New Stuff!

Fall is like a new beginning here at First Discoveries. We have new friends, new activities, new learning materials, and new or updated policies! We're still working on our policies, basically, nothing new to any of you that have been in a preschool or childcare program before but just tweaked a little bit! We'll send home a paper copy with each family next week.

You'll notice as you scroll down that there is a new feature on our blog. A rotating book list! These books are our favorite books of the season. We love books, own lots of books, and read lots of books so the list will change often- keep checking it often! Definitely check out these wonderful books at the library or if you want to purchase them you can purchase them directly from the book list- click on the book and it will bring you to the amazon website to order. We will also begin reading chapter books aloud again this fall and can't wait until we can have a nice cozy fire in the fireplace!

We also have a new weekly schedule for our fall and winter seasons.
Monday is soup day- please bring a vegetable or two to share with the class each Monday. We will wash and chop the veggies together and create a wonderful friendship soup! The children love this activity but it only really works if we have good participation from all of our families so please try to remember veggie Monday!
Tuesday is music class day
Wednesday is great artist study day. We will learn about and will create art in the styles of great artists.
Thursday is bread baking day
Friday is Spanish class- we will occasionally be taking field trips on Friday during the fall and winter as well, just not every Friday.

Our Daily Rhythm is going to be little different too. We will be beginning our day outside early in the morning so that our school aged children can go on our class walk and have some outdoor free play with us before they start school in the morning. Please make sure you are here before 8:30 (or let us know ahead of time that you will NOT be here before 8:30). Also it's important to make sure your children are completely dressed appropriately for the weather and fed, and have gone potty before getting in the car to go to preschool. I'll be making another post in the near future about fall and winter clothing for children in Minnesota- we do go outside until the temp. reaches below 0 degree's so keep those little ones dressed warm!
When we return from taking our school aged children to school at 9:15 our preschool class will have a story, morning tea or cider, and morning activity. This is our time to spend some quality time together learning, exploring and playing. After morning activity we'll have free play and lunch prep and will get the morning kindergartners back from Folwell. Then we have lunch, group activity or story and rest time.
Afternoon activities will include snack and outdoor time possibly free art or group game as well. This is not a ridged schedule and can and will change depending on the weather, the activity and the children's moods and wishes.