Author Archives: thebusybmanchester

While it is important to establish a solid foundation with letter formation, writing skills should not solely focus on penmanship in early childhood. Creative writing strengthens imaginative minds, while broadening a child’s thought process, problem solving and analysis skills. Through writing, your honeybee has a safe haven for exploration and expressing their emotions. They willContinue reading “Ready? Set? Write!”

Worker Bees- *Deep breath* This week was awful. The week was terrible. This week was a tragedy. Last Wednesday, I created a new lesson plan for you. I reviewed the concept, wrote the steps, and took the pictures. It will land soon, I promise…but not this week. My mission at The Busy B is toContinue reading “Talking About Race and Anti-Racism”

Self-regulation is the foundational skill that allows your honeybee to manage and understand their reactions, thoughts, and behaviors. During moments of uncertainty, we want to provide coping mechanisms and calming strategies to encourage socially acceptable behavior. Children typically develop these skills through their environments and are most receptive to managing their emotions when adults provideContinue reading “Take a Break: Responsive Self-Regulation”

Alright Worker Bees, time to get creative! There are many benefits to art in early childhood. Not only does painting help develop muscle control, but it is an outlet for expression and stress relief. Unstructured art exercises your honeybee’s intrinsic motivation, allowing them to express themselves openly without the judgement of others. Rather than praiseContinue reading “Art – Sidewalk Paint”

Okay Worker Bees. At this point, you may have already had the difficult conversation with your honeybee about the current status of our world. If not, you may want to acknowledge that things seem a little wonky and unexpected. Let them know they do not need to worry. Right now, there are plenty of amazingContinue reading “STEM – Our Respiratory System”

There are many skills practiced during handwriting. While the skill of pencil grip and control is important to neat penmanship, fine motor skills should be the primary focus when teaching the initial formation of letters and numbers. Fine motor skills involve the use of the small muscles that control your honeybee’s hands, wrists, fingers and thumbs.Continue reading “Fine Motor Skills – Spaghetti Writing!”

Today we recognize our appreciation for the environment and share our thoughts with how we can keep the Earth healthy and clean. Let’s observe, exercise civility, and celebrate Mother Nature. Rather than create and craft for our benefit, let’s honor our planet and give back to her. In order for your honeybee to truly appreciateContinue reading “Happy Earth Day!”

Dear Worker Bees, Is your honeybee buzzing around the house aimlessly? Are you looking for a simple activity to do on the fly? Write a note. Write to a loved one or an essential worker. Write to someone near or far away. Make it exciting. Include glitter and colorful drawings of Cinderella. Offer your honeybeeContinue reading “Write a Note”

Through phonics instruction, your honeybee will begin to absorb the relationship between abstract letters and the sounds of their spoken language. The correlation between written letters and their respective sounds is known as “the alphabetic principle” and understanding it is one of the essential skills that your honeybee will practice during early literacy. In additionContinue reading “Sensory Play: Exploring Letter Sounds”

During early childhood, your honeybee is introduced to numerical correspondence. This is the ability to match objects to their corresponding numbers while recognizing numbers as symbols which represent a quantity or value. Numerical symbols are abstract, so the ability to demonstrate correspondence is necessary before advancing in mathematical skills. If your honeybee is still learningContinue reading “The Greater Gator: Comparing Numbers!”