MCP Centers----Letters and Numbers

At MCP, we strongly believe that children learn best when actively involved in the process and  not through worksheets and printables.  We work every day on letter and number recognition.  We are always telling the children letters and numbers are EVERYWHERE (so look around with your child and point them out).  Here are just a few activities that we will use throughout the school year.  For more information, check out the label 'Letter/Number Recognition'.

 

 

Our MWF classes will decorate our classroom letters---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-abcs-at-mcp.html 

We use a lot of glue when we learn our letters---Puzzle pieces, pumpkin seeds, small seashells, plastic pony beads and more are all used to create the letters of the alphabet.

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/11/learning-our-letters.html

 

 

Numbers??? Here's how we count at MCP---

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/01/christmas-bows-2015.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/02/mr-roboto.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/03/spacethe-final-frontier.html

MCP Centers---Dramatic Play

Dramatic play, pretend play, imaginative play---whatever you want to call it, this type of play is an integral part of the growth and development of young children.  There are thousands of reasons of why dramatic play is a key learning tool for young children.  I don't have time to list them all but here is a good article on why dramatic play is important---
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/creativity-play/importance-pretend-play

How do we play at MCP? Well, we dig for dinosaurs.
http://www.metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/01/dinosaur-dig.html

We travel to outer space.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/03/to-infinity-and-beyond.html

We live in a castle.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/10/mcp-castle.html

We run a pet store and a vet clinic.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/11/mcps-littlest-pet-shop.html

We operate a pizza parlor.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/11/pizza-parlor.html

We visit the beach in the dead of winter.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-summer-seashore-safari-scuba-gear.html

We provide air tanks for our fire fighters, astronauts and scuba divers.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/10/firemen-scuba-divers-and-astronauts.html

In the spring, we will plant an indoor garden.
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/04/my-secret-garden.html

Take some of these ideas and provide a space in your home for your child's imagination to grow!
 

MCP Centers---The Discovery Center

The Discovery Center is the place for puzzles, lacing cards, sorting trays, number and alphabet activities and much more.  In some programs they are called 'table toys'.   In our Discovery Center, we have---

 Unifix Cubes

 Sorting trays and a wide variety of items to sort, count and create patterns.

 Many magnetic mazes

We love Geo-boards at MCP!

There is so much more to the Discovery Center. For more information---

Puzzles---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/01/national-puzzle-day.html

Alphabet games---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/02/feed-shark.html---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/10/boo-bang-gobble-melt.html

I SPY bottles---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-spy.html

Counting games---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/01/snowmen-and-dinosaurs.html

http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/02/feed-shark.html

Sorting, Counting & Patterns---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/11/sort-make-pattern-and-count.html

Lacing---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/09/lacing-cards-2014.html

These toys are just a few ways your child is learning through play at school!

MCP Centers---The Messy Tub

 

We have limited space in our classroom but we often have what we call a 'messy tub' out during center play. 

For more info and a sneak peek at what goes into our 'messy tub' throughout the year---

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

Apples---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/09/ten-apples-up-on-top-2013.html

Halloween---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-sensory-tub.html

Christmas---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/12/candyland.html

Cookie Dough---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/12/cookie-dough.html

Dinosaurs---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/01/preschool-paleontologists.html

Flower Garden---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-does-your-garden-grow.html

 

MCP Centers---Building

  

The building center is another popular center in our classroom.  The mainstay of this center is blocks but we also rotate Legos, Waffleblocks, a train set and Magneatos in this center.  Blocks are important to any preschool program.  For more information on why block play is important--- 

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=397

http://www.claytonearlylearning.org/blog/why-is-block-play-important-for-toddlers-and-preschoolers-what-are-they-learning/

http://www.parentingscience.com/toy-blocks.html

 

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/creativity-play/all-about-blocks

 

 

 

 

 

MCP Centers---Bulletin Boards

 

The bulletin boards in our classroom encourage our students to be creative in a different way.  In the art center we have a bulletin board we call 'The Garden'. 'The Garden' changes as the seasons change.

 

The other classroom bulletin board changes to reflect holidays or thematic units. These bulletin boards encourage our students to be creative together and also provide an opportunity to use scissors on some pretty detailed shapes!

Halloween--- http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/10/well-dance-beneath-moonlight-part-2.html

 

Thanksgiving---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/11/be-thankful.html

 

Dinosaurs---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/01/if-dinosaurs-came-back.html

 

Ocean---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2015/03/oceans-15.html

Fresh Flowers

Fresh flower arrangements will be delivered to Reclaimed Resale tomorrow (Friday, August 14th).  When you shop or donate to RR,  you help MCP and other local charities.  For store hours and more info---https://www.facebook.com/reclaimedresale

MCP Centers---Writing

 

The children LOVE this center!  More info---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-writing-center.html

 

 

 

 

MCP Centers---Art

 

Creative art experiences are an important element of the MCP program. If you go into fifty different preschools, you will see fifty different presentations of an art center.  Each program develops a system that works best for their program.  

At MCP, our art center contains a wide variety of materials for the children to use on any given day.  There are crayons, markers, scissors, stencils for tracing, stickers, paper, glue, a collage box, cardboard (old cereal boxes) and assorted colored paper scraps. 

For more information---

Art center---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-art-center.html

Collage box---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-collage-box.html

Glue bottles---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/09/glue-bottles-and-glue-battles.html

Paint experiences---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2012/08/painting-at-preschool.html

Flower Girl

Fresh floral arrangements available at Reclaimed Resale to benefit Metamora Community Preschool.
For more info and hours---https://www.facebook.com/reclaimedresale

Lots and Lots of Playdough

There are so many things I love about my job but a favorite is play dough. I love to sit with children and push, mush and squish play dough.  Because we are limited on space, we have play dough quite often but not everyday.  At MCP, we do not buy commercial play dough but prefer to make our own.  Our play dough is stored in Zip-loc freezer bags and will last up to a year to eighteen months.

Here is the basic recipe---
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/10/perfect-playdough.html



Chocolate---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/01/chocolate-scented-valentine-playdough.html


 
Fun-fetti---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/12/fun-fetti-playdough.html

Coffee--- http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/07/play-grounds.html

Pumpkin and more recipes---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/10/dough-boy.html

  Soap---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2011/01/soapy-snowmen.html

More ideas!  http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/06/bug-eyed.html

MCP & Reclaimed Resale

 

We delighted to be one of Reclaimed Resale's charities for the month of August.  Shop and donate to help local charities in our area!  For more info---

https://www.facebook.com/reclaimedresale 

IGNITE PEORIA 2015

 

 Ignite Peoria is a FREE family event at the Peoria Civic Center.

Saturday, August 8th 

9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Some activities may have a fee.

Live entertainment, art, car show, music, food, fashion and more!

http://www.ignitepeoria.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IgnitePeoria

Love, Laugh, Learn

What will your child learn this year in preschool?  More than you think---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-be-student.html