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Little boy as scientist

The Benefits of Experiential Learning for Preschoolers

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Preschool children have an instinctive desire to learn, discover and try new things. Their natural curiosity is attracted to anything they are unfamiliar with, so that makes children interested in trying everything. This interest in learning can be taken advantage of in schools and at home to maximize a child’s development, but only when done properly.

While preschoolers are naturally curious, they are also very active, mentally and physically. Oftentimes, they have difficulty paying attention to things they are uninterested in. So is there a way to make almost any topic instantly intriguing to children? The answer lies in experiential learning.

What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential learning is a method of learning where children actively participate in the learning process. It makes lessons personal to children by including them in the instructing process. Classes become fun activities for children in this way. For example, instead of the traditional approach of teaching them about cutting fruit, children would cut fruit themselves under adult supervision in the experiential learning approach.

What are the benefits?

Learning and growth happens quickest when a child is able to devote their full attention to a topic, especially if that topic poses an age-appropriate challenge. Experiential learning offers a fun alternative to traditional classroom teaching that can improve the following areas of growth and learning:

Memory retention: Children gain a deeper understanding of content when allowed to act on it, and when they are fully interested in the content. This causes synapses (nerves in the brain) to create stronger connections when a child associates motor functions to new information, which leads to higher memory retention.

Experiential learning demands effort and attention, simply by being an activity that children can participate in. Therefore, the lesson becomes a more personalized exercise of hands-on exploration.

Life-skill development: Practical knowledge is typically gained when children encounter obstacles and are given the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills to overcome these challenges. Allowing preschoolers to actively participate in daily processes can establish life skills that will benefit their future growth and learning.

Emotional growth: Experiential learning gives children a sense of accomplishment that will develop their self-esteem and fuel their desire to learn. When they take ownership of a situation, with help from adults, children learn how to follow their ambitions without being afraid to try something new or struggle at first.

 

How Carpe Diem Uses Experiential Learning

At Carpe Diem Private Preschools, our educators utilize experiential learning to teach more effectively, and combine it with traditional interdisciplinary approaches to assist each child in reaching their greatest learning potential. Our unique teaching system challenges children with exciting projects that teaches them how to set goals, while also developing knowledge across multiple domains of learning.

two mature woman friends chating over coffee

Parenting 101: Making Self-Care a Habit

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Raising a child isn’t easy. It is definitely a full-time, around-the-clock job! Even if your child attends a preschool or daycare during the day, you can still get overwhelmed with how much work and energy it takes to care for an infant, toddler, or preschooler. We strive to be the best parents that we can be. But being your best is nearly impossible when you are burned out, mentally drained and physically exhausted.

We get tired of picking up the toys, cleaning up the spills, and changing endless diapers while struggling to find time to eat or sleep. Things begin to pile up and we can quickly start to feel stressed and overwhelmed.  Parents devote so much time to caring for their children and often leave little time to care for themselves.

Benefits of Self Care

To be our best, we have to make time to care for ourselves. When we make self-care a priority, we begin to see many improvements in our lives. For instance, we will most likely experience lower stress levels. Good self-care habits such as regular sleep, relaxation, exercise, and eating well have been proven to reduce stress levels. These practices help maintain our emotional, mental, and physical health, helping us manage and prevent stress so we can be the best for ourselves and others.

How to Start Your Self-Care Journey

  1. Put “me time” in your schedule: Alone time is necessary. And something that we often forget to do when young children can command so much of our time. When you mark it down in your calendar, it forces you to take this time more seriously. A good time for this is in the morning when your child is at preschool or daycare, or in the evening when you can find alternative childcare options. What you decide to do during your “me time” is completely up to! You may choose to exercise, go shopping, go to the spa, take a long walk in nature, or any other activity that you find calming or stress-relieving.
  2. Meet with one of your friends: This is especially important if you spend most of your day around children and need an escape. Spending time with other adults without children around can be particularly rewarding. This allows you time to have mature, full-length conversations without having to censor yourself or fear interruption.
  3. Make a journal: Write in your journal for about 20 minutes every day and just let your thoughts flow onto the paper. This is a healthy way to release those feelings that you may otherwise keep bottled up or under the surface.
  4. Set limits: Sometimes we can get stressed because we don’t know how to say ‘no’ to others. Maybe your neighbor keeps asking you to host playdates at your house or you are being pressured to volunteer somewhere. There’s no shame in saying ‘no’ to one or even a few of these requests. Instead of automatically saying ‘yes,’ you can practice saying “Let me think about it” or “I’ll get back to you on that.” It’s best to keep your workload manageable, rather than let things pile up. This will help to avoid feelings of overwhelm.
  5. Download a meditation app: Even if you’ve never meditated in your life and think that its probably not for you, it doesn’t hurt to try. You can download apps that make it easy for you to follow guided meditations on a daily basis. These apps teach you how to meditate and do breathing exercises that can calm your mind and body.

When we take care of ourselves, we show our children that self-care is a priority. We serve as good role models when we lead by example, teaching our children that we value our own health and well-being.

Self-care is important because it helps us unwind after days or weeks of stress. When we feel more relaxed, we can be calmer, healthier, and overall better parents.

 

 

STEM education

The importance of STEM in preschool

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In today’s society, where advancements in science and technology abound, it is no surprise that jobs in the STEM field have become increasingly in demand. In fact, jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math are expected to grow by about 9 percent between 2014 and 2024. As your child grows up and reaches the age when he or she is ready to enter the workforce, there will be more demand in these fields than ever before. That’s just one reason why it’s important for young children to build a strong foundation in these academic fields during their formative years.

Below are some more benefits of introducing STEM at the preschool level:

It sparks an early interest.

Preschool age children are constantly developing new interests, which is why it’s so important to capture their interest in STEM topics as early as possible. In fact, delaying the exposure could actually have negative consequences according to recent research. Studies have shown that by fourth grade, one-third of students have already lost interest in science and by eighth grade, nearly half of them have lost interest in it or considered it unnecessary for their future plans. Engaging a child’s interest in STEM early on could prevent this from occurring and could also lead to a lifelong passion for these subjects.

It sets them up for success.

Many early childhood experts agree that the sooner STEM subjects are introduced to a student, the more successful the students will be in those subjects in the future. These subjects in school turn into financially secure work options later in life. According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 93 percent of jobs in the STEM field present wages that are higher than the average salary in the U.S.

It fosters neurological growth during the critical point.

From birth to age 5, children are at a critical point in neurological or brain development. These formative years are the perfect time to introduce children to the process of scientific inquiry because they are naturally so curious about how the world works. It is crucial for children to engage in active exploration and hands-on experiences in STEM during this sensitive period of development.

STEM Curriculum at Carpe Diem  

At Carpe Diem Private Preschool, we offer an interdisciplinary approach to learning with STEM as one of our core components. The curriculum at Carpe Diem places an emphasis on math and science, unlike most other preschools which only focus on the child’s literacy skills and social-emotional development. Through hands-on rigorous exploration, our STEM-based curriculum is able to tap into the child’s natural curiosity.

 

 

Kindergarten teacher and children with hands raised in library

Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten

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The first day of Kindergarten can be an emotional experience, for both you and your child. You might be riddled with worry about how well your child will do in this new learning environment. Your little one might be scared to walk into a classroom full of other children he doesn’t know and adults he hasn’t met before. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to make your baby’s transition into Kindergarten as painless as possible.

Prepare socially                    

  • Set up play dates with children of various ages so that your child can get used to interacting with other kids. Observe your child’s behavior and notice if he struggles with concepts such as sharing or taking turns. These are social behaviors that you can easily teach your child before they start Kindergarten.
  • Leave your child with other trusted adults, such as an extended family member or a highly recommended babysitter, for a few hours at a time. If your child is not used to being in the care of someone other than mommy and daddy, this is a good way for her to adjust to being under the care of a teacher that she has never met prior to walking in on the first day of Kindergarten.

Prepare verbally

  • Give your child simple and specific directions and encourage him to complete the tasks. It’s important for your child to be able to listen attentively and follow through with what is requested of him before he goes into a classroom environment where this will be expected of him.
  • Read to your child daily and pause occasionally to ask questions. This will ensure that she stays engaged while you read to her. Here are some ways to make story time a more interactive experience.

Prepare cognitively

  • Teach your child his numbers. You can practice with him by counting aloud during car rides or helping him count objects in your home. Make sure he is able to identify the numbers 1-10 before beginning Kindergarten.
  • Talk about concepts with your child. It’s usually a good idea to start with an easy concept like opposites. Some common opposites include big/little, empty/full, and slow/fast. Positional and directional concepts are also important to go over with your child. Make sure they know the basics like up/down, over/under, in/out, behind/in front of, top/bottom, beside/between, off/on, and stop/go.

Prepare physically

  • Go outside and let your child run wild (under your supervision, of course)! Things like running, jumping, and climbing allow your child to naturally develop you his gross motor skills. Playing catch and skipping around are also great ways to do this.
  • Practice name writing. Not only will your child most likely need to know how to write her name on the first day of school, but name writing exercises are also one of the best ways to develop her fine motor skills.

At Carpe Diem Private Preschools, we believe that the best early childhood education starts with a good foundation. We believe that where a child learns has a direct impact on how well a child learns. This is why our preschool classrooms and teachers are so well-equipped to prepare the little ones for their big transition into our Kindergarten classroom. We have put careful thought into creating the perfect learning atmosphere for all of our students.

Boy washing hand

Tis the Season for Sickness: How to Keep Kids Healthy

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With the cooler weather creeping in, cold and flu viruses are beginning to make their rounds in almost every daycare and preschool across the country. Luckily, there are some ways to lower your child’s risk of coming down with something, too.

Ways to Stop Sicknesses in Their Tracks

A healthy diet. Feeding your child a nutritious diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and iron-rich foods is an important part of helping her build a strong immune system. Nutrients found in these kinds of foods not only allow your child’s body to function properly, but also gives her the energy she needs to grow and learn.

Handwashing habits. Insist that your child washes his hands after every trip to the bathroom, before eating anything, and as soon as he comes home from daycare, school, or the playground. Proper hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways of reducing the spread of spread of illnesses. That’s why it’s equally as important to make sure that you’re washing your hands frequently, too.

Teaching not to touch. Contact between germy hands and mucous membranes, like the eyes and nose, is how bacteria are able to enter your child’s bloodstream so easily. Make sure that you tell them not to rub their eyes or pick their nose in order to prevent the unnecessary spread of germs.

When they sneeze or cough, teach them how to do it in the crook of their arm. Although this won’t prevent him from catching anything, it will stop him from spreading germs that he may have to other people.

Vaccinations. A current immunization record is usually required before your child can start at a daycare or preschool. At Carpe Diem, the record must be maintained and updated immediately after the child receives an additional dose or booster.

A balanced lifestyle. Getting a full night’s sleep every night and exercising daily, either through active games or sports can boost a child’s immune system naturally.

 

How We Help Put a Stop to Germs in Preschool

At Carpe Diem, we make it our priority to make sure that you and your child feel safe and secure in our preschool. We believe that part of feeling safe and secure is not having to fret constantly over the possibility of a sick child. That’s why we‘ve adopted a special policy to help you feel more at ease when your child or other children get sick.

As stated in our parent handbook:

If your child becomes ill or injured while at school, we will notify you immediately for you to make arrangements for pick up; and we will do our best to comfort him/her until you arrive. If emergency medical care is required, we will call 911 for immediate assistance.

To avoid the spread of disease, state licensing standards require ill children to be isolated from their group and picked up from school as soon as possible, but no later than one hour after notification. In order to return to school, your child needs to be free of all symptoms for 24 hours without the use of medication, except for an antibiotic prescribed for an ear or sinus infection, for example.

To reduce the spread of infections, children and staff wash their hands, using anti-bacterial soap, many times during the day, but especially after toileting and before eating.  We do not allow children to share cups, utensils, etc. In addition, toys, doorknobs, and all other items that are handled or contacted on a regular basis by children are disinfected regularly with an anti-bacterial solution.