Q: Preschool lessons should be fun, engaging, and should involve a variety of senses and skills. In general, activities that involve rote memorization or repetition will be less interesting to preschoolers than similar activities. Spend lots of unstructured time on the playground. While these might not seem like "lessons" in the traditional sense of the word, researchers have found that free play shapes development of the prefrontal cortex during a critical period of early childhood, which has lifelong implications for emotional regulation, planning, and problem solving. Centers in the classroom should be designed to encourage imaginative, cooperative play. This can encourage role playing, turn taking, and cooperation with peers. This can increase students interpersonal skills and self-confidence. Consider a center designed to mimic a playhouse, with a kitchen set, small toddler-sized table and chairs, baby dolls and bassinet, etc. Small, affordable toys from stores like Ikea or second hand shops can make this very affordable. Create a costume wardrobe. This can range from fancy costumes to simple silk scarves. You can often find costumes on sale right after Halloween, or simply bring creative clothing from a second hand store like overalls, a fancy princess dress, a cowboy hat, any type of uniform, etc. Plush stuffed animal toys are often the beginning of many creative games for preschoolers. Children can use their imagination to pretend that these are students in a classroom, pets in a home, animals in a rescue center or veterinary clinic, etc. Choose toys that you can easily wash every few months in a washing machine. This can often be difficult in large classes, but find a way to spend time with each child either daily or weekly, engaging in a small game or one-on-one reading time. Studies show that adult interaction is crucial for developing confidence and early literacy skills. It also reinforces the student-teacher bond which makes a child feel safer and more secure in school. In addition to one-on-one time, consider inviting parent volunteers to read to children once a week in small groups. The number of volunteers you get can determine the size of the groups; anything from one-on-one to groups of five students per adult will foster relationships and discussion that are key to early literacy.
A: Remember that the most developmentally appropriate way for small children to learn is through play. Build a classroom around the idea of play. Build in adult interaction.

Q: A frozen variety of your hamster's favorite treat is a great way to cool him down on a hot day. Be careful to stick to treats that are safe for your hamster. Consider freezing: Barley Cashews Flaxseeds Millet Oats Peanuts Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Cooked potato Fill a water bottle (or an empty soda bottle) about halfway with water. Wait until it freezes solid. Then, wrap it in a towel or cloth and place it in your hamster's cage. Make sure you wrap the bottle. The frozen bottle can hurt your hamster's skin. A good tip is to freeze the bottle on its side. That way, when you place it in the cage, the hamster has more to lay against. You can also use a frozen ice pack. Hamsters like to bathe in bath sand. You can treat your hamster to a cool bath by freezing his bath sand. Try taking a cup of sand and placing it in a zip-lock bag. Put the bag in the freezer for a few hours, remove the sand from the bag, and place it in the hamster's cage. If you have a ceramic house in your hamster's cage, you can freeze it for a few hours to create a cold habitat. Ceramic holds temperature well and can provide a cool haven for an overheated hamster. Alternatively, you can use a frozen ceramic tile or marble square in his cage. Dampen a towel and freeze it for a few hours. Drape it around the outside of the hamster's cage, wrapping it around the bottom of the cage. This will create a cold barrier that your hamster can lay against. Make sure you do not block the airflow from your hamster's cage with the towel.
A:
Give frozen treats. Provide a frozen water bottle. Freeze bath sand. Freeze his ceramic housing. Drape a frozen towel over or around the cage.