Join us on:

March 2nd: Washing dishes and clothes
March 9th: Taking care of turkeys and chickens
March 16th: Taking care of oxen
March 23rd: Using tools
March 30th: Gathering water from the well

March 19 brings new residents to the Plains Center – baby chicks!  These babies will be living in the Front Range building until they are big enough to join the other chickens and turkeys in Wells Crossing, so be sure to visit them each week at preschool.  Encourage your preschooler to pay close attention to how the birds grow and change as the weeks go on.  When these birds first arrive, they will be covered in down feathers that are soft and warm, and as you watch them grow, they will develop stiffer wing and tail feathers.  Please remind your preschooler to be respectful to the animals.  How should the animals be treated?  What might scare them?  Remind your preschoolers to explore the babies with their eyes and ears only.
   

oooooooooNature’s Classroom in your Neighborhood
oooooooooooooActivities to Extend Learning

Environmental Education research has shown that an adult’s involvement and interest in nature goes a long way toward helping children develop their own environmental ethic and interest.    Help cultivate your child’s interest at home with these activities:

	Look: Go to a farm          Take your preschooler to visit a working farm and see the animals.  What animals are there?  How are the animals cared for?

	Move: Do laundry Let your preschooler help with the laundry.  Your preschooler can help sort the clothes into piles, watch the machine fill with water, help put the clothes into the water.  How is this different from how the pioneers did laundry?

	Build: A farm Build a farm with your preschooler using blocks, legos, toy animals, grass, twigs, any other materials you have on hand, and your imagination.  What lives on your farm?  What chores are done on the farm?  Make up a story about living on a farm.

	Look: Go on a tool scavenger hunt With your preschooler, go on a hunt for tools around your house.  How many can you find?  Remember that a tool is something used to complete a job (not just hammers and screwdrivers, but also pencils, computers, and spoons).  Encourage your preschooler to name each tool you find and to draw one of the tools.

Looking for more ways to get outdoors with your preschooler?

Check out the National Wildlife Federation’s website, The Green Hour at www.greenhour.org.  The website offers activities to do with children and plenty of opportunities to converse with other parents and educators about the importance of taking kids outdoors.

Comments and Feedback

What do you think about the Prairie Preschool Program?  Please email me with any comments you have.  I would love to hear about the things your child liked or disliked.  We are always looking for ways to make the program better, so any suggestions are welcome.  Email me at lolin@plainscenter.org or call 303-693-3621.

Laura Olin
Family Programs Specialist

Price per student per session

Cost: $5 per child for members and $6 per child for non-members per session

Value packages available

Non-member price:
$50 for 10 sessions
$25 for 5 sessions

Member price:
$40 for 10 sessions
$20 for 5 session

Return to top of page