November Newsletter
A Note from Our Principal
From apple and pumpkin-themed activities to leaf hunts and more, we’ve enjoyed all sorts of autumn fun and learning throughout October. This month, we will embark on a journey of fostering connections and celebrating family traditions as we nurture the spirit of Thanksgiving and togetherness. Our students will engage in activities that inspire gratitude and kindness by sharing personal experiences and learning about the importance of giving back to our community.
Thank you for entrusting us with the care and education of your children. We look forward to another month of joy and learning!
Sincerely,
Natasha Clemens
Holiday Giving
‘Tis the season! Our annual Holiday Giving initiative is a way for students to spread cheer this holiday season while developing an appreciation for what they have, showing gratitude towards others, and seeing the positive impact of their actions. This year we will partner with the San Diego Food Bank to host a food drive and gather food for families in need. More details to come via Links 2 Home. Thank you in advance for your partnership and generosity.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to honor their culture, accomplishments, and contributions. When children acknowledge and appreciate diverse cultures, they are helping to build a community of belonging and inclusion. We will be celebrating in our classrooms by reading books about Native Americans and exploring nature which is an important part of the Native American culture!
Thanksgiving/ Fall Celebrations
Our students will be celebrating Thanksgiving with fun classroom activities on Friday
Family Survey Reminder
Our Enrolled Family Survey launched in October. If you have not received the email, please let us know so we can request that it be resent. The survey provides the opportunity for you to give us feedback anonymously on our strengths and areas we can work on. The survey closes November 8.
Family Referral Bonus
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
Important Dates
November 11 – School CLOSED for Professional Development & Veterans Day
November 15 – Progress Reports Sent Out
November 22 – Fall Feast @ 2:30pm
November 27 – End-of-month folders go home
November 28-29 – School CLOSED for Thanksgiving
New on Our Preschool Blog
8 Fun Math Activities for Toddlers
Introducing toddlers to math concepts through games, songs, and puzzles are just some ways to spark curiosity and make learning about colors, shapes, numbers, and other important math concepts fun. Our Links to Learning curriculum combines learning with play, introducing toddlers to geometry and relationships, problem-solving skills and reasoning, simple counting, shapes, colors, and more through interactive and hands-on activities. Continue the learning at home with these fun games and math activities that will inspire your little ones to discover the magic of math!
Colors and Shapes with Cars
Does your child love playing with cars? Then we have the perfect activity for color recognition and sorting. Supply your child with colored cars and ask them to drive their car to the matching “parking garage.” Your parking garage can be anything from a colored piece of construction paper to a colored bin.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a timeless and simple way to help toddlers develop spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. There are shape-sorting puzzles, stacking puzzles, large floor puzzles, and more that are sure to excite and challenge your toddler. Consider getting a number puzzle to begin exploring number recognition. You can even make a puzzle! Print out a picture, cut it into pieces, and ask your child to put them together.
Hopscotch Number Line
If your child is in their second year of toddlerhood, this one’s for them! Using chalk, draw a line on your driveway or sidewalk. Draw 1 – 5 short lines intersecting the first line to create a number line and label the numbers. Encourage your child to step or hop along each number, counting as they go.
Stacking/ Building with Blocks
Stacking blocks help toddlers learn about measurement by exploring height and length, improves their spatial reasoning as they fit blocks together, and teaches balance by showing them how to stack without toppling over. Count with your toddler how many blocks they are able to stack. Insider tip: Toddlers love knocking down their block towers! Go ahead and celebrate this fun cause and effect relationship with them, then encourage them to build again!
Fingerplays and Songs
Toddlers love to sing and be silly! Do you know “Five Green and Speckled Frogs,” “Sally the Camel,” or “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”? These are perfect to sing and say with your little ones to help them understand counting concepts as well as begin counting on their fingers. A quick internet search will pull up plenty of resources!
Water Play!
Yes, this one’s a bit messy but it’s also so fun and will keep your toddler busy for quite some time. Fill a large bin with water and give your child different types of containers to experiment with volume and measurement by filling and pouring. Discuss concepts like full, empty, and more or less. *Never leave your child unattended during this activity.
Counting Nature Walk
Go on a nature walk collecting items like leaves, stones, flowers, etc. Count them together as you collect or after your walk. Again, discuss more or less, and sort your findings into categories.
Math Storytime
It’s likely that you already read books with your child, so why not incorporate math into story time? There are wonderful books that are fun and teach math concepts. Read “Mouse Paint” by Ellen Walsh to learn about colors, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle to teach counting, and “Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes” by Roseanne Thong to learn about shapes.
November 2024 News
November Newsletter
A Note from Our Principal
From apple and pumpkin-themed activities to leaf hunts and more, we’ve enjoyed all sorts of autumn fun and learning throughout October. This month, we will embark on a journey of fostering connections and celebrating family traditions as we nurture the spirit of Thanksgiving and togetherness. Our students will engage in activities that inspire gratitude and kindness by sharing personal experiences and learning about the importance of giving back to our community.
Thank you for entrusting us with the care and education of your children. We look forward to another month of joy and learning!
Sincerely,
Natasha Clemens
Holiday Giving
‘Tis the season! Our annual Holiday Giving initiative is a way for students to spread cheer this holiday season while developing an appreciation for what they have, showing gratitude towards others, and seeing the positive impact of their actions. This year we will partner with the San Diego Food Bank to host a food drive and gather food for families in need. More details to come via Links 2 Home. Thank you in advance for your partnership and generosity.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to honor their culture, accomplishments, and contributions. When children acknowledge and appreciate diverse cultures, they are helping to build a community of belonging and inclusion. We will be celebrating in our classrooms by reading books about Native Americans and exploring nature which is an important part of the Native American culture!
Thanksgiving/ Fall Celebrations
Our students will be celebrating Thanksgiving with fun classroom activities on Friday
Family Survey Reminder
Our Enrolled Family Survey launched in October. If you have not received the email, please let us know so we can request that it be resent. The survey provides the opportunity for you to give us feedback anonymously on our strengths and areas we can work on. The survey closes November 8.
Family Referral Bonus
Do you know a colleague who has recently had a baby, a friend in need of care who just relocated to the area, or a family member who is seeking a new preschool for their child? When you refer a friend and they enroll, you’re eligible for a free week of tuition. Ask us for details!
Important Dates
November 11 – School CLOSED for Professional Development & Veterans Day
November 15 – Progress Reports Sent Out
November 22 – Fall Feast @ 2:30pm
November 27 – End-of-month folders go home
November 28-29 – School CLOSED for Thanksgiving
New on Our Preschool Blog
8 Fun Math Activities for Toddlers
Introducing toddlers to math concepts through games, songs, and puzzles are just some ways to spark curiosity and make learning about colors, shapes, numbers, and other important math concepts fun. Our Links to Learning curriculum combines learning with play, introducing toddlers to geometry and relationships, problem-solving skills and reasoning, simple counting, shapes, colors, and more through interactive and hands-on activities. Continue the learning at home with these fun games and math activities that will inspire your little ones to discover the magic of math!
Colors and Shapes with Cars
Does your child love playing with cars? Then we have the perfect activity for color recognition and sorting. Supply your child with colored cars and ask them to drive their car to the matching “parking garage.” Your parking garage can be anything from a colored piece of construction paper to a colored bin.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a timeless and simple way to help toddlers develop spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. There are shape-sorting puzzles, stacking puzzles, large floor puzzles, and more that are sure to excite and challenge your toddler. Consider getting a number puzzle to begin exploring number recognition. You can even make a puzzle! Print out a picture, cut it into pieces, and ask your child to put them together.
Hopscotch Number Line
If your child is in their second year of toddlerhood, this one’s for them! Using chalk, draw a line on your driveway or sidewalk. Draw 1 – 5 short lines intersecting the first line to create a number line and label the numbers. Encourage your child to step or hop along each number, counting as they go.
Stacking/ Building with Blocks
Stacking blocks help toddlers learn about measurement by exploring height and length, improves their spatial reasoning as they fit blocks together, and teaches balance by showing them how to stack without toppling over. Count with your toddler how many blocks they are able to stack. Insider tip: Toddlers love knocking down their block towers! Go ahead and celebrate this fun cause and effect relationship with them, then encourage them to build again!
Fingerplays and Songs
Toddlers love to sing and be silly! Do you know “Five Green and Speckled Frogs,” “Sally the Camel,” or “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”? These are perfect to sing and say with your little ones to help them understand counting concepts as well as begin counting on their fingers. A quick internet search will pull up plenty of resources!
Water Play!
Yes, this one’s a bit messy but it’s also so fun and will keep your toddler busy for quite some time. Fill a large bin with water and give your child different types of containers to experiment with volume and measurement by filling and pouring. Discuss concepts like full, empty, and more or less. *Never leave your child unattended during this activity.
Counting Nature Walk
Go on a nature walk collecting items like leaves, stones, flowers, etc. Count them together as you collect or after your walk. Again, discuss more or less, and sort your findings into categories.
Math Storytime
It’s likely that you already read books with your child, so why not incorporate math into story time? There are wonderful books that are fun and teach math concepts. Read “Mouse Paint” by Ellen Walsh to learn about colors, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle to teach counting, and “Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes” by Roseanne Thong to learn about shapes.