• Tweet

• Tweet

Image Courtesy of Silly Eagle Books

Enjoy this simple preschool lesson plan about the color pink. The activities below will introduce children to the color pink through fun facts, activities, books, songs, and a game. This lesson plan works well in conjunction with a daycare center unit theme about colors.

Pink Science Activity
In this simple science activity, children will pose the question “What happens when you mix the color white with the color red?”
Materials: Red paint, white paint, paper plate
Instructions: Put a paper plate in front of each child and add white paint to the paper plates. Next, add a little bit of red paint to each paper plate.  Encourage the children to use their index finger to mix in the red paint. Observe. Ask the children about the new color they see.

Pink Craft
Each student should bring in one pink item from home. As well, have some pink items on hand such as fabric scraps, yarn, buttons, tissue paper, cotton balls, confetti, glitter, wallpaper, wrapping paper. Have each child present their pink item and then glue the items to create a collage. The children can add pink embellishments of their choosing.

Pink Music and Movement
Sing the song “Pink”* by to the tune of “Jingle Bells”
“Cotton candy, fat pink pigs
girls with socks and bows
P-I-N-K P-I-N-K
That is how it goes
Bubble gum, valentines
these are all pink too
Pink icing and pink balloons
We can spell can you? YES!”

Pink Picnic or Pink Snack
Encourage each child to bring in a pink snack and have a pink snack party or picnic. Some food choices include: Pink grapefruit, strawberry soup, cupcakes or cookies with pink frosting, vanilla pudding mixed with a little bit of red food coloring, pink fruit leather, pink jello, pink grapefruit juice, and pink lemonade.

Preschool Books about the Color Pink
Here are some great books about the color pink to share with children:
Pink: Seeing Pink All Around Us (A+ Books: Colors) by Michael Dahl (Jan 2006)
Pink As a Piglet (Community of Color) by Molly Dingles (Jul 2004)
Pink (Colors Set 2) by Patricia M. Stockland and Julia Woolf (Jan 1, 2011)
Pink Takes a Bow (Know Your Colors) by Christianne C. Jones and Todd Ouren (Aug 2007)
Pink Foods (Colors We Eat) by Isabel Thomas (Sep 15, 2005)
Double Pink by Kate Feiffer and Bruce Ingman (Oct 25, 2005)
Pink! by Lynne Rickards (Jan 1, 2009)
Polly’s Pink Pajamas by Vivian French and Sue Heap (Apr 13, 2010)
Pinkalicious by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann (May 23, 2006)
Pink and Blue (Get Ready-Get Set-Read!) by Gina Erickson M.A., Kelli C. Foster Ph.D. and Gifford Russell (Aug 10, 1994)

*”Pink” taken from PreschoolEducation.com

Related posts:

• Valentine’s Day Art Activity for Preschoolers: Valentine’s Day Mobile Craft Tweet Tweet Early learning goals for toddlers include creative development....
• The Color Orange Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Enjoy this simple preschool lesson plan about the...
• Frogs Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Present this simple� preschool lesson plan that is...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Implementing activities in daycare centers that support clear learning objectives, preschool teachers can create brilliant lesson plans that help young children learn the letter N.

Learning Objectives

• The students will identify the letter N.
• The students make and recognize the N sound.
• The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case Ns.
• The students will identify objects that begin with the letter N.
• The students will learn the Letter N Song.
• The students will make nectarine pops.
• The students will listen to books that feature items what start with the letter N.

Handwriting and Alphabet Recognition

Introduce the children to the letter N along with simple objects that begin with the letter N. Create a colorful letter N poster board that presents both the upper and lower case N. Include pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter N. For example: Nose, nail, napkin, nickel, nectarine, neck, nest, necktie, nut, nook, note, newspaper, night, and nightgown.

Write both the upper and lowercase N on a whiteboard or chalkboard. Demonstrate the N sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the N sound. Next, ask the children to think of words (names, objects, or places) that begin with the letter N.

Allow the children to practice tracing the letter N in both upper and lower case using a letter N worksheet. A good example of such a worksheet is available on the First-School website. Children can also practice writing and tracing the letter N on blank sheets of paper using pencils, colored pencils, or crayon.

Letter N Circle Time

Teach the children the “Letter N Song”*

(Sung to the tune of “John, Jacob, Jingleheimer Schmidt”)

“Nanny N has a new necklace
That nine neighbors gave to her
For words that start with N
The people say amen!
Words like Nanny N loves her new necklace
N N N N N N N “

Letter N Cooking and Snack Activity

Help the children make Nectarine Pops
Ingredients: 1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, hulled, 4 nectarines (halved, pitted, and cut into chunks, and 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions: In a blender, puree strawberries, nectarines, and sugar until smooth. Use a rubber spatula, press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup. Throw the solids away.  Pour the mixture into eight 3-ounce pop molds. Insert wooden Popsicle sticks, then freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Letter N Story Time
Natasha and the Letter N (Alphabet Friends) by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel and Robert B. Noyed (Aug 2003)
The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend and John Manders (Feb 13, 2007)
The Best Nest (Beginner Books(R)) by P. D. Eastman (Jul 12, 1968)
My Nose, Your Nose by Melanie Walsh (Sep 30, 2002)
Nail Soup by Eric Maddern and Paul Hess (May 26, 2009)
The Invisible Letter N by Daniel Errico (Jun 15, 2011)  

Alphabet recognition activities will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. The key is to have fun with your daycare job with lesson planning and make each moment of learning fun and creative.

*”Letter N Song” taken from DLTK-Teach.

Related posts:

• Letter B Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Implementing activities in� daycare centers that support clear...
• Letter T Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Preschool teachers and daycare providers can help children...
• Letter H Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Implementing activities in daycare centers that support clear...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Motor skills are actions that control how muscles move the body. Gross motor skills are those that control the large muscles of the body which are used to walk, run, crawl, sit, jump, and other large muscle activities. Preschool teachers and daycare providers can enhance gross motor skill development through effective lesson plans that include gross motor activities.

Activities for preschool children should include those that develop physical gross motor skills. The Valentine’s Day activity will promote major muscle coordination and it’s just plain fun for preschool aged kids. According to the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, gross motor skills are the abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body. Some important physical gross motor concepts and skills that preschool age children learn to master are balance, spatial orientation (which means that the child is aware of the position of his or her body in space as well as in relation to other people and objects), laterality (which means that the child is aware of the left and right sides of the body), and the coordination of major muscles.

Daycare centers can encourage gross motor skill development through effective lesson plans and play. A fine example of an activity that promotes the development of gross motor skills is A Valentine’s Day Relay Race.

This lesson plan includes not only the preparation instructions, procedure, and materials list for this activity, but also the age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Valentine’s Day Relay Race Materials List

• Large activity area
• Plastic spoons
• Candy Valentine hearts
• Parent or other volunteers

Relay Race Preparation

1. Ask the parent or other volunteer to help keep the kids on the relay route, and keep spoons available for moving the candy hearts.
2. Put the children into two or three teams. Place half of the team members at one end of the room, and half at the other end.
3. Appoint a team captain for each team and then give each captain a large spoon and put a few candy hearts on the spoon.

Activity Procedures

Explain to the children that when you say “go,” the child should move as fast as possible to his waiting team member, and pour the hearts into the other team member’s spoon and goes to the end of the line. The other child runs back and transfers the hearts and repeat. The first team to successful transfer all the hearts wins.

Gross Motor Learning Objectives

Objective 1: To enhance basic locomotor skills such as walking and running.
Verbal Cue A:  Can you walk quickly and pass the hearts to Lisa?
Verbal Cue B: Run back toward your other teammates.

Objective 2: To help children gain confidence in physical movement and coordination through balancing.
Verbal Cue A:  Can you balance the hearts on the spoon?
Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are keeping the spoon level and flat.

Objective 3: To develop spatial relationships (body and space perception) using the prepositions forward, backward, and straight ahead in verbal cues.
Verbal Cue A:  Can you walk forward and give Jimmy spoon?
Verbal Cue B: Can you walk backward without spilling the hearts?

This a simple and fun skill building activity that can be used for a Valentine’s Day or friendship preschool theme.

Related posts:

• Daycare or Preschool Physical Activity: What Time Is It, Mister Fox? Tweet Tweet Motor skills are actions that control how muscles...
• Coffee Can Ice Cream Preschool Activity Tweet Tweet Motor skills are actions that control how muscles...
• Easter Bunny Hop: Physical Motor Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Motor skills are actions that control how muscles...

• Tweet

• Tweet

If you’re starting to teach your daycare kids colors, this is a super easy lesson plan for you.   Try this cognitive activity in your child daycare center which teaches colors as well as classification skills.

Cognitive Development in Preschoolers
Cognitive development focuses on developing functions of the brain such as thinking, learning, awareness, judgment, and processing information. According to developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, children go through several stages of cognitive development and learning activities for toddlers and children should correspond to the appropriate developmental.

This color sorting activity is a cognitive activity for preschoolers that helps them learn and practice the skills of classification, counting and sharing. This lesson plan includes preparation instructions, procedures, and materials list for this activity. The lesson plan also includes age-appropriate learning objectives and examples of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning in child care centers.

Activity Materials
For each child you will need:
3 different colors of construction paper in different shades and textures
Glue

Activity Preparation
Cover the activity table in butcher paper.
Lay out construction paper and glue sticks for each child

Activity Procedure

1. Invite the children over to the activity table. Explain to them that they will be sorting colors and making collages.
2.  Encourage the children to rip the construction paper.  Mix them up into a pile
3.  Set out construction paper of the same colors in front of each child.
4. Write on each paper the color name.
5. Encourage the children to matching the ripped paper to correct sheet of construction paper (i.e. Blue scraps with blue construction paper).
6. Show each child how to use the glue stick to glue on the scraps and make a collage of each color.

Learning Objectives
Objective 1: To develop an understanding of classification by encourage children to sort scraps of paper by color
Verbal Cue A: Can you sort the pieces of paper into piles by color?
Verbal Cue B: Let’s put all of the red pieces of paper here and all of the green pieces of paper here.

Objective 2: To introduce the number concept of 1-10
Verbal Cue A: Let’s count the number of colors we have here.
Verbal Cue B: How many collages did we make?

Objective 3: To promote the sharing of art materials to foster social interaction and cooperation
Verbal Cue A: “Let’s take turns using the glue.”
Verbal Cue B: “Can you let Jamie use the glue stick?”

With this color sorting activity, children will learn important cognitive skills such as sorting and classification, spend time becoming familiar with the colors and textures, and have great fun.

Related posts:

• Halloween Black Cat Sorting Activity for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Halloween is approaching! As many child daycare centers...
• Shamrock Sorting St. Patrick’s Day Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Shamrock sorting is a fun family daycare activity...
• Spring Creative Arts Activity: Eggshell Tulip Craft Tweet Tweet Children’s creativity blossoms through rich experience in the...

• Tweet

• Tweet

One concern among child care providers is potty training both a boy and girl in your daycare at the same time. We asked the OwnADaycare on Facebook members, how they feel about boys and girls in the bathroom at the same time. Our members who are also daycare owners responded to provide their opinions. Here are their thoughts. Is this an issue or a nonissue? Leave us a comment and let us know!

• How old are they? If they are 3 or under, I wouldn’t make a big deal of it unless they are starting to be curious. Anything older than three, then yes they should be apart for privacy and curiosity reasons
• I don’t worry about it till they do or about 4. Or unless the parents have an issue. There is only one me, and I am outnumbered. Once they have an issue, I am very careful to respect that.
• I don’t think it’s an issue at all. We change all of our kiddos into bathing suits in the same room. It’s not a big deal to the kids until an adult makes it a big deal.
• Under the age of 4 (unless curious) that it shouldn’t be a big deal unless the parents express a concern! When children see other children using the potty they are more willing and easier to train!
• Only my 5 year old girl potties in private, the rest all take turns and are in there at the same time. I don’t worry about the girl/boy issues. I think my 2.5 year old learned to potty by watching the others, at the time, were only girls in my dc that were potty trained.
• When my daughter was in daycare, they potty trained 4 or 5 kids at the same time. They lined up and went in one at a time but they were all right there. I didn’t even think about it. They were kids and they loved that they all did it together. I don’t think it’s a big deal until they get a bit older.
• We have an open door bathroom rule here once they are 5 they can shut the door for privacy, but until then they all go together and I want the door open to supervise so there isn’t any potty parties going on in there and I don’t want any of them locking the door either, works best to just have the door open and they all go whenever they want to, gender doesn’t matter when they are that young.
• Sometimes it’s a “monkey see monkey do” thing, I got two kids potty trained in a week because of them learning together. Some will say yay others will say nay. Do it YOUR way.
• I potty trained two girls and a boy all at the same time. It was great, they liked the star system, when they went they got a star on a chart, the one who the most stars had got a prize at the end of the week. There is nothing like competition, and one of the girls was 18months and she did great.
• I used to take all the potty training children on line at the same time and they would wait their turn to sit on the potty. Most of the time the children waiting would peak in to see what was happening in the potty and that’s fine. I actually had a little girl wanted to stand while using the potty because the boys did. At such a young age I think it’s fine. If you feel there are concerns, then teach the children how to wait on line. Put footprints by the bathroom door so they learn to stand there.
• Check your state requirements just to make sure.

Related posts:

• Potty Training Tips for Daycare Providers and Parents Tweet Tweet How do you know when a child is...
• Guest Blogger: Louise Roberts on Potty Training Tweet Tweet I always encourage trying however realizing that unless...
• Potty Training Tips for Daycare Providers Part 1 Tweet Tweet In the daycare setting, daycare providers are sometimes...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Implementing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool teachers and daycare providers can create fun lesson plans that help young children learn the letter U.

Learning Objectives

The students will identify the letter U.
The students make and recognize the short U sound.
The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case Us.
The students will identify objects that begin with the letter U.
The students will learn the “Umbrellas Go Up and Down” finger play.
The students will listen to books that feature the short U sound.

Letter U Handwriting and Phonetics
In order to introduce the letter U, create a poster board which shows both the upper and lower case letter U. Glue a variety of pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter U. Discuss the poster board with the children, pointing out the items that begin with the letter U. Demonstrate the short U sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the short U sound. Ask the children to think of objects, names, and places that begin with the letter U.

On a white board or chalk board, draw both an upper and lower case U. Children can practice tracing the letter U in both upper and lower case using letter U worksheets. A letter U worksheet appropriate for preschoolers can be found on the KidZone website. In addition, teachers can direct children to practice making upper and lowercase Us using pencils or crayons on blank sheets of paper.

Cognitive Learning: Letter U Object Sorting

Object sorting is great cognitive learning activity which will help children identify objects that begin with the letter U. For this cognitive learning activity, place objects or pictures of objects which begin with the short U sound in a box, bag or other container. Along with these items, place objects beginning with U or containing the short U sound with other letters of the alphabet. As each object is revealed, children will sort those objects that begin with the letter U or have the short U sound from those that do not. Examples of objects that begin with or contain the short u sound: umbrella, umpire, bug, drum, unhappy, run, duck, under, underline, sun, and  bun.

Letter U  Finger Play

Teach the children the fingerplay “Umbrellas Go Up and Down”*.
Umbrellas Go Up and Down
Umbrellas go up,
Umbrellas go down, (Point up and down.)
When rain clouds are dark
All over the town.
One raindrop and two, (hold up one finger at a time)
Two raindrops and three,
My up and down umbrella
Is up over me.  (fingertips touching over head.)
Four raindrops and five, (hold up one finger at a time)
Six raindrops and seven,
Raindrops are tumbling (raise arms and let fingers fall slowly)
Down from the heaven.
Drip, drip, drip, drip!
I am dry as can be,
My up and down umbrella
Is up over me (fingertips touching over head.)

*Taken from Preschooleducation.com

Preschool Books about the Letter U

Umberto’s Summer Day: The Sound of Short U (Phonics Friends) by Cecilia Minden and Joanne Meier (Aug 2005)
Just Bugs: Learning the Short U Sound (Powerphonics) by Jeff Jones (Jan 2001)
Buddy’s Summer Day: The Sound of Short U (Sounds of Phonics) by Cecilia Minden, Joanne Meier and Bob Ostrom (Aug 2010)
My Short U Words (Targeted Phonics: My First Consonants and Vowels) by Sharon Coan (Jun 1, 2011)
Umbrella by Taro Yashima (Jun 30, 1987)
The Umbrella by Jan Brett (Sep 9, 2004)
Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs, and Other Ughs (Sharing Nature With Children Book) by Anthony D. Fredericks and Jennifer Dirubbio (Sep 1, 2001)

Alphabet recognition activities will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. The key is to have fun with your daycare job with lesson planning and make each moment of learning fun and creative.

Related posts:

• Letter I and the Short Letter I Sound Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Implementing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool...
• Letter H Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Implementing activities in daycare centers that support clear...
• Letter A and the Long A Sound Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Preschool teachers and daycare providers can help children...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis for potential developmental delays. Developmental screening allows daycare providers and parents the ability to receive a snapshot of a child’s development.

Part 3 of our interview with Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist, sensory specialist, CEO of Zone’in Programs Inc. provides resources for information about developmental screening in daycare centers and preschools.

OwnADaycare: Do you have any resources you might suggest for more information about developmental screening for young children?
Cris Rowan: American Academy of Pediatrics, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, local health unit, child care centers, family physician, school special education directors.

OwnADaycare: Do you have anything else you would like to add on this topic?
Cris Rowan:Technology overuse by infants, toddlers and children is causally linked to developmental delays, mental illness and behavior disorders.  Parents and child care workers in the preschool setting should identify children with high usage patterns, and refer to appropriate information sources for technology reduction and management.  Please refer to attached Creating Sustainable Futures Program for additional information and research.

Foundation skills for learning are not being achieved in pre-school settings, and children are entering the school system with low postural tone, poor motor coordination, and unable to maintain arousal states necessary to pay attention and learn (4).  Eight hours per day combined technology use by the elementary population is rapidly destroying family structure and eroding the health and education systems as we know them, and it’s time to act (5).  School-based Balanced Technology Management programs would ensure children and their families get the information and tools they need to achieve a balance between technology use, and what they need to grow and succeed.

Research

1. Hamilton S. Screening for developmental delay: Reliable, easy-to-use tools.  Journal of Family Practice. 2006; 55 (5): 416-422.
2. Birmingham CL, Muller JL, Palepu A, Spinelli JJ, Anis AH. The cost of obesity in Canada. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 1999; 160:483-488.
3. Waddell C. Improving the Mental Health of Young Children. Children’s Health Policy Centre, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC, Canada. 2007. Available at: http://www.firstcallbc.org/pdfs/Communities/4-alliance.pdf.
4. Jennings JT. Conveying the message about optimal infant positions. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. 2005; 25 (3); 3-18.
5. Rideout VJ, Vandewater EA, Wartella EA. Zero to six: electronic media in the lives of infants, toddlers and preschoolers.  Menlo Park (CA): Kaiser Family Foundation; Fall 2003.

Related posts:

• Developmental Screening Tests for Young Children Interview with Cris Rowan Tweet Tweet Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify...
• Developmental Screening Tests for Young Children with Cris Rowan Part 2 Tweet Tweet Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify...
• Toilet Training Tips for Daycare Providers Part 1 Tweet Tweet Daycare providers play a special role in toilet...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis for potential developmental delays. Developmental screening allows daycare providers and parents the ability to receive a snapshot of a child’s development.
Part 2 of our interview with Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist , sensory specialist, CEO of Zone’in Programs Inc. discusses what developmental screening in  daycare centers and preschools measure as well as special services for developmental delay.

OwnADaycare: What types of tests do young children take and what do they measure?
Cris Rowan: While there are numerous tests, I’ve only listed the ones I am familiar with and that are used in our area.  You may want to contact a few more professionals to gain a more comprehensive list.
Physicians – Parents Evaluation of Developmental Status (parent concerns regarding child development), Ages and Stages Questionnaire (communication, gross and fine motor, problem solving, personal-social), Brigance Screens (speech-language, motor skills, readiness, general knowledge), Bayley Infant Neurodevelopomental Screen (screen for high risk infants).
Physical therapists – Bruininks Test of Motor Proficiency (Gross Motor Composite) measures, Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2, Brigance Screen, Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (neurodevelopment).
Occupational therapists – Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (proprioceptive, tactile and vestibular integration), Bruininks Test of Motor Proficiency – Fine Motor Composite (response speed, visual motor, bilateral integration), Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (foundation, coordination, verbal, nonverbal and complex task skill), Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2, Test of Visual Motor Skills-2, Sensory Profile (sensory processing, modulation, and behavioral and emotional responses), Clinical Observations of Motor and Postural Skills-2 (motor coordination), Berry Developmental Test for Visual Motor Integration, Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2.
Speech and Language Pathologists – Test for Auditory Comprehension of Language – Revised (understanding of word classes e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, grammatical morphology and sentence structures), Beery Picture Vocabulary Test (expressive vocabulary by requiring the naming of pictures), Preschool Language Assessment Instrument (use of varying length of abstract language), Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test (expressive grammar).

OwnADaycare: What special services might a child need or what type of intervention is necessary if a child is at risk for developmental delays?
Chris Rowan:
Physicians – referral onto pediatrician is generally first line approach.  Pediatrician may then refer onto other specialists depending on area of impairment e.g. genetics, orthopedics, neurology, gastroenterology, physiatry, ophthalmology etc.
Physical therapists – treatment sessions might be one to one or group based, performed in hospital, child development center, preschool or school, private clinic, or community gym settings, and might consist of education and a variety of exercises to improve muscle strength, reduce or increase muscle tone, improve bilateral coordination, improve overall endurance etc.
Occupational therapists – treatment sessions might be one to one or group based, performed in hospital, child development center, preschool, or private clinic, and might consist of education regarding environmental modifications, prescription of equipment, instruction in use of sensory or motor tools or techniques etc.
Speech and Language therapists – treatment sessions might be one to one or group based, performed in hospital, child development center, preschool, or private clinic, and might consist of parent and child instruction and training of a variety of expressive and receptive language acquisition techniques.

Related posts:

• Developmental Screening Tests for Young Children Interview with Cris Rowan Tweet Tweet Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify...
• Developmental Screening for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet A preschooler will undergo a screening when there...
• How to Handle Temper Tantrums in Daycare Part 2 Tweet Tweet Daycare providers must deal with a wide range...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis for potential developmental delays. Developmental screening allows daycare providers and parents the ability to receive a snapshot of a child’s development.

Our interview with Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist, sensory specialist, CEO of Zone’in Programs Inc. discusses the importance of developmental screening in daycare centers and preschools:

OwnADaycare: Why do preschoolers undergo developmental screening?
Cris Rowan: Brain maturation is most rapid when children are young.  Developmental research has shown that interventions are most effective during times of rapid neuronal growth.  Assessing and treating developmental delay (DD) at the infant and toddler level will achieve optimal results.  Presently 15% of elementary children are developmentally delayed (1), 15% are obese (2), and 14.3% have psychiatric disorders (3).  The sooner these conditions are assessed through developmental screening, the more effective will be the subsequent treatment.

OwnADaycare: Are all children screened?
Cris Rowan: Most definitely not!  Studies have shown that only 50% of developmental delays are detected prior to school entry (1).  One of the problems with developmental screening is that there is no standardized assessment process, leaving each community, state or province to determine their own methods.  Sweden is quite advanced, requiring monthly physician visits from 0-18 months.  Process for detecting DD is usually by primary physician initial assessment who is acting on reports from either parent or preschool staff.  Referral is usually then initiated to a child development center for further assessment by physical, occupational or speech and language therapists.

OwnADaycare At what age are preschoolers screened?
Chris Rowan: As stated previously, there is no standardized method for developmental screening.  As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’ve observed the following developmental screening periods:

Early Infant Screening
Infants are brought to the family physician for developmental screening at around 12-18 month of age, when they have failed to meet the three primary developmental milestones of sit (6 mo.), stand (9 mo.) and walk (12 mo.).

Toddler Screening
Toddlers are often referred to the physician by the preschool when the toddler is 2.5-3 years of age and shows significant gross and fine motor delays, is not communicating or socializing with peers, exhibits unusual behavior, or is aggressive.

School Age Screening
Children are usually referred to the school based physical (PT), occupational (OT), or speech and language (SLP) therapists anywhere from grade 1-3.  These referrals are generally made by the school’s special education team, and are based on the child’s performance skills in gym (PT), printing, reading, socializing, and paying attention (OT), or expression or comprehension of speech (SLP).

OwnADaycare: Can you describe the screening tests?
Cris Rowan:

Physicians and Pediatricians – tests assess for quality of reflexes, strength and muscle tone, meeting milestones for sit, stand, walk, talk.
Physical therapy – tests assess and treat delays or impairment in the following: gross motor skills, mobility, posture, strength, muscle tone, reflex inhibition, bilateral coordination.
Occupational therapy – tests assess and treat delays or impairment in the following: fine motor skills, sensory processing and integration, visual-motor integration, visual perception, oral motor skills, activities of daily living, play skills, social skills, foundation skills for eventual school entry.
Speech and Language therapy – tests assess and treat delays or impairment in the following: expressive and comprehensive communication.

Related posts:

• Developmental Screening for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet A preschooler will undergo a screening when there...
• ADHD in the Daycare or Preschool Setting Tweet Tweet Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a...

• Tweet

• Tweet

Teach Children the Letter E

Preschool teachers and daycare providers can help children learn to recognize and write the letter E through fun activities that support clear learning objectives. Implementing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool teachers can create brilliant lesson plans that help young children learn the letter E and the long E sound.

Learning Objectives
The students will identify the letter E.
The students make and recognize the long E sound.
The students will correctly trace and write upper and lower case Es.
The students will identify objects that begin with or include the long E sound.
The students will play a flashlight alphabet game.
The students will listen to books about things that start with or include the long E sound.
The students will learn the “Bees, Bees, Bees” song.

Handwriting and Phonetics Activities
Create a letter E poster board which shows both the upper and lower case E. Glue pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter E. Alternatively, you can draw or paint objects that begin with E. Introduce the children to the letter E along with simple objects that begin with the letter E.

Demonstrate the E sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the E sound. Ask students what items they can think of (objects, names, etc.) that begin with the letter E. Let children practice tracing the letter E in both upper and lower case using letter E worksheets. A good example of such a worksheet that focuses on the long E sound is available on the KidsLearningStation.com website. Additionally, children can practice tracing upper and lower case Es on blank sheets of paper using pencils or crayons.

Cognitive Learning: Object Sorting
For this cognitive learning activity, place toy or real objects which begin with a long E sound or contain the long E sound in a box or other container. Examples include:  eel, tree, Easter, bee, eleven, key, and sheep. Along with these items, place objects beginning with various other letters. As you pull each object out, students will sort (recognize) those that begin or contain the long E sound from those that do not.

Story Time: Letter E Books
Eve’s Green Garden: The Sound of Long E (Sounds of Phonics) by Cecilia Minden and Bob Ostrom (Aug 2010)

Meet Me on the Farm: Learning the Long E Sound (Phonics for the Real World) by Shelby Braidich (Jan 2009)

Bob Books Set 5- Long Vowels by Bobby Lynn Maslen and John R. Maslen (May 1, 2006)

The Hiding Eel (Stone Arch Readers) by Cari Meister and Steve Harpster (Aug 1, 2011)

Think of an Eel: Read and Wonder by Karen Wallace and Mike Bostock (Apr 1, 2001)

Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids by Gail Gibbons (Apr 1, 2002)

Let’s Have a Tree Party! by David Martin and John Manders (Mar 13, 2012)

Life on a Sheep Farm (Life on a Farm) by Judy Wolfman and David Lorenz Winston (Oct 2003)

Flashlight Letters Game
Get a flashlight and turn off the lights in the room or close the blinds so the room is dark.  Using the flashlight, make giant letter Es on a wall.  Encourage each child to practice making upper and lower case E’s with the flashlight.

Preschool Long E Song
Bees, Bees, Bees*

Bees, Bees, Bees, Bees
Buzzing in bushes and buzzing in trees
Buzzing around, wherever they please
There’s nothing so sweet
As sweet as a honey bee.

Bees, Bees, Bees, Bees
Buzzing in bushes and buzzing in trees
Buzzing around, wherever they please
There’s nothing so sweet
As sweet as a honey bee.

*Taken from PreschoolEducation.com
Alphabet recognition activities will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. The key is to have fun with your daycare job through lesson planning and make each moment of learning fun and creative.

Related posts:

• Letter A and the Long A Sound Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Preschool teachers and daycare providers can help children...
• Letter H Preschool Lesson Plan Tweet Tweet Implementing activities in daycare centers that support clear...
• Letter I and the Short Letter I Sound Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Tweet Tweet Implementing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool...