

Friday 4/10

• Quilts
• Show and Tell: Anything QUIET! 

We are going to have a great week! See you Tomorrow!

Yellow Yodeling Yak

In honor of Y week, we bring you . . .

YELLOW YODELING YAK by Cliff Hanger

Share this with your child, it'll make them laugh!

Just in time for Yellow Yarn Yaks!

Y is for Yellow Yarn Yaks

This was a really fun art activity that the kids enjoyed . . . and all the Y words are a big bonus too!  Just say yellow yarn yak five times fast . . . you just might end up in giggles too!

I had the kids cut out a simple picture of a yak and then brush it with watered down elmer's glue.

Then they pressed pre-cut yellow yarn (I had yarn in various widths to pick from) in the glue . . . 

Anyway they wanted (this complicated weave pattern required more glue :) ) . . .

And added google eyes.  The final products . . . 

Gotta love the variety!