Creating a Learning Environment

I recently received the September box for Mother Goose Time.  Since it's the start of a new school year they sent all new display items that will be used for the whole year.  We haven't finished up with August yet, so I haven't put the new display up.  They've made some changes to their already awesome curriculum, making it even better.

One of the things that they kept the same were the investigation stations that are at the beginning of every teacher guide.  This past year I always completed the provided idea on the corresponding day, but this year I think I am going to try putting all 5 investigation stations together at the beginning of every week, that way the girls have all week to explore and learn independently.  The girl both love the art and sensory stations, so I'm assuming they will utilize those the most.  

There are 10 different types of investigation stations:  block area, outdoors, library, dramatic play, manipulative, art, math,writing, technology, and sensory.  I love that Mother Goose Time incorporates the outdoors into the lessons.  My girls both love to be outside, and we frequently take different parts of the lessons outside.  Living in Maine we have weeks where it is too bitterly cold to go outside unless necessary, so we try to get out as much as we can when we're able.  

Seeing as I use Mother Goose Time with my girls in our house, and not in a preschool setting, I like to keep everything out of sight when not in use.  I currently use a trifold board for the circle time display, and I love that this coming years circle time has been built entirely around this very idea.  I bring it out for the lessons and when we're done it can be folded up and stored away. This way we don't have school stuff all over our walls, and it also keeps it out of reach of little fingers.  We have cart that I keep in our kitchen where all the items that will be used for the month are kept.  There is a drawer for the teacher tool bag items like the guide book, cd's, planning journal, etc.  A drawer with craft items and also a drawer with coloring books and paper that the girls can use whenever they want.  A drawer for all the daily bags and manipulatives and then I also have an individual drawer for each girl.  All month I put different items from the lessons, like the make it take it books and my little journals into these drawers for them to use freely.

This was a provided picture of one way to set up the coming years circle time display

Makes staying organized so much easier.

Mother Goose Time creates so many great activities for preschoolers.  Crafts are definitely the favorite for both girls.  A lot of the projects they make wind up on the fridge.  Some of the items they make, like egg crate gardens and mouse headbands, can be used in their daily play.  These are the items they seem to love the most, and they use them often when they play.  They also love the manipulatives that come in each months box.  They've already been playing with the buses in the September box.

I've had a chance to skim through the new box for the year, and I'm excited to watch the girls learn over the coming months.

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