Learning the Alphabet Letters How Many Should Preschoolers Know? How Many Letters Should Children Know by the End of Preschool? As a preschool literacy teacher, one question I often get is, “How many letters should children actually know?” It’s an important question, and one we often hear different answers to, especially since we know that children develop at their own unique pace and in various ways. But what does the research actually reveal? Is there a magic number for s

How DO You Teach the Alphabet to Preschoolers? The Alphabet is HARD! One of my favorite quotes to share when training parents and teachers is this: The brain is wired for language, but the alphabet is a human invention. It’s a set of symbols that we have to figure out. When children are born, their brains are naturally wired to learn language, which is why people often say it’s best to learn a second language from birth. However, the same isn’t true for the alphabet. We ha

Preschool Circle Time - Troubleshooting Tips! Whether you are a parent or a teacher, we have all experienced the hardships that have come with young children adjusting to a new environment. Change and transition can be HARD, especially with little ones. When my son was 20 months, our family moved across the country from Charlotte, NC to Arkansas. WOW is all that I can say. The transition was brutal. Tears, troubles, and BITING...on his first day of preschool. Nothing li

What is a Student Centered Learning Environment? It is the beginning of the year. The time of year as a preschool teacher that is both exciting and sometimes stressful. A new class of sweet littles ones brings a new sense of joy, but also comes with a period of adjustment . Teaching the rules and routines of the classroom takes time, dedication and consistency. New children bring new personalities, interests, and strengths and needs. This period of adjustment is our time as t

Why Name Games Rock for Preschoolers! It is the beginning of the year, and you are scratching your head about exactly WHAT to do with you preschoolers. We know that we want to keep our students engaged, build community, play and learn, but we don't exactly know how to start. Well, we have you covered! My favorite beginning of the year activities are name games for circle time! Let's dive into WHY! Playing name games at the beginning of the school year during ciricle time

Are you ready to commit to early literacy in your classroom but don't know where to start? We've got your covered with this literacy-focused preschool teacher checklist! Here we are again, ready to embark on another amazing year as preschool teachers! The beginning of the school year is always a blend of excitement and anticipation . I love the feeling of a fresh start, but I know the prospect of a new group of students can bring a mix of excitement and stress. As you set u

Learn how to best teach the alphabet using letter cycling in preschool. No more one letter per week!

As a former kindergarten teacher, I share a heavy heart with many educators. The statistic is alarming: 66% of fourth graders in the US aren't reading proficiently. There are a lot of factors that lead to this alarmingly high number, but one sticks out above the rest...teachers in the past were not taught the proper way to teach children to read. And...I was one of them! Just like countless other teachers across the nation, I wasn't equipped with the research and best pract

Let's LEARN in Nature! Unstructured outdoor play remains an absolute cornerstone of a healthy preschool experience. There's nothing quite like the freedom of fresh air and open space to nurture a child's development. Beyond the obvious physical benefits of sunshine and exercise (increasing activity levels, boosting your immune system, and improving sleep), unstructured play allows preschoolers to explore their world at their own pace. They can climb, run, jump, and build fo

I’ll never forget the first time that I took my baby girl to story time at the library. She was a fresh four months old, and there I was…a new mama ready to give my daughter the world! I remember the librarian gathering all the parents on the floor in a circle, babies on the ground between our legs. We would gently roll a ball back and forth around the circle singing, “I roll the ball to you. You roll the ball to me. I roll the ball to you, and you roll the ball to me.”

Pres Assessment . As a teacher, when you hear this word, you often cringe. Assessment takes brain power, people power, and a significant amount of time! There is no doubt that some schools go overboard with assessment. Over assessment is an ineffective use of time and resources. However, when used strategically, it offers incredible benefits. Preschool assessment helps you understand your students on a deeper level, uncovering their strengths, weaknesses, and learning style

The preschool years are a critical time for brain development and growth. Children’s minds are like sponges, soaking up information and experiences that lay the foundation for future learning. One crucial area is literacy development, and within that realm lies a hidden gem called phonological awareness. Imagine a young boy struggling to read, his frustration mounting with each stumbled word. We, as teachers, might search for solutions in phonics instruction or sight word re

Picture your classroom – a symphony of activity! Little ones are building block towers, creating masterpieces with crayons, or giggling with friends. Suddenly, you need their attention. Do you yell? Wander the room tapping shoulders? Turn off the lights? While these methods might work, there's a more engaging option at your fingertips – music! Unlike our adult world of constant talking, children thrive on sensory experiences. That's where music comes in – a powerful tool th

Playdough has been a fan favorite among toddlers and preschoolers for years. It is one toy that keeps on giving…my children have played with playdough for years! When my children were little, we would roll and practice cutting the playdough. We would play restaurant with our delicious creations and practice our shapes and colors. Even at the ages of 8 and 10, my children still enjoy a good playdough session. My son grabbed toothpicks and created three-dimensional shapes

From vibrant-colored sensory rice to textured squishy toys, the stores are stocked with items designed to engage young minds in multisensory exploration. These products aren't just about keeping little ones entertained, but they are tapping into a fundamental aspect of early childhood development...sensory learning. Multisensory learning is a way to teach our children that engages multiple senses at the same time. For example, when we are learning letter sounds, we stand u

Is there a “right” time to teach a child to read? As I hit that time of year in the preschool classroom where many of those reading readiness skills are truly starting to “click” for many of our four-year-old students, I have been pondering this question. When do kids learn to read? I have searched the internet for research related to the “right” time to learn to read and have come up empty handed. Similar to potty training opinions, the opinions on when it is development

Learn about the latest research related to preschool and its' effectiveness.

New Year, New Routines! If you are around young children, you understand the struggles that come along with change. I, for one, had a toddler son that despised transition. Nothing displayed this more than the time that we moved across country when my son was 20 months. My husband had begun his new job, and I was at home managing the moving company. My son SCREAMED…and I mean SCREAMED, the entire time the truck was unloaded. To say I was exhausted from holding a screamin

It's time to stop cringing when we hear the word "teach in preschool. America is facing a pressing literacy crisis, with a staggering 68% of fourth graders not reading proficiently, (The Nation's Report Card, 2022). The struggle with reading proficiency isn't limited to low-income or minority students; it affects all children. The fact that families invest substantial sums in private schools and tutors highlights the systemic issue at hand. While strides are being made to

Learning the alphabet is an essential milestone in a child's journey towards reading and writing. However, some children may struggle with simultaneously learning letter names and sounds. If your child is facing difficulties, don't fret! In this blog post, we'll explore a helpful intervention: focusing on lowercase letter sounds. We'll discuss why lowercase letter sounds are crucial, the importance of phonemic awareness, and scientific insights into why some children struggle