dfieldtrips

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FIELD TRIP:

Home For Elderly:
From Stormie:
I once worked at a preschool in Cocoa Beach, Florida, that had a home for the elderly next door. The children at the school visited the home one day each week. The elderly residents loved it and always looked forward to it. The residents were usually seated on chairs in a large group-like circle. The children were usually seated on the floor in the center of that circle. Every week, we sang songs, did fingerplays, etc. Sometimes, the children would teach the older folks songs/poems, and sometimes, the elderly would teach the children a cute rhyme from their own childhood. It was great to see the joy the very young and the very old brought to one another. If I could and had the power to do it, I'd require all preschools and day care centers to provide social gatherings between the children in their program and the community's elderly. Actually, I consider teaching the very young to respect and value our elderly every bit as important as teaching manners and/or how to get along with others. But if you can't do anything like this once a week/month, please try to do it at Christmas time (or during another holiday). Watch the magic that happens between these two age groups.

I would like to begin a list of things we can do/set up in our preschools or in nursing homes for allowing social sessions between young children and the elderly. If you have ideas, please share them:
* Provide enough paint, brushes, and paper for sets of "partners" to paint a picture together (each partnership consisting of one child and one elderly person).
* Invite a volunteer elderly person to visit the preschool one day a week just playing, talking, and spending time with the children throughout the day (a resident Grandma or Grandpa).

MAKE HEAD COUNTING A HABIT!!!!!!

Share your favorite December trips too:

From Donna King, Roxboro, North Carolina:
A walk downtown to the Santa's Helpers Headquarters with a small gift from each child: Our town always has a Santa's Helpers Headquarters to collect toys for children whose parents can't provide much. Most towns have a similar program. The children learn to give a little at a time of the year when they are thinking only about what they are going to get!
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Reminder from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here to check them out.

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My website address: http://www.preschoolbystormie.com