Themes
Base Layer
Centers: Table Toys, Blocks, Dramatic Play, Science, Art & Literacy
Vocabulary: baby, blocks, books, carpet, crayons, easel, kitchen, library, markers, measuring cup, paintbrush, pan, plants, play dough, purse, puzzles, rocks, rolling pin, round, sand, water, shells, sifter, small, large, medium, smock, measuring spoons, shapes, animals
Books we will Read: Don't Let thee Pigeon Drive the Bus, Glad Monster, Sad Monster, Let's Share, I'm Sorry, The Monster at the End of this Book, Brown Bear Brown Bear, The Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are
Songs we will Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, ABCs & If You're Happy and You Know It
Family
Centers: Kitchen, Garage, Laundry Room, Bathroom, Bedroom & Family Room
Vocabulary: mom, dad, baby, sibling, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, cousin, apartment, house, bath, bed, stove, oven, couch, table, chairs, car, bathe, blanket, book, movie, games, clean, clothesline, washing machine, dryer, clothesline, shirt, pants, dress, laundry basket, cook, prepare, scrub, brush, dry, hammer, fix, build, dirty, clean, fold, utensils, furniture, diaper, detergent, shampoo, body wash, sponge, wash, neighbor, mirror, measure, shower, sort, towel, traditions, vase, wet, swaddle, refrigerator, microwave, faucet, apron, spatula
Books we will Read: Peter's Chair, Owl Babies, Families Share, Whistle for Willie, Home and Knuffle Bunny
Songs we will Sing: Here are Grandpa's Glasses, Way Up High in the Apple Tree & Five Little Pumpkins
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Empty shampoo bottles, unused tooth brushes, diapers, wash cloths, baby blankets, baby clothes, empty baby care products, men’s dress shirts, ties, costume jewelry, laundry basket, empty laundry detergent, dryer sheets, flash light( even if its broken), empty food boxes, empty plastic baby food containers, bibs, old scale (even if broken), large cardboard boxes and of course ideas that you have!
Grocery
Centers: Bakery, Check Out, Deli, Produce, Loading Dock, and Florist
Vocabulary: apples, produce, baker, bag, carrots, cart, basket, cash register, cashier, cereal, check out, checklist, frozen, coupons, credit card, pay, money, ring up, delivery truck, load, stock, expensive, flowers, order, arrange, food, thaw, freezer, groceries, price, purse, wallet, receipt, recipe, salad, scale, sandwich, shop, cart, spatula. stock, vegetables, fruit, dairy, grain, butcher, weigh, bagger, bread, circular, damaged, deli, inspect, merchandise, mixing bowl ,protein, quantity, returned
Books we will Read: The Supermarket, 5 Little Monkeys Make a Cake, Bunny cakes, Market, The Gingerbread Man, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Songs we will Sing: Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? & I Like to Rake the Leaves
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Food store receipts, empty food containers, food store circulars, coupons, fake flowers, cookie trays, empty baking ingredient boxes, cookie cutters, wax paper, grocery basket, baskets, paper bags, spray bottle, twist ties, plastic baggies, paper muffin/cupcake cups, aprons, rubber gloves, deli menus, paper shopping bags, empty bakery boxes, sticker mailing labels, empty deli bags, empty paper towel rolls, or send in anything you think of that could enhance our centers.
Restaurant
Centers: The Olive Garden, a Pizzeria, a Bakery, Chinese Food, McDonald’s and an Ice Cream Parlor.
Vocabulary: chef, appetizer, apron, bag, take out, menu, place setting, table cloth, placemat, utensils, plate, bowl, silverware, broom, dustpan, busser, cash register, pay, money, check, order, cook, customer, patron, delivery, slice, sandwich, container, spatula, dessert, dinner, lunch, dishwasher, drink, drive thru, host/hostess, ice cream, scoop, ladle, lettuce, meat, oven, oven mitt, pan, pizza, box, receipt, salad, register, stir, stove, oven, straw, serve, tip, trash, waiter/waitress, recipe, ingredients
Books we will Read: Chef, Little Nino's Pizzeria, Bread Bread Bread, Bread & Jam for Frances, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Moose a Muffin and Stone Soup, No Noodles, Neighborhood Soup
Songs we will Sing: Five Little Pizzas, The Donut Shop & Pat-A-Cake
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Empty coffee cans empty food boxes/containers, menus/to go menus, fake credit cards that come in the mail, wallets, aprons, serving trays, rolling pin, small plastic baskets, empty take out containers, empty soda cups ice cream cartons, sprinkle containers, empty happy meal boxes, empty spice containers pizza boxes, food wrappers from McDonald’s hamburgers, nuggets & french fries or any fast food restaurant-to go bags from restaurants, cookie tray Empty sprinkle containers, or anything you can think of to fit into our theme.
Community
Centers: Home Depot, Jewelry Store, Train Station, Hair Salon, Post Office and Art Studio
Vocabulary: address, house, store, alarm, check out, class, community helpers, business, computer, deliver, envelope, fiction, fire, fire hydrant, fire station, firefighter, helmet, illustrator, label, ladder, librarian, library card, license, mailbox, mail carrier, mail truck, neighborhood, nonfiction, order, owner, package, police officer, police station, police car, post office, postage, register, safety, scan, siren, stamp, stationary, ticket, traffic signs, uniform, walkie-talkie, bracelet, necklace, earrings, pattern, shampoo, conditioner, curler, straightener, clips ponytail, style, cut, color, fashion, parlor
Books we will Read: In My Neighborhood, City Shapes, Building a House, Hats off to Hair, A Letter to Amy, Freight Train, I Read Signs, Fire Engine No. 9, The Librarian, The Police Officer, The Construction Worker, Two Little Trains, Bernstein Bears Learn About Strangers, Firefighters
Songs we will Sing: Down by the Station & I Live in a Neighborhood
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: hair ties, barrettes, bows, brushes, curling Irons (we won’t be turning them on), curlers, train tickets, schedules, etc., wooden train tracks & trains (labeled with name), envelopes, both blank and used, stickers for stamps, junk mail, pretend tools, hard hats, construction vests, blue prints, or anything else you can think of to enhance ur theme.
Hospital
Centers: Doctor's Office, X Ray Center, Pharmacy, Nursery, Gift Shop and Dentist
Vocabulary: ambulance, appointment, bottle, bandage, band-aid, body part names, cast, break, chart, diaper, disinfect, doctor, emergency, exam, eye chart, flowers
Books we will Read: All About the Human Body, Germs Are Not for Sharing, Bernstein Bears: Go to the Doctor, The Big Operation, My Clever Brain, My Strong Bones
Songs we will Sing: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Sticky Bubble Gum & Dirty Hands
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Empty medicine containers or pill boxes (Advil bottles, Tylenol bottles, allergy boxes etc.), unused band aids, unused gauzes, X ray films, baby items (baby bottles, baby blankets etc.), white shirts, arm braces , knee braces, shoulder slings etc., empty bottles of detergent, receipts, unused toothbrushes, empty boxes of toothpaste, old magazines, or send in anything you think of that could enhance our HOSPITAL centers
Pets
Centers: The Veterinarian's Office, Groomer's, Pet Bakery, Pet Store, Fish Store and Training Yard.
Vocabulary: bird, cat, dog, hamster, bird, fish, lizard, bunny, veterinarian, food bowl, train, leash, heel, fetch, wash, groom, collar, command, cage, feed, tank, aquarium, kitten, puppy, supplies, care for, scoop, shampoo, sponge, stethoscope, trainer, tricks, treat, bake, appointment, bark, meow, hiss, cashier, purchase, growl, injury, obedience, scales, feathers, fur, hair.
Books we will Read: Let's Get a Pet, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, Dora: Puppy Needs a Bath, Just Me and My Puppy, My Dog Talks, Mr. Seahorse, Rainbow Fish, and Swimmy.
Songs we will Sing: BINGO, Freddy the Fish & Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Pet Supplies, leash, collar, food dish, fish net, pet toys, empty pet food boxes, clean pooper scooper, hair clips, brushes, empty pet shampoo bottles, dog bones, dog brushes, plastic containers for pet baths, scales, bandages, plastic fish bowls, cages, cookie sheets, rolling pins, spatulas, pans, bakery decorations etc. or send in anything you think of that could enhance our PET centers.
Museum
Centers: Dinosaur Dig Site, LegoLand, Art Museum, Insectopia, Air & Space Museum and Music Museum
Vocabulary: exhibit, curator, worker, build, master builder, apprentice, artist, sculptor, fossil, prehistoric, extinct, archaeologist, insect, arachnid, palette, blast off, astronaut, command center, space station, paint, stroke, instrument names, orchestra, conductor
Books we will Read: Dinosaur, Max Has Two Sticks, Art & Artists, Flying, Astronaut, Ask Kermit: All About Bugs, Airport, My Very First Space Book, If You Decide to Go to the Moon, What Artists Use?
Songs we will Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, ABCs, Itsy Bitsy Spider
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: toy dinosaurs/toy insects (labeled with your child’s name), instruments the children can play with (labeled), collage art supplies, glow in the dark stars, airplanes, spaceships, telescopes (labeled), Dinosaur or Space books (labeled)
Summer Adventures
Centers: Beach, Carnival, The Lighthouse, The Windmill, Arts & Crafts, Planting Center, Campsite
Vocabulary: bathing suit, swim, life vest, tube, surf, bucket, shovel, ocean, hot, sand, sunscreen, goggles, beach ball, volleyball, arcade, games, current, float, hat, tide, ice cream, lifeguard, shade, sink, summer, towel, water, waves, boardwalk, paddle, pail, rescue, sand castle, sifter, scoop, sweet, salty,
Books We Will Read: D.W. Gets Wet, Fish is Fish, Ice Cream, C.G. Goes Camping, C.G. Goes to the Ice Cream Shop, The Sandcastle Contest
Songs we will Sing: Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Freddy the Fish & Ice Cream
Props You Can Send in the Enhance Our Theme: Beach balls, plastic buckets, beach toys, towels, shells, picnic baskets, sunglasses, empty suntan lotion (plastic bottles), old beach badges, mini-coolers/lunch boxes, empty ice cream containers, plastic ice cream scoopers, plastic disposable bowls, aquarium fish, pool tubes or noodles, swimmies, gardening gloves, seeds/beans/bulbs, fake flowers, plastic gardening tools, plastic watering cans, small plastic pots, flashlight with batteries, small tent, sleeping bags, camping gear, (marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey chocolate bars for s’mores) or send in anything you think of that could enhance our centers.