Practice Preschool - Shel Silverstein Week 1

Week 1

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 14 "Adam & Eve..." (5 min)

Talk about how Adam & Even were the first people on the Earth. Explain that they were created in God's image and we are too, as their descendants. 

• Introduce Shel Silverstein (5 min)

Talk about how Shel Silverstein wrote poems--which are like short stories, songs, and plays. He also drew cartoons.  Shel Silverstein began drawing when he was seven years old! He also lived on a boat for nearly ten years of his life. 

• "Sick" poem from Where the Sidewalk Ends (5 min)

Read the poem and talk about being sick as well as telling the truth. Might be good to connect it to The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Take this time as well to remind students of germs and proper handwashing. If desired, sing "The Handwashing Song" from Healthy Habits theme. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's tip: Make something together! It's fun to do that occasionally.

• Free Play (15-20 min)

Read/display the poem, "Eighteen Flavors", Where the Sidewalk Ends. Setup an ice cream parlor in dramatic play or make ice cream dough (mixture of inexpensive hair conditioner and cornstarch). Have other poems by Shel Silverstein out for children to look at. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Science) "Snowball" (5-10 min)

Read the poem, "Snowball" from Falling Up. 

If snow is available, conduct the following experiment: Melting Magic. Gather three identical jars/glasses. Fill the first with water (this will be your control), fill the second with ice cubes, and pack the third with snow (or have the students pack it in). Have students guess which jar will have the most water. Let jars melt, then observe!

If snow is not available, conduct the following experiment: Exploding Snowman. Draw a snowman face on a Ziploc sandwich bag. Wrap three teaspoons (or one tablespoon) of baking soda in a paper towel or tissue and place in bag. Pour one-two cups of white vinegar in the bag and seal quickly!! Stand back and observe (best to conduct this experiment outdoors or in a bathtub.)

•  Boa Constrictor! (5 min)

Act out/sing the poem, "Boa Constrictor", Where the Sidewalk Ends. 

• Painting! (5-10 min)

Read "We're Out of Paint, so..." Falling Up. Make a class alphabet book with different foods. Let children paint with watercolor, finger paints, etc. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Homemade Lunch-ables. Rowan often requests a "Lunch-able". All it takes is pieces of lunch meat, cheese, and a few crackers!

• Free Play (10-15 min)

Place ice cubes and water colors in the sensory bin. Add droppers, teaspoons, scoops, etc. Place other toys/objects out as an alternative option.

Food-Free Date Ideas

To me, our culture is over-saturated with food and food-related activities. Whenever I search date ideas, the vast majority are related to food or "getting a treat". It's interesting to reflect: How do you celebrate? Does it involve food? Or is it more about quality time with loved ones? Spending money? Food ;) for thought!

In her book, The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin says, "Every couple should have an indoor game, and an outdoor game." For Jared and I, our indoor game is Tetris and our outdoor game is frisbee golf. 

What are yours?

A few ideas for you to try out are:

Indoor
Cozy Cards
Choose a card game (Clubs, Five Crowns, Rage, Monopoly Deal, etc.) and play it together in a comfortable place. The loser of the round has to take off an article of clothing ;) Play until one person has no more clothes on, or the both of you can't take it anymore and it leads to something else....;)

Romantic Read-Aloud
Read a book aloud together, alternate voice each chapter. Alternately, listen to an audio book. Discuss book as you go, if desired. Switch between non-fiction and fiction choices after each book.

Desert Star Date
If you're anywhere near Desert Star Playhouse (Murray, Utah), definitely attend! Their shows make for great dates. If not, attend a play/concert/comedy/live show elsewhere!

Mute and Make-out
Place anything you're doing on hold, and squeeze your spouse/significant other. Everything else can wait! Get close and cozy. A dose of physical touch will do both of you good :)

Painting as a Pair
Attend a paint night as a couple! If there are none in your area or for a cheaper option, follow a tutorial on YouTube by Angela Anderson. 

Outdoor
Healthy Hike
Find hikes in your area of varying difficulty and venture out to blaze the new trails (new to you!) Bring a picnic dinner and put away electronics. 

Frisbee Golf & Fresh Air
Most cities have frisbee golf courses. You can find discs at Walmart relatively cheap! Do as many or as few holes as you'd like!

Dollar Store Date
Decide on a spending limit ($2-$5 per person) and part ways. Each of you spends the specified amount on the other person as a gift (favorite things) or for fun (movie treats, silly games, etc.) for the night. 

Tennis for Two
Take up tennis, or other sport of your choice, and play together! If you don't know how to play, learn! Learn together :) Ping-pong, bowling, or biking are also good options.

Earthy Exploration
Explore the neighborhood, city, state, or country in which you live. Travel near and far together. Make memories, take pictures, record the experience. 

If you've read this far, congrats! Also, thank you! If you're determined to still incorporate food, I get you :) Moderation in all things, right!? 

Here are my favorite food dates:

Food (double standard, I know ;))
Recipe & Review
Research a new recipe and create it together. Give it a review according to a pre-determined rubric you create. Another option is sampling all the ice cream/burgers/your choice in town and ranking them together.

Bake Blindfolded
For this date, one person selects a recipe and the other person dons a blindfold. The person with the recipe then guides the other person (with lots of touching) into making it! Bonus points if the blindfolded person guesses what you're making. 

Progressive Palette
Make different courses or visit different places for different parts of your meal. For example, drinks at Jamba Juice, salad at Zupas, sandwiches at Jersey Mike's, and dessert at Coldstone. 

Door Dash
Arrange for Door Dash to deliver your spouse's favorite treat. 

Movie Magic
Build up a stash of movie treats. Watch a movie together and select a favorite from the stash!

Fresh Fruit Pizza
Make a fruit pizza together! It's slightly healthier than other options ;) 

Fun Fry-date
Get fries together on a Friday for a Fry-date :D Rank them, if desired, as suggested in Recipe & Review date idea.

Practice Preschool - Playful Perspectives Week 4

Week 4

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 13 "I am Thankful for Birds and Insects" (5 min)

Sing, Baby Bumblebee, Itsy Bitsy Spider, or a song about birds. Talk about why we need birds and insects as well as how to treat them with kindness.

• Positional Concepts (5 min)

Talk about position words (beside, on, under, between, etc.) and do a group sort with pictures. 

• View from the window! (5 min)

*Materials:
-Square paper, pencil, crayons

*Instructions
Give each child a square piece of paper to represent the window. Have them draw what they see. If you wanted, you could extend this by doing the view out of a submarine window, an airplane window, etc. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's tip: Ants on a log. I'm sure this is a repeat, but it's always a good one! Especially during this perspective theme.

• Show and Tell (20 min)

Have children bring in an item for show and tell. If none/very few items are brought in, you can share a few items, or do free play.

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Math) "Chutes and Ladders" (5-10 min)

Play the board game Chutes and Ladders. Talk about perspective to reinforce theme: perspective from up on a ladder/slide, perspective of winner/loser, etc. 

•  Wiggle Break! (5 min)

Sing, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes". Do the actions at varying speeds. Try to do it backwards as well. If you wanted, you could even teach the Spanish version.

• Story Art Time! (5 min)

Read, "A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni. Have children decorate chameleons. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Carrot sticks. Experiment with different dips (ranch, hummus, etc.)

• Free Play/All About Me (15-20 min)

Take turns getting to know each child from their perspective--their likes/dislikes, etc. 

Practice Preschool - Playful Perspectives Week 3

Week 3

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 12 "I am Thankful for Animals" (5 min)

Sing a song about animals (Farm song, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.). Talk about Noah's Ark and why we need animals. 

• Others' Point of View (5 min)

Read "The Grouchy Ladybug" by Eric Carle. After reading, talk about emotions and how to practice seeing from another's perspective.   

• Make a Paper Flower Garden (5-10 min)

*Materials:
-Green Crepe Paper, scissors, colored paper, tape

*Instructions
Measure each child, or member of the family, using the green crepe paper. Attach to the wall as the "stem". Have that child make a flower for the top. You'll end up with a few different flowers at different heights representing each child. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's tip: Dried fruit -- banana chips, craisins, coconut, papaya, mango, etc. 

• Free Play (15-20 min)

Setup dramatic play as a school, or any other profession, and have the children take on those roles. Assorted toys for free choice, books with varying perspectives/ethnicities/cultures, puzzles, etc. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Engineering) "Bridges" (5 min)

Using plastic cups and fat craft sticks, have children build bridges from one obstacle to another. Talk about elements of a sturdy bridge and sing all verses of "London Bridges".

•  Space Perspective! (5 min)

Sing, "Zoom, Zoom" and talk about how different life would be in space.
(Place palms together and move them up and down to make a swishing sound)

Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going really soon
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon
Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going really soon
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLAST OFF!

• Senses (5 min)

Read, "Seven Blind Mice" and talk about how life would be without one of your five senses. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Make homemade lemonade or another fun beverage! Remind children to be hydrated. Serve with crackers, or have a little "tea" party!

• Free Play (20 min)

Setup a paper rocket in dramatic play, or leave the school/other profession from earlier in the week. Role play, read, set out blocks, encourage imaginative play. 

Practice Preschool - Playful Perspectives Week 2

Week 2

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 11 "I am Thankful for Fish" (5 min)

Sing Five Little Speckled Frogs or 1 little, 2 little, 3 little fish. Share the story about Jonah and the Whale. 

• Round Trip (5 min)

Read "Round Trip" by Ann Jonas. This book is neat because you read it through, turn it upside down and read it through again! Completely different book using the same pictures--upside down. Talk about seeing the world in different ways.   

•  Aerial View Art (5 min)

The most common object for this project is a snowman. Depending on the season, however, you could substitute other objects/animals/insects.

*Materials: Paper, crayons, glue.

Talk about how things appear differently depending on where you're looking from. Explain how a snowman (or insert substitute) would look from up above. If possible, use a tangible decorative snowman as an example. Recreate with materials.

• Snack (5 min)

Today's tip: If you're running your own preschool or are frequently having other children join, have parents send in snacks for all -- it can add up!

• Free Play (20 min)

Big and small cars, community helpers dress up, dollhouses (Rowan loves these :O), scissor practice, role play with any current conflicts/social skills that need practice, fine motor/gross motor, etc. Field trip, magnetic toys (I recommend Connectix), various books laid out.

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Technology) "Sight Tools" (5 min)

Using mirrors up against foreheads, have children draw on paper and see how tricky it is. Take a sight walk with binoculars (homemade with toilet paper rolls work great!) Look through Kaleidoscopes, telescopes, camera zoom, etc. 

•  Perspectives from Higher Ground (5 min)

Sing, "The Bear went over the Mountain" and talk about what the bear might have seen from up high. Additional verses you may not have heard before:

The bear crossed over the river

The bear went through a forest

The bear climbed up a tree. (In this last verse, you combine all three and say that all the bear could see was the forest, river, and mountain)

• How to Be a Dog (5 min)

Read, "How to Be a Dog" by Jo Williamson. Talk about what it would be like to wake up as a dog for a day!

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Rowan loves animal crackers! Graham crackers are a good option as well. Drink some milk as well, and talk about strong, healthy bones!

• Free Play (20 min)

Dot-to-dot number page, sidewalk chalk, cars with ramps, a box of recycled material for creating, sensory bins, etc. 

Practice Preschool - Playful Perspectives Week 1

Lots of literature in this week's lesson plans :) We are frequent fliers at our library! I placed these books on hold in preparation for this week. Substitute books/activities as needed. 

This month's theme, as well as next month's theme, were themes I created as a student teacher at USU. Unfortunately, I can't find the digital files for the exact lesson plans I used and the hard copies are buried in a box in the garage since we live with family right now...I'll find them eventually! Hopefully before the month is over. 

Week 1

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 10 "I am Thankful for Trees, Plants, and Flowers" (5 min)

Sing the following lyrics to the tune of "Once There was a Snowman": I can plant a tree, tree, tree . . .water it and watch it grow . . . tall, tall, tall. Talk about how nature blesses our lives and name fruits that grow on trees, gardens, animals that live in trees, and favorite vegetables/flowers. Practice saying a prayer of gratitude for these things. 

• View of a bug (5 min)

Read "Hey Little Ant" by Phillip Hoose and talk about what it would be like to be an ant in the world. Sing, "The Ants Go Marching".   

• Make a Book! (5 min)

*Materials:

-Paper, scissors

*Instructions

Fold your paper in half (hamburger style), in half again, and in half one last time. Open paper back to hamburger and cut a line from the fold to the middle. Open paper entirely and fold in half (hot dog style this time). Push sides together until they meet, then fold so you have a "book". Fill it with pictures of opposites, your child's current interests, nature, or anything you can think of! 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's tip: Anything from nature! Carrots, apples, celery, broccoli (little trees), etc. A fun dessert could be "Worms and Dirt" cups :)

• Free Play (20 min)

Big and small cars, community helpers dress up, dollhouses (Rowan loves these :O), scissor practice, role play with any current conflicts/social skills that need practice, fine motor/gross motor, etc. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Science) "Up Above and Down Below" (5 min)

Read the book, "Up Above and Down Below" by Sue Redding

Talk about how perspectives vary based on where you're at in the world. Go on a walk and then spend some time in the dirt exploring! Bring binoculars, a shovel, a magnifying glass, and anything else you can think of to reinforce the theme. 

•  More Opposites! (5 min)

Sing, "This is Big, Big, Big" song:

This is big big big (arms out to side)
This is small small small (cup hands together)
This is short short short (hold hands with palms facing each other)
This is tall tall tall (reach one hand above head)
This is fast fast fast (circle fists quickly)
This is slow slow slow (circle fists slowly)
This is yes yes yes (nod)
This is no no no (shake head)

• Zoom (5 min)

Read, "Zoom" by Isvan Banyai. This book is what inspired this theme, many years ago. A seminary teacher shared it in a lesson one day. There's no words in the book so you're actually just looking at the pictures but it's fascinating! Each page "zooms out" a bit as far as what you're seeing. Eventually you see the whole Earth on the page. 

Talk about how you live in a home, on a street, in a city, in a state, in a country, on a continent, on the Earth. An abstract concept for a young age, but a good thing to introduce! Show child a globe, if you have one.  

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Popcorn is a healthy snack! Try switching it up with adding some cinnamon!

• Free Play (20 min)

Visit a tall building or a place with many windows and talk about the view. Ask child questions while people watching/observing the world. My favorite question we asked at USU was, "What do you think the [college] students have in their backpacks?" One student said, "Blocks" :D Haha! 

Draw or print out a picture, cut it into squares, and have your child color what is on the square. Ask them questions about what it could be. Choose a picture that is large enough that the squares aren't discernable on their own. Put it back together after you've colored all the squares (spread it out over a few days/weeks for added mystery). 

S'mores Season

But let's be real, it's ALWAYS s'more season :D Obviously, the classic s'more is the BEST (although substituting a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup for the Hershey's Chocolate Squares is awesome too!)  Usually I eat about six in a siting :O I consider myself a s'mores connoisseur :D I LOVE s'mores, and as such, have tried many, many, many s'mores related foods. I have a shirt that says, "I only go camping for the s'mores" ;) Haha!

I decided to rank my ten top favorite s'mores treats. Part of my criteria is that it has to taste like s'mores--just because something has s'mores components, doesn't mean it's s'mores. At the end of this post, I list other s'mores treats I've tried that didn't make the list of ten. For reference: 1 is least favorite, 10 is most favorite. 

1. S'mores Cupcakes: I say least favorite, but if it made the list of ten, it's not the worst. I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate cake but I do eat it occasionally. The type of s'mores cupcake I've tried was chocolate with marshmallow crème in the middle. There was also a graham cracker crust on the bottom of the cupcake, along with graham cracker crumbs and toasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate frosting. It looked similar to the one pictured below. I should venture more into baked s'mores creations and would love to try Brette's s'mores cake from Hobble Creek Cake Co. (also pictured below). Link to her website embedded in photo.

 

2. S'mores Oreos: To me, these s'mores Oreos tasted very similar to their gingerbread flavored Oreos and their golden Oreos. Also, the "marshmallow" part is just white frosting...not marshmallow-y tasting. I ate one cookie and didn't crave another. I do love Oreos though, so they're worthy of the list by that alone! Haha.

3. S'mores Hot Chocolate, Stephen's: This was just "alright". Not super great, not super bad. You get a hint of graham cracker flavor but, other than that, it's just like regular hot chocolate with marshmallows. 

4. S'mores Poptarts: I loved how the pastry was soft graham cracker, rather than their regular pastry they use--it had a really great flavor and texture! The filling tasted like something else I've tried but I can't put my finger on it...Basically, it tastes how you would expect a s'mores Poptart filling to taste.

5. S'more Pie: This recipe was created by Portlandia Pie Lady (link embedded in image). I have made it several times! It's great for summer time--I usually make it for the 4th of July. It's a pretty rich pie so it goes a long way, unless you're me! Haha. Also, numbers 5-10 was where it got REALLY hard to narrow down. Pictures: Left, Portlandia Pie Lady Right, the one I made. 

6. S'mores "Krispie" Treats: I put "Krispies" in quotes because they're not made from Rice Krispies but they are a similar concept...and, as a society, brand names are often substituted for nouns/verbs  (Q-tips instead of cotton swabs, Kleenex instead of tissues, Google it instead of look it up, Xerox instead of Copy, etc.) I digress. To make these, you simply break graham crackers into chunks (coarsely rather than fine crumbs), coat with melted marshmallows (like you do with Rice Krispie Treats) and toss in some chocolate chips (recipe linked in image). 

In this picture, they use Hershey Bars, but I prefer chocolate chips. Also, I've seen a version of this with Golden Grahams Cereal but I personally do not like Golden Grahams. To me, they are fake graham crackers...but it's all personal preference!

7. S'more Cups: These are SO good and SO simple! I've been making these for about ten years now. I'll just include the recipe right here. You're welcome ;)

S'more Cups:

Ingredients:

7 Whole Graham Crackers, finely crushed

1/4 c. powdered sugar

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

4 bars (1.55 oz.) milk chocolate candy (Hershey's)

12 large marshmallows

Instructions:

Make graham cracker crust by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Place 1 Tbsp. in each cup of mini muffin pan. Press down. Bake 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees. Place one chocolate square in each cup. Place half a marshmallow (I cut mine with kitchen shears) in each. Bake 1-2 minutes. Let cool. If desired, dip in melted chocolate. Enjoy!

I've also made these using chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. 

I found this picture on Facebook, taken 10 years ago!! S'more cups on my cheap college dishes :D I'm sure you can Google a better picture but this is great for nostalgia. 

8. S'more Cookies: I found this recipe on Pinterest and because of it, created a whole Pinterest board dedicated to s'mores. These were SO good! I haven't made them nearly as often as I should. I have brought them to many-a-potluck in the past. The picture doesn't do them justice, especially since I've ranked them as #8. I've embedded the link in the picture for their recipe--they are seriously SO good!! 

9. "S'more" Pinwheels: These are the first treat that don't actually have s'more in their name...I just put it there. My mom used to buy these for picnics growing up. They are the perfect s'more!! Also, they're store-bought, so no prep on your part! Very convenient for any s'more lover when you need to get your fix. The bottom of the cookie is a graham cracker layer, then marshmallows, and all covered in chocolate. You can find these at most grocery stores and the off-brand are just great! I recommend buying them at Walmart or Winco. 

10. Graham Canyon Ice Cream: Finally! The best, my favorite, all-time-best "s'mores" dessert in my opinion is Graham Canyon Ice Cream (another one without s'more in the name...) from BYU creamery. You can also purchase it where BYU creamery ice cream is sold (Deseret Bookstores in Utah County, grocery stores near BYU, etc.) I didn't go to BYU, I went to USU (Go Aggies!) so this may flag me as a traitor, but I'm willing to accept that risk because this ice cream is THAT good!! Most ice creams fail at the s'more concept because they just don't taste like a s'more. The base flavor for this one is graham cracker ice cream (to die for!! Also, so smart! Rather than using chocolate or vanilla....this really pulls in the s'more flavor for me) with graham cracker crumbles in it. It also has chocolate covered honeycomb candy--SO good. Just top it with a few marshmallows, and BOOM, s'more perfection.

I'm curious what your rankings would be on the s'mores products you've tried! Email me at jenbanks16@gmail.com to let me know :) 

Also, other s'more products I've tried: 

-S'more trail mix (this would be great if the marshmallows didn't get stale...)

-S'more Goldfish (I like these except for the marshmallow bits...I'm not a huge fan of the cereal marshmallows they use in Lucky Charms and these are just like those. I like them occasionally but I don't put them in the same category as "marshmallows").

-S'mores Granola Bars (more of the same reasons...)

-S'more Pops (good, but not great marshmallow/graham cracker/chocolate ratio)

Practice Preschool - Healthy Habits Week 4 (Eating Healthy)

Week 4: Eating Healthy (FYI, other weeks were exercise/sleep, germs, teeth--feel free to change order to suit your needs)

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 9 "I am Thankful for Water" (2-3 min)

Talk about how water is important. Discuss uses for water: drinking, bathing, washing, watering outdoors, swimming, baptism, sacrament, etc. 

• Healthy Food Sort (5 min)

Print out/draw pictures of food or use play food to sort food into food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy, Grains, Meats. Sort them on a chart or in containers. 

• Eat a Rainbow (2-3 min)

Talk about how colorful fruit and vegetables are. Draw a rainbow and name a fruit/vegetable for each color. If desired, sample fruits/vegetables in place of snack idea below :)

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Goldfish crackers! Remember to have child practice counting to solidify one-to-one correspondence.

• STEAM Lesson (Math) "Shape Matching" (5-10 min)

I recently bought a fun, new activity! You match the frosting to the cupcake (see below) by using the shape that is cut into it. Substitute with another shape activity or make your own shape matching game! Talk briefly about shape attributes, or sing songs about shapes. Rowan likes the "Shape Song" by Cocomelon. Go on a shape scavenger hunt!

• Free Play (25-30 min)

Make a food collage of your child's favorite foods, do a seed exploration, make a paper green salad for a craft, setup a pretend grocery store, make a paper book about healthy foods, read books, sing songs, make a grocery list, make lunch together, etc. Connection is the goal. 

Day 2

•  Grocery Store Field Trip 

I work at Macey's grocery store part-time currently. Because of this, it will be very easy to take a tour of the grocery store and go "behind the scenes" in the backrooms of several departments. Even if you don't have a grocery store connection, I know many grocery stores are willing to let groups go on a tour! Be sure to call ahead of time to discuss details and your expectations for the field trip. I highly recommend Macey's! You may even get a treat at the end ;) Talk about each part of the grocery store and why they are important. 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Have a snack at the grocery store! Emphasize healthy choices. 

Practice Preschool - Healthy Habits Week 3 (Teeth)

When someone asks Rowan what he's learning about in preschool, he's so used to our music theme that he replies, "instruments". Haha! Maybe by the time next month's theme starts, he'll start saying, "healthy bodies".

One afternoon last week, he thanked me randomly for doing preschool with him that morning. It was so precious! One of those moments that makes everything worth it.  

Week 3: Teeth (FYI, future weeks will be exercise/sleep, germs, eating healthy--subject to change)

**Follow up from Week 2: Prior to this week, we placed a slice of bread in three different Ziploc bags, using tongs. We labeled the first bag: Control, the second bag: Dirty, and the third bag: Clean. We left the first bag/slice untouched. With the second slice, we touched the bread--we even wiped it on a few surfaces. Finally, we washed our hands really well, then touched the slice in the third bag. This lent itself to a great lesson on germs and why it's important to wash our hands, even when they don't "look" dirty.

The "control" only had a spot of mold where the tongs touched it--I guess even our tongs weren't squeaky clean :O And a little bit on the side as well. The "dirty" bag had a ton of mold. The "clean" bag had a much smaller amount of mold. Pretty neat stuff! It worked really well! 

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 8 "I am Thankful for Day and Night" (2-3 min)

Talk about how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created the day and the night. Discuss reasons why each are important. This is a great time to also introduce opposites.

• Review/Sing: "The Handwashing Song" (3 min)

Briefly review handwashing and take a look at the "germs" on the pieces of bread from last week. Point out that clean and dirty are opposites. Sing the handwashing song again. I changed the lyrics at the end a tiny bit so they repeat.

Rowan and I have had great fun singing the song together while washing our hands!!

I've mentioned "Jbrary" before as a great resource for songs. They have a wonderful Handwashing Song that includes actions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJhWl1LLz5Q

It's to the tune of "Frere Jacques":

Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms, 

in between, in between.

Scrub them all together, scrub them all together, 

now they're clean, now they're clean. 

Repeat

• Elephant Toothpaste (5 min)

This is one of those activities that was very impressionable for me when I student-taught in the laboratory preschool at USU. A simple google search provides many examples and recipes but the gist is that you create the illusion of elephant toothpaste in this experiment with a mason jar and a few simple ingredients. 

*Materials

-Hydrogen Peroxide

-Yeast

-Water

-Dish Soap

-Food Coloring (optional)

-Mason Jar

-Cookie sheet/large container (to keep area clean)

After following the directions to create this substance, it looks like it's being squeezed out of the mason jar as if it's really big toothpaste. Make the connection to opposites, again, by pointing out that elephants are big and talking about how small is the opposite. 

• Snack Craft (5-10 min) 

Today's tip: The snack today is also a fine motor activity! We made Fruit Loop necklaces by stringing the cereal on dental floss :D Get it? Toothcare this week ;) We talked about how fruit loops aren't fruit, but they remind us of fruits and we also talked about flossing and why it's important. 

Length of time varies based on number of fruit loops you use. We used 20 and it took awhile. Rowan kept asking if it was time to eat them. Very good practice for young ones (both the fine motor development and the patience!) Resist the urge to quickly complete the task for your child--hands on practice is the best way to learn.  

• Free Play (20-30 min)

Go outside and use sidewalk chalk--how can you use the chalk to show what you've learned? (Hopscotch for exercise, germ monsters, a nice smile for healthy teeth, fruits and veggies, etc.) Visit a dentists office or have a dentist as a guest. Practice flossing. Sort pictures of foods that are good for your teeth and bad for your teeth (opposites!) Dry erase markers on Styrofoam egg cartons. Make teeth with white playdough. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Art) "Stamping" (5-10min)

This month's theme is healthy bodies--science based. Because there are only four weeks, I will skip the "S", science and won't have an explicit science lesson but will incorporate it in. Fortunately, there's also a lot of overlap in many STEAM lessons/activities. 

It's becoming a lost art, but I love stamping!! Buy stamps or make your own using potatoes or apples. Dip in paint or use an ink pad if you have stamps. I have foam stampers that are the letters of the alphabet. Have fun creating!

•  Brushing Teeth Demonstration (5 min)

I recently bought an inexpensive, giant toothbrush on Amazon (~$7) in anticipation of this week's semi-topic. This will be perfect for a demonstration on a stuffed animal; try to find one where the mouth is open--I'm planning to use a Muppet. Even if you don't have a giant toothbrush, any will do! Show child proper teeth washing techniques and talk about why it's important to brush teeth. We like to refer to things in our teeth as "sugar bugs" in our family. They like to hide in our mouths and they're pretty sneaky! But they're no match for our toothbrush and toothpaste!

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: I've seen a cute mouth snack on Pinterest where you spread peanut butter on apple slices and place marshmallows on top as the teeth :D

• Free Play (20-30 min)

Go outside and use sidewalk chalk--how can you use the chalk to show what you've learned? (Hopscotch for exercise, germ monsters, a nice smile for healthy teeth, fruits and veggies, etc.) Visit a dentists office or have a dentist as a guest. Practice flossing. Sort pictures of foods that are good for your teeth and bad for your teeth (opposites!) Dry erase markers on Styrofoam egg cartons. Make teeth with white playdough. 

Practice Preschool - Healthy Habits Week 2 (Germs)

Week 2: Germs (FYI, future weeks will be exercise/sleep, eating healthy, teeth/overall body hygiene--subject to change)

**Prep for Week 2: Prior to this week, place a slice of bread in three different Ziploc bags, using tongs. Label the first bag: Control, the second bag: Dirty, and the third bag: Clean. Leave the first bag/slice untouched. With the second slice, have child(ren) touch the bread--even wipe it on a few surfaces. Finally, have the child(ren) wash hands really well, then touch the slice in the third bag. This lends itself to a great lesson on germs and why it's important to wash our hands, even when they don't "look" dirty.

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 7 "The Holy Ghost Helps Me" (5 min)

Sing "The Holy Ghost" in the LDS primary Children's songbook. Briefly describe the Holy Ghost and how he comforts us, and brings us light to help us know what is right. Compare the Holy Ghost to a blanket and use one to wrap your child in, if possible. Also use a flashlight to compare to the Holy Ghost.

•  Handwashing (5 min)

Follow up: Bring out the Ziploc bags with the prepared slices of bread and take note of the changes. Discuss how important it is to wash our hands. Talk about the steps of washing your hands, draw corresponding pictures if desired. 

Hands-on activity: Put glitter on child's hands and then have them wash their hands to get all the glitter off. Teach them to sing a song while they wash their hands. Talk about when they should especially wash their hands (bathroom, pets, tissues, outside, sore/cut, playing outside, etc.) 

• Sing: "The Handwashing Song" (2 min)

I've mentioned "Jbrary" before as a great resource for songs. They have a wonderful Handwashing Song that includes actions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJhWl1LLz5Q

It's to the tune of "Frere Jacques":

Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms, in between, in between.

Scrub them all together, scrub them all together, now we're clean, squeaky clean. 

Repeat

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Now that they've washed their hands, they're ready for any finger food!!

• Free Play (20 min)

Use a sensory bin and wash water-proof items (plastic dishes, inflated plastic gloves, toys, etc.) Dish soap in bowl with pepper experiment. Show pictures of viruses magnified. Put colored water in a spray bottle and spray it on a piece of paper to demonstrate a sneeze and how germs are spread--discuss proper ways to cover mouth. Practice using hand sanitizer. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Engineering) "Billy Goat Bridge" (10+ min)

This month's theme is healthy bodies--science based. Because there are only four weeks, I will skip the "S", science and won't have an explicit science lesson but will incorporate it in. Fortunately, there's also a lot of overlap in many STEAM lessons/activities. 

Read The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Printable version of story: https://www.yonkerspublicschools.org/cms/lib/NY01814060/Centricity/Domain/939/Three-Billy-Goats-Gruff.pdf)

Talk about what you might be afraid of if crossing a bridge. Build a bridge out of Legos, blocks, or recyclable materials. Idea from: http://momgineer.blogspot.com/2017/06/stem-tale-three-billy-goats-gruff-fairy.html

•  Germ Craft (5 min)

Design your own germ models out of Play-doh, paper, fabric, etc. An idea I especially liked was: Draw a hand on a white piece of paper, use a dropper to put some liquid watercolor on the hand, blow with a straw.

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Use marshmallows and toothpicks to build sweet-snack-structures. 

• Free Play (20 min)

See "Day 1" of this week for any ideas you may have missed. Talk about wearing face masks (thanks COVID?). Add in some role play for what to do if you're sick. Incorporate fine motor activities--pom, poms could be the "germs". Have a guest speaker such as a doctor, cleaner, etc. Create your own!

Practice Preschool - Healthy Habits Week 1 (Exercise and Sleep)

This is the first week of our healthy bodies theme! Ask your child what he/she has knows about taking care of our bodies as an introduction to this theme. You may be surprised! And if he/she doesn't know much, you know where to start or build from! 

Week 1: Exercise and Sleep (FYI, future weeks will be germs, eating healthy, teeth/overall body hygiene--subject to change)

**Prep for Week 2: Place a slice of bread in three different Ziploc bags, using tongs. Label the first bag: Control, the second bag: Dirty, and the third bag: Clean. Leave the first bag/slice untouched. With the second slice, have child(ren) touch the bread--even wipe it on a few surfaces. Finally, have the child(ren) wash hands really well, then touch the slice in the third bag. This lends itself to a great lesson on germs and why it's important to wash our hands, even when they don't "look" dirty.

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 6 "Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me" (5 min)

Sing " Heavenly Father Loves Me" (use visuals from Lesson 3, Making Music Week 3 blog post or from the Sunday Savers lesson manual for this lesson). 

Hold a mirror up for your child to look at themselves and remind them that Heavenly Father and Jesus love him/her very much.  

•  Brainstorm (5 min)

Make a list of healthy habits, or ways we can take care of our bodies, on your large sketchpad or on a poster board. Try to mention/highlight all the ones you'll be talking about this month. Draw a picture of an outline of a body as well to aide in discussion.

• "ABC Exercise Cards" (5 min)

Prepare cards or print them out after a simple google search. I have these from years ago :D Pull out cards from the stack at random and do the exercise together. Repeat as long as children are engaged.

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Quesadilla! Whole wheat tortilla, microwaved with cheese inside. Cut into triangles for bonus mini geometry lesson ;)

• Free Play (20 min)

Go to a place that involves exercising (swimming, trampoline park, bike ride, playground, gym, etc.), play Simon Says, giant parachute if you have one (and enough children), Go on a Bear Hunt song (Rowan's all-time fav!), Toe-Knee Chest-Nut song, Jumping Lines (tape on the ground, like hopscotch).

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Technology) "Apple Boats" (5-10 min)

This month's theme is healthy bodies--science based. Because there are only four weeks, I will skip the "S", science and won't have an explicit science lesson but will incorporate it in. Fortunately, there's also a lot of overlap in many STEAM lessons/activities. Today we will make apple boats and talk about how boats are technology because they are a tool that help you get from one place to another over water.

To incorporate or modify it for science, you could talk about sinking and floating. For engineering, you are "building" a boat. If you wanted to make it more of an art project, you could spend more work on the sails. Lastly, for math, you could compare and contrast different apple boats (varieties, sizes, shapes, etc.) on a chart/graph of some sort. See my point? :)

I chose apples because of our theme :) If it's fall when you do this, or even if it's not, there are MANY apple activities out there! Counting the seeds, apple painting, literacy extensions...just do a google search and you'll be overwhelmed. 

Instructions found here: 

https://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/apple-boats-stem/ 

•  Sleep (5 min)

Talk about how sleep and rest are important in keeping our bodies healthy. Talk about the bedtime routine and its importance. Sing "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed". Have "Pajama Day" at preschool :) 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Rowan loves having his snack in those small, Rubbermaid containers with the red lids. You can find so many fun containers at the dollar store as well! Perfect for portion control and for some reason, a fun container makes the snack inside so much more fun :D Side note: We bought those snack containers that have the floppy lids and didn't love them, so we converted them into bath toys :) Haha! Rowan loves them because they have handles and are perfect for dumping water out. There's always another use for things if you don't like them. Even if that "use" is giving them away.

• Free Play (20 min)

Read books about sleep (Goodnight Moon, Llama Llama Red Pajama, How do Dinosaurs say Goodnight?), compare/contrast day and night, put dolls to sleep, make a moon or design some pajamas on paper, etc. 

Vast Value

Input and output, consumption and creation, give and take...it has many names. Essentially, I'm talking about what value you're putting out into the world compared to what you're taking in. With nearly everything in life, there are pros and cons--the evolution/modernization of humans is no exception. There is a vast amount to consume in this day and age, especially when it comes to media. Hours upon hours of shows/movies, seemingly endless internet sites to browse, books/magazines/brochures of all kids to read, the list goes on and on. 

What are you creating to bring value to the world? Find your niche, put it all out there--both for your benefit and for the benefit of others. I enjoy baking, though that end product doesn't make it too far into the world ;) I create content for my personal podcast, A is for Adversity, and release an episode weekly. I design family photo books and have them printed regularly, and I write on this blog, occasionally, to name a few. 

If you're selling a product/service, does the price you receive reflect the depth of value you're giving? A wise woman once said to charge what you're worth (reflecting my level of education, experience, perspective, etc.) once I have my in-home preschool, there will always be customers. I will make sure I do.

Take a moment to reflect, do you spend more time creating or consuming? Is it pretty even?

 

Practice Preschool - Making Music Week 5

This is the final week of our music theme! Ask your child what he/she has learned to practice the skill of recalling information. Take pictures if you haven't already, or document in another fun way! 

Week 5

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 5 (see Week 1 post) "Jesus Christ is the Son of Heavenly Father" (5 min)

Sing "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus" or "Away in a Manger" and briefly talk about Jesus as a child. Discuss how Jesus was obedient and followed his parents just like we listen to our parents.  

• Song Cubes (5 min)

Make two giant paper dice. One will have a different song on each face--be sure to use songs that are familiar to your child. The second will have actions on each face--clapping, tapping, dancing, stomping, etc. Find the beat in each song with the corresponding action. 

• Sing "Farm Sounds" (5 min)

 Farm Sounds

tune: The Wheels on the Bus

The cow in the barn goes moo, moo, moo.

Moo, moo, moo.

Moo, moo, moo.

The cow in the barn goes moo, moo, moo.

All ‘round the farm.

Continue with:

The pig in the pen goes oink, oink, oink.

The hens in the coop go cluck, cluck, cluck.

The rooster on the fence goes cock-a-doodle-doo.

The ducks on the pond go quack, quack, quack.

The lambs on the hill go baa, baa, baa.

The bunnies in the hutch go (silently wiggle your

nose).

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Ants on a log! Childhood favorite :D

• Free Play (20 min)

Review instruments again, if desired, or expound on an aspect of music we haven't talked about. Go to a music store. With more children, you could play "What instrument is missing?" by having one child face away from the group and determine which instrument is missing while the others play. Play a xylophone.

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Math) "Count Your Chickens" (5-10 min)

Play a board game together that involves counting of some sort. For Christmas, Rowan received a game called, "Count Your Chickens". The gist of the game is, you're trying to help the mama chicken return to her chicks through the use of a spinner. It's a cooperative game, which I had never heard of. All players are working toward the same goal. I also believe it's important for children to learn how to lose and that not everyone is a winner all of the time. Cooperative games can be nice for a change as well, though. Counting is incorporated when moving spaces, as well as counting chicks to return to the coop. Hi-ho Cherry-o is another good one!

• Old MacDonald Had a Band (5-10min)

This is it! The moment we've all been waiting for :D Sing the song, "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" but replace the word "Farm" with "Band". Go through each instrument you've made, or if you haven't made instruments, use invisible ones paired with your imagination for each verse ;) If you use pretend instruments, perhaps show a picture of each instrument beforehand. 

Bring in a guest, if desired, who plays an instrument. My husband plays the ukulele so he will come in for a verse.  Also, my father-in-law (who is a teacher) brought home a chime he had at school so we'll use that too! The more, the merrier!

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Dried fruit! My favorites are mangoes and banana chips :) 

• Free Play (20 min)

If you have any puzzles, free play would be a great time to do these together! Puzzles are sooo good for developing a math brain. If you don't have any puzzles, make some or consider investing in some wooden puzzles/buying cheaper ones at the dollar store. 

Practice Preschool - Making Music Week 4

If your child isn't as engaged in a particular lesson, try using a hand puppet as the teacher :) You could also use an object as a pointer. Switch it up, be creative!

Also, flexibility is so important! You know your child best, feel out your audience to determine if you need to switch the order of things or eliminate/add activities as well as expound/extrapolate. My lessons rarely go exactly as they are written down--this "preschool" is just as much a practice for me as well as for Rowan. I'm getting a feel for what three-year-olds can do (if I teach three-year-olds, I plan to have four/five-year-olds the year before Kindergarten). I'll either edit the posts now with what I like, or keep them and adapt them for my future group of students.  

Week 4

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 4 (see Week 1 post) "I Can Pray to Heavenly Father  " (5 min)

Talk about prayer -- Share the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. Sing, A Child's Prayer.  Add experiences and principles as desired. Expound on prayer, or buy the book: Sunday Savers, as talked about in Week 1 post. 

• Song Jar (5 min)

Write down your favorite songs on slips of paper. Draw a few out of the jar to sing today! Alternately, write down ways to sing a particular song (fast/slow, silly/serious, old man/woman, etc.)

• Make an instrument for culminating lesson -  "You are an instrument!" (5 min)

Talk about how there are many ways you can make music without any instrument at all! Singing, humming, whistling, clapping, tapping, stomping, etc. Sing: "Do as I'm Doing" to practice the many variations. 

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Make a fruit/veggie smoothie! Rowan is obsessed with these, especially when he gets to use a straw to drink them! :)

• Free Play (20 min)

If the weather is nice, go outside! Visit a new park, go for a walk/bike ride, or just explore the backyard. If desired, have the entire lesson outside. 

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Art) "Vertical Painting" (5 min)

Since most months don't have five weeks, one for each letter of "STEAM", I wouldn't normally have a lesson for the subject of the corresponding theme. Since we are focusing on music this month, a form of art, that would be the subject I would skip. Since there are five weeks, I am including this art lesson. 

Vertical Painting

*Materials:

-Plastic Sign Holder/Frame (or other vertical substitute), paper, colored water/paint, eye droppers/pipettes. 

*Instructions

1. Attach paper to frame using tape or a clothespin.

2. Fill eye dropper/pipette with colored water.

3. Drip onto paper and watch it trickle downward. 

• Brain Break (5 min)

Try out a new finger play! Visit the YouTube channel: Jbrary for ideas!

• Review instruments for culminating lesson - (5 min)

Bring out all the instruments you've made so far this month and review their names, as well as the sounds they make. Sing your favorite songs you've learned with them. 

My favorites were: 

1. Egg Shaker: 1-2, Shake it on Your Shoe and Shake Your Shaker

2. Drums: Can You Play the Drums? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppuQF_2LqAw 

3. Rhythm Sticks: Tap Your Sticks (to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus)

4. Tambourine: Shake Your Tambourine

5. Comb Kazoo: Ours worked pretty well, but not well enough to last for a song. I might buy a cheap kazoo at the dollar store...we'll see. Otherwise, we'll just disregard it.

6. Shoebox Banjo: I've Been Working on the Railroad (...someone's in the kitchen with Dina, strumming on the old banjo...)

7. Your Body! With "Do as I'm Doing". 

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: My son LOVES to dip things! What does your child love? Dip ideas: Apples in peanut butter, carrots or other veggies in ranch, graham crackers in milk, etc. 

• Free Play (20 min)

Have a sensory experience--use water, sand, dried beans, colored rice, or anything you can think of, in a bin/bathtub. Add in scoops, cups, spoons, etc. for added variety. Rowan has been really into using his bulldozer recently--he's used it in the dirt in the backyard and scooping plastic beads--we also use these beads to string on a colored shoelace to strengthen his fine motor skills. 

Practice Preschool - Making Music Week 3

I've decided to go back to older posts, when I can, and embed photos of us at preschool. This will help with visuals, as well as serve as a keepsake for us. 

Rowan and I go on a daily walk/bike ride. It was so lovely this week to see the trees blossoming! The change in seasons lends itself to rich conversation and new vocabulary. Find additional ways to turn every day things into small teaching moments. 

Week 3

Day 1

• Sunbeam Lesson 3 (see Week 1 post) "Heavenly Father's Plan for Us" (5 min)

Sing, "Heavenly Father Loves Me", using simple pictures as visuals, if desired. Discuss how Heavenly Father has a plan of happiness for us. A simple explanation could be: Heavenly Father's plan was for us to come to Earth to get a body, like we talked about last week. We are here to learn and grow. With our bodies, we can learn to make right choices. Through Jesus' Atonement and our obedience, we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus. 

Corresponding object activity is to compare our spirits and bodies to a glove. The empty glove represents our spirits and a hand inside the glove represents our bodies. Demonstrate how they work together. 

• Go on a sound walk! (5 min)

Name all the sounds you hear on your walk. Talk about how music is made up of sounds and we hear those sounds with our ears.   

• Make an instrument for culminating lesson - Comb Kazoo (5 min)

*Materials:

-Plastic comb, tissue paper

*Instructions

Cut a square of tissue paper to fit around the comb when folded in half. Hum into the paper and listen to the vibrations it makes. Practice with kazoo!

• Snack (5 min) 

Today's tip: Always offer fruits and veggies, regardless of how picky your child is or isn't. If you don't offer them, they won't eat them. However, if you offer them, there's a chance they will!

• Free Play (20 min)

Free play doesn't necessarily have to go with your theme (if you have one). Rowan has been very interested in doctors and stethoscopes recently so I will pull down my tub of dress up clothes. If you don't have dress up clothes, grab some of yours or your spouse's (if applicable), long scraps of fabric (capes, banners, magic carpets, tents, etc.), rope, bags/boxes, old glasses/sunglasses, jewelry, mirror, and anything else you can find around the house! 

  

Day 2

• STEAM Lesson (Engineering) "Cup Stacking Challenge" (5 min)

Briefly discuss how engineering means building. Children may relate to building forts or using blocks to build structures. 

Cup Stacking Challenge

Explain that you will be working together to build a cup tower. 

*Materials:

-String, one rubber band, plastic cups (ideally six)

*Instructions

To prepare for the activity, tie four pieces of string (10-12 inches) to your rubber band (see picture below). For the activity, have each person (2-4 people) grab one of the strings. Use the strings to manipulate the rubber band (open it wide) to grab a cup, one at a time, and make a pyramid. This activity is in several places on the internet, so research further if you need more direction. During activity, talk about how teamwork makes things easier. 

Sing: The More We Get Together and relate it to teamwork. 

• Brain Break (5 min)

If you find your child is having a hard time focusing, take a song break! I like the song, "Shake Your Sillies Out". It goes like this: "It's time to shake, shake, shake all your sillies out, shake, shake, shake all your sillies out. Shake, shake, shake all your sillies out, shake your sillies out." (It goes to the tune of, "I like to eat Apples and Bananas") Google other brain breaks; there are thousands!

• Make an instrument for culminating lesson -  Shoebox Banjo (5 min)

*Materials

-Shoebox, 4 rubberbands

*Instructions

-Place rubberbands around shoebox and strum!

Optional: Sing a few songs to get used to the banjo.

My favorite are: 

1. "I've Been Working on the Railroad" (...someone's in the kitchen with Dina, strumming on the old banjo...)

2. "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain"

3. "Home on the Range"

• Snack (5 min)

Today's Tip: Popcorn is a healthy snack! Be sure your child is old enough to eat it safely.

• Free Play (20 min)

Play a matching game (or use socks if you don't have a game). Talk together about the concept of matching. Another simple way to make a matching game is to cut pictures in half and they become a two-piece puzzle :) Color and laminate for repeated use. 

Try some imaginary play to engage your child's imagination. Do common, every day tasks, but without tangible objects. "Make" food, "do" laundry, "go" to the park, etc.