West Richmond Preschool

P reschool play is the primary source of development, allowing children to learn and practice many basic social skills. They develop a sense of self, learn to interact with other children, make friends, and role-play. While children shift between different types of play, as they grow and mature they participate less in unoccupied, solitary, onlooker and parallel play and more in associative and cooperative play which are more interactive. Since the start of the school year, the childrens play has developed with their growth and maturity and children are becoming more social and interacting more with each passing day. Children in our four-year-old class participating in solitary and parallel play: Children in our four-year-old class participating in associative and cooperative play: More cooperative play by our four-year-old class: Children in our four-year-old class working cooperatively to create paper snow people: The fi

  We rarely receive snowfall in Richmond, BC.   So, we were quite excited to look out the windows and see snow falling and piling up on the ground. For many children, it was the first time that they had seen snow.   We were on a mission to make some great memories for the year. So, we put on our layers, jackets, hats, gloves, and off we went for an adventure in the snow.   We walked carefully, testing out the snow. Holding hands with friends for support does help a lot!   Some of the children played Follow-the-Leader guiding one behind the other.     Others found wonders in the snow by mixing colours and sprinkling salt on giant snowballs (experimenting to see if salt will melt the snow faster). A group of children had fun with making snowballs and stomping on the snow One child even stopped and paused to investigate the tracks she made with her shoes     No matter how and no matter where they played, the children definitely made so

At the preschool we are feeling the holiday season is upon us with all the fun activities the children have been engaged in this month, from making latkes, to decorating cookies with our big buddies, to playing in the snow. After all those rainy days, the preschoolers were delighted to see the snow. On the snowy days we headed out to the turf to play in the snow. I was surprised to see most of the children just wanted to make foot tracks and seemed to enjoy looking at each others foot tracks, jumping over tracks or seeing where the tracks would take them and even guessing whose tracks the children saw. Children strengthen their gross motor skills walking, running in the snow, learning how to balance their bodies on a slippery surface when walking in the snow. Children also learn to tightly pack snow, to build things. These are just a few of the many benefits of the snow season.     The children are making a decision whether they are going to step into this puddle without boo

As the children wait for the classroom door to open I can hear them calling to parents or friends “I see the water table!" As the door opens some can hardly wait to start playing as they quickly hang up jackets and name tags and come running over to the water table. I hear splish, splash and pouring begin. It's such a unique activity as its open ended and provides the children with opportunities for learning. Children strengthen their fine motor skill by filling and pouring and hand eye coordination is also exercised.   Some children find it relaxing running fingers back and forth through the water. Lucas using hand eye coordination as he carefully pours water from high up.   Charlene washes her arm with the bubbles, maybe she is relating it to her bath time.       Charlene runs her fingers through the bubbles.   Until next time   Jess