Gardening with Preschoolers

Today at The Academy of Gateway we were out in the gardens with Ms. Colleen. The kids enjoyed planting seeds and flowers.

There are so many great reasons to get your little ones outside and make a family garden.

• It encourages them to eat healthier. They will learn healthy habits from growing their own fruits and vegetables. They are more likely to try new foods if they grow them.
•  They will learn about the life cycle of plants. That plants need sun and water and the bugs and dirt that help them grow. 
• It provides engaging and moderate exercise. They will get exercise through raking, digging and planting. The best part is that they are so engaged they don't even realize the exercise they are getting.
• It builds confidence. They will feel a sense of accomplishment as they see their garden grow.
• Gardening exercises important reasoning, initiation, planning and organizational skills.

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Kindergarten Boot Camp 2019

It's back! Our top voted annual program, KINDERGARTEN BOOT CAMP is better than ever. This may sound like basic training, but for those of you that saw our cadets last year, you know it's anything but!

Kindergarten Boot Camp is a dedicated summer program that teaches important, yet often overlooked, skills needed to navigate Kindergarten with confidence. Skills such as opening a milk carton, carrying a lunch tray, returning library books, and even a week focused on getting dropped off at the front door to Ms. Christie and Ms. Cherissa to walk into the school and even practice with a crossing guard.  These are just a few examples of how we "train" your child to "be all the can be!" The BEST part for you? There is NO ADDITIONAL cost!

When you "enlist" you will receive a "enlistment" sheet as well as a copy of the skills we will be working on thru-out the summer. During Kindergarten Boot Camp or KBC as we call it. You will get calenders with fun activities such as workshops, special guest, library, and cafeteria days. The program concludes with our Graduation Ceremony!

Our KBC incorporates strict guidelines of the Common Core Standards, now adopted by Tennessee to set academic standards across the state. Some of you may have read the article in The Tennessean about kindergarten readiness lacking in the area. Although we feel we have provided excellent kindergarten readiness skills, we are constantly working to keep in line with the most current educational trends. We are now working to align ourselves with these Common Core Standards to insure our cadets have all the training they need. For more information about Common Core Standards click here.

We have many students who plan to enroll for summer, so space will fill up quickly.

"ENLIST" TODAY!

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Easter Celebrations

There are many fun ways to celebrate Easter with your family. Get some great ideas to celebrate from this Easter Bucket List. This is the year to start a new tradition with your family.

Here at The Academy of Gateway we are celebrating by having a Easter egg hunt during our morning recess and having the Easter Bunny and Clifford the Big Red Dog come to our class parties in the afternoon.

Happy Easter from your AOG Family!

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The Importance of Indoor Gross Motor

April showers bring May flowers! While we are enjoying the warmer temperatures, the spring showers put a damper on our outdoor time. No Worries! We still get in our large gross motor movement in the classrooms. Here are The AOG kids having fun.

Gross Motor Skills develop control of large muscles for movement, navigation, and balance.

Why is Gross Motor Development so important?

• Health- benefits of exercise to body and mind
• Confidence & Self Esteem- a important life skill
• Ability to Assess Risk- another important life skill, not only with physical well being but with taking risks in life with decision making
• Energy Release- Physical, Social, and Emotional
• Brain Development- the early years lay the foundation of brain pathways for lifelong motor skills and aids in learning, especially learning skills that require advanced thinking and mental dexterity

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Building with Blocks

Building with blocks is a staple of early childhood education. Blocks and other manipulatives allow children to practice their problem solving skills. While also exercising these skills:

• Fine motor skills 
•  Hand eye coordination
•  Spatial Skills
•  Social Skills
• Language Arts
• Math Skills
• Innovative, Creative, and Divergent thinking

Blocks can be played with individually or as a group. In a group setting it can be a team building activity.  They have to communicate to one another and use there social skills to work together and make something incredible.

Here at The Academy of Gateway Block Center is part of our daily activities. Here we are having fun with blocks!

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