APRIL 2025
April’s Little Wonders
April showers, soft and bright,
Bring new joys in morning light.
Tiny hands reach for the sky,
Hearts so eager, spirits high.
Raindrop giggles, puddle play,
Learning, laughing every day.
Seeds we plant with love and care,
Grow in sunshine, bright and fair.
Teachers guide, and parents cheer,
Little steps bring growth each year.
Springtime magic, fresh and new,
Blossoms in the things they do.
So cherish now these fleeting days,
Through April’s gentle, golden haze.
For little wonders, soft and sweet,
Make our world feel whole, complete.
April is here, and you know what that means—Spring has officially sprung! And there’s nothing quite like Vancouver in the spring. 🌸
April in Vancouver is a beautiful dance between rain and sunshine, where cherry blossoms bloom, the air is filled with the scent of renewal, and every walk feels like a postcard. It’s the perfect time to get outside with your little ones and explore the forests and parks, searching for signs of spring together!
Looking for a fun activity? A Preschool Spring Scavenger Hunt is a great way to spark curiosity! Just search online, and you’ll find endless ideas. One creative idea I saw involves using an egg carton—attach pictures of nature items to the lid, and as your child finds each one, they fill the egg spots inside the carton. A fun and hands-on way to celebrate the season!
So grab your rain boots, embrace the fresh air, and let the springtime adventures begin! 🌿☀️
EASTER SERVICES-April 9th & 10th, 1pm
It is that time of year once again! Our children have diligently practiced for the Easter Services since the end of February, and they are excited to showcase their hard work to parents and grandparents.
The Services are scheduled for 1:00 PM on Wednesday, April 9th, and Thursday, April 10th, at the Church. Parents are welcome to arrive at 12:45 PM, entering through the wooden Church doors located off Ridgewood Drive.
Children who are scheduled to leave at 1:30 PM may do so following the Services, while those who leave at 2:45 PM have the option to depart after the Service or remain until 2:45 PM.
If your child will not have anyone coming to the Services to watch, please let us know ahead of time.
The Card Project Fundraiser
Orders open on Tuesday, April 1st at www.TheCardProject.ca
Our school access code is ST98
The order deadline is Sunday, April 13
This is a wonderful fundraising initiative for our school. We receive 20% of the sales.
Orders will be delivered in the week of May 5-8.
See your child’s artwork made into beautiful, quality products.
Please visit www.TheCardProject.ca for more information or contact
Marcelle at Marcelle@TheCardProject.ca
Jean’s Week for BC Children’s Hospital
April 22nd - 30th will be set aside for JEAN’S WEEK! During this week, you will see UMBRELLAS at pick-up and drop-off times. They are there to collect donations for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Support Jean’s Week – Make a Difference for BC Children!
At our preschool, we believe in teaching kindness and generosity from an early age. That’s why we’re proud to support Jean’s Week, a special fundraiser benefiting the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Your donations help provide life-saving care, innovative treatments, and essential medical equipment for children in need.
Giving to this cause isn’t just good for the hospital—it’s good for all of us. When we support BC Children’s Hospital, we’re ensuring that families across our community have access to the best care when they need it most. As parents, we never know when a child we love might need their help. By coming together, we show our children the power of compassion and community.
Join us in making a difference—every dollar counts! 💙
Preschool is CLOSED on April 18th & 21st for Easter. Enjoy your long weekend.
SCHOLASTIC BOOKS
Ready to discover the characters and stories your children love? With expertly curated selections, plus the chance for our class to earn rewards with every order, Scholastic Book Clubs is here for your family to boost your child’s reading joy and create moments of quality time you can share together!
SHOP MARCH/APRIL DIGITAL FLYER: https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=839219&p=1&view=issueViewer
This Month’s Family Order Due Date: APRIL 4, 2025
Help your child discover the pure joy of reading when you use our Class Code: RC168576. Every order benefits our classroom, helping US earn FREE books and resources that every child can enjoy.
Let’s Check Out The Classrooms…
RAINBOW ROOM
Carol, Danielle, Mary, Monica, Vibha
March was a short month at Preschool, since we were off for two weeks of Spring Break. We hope you all had a fun and relaxing break.
During the two weeks of preschool, our main theme was Farming and Farm Animals. It’s a great theme for this age group, with such a wide selection of songs, stories, books, CDs, art ideas, and so many things to learn about. We learned about the typical animals we might find on a Canadian farm, and of course, what these animals “say”, or the noises they make. (Think “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”). Many of the stories we read depicted the animals themselves working on their farms; during this theme in particular, the children often requested to hear stories more than once, and to repeat the songs and games as well. A particular favourite book and song was “Cows in the Kitchen “(Moo Moo Moo). It’s clearly a topic that they can truly engage with.
On our tables, we had many changes of puzzles and matching games. Instead of playdough we put out trays of dried lentils and the children played with tractor trailers, small farm animals, making trails in the brown lentils like muddy farm tracks.
In the house corner, we had another week of playing teacher and preschool with a calendar, books, children’s names to choose leaders, etc. Then we switched to a Vet’s Office (for farm animals) so the children could help cows, pigs and sheep feel better and get healthy.
We also had small toy barns and animals on the carpet to play with.
For our art projects, we used rollers to paint barns, and glued an animal inside the open doors. Our older children practiced their cutting skills on the doors. We learned and practiced a new skill, tearing pieces of tissue paper to use as a collage to colour some horses, with long wool tails. We made pigs in mud, using pink construction paper, brown paint and some coffee grounds for an authentic muddy look! Making paper bag black and white cows was a lot of fun. We also made fluffy woolly sheep out of coffee filters and cotton, and some hens on nests, with real feathers and shredded paper nests. That day, we used real feathers to paint with at the easel.
During our last week of preschool before the break, we celebrated Nowruz. Mary very kindly set up our science table with a display of the symbolic elements of the Persian New Year and Spring. There was: Growing sprouts, vinegar, an apple, sweet pudding, dried fruit, sumac, and garlic. The table was also decorated with painted eggs, and a mirror. Mary also brought in traditional costumes for the children to see and try on if they wished, and she told us all about the celebration. She helped us plant our own pots of wheat to take home, and played Persian music for us to dance to.
In the gym, we took turns jumping over the fire (not a real fire!) and generally had a great celebration. Thank you Mary, for sharing all that with us, and for the gifts you brought in for us all.
In April we will be practicing for our Easter Service, and our themes will be Spring, Easter, and Bugs (using the art and stories of author Eric Carle). April will also be the month to think about and sign up for your child’s choice of favourite animal, in preparation for our “Animals Around the World” project. Thank you in advance for your help in this.
It’s good to be back, and we’re ready to learn!
The teachers from the Rainbow Room,
M/W/F: Danielle, Carol, and Mary
T/TH : Vibha, Danielle and Monica
TREEHOUSE ROOM
Gabi, Karen, Catriona, Mary
For the first two weeks of March, we embarked on an exciting journey through the world of insects, discovered the beauty of Persian New Year (Nowruz), and had some festive fun in honour of St. Patrick’s Day.
The Fascinating World of Insects.
We began our adventure by diving into the incredible world of insects. The children explored different types of bugs, their habitats, and their important roles in nature. We observed their tiny features, discussed how they help pollinate flowers, and even imagined what life would be like as a bug! Some of us were fascinated by how ants work together, while others loved learning about the colorful patterns on butterfly wings.
Through hands-on activities and storytelling, the children had the chance to connect with the natural world and develop a sense of wonder for even the smallest creatures. Who knew bugs could be so cool?
Welcoming Spring with Persian New Year (Nowruz).
We also took time to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which marks the first day of Spring and a time of renewal and joy. The children learned about the traditions of this beautiful holiday, including the Haft-Seen table, which holds symbolic items representing health, happiness, and prosperity. We talked about how families prepare for the new year by cleaning their homes, spending time with loved ones, and enjoying special foods.
This celebration was a wonderful way to explore different cultures and appreciate the beauty of new beginnings. As Spring arrives, we are reminded that every day is a chance to grow, just like the flowers and trees waking up after Winter!
St. Patrick’s Day Fun: Dancing and Shamrocks!
To wrap up the week before Spring Break we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a little dancing and creativity! The children enjoyed moving their bodies to Irish music, and some even tried a few traditional dance steps. Laughter and energy filled the room as we twirled, jumped, and clapped along to the lively tunes.
We also made shamrocks, learning about their connection to St. Patrick and Irish traditions. The children had fun decorating their shamrocks in bright greens and golds.
Looking Ahead: Easter Service Practice Begins
As we move into Spring, we are also beginning to practice for our upcoming Easter service in April! The children will be learning songs and preparing for this special event, and we are excited to see their hard work come together. Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the big day!
We hope all our families had a wonderful and restful Spring break! We hope you enjoyed your time together, and we look forward to hearing about some of your child’s exciting adventures!
Gabriella, Catriona, Maryam and Karen
RESOURCE ROOM
Building "JOY" in Children
COMFORT:
* Give each child special individual time.
* Create and keep alive good, warm memories through family traditions, photos, special events and doing things together as a family.
* Smile frequently and enjoy a good laugh together
PLAY:
* Find activities you and your family enjoy doing together.
* Remember ordinary daily activities, like walks, and reading at bedtime, are as important as special trips and holidays.
* During the first five years, children need parents and caregivers to provide opportunities for play, and at times, to join in to provide joyful, spontaneous moments of fun.
TEACH:
* Give children the opportunity to play with other children.
* Sharing joy with others is very important.
* Children are born not knowing what is safe and important. In the years before age five, they need parents and caregivers to provide routines and rules to maintain safety and respect for others.
* The parents and caregivers also need to provide consistent consequences and moral guidance, suitable for the age and temperament of each child, and teach them how to think, problem solve and communicate their feeling and needs.
Most of these essentials take place in ordinary, everyday activities at home or at the preschool. The important thing to remember is that children need exposure to all three of these essentials.
Marion