Clever Kids Learning Center, Utah, Colorado

A Message from the Director

One of the areas of focus for our program in the year 2013 is to find ways to more fully incorporate “nature” into children’s lives. Obviously the big playground comes to mind first! We started the process last year with GSA to see if it was even a possibility to change a section of the main playground to be arranged with more natural elements. We also began looking at resources for us to scavenge and re-use to go along with our continuing theme of reclcling. Slices from a tree trunk to use as stepping stones are a good example along that line. There are many facets to this project due to the many agencies that govern children in group care, but it is a focus we feel would be beneficial. The natural play area of the playground may not be finished quickly, but keep a look out starting in the spring to see the evolution! If the big playground is a success, we might even be able to look athe the playgrounds for children under 3 as the years go along.

We are also investigating workshops and resources to help us add nature to the classrooms. We have always utilized the concept of bringing classroom activities to the outdoors, and now we would like to find ways to place more natural elements in the classrooms. If you have any good resource ideas to share with us, please let us know.

In the classrooms around the center:

Morning drop off is a busy time in all the classrooms. Parents of infants and toddlers update the teachers with last feeding and sleeping information. The bottles of formula are put in the refrigerator and last hugs are exchanged. Preschool children hang up their coats and put the parents out the door as a sign of readiness for a new day in the center. At eight o’clock the sound of the food cart with morning snack gets everyone’s attention and is a comforting feeling fo all the children.

The life in the center is all a buzz. In small or large groups, children are exploring the world around them in a carefully prepared environment. Inside or outside, children are involved in activities that enhance their ability to appropriately interact with peers and adults. They collectively or individually investigate a toy, learn to balance or connect blocks, learn about properties of magnetic tiles, draw or listen to a story. With brief breaks for diaper changes, bottle feeding, potty breaks or time for a quick drink, children and teachers are constantly engaged in the excitement of new discoveries that each day brings.

The soothing sound of Ms. Edna’s food cart is a welcome announcement of lunch time. Children put away toys, tables and high chairs are washes and lunch is set to enjoy healthy nourishment. Family style meals in the preschool classrooms is designed for children to be in charge of the foods and amount that they put on their plat. The children eagerly share their food likes and dislikes, but everyone loves Ms. Edna’s cooking! Clean up, bathroom breaks and music or story on tape are familiar signs of rest time.

The afternoon is as busy as the morning routine. A small snack after nap provides a slow and relaxing transition to the rest of the day. Infants and toddlers continue their explorations, look at the pictures of a book, or snuggle with a teachers with brief interruptions for a diaper change or feeding.

Sand play is one of the sensory areas that lends itself to developing a longer attention span–even for a toddler! Similar to water play, there is something calming and intriguing about sand and it’s properties. The preschoolers are able to construct mountains and roads and engage in imaginative play with their friends, or get lost in sifting and pouring on their own. Children of all ages move from activity to activity as their interests guide them. Teachers might guide children to specific activities to increase skill levels, too.

The days go by with a flow from outdoor to indoor, small group to solitary activities. Comversations are heard and songs are sung to increase vocabulary and stimulate learning how to express one’s needs and feelings. From drop-off to pick-up time, the days are filled with a variety of activities, play and nurturing so that moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas can comfortably focus on their jobs.

Dates of Closure in  2012:

Nov 12th, 22nd & 23rd,

Dec 24 @ 2p.m. & Dec 25

 

 Special Events

Nov 7^th – Infant & Toddler Photos

Nov 8^th – Preschool Photos

Nov 15^th – Butter Braid order forms are available

Nov 29^th – Butter Braid forms are DUE

 

 

Happy Birthday

 Lily -  Preschool West – 1st

Emma – Toddler 1 – 2nd

Chloe – Infant 2 – 2nd

Ella S.  – Preschool East – 7th

Graham – Infant 1 – 8th

Elleana – Infant 2 – 15th

Aurea – Infant 1 – 19th

Ian – Preschool 1 – 20th

Hope – Preschool North – 20th

Dee Dee – Preschool West – 21st

Danika – Preschool East – 21st

Emma H. – Toddler 2 – 23rd

Paige – Preschool 1 – 25th

Cole – Infant 1 – 27th

Ms Twila – Preschool North – 28th

Ms Jessica – Toddler 2 – 29th

 

A Message from the Director

There are several upcoming events around the center:

Our NAEYC validation visit can be any day from November 1 to 16.  We don’t know when the validator will arrive for her two day visit until she calls us the night before her arrival.  The NAEYC concept is that if you don’t have the supplies, paperwork and 400+ criterion in place, you will not be able to complete it overnight! The teachers are ready, but it’s nerve wracking to have someone watch you work for two days! Plus, having a visitor in the classroom often disturbs some children, so teachers never know what to expect and have to go with the flow of the day! There are many of us around who have been through NAEYC accreditation several times since the first visit in 1995. For others this is their first experience.  I wanted all parents to be aware of the upcoming re-accreditation visit so that you will know to expect a visitor in the classrooms. (The teachers might also appreciate an extra smile that day to help make it through!)

 

Butter Braids are being offered to help you make it through some holiday entertaining!  These flaky pastries are great for breakfast or for a warm and flaky dessert. The order forms are available Nov 15 and orders are due Nov29. Details are on the order forms located on the front counters.

 

 

Teddy Bear Portraits

Since many of our families are new to the center, it seems we should give a few details about the photographs that are offered each year in November. A professional photography company named Teddy Bear Portraits will take photos of every child in the center on either Wednesday, November 7 or Thursday, November 8.  The photo shoots begin at 7 a.m. each morning. You do not need to come at 7 if that is not your usual drop-off time! However, you should have your child here by 9 in order for your child to be photographed! You should have your child dressed in the clothes you select and drop-off in the classroom as you normally would.  The teachers will be responsible to bring the child to the photographer as the morning goes along.  This creates less of a wait time for all the children, and the familiarity of the teacher with the photographer seems to get more smiles!

Even if you do not want to purchase a photograph of your child, please sign the permission form in your child’s classroom.  Each child is then put in the classroom photo and the center photo so that we have each child represented that was here this year. The photographer is also available to do a family portrait with no extra sitting fee. Please let Deb or Iwona know which of the days, November 7 or 8, works best for your family to pose and we will try to work you in with the photographer as quickly as we can.  A sibling that is not currently enrolled at the center is also able to be photographed.

Wednesday, November 7th is scheduled to be the day for all children enrolled on the infant-toddler wing and all sibling sets to be photographed.

Thursday, November 8th is scheduled for all children enrolled on the preschool wing to be photographed.

 

 

 In classrooms around the center….

 As the parents of infants and toddlers lean forward to sign in every morning, the children try to reach over and grab the pen or pull on the paper. This early fascination with writing tools leads to a toddler’s early discoveries with marks on paper. Toddlers observe that the drawing and writing tools leave tracks and that the form of these is under the child’s control. The child moves the crayon one way and looks, moves back and looks again. The child then moves the crayon back and forth, round and round and looks again. It looks like he or she assesses her own creation! For several months the toddlers experiment that way and are happy with the results. Older toddlers and twos try to recreate the previous drawing. Their creations are not intentional, but they name them based on objects they remind them of.

Around age three the children’s drawings become more intentional. The child wants to make a line look a certain way or create a specific form that represents a specific image. At first it is hard to separate the writing from drawing just from looking at the markings on the paper. Only observation can determine that.

Around the age of four, children begin an interest in copying the print that surrounds them. Alphabet letters are seen as individual lines and designs that appear in linear arrangement. At first the writing is represented by various densities of zigzags, followed by a few marks (usually loops or circles) that stand alone.

A major development leap in writing occurs when children discover that the selection and sequences of letters have some connection to the word’s sounds – phonological awareness. Children begin to understand the connection between sounds and letters and begin to create a phonetic spelling of their own.

Children are surrounded with print. The preschool classrooms give children endless opportunities to make marks, draw and write. But, like when beginning to walk, they do it in their own time.

                                                                                        MENU

2     Week of   Nov 5th – 9th	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Cinnamon Biscuits Juice	Cheese Enchiladas Corn Pineapple Milk	Chex Mix Milk
Tuesday	English Muffins  Jelly Milk	Chicken Noodle Soup (with veggies) Cheese Crackers Apple Sauce Milk	Pears Milk
Wednesday	Zucchini Bread Milk	Mozzarella Bake (Pasta, Marinara, Cheese & Pepperoni) Side Salad Orange Slices Milk	Cottage Cheese Peaches Water
Thursday	Yogurt Fruit Milk	Peanut Butter & Jelly Celery, Carrots & Cucumber Slices Apple Slices Milk	Wheat Thins Juice
Friday	Tortillas  Cream Cheese Milk	Cheese Pizza Rounds Peas Mixed Fruit Milk	Animal Crackers Milk

                                                                  

                                                MENU

3     Week of Nov 12th – 16th	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Bagels Cream Cheese Juice	Hamburger Stroganoff Mixed Veggies Pears Milk	Multigrain Crackers Milk
Tuesday	Bran Muffins With Butter Milk	Pasta E Fagiolo (With Ground Italian Sausage  & Beans) Wheat Saltines Mixed Fruit Milk	Celery & Carrots Dip Water
Wednesday	Oatmeal Milk	Taco Salad Corn Peaches Milk	Apple Slices Peanut Butter Water
Thursday	Boiled Eggs Wheat Saltines Juice	Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese (on wheat) Bananas Milk	Applesauce Milk
Friday	Wheat Toast Butter Milk	Macaroni & Cheese Beets Cooked Carrots Milk	Gorp (cereal, raisnis, & chocolate chips) Milk

                                 MENU

4    Week of   Nov 19th – 23rd	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Cereal Milk	Biscuits & Gravy Green Beans Cooked Carrots Milk	Apple Slices Cheese Water
Tuesday	Banana Bread Milk	Chef Salad Wheat Saltines Pineapple Milk	Gorp (cereal, raisnis, & chocolate chips) Milk
Wednesday	Yogurt Graham Crackers Milk	Bologna (on wheat) Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers & Dip Fresh Fruit Milk	Oatmeal Squares Milk
Thursday	Cheese Quesadillas Juice	Spaghetti (with Meat Sauce) Garlic Bread Pears Milk	Animal Crackers Milk
Friday	Cinnamon Toast (on wheat) Juice	Black Beans & Rice Tortillas Corn Oranges Milk	Ritz Cream Cheese Water

 

 

                                                MENU

5    Week of   Nov 26th – 30th	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Buttered Wheat Toast Juice	Rice Casserole (with ground pork & cabbage) Cooked Carrots Peaches Milk	Pumpkin Bread Milk
Tuesday	Bananas Milk	Egg Salad (on wheat) Celery or Cucumbers Orange Slices Milk	Tortilla Chips or Ritz Nacho Cheese Water
Wednesday	Applesauce Cake Milk	Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas Mixed Veggies Pears Milk	Multigrain or Wheat Crackers Juice
Thursday	Cereal Milk	Sloppy Joes Green Beans Pineapple Milk	Yogurt Fruit Water
Friday	Muffin Squares Milk	Macaroni & Cheese Broccoli Applesauce Milk	Animal Crackers Milk

 

Dates of Closure in  2012:

Sept 3^rd, Oct 8^th , Nov 12^th , 22nd & 23^rd, Dec 24 @ 2p.m. & Dec 25^th

  

                                                                                 MENU                         

1      Week of   9/3-9/7/12	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Applesauce Milk	Macaroni &  Cheese Cooked Carrots Steamed Zucchini Milk	Multigrain Crackers Milk
Tuesday	Muffin Squares Juice	Tuna on Wheat Celery & Cucumber Fresh Fruit Milk	Tortilla Chips or Ritz Nacho Cheese Water
Wednesday	Cereal Milk	Shepherd’s Pie Mixed Veggies Pineapple Milk	Apples & Peanut Butter Milk
Thursday	Wheat Toast Butter Milk	Chili Wheat Saltines Pears Milk	Applesauce Cake Milk
Friday	Mixed Berries Milk	Scrambled Eggs (with ham) Hash Browns Orange Slice Milk	Cheese Nips Milk

                                                                               

                                                                                MENU

2     Week of  9/10-9/14/12	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Cinnamon Biscuits Juice	Cheese Enchiladas Corn Pineapple Milk	Chex Mix Milk
Tuesday	English Muffins  Jelly Milk	Chicken Noodle Soup (with veggies) Cheese Crackers Apple Sauce Milk	Pears Milk
Wednesday	Zucchini Bread Milk	Mozzarella Bake (Pasta, Marinara, Cheese & Pepperoni) Side Salad Orange Slices Milk	Cottage Cheese Peaches Water
Thursday	Yogurt Fruit Milk	Peanut Butter & Jelly Celery, Carrots & Cucumber Slices Apple Slices Milk	Wheat Thins Juice
Friday	Tortillas  Cream Cheese Milk	Cheese Pizza Rounds Peas Mixed Fruit Milk	Animal Crackers Milk

                                                                 

                                       

                                        MENU

3     Week of  9/17-9/21/12	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Bagels Cream Cheese Juice	Hamburger Stroganoff Mixed Veggies Pears Milk	Multigrain Crackers Milk
Tuesday	Bran Muffins With Butter Milk	Pasta E Fagiolo (With Ground Italian Sausage  & Beans) Wheat Saltines Mixed Fruit Milk	Celery & Carrots Dip Water
Wednesday	Oatmeal Milk	Taco Salad Corn Peaches Milk	Apple Slices Peanut Butter Water
Thursday	Boiled Eggs Wheat Saltines Juice	Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese (on wheat) Bananas Milk	Applesauce Milk
Friday	Wheat Toast Butter Milk	Macaroni & Cheese Beets Cooked Carrots Milk	Gorp (cereal, raisnis, & chocolate chips) Milk

                             

 

                              MENU

4    Week of  9/24-9/28/12	AM Snack	Lunch	PM Snack
Monday	Cereal Milk	Biscuits & Gravy Green Beans Cooked Carrots Milk	Apple Slices Cheese Water
Tuesday	Banana Bread Milk	Chef Salad Wheat Saltines Pineapple Milk	Gorp (cereal, raisnis, & chocolate chips) Milk
Wednesday	Yogurt Graham Crackers Milk	Bologna (on wheat) Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers & Dip Fresh Fruit Milk	Oatmeal Squares Milk
Thursday	Cheese Quesadillas Juice	Spaghetti (with Meat Sauce) Garlic Bread Pears Milk	Animal Crackers Milk
Friday	Cinnamon Toast (on wheat) Juice	Black Beans & Rice Tortillas Corn Pears Milk	Ritz Cream Cheese Water

In the classrooms around the center….

Toddler 2

       What’s been going on in Toddler 2?  Well the summer months have kept us busy.  June revolved around the “Construction” theme and we did activities that involved tools, trucks, and buildings!  The children really loved working with the hammers and pounding benches…they sure loved making noise.  They even experimented with other toys in the room. They thought the maracas made good hammers and the plastic swordfish was used as a screwdriver.  Silly kids!  July marked the start of our “Water” theme (this is a favorite topic).  Every Monday was our splash day and the kids participated in activities such as cleaning toys with water and sponges, painting concrete walls with water and large paint brushes, and of course filling and pouring various containers with water at the water table.  And then, August came and went!  We focused our conversations around the theme, “Space”.  We talked about things like the moon, the stars, the sun, astronauts and rocket ships.  So…if you ever forget the lyrics to “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” just swing on by the Toddler 2 classroom and the children will remind you!   

 

Infant 1

          As we speak the following words to the infants,  “let’s go outside” Aurea, Allison, Graham and Cole crawl or walk to the door. They venture their way out the Infant 1 door and go to the playground door. Their eyes are showing anticipation of the adventures and play to come. Once outside they make their way to the infant area to watch the Toddlers through the bubble dome and slats of the play structure. The toddlers reach in and touch the infants’ hands and watch the babies move. Joe’s adventure outside is to move towards and manipulate the beads on the rods. Max enjoys the free standing toy with the door and movable parts. He also enjoys experimenting with the push toys. Taylor and Luke are shaded by the leaf canopy while they take in the active, outside playground.

 

Toddler 1

       In the Toddler 1 room during the month of August our toddlers learned about space. During the first week they learned to identify the difference between night and day. Week two we learned about the moon, stars and astronauts. The third week they learned about the sun and the final week was all about geometric shapes, mainly stars, circles, squares, and triangles.

 

Infant 2

          The older infants had a great time joining the toddlers with splash day. Even the young infants joined in with their own splash day on the infant platform.

          Gianna, Natalie and Elleana stayed busy pushing the push toys during outside and inside play. Ben was very busy being entertained with the kitchen set outside, he found it interesting to open and shut the oven door. Chloe has figured out how quickly she can crawl on her hands and knees . Gavin has found great pleasure using his large motor skills by climbing on the inside climber. With just recently welcoming Asher, he is getting to know his new environment. Hope you all had a great summer!

 

Preschool 1

        It seems as though summer has just flown by. We had a fun summer with splash days! The kids enjoyed running through the fun water sprinkler, cleaning the bikes and loved jumping in the puddles. Thank you to Dexton, Tiffany and Dan for sharing their fun sprinkler!

          June was all about construction. We talked about textures, trucks & of course, dirt! The theme for July was water. We turned dramatic play into a water wonderland bringing the boat indoors and allowing the children to go fishing. We went on many adventures in our boat! We compared fresh water to salt water and the children had the opportunity to taste the difference. Finishing out our summer, The August theme was space. The kids enjoyed talking about stars, space shapes and astronauts. September brings the topic of me and my body. We will be talking about bones, body parts, feelings and our senses. Hope everybody had a great summer!

 

Preschool North

          We sure had a busy summer. After Kindergarten graduation we said goodbye to some great friends and we welcomed some new friends. Everyone enjoyed our splash days! Thank you to the parents that brought some super popsicles!

          With the start of September we will be learning and reviewing colors and shapes. It’s going to be fun to see what we can do with red, yellow and blue, and how many shapes we can find.

 

 Preschool East

          We’ve enjoyed a fun, hot, summer, full of exciting things! Each week, Splash day cooled us off with water play and popsicles. The children helped to water the garden while observing the changes in the growth of the plants. It was a treat to taste some of the ripe vegetables that we helped to grow!

          Several activities were experienced outdoors, such as shaving cream, painting, the water table with filling and pouring objects, walking in a duck line and going on a safari. One highlight was the big cat pelts. They provided fascinating hands-on exploration! It was a wonderful sensory opportunity during our “Animal Patterns” week.

          The children were busy with charts and graphs that involved them categorizing and counting things we’ve learned about. They even created their own classroom rule chart which is hanging up in our room. Journal entries included many opportunities for free expression along with tracing and writing the letters F, T and H. Frosting cookies and making pudding dirt cups allowed for the children to participate in making snacks, which they always enjoy!

          Please remember to always check out our evidence of learning board as it changes monthly!

 

Preschool West

          Wow! Time sure does fly, as they say.  All of our older children are off to kindergarten and that makes some of our younger children now the elders of the class.  Since about half of our class was comprised of older children we are enjoying the smaller class size.  We know that it will not stay small and we look forward to meeting new friends, too.

          Splash days are officially over as summer comes to a close.  It is a good time to check your child’s supply of extra clothes.  Changing shorts to pants is a good idea as Colorado weather is a bit unpredictable.  Don’t forget the socks and underwear—“commando” at this age is not the most comfortable way to spend the day!

          September is a month of colors, sizes, shapes and patterns.  Color mixing and making items with pattern blocks are just a few activities that we look forward to doing.  Reading predictable books are also planned like “Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?” This will also reinforce patterning and build reading skills!