Happy Wednesday!

 Good morning Pine AM Family!

As we settle back into our school routine, I can't help but look ahead and think how fast the time will fly to the end of the year. I want to challenge all families in supporting our preschool goal of preparing kiddos for the future, meaning kindergarten and beyond!  

Here are just some ideas to help foster independence:

* Have your child dress themselves and advocate for help as needed (after they attempt first). This is really important when it comes to bathroom visits at school as well as times we may take off our shoes or go outside with coats, hats, etc. We do understand that buttons, snaps, trying shoelaces, etc are hard and we love to help but also make sure to model how and use verbal instructions while we model. With coats/jackets, we often use the "flip flop over the top" method where kids lay the jacket down, tag to their tummy/toes, hands in the arms and flip it over their head. If zippers are tricky for them, we typically engage the zipper and have them zip. Shoes and shoelaces can be very hard in figuring out the correct foot, getting foot in, tying, etc. As a teacher we always start with the least amount of help and then increase as needed. This means simply verbally explaining step by step what to do or modeling on with our own shoe. Other ideas are to place the shoes in front of the correct feet and/or place their hands on the shoes to help them slide foot in.

*Have your child attempt to open food packing (we use the pinch, pinch, pull method at school for a lot of our packages) and advocate for help as needed (after they attempt first).

* Encouraging your child to manage their belongings, including backpack, coat, shoes, water bottle, etc. They should be the ones wearing their backpack, hanging it up, unzipping/zipping if they need to access the inside, carrying their water bottle, etc. At home you can create a routine of where these items go so they can independently begin to put their things away and then know where to find them when it's time to go. 

****A gentle reminder that we do not bring items from home into our classroom unless it is a special occasion and has been communicated to the families. Also, at drop off, please try to drop your kiddo at the Pine door and not linger in the hall. This is best for your kiddo as well as for the school community as a whole. Thanks :)****