I admit I do not take many pictures of the kiddos playing most of my pictures are taken during preschool. However, I do want you to know that we encourage play and a lot of it!  Playtime with toddlers is not just a fun and enjoyable activity; it also serves several important roles in their development and well-being. To name a few key reasons why playtime is so important:
Emotional regulation; playtime provides a safe space for toddlers to express their emotions and practice emotional regulation. They can explore feelings through imaginative play and learn how to manage both positive and negative emotions.
​Social skills; playtime with others, whether it's with parents, siblings, or peers, helps toddlers develop essential social skills. They learn about sharing, taking turns, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Play fosters empathy and the ability to understand others' emotions. These two skills alone are crucial for success when they begin school.
These are just a few reasons why we encourage play everyday!  

We brush our teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Floss can be used to get in between teeth.  Brushing helps clean our teeth and mouth. Our mouths include lips, teeth, gums, and a tongue. Teeth fall out as we grow up.  
We learned about the importance of brushing our teeth and keeping our teeth sparkling white!  They used paint and a toothbrush to investigate different ways to brush.  Their art may reflect that they moved the toothbrush up and down, around in circles or across the page.  Using tools for multiple purposes and in diverse ways sparks the imagination.
We played "Pulling Teeth." They took turns rolling the die, identified the number and removed that many teeth (pony beads) with the tweezers or their fingers.  They did amazing with the tweezers!  
I provided floss and letters A, B and H, they explored using the floss.  They wrapped the floss around letters, formed letters and made curves.  
For fine motor I showed them a toothbrush and they drew lines in their journals.  Today was such a beautiful morning we took our classroom outside and enjoyed the fresh air.  
Have a great weekend!

We wash our hands with soap and water. We wash away germs that can make us sick. Germs are not for sharing. We can wash other things with soap and water. I showed the kiddos a paper plate, and explained we cannot see germs.  I placed a dot of green paint on the plate and we all touched the paint and made finger prints on the plate; this showed them how germs transfer.  We practiced washing our hands for longer than 3 seconds!  
They looked at the Inspiration photo and we discussed all the different lines, shapes and colors.  I provided paper and a white crayon, they were encouraged to fill up their paper using the white crayon.  We used water colors to paint the white paper, it was like magic when their lines appeared!  
For fine motor practice they cut circles or tore paper and glued into their journals.  They colored the letter Aa, cut, and glued into their journals.  
I placed shaving cream on a tray and they were encouraged to draw letters. today they used shaving cream and used our fingers to draw letters.  I only managed to get one photo of this activity! 

Shoes and socks come in pairs.  We wear socks on our feet.  There are different sizes and styles.  Shoes can have velcro or laces to tie in a knot or bow. 
They each created a shoe and laced it up!  We also measured our shoes using math cubes. They glued the letter Aa in their fine motor journals. 
They were encouraged to build with letter blocks and family counters.   

Coats can have zippers, buttons, or snaps.  Coats come in different sizes. Some animals have fur with stripes; other animals have spots or just one fur color.
From animal fur to flower petals, we can find artistic patterns hidden throughout nature. Nature often inspires artists to paint or make fabric in unique ways. They each looked at the Inspiration photo and we talked about the cheetah's fur. This Invitation to Create invited children to plan how to use patterns in their own art.  When there are no steps or directions to follow children can take creative risks.  
For fine motor they used mini erasers to build letters.  They were encouraged to try tongs to pick up the erasers.  They traced lines in their journals. They used dot markers to trace letters and lines on butcher paper, this activity gets the kids up and moving!
#preschool #childcare #learningthroughplay #ExperienceCurriculum ​

We wear pants on our legs.  Pants can have pockets in front and in back.  We can hide things in the pockets!  
We played Count the Pants, taking turns they rolled foam die, identified the number and they were encouraged to hang that many pants on the clothesline.  I showed them how to pinch the clothespin and put on clothesline.  We made a clothesline between two chairs!
Pointillism is an art technique of using small dots to create a picture.  During this Invitation to Create, they explored the technique of pointillism by painting with a clothespin and pompom. One of the kiddos told me they were creating a salad!
For fine motor they sorted upper/ lowercase Hh and traced lines. 
#preschool #learningthroughplay #childcare #ExperienceCurriculum ​

The simple investigation of clothing invites children to build confidence with self-help skills, from independently choosing what to wear to putting on and taking off coats, shoes and shirts.  Additionally, the child works on fine motor skills while manipulating buttons and shoelaces. They will discover that clothing has many different purposes, like keeping us warm or protecting our body.  
Shirts can have buttons, snaps, pockets or collars. Some shirts have long sleeves, some have short sleeves and some have no sleeves. I showed them shirts with collars, snaps and buttons; they tried snapping buttons. They laced buttons and played a game sorting buttons by color. They took turns rolling the color cube, stated the color they rolled, picked the matching button and placed on the color mat.  They were encouraged to decorate their own shirt using markers, yarn and glue.
I provided play dough, buttons and a shirt cookie cutter and let the kids use their imaginations. 
They used translucent stickers to search and find letter H.
#preschool #childcare #learningthroughplay #ExperienceCurriculum

We use our noses to smell. There are strong, mild, sweet or stinky smells. We like certain smells and dislike others. They were invited to create their own flower design today using a soufflé cup, scissors and markers.  They pretended to plant their flowers in the soil (beans), digging, scooping, and pouring!
We have been reading our monthly book, "It Smells!"  
For fine motor we used a cotton ball to paint. Hand and finger movements are the building blocks of fine motor skills. These skills involve the coordination and control of the small muscles in the hands and fingers. Fine motor skills are crucial for tasks such as holding a pencil, using utensils, buttoning clothing, and tying shoelaces.
​Once they were finished with their fine motor painting, they were encouraged to use the remaining paint to create anything they wanted!  
We created an apple tree for their name.  The kids that can cut used scissors to cut out the tree/trunk template, the other kiddos that are learning to use scissors, they practice cutting scrap  paper or tearing paper.