Circle Time – Ms. CeCe’s “Welcome Friends!”
Call preschool friends to circle time with Ms. CeCe’s “Welcome Friends!” (sing to the tune of “Frere Jacque”) Welcome my friends, Welcome my friends! Old and new! Old and new! Join me ’round the circle, join me ’round the circle. Take a bow! Take a bow!
Share Be Kind, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Jen Hill. This story is an excellent choice for preschool back-to-school circle time. “Maybe I can only do small things. But my small things might join small things other people do. And, together, grow into something big. Something really big. So big that all our kindnesses spill out of our school……”
Introduce preschool classroom areas and the book nook or quiet corner. This might be a space with large comfy pillows and book shelving. Books may be changed according to theme.
A fun activity to develop a sense of community in the preschool classroom? Start with children’s names and carry the theme to Gathering Time with CeCe’s “Name Game.” Introduce name strips. Hold up the name strip while repeating each child’s name.
My Name! (name recognition and fine motor activity in the preschool classroom)
Children trace or decorate names (printed on construction paper or poster board strips) with markers or crayons.
Gathering Time – Preschool Name Game and Graphing
CeCe’s “Name Game”
Children close their eyes while names are hidden in the preschool classroom by the teacher (hidden within sight). Children take turns drawing index name cards from name game grab bag. As each child’s name is drawn, class sings (the tune of Frere Jacque). My friend (Child’s name), my friend (Child’s name), find your name! Find your name!
Name Graphing
Print each child’s name on the bottom of kraft paper (using double-sided tape, adhere it to the floor). While sitting in a semi-circle, children hold name strips from the name game, counting letters in their names. Each child then chooses the number of stickers to represent letters and places them on the name graph above their name (vertical bar graph). Children have fun comparing and contrasting. Which name has more letters? How many names have the same number of letters?
Share Because You Are My Teacher, written by Sherry North and illustrated by Marcellus Hall. “Because you are our teacher we’ll explore the world with you!” This is the perfect time to talk about coming attractions in the new year!