Little Mariners Preschool

08/27/2026

In a study of 4-year-olds, just 9 minutes of a fast-paced cartoon was followed by poorer performance on tasks involving attention, self-control, working memory, and problem-solving.

Nine minutes!

We can’t control everything our children encounter, but there are some things we CAN control.

I put together 3 simple things caregivers can focus on to support a growing brain; nothing fancy and definitely no perfect parenting required!

Control what you can. Give yourself grace with the rest.

Source: Lillard & Peterson (2011), Pediatrics, 128(4), 644–649.

08/27/2026

September is almost here!

Our Pre-K September Calendar is ready! I love giving families a little peek at what’s coming up each month, not only in our classroom, but around our school too.

September is all about CONNECTION! We’ll spend our first few weeks getting comfortable, learning routines, making friends, and building relationships.

You’ll notice I also added the Mariner football and volleyball games to our calendar! It's great to see our little Mariners supporting the big Mariners! And if I see one of our Pre-K students at a game, their popcorn is on us, so make sure you come find me!

Stick the calendar on the fridge and keep it handy; there are reminders, important dates, school events, and a little to-do list for families right on it.

08/26/2026

One of the things I love about Creative Curriculum is the wonderful books that go along with each study, and the Book Discussion Cards that help us dig a little deeper each time we read them.

In Pre-K, rereading books is so important! Each time we revisit a story, we can build on previous conversations, ask new questions, notice something we missed before, and introduce new vocabulary.

And if you're like me...when the curriculum gives you vocabulary words, you turn them into real pictures children can actually see and connect to the word.

It may look like we're “just reading the same book again,” but there is a whole lot of learning happening during that story!

Read it again. Talk about it again. Discover something new.

08/26/2026

Getting ready for another year of preschool, and I thought I’d share a little about what learning looks like in our classroom!

Yes, we learn letters, numbers, sounds, and all of those important early academic skills. We use Creative Curriculum, Heggerty, Second Step, and Teaching Strategies GOLD to help guide us.

But preschool is about so much more than academics.

We are learning how to wait, hear “not right now,” work through frustration, solve problems with friends, manage big feelings, make mistakes, and try again. Those skills are just as important, if not more, when it comes to being ready for school.

Throughout the year, we use GOLD to document growth through everyday play and learning, with checkpoints in the fall, winter, and spring. And we think it’s pretty neat that Minnesota’s new Kindergarten Fall Assessment uses items from GOLD too! It will be implemented statewide in 2027!

At the end of the year, we want our children to be ready for what comes next, but more than anything, we want them to have loved school. We want them to leave our classroom confident, capable, curious, and excited to keep learning!

08/18/2026

Do you have a child starting preschool this fall?

Join Ms. Sam, me, and the rest of our Early Childhood team for our Pre-K Open House!

Come meet the teachers, check out the classroom, and help your little one get excited for the start of a wonderful school year.

Watch your inbox! More information will be coming your way shortly, including everything you need to know about Open House and getting ready for the school year.

We can't wait to see you soon!

08/13/2026

It's almost time...

In just a few short weeks, Sam and I will be welcoming a brand-new group of preschoolers!

There is nothing better than watching children learn through play, make new friends, discover they can do hard things, and grow in confidence throughout the year. It's truly one of my favorite things to be a part of.

If you've been thinking about preschool for your child, we still have a couple of spots available for this school year.

We'd love to welcome you to our classroom! Register below!

https://lakesuperiorcomed.ce.eleyo.com/child-care/6/little-mariners-preschool

07/08/2026

07/04/2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

04/22/2026

Kindergarten Registration was a success tonight! We had so much fun with “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” Theme~ painting, counting, stickers, cutting, all while getting excited for Kindergarten! Each child went home with their own book to have signed each year by their teacher’s. 💛

Also, a HUGE thank you to some of our NHS students for all of your help, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Oh, the places they will go! 🩵💚💛🧡❤️