Funny Preschoolers & Fathers Day

This year we made a Cook Book for all the dad's in the class. We asked the kids "What does your Dad cook & how does he cook it?" We typed up their answers, made a booklet and gave it to each of the families. Here were some of my favorites:

"My Pa does whatever my grandma tells him. He cooks everything that's good. He uses toms. Then it cooks and he puts on salt."

"He wears a chef hat and a chef outfit. He uses the thing that are like scissors but you use them for salads. And he puts it on the BBQ. And then we eat it."

"He barbecue's steak. I think he burns it a little bit and that is all. He buys it at Vons. He puts on salt. I think he uses a big air pump thing to cook it. He makes it good. He fires it and a tiny bit burns."

Haha, don't the gas tanks have a close resemblance to helium tanks?

They are out for the summer now and most of them will be in Kindergarten next year. I will miss their funniness but look forward to the next group of kids.

What preschoolers call the egg yolk...

Since Easter I started noticing some of the preschoolers referring to the egg yolk (that they of course don't like) to a few different things. Here are some of their responses to "What do you call this part of the boiled egg?" The first response is my favorite:

"The animal"
"The seed"
"The apricot"

"The baby"

"The chicken"

"The ball"
"The hatch"

When I grow up I wanna be....

This week was my first week back to work. I went from 30 hours to 20 hours so it's a nice break to be out of the house and not miss Rosie too much and at the same time do what I love-teach preschoolers. It was a very warm welcome. The kids made a sign and colored it for me and there were a couple of girls and one teacher :) that were extra excited to see me.

Today at work I gathered some quotes from the kiddos. The topic? Career Plans. I asked them "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Here are some of their responses.

"When I grow up I wanna be ..... a cooker and a babysitter."

"When I grow up I wanna be ...... a BEAR! No, actually I want to be a hunter. I want to go to the African savanna and shoot a cheetah."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....a hunter like he."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....a wifeguard."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....a police."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....a mommy."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....a fairy."

"When I grow up I wanna be .....still little so I don't miss my mommy."

I loved the African Savanna one! What was your favorite? Do you remember what you wanted to be when you were little? I wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I'd make my little brother play school with me. He played until he got sick of doing the homework I gave him :)

Jesus: better than chocolate cookies

This wasn't the first time he was throwing fit. Last time he was waiting in anticipation as he was sure his name was going to be called to be next week's superstar. When it was a different name, his body went limp and fell to the floor. It wasn't so much a tantrum as it was a I-didn't-get-what-my-heart-prized-and-I-can't-let-it-go kind of fit. What does this kid need? We may say: He needs to be taught patience. He needs to be taught that in life you don't always get what you want. He needs to be taught that at school we take turns.  There are so many different behavioral and social avenues to take with this one. Or is there something deeper? He needs his heart addressed. He needs Jesus.

If we all need to hear about Jesus? Isn't it the same for kids? If we are all sinners? Isn't it the same for kids? They are sinners too, and the idols that hold their sinful hearts need to be addressed just like ours.

This time the fit wasn't about being the superstar... A plate of cookies was given to our class. All kinds of cookies. There were sugar cookies with frosting, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and of course only one chocolate flavored cookie with chocolate chips. Now any teacher knows, that if there is one of something, it's best to avoid giving it out-because if everybody wants it, that could be a real problem. This little boy already saw that chocolate cookie though, and that was THE ONE he wanted. When he didn't get it, he wouldn't accept the cookie that everyone else got, because it wasn't the one that he wanted. He hid and sulked. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He thought so much about it, that he wouldn't even play at outside time. Instead he just sat there with tears welling up in his eyes.

What a silly situation to us adults right? But we too base our emotions on our idols. This little boy's idol was a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie and when he didn't get it, his world turned upside down. It's the same for us. When we don't receive the praise that we desire, our world turns upside down too. When we don't have the relationship we want, we are sad and depressed. Of course when we do get what we want, we are as happy as can be. My pastor talks about it a lot: we can see what we idolize by our response when we don't get it.

So I tried to address his little sinful heart: "You really wanted that cookie didn't you? And you got really sad when you didn't get it. I get really upset when I don't get something I want too. Let me ask you something. Even though cookies are really good, can you pray to cookies? (No.) Can cookies talk to you? (No.) Can cookies be with you all the time? (No.) Can cookies make a whole world? (No.) Did you know that there is something better than cookies? (What?) Jesus is better than cookies. Eating a yummy cookie is only good for a little bit, but Jesus is with us wherever we go and even forever if we want. If you'd like we can pray and ask Jesus that he would show you that he is better than cookies."

Well, that's as far as it went. He was not interested in praying, he still wanted his cookie more. But that little guy is no different than me. So often I want THINGS more than Jesus. Oh, how often it is that I don't believe HE IS better. But He is. Things that adults want and things that children want are NOT better than a Savior that satisfied the wrath of God on a cross for our sins. Jesus is better-a message for preschoolers and adults.

*Please understand I'm not saying that we shouldn't teach children patience or taking turns. Those are good things. Sometimes we forget to address their little hearts though and they need it just as much as we do.

Slugs N Bugs

I'm sure I've mentioned Slugs & Bugs before. Our class loves their songs. Here are a couple that the kids have really been enjoying the past few weeks. I wish I could videotape how well they've got the song down-even the fast parts.

God Made Me

Tractor, Tractor

What's funny to a preschooler?

I came across this informative article when I was looking for some Monday Humor posts. If you have a preschooler, you will just be nodding your head in agreement the whole time you read. So what's funny to a preschooler?

Replacing Words:
My kiddos at lunch think their name-calling is so funny. "Give me back my juice Hot dog head." "Here you go, peanut butter." (though I think it's a bit funny, I usually respond with "You may call Kayla, Kayla.")

Preschool songs that remind me of this humor:
Willaby wallaby woo
"Willaby wallaby woo an elephant sat on you/
Willaby wallaby wee, an Elephant sat on me/
 Willaby wallaby wephanie, an elephant sat on Stephanie."

Down by the bay
"did you ever see a fly wearing a tie?"

You've got to read the whole thing here though. Thought this might be a fun read for some of you-but not quite a Monday Humor post. 

You know you're a preschool teacher when...

It’s no longer surprising to find clumps of glue in your hair.

Red “washable paint” stains your hands by the end of Valentine’s week.

Your husband starts singing preschool songs.

Your husband tells you turn off the preschool songs.

You find random items like: sequins, pink hair clips, & heart shaped buttons (otherwise known as “treasure”) in your pockets.

You peel stickers off your clothes, before washing them.

It’s exciting to learn about new children’s music/books to be released.

You have a favorite letter from the Letter Factory (mine is “W”).

You attend multiple princess parties in one year.

You are thankful to sit in a “big kid” chair.

You are a cupcake connoisseur (officially do not like store-bought).

You notice the absent sound of a flushing toilet from the opposite side of the room.

You wake up with a children’s bible song in your head.

It’s time to babysit and you bring multiple children’s books & CD’s.

You appreciate the sound of wordless music at the end of the day.

And finally when phrases like this are common.

____________

You could also start off with “You know you have a preschooler when…”

What do you think-did I miss any? 

Teaching God's word to little ones

As much as of "re-education" that God is giving me on Child development, there are still always things that only reinforce what I've learned in college. For example, when learning about literacy for children, we learn about the types of books that are appropriate for children (colors, amount of words, durability, etc.)  during different stages of development. Even more specifically, good stories ("good" as far as christian books are concerned, will be quality books that give solid truths) that will promote an interest in reading (more specifically God's word) .

When trying to give children a lifetime interest in reading, you start with story-telling or reading aloud (b/c they can't read yet), and though you don't have to be an amazing story teller for children to enjoy stories, there are some things you can do to keep their attention. Obviously, your tone & voice inflection is important. It was always repeated to us J REPEITION builds confidence in little readers. Saying the same story the same way with the same pauses, and same exclamations really help. As they start to tell the story by memory with you, they will feel like they are story-telling as well and look forward to the story if they can know what is coming next. You may even hear them around the corner going through each page and saying the story the same way you do. Then there is movements and even props that sometimes help keep kids attention for books.

Reading stories and rhymes are probably one of my favorite things to do with preschoolers! If you are trying to teach your toddler God's word go to 7 Ideas for Teaching Toddlers God's Word by Desiring God. Some of the things I mentioned are in there, plus more! Another good idea that would get children interested in God's word is having a Bible story-book on tape/CD that they could listen to in the car or when they wake up or when they go to bed. The Jesus Story Book Bible Deluxe pack comes with a CD to follow each of the stories.

Zach Galifinakis meets Preschool

This is so funny! I love the preschoolers responses to him. That's exactly how preschoolers are! If you ask a group question to each of them, they always say what the person before them said! Happy Monday friends!

Who is the fairest of them all?

This week as I teach the children about People being made for the glory of God, I’ve been saying things like: God made us to tell Him “God you’re the greatest! God, you are the best! God you are the strongest! God you are the biggest of all!” Over and over we’ve been talking about this: during circle time, at the writing table, even while we play outside and singing songs. It’s been fun watching them getting it. Let me explain.

This week’s theme is Super Heroes and Princesses. So I’ve had the chance to read some books about fairy’s and princesses. I don’t normally try to tie the picture books into the truth I’m trying to teach. I just pick fun books.

However, this morning after I was done teaching them about how we were made to tell God He’s the best, one precious girl thought of God during the story.

I was reading about a character named Alice the Fairy (by David Shannon) spilling juice to magically turn her shirt from white to red, and literally using her wand to make it dark (by reaching her wand to the light switch). Then as I read about Alice asking of the mirror “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” I heard a sweet little voice that said, “God is the fairest.” Okay so I know teachers say this all this all the time but it really did “warm my heart.”

Now I know she didn’t know what “fairest” meant. However she did catch the –est ending. Since we were talking about God being the biggest, strongest and greatest-I’m sure she related that to God. But that does not make it any lighter. She is learning that God is always the best of everything. Though she didn’t know what fairest meant, she gets that God is the best of everything. And I'm thankful. Because He is.

Thoughts of a preschool Teacher...

So if you don’t know already…I’m officially a pre-school teacher! Horray! God is good and gave me a surprise teaching position for the summer.

This week was a lot about setting boundaries and getting to know them. Also, we learned about how God is the sovereign creator of all things.

Some things I will remember for next time I teach this is that:

• The 10 Gospel Truths were made for 5+ in mind (my kiddos are just barely four).
• I didn’t need to use all the object-ideas.
• Most of them don’t need to necessarily be used at circle time/devotion time but could be used throughout the entire day during free-time or outside-time.

For the devotion we memorized Psalm 24: 1. I did rearrange the verse (awkward-but I wanted them to understand what they were saying). I rearranged it like this: The earth, everything in it, and all the people who live in it, are the Lord’s. If you compare it to the ESV, it’s not so bad right?

There were only a couple of kids that were actually there everyday- so of course they got the verse! However, even the kids that only came twice during the week also memorized it! The capacity for these kids to memorize is amazing so it’s such an important time to fill them with the word of God.

One thing that has been fun this week was hugging and them and swaying them while singing: “Danny, Danny, God made Danny, with brown hair and brown eyes, and a beautiful smile!” I know that 5-year-olds are not so impressed with fun little movement songs. So it’s interesting to see how much a one-year difference makes. These kids love to sing and dance and don’t have as many reservations about it.

So I’m a teacher, the lessons were not perfect, hiding scripture in hearts is vital and I had fun making up songs about God as Creator. God is good.