Preschool Links of interest

I have had a few friends ask me lately if I have any ideas or resources for teaching your kids when they are at preschool age (even though it will be awhile until Nehemiah is quite there, it is right up my alley as a teacher). These are some of the links I have found over the past months:


This is a preschool teacher who puts some of her ideas up for others to see:

http://www.jmeacham.com/

I particularly like the Calendar Math section of that site, because it is such a fun, useful way for kids to use some basic math skills (oh, and I've seen it work in countless primary classrooms--I don't see why you couldn't get started younger). Her ABC ideas are great too!

Another phenomenal website with ideas for infants through 4s and a preparing for kindergarten section--There are even Biblically-driven curriculum examples by month, with pictures of some of the activities...too cool! She has a good page of resources that link you to other good sites.

http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/index.html

I really like Jan Brett as an author/illustrator, and her website has all kinds of cool stuff, including alphabet handwriting printable coloring sheets

http://www.janbrett.com/

Here are some preschool activities and crafts:

http://www.first-school.ws/INDEX.HTM

Preschool Express:

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/

I have also found some really fun blogs, which of course continue the linking process to all of their creative bloggy friends! You'll find SO many ideas clicking through links on other blogs! I have learned a ton! :)

Kids Craft Weekly will e-mail you each week with a themed newsletter with crafts that match the theme to work on all week long--what a blast!

Make and Takes has a bunch of great crafts and ideas...she is doing the alphabet with her 2 1/2 year old right now, and she just started, so there are sure to be tons of great ideas to come!

And I Never Grew Up guest blogged on Make and Takes recently, so I checked it out, and guess what? More genius!!!

And as always, and I've linked to this before, but no craft and learning list is complete without The Crafty Crow blog...my all-time favorite! You also find other great sites through here--amazing!


Oh! And my older students really enjoyed the book Animalia by Graeme Base. Each page is filled with pictures of things that start with the letter, so it becomes like an I Spybook. Some of them even take some thinking...example: I found a camel on the D page. It took some research to find out that a camel is a type of dromedary. Who knew?! It would be a good book to use when your kiddos vary in age and skill.

I DO NOT have any professional early-childhood teaching experience, and my own little guy is on the young end for these activities, so I can't unequivocally recommend these things, but they seem cool to me, and God gave you good judgment too. Another thing...with kids, I have learned that if something doesn't work now, don't stress, try something else. If you really are hooked on an idea or method, try it again in awhile. You may yet see the results you want, but if not, don't stress, and enjoy the ride! :)

Hope this list helps!

A Christmas Miracle

For those of you who do not know me, before becoming a stay at home mom, I was a 3rd grade elementary school teacher. As such, I have a passion for excellent children's literature. So, I think here and there on my blog, I will throw in a book review.

Here is one of my favorites for the Christmas season; The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey written by Susan Wojciechowski. I first encountered it while student-teaching in a wonderful classroom. The students had to decorate a Christmas tree with a theme from literature, and their fabulous teacher (my mentor) chose this book. The tree was beautiful, and did well in the PTA fund raising Holiday Tree Auction. But the story remains forever in my heart. It is a true picture of the redemptive power of Our Savior's birth, and focuses on the real reason for the season. Currently it is sold with a CD that has James Earle Jones reading the story.

In the story, there is a lonely, curmudgeonly woodcarver, known as "Gloomy Toomey" in the town who keeps to himself and grumps around. A widow and her young son, Thomas, move into town, but cannot find their beloved, hand carved nativity set. The widow asks Jonathan if he will carve them a new one in time for Christmas, and then asks if Thomas may watch while he carves. As the story unfolds, you learn the reason for Mr. Toomey's gloomies, and see the Christmas Story characters through the eyes of a child. The patience, faith, and grace of the mother and son, and the power of the first Christmas help to transform Jonathan, and bring tears to just about everyone's eyes. But they are good tears. I remember bawling in front of all of those 3rd grade students the first time I read it, thinking I was making an absolute fool of myself, and that I better "fix" that problem before I got my own classroom. But, through the years of my teaching experience, I learned that it can be a very good thing for children to witness raw, human emotion, especiatlly if it is in someone they trust, in a safe environment. It brings up questions, and teaches them what it is to be human.

As you can tell, I have nothing but good things to say about this book, and I highly recommend buying it or checking it out at the library ASAP. It is a true classic. :)