Parent help day

On Tuesday Jacob and I tag-teamed for parent help day. Sadie's preschool is a parent co-op preschool, which means all of the parents have various responsibilities in helping run the school (administrative, fundraising, outreach, social organizing, website management, etc.) and also contribute a number of days each semester parent helping in the classroom. Only one parent has to do it at a time, but we killed three birds with one stone by coming together (I stayed the full day, Jacob left after lunch).

I love parent helping because it gives a great view into Sadie's typical day, and I get to know all of the teachers and other kids a lot better, see how they interact and also get to participate in her activities. Here's her typical day - there's free play in a mixed age group for an hour or so and then everyone comes together for circle time.

A different teacher leads circle time every week - that's Richard from the Middle Group. [side note - the red tree nearest the cubbies is Sadie's] Our circle time was about pumpkins and Halloween songs.

Next comes snack, which falls to the parent helpers to prepare and distribute. We also help wash hands and clean up after snack. After a bathroom check it's off to the backyard playground. [that's Inanna, one of Sadie's Youngest Group classmates]

After outside time (which they do year round, just not in the rain or falling snow) the groups break up and do activities. Ann (Sadie's main teacher) cut open a pumpkin that the kids explored, pulled seeds out of, and then sprinkled salt and sugar onto chunks to cook so they could explore how it tasted, too. [aren't those little sample rugs they sit on the cutest!?!]

 

Afternoon is lunchtime (many kids go home just before lunch) followed by nap time for the nappers (ha!) and quiet story time for the rest of the kids. The last hour is more free play, inside or out, depending on the supervising teacher's preference.

They keep busy, have so many things to explore and are so well loved. I especially love that all of the kids get to know all of the parents and vice versa; it's an incredible community builder. 

A related side note - at the end of the Dora the Explorer show (which Sadie has been Netflixing one episode a day) they ask the viewing kids what their favorite part of the adventure was. Sadie's response this week was "I love when my mommy and daddy come to school with me."