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Exploring Recycle, Reduce and Reuse
Autism Awareness Month: Blue FridaysBlue Fridays
Monday, April 1st - Friday, April 5th
Spring Break - School Closed
Monday, April 8th - Friday, April 12th
Week of the Young Child & Scholastic Book Fair
Friday, April 12th - 3 to 5 pm
Spring Carnival
Sunday, April 14th - 12:15 PM
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Friday, April 19th
Good Friday - School Closed
Monday, April 22nd
Earth Day
Dear AFDS Families,
Spring has fi nally arrived and that means there will be more
opportunities to go outside and explore! Not sure where to start?
With the help of our NAEYC Family Resource Guide we’ve got you
covered! Enjoy! Sincerely,
Dr. Nadia J. Jones, Executive Director
10 Ideas To Help You and Your Child Explore Outdoors
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt and fi nd things that: are a certain color; are dry
wet, shiny or pretty; are tiny or huge; are wind blown; or make up your own ideas!
2. Put a twist on your scavenger hunt: fi nd three fl owers that are different; fi nd a fuzzy
leaf or a leaf that releases an aroma when crushed.
3. Observe and sketch: examine items carefully and draw what you see.
4. Follow an ant trail: look up and down, and feel free to crawl on the ground. Place
a small piece of food nearby and watch what happens.
5. Observe a tree throughout the seasons. Watch for leaf and fl ower buds in spring,
insects buzzing in the summer, leaves changing color in the fall.
6. Find nature in surprising places: look for places to explore near where you live.
Nature can hid in the cracks of sidewalks, under stairs and abandoned lots.
7 Press fl owers and leaves. Fund fl owers and let them dry, press between the pages
of a heavy book. Once they’re dry, use them to make crafts.
8. Explore holes and mud. In an out-of-the-way corner, dig a hole and pour water in
to see what happens. Ask your child where they think the water goes.
9. Explore seeds. Find some weeds: how are their seeds dispersed? Do the seeds
cling to your clothes? Are they carried in the wind or fl ung away when touched?
10. Collect conservatively. Discuss collecting with your child. if the ground is
carpeted with acorns or fl owers, it’s probably ok to take one, unless it’s on a
refuge where collecting is prohibited. Examine something for a few hours than let
it go again. Try to catch and release fi refl ies. Search for fi sh, turtles or frogs near a
pond or lake. Have your child draw or discuss what they see.
Exploring Architecture
Monday, May 6th - Friday, May 10th
Teacher Appreciation Week
Friday, May 10th
Afternoon Tea with Mom
Sunday, May 19th
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarte Graduation
Monday, May 20th - Friday, May 24th
Parent-Teacher Conferences Checkpoint 3
Friday, May 24th
In-Service Day - School Closes at Noon
Monday, May 27th
Memorial Day - School Closed
Tuesday, May 28th - Friday, May 31st
School-Wide Transition Week
4/8 - Jude W. 4/15 - Walter R, 4/17 - Anabelle S. 4/20 - Ms. MJ
Classroom Recap: InfantsClassroom Recap: Infants
Classroom Recap: TwosClassroom Recap: Twos
Classroom Recap: NurseryClassroom Recap: Nursery
Classroom Recap: Young ToddlersClassroom Recap: Young Toddlers
Welcome to Nursery News! Sports was our theme for the month of March. The Nursery has grown so much and we are excited about our future! Quinn is now turning around on the mat and holding his bottle. Preston has a great side roll and is also holding his bottle. Ellis does excellent fl ip-overs and is eating food already, apples are her favorite thus far. Elizabeth can side twist. Nuri uses her legs to scoot and roll. Jameson and Jaxon joined our team and are fi t righ tin. Our children are excelling in their physical developmental milestones. Keep up the good work, “Team Nursery.” They truly are in a league of their own!
The infants had a very exciting March. We learned all about the different kinds of sports and participated in lots of fun activities. Our favorite activity was rolling balls in paint to make designs. As we get ready for spring, we embrace an exciting new room arrangement. We would also like to wish Jood and Kai a happy belated fi rst birthday.
Mrs. [email protected]
Spring is here, so let’s play ball! March was all about Sports and we sang silly songs like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “Let’s Jump,” and “Can You Swim Like Me.” The children created basketballs, footballs, soccer balls with fun colors and explored glitter, glue, paint, and various pieces of art materials. We made equipment for sports, such as tennis rackets, bowling pins, and hockey sticks. We listened to exciting books like “Froggy Plays Soccer,” “I Want to Play,” and “Llama, Llama Plays Sports.” Did you know that we’re enhancing our fi ne motor skills with safety scissors?We look forward to exploring Insects and Bugs next month. Parents, if you have any bright ideas about our next unit , please feel free to enhance our learning.
The Young Toddlers had a wonderful month “Exploring Balls,” where we talked about different types of sport balls and their purpose. They participated in many activities with balls such as: fi nger painting to decorate a baseball, rolling balls in various colors of paint, using paintbrushes to paint a football and basketball, and throwing, kicking and catching. We also would like to thank the Atlanta Hawks Staff for their participation and interaction with the children.In April we will learn about different types of Insects and Animals. Parents please remember to check your child’s cubby for replenishing clothing, diapers and wipes. During the month of April and the remaining of the school year we will be using open face cups. Thank you for your support in working with them at home using a spoon, and please continue to do so. We have seen some progress!!
Classroom Recap: Pre-KClassroom Recap: Pre-K
Family Fun: Spring Activities for the Whole Family!Family Fun: Spring Activities for the Whole Family!
March was full of sports, sports and more sports! We explored many different types of sports and had lots of fun in the gym and outside with our sports equipment. We even had a few parents stop by to demonstrate their expertise with baseballs, basketballs and soccer!Let’s not forget that we all presented our Black History Month project in front of the class to show what we learned during the month of February.Our Word Family that we have focused on this week has been -ig and -it. We are still climbing the number stairs to reach the number 100! Once we reach 100 we will have our 100 party where we will bring our favorite foods and drinks and have loads of fun while celebrating the number 100.We also want to give a shout-out to our new classmate Nathaniel. He started with us recently and has said that this is one of his favorite places to be. So stop by and welcome our new friend! Have a blessed week and a lovely weekend!
Top Playgrounds and Splash Pads:Centennial Olympic Park – Dance in the iconic Fountain of Rings – the largest interactive fountain in the world.Piedmont Park – Take a stroll, splash at the Legacy Fountain, or enjoy the fun playgrounds at the crown jewel of parks in Atlanta.Historic Fourth Ward Park – Make a splash at this park that draws families with playground structures, splash pad, and open green spaces.Atlanta Botanical Garden – Wonder through the paths of fragrant and bright fl owers and enjoy the Children’s Garden and spray fountain.
Best Family Friendly Museums:Children’s Museum of Atlanta – Be a Waffl e House cook for the day and play in moon sand at this fun museum.Fernbank Museum of Natural History – See huge dinosaur skeletons, cool science exhibits, and explore outdoor playgrounds and nature viewing vistas.College Football Hall of Fame – See memorabilia from football greats and try your hand in the Skill Zone at this college football fan’s paradise.Tellus Science Museum – Explore a huge collection of vehicles and enjoy hands-on scientifi c fun in CartersvilleHigh Museum of Art – Admire art from different time periods and kid-friendly programs and special exhibits.MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta) – Explore all things design showcasing innovations in engineering, art, 3D printing, and robotics.
Historical FunMartin Luther King Jr. Center – Visit Dr. King’s his birth home, Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and Freedom Hall.Atlanta History Center – Explore our city and state’s history from the perspective of Civil War soldiers, Native Americans, and civil rights leaders.Center for Civil and Human Rights – Connect the American Civil Rights Movement to today’s Global Human Rights Movements with powerful imagery, artifacts and activities.Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum – Walk into a life-scale replica of the Oval Offi ce and more interactive exhibits displays about President Jimmy Carter.Wren’s Nest – Tour the home of author Joel Chandler Harris, where he penned Brer Rabbit tales.
Directions:
1. Line baking sheet with parchment.
2. Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a glass
bowl. Heat in a microwave, set to 50% power, in 30
second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.
3. Stick the marshmallow bunnies onto the lollipop
sticks. Dip the bunnies, one at a time, in the chocolate
to coat, spreading with a small spatula and tapping
off the excess back into the bowl. Set the bunnies on
the parchment-lined sheet.
4. Halve the mini-marshmallows and stick them on the
bunnies as tails. Decorate with sprinkles.
5. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
With increasing emphasis at school on developing academic
skills in children at younger and younger ages, what role does
dramatic (“pretend”) play have in early childhood? Is the idea
of play merely a throwback to another time when we did not
have as much information about how children learn to read
and acquire math skills? Is play a luxury? Is it worth it to sacrifi ce
playtime in order to make sure that children learn the letters of
the alphabet and know how to count, especially those “at risk?”
In any case, don’t children already play enough at home?
There is a growing body of research that shows a link between
play and the development of cognitive and social skills that are
prerequisites for learning more complex concepts as children
get older. For example, play is linked to growth in memory, self-
regulation, oral language, and recognizing symbols. It has been
linked to higher levels of school adjustment and increased social
development. Play has also been linked to increased literacy skills
and other areas of academic learning (a view held by Piagetian
and Vygotskian theories of child development).
Play is especially benefi cial to children’s learning when it reaches
a certain degree of sophistication. In other words, “unproductive”
play happens not only when children fi ght and argue over who
is going to be the “mommy” and who is going to be the “baby,”
but also when the child who is “mommy” keeps performing the
same routines with her “baby” day after day with no change.
By contrast, play that has a potential for fostering many areas
of young children’s development, including social and cognitive
development, has the following characteristics:
1) Children create a pretend scenario by negotiating and
talking to peers and use props in a symbolic way.
2) Children create specifi c roles-and rules-for pretend
behavior and adopt multiple themes and multiple roles.
When children engage in this kind of play for most of their early
years, they learn to delay gratifi cation and to prioritize their
goals and actions. They also learn to consider the perspectives
and needs of other people. They learn to represent things
symbolically and to regulate their behaviors and act in a
deliberate, intentional way.
Most primary school teachers would probably agree that they
don’t expect kindergartners to enter fi rst grade with a complete
mastery of spelling or addition. After all, it is in the early elementary
grades when children learn these academic competencies.
However, teachers of entering school-agers do hope that the
children who come into their classrooms can concentrate,
pay attention, and be considerate of others. These areas are
developed not by using fl ashcards or computer programs, but
through interacting with peers during play.
Today, many children do not have enough play opportunities at
home because of TV, videos, and the computer. They interact
with toys that are not conducive to building imagination and
interesting dramatic play themes. In many instances, pretend
play with siblings and neighborhood children is not available.
There are more adult-organized and directed activities than in
the past. They tend to be in groups of children of the same age
rather than in mixed-age groups, which would include older
children who could act as “play mentors.”
Early childhood classrooms provide a unique setting to foster
the kind of dramatic play that will lead to cognitive and social
maturity. There are other children to play with, a setting that can
be organized to accomodate imaginative play, and adults who
can encourage the play, guiding children to play effectively with
each other. Indeed, this is the cornerstone for all learning, and
we need to stand fi rm in our support of play.
Cookies4.5 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips
2 Teaspoons Shortening
12 Yellow Marshmallow Bunnies (such as Peeps)
6 Mini-Marshmallows
12 Lollipop Sticks
Not-to-Miss Family Attractions
Zoo Atlanta – Meet animals of all species or climb high
above like tree-dwelling animals in the Treetop Trail.
Georgia Aquarium – Enjoy the dolphin and sea lion
shows and thousands of of fi sh and sea life.
World of Coca-Cola – Visit The Vault, sing along to
commercials, and taste drinks from around the globe.
SkyView Atlanta – Take in the great panoramic view 20
stories above Centennial Olympic Park.
Transportation Attractions for Kids
Atlanta Streetcar – Experience downtown in a new
way by riding the streetcar.
Delta Museum – Experience the rich history of Atlanta’s
hometown airline and get up-close and personal with
some massive airplanes.
Southeastern Railway Museum – See about 90 items
of rolling stock including historic Pullman cars, vintage
buses, and classic steam locomotives.
