Post Office

Recently my Kindergartner's began drawing pictures for each other and running out into the hallway to put them in each others cubbies.  This got me thinking about the small mailbox cubbies that I had in the classroom, but no one had been drawn to play with.  I realized they needed a spark, and so, we now have a Post Office, and everyday since the Post Office was established, the children  LOVE playing in it.

We have been reading different books about the Post Office, and I also went to our local Post Office and took some pictures of mailboxes and items used in the Post Office.  Many of the children have their mail delivered to their homes, so seeing the mailboxes at the Post Office, brought to life delivering the mail to their personal mailboxes at school.

Some pictures of our Post Office.

I love having scales in the Post Office, it adds a whole new dimension to the play because they are learning about weight and how packages are charged according to how much they weigh.

An example of packing slips and boxes, and our school packing slips.

It is fun because there are many roles the children take on when they are playing Post Office.  Some gravitate to the making of pictures and filling out envelopes to mail, and others love working the front desk, and then some love going to the window to mail or pick up a package.

The children happily at work making letters and cards.

The Busy work of the Post Office!

Working the Front Desk and Mailing Packages.

Delivering the Mail.

Look, even Superman is lending a hand!

Ringing up sales

We even received some extra special packages that we made sure were handled with care.

These surprise packages were opened up to reveal a kitty and fire fighter hidden inside!

This is why I love and value Dramatic Play.  These children were thoroughly enjoying their play, and all the while they were learning.  They learned how to mail packages, how to address envelopes, how to weigh a package, and that it cost money to mail items.  They learned about the different ways mail is delivered, the joy of giving and receiving a letter or drawing in the mail.  They learned how some people receive mail in a Post Office box and others have their mail dropped off by a person, some who walk to deliver the mail and others that drive.  They learned where to put a stamp on an envelop and how to play cooperatively.  So many wonderful life lessons, and all communicated through play.

Xin Nian Kuai le/ Gung Hei Fat Choi/ Happy New Year

As you walk into our classroom right now, you walk through a doorway adorned with red banners wishing you Good Luck and Happy New Year!  Chinese New Year is upon us and I feel fortunate as I go to work each day that I pass through these doors of good fortune and joy in the year ahead. 

 Xin                 Nian           Kuai               Le

New                Year                  Happy

                        

                      Da Ji Da Li                         Fu                                Gong (gung) Xi(hei)    Fa(Fat) Cai (Choi)

                  Big Luck, Big Luck     Happiness & Prosperity                Congratulations              Get Rich

These banners were a gift to the school from one of our parents.  She speaks Mandarin and lived in China for many years, and each year at Chinese New Year we are fortunate to have her come to the school and teach us about the holiday, sing songs and  dances, and share her experiences.

The children were fascinated with the Chinese characters, and were expressing that they looked like pictures to them.  Steffa shared that when she was learning the language and how to read the characters, many times she remembered them by what they looked like to her.  For instance, the character up above on the top of the banner means "big,"  she told a story about her father visiting her in China and that he could only remembered this character because to him it looked like a person standing big.  Steffa then showed the children what that meant and they also gave it a try as you see below.

Below is a video of the children learning a song about two Tigers, one with no ear and one with no tail. 

On our facebook page, Art and Soul Preschool , you can see the children singing another song in Mandarin about two kitty cats jumping on a bridge.

 

Steffa also brought in items to show the children, such as a Chinese Knot that is made from one long piece of rope symbolizing an unending life. as well as some clothes that were sent to her from friends in China when her daughter was born.

During free play a group of children were fascinated with the blocks Steffa brought in.  

As they played with them, Steffa was teaching them what the characters symbolized. 

 Trying to find the right character for fish

Looking at the blocks they wrote the characters out themselves.

Making paper dumplings that they filled with "veggies" and "meat", and then attempted to pick up with chop sticks.

     

Now the real test, eating snack with chopsticks!

 Luckily Steffa taught us a trick where we place a piece of paper between the sticks and rubber band above and below the paper so that they were easy to pinch together.  What a great way to work on hand motor skills and a lot of fun for the children.  As I mentioned above, it was a real treat having a parent share with us her experiences and join us on these two days, and a very fortunate way to welcome int he New Year!