PURPOSE OF THE BLOG:

  • Honor and support families and parents as their child’s first and best teacher.
  • Offer a comprehensive resource filled with activities that ensure adult involvement with children.
  • Recognizing that the quality of the relationship between a teacher and child or a parent and child have an enduring influence on a child’s overall success and lifelong progress. 
  • Mini-blogs are meant to be read and used by children and adults together.
  • Provide interactive play-based resources for a positive school transition. 
  • Acknowledge diverse needs of families.
  • Support early childhood professionals and educators to implement programs for children aged 4 to 9 as they set the stage for children’s future success. 
  • Provide relevant play-based learning activities that support important language development, critical thinking, creativity, movement, nutrition, and social emotional learning.

PARTS OF THE BLOG:

INTRODUCTION – LEARNING TOGETHER JOYFULLY.

  • Includes month and title.
  • Welcomes Parents, Care-givers, Educators and Grandparents.
  • Outlines mini-blog’s play-based activities.
  • Includes relevant theory incorporating pictures and quotations.

1.  Read and Sing together 📚 

  • Titles and songs are organized by themes.
  • Meant to be read with an adult – either in the classroom with the teacher or at home.
  • Suitable for older siblings or school-based Buddy Classes to read to younger children.
  • Adults are encouraged to locate the books either in their school or public library.
  • Questions are provided for adults to ask children to deepen understanding and enjoyment of the story.
  • Includes relevant quotes and research-based examples of effective educational practice.

2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩 

  • Activities related to the introduction’s themes.
  • Encourages children to problem-solve and create.
  • Includes pictures, instructions, and downloadable templates for adults to use with their children.
  • Includes relevant quotes and research-based examples of effective educational practice.

3. Explore, Engage & Interact together 🌍

  • Suggests play-based examples such as field trips or virtual experiences.
  • Includes pictures, instructions, and downloadable templates for adults to use with their children.
  • Includes relevant quotes and research-based examples of effective educational practice.

4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭

  • Relevant quotes and research-based examples of effective educational practice are included.
  • Activities related to the introduction’s themes.
  • Focus on Yoga and Brain Breaks and healthy recipes.
  • Encourages children’s involvement in food preparation and clean-up.

5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning 💭

  • Includes relevant quotations and research-based examples.