Lacing Cards 2019

Lacing cards are a very important part of the MCP curriculum.  We have lacing cards available for the children everyday.  After your child laces a card, we do not rip out their work for the next student.  Your child may take the lacing card home! This is an important difference in purchased lacing cards.  We are working on strengthening those very important fine motor skills---building strength to hold a pencil, crayon, paint and scissors.  When a child gets to keep their work, they are more likely to participate in the activity.  

Lacing cards are easy to make at home with your child. Old greeting cards and cereal boxes make colorful cards that will interest your child.  Here's how---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2009/12/lacing-cards.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/09/lacing-cards-2013.html

Time to Grow

Children do a LOT of growing during the preschool years.  Here is a short list of a few things you can look for in your child's development---
***Your preschooler will begin to have a longer attention span***Preschool children love to act silly and goofy***Preschoolers are loud. Have you been in our room during center time?*** Preschoolers also like to use language that isn't nice (often repeating words heard in conversation, television or movies and usually using them at an inappropriate time like in front of Grandma***Preschoolers talk a lot and ask LOTS and LOTS AND LOTS of questions. Your child is not asking questions to drive you crazy, really.  The average four year old asks about 437 questions per day!   Remember this is an average-consider yourself lucky if your child only asks two or three hundred!***Preschool children desire real adult things.  We have old cell phones, computer keyboards plus a wide variety of other items we incorporate into dramatic play.***As your child creates art work this school year, they will want to keep it***Preschoolers are developing a better concept of friends and friendship and will want to play with friends***Preschoolers are also starting to have a better understanding of how to take turns and what it means to share.

Why Are There No Worksheets?

No daily worksheets at MCP for our preschoolers.  Why not?

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=134

https://learningthroughexperiences.com/worksheets-are-not-appropriate/

The MCP Castle 2019

A castle was 'built' in our classroom!  We love dramatic play at MCP!  It is an important part of your child's development!  For more info---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/10/mcp-castle.html

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/kids-activities-and-printables/activities-for-kids/arts-and-craft-ideas/importance-pretend-play.html

Apples!

We love messy tubs at MCP! 

Want to create a tub at home?  It's easy!  

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-messy-tub.html

Beanie Babies

I went through the Beanie Baby craze with my boys.  We have Beanie Babies and Teeny Beanies-more than I ever should have bought!  Now what???  Well, I turned them into a preschool matching game for our MWF classes.  I used clip art for pictures and also drew clues. We use a lot of picture clues with words in dictation activities and games in our room. This game is in one of our centers. Ask your child if they played this game!  

Geoboards & Pattern Blocks 2019

When your child brings home the weekly activity sheet you may see 'geoboards' or 'pattern blocks' listed in the Discovery Center.  These early childhood activities are an important part of your preschoolers development. 

More info---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2016/09/geoboards-pattern-blocks.html

Your Nose Knows

We love this song!

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/09/dont-stick-your-finger-up-your-nose.html

Buzzing Bees

Pete the Cat | I love My White Shoes

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

We sing a lot at MCP.  We sing when we want the children line up. We sing when we want the children to sit down.  We sing to get their attention.  We also sing to teach concepts and just for fun.  What do we sing? 

School songs---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/09/sticky-sticky-bubblegum.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/09/calendar.html

Arts & Crafts 2019

Arts and crafts are a very important part of our program at MCP.  The two are also very different.  Art is open ended.  We have crayons, markers, scissors, glue, cardboard and much more in our art center so the children have an opportunity to be creative on their own. 

Crafts are done as a group at the tables with the teacher giving directions.  We use this opportunity to work on colors, shapes and spatial relationships (inside, between, top, bottom, etc.).  We also are working very hard on listening to teacher directions.  

If your child's craft does not look like a bear, a flower, a pumpkin or whatever---no worries.  We are just starting the year. We know sitting with friends with colorful paper and a bottle of glue is hard.  The children are learning how to use an appropriate amount of glue, how to pick up sticky gluey pieces and soon we will be cutting & snipping shapes together.  Please note---we do not move or relocate pieces that the children place incorrectly. Your child's work is their work.  We are working really hard on listening to teacher directions as a group.

MWF Morning Meeting---Apples

What is your child's 

favorite way to eat apples?

MWF Morning Class

MWF Afternoon Class

LEGO Statue Of Liberty

New York City | Statue of Liberty Tour and Ellis Island

Puzzle Pieces

"Even the hardest puzzles have a solution."

Why are puzzle important to your preschoolers development?

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2018/08/the-missing-piece.html

Playdough Power!

Next Monday, September 16th, is National Play-doh Day.  Plan ahead for some fun with playdough with your child.  Hate playdough in the house?  Go outside.  Meet some friends in the park and celebrate and get creative!  


MCP playdough recipes---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/lots-and-lots-of-playdough.html

Why playdough is important to your child's development---
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/playdough-p

Tiny Bubbles

Bubbles bring joy!  Tablets, smartphones, electronic learning tools do not bring the squeals, giggles and laughter that bubbles do.  Bubbles have a universal appeal to all children.  My husband and I  watched this scene on our vacation one summer.  Children were running and laughing and the adults around them were smiling at their exuberance and abandon.

We love bubbles at MCP.  We do not use commercial bubbles but make our own and use summer swim nets found at your local dollar store for the bubble wands. Remember to closely supervise young children around liquids (even bubble solution).  An adult should be within arm's length of any water source even buckets and 

pans.

Bubbles---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/04/bubbles.html

Have fun blowing bubbles with your child this weekend!

Our Room---MCP Centers

The school year starts tomorrow and we are excited to see your child.  Our room is divided into centers. Learn more about each center---

We love playdough---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/lots-and-lots-of-playdough.html



Creative art is very important to your child's development---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-art.html

Our students cut and color to create unique bulletin boards---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-bulletin-boards.html

The writing center is a favorite.  It's not scribbles. Your child is developing emergent writing skills---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-writing-center.html

Block and LEGOS in our building center---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-building.html

It's called the Discovery Center---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-discovery-center.html


We love pretend play at MCP---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-dramatic-play.html
You will find more information under 'Dramatic Play' label.

We call it the Messy Tub---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-messy-tub.html

We learn our letters and numbers without using worksheets.  More information and ideas under the 'Letter/Number Recognition' label---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/08/mcp-centers-letters-and-numbers.html

The Best Teachers

The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see.
Alexandra K. Trenfor

The MCP staff works all year long to make sure that your child is getting the best start to their education.   At MCP,  we have the best teachers!  We are really looking forward to a new school year.