Design Mom In My Family- Part Two-Back To Pre-school

   As I promised in the post Design Mom In My Family, I am sharing the creative ideas used in my Great- Niece's pre-school. She has given me permission to show and explain how she runs her school. Today is her first day as it is for many children all over the world.
   As the children arrive they see their classmates on a wall and receive a special number which helps them find their spots in other areas of the school. Corianne runs 4 sessions through the week, that is forty children to interact with twice a week.

This room is a room where they can pretend to be in a grocery store, or be an office executive, or whatever they they can imagine.

     There are many large words throughout the school encouraging children to love words. Cut out of cardboard the letters covered with fabric remnants and adhered with spray starch.

   You can find fabric remnants in the Circle Time Room on the wall, without cardboard, adhered with spray starch. The fabric can be removed and wiped down to change out the display. The alphabet is rehearsed every day and sometimes out of order. Occasionally Corianne uses a flashlight to highlight the recitation in a different order. The Circle Time Room has many activities which are repeated every day.

    Time, days of the week, weather, counting are all reviewed every day. Dollar store cookie sheets are great for magnet letters and numbers. Speaking of magnets, have you ever heard of magnetized paint? Just paint a wall and it will hold all kinds of magnets.

  The reading room has many selections of books, all sitting on display and held with rain gutters to keep them in place.

               Each child has a special pillow to lounge with when reading designated by their special number.

  The kitchen is the place to snack or paint, or even, to draw on the wall. Every child knows just where to sit.

   When I visited I noticed an unfinished project waiting. School bags in each session's color were waiting to go home with the children. At 50 cents a bag I could make music bags for my students. The material was sheets from the dollar store, again.

  I hope your opening day goes well, Corianne, and thanks for sharing. Sharing ideas is meant to inspire each of us to try new things. Never let other people's creativity make you feel unworthy. Let it be a jumping off place for your own unique projects.