For Parents- 6 ways to keep your Preschool kids engaged and learning while they are at home!

Monica Levy- Preschool coach and  certified educational trainer works with preschool children throughout the NY area. She specializes in children with special needs.

Relying on the ipad or computer is not enough! Experts say no more then one hour per day and it should include your input!

Preschoolers need interactive hands-on  play
But how can you do this if you are also working from home, or just don’t know what to choose?  

This disruption to their routine can be stressful, anxiety producing and

trigger challenging behaviors.

But, it can also be an opportunity to enhance the bond you have with your child

and reinforce the learning she/he will be missing at school

Here are some suggestions!

Simple activities and chores can become ways for your child to practice fine motor skills, math skills, as well as help you in your daily routine.

Taking a clue from the way teachers create a structured day, plan different activities for your child from hour to hour. 

Using household materials, create activities to reinforce learning and independence- I can show you 3 simple projects you can do with materials you have at home

Plan reading time that incorporates interactive q and a like teachers do! This reinforces memory, literacy and high order thinking. I can show you how to ask the right questions! 

Get open ended materials such as blocks and play dough. Give your kids creative challenges with these materials to inspire them. If you don’t have these at home I can show you how to make them!

Include structured physical activities in your daily routine.

I can share my favorite activities with you- that kids love and that will keep them busy and learning! 

For details on exactly how to make this time at home an enriching one,

connect with me for specific ideas and strategies.

I will show you how easy it can be to make the time at home with your child educational as well as relaxing.

Email to set up a free individualized coaching consultation! 

Monica@leapsmart.org

Indoor Activities to Keep Your Preschoolers Excited

As the season changes and we move into chillier weather, it can be hard to keep
preschoolers engaged and excited when they're trapped inside.
I am sharing my favorite ways to keep students excited and engaged!

Hula Habitats

Directions- Place as many hula hoops as you can on the floor in the middle of the room. They are the habitats. Children move to music around the outside of the group of hoops. They are the animals such as rabbits, giraffes elephants. When the music stops, children go into a habitat. Sharing is encouraged! Teacher can ask math questions such as- Which hoop has the most rabbits?. During each turn the teacher will remove a hoop. What is the fewest number of hoops that can hold everyone?  

Indoor Snowstorm

Directions- Every child has a scarf and when music plays,  throws and catches it. When music stops each child puts the scarf on their body without using hands to hold it. You also can experiment with catching the scarf without using hands! 

I like my hat! 

Directions- Using the Carole Peterson song- "I like my hat", each child uses a beanbag as a hat and follows the lyrics of the song- Great fun! 

Liven up Story Time

Directions- Each page can be an opportunity to move and have fun. This page from Brown Bear, by Eric Carle inspired me to use Margie La Bella's song- Tweet Tweet little Birdy for some active fun during a recent class of Dance a Story . Teachers and kids had a blast! 

Movement in the Classroom=Less behavioral challenges

As a former dancer many years ago, I was one of those kids who couldn't stop moving! In your classroom I would have been a challenge! Here are some great ideas for your movers and shakers!

Zum-Kids- A Zumba inspired class just right for kids with energy! An exciting way to exercise while helping children develop coordination, stamina, balance, discipline, memory, creativity and team work! Each class combines great music, challenging routines and lots of energy!

Creative Movement- With a variety of music and props each Creative Movement program is a joyful and educational movement experience. LeapSmart teachers guide the children on a journey that inspires their imaginations and channels their energy in a productive way.

Yoga Adventures- gives children an inventive approach to yoga through active games, music and props. Children gain body awareness, strength, flexibility, focus and relaxation. The imagery of Yoga is woven into a variety of both calm and energetic activities that delight and challenge boys and girls 

Interested in these ideas  or Hip hop, Sports,Tumbling? Let me know! 

How coaching is more efficient than PD!

Often staff need help when it comes to behavioral, social/emotional or organizational issues in the classroom. Even after repeated professional development workshops, these issues persist! That is when it is a good idea to bring in a coach to observe, provide one-on-one solutions and follow up!

Personalized coaching 

• provides practical solutions for challenges in the classroom
• scaffolds skills for educators in a supportive environment
• helps teachers to reach personal educational goals with an immediacy that goes beyond a group workshop

Want to learn more? Contact  or call 877.669.5767

September Startups- Workshops to get ahead!

I am always excited for the new school year! Even though I am not buying the essentials- pencils and composition books like I did for my own kids, (they are all grown up!),  I love tweaking my workshops to make them current and full of hands on activities so teachers can practice new skills. I can't wait to share new ideas with them! 

Recently while sitting on the beach and watching the kids play in the sand for hours,  I was reminded of how amazing it is to work with young children and guide them as they experiment, plan and persevere

With that in mind I have several new offerings to share with my educational community-

The Why’s & How’s of extending conversations with children

This workshop gives educators practical strategies to help them extend conversations with children.

Through video examples, small group role play, discussions and more, educators will bring their conversational abilities to a new level of ease and intentionality

Creating & Establishing effective transitions throughout the day

Transitions can be the most challenging part of a preschool teacher’s day. This workshop guides teachers on how to-

• Identify which transition(s) during their schedule are the most difficult
• Learn how to plan and design more effective ways to manage those transitions
• Understand how to communicate during transitions
• Understand the components of a transition Before, During & After

Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Preschoolers

In this workshop teachers reflect on their own skills and learn new ways to promote community, partner with families, manage assessments, boost engagement and plan appropriate curriculum.

WANT MORE TOPICS? check Leapsmart or call me at 877.669.5867

5 Ways to Bring STEM into your classroom

How to catch a bubble
A guided project where you make a prediction, try different materials such as foil and wax paper, record observations and results..lots of soapy fun! 

How many rocks will it take to get to the top?
Based on a famous water displacement experiment see if you can predict how many it will take. Once the glass is full what do you notice? 

How do you build the tallest tower?
Only using sticks and cups- unleash your inner architect!

Duck Duck Goose Math Game
An engaging game that actually teaches addition or subtraction! 

How can you turn on a light with a potato? 
It's all about completing the circuit!

After the Assessment....

As you observe and document your student’s progress this year, most likely you will come across areas where they struggle!  Whether it's math, language or fine motor skills, most assessment templates make it easy to pinpoint specific areas that are challenging to your students, but don't necessarily provide guidance as to what activities can be used to help them.  Each child is unique, so as educators we need to be sensitive- tailoring support to each individual student. But, how do we choose the best strategy? 

Here are some options - taken from the workshop- Assessments- Strategies for Change I led earlier this month.

Identify the source 

Is the problem verbal communication, self regulation, or social skills? Often it is a combination.

Identify the level of support needed

Will the child benefit by one-on-one or support within group activities? 

Make a plan! 

Can you plan a group activity that embeds support utilizing a child's preferences such as dramatic play to reinforce math skills?

Community! 

How can peers help? 

Clarify with pictures 

Can a change in environment such as added visuals or curriculum modification be useful?

Whatever you choose- make sure all teachers in the classroom are on on the same page! 

For more ideas regarding Assessments or other topics contact Monica!