The flu season is already underway, peaking in February. The best time to get the vaccine is early Fall. If you want more information about which flu strands the 2008-2009 vaccine protects against or where to get flu vaccines in your area, go to www.cdc.gov/flu/flu_vaccines_updates.htm.

10:30 a.m. – Social and Emotional Development
11:30 a.m. – The InvestiGator Club Prekindergarten Learning System Core Curriculum
1:30 p.m. – Adaptive Learning to Include All Children
2:30 p.m. – Teaching the Spanish Preschooler
3:30 p.m. – Just for Threes
4:30 p.m. – Fine Arts in the Preschool Classroom

See you there!

Young children are very susceptible to fear and anxiety about storms, too. This is particularly true if they:
• have had direct experience with a bad storm in the past.
• are sensitive to your heightened anxiety.
• have a vivid imagination.
• see and hear about the storm on TV.

So, I’m wondering what preschool teachers and parents do to reassure children and help them overcome their fears. This is such an important topic, I’d love to hear what you’ve done that works.

Here are 2 comments from parents in Orlando:

Alaina: As much as possible, I try to keep to our regular schedule. It makes my daughter feel more secure and heads off those “I’m over-tired tears.” Bedtime is the hardest time, so I make sure that we eat at our regular time, bathe, and get ready for bed as we always do. Then, we snuggle up together and I read Emily’s favorite story – Good Night Moon.

Carissa: We prepared for the storms by securing patio furniture, garbage cans, and other objects that might become airborne projectiles. Since Spencer loves to build things, I alleviated the tension by bringing the patio furniture into the playroom and letting him build forts with it. It kept him busy and his mind off the wind and the rain outside.

Please take a minute to share your experiences and suggestions.

Have children blow an imaginary bubble over their space on the floor. Have them climb into the bubble and sit down. Tell them: The space on the floor inside your imaginary bubble is your space, and no one else can share it. Stay inside your space as I give you some directions. Listen carefully. Then give directions such as the following: put your hands on your head; clap three times; put your hands on your hips and twist, etc.

Our Program Introduction, Let’s Investigate!, is full of fun back-to-school lessons. To learn more about our curriculum, go to www.investigatorclub.com.

What is your best preschool back-to-school activity? Let us know and we’ll post it to share!

My thanks to the participants who made this workshop so much fun and who contributed their classroom experiences and knowledge. It was a great learning experience!

Included below are the data collecting posters and handouts so that every teacher who wants to keep children curious with some great integrated science activities will have the materials they need.

Data Collecting Posters
Boats Afloat
Color-Mixing
Go! Go! Go!
Ice Melting Contest
Sensory Station
What Do Plants Need?

Event Photos

1. If your library allows, get a library card in your child’s name. Help your child understand that the card is his/hers and that he/she will be able to decide what gets checked out.
2. Establish an area in your home dedicated to library materials. Unless an item is in use, it needs to live here. On every trip to the library and back, carry out the same routine of picking up return items from this space and placing newly checked out ones here.
3. Determine for your child a set number of items that he/she is able to have out at one time. Work with your child to understand that however many items he/she returns is how many he/she can then take out.
4. Children’s library rooms usually have special sections for their youngest patrons. Point out the age-specific shelves to your child. You may decide that other materials are also appropriate choices, but set the physical boundaries so your child will know from which areas he/she may choose.

Remember that libraries contain more than just books. There will also be videos, music CDs, games, puppets, and computer software that your family will be able to take home and use. In my experience, children’s librarians really love what they do. If you ask, they’ll be happy to point out all the different services of the library and how best to use them. For example, if your child is especially interested in a particular topic at the moment, such as dinosaurs, they may be able to pull books in advance of your visit. Then you and your child will be able to go right to a stack of materials on a table upon your arrival.

Not to mention - you might find some good summertime reading for yourself!

• using colorful cupcake wrappers to hold nuts and pieces of cut-up fruits and vegetables.
• using cookie cutters or ice cream molds to shape rice, scrambled eggs, beans, etc.
• having the children decorate their own placemats on construction paper. Once you cover them with contact paper, you’ll have placemats that will last through many uses.