Developmentally Appropriate Preschool

In Adventure Preschool, we strive to provide children with developmentally appropriate activities that help to teach core knowledge. There has been a lot of publicity about how we are pushing children too hard to learn too much too early. 

What we cover in Adventure Preschool is not new. It is the same skill set that was taught 20 years ago to a 3-year-old. We work on social skills; getting along with friends, sharing, saying our name, using our manners. We work on Small Muscle coordination; cutting, coloring, and pre-writing. Academics in a three-year-old room look very different from what most people think of as true academics. 

We cover Math, Science, Language, Literacy, and Large and Small Muscle development.

Math - block play, counting, patterning, shapes

Science - sensory play, exploration, practice with "tools" such as magnifying glasses, tweezers and magnets, learning about colors

Language - vocabulary, speaking, having a conversation

Literacy - Letters in their name, rhyming, alliteration

Muscle Development - coloring, cutting, using stickers, stacking, running, playing outside or in the gym, obstacle courses. 

Most of all, we have a lot of fun! We play and the children learn! We color and the children learn! We explore and the children learn! If you have any questions regarding the skills that your child is learning, please feel free to contact me! 

Hand Preference

Children can begin choosing a hand preference as early as 1-2 years old. Around the age of 4-5 this choice has been made. Handedness is NOT a choice. It is predetermined in the brain. We should never force a child to use one hand over the other. This could lead to further issues in the future! 
Some tips for children who haven't yet "chosen" a hand:
Put the scissors, crayon, pencil directly in front of the child. Whichever hand they pick up the utensil with, this is the hand that they should use for the entire time. If they choose the crayon with their right hand to color, they should use that hand until they are done with that color. If they pick up the scissors with the left hand, they need to finish the cutting with that hand. Typically, a child will pick up a crayon, marker, scissors etc. placed in front of them with their dominant hand.  A child will switch hands mid-task due to hand fatigue. Their hand gets tired so they switch to the other hand. It is important for children to build up their hand strength.
Encourage your child no matter what hand they have "chosen" for their dominant hand. 

Build up strength in hands:
1. Play with play-dough. Encourage children to squeeze it, squish it and roll it in their hands. Have your child mix colors to make new colors. By mixing the colors completely, your child will need to use a lot of hand strength!
2. Give your child scissors! (Always supervise your child with scissors.) Allow them to cut.
3. Give your child crayons and coloring books or blank paper. This is an important skill to have. It not only works on hand strength but also concentration and color recognition as well. Encourage the use of LOTS of colors, not just one and work on not scribbling. Use little hand motions to fill in a spot completely. Outline different areas with a brightly colored marker so your child can see the lines and have a clear stopping point.
4. Do finger plays.
5. Hang paper on the wall and let your child color, paint and glue things to this paper. A vertical surface helps to build arm muscles and proper crayon grips. 
6. Stickers are great for fine motor practice! Let them peel and stick them to paper.