Programs Building Blocks Playschool Medicine Hat Alberta

Library

Research cannot stress enough the value of reading to children everyday which is why we do just that. Children will be able to enjoy a variety of books to look at which will be rotated monthly which will enhance their appreciation towards different authors and styles of books (board books, hard covers, picture books, etc.)

Center Time

During this time, your child has the opportunity to explore on his/her own in an unstructured environment how to manipulate the various play equipment in the classroom which is organized into different centers such as dramatic play (role playing), gross motor (block play and construction), reading center (many different types of books are displayed), open ended art center (filled with various materials to allow your child's individual creativity to flow), playdough and putty table (helps with fine motor and is just fun), puzzles (fine motor and processing), sand/water table (scientific discoveries are known to be made here), painting (miniature Picassos in the making) and manipulatives (lacing, beading, sorting, classifying and constructing).

This is the optimum time for socialization to occur and we take full advantage of this time to give your child the necessary tools to socialize properly with their peer group by modeling appropriate responses both verbally and physically without being intrusive.

Circle Time

This is the time when we sing our welcome song, learn about the shape, number, color and theme of the month, the letter of the week, days of the week, months of the year, calendar time and the weather. We also learn songs and finger plays that tie into our monthly theme. This is also when we teach our new words for the different language unit we are currently studying.

With the letter of the week, we combine animated literacy and the visual phonics program, "See the Sound". This combination allows for all types of learners (visual, audio or kinesthetic). This really helps with phonemic awareness (sound of the letter) and gives more cues for your child to remember this.

For the color of the month we have a color board that we ask children to bring something from home that we can either staple or pin to the board. Please label the item with your child's name so we can return it faster. The colors vary month to month so check your newsletter to see which color it is.

Classroom Parties

We will be having 5 different parties throughout the year:

                   • Halloween
                   • Christmas
                   • Valentines Day
                   • Penny Carnival/End of the Year
                   • Year End Celebration

On these special occasions we invite your whole family to come and enjoy these days with us. There will also be edible craft sign up sheets posted on the parent board. These items could include a tub of icing, sprinkles, cupcakes, sugar cookies, smarties, licorice, punch, etc. We ask that parents sign up for one food item for each party session that your child attends.

Class Pictures

At the end of September or beginning of October we will be having class pictures. A photographer will be coming into our classroom and we will set aside that day for pictures. On this day we will not have regularly scheduled classes. We will divide all the children into four groups: Group A (Mon., Wed., and Fri AM), Group B (Tues. and Thurs AM), Group C (Mon., Wed., Fri PM) and Group D (Tues., and Thurs. PM). If your child overlaps into two or three different groups, please feel free to choose whichever picture session you would like your child to attend. Only one is necessary. Please come to your scheduled picture session on time as we start with the class photo first. More information and time schedules will be in the newsletter.

Cooking Experiences

Once a month your child may participate in a cooking experience. What this is really is providing your child with the ingredients to snack and him/her assembling it themselves. It does get as complicated as they want it to however sometimes it becomes very fun to eat the ingredients before the snack is assembled which is totally okay. We do not have real cooking facilities so we cannot make cookies but we have made rice krispy squares, pudding, butter, etc. Some snacks involve making an animal shape out of the ingredients. These days are rotated month to month to allow all children to have a chance to attend one of these days.

Parent Volunteers

Building Blocks Playschools thoroughly encourages parent volunteers to come into the classroom. This involvement allows you to see what your child does while in school.   Children love to share his/her day at playschool with Mom or Dad and we love to take this opportunity to get to know you as well. Please feel free to sign up on the day that you wish to volunteer on the snack schedule, which is posted on the parent board. Please take note that we are unable to accommodate younger siblings coming in with you to volunteer. Please note that it is our policy that children are with us for at least one month before you come in to volunteer because we want to give your child time to adjust to the fact that this is their place and not for Mom or Dad to stay with them. We find the adjustment period goes a lot faster if they are used to staying on their own. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Duties of parent volunteers could include:

                      • greet other children and help with goodbye's
                      • sit with the children during circle time
                      • assist with free play centers
                      • assist with snack
                      • assist with cleaning up

There are other ways to show interest in your child's playschool if coming into the classroom is not possible for you. These include:

                     • discussing any problems or worries with us
                     • reading the monthly newsletters and parent board
                     • collecting "junk materials" for use in crafts
                     • craft/snack preparations

The whole family may participate in our class parties.

Fees

We require a minimum of two sessions (half days) per week per month however you may choose as many sessions as you would like. The fee structure is as follows as of September 1st 2010

2 - 3.0hr sessions a week per month: $120.00
3 - 3.0hr sessions a week per month: $180.00
4 - 3.0hr sessions a week per month: $240.00
5 - 3.0hr sessions a week per month: $300.00

Field Trips

We will be taking 8 field trips (October - May) which may or
may not correspond with the monthly theme and some are
definitely dependant on the weather. All children have the
opportunity to participate in all of the field trips even if it is
scheduled on a day that your child does not attend.
Information about the specific trip will be written in the newsletter with a permission form.
Parent volunteers are always very welcomed, however please make alternate arrangements for siblings.

Languages

At Building Blocks Playschool we recognize the importance of learning an appreciation for different cultures which is why we have developed three language units: Japanese, Spanish and French. Each unit will cover counting 1 - 10, a song, colors, 18 - 22 words. This really enhances your child's self-esteem by feeling they are "smarter" than Mom and Dad!

Gym and Active Play

We strongly believe in the importance and value of daily physical activity. This helps develop gross motor skills which are vital in your child's ability to play sports, utilize the playground equipment, etc. Gym time consists of utilizing equipment such as balls, basketball hoops, slides, bean bags, obstacle courses or tumbling on the mats. We also play counting games such as What Time is it Mr. Wolf? (we count in our different languages) as well as Duck Duck Goose and Simon Says. Some days we may learn some new dance moves and other days, you might catch us just playing tag!

Preping to Print

Aiding your 3 year old in the development of fine motor skills necessary for printing and cutting. Your child can bring home work sheets showing how he/she is able to trace and cut different patterns, eventually starting to print their own name. This will help set the foundation for their next year with us when they start our pre-k program.

Music Time

This is a really fun part of our program in which we go to the music room. Here we will learn and play different rhythm instruments, what the different music notes mean, keeping a beat to a certain rhythm and playing various games which involve singing, cooperative play and hand-eye coordination.

Parent Conferences

We have two parent conferences throughout the year which are in November and March/April. These serve as a one on one time with just the teachers and yourself to talk, without distraction, about your child's progress in the program and any questions, concerns and programming goals you or we have. Please try to make alternate arrangements for your child during these times so we can talk openly.

Pre-Kindergarten Program

be forced to do this, only invited. We will be using different media such as worksheets and games to help with the comprehension and practice of such skills. Your child will be sent home with a duo tang to keep all of his/her worksheets in and also allows you to see what your child is doing. Please be sure to send this back everyday to school as we need it to keep track of what your child did last and how it was done.

Book Orders

Building Blocks Playschool is happy to take part in the Scholastic Book Club. Every month your child will receive a book order. We strongly encourage you to order books as the classroom receives free books and resources with every purchase made. We appreciate your support very much and thank you in advance.

Show and Tell

Once a month your child may have show and tell. Only on these days do we allow toys to come from home. Toys from home can get broken or lost and usually do not liked to be shared too much so we ask that unless it is show and tell time please do not allow your child to put toys in his/her backpack. For show and tell we ask that the children bring something that is somehow related to our month which could be the theme or the color, or the number, or the shape, or the letters of the month.

Summer Program

Building Blocks Playschools is proud to offer a summer program. This will run out of our Southlands location. This program runs for seven weeks with each week having a different theme. The main focus of our summer program is Fun In The Sun, however we still learn about the days of the weeks, months of the year, calendar, weather, socializing within a peer environment and, of course, whatever the weekly theme is. Registration for our, fun packed, thrilling, sun soaked weekly adventures in the summer are open in March along with our Fall Program. This is based on a week to week basis (five half days or full days) with the fees being $55/week for half days or $120/week for full days ($10 included is lunch fees). During our summer program, BBPS provides all snacks and beverages. If your child is with us for a full day then you would provide a lunch complete with beverage. For more information, please call or email.