Open Wide ;-)

More Community Helpers...

 Its been so much fun to observe the children role playing doctors! We have heard many comments of  "I am going to be a doctor when I grow up!" 

Not only are we hoping this unit of study will help with their next doctors appointment, but through being engaged in the role of doctor and patient the children have had the opportunity to pick up many new words in their vocabulary and are more knowledgeable of how doctors help us!

Now it was time to learn about the Dentist!

We began by offering the children an opportunity to take a look into their mouths.

Some of them right away started counting their teeth!

That might have been inspired from a visit to the dentist already or perhaps at the surprise of seeing how many they have!

"What do our teeth help us with?" we asked the children.

Eating, chewing, talking... 

For so many things.... we have got to take good care of them!

We know it is hard for many children to feel comfortable at the dentist. (allowing someone who they don't even know to stick their hand and glove in their mouth/such a personal space.)

SO: To help reach our goal of wiping away any fears or anxiety a child might have with visiting a Dentist....

We dedicated a circle time, to practicing this routine!

Using different gloves for each child, we role played what it might feel like at the dentist.

Here Yitzi was our first brave volunteer to let his teeth be counted! He felt so proud and said it tickled a little bit but didn't hurt!

With out us saying too much he was teaching and showing the others not to be afraid!

Each child received a new toothbrush and we did some practicing!

We placed a little cup of water to practice with, since some of them are not yet able to spit out toothpaste. (However spitting could definitely be a fun part :) so we practiced by spitting water into their own personal cup

Chani following instructions and brushed the hard to reach places!

Levi spitting in his cup ;)

Each child picked a floss stick. For some this was a new  experience it was so exciting to watch their reactions when successfully placing it in between their own teeth!

 

Dramatic Play Center...

 We added an office in our dramatic play area to become the dentist office!

With chairs a mirror and a real light hanging over we did our best to create a similar experience in the comfort of our own classroom.

Yitzi pretending to be a dentist.

Rochel and Yehudis checking out Menucha at the office!

Levi asking questions about the stethoscope.

Reena with her creativity went to the play dough table 

and made play dough tooth paste for her office :)

 

New Vocabulary...and a song!

Throughout the week, there were plenty of opportunities for the children to pick up some new words...

"Plaque" and "Decay"

are now familiar words! We hope this will help the children and their parents to take good care of their teeth!

 TTTO Row your boat:

Brush Brush Brush your teeth,

Atleast 2 times a day,

Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning,

will help fight tooth decay!

Flossing...Fine Motor Fun!

To practice some flossing, and to help the children understand the purpose of flossing, we took egg carton "teeth" and placed orange play dough as the FOOD stuck in between the teeth. We placed realistic images of people flossing, so the children were able to visualize, and practice using using motor skills trying to wrap the floss around their two pointer fingers.

Shua flossing!

Levi and Levi were discussing the flossing pictures and checking out their clean teeth!

One morning we placed yellow teeth on a red cut out mouth and the children made them white with white paint!

Thanks to Noach's mommy for bringing a bunch of empty little pringles containers....

 Upside down they look like teeth so we placed them on a 'mouth' and drew some plaque on them and the children had fun "brushing them clean!"

More sensory fun brushing teeth!

Towards the end of the week all toys looked like teeth ;)

Here we used big lego pieces that look like teeth and gave the children shaving cream and toothbrushes.

 

Shua just liked the feeling of it squishing between his hands!

Noach took this very seriously and made sure every spot was 'clean'!

Ilani: " I have a lot of 'toothpaste'"!

Welcome Yehudis Green to our class!!