What do you all have your students do when they first come in on the first day of school. On a typical day, when they first come in, they go on the playground with the rest of the school unitl the morning bell rings. However, on the first day, I want them to stay in the classroom with their parents on the first day. They will have about fifteen minutes until its time to go outside and say the flag salute. I was thinking of just having plain paper and crayons out for them unitl the bell rings. Any other suggestions?
You could have them a special back-to-school coloring sheet, or playdough on each table or desk, or a little welcome to school goody bag with a pencil, eraser, small toy, etc. You could also ask them to draw themselves and put their self portraits on a bulletin board.
I planning on lining my tables with newsprint and setting out some crayons... I'm still trying to decide about having some homemade individual balls of playdough in a baggie with their name on it...who doesn't like playdough? I'm probably going to set out some math manips too...some snapcubes, pattern blocks, etc. Different tables will have different things to do...I think...still deciding...
Last year I had sewing cards, paper and map pencils, EASY puzzles, and books set out on the tables to do. I wanted it to be something simple to clean up, yet still engaging so they wouldn't be rummaging around the room.
Good ideas! I'm still thinking about the playdough because it might get a little too messy in too short of a time and not enough time to clean up to go outside. However, I do like the idea of having, manipulatives, puzzles, and coloring sheets. Thank you for the replies.
Where I live, few children have had exposure to playdough or anything really fun or creative in preschool or at home!! i have to introduce those materials one at a time. Actually, I enjoy their discovery. but for me the first few days are crayons, puzzles, and books-- reaaaally simple.
I totally agree. Kids love playdough, but I don't recommend it for the first day. Playdough works better in a small group center with alot of direction.
I usually give the kids a drawing to do, puzzles, or some simple math manipulatives. I did playdough one year and it was a disaster. Playdough was everywhere and some of the kids mixed colors and turned several cups a nasty brown color. Yuck!!
Ohhhh...yeah...I think I'm gonna skip the playdough. Like you said Silmarienne, I'm gonna keep it reeeeally simple.
Same thing happened to me one year. I even made a note to myself in my lesson plan book that year so that I would NOT make that mistake again! I usually stick to color sheets and simple puzzles on the first morning.
I am considering doing paper with crayons and playdough. When I started thinking of how to manage the playdough, I thought to give them only one color so that they don't mix all the playdough together. This is my plan if I do it at all.
This is why I'm still pondering the thought of playdough. I'm a little bit of a neat freak and I've thought about all the worst possible things that could be done with playdough. Funny though, mixing the colors wasn't on my list! :lol: I figured I'd make all the same color and since I made it, I didn't spend a lot of money on it, so no harm there. I'd be more upset about it ending up smashed on my rug or balled up pieces all over the place. I think I just convinced myself to save the playdough for another time. Our first day is really an orientation so I figured the parents would watch their child, but last year this wasn't so. After introducing it though I definitely plan on using playdough on the tables as the students arrive for the day!
