Community Worker On-Site Field Trips

     This past academic year, SMART START students were active participants thoroughly enjoying our community workers curriculum! Our themed on-site field trips coincided each month to enhance and enrich our pupils. The children at SMART START embrace and thrive here at school when taught through a hands-on learning approach. Locals from our Andovers welcomed and provided such tutelage as each shared about their careers and how they affect surrounding neighborhoods.  
Here are just a few favorites from September-June

     We are very grateful to the employees of our community for taking the time out of their busy day to come teach and inspire our classroom. Thank you for supplying the next generation with amazing and educational experiences!

💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

Pirates and Princesses

      SMART START has been thoroughly enjoying the summer season! While we still focus on our curriculum, it is also the perfect time to introduce a special theme, "Pirates and Princesses". 

Pirates and Princesses both beautiful and brave paraded throughout our kingdom. Phrases such as, "Ahoy Matey", "Aaarrghhhhh", "Walk the plank", "Once Upon a Time", "Make a Wish" and "Let it go"! were shared. Dressed to impress, all had a marvelous time acting out each role as they played with pirate ships, treasure chests, telescopes, maps, gold coins, wands, jewelry and more!

     Dress up is a classic preschool activity that not only brings joy to young children everywhere, but has many additional benefits such as:

• brain building
• vocabulary building
• problem solving
• emotional development
• gender exploration
• imitation
• empathy

     Most notably, preschoolers dressed up as classic characters from Peter Pan, Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook.  They looked absolutely darling in their costumes as they reenacted scenes from "Never Land" on their pretend pirate ship!

     Our finest crew took to the land for adventures in our outdoor classroom. Coins were buried deep in the sandboxes and activity and water tables. Pirates worked together digging away to reveal these buried treasures. Both water and sand based sensory activities are always sought out by our students. Along with having a swashbuckling good time, there are numerous advantages some being but not limited to:

• open-ended and investigative play
• develop fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination
• discovery
• literacy development
• cooperative play
• social and emotional development

     While pirates are typically busy on their ships and searching for buried treasures, our SMART START buccaneers continued with their academics.  Each received a themed workbook and chest of tools. Mazes, problem solving, letter sorting and more.  Aaaargghhhh!

     Pirates and princesses combined clever imaginations along with artistic abilities and gathered around our art table to design a spectacular telescope or treasure box. Arts and crafts are crucial to early development and an essential part of SMART START curriculum. Here are some of the reasons why:

• further development of fine motor skills
• supports executive functioning
• raises self-esteem
• promotes self expression
• encourages creativity

     

     In addition, creative classmates put together magical wands. After receiving materials, they skillfully drizzled glue, colored with flair and added sparkling jewels for a finishing touch. The wands completed their ensembles and were perfect for sprinkling pixie dust and spreading joy throughout their royal school!

     "Hear ye, hear ye, your castle awaits"! exclaimed our majestic pupils as they embraced dramatic play in our indoor play castle showcasing crowns, gowns and costumes. All had a splendid time in their world of make believe.  

     Our group of mateys searched the outdoor classroom for buried treasure. Miniature treasure chests and gold coins were hidden throughout. They worked both independently and collaboratively gathering all the loot. An exciting exploration!

    "Just Imagine" a song learned this particular week was beautifully sung as all took turns "walking the plank" and jumping into "deep water"

    Other activities during our special themed week included board games, books and puzzles. One favorite was "Pretty Pretty Princess!"  This hands-on game involved spinning the spinner and making your way around the board while dressing up in the finest jewelry.

     We love board games here at school. These are some of the benefits:

• cooperative play
• encourages patience and turn taking
• consider concept of rules
• practice following rules
• patterns and skills
• actions and consequences
• good sportsmanship

     Academics in our SMART START palace are always a focus. Each member of the court found a pencil, took to their throne and wrote first names to complete the primary step of making a personalized crown. Our older friends are doing excellent with their handwriting skills as are younger students are diligently mastering their pencil grasp and sounds of letters. All proudly beamed wearing their finished crowns!

Click below for more fun Pirate and Princess fun at SMART START!

     

         We hoped you enjoyed a look into our imagination filled pirate and princess week!  💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

All About Emma

     Emma was next in our sequence for "All About Me" presentations. She did a superb job with her public speaking skills as she shared facts about herself to her classmates. Emma spoke with the utmost of confidence and maturity while filling everyone in on important details. It was an absolute pleasure watching Emma proudly shine. Here are some things we learned about Emma: Favorite color - pink Favorite animal - cat 🐈 Favorite food - bananas 🍌 Favorite thing to do - read books 📚 Favorite place to visit - Vermont  When I grow up I want to be - queen 👸 If I had one wish I would wish for - lots of cupcakes 🎂      Emma beamed as she achieved the "Student of the Month"award. She was especially excited to show her younger sister, Isla.  Thank you for giving us the opportunity through your "All About Me" to learn new and interesting facts about you!

      We had a marvelous time celebrating Emma's 4th birthday here at school! Classmates enjoyed the delicious cupcakes and goody favors that she brought in for her party.  SMART START friends gifted  Emma with a birthday book and sang "Happy Birthday!" in English and Spanish. We love having Miss Emma here with us at SMART START.  She is a significant role model, kind friend and an intelligent, adventurous, unique and lovely young girl!  We look forward to exploring 4 years old with her!

💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

Welcome Brooklynn

     We are pleased to introduce, Brooklynn, to our SMART START family! Brooklynn has transitioned with ease and we love having her!

     Brooklynn was excited to take part in some of our class favorites here at SMART START, most notably "Show and Tell" and "Sharing Snack."  She was delighted to bring in her favorite stuffed animal friend, Poppy, and tell us all about her.  Brooklynn was a kind friend and passed Poppy around to all of her classmates.

  For snack time, Brooklynn brought in peanut butter puffs and proudly passed out the snack to the group.  As with all of the students, Brooklynn exuded confidence and excitement as she shared the tasty treat.

     Happy 2nd birthday, Brooklynn!  We had so much fun celebrating with you here at school and we hope you did, too!  Thank you so much for bringing in the delicious and adorable smiley face cupcakes to share with your friends as we celebrated your special day! Her new SMART START friends presented Brooklynn with a birthday book and sang "Happy Birthday."  It has been lovely getting to know you, Brooklynn and we look forward to spending many more fun-filled days ahead with you and watching you grow!  You are such a sweet and smart young girl!

💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

All About Nora

     Nora was our next proud presenter for "All About Me".  She did a marvelous job sharing her poster with our SMART START bunch.  Nora shined as she spoke with confidence and enthusiasm.  It was evident that she really enjoyed sharing these special interests with her friends and teachers.  Here are some fun things we learned about Nora: Favorite color - pink Favorite animal - tiger/cat 🐈 Favorite food - pizza 🍕 Favorite thing to do - go to a Hibachi restaurant 🔥 Favorite place to visit - indoor playground ⛹ When I grow up I want to be - princess 👸 If I had one wish I would wish for -  a truck ⛟

          Nora was given the "Student of the Month" award for good conduct. She was all smiles as we handed her the award!  Nora was especially excited to show her big brother, Theo!  Thank you for sharing your "All About Me" poster with us, Nora!  We loved learning more fun and interesting things about you!

     SMART START friends presented Nora with a birthday book and sang "Happy Birthday" in English and Spanish. We had so much fun celebrating your 3rd birthday at school and we hope you did, too! It has been rewarding watching Nora blossom here at school and make tremendous progress in all areas.  She is a sweet, inquisitive and smart young girl!  We look forward to seeing what this year has in store for you, Nora!                                                     💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

Happy 4th of July!

     SMART START Patriots have been busy learning all about Independence Day and the United States of America here at school.  The 4th of July is an exciting, action packed and history filled holiday that we incorporate into curriculum and celebrate with our young learners. We hope you enjoy a look at our 4th of July celebrations and activities!

     SMART START's eager group read all about Independence Day during story times both in our indoor and outdoor classrooms.  Circle time friends listened intently, whether on an indoor rug, outside on a blanket or together under the oak trees. We studied the history of the holiday, its celebrations and traditions. Preschoolers shared 4th of July memories and what they are doing this year!  

Here are some fun facts the children learned about Independence Day:

• The day we celebrate our freedom
• The Pledge of Allegiance 
• There are many men and women who work hard to keep our country free and safe
• America's first president: George Washington 
• Family and friends gather together and typically grill outside and eat festive foods
• Red, white and blue is worn by many and the colors used to decorate
• Decorations feature flags, fireworks, stars, stripes, 
• Songs surrounding the holiday: "You're a Grand Old Flag", "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America"
• Many towns have parades

     It is important for the younger generations to understand why we celebrate holidays and the meanings behind them.  Making these connections at such a young age will provide the knowledge and wisdom needed to reflect on future holidays. 

     Students worked diligently on their mathematics holiday worksheet  consisting of different groups of patriotic symbols. All used one to one correspondence to count each object and then wrote the number amount in each box.  Miss Francesca and some of our veteran students assisted when needed. All are making great strides in the mathematics department as we practice daily.

     Holiday based worksheets make learning more interesting for our pupils. Most often they do not even realize the focused on skills at hand as they are fascinated by the festive component!  

     Barny enjoyed listening to stories and playing dress up with our patriotic class. Even though Barny is a stuffed friend, he has a remarkable way of teaching the children about kindness, inclusion, respect, compassion, empathy, responsibility and acceptance. Barny has been a wonderful addition to our classroom and has helped make SMART START a better place!

     It was a perfect, hot Summer day when we brought out SMART START's slush machine. This activity was part of our Happy Birthday, America celebration! Star Spangled slush makers worked together in pairs to fill the machine with ice, press down the button to grind the ice, hold the cup to catch the shavings and add red, white or blue flavoring. Fun was had by all while making this tasty treat!

 A hands-on activity as simple as slush making fosters many benefits for our preschoolers such as:

• independence
• self-esteem
• creativity
• curiosity
• patience 

     SMART START had its very own 4th of July parade right here in our backyard!  Our young nationalists assembled together with American flags in hand and hats on their heads as they  proudly marched around.  Even Caroline and Charlotte took the liberty of joining in the festive fun!  Smiles graced their darling faces as they waved the flags back and forth and sang, "You're a Grand Old Flag." We love witnessing their spirit, excitement and pledge to our country!

     All sporting 4th of July hats, necklaces and other attire, classmates gathered around as we celebrated America's birthday!  A special thanks to Cody and Kinsley for bringing in Star Spangled cookies with crackling jimmies for a very special sharing snack! The children also savored the red, white and blue slush they made prior to the party.  Miss Francesca entertained the group with a 4th of July story and all sang classic songs!

Click below to see more 4th of July fun at SMART START!

                                        

     SMART START chorus members sang “Happy birthday to America” and “You’re a grand old flag,”  Our older students sang beautifully while assisting the younger children with the lyrics. Incorporating music into our curriculum is extremely beneficial for language acquisition, mathematics and reading skills. 

"You're A Grand Old Flag"

     We hope you have a safe and fun-filled time celebrating our country this year on the 4th of July.  As always, thank you for your kindness and support as we continue to educate, enrich and enhance the lives of your child(ren).

💙 Mary and Francesca 💙

Welcome Summer!

     We are excited to welcome summer here at SMART START and have already been embracing many of the season's quintessential activities! We hope you enjoy our introduction to summer and seeing what your preschoolers are up to! ☀ ☀ Sprinkler Fun! ☀      SMART START's group is thrilled to put on their bathing suits and play in the sprinklers!  Their smiles and laughter fill the outdoor classroom as they explore in the sun and cool off in the water.  Our mini sprinkler water park has been a the highlight of water play thus far.  Water play is a perfect summer activity. Benefits include:

• sensory exposure
• language development
• develop motor skills
• calming and therapeutic
• stimulate creativity and imagination

😊 Outdoor Play Structure and More! 😊      The swing set in our backyard offers endless learning developments and is the class favorite!  Friends spend hours playing on it each and every day.  Whether swinging, sliding, gliding, playing in the fort, driving the trucks around, planting the flowers or climbing the rock wall, they are always busy learning through play!  A milestone and skill to achieve for our preschoolers is pumping on their own while they swing.  With determination and perseverance throughout the summer months we are confident that there will be many independent swingers!  Our outdoor play structure also provides the perfect platform for imaginary play. We often witness many different story lines throughout the day. As educators, this brings us pleasure to listen and watch as the children engage in this form of free play. Here are some more reasons why outdoor play surrounding the play structure is beneficial:

• gross motor skills
• social and emotional development
• builds confidence and self esteem
• encourages and supports imaginative play

   ☁  Let's Go Fly A Kite! ☁

     There is something about kites that simply amazes our preschoolers.  Last Spring, classmates decorated their very own kites using paper, paint and ribbons. All anxiously awaited and were delighted when a warm, windy day filled the air to take out our kites and recycle this sought out activity. Joy is had by all as kites take flight and soar. 

🍉 Watermelon Picnic! 🍉

     SMART START friends gathered on a blanket for a watermelon picnic during snack time. The children absolutely love picnics with their peers!  We await many more this summer!

⚘ Grow What You Eat ⚘ 

      We have a lot happening at our gardening center. Green thumbed girls and boys have been busy - raking the grounds, digging holes, planting seeds, transplanting and watering flower and vegetable plants.  We have officially tasted our first green bean harvest!

 Pupils have worked on garden themed puzzles.  They embrace the challenge puzzles bring and always work well together to complete. 

Gardening is a wonderful hands-on activity that provides many benefits and learn new skills and gather information.  

• connection with the outdoors and nature
• moderate exercise
• teaches children about caring for living things 
• exercises reasoning, initiation, planning and organization skills
• builds self confidence
• encourages healthier eating

☼ Weather ☼

     Our budding meteorologists have been taking a closer look at the large thermometer and adjusting it each day according to the temperature.  They have learned that when the weather is extremely hot it is important to dress appropriately, apply sunscreen throughout the day, cool off and remain hydrated. Students also played a weather matching game that featured a large poster and individual spinners for teaching about the forecast and its many patterns.

     

￮ ￮ Bubbles ￮ ￮

     Blowing bubbles, popping bubbles, chasing bubbles, dancing in bubbles...anything bubbles, children simply adore them!  Here at SMART START bubbles are often part of our outdoor fun!  We always like to add some learning in while our young learners are busy at play!  Here are some educational  facts about bubbles and your little ones:

• gross motor movement
• visual tracking skills
• oral motor skills
• hand-eye and foot-eye coordination
• spacial awareness 
• body awareness
• social and communication skills

🏖 Sandbox 🏖

     SMART START construction workers wore their heavy duty aprons and safety goggles for the sand box cooperative project.  We gathered the materials needed being wood, nails, measuring tape and tools to construct the sandbox.  Together with our assistance all worked diligently and patiently. Teamwork was in full swing as buckets were filled with sand and then poured into the sandbox frame. What a sense of accomplishment for our work crew!  The children cannot wait until Glen the Andover Handyman comes to visit and add finishing touches.

     Our SMART START chorus loves to sing! Pride filled pupils practiced memorizing words and getting the tune just right as they learned a song to officially welcome the season of summer!.  We hope they will sing this cute song to you at home.  Here are the lyrics so you can sing-a-long, too!  It is sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques."

Days are longer, sunshine's stronger.

Summer's here!  Summer's here!

Lets jump through the sprinkler,

Lets make lemonade,

Summer's here!  Summer's here!

Summer Fun Collages!

Click below to view our Welcome Summer Videos!

     It has been an eventful start to summer here at SMART START!  We anticipate many sun-filled days with our students and cannot wait to share this journey with you!

💙 Mary and Francesca 💙