I prefer having these out most of the time instead of a box of crayons for lots of reasons: They are easier to hold they don’t ‘break’ in half you don’t have to peel the paper off there’s no need to sharpen them they can cover a larger area easier (otherwise you’d have to peel […]
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USB Microscope
After attending a STEM session at the 2016 NAEYC Conference, I was inspired to buy a USB microscope. I purchased the Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope I hooked it up to my MacBook but I use a different matte monitor so it cuts down on the glare from the mac screen. The little arm is great […]
Continue ReadingNAEYC Conference 2017
I attended my first NAEYC conference last year and I was blown away by the fantastic workshops and events! I’ve uploaded my journals and notes and you can read them all here. [Note- I’ve backdated them so they have the date of when I originally typed them up] In 10 days I’ll be leaving for the […]
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Digital Camera
What is the best digital camera for kids? When I went through my ECE training in 2002 digital cameras were much too expensive- so when we wanted to have the kids use cameras, we bought disposable ones, and then printed out the photos. Now with the advent of camera phones kids are exposed to them […]
Continue ReadingImportance of signage
When I read that we needed to have signs for all of our areas I immediately saw the benefits. The kids would see words outdoors and begin to associate the letters to the words. However, I also discovered that it was a great way to retain consistent language among adults. Suddenly everyone was referring to […]
Continue ReadingWhat is an Outdoor Classroom?
An outdoor classroom is an enriched space outside at a preschool that provides amazing opportunities for learning! The best resources for an explanations of these concepts can be found at: outdoorclassroomproject.org or natureexplore.org The Outdoor Classroom where I work has several Areas.
Continue ReadingSculptures
I obtained a box of recycled containers which I thought would make great sculptures. The idea: Have the kids to stack the containers and then glue them. What happened: Elmer’s glue didn’t work obviously. Hot glue would have melted in the sun, so I didn’t even try it. I also thought I could use Goop, but […]
Continue ReadingAcoustic Shell
Last year we were given a play house built by the 8th graders at the middle school. However, I wanted to alter it and it occurred to me over the summer to change it into an acoustic shell! I remember them from the days when I sang in choir and I thought it would be a […]
Continue ReadingThumb Piano
I found https://makezine.com/projects/thumb-piano/ and was inspired. I bought a grounding bar, and gathered plastic paintbrushes of various sizes. Then I installed it in our Acoustic Shell. By the end of the day the paintbrushes were all broken. I bet I’d have better luck with metal tines as they would vibrate louder than the soft twang […]
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Musical Keys
I saw some pins on pinterest that showed a cord with keys on them. The idea was that the kids could play with them and they would make a neat ‘jingle’ sound. I asked a home depot employee for some miscut keys, and the manager was glad to oblige. It worked… for a while. Eventually […]
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