self regulation
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Stress Relief for Back to School
This time of year can be soooooo stressful! The calendar is packed with end of summer celebrations, meet the teacher nights, sports practices, and all of the to-do lists. It might not be the perfect time to squeeze in a little self care BUT you can definitely pick up a few stress-relieving products now so that when there is a free moment it’s really easy to put them to use. Self care is not one-size-fits-all, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite products to offer a little inspiration. All links are affiliates! Lavender eye mask – This brings all of the sensory input. You get the aromatherapy,…
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It’s always ok to take care of ourselves
I’m putting this message out there today because I need to hear it – which probably means that some of you need to hear it too (it’s always better when we feel like we’re not alone). There’s so much pressure to keep working, move forward, and improve ALL THE TIME. We’re not built for that – no one can be “on” all of the time, and working (whatever your work may be) 24/7 isn’t healthy. It’s always ok to take a break, and one thing we can all do better is to give ourselves permission to take the break – without feeling guilty or lazy! I know that I’m the…
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Circle Time Seating Solutions
I’ve observed a ton of circle time routines in many many different classrooms. I can definitively say that there is one thing that the best circle times have in common. It isn’t the content, the strategies used to engage the children, or even the time of day that it is held. No, the one thing that the most successful circle time routines have in common is a successful strategy for identifying each child’s seat. Little ones love boundaries (really, they do – that’s why they test them so often). So giving them a clearly defined place to sit helps them to focus more successfully. The visual reminder helps them learn…
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Preschool Activities that Meet Social Emotional Standards
It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for some activities aligned to a specific standard. This is the Third week of this feature, and we’re still on social emotional standards. (The Standards that I use every day, and am most comfortable with are Ohio’s Early Learning Development Standards – you can review them here, however I’ve found that even if your State’s standards differ, many of these activities can still be aligned similarly). Here we go!Domain: Social Emotional DevelopmentStrand: SelfTopic: Self-RegulationAhhh Self-Regulation. Teaching a class full of preschoolers to regulate and manage their feelings and impulses, trying to get little ones to think about the consequences of their actions and behaviors. Do we…