St Michaels Pre-School

04/10/2024

This year we will be supporting World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10th October. We would love your child to join us by wearing something yellow.

28/08/2024

How a child holds a pencil is very important when it comes to letter formation and learning to write, as a functional pencil grip will lead to efficient, pain-free handwriting. The development of a child's pencil grip, however, is a gradual process that will develop as the child grows. ✏️

There are different developmental stages of a maturing pencil grip but it is important to remember that while these stages are 'typical' every child is different and will develop in their own way and at their own speed. 🖊️

✍🏻 𝔽𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 𝕠𝕣 ℙ𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕒𝕣 𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 ✍🏻
𝟙 𝕥𝕠 𝟚 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕝𝕕
• Pencil is held in the palm.
• All fingers and thumb are used.
• Movement is from the shoulder; the arm and the hand move as a unit.
• Light scribbles are produced with this pencil grip.

✍🏻 𝔻𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕝 ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 ✍🏻
𝟚 𝕥𝕠 𝟛 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕝𝕕
• All fingers are holding the pencil but the wrist is turned so that the palm is facing down towards the page.
• Movement comes mostly from the elbow and the shoulder is now
stabilized.
• Horizontal lines, vertical lines and circular lines are able to be copied.

✍🏻 𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕣-𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 ✍🏻
𝟛 𝕥𝕠 𝟜 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕝𝕕
• Fingers are held on the pencil shaft opposite the thumb, beginning to form the arc between the thumb and index finger.
• Movement occurs from the wrist; the hand and fingers move as a whole unit.
• Zigzag lines, crossed lines and simple humans can be drawn with this grip.

✍🏻 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕡𝕠𝕕 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 𝕠𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕔 ℚ𝕦𝕒𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕕 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕡 ✍🏻
𝟜 𝕥𝕠 𝟞 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕝𝕕
• A three-finger grasp, where the thumb, index finger and middle finger work as one unit.
• Movement is usually from the wrist with this static grasp.
• A static quadropod grip has a fourth finger involved.
• Triangles, circles and squares can be copied with this grip.

For more information on pre-writing skills, letter formation and pencil grip, please visit the link below 👇🏻

Find out about the process children follow to develop a secure and strong pencil grip for writing and drawing. This guide for parents is perfect for helping you identify developmental stages and support your child's fine motor development. See the video below for more help with this important topic....

20/07/2024

Today is National Lollipop Day. But did you know that just like whole grapes the colourful treats can be a serious choking hazard?

The hard sweet, which is the perfect size and shape to completely block a small child’s airway, can come off the stick and block a child’s airway. This happens silently and if you’re not watching you might not even notice.

Please think twice before giving a lollipop to a young child.

For more tips on choking prevention visit: https://capt.org.uk/choking-prevention/

“I always thought choking would have been more obvious. But the silence and the panic in his eyes will stay with me forever.” Choking usually tops parents’ fears when it comes to accidents. And rightly so. Young children have narrow airways and are still learning to chew, breathe and swallow i...

28/02/2024

JOB VACANCY

St Michael’s Pre-School is looking to employ a Pre-School Practitioner/Assistant to join our small friendly team This will be on a fixed term contract until mid-July 2024 with the possibility of an extension into the next Academic Year.

We are a term time only setting open between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm Mon - Thurs and 9 am to 1 pm on a Friday. The applicant would ideally work 3 full days Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and a Friday morning. Hourly rate dependant on qualifications/experience.

If you are. Interested and would like further information and a chat about the job please contact Maggie on 07501 656410.

or email:
[email protected]

24/01/2024

Please see below info re Pop Up Dentist coming to the area for U5’s!

15/01/2024

St Michael’s Pre-School is currently looking for Bank staff (regular hours) to join our small friendly team. We are a term time only pre-school open 9 am to 3 pm Monday to Thursday and 9 am to 1 pm on Friday. Hourly rate is dependent on qualifications/experience.

For further information please call Maggie on 07501 656410 or email us at:
[email protected]

02/10/2023

I thought the following might be of interest to some of you:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/watford-ticketing/z33v9ty?fbclid=IwAR0Lhlv6uD3NX0e1dNHBJ3WVl70xrXueXnjWRbnOGQ5h98Of9hGjrI_a1hk

BBC Tiny Happy People are joining forces with BBC Children in Need and Asda on a series of events at an Asda Superstore in Watford. Get tickets for our Watford events on this page and find out more about the stay & plays, ask the expert and storytime sessions.

09/07/2023

24/04/2023

Thought this might be of interest:

Did you know that a 3-year old (top left image) and a 6-year old (top right image) have significantly different skeletal structure in their hands?! Notice the bones in the wrist of the 3-year old -- many of them are still mostly cartilage! Look at all the spaces in between the bones where muscles and tendons will change through the years. Even the difference between a 6-year old and a 14-year old (lower right) is huge!

Preschoolers have SO much development to do before they can write the way school-aged children or adults can!

Please do NOT stress if your preschooler does not want to write or draw. Some love it and some don't.

While they are growing, strengthen those little bones and muscles! Here are some great pre-writing, muscle-strengthening activities:

* painting, drawing, coloring
* playdough
* tearing and cutting
* gluing
* poking holes in things (try toothpicks and paper!)
* digging in dirt
* building with LEGOS, marble runs, or other blocks
* beading (try beads, cut straws, or even bobbins!)
* puzzles
* squeezing (try stress balls, squeezing water in a sponge, or using a pipette)
* picking up and throwing balls (use different sizes!)
* playing with toys (watch what their little fingers do when they pick up and move little cars, marbles, action figures, etc!)
These all strengthen and help develop little hands, muscles, and bones. When they are physically ready to write, it will be so much easier than if they were pushed when they didn't want to and weren't ready!