Memory Books

I can't believe the last day with my 3's is tomorrow! Each year seems to go by faster and faster.

It seems like yesterday that the parents brought the school supplies, including a binder with a clear pocket on the cover. Each year I use these binders to make memory books.

On parent night, I have notecards and stickers at each table. The parents write a note for their children with good wishes for the school year. I make sure these go on the first page of the memory book.

At the end of the year I write a personal note for each child. This goes in an envelope below the note from the parents.

The rest of the book is filled with any artwork that could fit on an 8.5 x 11 inch page.

Tomorrow, they will get to take these books home, along with their journals, their place mats, and a picture book that I made highlighting special events throughout the year.

This is a bittersweet time of year for me. I look back on pictures and see the growth that has taken place. I marvel at how much we all learned! I cherish the friendships that have been made.

I will miss them. They are my family! I am lucky to be teaching 10 weeks of summer camp and will get to see most of them again. But I am still sad that the year is over!

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Social Media Changes

 I have loved using social media to help reach my many of my friends here on Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds. I have enjoyed LEARNING from so many other bloggers out there. 

Facebook has been making some changes as to how many of my friends can see my posts. I feel a bit power less, as I'm not sure how they determine who gets to see my posts and who does not. All I know is that whenever I now post, they give me an option to reach more of my viewers by paying a fee. The more I pay, the more viewers will be reached.  I'm not clear on how Facebook will determine who will continue to see my posts, since I cannot pay to promote them. What I'm THINKING might be the case is that if you do not stay active, they will drop Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds from your newsfeed. To stay active, please "like" or comment on my FB posts. If I do fall off your newsfeed, you can find me again by coming back to this website and clicking on my FB icon (right sidebar). Supposedly they are "testing" this, so please hang in there and let's hope they realize it's a bad move for all of us.

Regardless of what happens with Facebook, I will continue to share teaching ideas here on my website. I encourage you to sign up for my blog so that you get my updates in your e-mail. There is an option on the right sidebar of this page. Also, please bookmark this website in your "favorites"!

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I have so much more to share on Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, so please keep in touch! I cannot control what Facebook decides, but I will continue to dedicate time to share with all of you what I've learned - and continue to learn - about teaching preschoolers. 

I appreciate you all!

~Sheryl

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Rainbow Fish

Our last week of preschool has been all about the ocean, but I love The Rainbow Fish because it incorporates friendships. We've talked a lot lately about being good friends in our 3's class. They are so excited to have special friends, but we've had to work on including others in our play. 

In the book, The Rainbow Fish has these bright scales that he eventually shares with his friends. I used cut cupcake wrappers. 

Making the fish is easy. Cut a triangle from a paper plate and use that triangle for the fin. (I admit I need these easier projects on the last week of class!)

I love that the same preschoolers still love to get their hands in there. All through the year, right up until the last day. 

Oh, and the googly eyes. I've mentioned those before. Pick up a pack through Oriental Trading, or at your local craft store. They always put a smile anything!

Rainbow Fish:

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Cardboard Fish

This is our last week of preschool and I've been trying to use up some materials, such as leftover paint, glue and cardboard. I saw this post over at Learn with Play @ Home, and knew this would work great with the 2's.

I cut out fish from cardboard - no two looked alike. (Okay, to be honest, mostly because they were done freestyle and I was using up as much of the cardboard as I could!)

I set them out on the art table and the 2's could pick their own fish and get to work. (I should've known that would be one of the best parts of it- for them to get to decide on their own fish!)

I pulled out our leftover glue trays (we store them in our cabinet with plexiglass on top, so they don't dry out) and I added some tempera paint. Instead of brushes, we used cotton swabs. More control.

I cut cupcake liners to use as scales, but few wanted to add them. I've found that to be true of most of our 2's - they love to apply the glue but aren't always crazy about sticking anything to it. That's okay! I loved them even without scales.

Oh, and if you really want to make a 2 (or 3) year old smile? Give them some googly eyes to add. :)

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One Piece of Wood

One piece of plywood. 

Hours of fun!

Indoors and out.

The pictures say it all!

Painting with Egg Cartons

We've seen this idea all over the web, so we thought we'd try it with our 3's.

Nice spots.

That is, until the 3's quickly realized it was much more fun to slide the egg cartons across the paper instead!

More paint, please!

Now perhaps this wouldn't have been as easy had we used cardboard egg cartons.

But we think they had more fun!

Salt Chalk Art

I mentioned on Facebook how we made salt chalk again this year. So easy, so fun!

Fill a tin of salt and rub a big piece of sidewalk chalk in it. The chalk will break up and blend with the salt.

Squeeze glue onto paper.

Place the paper in a box lid or a tray with sides, to contain the salt chalk. Pour the salt chalk over the paper.

Shake off excess salt chalk.

Ta da!

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