Baby Bath

1: Helping each other and taking turns.

 2: Mashaallah, it was amazing to observe the way children were waiting to take turns.

 3:R said, "Oh no, I have to hold the baby then you will pour water."
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 4: M said, "Baby need to shampoo his hair-I can rub his hair."

5:F said,  "I have an ice cream."

Today we had a beautiful sunny day. Vancouver's temperature was almost 14 degree.  Children started to use their summer jackets and our heating was off at last. Yesterday when we were outside the children were very interested in the water while I was using the hose to water our outdoor garden.  I thought it will be fun for them if I will fill my indoor sensory table with water and sponges. Children love to play with water!  One of the child brought the doll from the dramatic play area, following him another girl added another doll and they both decided to help the dolls have a bath. I was do delighted to observe their team work, the way they were taking turns and helping each other. I added some liquid soap and more sponges, so that everyone can have something to be engaged with.

Bug Catcher

 After exploring all the spring bugs,we decided to introduce our preschoolers to various material to catch the  bugs.

 R was experimenting with all the bug catchers. He picked a butterfly and said -"I catch a Butterfly."

 He was counting how many butterflies he caught.

 I found two Butterflies--one is green .

 He was engaged with this activity for a long time-he tried all the different ways to catch the bugs.

Finally, he decided to read books about all the bugs.

Rainbow Butterfly

 1:Children have been learning about butterflies and their life cycle.

 2:We extended this to the art activity and discussed about the Butterfly's Body parts.

 3:Children were observant and creative while they were designing their Butterfly.

 4:Some children decided they needed to add antenna, so we grabbed pipe cleaners from our art cupboard.

5:One child explained that his Butterfly was so happy because we had a Sunny Day.

Spring is coming soon, Mashaallah, so many Caterpillar were at the outdoor play area .Children were curious about their body parts,what they eat, and how they grow. We created the learning environment where children can investigate,observe, explore, and can get all the answer they were curious about. We started our discussion about who created butterflies and how they help us.  Also, why we need to be kind to the the creation of Allah.

Children were adventures to find what is inside the butterfly body.  How they use their wings, why their wing are too soft. We tried to answered their question by reading a book, showing the video clip about butterfly life cycle, and also we did some movements to show how the butterfly flap their wings-Alhamdulillah  Allah created a beautiful world for us. When we extended it to the art activity, I observed that children were curious and creative when they were decorating their butterfly .They wanted to colour it with various felt pens. They also wanted to glue it with the pipe cleaner and I was amazed when one child asked me to provide glitter for her "Rainbow Butterfly", Subhanallah .

March 2013 Newsletter

Dear Parents Assalamualikum,

We have been so excited to explore the shapes, colours and some interesting science and art activity with our preschool children.It was so much fun playing with the colors and experimenting with our light box, and all the natural object in our preschool.

Children worked so hard to paint and decorate the wooden butterflies and dragonflies to enrich our outdoor play area.Inshaallh we will hang it outdoors when it will be ready with weather-seal coating.

Following the children's interest, we have been continuing our activities with butterflies, flowers, spring and bugs this month Mashaallah.

Last February 3 new children enrolled in our afternoon class Alhamdulliah.

It was very nice to have Sister Samara as a substitute Teacher in our class room the past few weeks, Mashallah.

SCHOOL CLOSED:
March 18 to 22 school will be close for spring break .
March 29 Preschool will be close for public Holiday.

We are planning for field trip end of April,I will provide field trip permission slip to all the preschool parents .Please fill it and submit it to me as soon as possible, so that we can fixed the date Inshaallah.

Please feel free to contact with me if you have any suggestion and feed back regarding our preschool program.

May Allah bless you all and keep safe.
Thank you
Fatima

....

Flower Shop 'prop box' Dramatic Play:
Goals- build cooperation, turn-taking, and sharing skills. Also, expand understand of using money, buying-selling, exploring our community, and new vocabulary...

Light Upon Light

Sahih International- translation of the meaning

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things. - Surat An-Nur (The Light) 24:35

Patterns on the light table

Exploring properties of light

Exploring Light

Today we introduce the children to the 'light table'. They were extremely excited to learn about this new item. We asked questions to encourage the children to think about what this 'box' could do. Before turning it on, we explained about safety and being responsible, as it requires electricity to work.

All of the children wanted to take a turn with this activity. We set limits on the number of children able to use this activity at one time, and we talked about having subr/patience while waiting our turns. Mashallah, the children showed their ability to have subr!

We added gems to the light box and discussed properties of light. They were heavily engaged in this activity and we allowed them time to explore before the next group of children took their turn.

Inshallah, we will extend this activity for as long at it holds their interest by adding different material for them to explore.

As educators at a community preschool, we often have to make teacher-made material to enhance the curriculum in order to stay within tight budget restrictions. We used several do-it-yourself light table tutorials to come up with our own workable design. We used an ikea box, white 'Eid' lights, a shiny gift bag, waxed paper and duct tape.

If you want to try this at home, so you can enjoy the fun learning and exploration with your child, here are some step-by-step tutorials,

http://tinkerlab.com/easy-diy-light-table/

http://www.teachpreschool.org/2011/06/diy-light-table-for-preschool/

Group Projects

We are working on Group Projects that have more than one step- and take more than one class to complete. Our goals are to build cognitive understanding of project sequences, team-work, cooperation, problem solving skills and creativity- also motor skills, but that is a positive 'side-effect' of our activities.

The children are delighted to work on a project for their outdoor space. Stay tuned to see the finished project once it inshallah is hanging in our outdoor space.

They are also working on a mural, but this is more about the PROCESS than the product, as this activity if full of learning that may not be as evident in the product- understanding shapes and attempting to cut them out (a challenge for young children), sharing work space, following a sequence, creativity, scissor skills, gluing, working with different material, and so on...