Sunday News from the Preschool
We miss our Rodman friends
Message from Mrs. Kilday
Hello Rodman families.
I hope this newsletter finds you well. We have had a busy week making plans for the remainder of the school year. We are excited to continue our study of spring and even more excited to embark on an investigation of water in June! Get ready to get messy! Our CAPT has been involved as well, looking for ways to support our learning. So much to look forward to. That's how I'm feeling today...optimistic and hopeful. I am hopeful that we all remain healthy and start to overcome this horrible virus. I am hopeful that we can enjoy better weather soon and start to heal. That said, we still need to social distance right now. As tempting as it is, don't give up now!
Please find this resource for all who are eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Story time with Mrs. Kilday
Exciting News...It's A Girl!
Invite to gather
On Tuesday, May 5th at 7:30 p.m. we will be continuing our Rodman parent/caregiver zoom meetings. Our goal is to provide a space where you can come together as a community of parents and caregivers. Come share your triumphs and your frustrations in navigating our new stay-at-home lifestyle. Maybe you’ll learn a helpful tip from another parent, or maybe your support will help reassure another family that they are doing okay.
We had a small turnout for our first meeting last week, but we received feedback that families felt this was a great opportunity to connect with each other and the Rodman community.
This is a very flexible group and we will be available for the whole hour, so feel free to drop in a little later if you need to manage bedtime first. Also kids are always welcome to hang out with us during the meeting!
Please click this link to register if you are interested in joining us either this week or for future zoom meetings. We look forward to chatting with you!
Curriculum Corner
https://sites.google.com/cantonma.org/rodmanearlychildhoodcenter/home
Play...Learning
Expanding Play : Thoughts from Ms. Anna
Here are some tips for expanding your child’s play.
Get at their level- Join your child on the floor, their bed, or wherever play is occuring. Often adults tower above young children while trying to play, which can be intimidating.
Try to figure out their motivation and follow their lead- Watch your child playing, and think, “Why are they doing this?” Then figure out how you can add to their play plan without presenting your own agenda.
Add language- Verbalize observations of what your child is doing. This helps them connect language to their actions. But keep it simple and try not to narrate every move.
Add one play idea at a time- Try to add simple actions that can help expand the play story. For example, if your child is feeding a baby doll, feed your own baby doll and then pretend to burp the baby,
Try to use similar toys, but don’t require sharing- Sharing can be overwhelming. If your mission is to engage in meaningful play, save lessons on sharing for other opportunities. Get creative if supplies are limited. You can easily pretend a block is another toy train and kids will benefit from seeing your flexibility.
Ask questions, but don’t expect answers- Open ended questions can be a great way to expand the play script (e.g. “Where is the car going?”) Your child can respond verbally, or through their actions. They also may ignore you and not follow your suggestion, and that’s okay too.
Limit testing- Try not to use play time to “quiz” their knowledge. You can still help build their knowledge through play by phrasing questions without a right or wrong answer. For example, instead of asking “What sound does a cow make?,” you could say, “I wonder what sound your cow makes?”
Try not to stifle creativity or call out “wrong” answers- Children’s play thrives in make believe so let them be creative. Your reflections can help them figure out real vs. pretend. For example, if they say, “My cow goes quack” you could reply, “That's a funny cow! Most cows say “moo” but yours quacks like a duck.”
Don’t force it- Play is all about flexibility. It’s okay if your child doesn’t engage when you present new ideas. Continue to engage with their actions and try again later. And remember, adults get bored with repetitive play much faster than kids. Kids actually learn best through repetition.
These videos show some of these skills in action with young children. The same techniques can also be used with older kids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2rLv-vjSOs&feature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W34UiOUQWcc