Mother Goose Rhymes

The nursery rhymes of “Mother Goose” were studied at SMART START. Our young learners eagerly embraced these classic stories and songs through play based lessons. 

Read below! 

Rhyming is a key component of Mother Goose tales. Students used picture cards to match objects that rhyme. 

Rhyming activities in Early Childhood Education assist children in developing phonological awareness. (Identifying sounds in letters/words). These skills are essential as they are the foundation of reading! 

“Mother Goose” herself visited for an interactive musical experience. The magic of her nursery rhymes were brought to life through singing, dancing, games and more! 

View below! 

Mother Goose Show Highlights

To conclude this unit, classmates enthusiastically acted out various rhymes such as “Little Bo Peep”, “Jack & Jill”, “Ring Around the Rosie” and “Hickory, Dickory, Dock.” Dramatic play opportunities can enhance vocabulary, emotional expression, creativity, imagination and promotes high self-esteem!  

Links to performances below! 

Nursery Rhyme Pretend Play 1

Nursery Rhymes Pretend Play 2

📖SMART START📖

Tumble & Train

Physical education is an essential component of SMART START’S curriculum. Our young learners enjoy enhancing their gross motor skills through interactive exercise activities.

Students have been receiving weekly “Tumble & Train” instruction from Miss Maria. Forward rolls, stretching techniques, jumping drills, balancing abilities, strength training, collaborative coordination and more!  

View Highlights Below! 

🤸SMART START🤸

SMART START Stand

In honor of October being National Fire Prevention month, our young learners hosted an apple cider & school-made donut stand to support their local fire department. 

This year’s national fire safety theme is “Cooking Safety Starts With You!” Hands-on cooking and baking is a frequent component of SMART START’S curriculum. Due to this, our classroom chefs are instructed on safety protocols regarding using appliances as well as fire emergency procedures. All of this was further discussed while classroom chefs baked delicious donuts for their sale. 

The apple cider & donut stand was a success! Our students were so excited to welcome The North Andover Fire Department as their first visitors. All were in awe as they engaged with these community heroes and explored a fire engine. The firefighters expressed their appreciation for the sale proceeds and also enjoyed some donuts and cider! 

A North Andover police officer and police pup made a special appearance! 

Family, friends, neighbors & SMART START alumni also stopped by. 

In addition to fire safety, this event educated on the importance of community involvement. Introducing this topic in Early Childhood Education encourages children to become active members in their towns and to develop an interest in the world around them. Contributing to the community in even the smallest ways can make a significant impact! 

🚒SMART START🚒

Animal Adventures

This September, SMART START learned all about animals! Throughout this unit, our young learners engaged their wild imaginations, natural curiosity and desire to discover through nature and play based activities. 

The class gathered outside for an informational storytime of, “There is a tribe of Kids.” This book details names for groups of animals. Some favorites included: a colony of penguins, a crash of rhinos, a flight of butterflies and a tribe of friends! 

Book Linked Here

A donation box was decorated to hold items collected by our school for a local zoo and rescue center, “Animal Adventures.” This organization visited us later in the week with an interactive, hands-on animal encounter. See below!

“Animal Adventures” arrived with an abundance of animals and knowledge to share with SMART START. This fascinating experience provided the opportunity for students to touch and hold a snake, alligator, hedgehog, bearded dragon, gecko, ferret and more! All of our young learners bravely interacted with each creature. Introducing children to animals of all kinds (in a safe environment) reduces fear and fosters a  respect for wildlife! 

Eager explorers transformed part of their outdoor classroom into a jungle! They traveled through “tropical forests” observing gorillas, snakes and tigers and studied lions, zebras and elephants on a “safari.” 

Explorer Hats & Vests

Friends established their very own “rescue zoo” using animal figurines and magna-tiles. Animals were separated into “exhibits” by species. Informal, learning through play at its finest! 

Frames were decorated to hold a photo from the “Animal Adventures” presentation. Picture crafts capture special events and assist in the formation of memories. 

Peers completed puzzles to build three letter words: BAT, CAT, ANT, COW etc. This lesson reinforced uppercase letter recognition and the use of phonics.  

Thank you for reading! 

🐍SMART START🐍

Back to School Week

SMART START’S “Back to School” week was filled with hands-on fun! Our young learners were eager to begin the new academic year of playing and growing with their friends. 

The 1st Day of School was celebrated with the SMART START tradition of taking a picture with our “Back to School” chalkboard. A memorable way to capture each child’s genuine excitement to learn! 

Afterwards, stickers and apple frames were used for a photo craft. All looked forward to displaying their “Back to School” pictures at home. Back to School Apple Frames Linked Here

Classmates decorated cartons to hold eggs collected from the outdoor classroom chickens. This task is a favorite each week and assists in promoting responsibility, independence, nature appreciation and more!  

In addition to the chickens, our class Guinea pigs, cats and bunny happily welcomed all of the “back to school” nurturing they received from their preschool caretakers.  

Snack time is always more delicious on a picnic! The group enjoyed some farm picked apples and watermelon slices while socializing with peers. 

                                           🏡SMART START🏡

SMART START Reunion

This summer, SMART START hosted a reunion for our alumni and past students. It was a memorable event filled with fun crafts, hands-on activities and the celebration of friendship.

View Highlights Below

These young learners will always hold a special place in our classrooms. We are already looking forward to planning the next reunion!

💛 SMART START💛

Summer Enrichment Week 6: Crop to Classroom

The final theme of SMART START’S summer enrichment program was “Crop to Classroom!” Our young learners thoroughly enjoyed this unit which focused on “growing what you eat” and instilling independence  through nutritious, interactive activities. 

Read below! 

Students completed their weekly chore of collecting eggs from the chicken coop. Caring for the chickens and other class pets promotes responsibility, respect for nature, high self esteem and so much more! 

The school garden grew beautifully all summer long and was finally ready for a harvest. Tomatoes, blueberries, zucchinis, green beans and peppers were among the produce picked. 

Classroom chefs cleaned the crop in their kitchen. Next, knives and cutting boards were utilized to chop and slice the fruits and vegetables. Fine motor skills and hand to eye coordination were certainly challenged and enhanced! 

Afterwards, everyone enjoyed their healthy snack. All agreed that the food was most delicious because they grew and prepared it themselves! 

The group gathered outside to read a “Garden to Table” story. All were able to hold some pretend play items to reinforce the subject matter. Peers then partnered up to further explore the book in nature.

Thank you for reading! 

                                         🌱SMART START🌱