Blog

I hope you have had a chance to enjoy the sunshine in between the smoky days.  It is a different beginning to fall for sure — smoke and 80 degree days are not our typical October weather pattern.

This week we will continue to have activities with pumpkins, leaves and apples.  We will look at the difference between pumpkins and apples.  We will examine their seeds, stems and blossom ends.  Some children will enjoy touching the goo inside the pumpkin and others will prefer to just look. 

We will use the ramps to roll pumpkins and apples.   The children will race them and try to guess which is faster – the apple or the pumpkin.  We will also have some games with the pumpkins, leaves and apples.  Hide and seek is a favorite for the older kids.  We will hide the leaf cards, apples, small and big pumpkins in the play area.  

We will talk about patterns during Circle Time. 

The book Look Look Look by Tana Hoban shows the children 3 different views of the same object and lets them guess what it is.  This is a fun game to play with your child.  Have them look at different parts of something familiar to them and see if they can tell what the object is.  

You can play I Spy With My Little Eye as you go on a walk or in your home.  Let them have a chance to be the one who picks the object and you guess what it is …. so fun to see what they choose for the object to find.

This last week the older kids played a game of What’s Missing?  Show your child a pattern of 3 or more objects and talk about what is there.  Repeating out loud the pattern they are looking at.  Such as  “red ball, orange ball, blue ball”.  Say it several times. Then take one item away (orange ball) and have them try to remember what was taken away.  Repeat the pattern by saying, “red ball, something is missing, blue ball”.  You can either remove the object or cover it up with a small container or cloth.  After doing this with your child allow them to do the ‘taking away’ and have you guess what is missing.

With the younger children when the object is covered up it is actually gone in their mind so it is a big surprise when it is uncovered again — playing a version of Peek a Boo with just one object is great fun for them.

While our physical preschool doors remain closed, our preschool community remains open and connected!

We are proud to be offering virtual and hybrid options for the 2020-2021 school year. We have been working very hard to come up with an enriching and engaging curriculum based on our core values using cooperative and creative play to enhance social, emotional and intellectual development, while providing a safe learning environment for everyone.

Virtual-only •

During Zoom circle times, Teacher Janice will sing songs, read books, and demonstrate weekly activities. Any necessary materials for Activity Time would be provided in the CHE Supply Kit and noted in the weekly email. Instructions will be provided to help facilitate setup and breakdown of activities. Supply kits can be mailed – you do not have to live in Seattle to attend classes!

• In addition to circle time, the Pre-3s/3-5 Classes can join virtual small break-out groups so they can socialize together. 

 • Families can meet with Teacher Janice 1:1 monthly to gain better connections. 

Hybrid model (in-person; small pods)

Families develop pods within classes (Crown Hill facilitates assignments/matching recommendations). 

Families can attend virtual sessions as a virtual-only family OR the pod can rotate hosting amongst themselves and participate as a group with Teacher Janice on-screen. 

Families will have monthly (or more) opportunities to play in Teacher Janice’s outdoor space as a pod. 

Families will have the same access to supplies as virtual-only families.

FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING REGISTRATION, CONTACT JACKLYN NICKEL: CROWNHILL.PRESCHOOL@GMAIL.COM

Join us Saturday, January 26 10am-12pm. Come see our play yard, classrooms, and meet Teacher Janice.

Parents from this year’s classes will be there to answer questions.

Our Parent Coordinators will be available to answer your Registration questions.

We have 5 classes serving children 12 months to 4 years. Our preschool classes share the same space and teacher. We are part of the North Seattle College (NSC) Co-operative Preschool program which means parent education is a big part of our school. A cooperative preschool is a wonderful way to introduce children to early learning and for parents to learn and grow as well.

Crownhill Co-operative Preschool is a Nature Explore certified outdoor classroom and Teacher Janice is a certified Nature Explore teacher.

Preschool is a time for your child to explore, engage and encounter. Preschool allows children to be exposed to new friends, new challenges and new ideas. Between the ages of one and four, children experience many changes and it is exciting to be part of their first learning experiences. Teacher Janice designs the curriculum, using cooperative and creative play to enhance social, emotional and intellectual development.

We look forward to meeting you!

March 27 – March 31

This week we will be looking at colors.  We will talk about rainbows, the sun in the sky and clouds.  There will be a rainbow of colors in the sensory table, at the the play-dough table and at art.  The children will have an opportunity to mix colors and to talk about colors they see in the classroom and outside.  The spring flowers are one way you can talk with your child about colors as you walk around your neighborhood.  The daffodils are out and the tulips are getting ready to bloom – lots of colors to talk about and to practice “focus”.  Children can be expected to stay focused on an activity for 1 minute times their age (2 minutes if you are 2, 10 minutes if you are 10).  Of course, they are able to stay focused for much longer when it is an activity they are particularly interested in.

The ability to focus and control (your body) involves the developing executive functioning skills including the ability to pay attention, learn and remember rules, and the self-control to not act on initial impulses. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news

You can play ‘I SPY’ as you walk:  I spy something___(insert a color).  Kids love this game and then you can let them take turns being the leader and the one who gets to find something for you to ‘spy’.

Other ways you can work on focus –

• Switch words to a familiar song and see if your child notices (wheels on the train instead of bus).  This is a fun and creative way to sing songs that encourages focus and listening skills.
• Play a sorting game when you clean up toys – let’s find all the blue toys, put all the round toys in the basket, who has a soft toy?
• Try singing a song while waiting in a line or at a restaurant.  This gives your child a tool for managing a situation that they cannot control.  An example would be: going to a restaurant. 

When working on their “focus” and “control” skills you allow them an outlet to deal with the frustration that might occur while waiting in a line, when they are hungry and waiting for the food to come, sitting at a table while others finish their meal. Being able to control bodies, emotions and actions is a skill children need to learn. You can help young children learn these skills by realizing what methods help them calm and re-center and encourage them to employ those methods when they need them or when they are staring to lose control. These skills will help them develop impulse control necessary for concentration as well as giving them a chance to work on developing executive function skills.

Rainbow Song

I see rainbows, I see rainbows,

Way up high In the sky.
Red and orange and yellow,
Green and blue and purple

Great big rainbow, Great big rainbow
I see rainbows, I see rainbows,

Way up high In the sky.
They are made from sunshine,

Shining through the raindrops
Great big rainbow, Great big rainbow

Rainbow

Red and orange, green and blue
Shiny yellow, purple, too
All the colors that we know
Are way up in a pretty rainbow

Bunny

Here is a bunny with ears so funny
And here is her hole in the ground
When a noise she hears, she pricks up her ears
And jumps in her hole in the ground.

Baby Bird

A mother bird laid and egg with care
And when it hatched a baby was there
She ate and she ate
and she grew and she grew
and then one day away she flew

Story of Colors

(Similar to Brown Brown Bear)
Red kite, orange butterfly, yellow sun, green grass, blue bird, purple flower, rainbow

We are starting rainbow week and Nick’s wife Greta sent me this great picture taken by her friend from her boat in the Shilshole Marina.  Perfect timing to receive a picture of a rainbow.  I was especially amused that it was a picture taken from Shilshole, sent to Madison WI and then sent back to Seattle! — Teacher Janice

A post shared by Sylvia Janicki (@sylviajanicki) on Mar 21, 2017 at 7:28pm PDT

We will be hosting an Open House on March 4th, 10am – 12pm.

Share this page or our Facebook Event (embedded below) on social media.

Crown Hill Explorers Cooperative Preschool is enrolling for Fall 2017!

Crown Hill Explorers will be holding an Open House at preschool on January 31st, 7-9pm. The preschool is located at the Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, 2400 NW 85th St, Seattle, WA 98117.

We have openings in all of our classes – two Toddler classes and two Pre-3 classes. We will also be running a new nature-centric 3s afternoon class in Fall 2017!

Toddlers: children are 12-24 months as of September 1st

The Owls class meets on Wednesdays from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

The Otters class meets on Fridays from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Pre-3s: children are 24-36 months as of September 1st

The Orcas class meets on Mondays 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and Wednesdays 11:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

The Bears class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00-11:00 a.m.

3-Year-Olds: children are 3 years old as of September 1st

NEW CLASS will meet  Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 11:15 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Teacher Janice is amazing and Crown Hill Explorers is the only Nature Explore certified program in Seattle. Coop Preschool is a great way to meet new people and keep your child busy, especially in the wet winter months. We are part of North Seattle College’s Cooperative Preschool program.

We are excited to announce that we are adding a nature-based, afternoon class for 3-year-olds next year! Children should be 3 years old as of September 1st.

Class will meet Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 11:15 am – 1:45 pm.

We will be hosting an Open House on January 31st, 7-9pm. Come talk to us!

Crown Hill Explorers Afternoon 3s Class starting the Fall of 2017-18

The Crown Hill Explorers Preschool will add a 3’s program to accommodate the families who prefer an afternoon outdoor program. Based on feedback from the families we expect a fully enrolled class.   These families would then continue in the cooperative program for the 4-5’s afternoon class offered at Crown Hill 3-5’s.  With two pre3 classes filling just one 3-5’s morning class the Crown Hill Explorers have more students than can be enrolled in the 3-5’s class.  The students who enroll in the afternoon Explorers class would then fill the existing openings in the 4-5’s afternoon class. 

Students will participate in an outdoor based preschool that connects our Nature Explore certification with the NSC cooperative preschool model.

This class will be an outdoor based 3’s class that meets 3 days a week for 2 ½ hours.  Students will have lunch at school and will follow the same schedule as currently established at this site: 

• Large Motor/Outdoor play
• Lunch
• Free Play
• Circle Time

The stations outside include:

• Block table
• Gathering area for quiet times
• Art area – table and easel activities
• Big Digging with real tools and wheelbarrow
• Sandbox and gravel area for vehicles, digging, exploration play
• Greenhouse for science, playdough, fine motor activities
• Garden and bird stations – National Wildlife Federation Certified
• Music and dance
• Dramatics with housekeeping and baby dolls
• Library
• Car/vehicle table
• Large motor activities – balls, pushing and riding toys, lawn mowers

The outside areas reflect the inside play areas of:

• Blocks
• Small Group
• Climbing
• Sensory
• Dramatics
• Library
• Fine Motor
• Science
• Playdough

The curriculum will be STEM-based with an outdoor/nature focus.  Students will be outside for a minimum of 45 minutes every day no matter what the weather as long as the play area is safe (ie: not frozen or icy) and return to the outside stations as weather permits.  Parents will be assigned to the stations that correspond with the inside stations at this site.  With research showing the need for more outside time and the benefits of educational experiences in a natural setting we propose to enrich our preschool learning environment with a nature based/outdoor curriculum.

Please contact our All-Site Parent Coordinator for more information!