Family Life

May Preschool Update

Welcome to May’s preschool update! I’ve been posting these updates every month covering Tee’s first year of preschool, and I’m pretty impressed that I’ve managed to keep this series going since September. I just realized we’re almost done – only one more month before school’s out for summer!

In the Classroom

This month Tee’s been working with three sets of cylinder blocks at a time (this activity helps her fine tune her ability to differentiate sizes). She’s also been learning how to make a mini labyrinth maze from the different lengths of red rods. Tee was recently introduced to the Exchange Game, a game that helps her gain familiarity with the decimal system by teaching her that 10 units make a ten, 10 tens make a hundred, and 10 hundreds make a thousand. She seems to really enjoy numbers and math, thankfully!

Tee’s class has also been learning about Australia and the animals that live there. (I think she forgot about Tasmania down in the bottom right though.)

Australia

Hubs and I sat in for some classroom observation time this month. We watched Tee do some practical life activities like putting batteries in a flashlight and screwing the end on, and using an eyedropper to transfer water from one bowl into another. These exercises help her learn practical skills and develop her coordination. Then she showed off to us by confidently reading three-letter words from some flashcards and little pink booklets. I’m always surprised by how independent and self-directed she is at school – it really brings out the best in her!

I also attended our final parent-teacher conference last week. Tee’s teacher told me that Tee is one of her most eager students and loves to learn. She was very pleased with Tee’s progress in reading, spelling, and numeracy. I know that she certainly surprises me all the time with how quickly she’s learning to read. Tee doesn’t like writing though, and she needs lots of encouragement to practice writing her letters and numbers.

I got to check out the “journal” that Tee’s been keeping since January. She tells her teacher what to write in the exercise book, then she traces over the words and draws a picture to go along with the entry. My favourite is an entry from last month, “Mommy has crazy hair!” I’m not exactly sure what she was referring to, but I loved her picture!

Special Events

Tee got her first set of school pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t gotten them back yet, but I’ll be sure to share when they arrive. This month I was particularly excited to attend my first Mother’s Day tea party. The kids put on a concert (Kay even got into the act!) and served us tea. Then the teacher took all the kids outside to play while the moms got to sit, drink tea, eat goodies, and chat. What a wonderful Mother’s Day present!

Kay and Tee performing

Tee and her class went on a bowling outing at the end of the month. Tee managed to knock down two pins on one ball and here I was able to get a pic of her victory dance. I think we need to have a family outing to the bowling alley soon!

2 pins down!

Arts & Crafts

This month’s themes were Mother’s Day and butterflies. Tee made me this beautiful Mother’s Day card and invitation.

Mother's Day tea invitation

She made me a treasure box and this self-portrait as well. Look at the size of that smile!

Tee's self-portrait

Tee made several of these butterflies on a stick as well as a booklet of butterfly parts. There’s just something so adorable about a 4 year old carefully saying “pro-bos-cis” and “ab-do-men”.

butterfly stick

proboscis

I love how much she’s learning and thriving at school. I’m kind of sad that her first year is drawing to a close though. I think I’m going to have to continue some of these learning activities over the summer so she stays in the habit of enjoying school for next year.

What handmade works of art did you receive this month? What’s the best present your child ever brought home from school?

 

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2 Comments

  • My boy made a wooden sword in shop class. He’s 16, does that count? lol
    Seriously though, I have 2 big bins filled with everything he made during his elementary school years. I just didn’t have it in me to get rid of anything. DON’T do this. A lot of it could have been tossed but it didn’t happen and now it’s just sitting here. I recommend keeping some stuff, but cut and paste the odds and ends and make one piece out of many, if they mean anything to ya.
    My faves tho include his helicopter painting from kindergarten, a paper flower bouquet, a clay dragon (which is still on the book shelf), and countless doodles. Oh and anything using hand/foot prints.
    My little girl recently started doing some coloring and painting at our play group, haven’t got to bring them home yet, but they already have a spot reserved on the wall 🙂

  • Every year when i do my spring cleaning I ending looking through the containers that hold my children elementary school years ( photos,writings,tests reports cards,silly pictures etc.) ,but i still enjoy the memories they hold .They are adults now with children of their own .