This week is the Week of the Young Child (WOYC) and Manchester's Universal Preschool Students had a lot of fun celebrating!
According to the NAEYC, The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus on the needs of young children and their families and recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
Monday kicked off with Music Monday and our preschool students from Ridgewood Elementary School gathered together in Ms. Chaiken's classroom for the occasion! They were treated to a live guitarist for a sing-along of their favorite nursery rhymes and school songs. They even joined in to form a band by playing along on their air guitars! Students then gathered as one large group and played plate instruments together.
It was a very Tasty Tuesday for our preschoolers. Over at Manchester Township Elementary School, Ms. Smisek's class made trail mix with goldfish, pretzels, raisins, Fruit Loops, and M&Ms. Mrs. Kelly's class cooked up some "tasty turtles" with apples, grapes, mini chocolate chips, and peanut butter.
Wednesday brought about Work Together Wednesday and the preschool students at Whiting Elementary were treated to their multipurpose room being transformed into a jungle! Students worked together with their classmates and visiting family members at each station to feed the animals, jump through the rainforest, "drive" the jeep, and more!
The week rounded out with Family Friday where preschool students and their families celebrated together in many different ways across the school district. Mrs. Otto's class at Manchester Township Elementary School hosted their first-ever paint & sip event for parents and students! The classroom mood was relaxed as it was filled with the kind of classical music that may be enjoyed in an art gallery. Sparkling cider and apple juice were placed just right among the snacks for students to enjoy as they journaled with their families. And tables full of young artists were busy creatively painting their canvases!
The Week of the Young Child is a wonderful opportunity to come together and recognize the importance of supporting a child's early educational years. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us and made this week great!