Gifts That Keep On Giving

 Although Brandy and I thoroughly enjoy receiving individual teacher appreciation presents this year we would like to offer an alternative (if you were planning to do something). Classroom donations in the form of gift certificate. This way we can combine them and get new supplies for the new year! 

We suggest Montessori Services  (although anywhere we can get materials or supplies is perfect). Montessori Services and it's partner company For Little Hands is locally owned and operated. Together we can shop local and support small business in our own community while creating a fun learning environment for the kids. 

They are also the perfect place to get gifts for the kids http://www.forsmallhands.com/early-learning. 

Montessori Services
11 West 9th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Please know that gifts are not expected and are greatly appreciated in any form. We have had a few parents ask and thought this would be a great way to get new, fun things for the kids....gifts that keep on giving! 

Happy Holidays

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

From Brandy

Parents:

It is with mixed emotions that I tell you that I am leaving Peek-A-Boo Playhouse as of the end of the year. I have decided to go back to school full time and look for a new career path.The past (almost) 4 years have helped me grow as a teacher and as a person, for that I am thankful. As I have said before, I wish I had known Megan when my kids were little. I could have used the tools she taught me to use with the children with my own kids. I have learned a better way to speak to them patently and kindly, skills I hope to continue to use in my new career in the medical field.

I have enjoyed working with your children and will happily be back to sub whenever needed.

Brandy Page

Ginger Bread Baby

I'm sure everyone can recall the classic story of the Ginerbread man ... "you can't catch me .. I'm the gingerbread man" ... unfortunately in the end he is eaten by the fox. Well, in the book we have been reading at school the Gingerbread Baby offers a delicious twist to a favorite old tale.

It all begins when Matti opens the oven too soon and out jumps a cheeky little Gingerbread Baby. He leads Matti's mother and father, the dog and the cat, and a whole colorful cast of characters on a chase through the village and into the forest, staying just out of reach, daring them to catch him all along the way.

Next Monday and Tuesday morning we will be making our own gingerbread men and I have a funny feeling that a few of them will run away!!

So, if you see one running by, could you let us know? Just write a short note telling us about the gingerbread man and where you saw him on a postcard or card and stick it in our mailbox. We will be checking the mail during first circle on Wed, Th and Fri of next week.

Thank you so much. We will be tracking his adventures via your sightings on our Sonoma County map. 

Welcome Beckett

We have a new friend today ... Beckett is a year old and will be here two mornings per week.

Santa Claus is coming to town

Starting Saturday, Santa is coming to town to visit children of all ages. The annual visit from the North Pole is made possible with the help of the City of Rohnert Park and the Rohnert Park Public Safety Officer’s Association.


Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted during December’s Santa stops and distributed to local families within Rohnert Park city limits as part of the RPPSOA  2011 Christmas Toy Program.

 Santa’s Stops  

5 to 7 p.m.

• Saturday, Dec. 3, at City Center Drive next to the Rohnert Park Library during the Holiday Lights Celebration

• Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Community Center Complex, 5401 Snyder Lane

• Saturday, Dec. 10, at City Center Drive next to the Rohnert Park Library

• Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Community Center Complex, 5401 Snyder Lane

This is different from years past when he made his way through the streets of each section with the help of the Public Safety Officers and his sleigh pulled by a fire truck.

The Little Things

Brandy and I have enjoyed talking with the kids about what they are thankful for. It warms my heart to hear them mention things like "camping", "my sister", "the farmers market", "books" and other non commercial / materialistic items.

Looking at life through the eyes of a preschooler makes us remember what life is really about.... the simple pleasures with those we love :)  

We would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. May you all enjoy the little things ... making memories that the kids will hold dear throughout their lives. 

Welcome Layla

We have a new friend at school today

Layla is 3 years old and will be here two mornings per week

Bio: "Layla is almost 3 1/2 yrs old and LOVES butterflies, princesses, and flowers. She enjoys spending her time doing puzzles, coloring, catching creatures in the garden, dressing up, and playing with her older brother Kadyn, and little sister Amaya. Layla can't wait to meet new friends at preschool!"

Halloween

In an effort to make Halloween as fun as possible and not taking the risk to dirty / damage costumes we will be having a pajama day on Monday Oct 31st.

Wipes and Tissues Please

Cold season is here and the noses are running ... please bring in a pack of wipes and a box of tissue.

New Car Seat Law

Although this does not go into effect until Jan 1st it's guidelines should be followed immediately. 

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20111017/ARTICLES/111019573/1350?p=1&tc=pg 

The new law requires kids to remain in booster seats until they are 8-years-old, or until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

A Morning of Learning and Fun on the Farm

Please print and return ASAP :)

Field Trip Flier and Permission Slip

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Click here to buy: 
Bay Area Discovery Museum

$10 for Admission for Two to Children’s Museum (Up to $22 Value)

Great deal for a wonderful place 

The weather is changing

Even as the weather begins to cool we will continue to spend time outside each morning. Please bring in a pull-over hooded sweatshirt. We have found that it is best to have them be a size or two larger so that they fit comfortably over layered clothing.

Please label it with your child's name as it will stay here to be used all Fall and winter.

It is also a good time to check you child's cubby and replace summer clothes with warmer ones (Don't forget a few pairs of socks).

New Milk Regulations

The USDA has sent down new regulations regarding milk for children who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. As of October 1st they will be enforcing the provisions outlined in the Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 (who knew there was such a thing?)

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend that all children over the age of 24 months drink fat-free (skim) or Low-fat (1%) milk.

Although I personally do not agree with these mandates we must follow the rules of the program and will begin to serve 1% milk next week.

• Any family who wants their child to drink whole milk must get a signed Dr's note. 

• Any family who wants their child to drink almond or soy milk must write a letter stating that it is their families desire that their child not drink cows milk and state a dietary need (ie: vegan).

I am very curious what your thoughts are on this new policy and encourage your comments. 

Good Bye Summer

Say goodbye to summer and warmly greet Fall which begins tomorrow!

One of my favorite seasons ... it's so much fun celebrating the cool, crisp days of autumn. A few fun activities we have planned....

Cooking with apples (please bring in some to share and use for applesauce, apple pie and apple pizza cooking activities as well as sorting, graphing and tasting) Please see dates for these cooking projects on the calendar.

Learning about Leaves (if you find some colorful ones in your yard or while on a walk please bring them in to share)

Visiting the Pumpkin Patch Fri Oct 21st 9 am (permission slip will go out in a few weeks)

Calendar

Just a note that we will be using the blog calendar a bit more this year to inform you of more than just snack days. It will list Holidays, Scholastic book due dates, Birthdays and it will also list days when subs will be working and who that sub is (we only have two; Gina who has worked here for several years now and Janette who has been here since the Spring 3 mornings per week to work with Charlie). 

Pumpkin Patch

Save the Date! 

Join us for a morning of educational fun. Milking a cow, digging for potatoes, petting animals, cutting a pumpkin off of the vine and enjoying some fresh cheese and home made ice cream! 

Friday October 21st 9 am 

We hope that all children have a parent or grandparent who will be able to attend with them. There will be no preschool or after care.

.... More information to follow .....

Red and Blue Birds

It's been a few weeks since we began our new morning schedule and we all love it! Spending time with the small groups is allowing us to work individually with each child and focus our curriculum to be more age appropriate for the group. Each morning the Blue Birds (under 3.5) and Red Birds (3.5 to Pre-K)  spend about 35 minutes with their group.

This morning we explored apples 

First, we gathered as a large group to examine the apples; touching, smelling and talking about them.

Brandy cut them up to find out what might be inside. 

We then separated into small groups. Blue Birds sang a song about apples and then made apple print patterns on strips of paper. 

The Redbirds began their group time by reading the book Amazing Apples.

They then rotated through two stations. At one they looked at the book and colored in their own "parts of the apple" picture. We didn't label them but ask them as they should know all of the parts.

The second station allowed them the opportunity to create an apple tree (or anything they wanted) with melting crayons.

We concluded the morning by eating apples for snack! Unfortunately we also celebrated Camelia's Birthday so talk of apples ceased the minute they saw cupcakes. (which were very yummy)

Our exploration of apples will continue for the next few weeks as part of the larger theme of Autumn and Farm. If you have apples, related books or games or the like please bring them in to share.

Thank You!

Tania (Lulu) and Nina (Kylie) for the mason jars. 

They are the perfect size for crayons.

Allow Time For Repetition

"We often equate repetition with a person who is mentally slow. If someone requires multiple repetitions to remember something, we think they are not as smart as someone who gets it right away. This assumption does not apply with young children. When a young child repeats an activity, they are opening brain nerve connections and building brain architecture." John Bowman

I know we are often live hurried lives but allowing children the time needed to master a task is very important. We encourage repetition in our every day routines at school. Everything is a learning opportunity .... learning to drink from a cup, wash a table, take turns with an activity, use the potty. All of which take repetition to master. These social and self-help skills are foundational to later academic learning. The child in the video above is not being told by an adult that she is doing something wrong ... she is given time and space to explore and figure it out. It is through repetition that children make connections, discover their own errors, learn how to correct them, and master a skill.

Welcome Ripley

We have another new friend today

 

 Ripley is 16 months and will be here 3 days a week. Although he is not too sure about all of the crazy kids this morning he was happy to play outside and watch them intently.

Sonoma on the Cheap and other FB pages for families

I think most of us are active on Facebook :)  Below are a few local pages to help you connect with the wonderful events and activities Sonoma County has to offer. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonoma-on-the-Cheap/344062908643

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000845106678

 

http://www.facebook.com/sonomacountydeals

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/101-Things-To-Do-Sonoma-County/147514351950463

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/sweetpeacotati

http://www.facebook.com/RohnertParkPatch

 

 

 

Scholastic Book Orders

One of our ongoing goals is to nurture a lifelong love of books in all of the kids. You can help by reading regularly with your child. We will again be offering Scholastic Book Club orders this year.

Septembers Honeybee order form went out last week and are due by Wednesday Aug 31st.

The easiest way to order is to do so on-line. Anyone (parents, grandparents, friends) can order using our class code.

Web address: http://pcool.scholastic.com/parentordering/login.jsp 
Class Activation Code: GLH9F 

With online ordering from Scholastic Book Clubs, you can choose from a much wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book every time a parent places their order online.

It's so simple! Here's how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This code ensures that your order is sent to us.
• SELECT the books you'd like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts.
• SEND your order to us online by the due date. Books will be delivered directly to us.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flier by returning the paper order and check made payable to Scholastic Books.

New Communitry Resource: Infant SOS

I think we've all been there ... an unhappy baby who won't sleep, eat or "relax". Infant SOS is a free, county-wide program that provides support to parents (and caregivers) of difficult to comfort, "fussy" babies during their first year of life.

Services include: phone consultation, home visits, access to community resources & support, and support groups. Whether your baby is hard to comfort, has feeding or sleeping issues, or you have questions about development, they are here to help!

Downloads
   * Infant S.O.S. flyer
   * Tips and Techniques for Fussy Babies

Caring for a fussy baby can be exhausting, frustrating, and isolating, but you are not alone! 

Call ELI at 707.591.0170.

Toys R Us Trade-in Event

The Great Trade-In event is a national program offered by Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us that provides the opportunity to trade-in any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, high chairs, walkers, swings, bouncers, entertainers or kids’ beds in exchange for savings on any new item from one of these product categories from participating manufacturers.

We have a family who is need of a new car seat. If you have one of the above items and are not going to use the trade-in yourself, I know they would appreciate your donation.

Praise Effort, Not Personality

"One of the main ways we can change children's views about themselves and their world is by how we comment on their accomplishments or failures," writes Ellen Galinsky, in Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Galinksy continues...

"Rather than praising their personalities or intelligence ('You are so smart' or 'artistic' or 'athletic'), criticizing them ('You are so stupid' or 'uncoordinated'), or attributing their accomplishments to luck, we can praise their efforts or strategies.  I watched this process at work in the Bing Nursery School at Stanford University. Children were given a very difficult puzzle to work on, and most agonized over it.  The teachers' comments continued to reinforce their problem-solving strategies:  'Look, you turned that piece around and around to see where it would fit' or 'You looked for a place where that was the same color as the piece you are holding.'  The children struggled, but they didn't walk away;  they didn't give up.  They were taking on challenges!"
 

From: http://www.childcareexchange.com/