Learning Though Hands On Experiences!

Elsabet and Ekram
6 hours ago
4 min read

Dear Parents,

We are delighted to share that we had a fantastic week in Preschool. Our focus was on measurement, journaling, planting activities, and sensory exploration. The children were fully engaged and eager to learn through every experience. Please enjoy reading our weekly blog to see the wonderful moments we shared.

Large Group

Our Large Group time this week was lively and full of excitement! We began by sitting in a circle and chatting about the children’s mornings. Many happily shared—“I brushed my teeth”, “I ate my breakfast”, or “I came with Daddy”. It was a warm and gentle way to start our day together. We sang our Good Morning song and read “Say Please, Little Bear”, which the children enjoyed as they listened and looked at the pictures.

After the story, we practiced our Zoo-Phonics characters, reviewing both their sounds and actions. Next, we talked about the weather and sang our weather song, followed by reviewing the days of the week. The children loved answering, “How many days are in a week?” and singing our “Days of the Week” song. We also took attendance, and everyone had fun giving high fives afterward. For our message board activity, we practiced counting backward from 10 to 1. Some children did it quickly, while others needed a little support, and everyone tried their best. The children were engaged, joyful, and curious throughout!

Small Group

Math

This week, our math session was all about measurement! We introduced the children to simple concepts like big and small, heavy and light, tall and short—perfect for their age and understanding. The children explored soft blocks, wooden blocks, water bottles, and rulers. Then, one by one, they compared the objects and proudly described them, saying things like “This is tall,” “This is short,” and “This is heavy”. Their confidence and understanding were wonderful to see! We ended the lesson with a fun “Big and Small” measurement song. Everyone was excited, involved, and the activity went smoothly.

Art

This week in our art session, we created beautiful handprint flowers! This activity connected to our science lessons, where the children have been showing great interest in planting and watering plants during recess. To build on that curiosity, we introduced the first step of planting, the soil, and let the children choose which type of flower they wanted to “plant”.

We began by gathering the children and explaining the activity. We talked about the materials we would use: paper, different paint colors, and brushes. After putting on their art smocks, each child received a paper to begin their artwork. The children chose from a variety of paint colors—red, purple, yellow, brown, and green.

They dipped their hands into the paint and pressed a handprint onto their paper to create the flower. Then, using brown paint, they added the soil, and used their favorite color to make the stem, helping them understand that plants need soil to grow. This activity helped the children identify colors, strengthen fine motor skills, and practice focusing. Afterwards, everyone washed their hands. It was a fun, messy, and exciting experience that the whole class loved!

Library

In our library session, the children had a wonderful and peaceful time exploring books. Each child selected a favorite book and spent time looking through every page, enjoying the pictures and stories at their own pace. The room was calm and cozy as they focused on their books and shared their discoveries with friends. At the end of the session, the children worked together to return the books to their proper places. It was a joyful experience that helped nurture their curiosity and love for reading.

Science

This week in our science session, we explored different types of soils and their textures, including clay, sand, soil, and mud. We had a wonderful and engaging time together. First, we prepared all the materials and then took the children outside to introduce the activity. We explained the different materials and how they could explore them. The children were given time to freely touch and investigate each material. They felt the sand, mud, soil, and clay, noticing the differences in texture. Some children were curious about whether soil could turn into mud, so they mixed soil with water and created their own mud. Seeing the transformation was very exciting for them!

As they explored, the children described what they felt, saying things such as, “this is soft” “this is hard,” and “this is dry”. The mud was especially popular because it was messy and fun to play with. We also discussed which type of soil is best for planting flowers, encouraging them to think about how soil helps plants grow. Overall, it was a joyful and hands-on learning experience. The children were happy, engaged, and excited to learn through sensory play, developing curiosity about the natural world around them.

Literacy

In this week’s literacy session, students worked in their journals. First, they planned what they wanted to draw, then we gave them their journal books and favorite crayons. Afterward, we asked if they followed their plan or changed their ideas. Most students followed their plan, while some came up with new and creative ideas. We truly encourage our students to express themselves through drawing and enjoy the process of creating!