Busy Mommy Media » Preschool Education

Bringing Your Toys To Life With Webkinz Jr.

Stacey — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:56:42 +0000

Right after we adopted our Boxer puppy last Spring, my then 3 year-old daughter decided she needed to have her own puppy, too. Actually, two puppies. Imaginary puppies — Holly and Polly! I have no idea what kind of dog they are but they have been with us this entire last year. She loves to talk about Holly and Polly, how well they behave, what they like to eat, how big they are getting. Don’t get me wrong, she loves our Boxer to pieces…she just likes to have her own puppies that she’s in charge of, too!

Honestly, it never really occurred to me to buy my daughter her own stuffed puppies that she could pretend were Holly and Polly. After all, she has plenty of stuffed animals! But then I learned about Webkinz Jr.! Sure, I had heard of Webkinz from my nieces but thought my daughter was a bit too young for those. Now, with Webkinz Jr., she can join in on the fun her cousins are having but with an online experience tailored toward her age group (3-6yrs)!

WHAT ARE WEBKINZ JR?

Webkinz Jr. is a two part experience. First, they are these amazingly plush stuffed animals! I was amazed at how soft and snuggly they are! My daughters each received a puppy (one blue, one pink) from Webkinz Jr. and those puppies are toted around everywhere with us!!! They are also completely safe for even my 2 year old since they are free of any plastic eyes or noses that could potentially come loose. This made me like the Webkinz Jr. plushes even more! Oh, and they are available in the most adorable creatures — frog, elephant, bunnies, giraffe, bear, puppies, monkeys, and kitty.

Second, each Webkinz Jr. comes with an interactive online experience. I know a lot of parents are hesitant to allow their preschooler and early elementary age children to pay online. It can be a scary place! However, the Webkinz Jr. site has far exceeded my expectations! The site not only requires a parent to register for the child (which allows the parent to have control over different aspects of the online experience) but the page the child will be playing on is free of third party advertising and free of toolbars.

When you first register on WebkinzJr.com you will enter the code that came with your Webkinz Jr. plush and your child will have the opportunity to name their pet. This code brings your child’s new plush friend to life online. Now it is time for the fun! At your pet’s home your child can feed her, bathe her, play, or put her to bed. But the fun doesn’t end there! Your child can also take their pet for adventures around the virtual neighborhood!

Your child can take their pet to the post office to create postcards, to the grocery store to do some shopping, and even going on field trips to the fire station to learn all about fire fighters! My daughter’s favorite thing to do though is to take her puppy to the school where she gets to do all sorts of learning activities like math, creating machines, and color matching. Every part of the site offers some sort of fun and educational value to your child.

But your will also learn about responsibility! Much like a real pet, your child will need to make sure their virtual pet is being taken care of. Meters at the bottom of the screen let your child know if their pet is hungry, tired, bored, or just needs some attention.

MY THOUGHTS, AS A PARENT:

I really love the WebkinzJr.com experience! The plush animals are great and my daughters love playing and snuggling with them, but the online experience is really just amazing. The user interface is fun and easy to use and the games are easily customizable depending on the age/educational levels of your child. This makes the whole experience that much better because it’s not something your child will necessarily out-grow right away. It also means that if your child is more advanced at language skills than math skills, you can adjust those levels individually! You can also add animals to your child’s account each time get a new plush pet by entering in their Jr. Pet Code, found on the tag of the plush.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Webkinz Jr. if you have a child at the preschool age. They will love their new animal friend and that they get to bring their new friend to life online! Finally my daughter has a way to bring Holly and Polly to life!!!

*Disclaimer: I did receive two Webkinz Jr. plush pets from Webkinz so that I (and my daughters) could get a first hand experience with the product in order to bring you an accurate and personal review!

Setting Up a Preschool Pretend Play Center

Rachel — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:22:15 +0000

Pretend play teaches preschoolers so much about life and emotions. They mimic the things that they see adults do and practice the skills that they will need later in life. Every home and preschool setting should include a pretend play center, no matter how small. Preschoolers need the freedom to create their own world through imaginative play and make sense of their world by acting out what they see.

A toy kitchen is the focus of a pretend play center. If you do not own one and do not want to purchase one, a selection of toy cooking tools can be substituted. A toy stove can even be made out of an overturned box. Preschoolers would love decorating a toy stove. You can help them by drawing burners and knobs on it with a market.

Toy food should include all of the food groups. It is too easy to find pretend fast food. One of the benefits of playing with toy food is teaching preschoolers healthy eating habits. If they are surrounded with unhealthy pretend food they will not learn essential nutritional skills. Be sure and buy toy food that is easily washed. Preschoolers can get over-zealous when playing with toy food and all too often it ends up in their mouth. You will want to make sure that you can properly sanitize it on a regular basis. If you are struggling to find appropriate toy food or you do not want to purchase any, empty food containers that have been taped or glued shut make an excellent substitute.

A basic table and chair set can be used for many activities. Preschoolers will use it as part of their pretend play by setting the table and serving each other meals, playing school, and many other activities. When you provide the basic materials, their individual creativity will astound you.

Baby dolls and clothes provide preschoolers with an outlet for emotions. Preschoolers are able to nurture and comfort baby dolls and practice the skills they see other adults use. The act of taking care of someone else, even if that someone is only a doll, will help a preschooler be more aware of the emotions and feelings of the people around them. A collection of clothes and blankets are a great addition to a pretend play center. You can request that parents donate old baby clothes and blankets that are no longer being used.

Leftover diapers, bottles, and pacifiers are exciting for preschoolers that have younger siblings because they can practice doing the things they see their parents doing.

Small cleaning supplies let preschoolers practice responsibility. You can find small brooms, irons, mops, and dusters in many toy stores. Many of these can be used for real chores. Preschoolers love helping when they have tools that are just their size.

A pretend play center teaches preschoolers essential skills that they will need for their entire lives. Providing them play materials that encourage them to use their imaginations and think creatively will make good use out of the important preschool years.

These simple toys will give you a great start towards a pretend play center. They can take up a portion of a preschool classroom or a corner in your home. Preschoolers may look like they are playing, but they are really hard at work studying for their future.

5 Tips for Arts and Crafts in the Preschool Classroom

Rachel — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:26:53 +0000

These 5 simple tips for art in the preschool classroom can make arts and crafts time much more enjoyable for preschoolers, preschool teachers, and preschool parents. Spend more time enjoying the process and less time stressing about the mess that preschool art projects can create.

1. Spread out while you are working on arts and crafts projects with preschoolers. Give each preschooler plenty of space to work so they do not bump into their friends and cause arguments. It is easy for preschoolers to get upset if they are disturbed while they are working on a special project. If you do not have room to spread out, consider having preschoolers work in shifts. Have half of your preschool class work on the art project while the other half of the preschool class participates in center activities or free play.

2. Do as much as you can to prevent messes before they happen. Keep several old sheets on hand for messy projects. Sheets can be spread beneath easels or craft tables to prevent the floors from being damaged. When you are finished with your art project the sheets can be taken outside and any excess craft supplies can be shaken off.

Ask the parents of preschoolers in your program to send in their old newspapers to be used for arts and crafts activities. Newspaper can be spread over the craft table or on the ground outside for messy projects.

3. Have a paint smock for every preschooler in the class. Paint smocks can be made or purchased and they will help protect preschoolers clothing. Old button -shirts work well as a paint smock for preschoolers. Regular shirts need to be pulled over a preschoolers head when they are done painting and this can smear paint that is on the shirt on a preschoolers face or hair. Button-up shirts are easy to take on and off even if they are messy and they provide excellent coverage to protect a preschoolers clothing.

Even with a paint smock on, there is the possibility that preschoolers will get some paint on their clothing while they are working on an art project. Be sure and use washable, non-toxic pain in all of your painting projects with preschoolers and let the parents know that their preschooler will be painting while they are at preschool and they need to come wearing play clothes.

4. Make your art materials preschooler friendly. If the preschoolers in your class are having trouble using a glue bottle or use excessive amounts of glue in their projects, pour some glue on a paper plate and have preschoolers use q-tips to apply the glue to their art project.

Fill paper plates with small amounts of paint for preschoolers to use so preschoolers will not become frustrated if paint colors mix together.

5. Enjoy the process and have fun. Arts and crafts projects with preschoolers are not about the end result. They are about the process and the things that preschoolers learn along the way. Do not get hung up on what the end result is supposed to look like. Allow preschoolers to be creative and experiment with art materials in their own way.

Teaching Preschoolers About Autism

Rachel — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:07:56 +0000

When you have a preschooler in your class with autism, it is important for the other preschoolers to understand what autism is and what it means to their classroom. You can avoid many behavior problems by sitting down with the preschoolers and teaching them what autism really means.

Most preschoolers will not understand why their classmate acts differently and may have questions about things that they see. A simple introduction to autism and the things that make each of us special will help them to better understand why their classmate with autism acts the way that they do.

What makes you special?

Ask all of the preschoolers to tell you something that makes them special. There are so many things that make each preschooler special. When they have all come up with something that makes them special tell them that there are a few things that make their classmate with autism special too.

Start with several special things that they may have in common with the other preschoolers such as, something they like to do, a pet that they have, or siblings. After you have talked about some general things that make the preschooler with autism special, move on to the unique things they may do that are a result of their autism.
The symptoms of autism are so varied that it is important to focus just on the things that apply to the preschooler with autism that is in your classroom. Some things that you could talk about may be that their eyes and ears work better than other people’s so they may be scared by loud noises or bright lights. If the preschooler in your classroom does not like to be touched talk about what it means to give them some space. Explain to the preschoolers that their classmate may like to do the same thing over and over again and that it’s okay if they do that.

We Work Together

Explain to the preschoolers that they are all part of the class and that it is important for all of them to help each other and be kind to each other. Let them know that it’s okay to treat the preschooler with autism the same as everyone else in the class. Tell them that just like sometimes they may not be in the mood to do certain things, their classmate with autism may not want to participate sometimes.

Ask the preschoolers what it means to work together. Tell them that everyone is part of the class and everyone makes the class special. Talk about how everyone has feelings and it is important to treat everyone in the class with kindness to make the classroom a nice place to be.

Creating Preschool Lesson Plans

Rachel — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:08:17 +0000

Well thought out lesson plans can contribute to a calmer and more educationally stimulating atmosphere in the preschool classroom. Preschool teachers can practice child-led lesson planning to make the preschool classroom more exciting for each individual preschooler.

Discover the Interests of Each Preschooler

Preschoolers have an inherent curiosity about the world. Preschool teachers can make the most of this by discovering the things that each preschooler is interested in. Keep a list of things that preschoolers express interest in. This list can be a valuable tool when you sit down to plan lessons that will hold the attention of the preschoolers in your class. Preschoolers will give you a wealth of lesson ideas as you observe them. One preschooler may talk about their pet dog and how much they love them. That preschooler may enjoy a preschool theme unit centered on dogs or pets. Another preschooler may enjoy building large towers with the blocks during free play time. That preschooler may enjoy a construction themed preschool theme or a preschool lesson on balance.

Consider Preschoolers Interests When Planning Lessons

Keeping on ongoing list of the interests that the preschoolers in the class have simplifies lesson planning. Your list of interests can spark many creative lesson plan ideas that you may not have thought of otherwise. Using a preschool theme when planning lessons for preschoolers gives you a clear starting point that can help you develop lesson plans your preschoolers will enjoy.

Start With a Basic Outline

When creating lesson plans, it helps to know what types of activities you need to include in your day. A basic lesson plan template helps shorten the amount of time you need to spend creating a lesson plan. Consider the basic activities that you include in your day and add them to your lesson plan template. Some general categories that can be included in your lesson plan template are circle time, arts and crafts, math and science, music and movement, pretend play, and language and literature. If you provide a snack in your preschool program you can add a section for menu planning on your lesson plan template. Many times you can incorporate your snack into your themed lesson plan to make it more fun for preschoolers. If you have centers in your preschool classroom you can plan for those ahead of time so that they will include things that will interest the preschoolers in the class.

Be Flexible

Preschoolers need structured routine in their day but when working with preschoolers it is always important to allow for a little bit of flexibility. If you begin an activity or lesson and half way through it you realize that the preschoolers in your class are not enjoying it the way you thought they would it is okay to stop the activity and move on to something else. Keep your daily schedule open enough that preschoolers have time for free play and open art exploration. Being flexible and planning your preschool lesson plans around the interest of the preschoolers in your classroom will help you to provide an exciting and educational preschool curriculum.

Pets in the Preschool Classroom

Rachel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:24:51 +0000

The health benefits of animals have been praised for years. Pets lower blood pressure, relieve stress, and prevent depression. Many families have pets for these exact reasons, but what about the educational benefits? Many teachers shy away from using pets as a supplement to their curriculum because they worry about the care involved, but preschoolers can learn so many things by being exposed to animals.

Caring for a pet teaches responsibility and empathy. Preschoolers are used to parents and teachers doing things to help them but they do not get many opportunities in their lives to take care of others. Beings responsible for the care of a classroom pet will raise a child’s self esteem and teach them a wonderful character trait that will help them for the rest of their lives.

Preschoolers can learn about the life cycle first hand. Sadly many children have already experienced the death of a loved one. Death brings complicated emotions for anyone, but preschoolers have a particularly hard time coping. If a classroom pet dies it is upsetting to preschoolers but it can be used as a valuable teaching experience to prepare them for harder things that they may face down the road.

Animals get preschoolers excited about learning. Early in a child’s educational career, it is important to instill in them a love of learning. They need to explore new interests and expand their view of the world. All it really takes is finding one thing that they are passionate about to set them on the right track.

Pets can relieve stress in the classroom. No one learns well when they are tense and preschoolers are no exceptions. There will always be things in the classroom that cause stress, but animals may provide an outlet for kids that are struggling. Watching a fish tank can be extremely relaxing. A worked up preschooler can be calmed by watching the peaceful movements of the fish.

Consider the care a pet will need. Whatever you choose for your classroom pet, be sure that you have the time and the resources to meet any needs that may arise. Find out what the life expectancy of the animal is. Make sure the diet they require is one that you are comfortable with. Some pets eat live food such as crickets. Sick animals may need to be cared for by a vet. It is better to know what the problems may be before they come up.

Choose a pet that is a good fit for your preschoolers. Do the research before choosing your class pet. Some popular choices are hamsters, rabbits, fish, birds, guinea pigs, turtles and frogs. Hamsters can be put in a ball to run around the room but they can bite if handled roughly. Fish require minimal care and are protected from anxious hands by the glass of the tank. Avoid pets that are likely to show aggression towards preschoolers and make sure that none of the children that will be near the animal have allergies.

A classroom pet can be a wonderful addition to a preschool program if you make a choice that meets all the needs of your class.

Preschool Circle Time Routines

Rachel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:23:04 +0000

Circle Time is a wonderful opportunity to share short and meaningful learning experiences with preschoolers. Preschoolers thrive with routines. When they know what to expect from the day they are more open to learning. A regular and routine preschool circle time is an essential part of any preschool program.

Since you are dealing with short preschool attention spans it is important to keep circle time to no longer than 10 minutes. It should be filled with interactive activities and songs that will hold a preschoolers attention. Follow a standard pattern each day during circle time so that your preschoolers are not surprised by anything and as they learn what is included in circle time they are more likely to participate.

Go through the calendar, focusing on the month, day, year and day of the week. It is important to have a classroom calendar that is bright and has big numbers and letters that are easy for the preschoolers to see. Use some sort of marker to let the preschoolers know where you are in the month. Seeing a visual helps them to understand the passage of time and learn how we track time throughout the year. You can do this by either putting a sticker on each day or by putting the number of each day up as you go through the calendar.

Have the preschoolers repeat as you tell them information about the date. You could say “Today is [day of the week], [month] [day of the month] [year]”. You can reinforce the concept of the days of the week by singing a simple song that will help preschoolers remember.

Days of the Week (sung to the tune of “Oh My Darling, Clementine”)
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Days of the Week (sung to the tune of the Adams Family Theme song)
There’s Sunday and there’s Monday. There’s Tuesday and there’s Wednesday. There’s Thursday and there’s Friday and then there’s Saturday. Days of the week (snap, snap). Days of the week (snap, snap). Days of the week. Days of the week. Days of the week.

Talk about the weather. It is helpful if you have some sort of a weather wheel. These can be purchased at most teacher or easily made using a brad and some paper with pictures of the weather. It is best if this is located near a window so the preschoolers can look out the window and observe the weather. Have the preschoolers each tell you something about the weather that day. Is it raining? Is it snowing? What did it feel like while they were coming to school? What type of clothes did they have to wear?

Have a short discussion about the current theme. This should be very short, preferably less than 5 minutes. Circle time should be fun for preschoolers, not tedious. Pick on piece of information that relates to the preschool theme and discuss it with the preschoolers. Ask them questions that relate to the information and get them involved in the conversation.

Alternative – If you do not have anything related to the theme or have extra time, you can sing a simple song with the preschoolers or use another short activity. The Alphabet Song is a great extra activity or used as an end to circle time. Singing it often helps preschoolers become familiar with their letters and is a valuable pre-reading skill.

Free Oral Health Kit for Your Preschool Classroom

Rachel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:20:59 +0000

Colgate knows how important it is for preschoolers to learn about good oral hygiene. Preschoolers are learning valuable skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Future dental health kit is available at no cost to you and is a great supplement to your preschool curriculum.
February is Children’s Dental Health Month. What a great time to include a Preschool Tooth theme in your preschool curriculum! The dental health kit has some wonderful curriculum ideas and teaching aids to help you create preschool lesson plans.

Colgate wants to help you teach preschoolers how to take care of their teeth. Every year, sometime in late January, Colgate sends preschools a FREE classroom dental health kit featuring Dr. Rabbit and Dr. Brushwell. Preschoolers will be excited to learn about dental hygiene with the fun activities and hand-outs that are included in the dental hygiene kit.

This year’s kit includes a sing-along CD, My Bright Smile Big Book, and an eight page Teacher’s Guide. Your preschoolers will enjoy the take home materials. Each preschooler in your class will receive My Bright Smile Storybook and a Family Packet.

The classroom dental health kid is completely free. No need to pay for shipping. You never have to reorder. Each January, Colgate will send you a new kit that is designed to enhance the kits you have already received.

For more information about the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright futures kit or other free teacher materials visit http://www.colgatebsbf.com.

Marketing a Home Based Preschool

Rachel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:18:25 +0000

Many teachers have contemplated opening a preschool in their home. A home based preschool can offer teachers the flexibility to work around their family commitments and the freedom to develop their own curriculum and schedule. As with any home based business, running a home based preschool requires a huge time commitment and an initial financial reserve; however one of the major obstacles that preschool teachers face when opening a home based preschool is marketing.

Yard Sign

Many vinyl companies will help you design and print a small yard sign to advertise your home based preschool. These signs are waterproof, very professional looking, and can generally be made for under $20. It is important to check for any city or community regulations that may prevent you from advertising a home based preschool with a yard sign before hand. These signs can also be placed around the community for additional exposure.

Local Elementary Schools

Many parents are unsure where to begin their search for a quality home based preschool. As part of their search, preschool parents often call local elementary schools for preschool recommendations. Check with elementary schools in your area and ask if they keep a list of home based preschool programs in the area. Getting added to this list is as simple as talking to the school secretary or one of the kindergarten teachers.

Busy Preschool Programs

Quality preschool programs often have a waiting list. Call some of these high demand preschool programs and ask if they keep a list of home based preschools to recommend to parents who are far enough down on the list that it is unlikely they will make it into the program by the start of the school year. Local universities often have an extensive waiting list and are generally interested in knowing about other options to refer waiting preschool parents to.

Community Bulletin Boards

Local grocery stores and libraries often have a bulletin board where you can post announcements for free. These bulletin boards are an excellent marketing resource for home based preschool programs because they are located in placed that preschool parent’s visit often. Create a simple flyer that lists your preschool times, prices, and your own qualifications as a preschool teacher. Include tear off slips at the bottom that contain your name, preschool program, phone number, and website if you have one for busy preschool parents to grab on the run.

Word of Mouth

The best advertising for any home based business is always word of mouth. Let your family, friends, and neighbors know that you are opening a home based preschool. Contact your neighbors who have preschool aged children and let them know about your preschool program. Distribute flyers to homes in your neighborhood with preschool aged children. Flyers are low-pressure and informative. Talk to people you see with preschool aged children at play groups and local events.

Place an Ad

While there are many free options for marketing your home based preschool program, you can also pay to advertise your preschool in local newspapers or newsletters. Newspaper ads are generally quite expensive and do not always get results. City, school, or small group newsletters with a reader base that fits your target audience may be a better choice.

Adding Natural Light to the Preschool Program

Rachel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:13:05 +0000

Natural light may not be one of your primary concerns when planning your preschool classroom but recent studies by Heschong Mahone Group, an energy consulting firm for the California Board for Energy Efficiency and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, shows that natural light can increase the ability of students to learn.

The study found a strong correlation between student success and lots of natural light and interesting outside views that were available. Many teachers believe that seeing what is going on outside a window is distracting to students but the opposite was actually found to be true. Natural light, provided there was no glare in the room, was able to help students learn more effectively and maintain a more positive mood.

In the preschool classroom, there is just as much of a need for natural light and interesting outside views. Preschoolers learn best when they are having fun, alert, and in a good mood. Including natural light in the preschool classroom can help preschoolers to learn more effectively and enjoy what they are learning.

Preschoolers benefit from a healthy balance between active and quiet play. Even if a preschoolers inside learning environment does not permit them to be exposed to much natural light, plenty of outside play time can help them to get the educational and health benefits that they will get from exposure to natural sunlight. Outside learning centers can easily be added as part of a well balanced preschool curriculum. Sand tables or sandboxes can have elements from the current preschool theme incorporated into them. Playground equipment that encourages pretend play makes an excellent active play center. An outside art center can be made using a weatherproof easel, sidewalk chalk, and outdoor paints.

Preschool teachers have many opportunities to incorporate natural light into their preschool program even if the classroom itself is not idea. Preschoolers love to go on nature walks and explore the world around them. Weather does not have to be an issue if you plan in advanced. Parents can be asked to send weather appropriate clothing each day that will protect their preschooler from the elements. Outside time during the winter months may be for shorter periods of time than during the warmer months but preschoolers will still receive all of the wonderful benefits of exposure to natural light.

Natural light in preschool classrooms that can be maximized by adjusting the window coverings throughout the day to get the ideal amount of natural light without causing glare. Work stations can be strategically located near natural light sources so that preschoolers and spending their time working in an area that is well lit.

Adding natural light to the preschool classroom helps preschoolers to learn more effectively and can be a simple addition to your regular preschool curriculum. Whether you increase the natural light that preschoolers are exposed to by altering your classroom arrangement or spending more time outside, the preschoolers in your care will benefit.

Reference

Heschong Mahone Group – http://www.h-m-g.com/projects/daylighting/projects-PIER.htm