Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Stroller Recall


The CPSC reports that Maclaren USA is recalling all of their single and double umbrella strollers sold from 1999 through November 2009 – about one million strollers, in all. The models affected are Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.
Reports that the hinge mechanism in the back of the stroller can cut (or cut off) children's fingertips has prompted the recall. If you own one of these strollers, you can contact Maclaren USA (877-688-2326 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. www.maclaren.us/recall) for a repair kit.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Preschool Thanksgiving


Teaching young children the meaning of Thanksgiving and importance of being thankful for people and non-material things in their life is fun and explorative in this lesson plan.

Suggested Thanksgiving Books
On the Mayflower by Kate Waters [Scholastic, 1999]
My First Thanksgiving by Tomie dePaola [Tien Wah Press, 1992]
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland and Sonja Lamut [Grosset and Dunlap, 2000]

Thanksgiving Reading Center
Providing Thanksgiving related books in the reading center is a must, but you can go beyond that and offer a CD or tape of sounds: Ocean sounds to correspond with the days you talk about the Pilgrim’s journey on the Mayflower.

For a felt board activity, collect various Thanksgiving themed clip art, laminate and velcro, and place at the felt board. The children can reenact the story of Thanksgiving or you can use the pieces as you read along one of the suggested books.

Thanksgiving Science Center
After reading My First Thanksgiving, have the children help to make a special Thanksgiving themed snack. Have a large can of pumpkin and large box of vanilla instant pudding ready to put in two separate bowls. Provide small bowls for each child and let them scoop equal amounts of each in their bowl and mix together for a special pumpkin pudding treat. Let them top with cinnamon if preferred!

The sensory table is a great way for preschoolers to explore with their tactile senses. Dried Indian corn kernels or regular corn kernels are great sensory objects along with plastic fruits and vegetables. A sink/float table is a companion to the On the Mayflower story. Provide several objects that sink or float like corncobs, apples, seeds, sticks, beads, feathers, gourds, etc.

Thanksgiving Math Center
Focus on shapes one day with Native American teepee’s. Design or find a pattern of a teepee and provide triangle cutouts for the children to glue over the pattern. Let them decorate with circle buttons and rectangle pieces of cloth or construction paper. They can add colorful yarn at the top for the sapling poles.

This Math File Folder Game can be transformed into the Thanksgiving theme by using turkeys, feathers or pilgrim hats.

Read more: http://kids-educational-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/preschool_thanksgiving_lesson_plan#ixzz0WN1aIrXT