Theme of the Month: Helpers

We decided our next theme should be helpers, focused a lot on community helpers.  We're going to explore different helping occupations and also learn about fire safety.  The fire truck came to Cadie's preschool  week before last so we've got a jump start on that.

Cadence has been interested lately in how we can help others, so we're going to be helpers too!  I hope we can take some cookies to the fire station and some food to one of the local food pantries.

Books: When the Library Lights Go Out by McDonald (there's a teaching guide for this book here), Postal Workers Deliver our Mail by Greene, Trashy Town by Zimmerman, Community Helpers from A to Z by Kalman, and At the Fire Station (can't find a link for this one)

Bible Thought: "Help One Another." Galatians 5:13

Songs: The Wheels on the Firetruck (same as the bus, except sing about the siren, ladder, seat belts and hoses) and I'm a Firefighter 

Pretend Play: Duplo Fire Station set, Librarian (Cadence selects/recommends books and conducts storytime when we play this)

Extras: Fire Safety Tot Pack from Royal Baloo, watch Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse



Linking up to:  I Can Teach My Child Show and Share Saturday Link-up

Theme of the Month: Fall Farm Fun

Now that Cadence is going to preschool two mornings, plus dance class on Mondays, and storytime and sometimes playgroup each week, we don't have as much time at home to do our "theme of the week" activities.  Cadence has adjusted to this schedule very well, but it's taken me some time to figure out how things were going to go.  Anyway, we're going to theme of the month now, instead of theme of the week.  I almost always have more activities for each theme than we get to do anyway.  This month: Fall Farm Fun!

Books: 

Fall Mixed Up by Raczka

 The Cow Loves Cookies by Wilson

Punk Farm by Krosoczka

And if we can find them at our library: Big Chickens by Helakoski, Moo Who? By Palatini, and One Cow Moo Moo! by Bennett (a great participation story)

Music: Sing "Old McDonald Had A Farm" to Piper

Fingerplays: Five Little Farmers and some other farm fingerplays

Art Project: melted crayon stained glass apples and pumpkins (using this method from The Artful Parent)

Field Trips: Visit the farm animals at the county fair (done! we had a great time last Friday!), go apple picking at a local farm (also done!  more pics coming soon!)

Letter Recognition: Practice "spelling" fall and farm words like pig, cow, leaf, farm, barn, etc.  When we do this, I write the words in large, clear letters on a scrap paper and then she uses the letters from her foam alphabet puzzle to match the ones I wrote.  Since this is a more academic activitiy, we usually do a few and then move on when she is ready to do something else - no pressure.

Watch: Barney: Let's Go to the Farm 

Extras: Some printables from here, or here, or here

Linking up to I Can Teach My Child Show and Share Saturday and No Time for Flashcards Link and Learn