After cleaning up our toys, we have a carpet time where we discuss the weather, who is here, birthdays, and decide the month and day on the calendar. We sing learning, seasonal, and fun songs, and do finger plays. Each child has a turn to participate in the different activities by doing their own special job of the week.

Parent and child sign up to bring snacks for the week. After snacks the children have time to look at books and then we spotlight an individual child. Afterwards, the children are divided up into two groups. Each group will rotate between craft time and story time.

We have a story either from a book, flannel board cutouts or a puppet show that centers around the theme of the week. Sometimes we will do a science experiment or have a math experience. The children also have an opportunity to share something they have brought from home. Each child has a designated sharing day once a week. Afterwards, we go outside for recess where we play, ride toys and go down the slide.

We have a designated craft each day. We provide a variety of media and encourage creative expression. Easel painting, watercolors, finger painting, cutting, gluing and play dough are all a part of this fun time. Often we will bake, or mix or have some kind of food experience. Each Friday we have a craft reinforcing the letter and sound of the week.

A variety of manipulative materials are available during craft time to encourage reading readiness skills with lots of games and bins filled with opportunities to learn and create. Sounds, letters, numbers, sizes, classification, sequences, shapes are reinforced by these materials.

We close the day with songs, finger plays, a short story, or “brain teasers”, to recap the day and a have a friendly good-bye.