My Very Own School - Happy Family Brands

My Very
Own School
Welcome To My Very Own School - A Bloom (Kenney & Young, 2013)
learning and behavior resource to help parents of young children
create home environments for better daily living.
Children ages 3-6 benefit from every day schedules and at-home
academic & motor enrichment. Creating your own Cognitive-Kinetic
school program enhances your child’s development and sense of
mastery. What follows are sample schedules and resources for you
to get your child on-track with learning, behavior and enrichment.
Developed for families for summer enrichment, MVOS can help all
through the year when you have little ones at home as well. Try the
schedules and activities during the holidays as well for better athome family routines and rhythm.
Even if you are not developing your own “homeschool” and your
child is attending a preschool or pre-k program, homeschooling
sites, Pinterest, TeachersPayTeachers and online resources can help
you find activities for enrichment in your home.
“We move to think, we play to behave.”
Your children are blooming,
Dr. Lynne
@drlynnekenney
www.lynnekenney.com
Warm thanks to Teresa Clifton of Owls and Fireflies Design teresabelle.blogspot.com and
Wendy Young, co-author of Bloom: Helping children blossom. You make helping families a
pleasure!
Daily at-home Pre to Pre-K activities
typically include:
Circle or family meeting time: This is the time of day right after breakfast when
the family sits in a circle to discuss the day. The family visualizes what the day
will “look like.” The daily blocks are hung or posted to show the children what
will take place today in what order. The order will change based on scheduling
and family needs. Knowing what to expect helps children gain mastery and
confidence.
Free choice: Children choose from a variety of different activities available in the
home: Block building, puzzles, dress-up, water or sand play, drawing, painting
and more. They initiate their own play, either alone or with other children. They
learn how to work independently, take turns, share, and play cooperatively
with others.
Academics: From phonics to art, music, science, reading and math the learning
is ongoing all day long.
Group activity: During this time, children may learn a song or dance. They may
participate in making up a story, preparing a meal, planning an outing, or
working on a science or art project. They practice new skills, develop fine motor
control, and learn how to communicate their ideas and needs effectively.
Snack: As they eat, youngsters learn social and practical skills: How to set the
table, pass the milk and fruit, carry on conversations and more. Meal-times are
valuable learning opportunities for families.
Outdoor play: Climbing, running, jumping, bouncing balls, and crawling through
tunnels helps children develop large muscle control, motor coordination, and
balance. Going to the park, play date or zoo is valuable learning time.
Story time: Sprinkled throughout the day, reading stories as a family allows
children to sit, relax and learn.
Clean-up: As they clear the table or put away the blocks, children learn how to
plan, organize and work with others.
The following postable “blocks” of activities
will help you to organize your day with
some rhythm. When we think in blocks of
activities & time, our day is more
predictable leading to creativity, mastery
and emotional security.
They are in no particular order. You may
choose to cut them out and use them to
begin building a visual of your daily MVOS
program or you may use them as
inspiration to make your own. Remember,
adapt this program to suit your own family
values and needs. Improve it, share it, do
as you need to. It’s here to help lift up your
family life.
For more information on routines, schedules and
behavior see the blogs at www.lynnekenney.com and
http://kidlutions.blogspot.com/ or our books The Family
Coach Method and Bloom.
Daily Blocks For Printing and Posting
Rise & Shine
Morning Routine
Breakfast
Circle Time
Story Time
Outdoor Play
Daily Blocks For Printing and Posting
Snuggle Time
Math
Puzzles
Table Time
Sand Tray
Snack
Daily Blocks For Printing and Posting
Mommy Time
Daddy Time
Arts & Crafts
Clean-up
Lunch Time
Quiet Time
Daily Blocks For Printing and Posting
Building & Blocks
Screen Time
Music Time
Free Play
Dinner Time
Bed Time
Sample 3 day per week schedule
DAY 1
9:00 AM Circle Time – Schedule review, rules review, drawing out the day
9:20 AM Table Time – Beads, making things, putting things together,
puzzles
9:45 AM Outdoor play and snack
10:15 AM Car Play/Building small motor movement
10:45 AM Learning Centers – Letters, math, science
11:15 AM Painting
11:30 AM Cooking, food creation
11:55 AM Goodbye song
DAY 2
9:00 AM Circle Time
9:20 AM Phonics
9:45 AM Outdoor play and snack
10:15 AM DK Books and activities
10:45 AM Learning Centers – Letters, math, science
11:15 AM Memory games + movement
11:30 Legos and blocks
11:55 AM Goodbye song
DAY 3
9:00 AM Circle Time
9:20 AM Phonics
9:45 AM Outdoor play and snack
10:15 AM StoryTime (read it, write it, draw it)
10:45 AM Learning Centers – Letters, math, science
11:15 AM Drawing/Art and Crafts
11:30 AM Cars/Trains and building
11:55 AM Goodbye song
! Playroom Tools
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Action Figures
Age appropriate videos
Arts and crafts: Make-your-own masterpieces, The Super
Scissors Book, Anything written by Maryann Kohl
Board Games: Let’s tackle math; my first brain quest, cranium
caribou, I spy preschool game, Kids on stage board game
Books
Building sets, Lego’s, Unifix blocks and more
Coloring Books
Dolls
Figurines for sand and eban tray play
ipad, mp3 player, speakers for music and dance
Kimochis
Kiboomu Music
Learning Activities
Little Jots (for love notes and reminders)
Magnetic Darts
Musical Instruments
Party Supplies
Pretend Play/Dress Up
Puzzles
Sand, bean tray
Sporting Goods
Stress-free kids music
Toy animals
Trains
Water tables
Art Supplies (How
Art Supplies List adapted from Genny at
InLieuofPreschool.com
See the original fab list with links here.
http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/our-art-andcraft-supplies-list/
Art Furniture/Big Items
• Chalkboard
• Freezer paper rolls (lot’s O’ paper for a
little price)
• Laptop Buddah boards
• Painting Easel
• Tabletop paper roller
• Whiteboard
• Work Table (four chairs)
Drawing
• Colored pencils ~ Pip Squeaks
• Coloring books
• Crayons ~ regular, fat, triangular,
crayon rocks
• Drawing books for kids
• Dry erase crayons and markers
• Oil pastels ~ Slick stix
• Pencils (No 2) with erasers
• Sidewalk chalk
• Washable markers
• Window crayons and markers
Glue it/Cut it
• Beads ~ various sizes, colors, materials
(use for sorting as well as art)
• cotton balls
• Elmer’s white glue
• Glue sticks ~ we like the ones that go
on purple and dry white so the kids can
see what they’re doing
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
fun!)
Googly eyes
Hot glue gun + glue sticks (adult use
only)
Kid scissors
Pipe cleaners / Chenille stems
Pom poms (use for sorting as well as
for art)
Q-tips ~ to paint or glue with
Ribbon (various widths, colors)
Shaving cream
Stencils
Stickers ~ regular and 3-D foam
Yarn
Painting
• Paint brushes ~ bristle, foam, shapes
• Washable finger paint
• Washable tempera paint
• Water color paints
Paper
•
•
•
•
•
•
Card stock (color and white)
Construction paper
Drawing pad
Easel rolls
Plain white (printer) paper
Watercolor/painting paper (thick and
textured)
Stamping
• Do-a-dot markers
• Foam stamps
• Rubber stamps
• Stamp pads
Playroom Decor
Décor
o Cork board
o Chalk board
o Marker Board with Markers
o Personalized Wall Art and Letters
o Reading Lights
o Themed Appliqués
o Themed Walled Hooks
o Wall Borders
Organization
o Bookcases
o Bookshelves
o Cubbies
o Hanging Organizers
o Plastic boxes, labeled
o Stackable Shelves
o Storage Bench
o Toy Bins
Stores
o Joann’s
o KB Toys
o Michaels
o Target
o Toys-R-Us
o Wal-Mart
o www.etoys.com
o www.mytoybox.com
o www.orientaltrading.com
o sparkpe.com
o melissaanddoug.com
o lakeshorlearning.com
Sample Curriculum Goals Pre K-K
The following are common curriculum goals for preschool to kindergarten
students. MVOS planning develops around these core competencies.
Language Arts
!
!
!
!
* Identifies front, back, title, and author of a book
* Demonstrates top to bottom, left to right progression
* Distinguishes letters from words and words from sentences
* Identifies all uppercase and lowercase letters
* Demonstrates knowledge of beginning sounds by printing correct letter
symbols with corresponding pictures
* Orally tells what sound is heard at the beginning and ending of words
* Blends CVC sounds aloud to make a word
* Rhymes
* Count the number of sounds in a syllable and the number of syllables
in a word
* Reads one syllable ands common words by sight such as "the", "I", "is"
* Makes predictions
* Demonstrates comprehension of stories by orally retelling or acting out
* Identifies characters, setting, and main idea of a story
* Prints name correctly "on line"
* Prints alphabet letters legibly without a model
* Uses writing (letters, pictures, and words) to express own meaning
* Writes from left to right and from top to bottom
* Writes some simple CVC words spelled correctly and longer words
phonetically (as they sound)
* Orally state the names of the days of the week and months of the year
* Identifies the eight basic colors and reads the corresponding color
words
* Understands and follows one and two step spoken directions
Mathematics
!
!
!
!
* Demonstrates 1 to 1 correspondence
* Sorts and classifies objects by position, shape, size,
color, number of !corners, etc.
* Identifies, copies, extends, and creates patterns
* Can count to 100 by 1's and 10's
* Identifies the five basic shapes (circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle)
* Draws the five basic shapes
* Identifies numerals (0-10)
* Labels sets (0-10) with correct numerals
* Compares sets of objects and uses the terms equal, more than, or less
than correctly
* Can count backwards from 10
* Identifies coins (penny, nickel, dime, quarter)
* Joins and separates sets of objects
* Tells time to the hour
* Identifies half versus whole
* Divides sets of objects into equal groups
* Measures length with a variety of non-standard measurements
* Compares measurements and uses the terms shorter, longer, taller,
heavier, warmer, cooler, holds more, etc. correctly
* Uses positional words to explain location (left, right, on, off, inside,
between, above, below, etc.)
* Understands simple picture schedules and graphs
Fine Motor
* Holds pencils and scissors correctly
* Cuts on lines
* Outlines and colors neatly within the lines
Gross Motor Skills
* Hops on both feet together
* Hops on one foot (left and right)
* Marches
* Gallops
* Skips
For more see the amazing book, A
Moving Child Is A Learning Child by Gill
Connell and Cheryl McCarthy
Home Skills
* Recites address from memory (including city, state, and zip code)
* Recites telephone number from memory (including area code)
* Recites birth date (including year)
* Demonstrates the ability to put on and fasten outer clothing
!
(unassisted)
* Ties shoes
Resources
Art Books






The kids’ guide to making scrapbooks and photo albums by Laura
Check
Kids art works by Sandi Henry
Cut-paper play by Sandi Henry
Making cool crafts and awesome art by Robert Gould
Draw your own cartoons! by Don Mayne
Young at art: Teaching toddlers self-expression by Susan Striker
Cooking Books




Bake the best cookies ever! by Sarah Williamson
Kid’s cookbook by Williams-Sonoma
Semi-Homemade Cooking with Kids by Sandra Lee
Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup!: Recipes for the Kid in Everyone
by Emeril Lagasse
 Mom and Me Cookbook: Have Fun in the Kitchen by Annabel Karmel
 Family Meals by Annabel Karmel
Curriculum Books









What your ______ grader needs to know by E.D Hirsch
Home Learning Year by Year : How to Design a
Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School by
Rebecca Rupp
Making the grade: Everything your _____ grader needs to know
Various authors by grade - Laura Tyle; Daniel Van Beek; Robert Roth
Everyday literacy by Stephanie Mueller
Dance, hop, turn learn: Enriching movement activities for
preschoolers by Connie Bergstein Dow
Learning games: Exploring the senses through play by Jackie Silberg
Kitchen table play and learn by Tara Copley & Andrea Custer
Boredom Busters by Avery Hart and Paul Mantell
The Preschooler's Busy Book : 365 Creative Games & Activities to
Keep Your 3- to 6- Year-Old Busy! by Trish Kuffner
Gardening Books


Garden fun by Vicky Congdon
Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Gardening together with Children
by Sharon Lovejoy
 Gardening with Children by Monika Hanneman et al.
Literacy and Reading Books






Animal Antics: Level One - Short-Vowel Sounds (Now I'm Reading!)
by Nora Gaydos
Now I'm Reading: Snack Attack Level 2, Vol. 2 by Nora Gaydos
On the Go! Level 3 New Sounds and Blends (Now I'm Reading!) by
Nora Gaydos
Playful Pals: Level 1 (Now I'm Reading! Series) by Nora Gaydos
Learn to Read by Nicola Baxter
The between the lions book for parents by Linda Rath and Louise
Kennedy
Music







Mel Bay's Children's Guitar Method 2 by William Bay
The Best Children's Songs Ever: Easy Piano by Hal Leonard
Corporation
The Really Big Book of Children's Songs Easy Piano by Hal Leonard
Corporation
The Great Family Songbook: A Treasury of Favorite Folk Songs,
Popular Tunes, Children's Melodies, International Songs, Hymns,
Holiday Jingles and More for Piano and Guitar by Dan Fox
Let's Sing and Learn in Spanish by Neraida Smith
Let's Sing and Learn in French by Matt Maxwell
EZ-Play Today #301: Kid's Songfest, Vol. 301 by Hal Leonard
Corporation
Play






The Power of Play: How Imaginative, Spontaneous Activities Lead to
Healthier and Happier Children by David Elkind
Baby Play: 100 Fun-Filled Activities to Maximize Your Baby's
Potential by Wendy S. Masi
Toddler Play: 100 Fun-Filled Activities to Maximize Your Toddler's
Potential by Wendy S. Masi
How children learn through play by Dorothy Einon
101 More Favorite Play Therapy Techniques by Heidi Kaduson
Short-Term Play Therapy for Children by Heidi Kaduson &
Charles Schaefer (Eds)
Science Books


Super science concoctions by Jill Frankel Hauser
Everything® Kids' Science Experiments Book : Boil Ice, Float Water,
Measure Gravity--Challenge the World around You! by Tom Mark
Robinson
 Everything Kids' Magical Science Experiments Book by Tom
Robinson
 Janice VanCleave's Engineering for Every Kid : Easy Activities That
Make Learning Science Fun by Janice Pratt VanCleave
My Very Own School:
A Bloom
Educational Resource for Families with
Young Children
Thank you for downloading My Very Own School. Our hope is
that this Bloom educational resource will be helpful to you and
your family. Get your copy of Bloom: Helping children blossom at
www.kidlutions.com or www.lynnekenney.com, share it with your
teachers, family and friends. We can move away from
punishment and into skill building with Bloom.
If you find other books and resources you love, tweet us and we’ll
share with the other families with whom we work.
Peace and Joy,
Dr. Lynne
@drlynnekenney