April 2014
The children have really been enjoying their developing friendships and stretching their imaginations. We’ve been playing with rhyming words, watching for signs of spring and exploring our five senses. The children really enjoy sharing their ideas at circle time and practicing writing and drawing. They have all grown so much since the beginning of the school year!
Please continue to send boots and snow pants (or rain pants) with your child. With the weather warming up we’ll continue to go out every day and our playground can be muddy. A second outdoor layer protects pants and allows children to comfortably sit on the ground and dig in the sandbox.
April is a short month, but we have a lot going on! We will be having special person’s night on Wednesday & Thursday, April 9th & 10th from 6:30-7:30pm. These evenings allow each student to bring in one special person who doesn’t otherwise have the chance to visit TCNS. Children can bring a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or other special adult friend. We’ll have a special project, circle time and snack. Children really enjoy showing their special people around school and introducing their friends. Siblings will have their own special evening later in the year.
Next year’s registration forms were in cubbies the last week. Please return your registration forms before the April break. Let me know if you have any questions about registration. You only need to turn in the form and $50 registration fee. The remaining June 2015 tuition can be paid at the end of this year.
Spring break is April 14-21! There will be no school that week. Hopefully the weather will be beautiful and we can all get outside and enjoy the spring!
Our next parent meeting will be Tuesday, April 29th at 6 pm. We’ll have pizza again and we’ve invited a kindergarten teacher to join us to answer questions about kindergarten expectations and the transition.
Fundraising: There’s still time to join Giving Ground CSA! Remember, TCNS will receive a donation for every friend & family share. We’re collecting clothing for our Gemm Shop fundraiser this month and our rummage sale will be the end of May. Bring in the results of your spring cleaning to benefit TCNS!
Scholastic orders: parents can order books online anytime & not pay shipping – just let us know that you placed an order and Jackie will process it. We’ll probably do a final order toward the end of May to allow families to stock up for summer reading.
Please take a few minutes to do the online parent survey and teacher evaluations. We understand it can seem like a lot of work, but we really do appreciate all your input and try to incorporate suggestions when possible. If you feel more comfortable jotting down ideas, please do so and put them in the survey box.
Preschool Activities: This month we’ll be talking more about spring, birds, and eggs. We’re starting the month reading Alphabet Mystery by Audrey and Bruce Wood. We’ll also read And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, When Blue Met Egg by , Tilly Lays an Egg by Terry Golson, and Waddles by David McPhail. We’ll make seed sculpture, garden stakes, decorate eggs and birds, and make spring tree pictures.
Terrific Twos: Welcome spring! Or rather, welcome mud! In our classroom, we will create spring! We will dive into spring books: It’s Spring!, The Golden Egg, Home For A Bunny, Little Chicks Mothers And All Others. Look for rainbows, buds on trees, seeds sprouting, robins, worms and sunshine. And outside we will search for all these and more. Remember, boots and snow pants still keep our little bodies clean on our playground.
Fine Motor Skill Activities: below are some fun ideas to help improve fine motor strength and control without the pressure of “writing”
Play with chopsticks, tweezers & mini-tongs. Try picking up and moving small items. Increase difficulty by dropping items in a jar with a small opening.
Play with eye-droppers, basters & small sprayers.
Beading, lacing, sewing, weaving
Play with nuts & bolts
Scratch art, etching, rubbings, tracing, mazes
Use spring clothespins to hang up clothes or pick up objects
Play with dough & clay. Encourage your child to roll small balls between thumb & finger
Knead dough, roll meatballs, decorate cookies – spread sprinkles by pinching between fingers
Draw, paint & write on vertical surfaces to increase wrist and shoulder strength
Five little duckies went swimming one day, over the pond and far away
Mama duck said, “Quack, quack, quack!”
But only four little duckies came back.
Four little duckies went swimming one day….
Three little duckies….
Two little duckies…
One little ducky went swimming one day, over the pond and far away
Daddy duck said, “QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!”
And all five little duckies came swimming right back.
Trumansburg Community Nursery School 