The Old Stone Church Playschool

takes part in a Community Literacy Program.

“Children love being read to and reading aloud is one of the best ways for children to become enthusiastic about learning to read”. Developing early reading skills is crucial to children’s success in school. Children who enter school with larger vocabularies start school ahead of children who have not been exposed to enriching language environments. We try to reach out and help children get the early literacy foundation they need to succeed in school. Here at the Old Stone Church Playschool the teachers read to the children during circle time all year long, and we have Miss Sascha, the children’s librarian from The Hagaman Memorial Library, come to our school for a special story time each month. The teachers will also take the children on a walking field trip to the library to visit Miss Sascha for a story time there. The more we can get books into our children’s little hands and have them grow an appreciation for books and reading, the more they will be ready for the transition to Kindergarten. The children learn that someone called an Author has written the story for them to enjoy and another person named the Illustrator has made the picture for them to appreciate each page of the book to go along with the story.

When children draw a picture we will ask them what the picture is about. The teacher will then write the words on their picture so that they can retell their story. As a class we will make a picture book and then the teachers, with the help of the children, will put words to make a story. We have programs during the Playschool year where we will have the parents get involved by reading to their children at home, and then bring to Playschool the name of the story for their child to share with the class.

As part of a literacy program here during the month of April involving our families and in collaboration with the East Haven Early Childhood Collaborative, the Old Stone Church Playschool teachers read to the children the book entitled “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle. Each class then gave their parents a special invitation to come to class to see a presentation of their version of the “Very Hungary Caterpillar”. One class acted the story out, while another class told their version of the story using the felt board. The three-year-old class drew pictures to tell a different story of what they thought the hungry caterpillar could have for his tasty treats to eat on his travels. Parents were then asked to further participate by reading a book every night to their child, writing the name of the book read with its author’s name on a photocopy of a segment of a worm and adding it to a display that is being created, and still on going in the Playschool hallway re-telling this very popular story. The children want to see just how long and hungry this caterpillar can be, and are anxiously waiting to see the beautiful butterfly that he will turn into at the end that they will help create. This literacy program was also the Old Stone Playschool’s way of helping to celebrate “April - the Month of the Young Child”

For a thank you for everyone’s participation, each child was presented with their very own hard copy of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” for their home library. The faculty and families of the Old Stone Church Playschool would like to thank the William Casper Graustein Memorial Fund for their support in the funding of the Discovery Grant to the community, and an additional thank you to the East Haven Early Childhood Collaborative and Mary Varunes of the Family Resource Center for inviting our program to take part in this literacy program.

Here at the Old Stone church Playschool we take pride in teaching our children how much we can learn through reading and build upon their vocabulary at an early age. We encourage parents to keep reading to their children over the summer months, to visit a children’s library near them whenever they can, or enroll their child in a summer enrichment program. Reading is so important for all of us to learn so we all should teach the children just how much fun reading can be. Enjoy reading to your child, “Let’s Celebrate Reading”.

The Old Stone Church Playschool is now registering for its Summer Enrichment Programs and for our September 2012-2013 Playschool classes. New this fall we are also offering an all day Pre-K Program from 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. This will be the 50th Anniversary Year that the Playschool has been serving East Haven residents and surrounding communities. For further information about our programs please visit the church website: www.oldstonechurchucc.org and click on the Playschool tab or call the school on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon to set up a tour of our school.