February Family Homework: Create a Valentine Mailbox!

February 2nd, 2015
Dear Families,
Valentine's day is coming soon and we are excited to celebrate it in preschool! On Thursday,
February 12th, we will exchange valentines in school and have some special themed centers during
center time. Please remember to send in your February family homework assignment, which is to
make a valentine mailbox with your preschooler. I included the directions below! Have a great
week, everybody!
February Family Homework: Create a Valentine Mailbox!
Materials: 1 cereal box or large shoe box, paper, stickers, markers, paint,
stamps, or other items to decorate the box.
Directions: Create a festive valentine mailbox to hold valentine cards from
friends!
*Please include your child’s name in large print on the front of the box!
Valentine mailboxes are due Wednesday, February 11th.
Feel free to send them in earlier as you finish them. Have fun!
Arrival and Dismissal Reminder
Highlights from this Week!
Our class times are 8:50-11:10AM and 12:252:45PM.
This week we are going to talk about friendship
and Valentine's Day! At the table toys center, we
will have a variety of pre-literacy and pre-math
We will begin arrival at 8:50AM and 12:25PM
games. We will also introduce a brand new
promptly. Please remain in your car and drive up sensory table where the kids can search for
to the curb where a teacher will take your
letters, then use a model to spell out some
child out of the car. There have been many
special words such as “hug,” “love,” “mom,” “dad,”
families out playing during arrival. This has
etc.
caused a bit of confusion among some parents. If There will be a cutting practice activity in the
you would like to walk your child up to the door, writing center as well as some valentine phrases
please park in the Marie Murphy parking lot
for the kids to write to their friends on blank
instead of using the drop off line.
valentine cards. We will also make some
Dismissal will start promptly at 11:10AM and
2:45PM. Please drive up to the curb and a
teacher will bring your child out to you.
fingerpaint hearts and valentine bees at art!
Center
Blocks
Table Toys and
Games
Activities
Why are these activities so important?
Cardboard bricks
Creative play; turn taking; strengthening
Littlest Pet Shop animals and homes fine and gross motor skills; task
Cars and car mat
persistence and problem solving
Broken heart number matching game
Heart eraser sorting/patterning
Be my Valentine BINGO
Shadow Matching Game
Visual discrimination; measurement and
size; turn taking with a peer; hand-eye
coordination
Castle
Developing language and social skills;
socialization and building friendships;
imaginative and pretend play; sharing
materials and turn taking
Writing
Valentine words and phrases to copy/stamp
Cutting activity
Blank valentines, doilies and stickers
Fine motor skills; early literacy; language
development
Library
Class-made books
Magnetic letters and flip books
Book-handling skills; social interactions;
imaginative and pretend play; early
literacy
Sensory
Pony beads, foam beads and pipe
cleaners
Sensory; fine motor development; volume
and measurement; science conceptssink/float, solid/liquid, hard/soft; sharing
materials with peers
Dramatic Play
Play dough, rollers and cookie
cutters
Snack
Self-serve during center time
Self-help; language development and
social skills
Art
Fingerpaint hearts
“Bee” Mine love bugs
Expressing creativity; developing fine
motor skills; Applying new knowledge
Tech
Ipads
Turn taking; developing hand-eye
coordination and fine motor skills;
practicing various cognitive skills
(literacy, math, science concepts)
Science
Conversation hearts activities
Sorting, graphing and measuring
Exploring cause and effect; making
observations; turn taking with peers
Listening
Ipads
Language development; book-handling
skills; practicing literacy concepts
Important Dates:
February Birthdays:
2/12: ACP Valentine Exchange
2/16:No school (President's Day)
2/17: No school (Teacher Institute)
2/22: Avoca West Fun Fair
8th- Emma F. (AM)
19th- Emma S. (AM)