The summer is just flying by! We have been having so much fun in camp this summer it is hard to believe that school is just around the corner. We still have a whole lot of fun in store for our final few weeks of camp and as teachers we are eagerly awaiting the start of a new school year.
School starts this year on August 31st due to the lateness of the Labor Day holiday. This will be the day that everyone will be joining their new classes for the fall. The younger children will be transitioning the week prior to help them to adjust to their new rooms. Kindergarten Orientation is on Friday, the 28th and and has been moved to 8:30 as some of our campers have a field trip that day and we do not want them to miss the bus. If you have any questions about the upcoming transitions please be sure to stop by my office.
If there are any other questions or concerns please be sure to stop by the office. My door is always open.
Karen
Important Dates
8-11 Great Bog Planet Show
8-25 Bookmobile
8- 26 Sam Sandler Magic Show 10:00a.m.
8-28 Kindergarten Orientation 8:30 to 9:30
8-24 to 8-27 Transition Week for Infant through Intermediates
Reminders
Water Bottles – Please bring a water bottle each day to help keep the kids hydrated now that the weather is warm. Also, Please be sure to fill them with water ONLY. Water bottles must be taken home each night to be properly washed and refilled.
Sunscreen – Please be sure to apply sunscreen at home before school. We will reapply in the afternoon provided that you have filled out the appropriate form.
Spare Clothes – Be sure that your child’s extra clothes are weather appropriate and the correct size.
Shoes – For the safety of the children proper footwear is required. Please be sure that shoes fit properly and have closed toes and backs.
Education
Reestablishing Routines for Your Preschooler
Maintaining Order & Staying on Track
As we reach the end of summer, now is a great time to reestablish comforting routines for your preschooler. Routines help children build self-confidence and independence, cope with transitions, and gain a better understanding of the world around them.
Our Links to Learning curriculum promotes students’ social and emotional development, which is necessary for following directions and demonstrating self-control. Our teachers focus on the importance of healthy living and safety routines in the Wellness component of our curriculum.
Here are some examples of ways we establish routines in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: Naptime gives children an opportunity to recharge and reboot. Our toddlers transition from napping in cribs to napping in cots. Teachers schedule naps at the same time and in the same area of the classroom every day. Soothing music is played to help toddlers wind down.
At home: Talk with your child’s teacher about the naptime routine at school. Minimize naptime battles by attempting to maintain the same routine at home.
Recommended reading: Naptime by Elizabeth Verdick
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to learn basic self-help skills such as dressing themselves. Our Beginner students practice snaps and zippers, and are encouraged to complete basic sequences like putting on socks before shoes.
At home: Offer your child a choice during routines in order to increase his interest in the activity. For example, lay out two outfit options for him to wear. Allow him to choose the outfit he prefers. Give him ample time to dress himself before offering assistance. Praise every attempt.
Recommended reading: Let’s Get Dressed by Caroline Church
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Teachers focus on the importance of sleep in the Wellness component of our curriculum. Students read and act out We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen. They discuss why the bear was sleeping, and why sleep is important.
At home: Create a bedtime routine for your child. For example, bathe, brush teeth, read a story, go to sleep. Follow the same sequence of events at the same time and in the same order every night.
Recommended reading: The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older students follow an arrival routine at the start of every school day. They sign themselves in, say goodbye to their parents, and put away their belongings. Students learn rhymes and songs to help remind themselves what to do when they enter the classroom.
At home: Mornings are critical for setting the tone for a successful and positive day. Establish a morning routine for your child with a maximum of four steps. For example, get dressed, brush hair, brush teeth, eat breakfast.
Recommended reading: Waking Up is Hard to Do by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield
Following routines helps children develop the habits of responsibility that will be crucial for their future success and well-being. Kindergarten students are expected to follow instructions, listen to their teacher and complete specific tasks. By setting routines in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
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August News
The summer is just flying by! We have been having so much fun in camp this summer it is hard to believe that school is just around the corner. We still have a whole lot of fun in store for our final few weeks of camp and as teachers we are eagerly awaiting the start of a new school year.
School starts this year on August 31st due to the lateness of the Labor Day holiday. This will be the day that everyone will be joining their new classes for the fall. The younger children will be transitioning the week prior to help them to adjust to their new rooms. Kindergarten Orientation is on Friday, the 28th and and has been moved to 8:30 as some of our campers have a field trip that day and we do not want them to miss the bus. If you have any questions about the upcoming transitions please be sure to stop by my office.
If there are any other questions or concerns please be sure to stop by the office. My door is always open.
Karen
Important Dates
8-11 Great Bog Planet Show
8-25 Bookmobile
8- 26 Sam Sandler Magic Show 10:00a.m.
8-28 Kindergarten Orientation 8:30 to 9:30
8-24 to 8-27 Transition Week for Infant through Intermediates
Reminders
Water Bottles – Please bring a water bottle each day to help keep the kids hydrated now that the weather is warm. Also, Please be sure to fill them with water ONLY. Water bottles must be taken home each night to be properly washed and refilled.
Sunscreen – Please be sure to apply sunscreen at home before school. We will reapply in the afternoon provided that you have filled out the appropriate form.
Spare Clothes – Be sure that your child’s extra clothes are weather appropriate and the correct size.
Shoes – For the safety of the children proper footwear is required. Please be sure that shoes fit properly and have closed toes and backs.
Education
Reestablishing Routines for Your Preschooler
Maintaining Order & Staying on Track
As we reach the end of summer, now is a great time to reestablish comforting routines for your preschooler. Routines help children build self-confidence and independence, cope with transitions, and gain a better understanding of the world around them.
Our Links to Learning curriculum promotes students’ social and emotional development, which is necessary for following directions and demonstrating self-control. Our teachers focus on the importance of healthy living and safety routines in the Wellness component of our curriculum.
Here are some examples of ways we establish routines in the classroom, as well as ideas for you and your child to do at home.
TODDLERS (ages 1-2):
In the classroom: Naptime gives children an opportunity to recharge and reboot. Our toddlers transition from napping in cribs to napping in cots. Teachers schedule naps at the same time and in the same area of the classroom every day. Soothing music is played to help toddlers wind down.
At home: Talk with your child’s teacher about the naptime routine at school. Minimize naptime battles by attempting to maintain the same routine at home.
Recommended reading: Naptime by Elizabeth Verdick
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: Around age two, children begin to learn basic self-help skills such as dressing themselves. Our Beginner students practice snaps and zippers, and are encouraged to complete basic sequences like putting on socks before shoes.
At home: Offer your child a choice during routines in order to increase his interest in the activity. For example, lay out two outfit options for him to wear. Allow him to choose the outfit he prefers. Give him ample time to dress himself before offering assistance. Praise every attempt.
Recommended reading: Let’s Get Dressed by Caroline Church
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Teachers focus on the importance of sleep in the Wellness component of our curriculum. Students read and act out We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen. They discuss why the bear was sleeping, and why sleep is important.
At home: Create a bedtime routine for your child. For example, bathe, brush teeth, read a story, go to sleep. Follow the same sequence of events at the same time and in the same order every night.
Recommended reading: The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
PRE-K/PRE-K 2 (ages 4-5):
In the classroom: Our older students follow an arrival routine at the start of every school day. They sign themselves in, say goodbye to their parents, and put away their belongings. Students learn rhymes and songs to help remind themselves what to do when they enter the classroom.
At home: Mornings are critical for setting the tone for a successful and positive day. Establish a morning routine for your child with a maximum of four steps. For example, get dressed, brush hair, brush teeth, eat breakfast.
Recommended reading: Waking Up is Hard to Do by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield
Following routines helps children develop the habits of responsibility that will be crucial for their future success and well-being. Kindergarten students are expected to follow instructions, listen to their teacher and complete specific tasks. By setting routines in the preschool years, your child will be better prepared as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education