Picking a Preschool for Your Child-What to Look For

Preschool vs. Babysitting


In Canada, not all Preschools are created equally.

There are Preschools and there are babysitting services--it all depends on what you are looking for for your child.

The teachers schedule a routine that they follow EVERYDAY for the children. This provides structure.

A quality Preschool has Professional E.C.E's ONLY--this means that those who are teaching the children have went to college to learn how to 'teach and deal with preschool aged children and teach various skills and curriculum.

Professional E.C.E's would have their first aid & CPR in case a situation developed with any child.

A good Preschool would follow some sort of educational or preschool learning program, the most popular being "Play To Learn'.

Professional Development accessible to E.C.E's to keep up with children's needs.

A Good Preschool center would obviously be clean and sanitary and provide healthy nutrtious meals (not a regular feeding of hotdogs and kraft dinner etc..)

They would also have healthy activities and 2 hours a day of outdoor activities.

In Canada, E.C.E's now have to be Registered through the College Of E.C.E's in order to have a professional title.

On average, pricing is about $30 per child per day. Infants of course cost more due to responsibilities and materials required for care.

Babysitters are babysitters...put the kids in front of the tv, throw on a movie, cartoon or kid's show.

Preschool is a structured environment where curriculum are suppose to be in place with 'Professionals' teaching, where children can interact and learn to develop different skills. :)

Spring & Summer Newsletter-Great Spring Preschool Activities for Kids

Happy Spring and Summer Subscriber,


It’s been a while since our last newsletter. We apologize for the delay but we have some exciting news. We are in the process of finishing up our sister site which we have been working very hard on. Check out the following link to be one of the first to visit this site. Click here to visit: Activity School Bus.com We have great new information on this site including Themes. Check out our theme section where we have well over 15 themes already posted!


We have also been working on videos which we have put up on the web. We will be making these videos available through our site by link or actual video. One of our team operators, (Marisa Robinson E.C.E) demonstrates activities, songs, cooking, and great book recommendations. Keep checking back to PreschoolLearningOnline.com for these exciting changes and add-ons as well as our sister site: ActivitySchoolBus.com


Now For Some Free Spring/Summer Activities:




Cooking Activity: Birds Nests

What you will need:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
6 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup fine shredded coconut (optional)*
3 cups oatmeal


Large Pot
Wooden Spoon
Waxed Paper
Jellybeans
Large Popsicle Sticks


What to do:

Prepare Ingredients using the directions below:

1. Combine the first four ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a boil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

2. Take pot off of stove and add the coconut and oatmeal. Mix until everything is coated.
Give each child a piece of waxed paper. Drop a generous sized spoonful of the “birds nest” mixture onto the waxed paper.

Have each child work the mixture with a popsicle stick until it’s cool enough to handle.

Have children shape the mixture into a birds nest and then let set.

Once the mixture is set (either in the fridge or at room temp.) give the child a handful of jelly beans or chocolate foil wrapped eggs to put in the centre of their nest.

This is a great afternoon snack or dessert after a healthy lunch.

Enjoy!

*If you omit the coconut, replace by adding ¼-1/2 cup of oatmeal.


For more free activities visit: PreschoolLearningOnline.com and ActivitySchoolBus.com



Incorporating Science and Creative Art:


What you will need:

Styrofoam Cups
Soil
Spoons (enough for all children)
Flower seeds such as Violets
Water in a container with a spout

Any or all of the following:
Markers
Glue
Sparkles, beads, anything else fun and glue able


Allow each child to create their own flower pot.
First, write each child’s name on the bottom of the cup. Then have the children decorate it however they wish to.

Next, have each child fill their cup almost to the top of the cup with soil using a spoon to scoop it.

Then give them a seed to place on the top and have them push the seed down very gently only about a finger tips depth.

Then give them the water to water the seed a tiny bit.

Once everyone has planted their seeds, place their flower pots out where they will get some filtered sunlight.

Optional: Check on the plants daily and see whose started to grow first, last, how much they grow each week, etc. Document the progress on chart paper to post on the wall when the experiment is finished.

Once everyone’s plant have started to grow, send them home with the children and encourage their parents to re-pot the plant and watch it grow more.


For free activities, themes and more, visit:

PreschoolLearningOnline.com and ActivitySchoolBus.com




Sensory Activity:


Who said the sand box had to be limited to just cars and trucks, shovels and pails.

Let’s get creative!


For a great fresh spring activity, take out those cars and trucks, shovels and pails, and let’s replace the sandbox with gardening gloves, gardening shovels, flower pots, and some fake flowers. While you’re at it, why not add some fun gardening hats for the children to extend their play.

Sit back and watch or join in the fun as you watch them develop their little green thumbs!

I hope this has helped give you a kick start to spring and summer. It doesn’t end there though. Keep checking back to our web sites for more great free activities.



Thanks and enjoy the great weather ahead!


Regards,
The Preschool Learning Online Team