Read moreJanuary Newsletter
Note from Danielle Gerle and Michelle Johnson:
Welcome back to playschool! We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Christmas holiday, and we wish you all the very best in 2026! We would like to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families who so thoughtfully gave Christmas gifts this year. We are truly grateful to have such amazing parents and sincerely appreciate your kindness and generosity. As well, a generous elf decided to gift each kid this year with a book to take home with them. We want to say thank you for putting a smile on each kid this year. It truly meant a lot to the playschool!
4-year-old Table time:
Working on letters U, C, O and Q, and will also be looking at sight words: “in”, “at”, “on”. These activities will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters.
3-Year-old Table Time:
Working on circle, triangle and diamond shapes. When drawing shapes, the children will be recognizing familiar two-dimensional shapes, developing pencil grip strength as well as using correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols.
Mon/Wed AM Show and Share Mon/ Wed PM Show and Share
Tues/ Thur AM Show and Share Tues/ Thurs PM Show and Share
We are a nut free facility
Please label all containers with your child’s name, and bring snacks in a container.
Please dress your littles ones for the weather
If your child is sick please call the phone number prior to class start 403-816-1481
December News
December Newsletter
Note from Danielle Gerle and Michelle Johnson:
We’re excited to invite you to our Christmas concerts on Wednesday, December 17th in the playschool gym!
•Monday/Wednesday classes Dec 17th: 9:00–10:00
Please bring your child to the classroom at 8:45.
•Tuesday/Thursday classes Dec 17th: 10:30–11:30
Please bring your child to the classroom at 10:15.
If your child attends more than two days a week, please choose one of the concerts to attend and let us know which one works best for your family. The children will be singing a few festive songs—you’re welcome to take videos! After the performance, families can enjoy a treat and a drink together. No need to pack a snack that day. Your child’s Christmas crafts will be displayed and ready to take home, along with a small treat bag. And… we have a special guest this year—Santa!
He’ll visit at 9:30 for the first concert and 11:00 for the second, ready for photos and hangout with us! We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sponsor Spotlight! We are thrilled to recognize Hi 5 Auto as a Gold Sponsor of the Carstairs Playschool! Their generous support helps our program continue to grow, create enriching learning opportunities, and provide memorable experiences for our little learners. Located right here in our community, Hi 5 Auto is known for exceptional automotive services, including diesel performance, tires, alignments, and general automotive care. Their commitment to quality and community shines through in everything they do.
A huge thank you to Hi 5 Auto for investing in our playschool and supporting the families of Carstairs. Your contribution makes a meaningful difference! Please join us in showing appreciation by supporting the businesses that support our kids.
Fundraisers:
•Mabel's Labels ongoing throughout the year.
•The Spice Age: Due December 8th- Expected shipment date Dec 15-18. Please use the links below to order!
Needing some gifts please visit the Scholastic link:
Class Code: RC183593
4 year old Table time: Working on letters I and U, and will also be practicing writing their names. These activities will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters. 3 Year old Table Time: Working on rectangle, circle, and triangle shapes. When drawing shapes, the children will be recognizing familiar two-dimensional shapes, as well as using correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols.
April News
Themes
- Weather
- Gardening
- Easter
- Earth Day
- Environment
Playschool Fees were due December 1 and March 1. Reminders have been sent out. Please contact the office if you are unsure of outstanding fees or if you have any questions. Unpaid fees will mean your child will not be able to participate in class for the remainder of the year and/or graduation.
March 29 - Spring Market Fundraiser - details below
April 2 – Wear purple day for the Monday/Wednesday classes to honor Autism Day
April 3 – Wear purple day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes to honor Autism Day
April 15 – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday classes
April 15 - Board Meeting 7pm, everyone is welcome
April 15 - Deadline for Growing Smiles orders - details below
April 16 – Easter parties for the Monday/Wednesday classes
April 17 – Easter parties for the Tuesday/Thursday classes
****April 21 – April 25 – Spring Break****
April 28 - Monday/Wednesday classes resume
April 29 - Tuesday/Thursday classes resume
May 8 - Open House 4:30pm-6:30pm
May 30 - Ladies Night Gala and Fundraiser - details below
DONATIONS
Thank you to those families who have donated.
We are in need of small paper bowls.
Easter Parties
The Easter parties for each class will be held on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17.
Please bring 2 hard-boiled eggs to the Easter party so that your child can decorate their eggs at the party!
Also bring a regular snack to the party as we will be following our day as close to the usual routine as possible.
Overdue Library Books
There are several books that have not been returned.
Mrs. Gerle has sent emails to those with outstanding books. They can be returned to the Playschool or at the Carstairs Public Library as soon as possible.
Please ensure all books are returned promptly so Carstairs Playschool can continue to take advantage of this incredible program put on by the Library.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Table Work
This month the three year olds will be working on vertical and horizontal lines, diagonal lines (left and right), wavy lines, and zigzag lines. These are all important skills to learn before the children start the Handwriting Without Tears program.
The four year olds will be working on letters B, R, K, and A. Practicing these letters will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters, while holding a crayon with proper pencil grip and using their helper hand to help stabilize objects and paper. Mrs. Gerle works closely with the children at this center to help them with their pencil grip as well as help with the letters in their name. They have come so far with their name writing and their understanding of the lingo used in the Handwriting Without Tears Program.
Ms. Johnson’s center almost always involves some king of scissor practice which may have to do with the theme or the letter that we are working on. The children love this center and all of them have improved significantly with their scissor skills. We are both so proud of all the kids, and how well they are doing this year!
Registration for the 2025-2026 year is now open. For those parents with a child currently enrolled at Carstairs Playschool, we strongly recommend registering as soon as possible as spots are filling up quickly. Please help spread the word to other families if they have shared interest in the program.
You can find the registration form on our website.
The Growing Smiles Fundraiser is on until April 15. Please click here to order online. We have several posts on our facebook page if you want to share the information with others.
On March 29, Carstairs Playschool will be attending the Spring Market at the Carstairs Community Hall from 10am-3pm with our first ever toonie drive! The theme is “How Many Toonies Long Is A Blue Whale?”
We will be there with a table, handing out blue whale candies to anyone that donates and keeping track on our very own blue whale how many toonies it takes to fill the blue whale! We would love your support in stopping by our table or spreading the word to being your toonies.
Check out the Facebook Event
The preschoolers were sent home with tickets to our big event fundraiser of the year. We would love your support in selling the tickets if you know of any women that would love to attend our Ladies Night Gala and Market Fundraiser on May 30. We will have a vendor market, an art show to showcase the preschoolers work, food and cocktails, dancing and so much more!
Tickets are $15 each, payment can be e-transfered to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com or cash can be brought when you return the small portion of the ticket to the school. Please write the name of the person who purchased the ticket on the back of the small side. If you have any questions or need additional tickets please reach out to Veronica at 780-721-0423 or Carstairs.playschool.fundraising@gmail.com
Check out the Facebook Event.
Supporting a Preschooler Experiencing Anxiety – Some Tips For Parents
1. Create a safe and supportive environment
a) Establish routines
Predictable routines can help reduce anxiety, so stick to regular schedules for meals, bedtime, and activities
b) Provide reassurance
Let your child know that it’s okay to feel anxious and that you are there to help them cope
c) Model calm behavior
Children often mirror their parents’ emotions, so try to remain calm and composed, even when facing stressful situations
d) Limit exposure to scary content
Monitor the news, TV shows, and online content your child is exposed to, and limit exposure to potentially upsetting material
2. Encourage open communication
a) Listen actively
Pay attention to your child’s verbal and nonverbal cues, and allow them to express their feelings without judgement
b) Validate their feelings
Acknowledge their anxieties and fears, even if they seem irrational to you
c) Use open-ended questions
Instead of asking “Are your anxious?”, try “How are you feeling about going to school today?”
d) Share your experiences
If appropriate, share your own experiences with anxiety and how you cope with it
3. Teach coping skills
a) Deep breathing
Teach your child to take slow, deep breaths when they feel anxious
b) Relaxation techniques
Practice simple relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery
c) Positive self-talk
Encourage your child to use positive affirmations and to focus on their strengths
d) Role playing
Practice scenarios that might trigger anxiety, such as going to the doctor or attending a party
e) Distraction
Engage your child in fun activities or games to take their minds off their worries
f) Grounding techniques
Help them focus on their senses by identifying 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste. This will help your child focus on the task at hand rather than on what is causing them to feel anxious
March News
Themes
-Dr Seuss
-Pirates
-Transportation
-Bed Time
March 5 – Twin day for the Monday/Wednesday classes – dress like a family member or classmate
March 6 - Twin day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes – dress like a family member or classmate
March 11 - Board Meeting 7pm - everyone is welcome
March 12 – Dress like a pirate for the Monday/Wednesday classes
March 13 – Dress like a pirate for the Tuesday/Thursday classes
March 18 – Miss Marg comes to read to the Tuesday/Thursday classes
March 19 – Wear mismatched socks for the Monday/Wednesday classes – Down Syndrome Awareness Day
March 20 – Wear mismatched socks for the Tuesday/Thursday classes – Down Syndrome Awareness Day
March 26 – Pajama Day for the Monday/Wednesday classes - details below
March 27 – Pajama Day for the Tuesday/Thursday classes - details below
May 8 - Open House drop in 4:30-6:30pm
***We are still accepting applications for substitute teacher’s assistants. If you, or someone you know, has early childhood education experience and is at least 18 years of age, please forward a resume to carstairsplayschool@gmail.com
Registration
Registration is now open for the 2025 – 2026 Playschool Year!
For those parents with a child currently enrolled in the Carstairs Playschool, we recommend registering for the upcoming school year as soon as possible as spots are filling up quickly. If you are aware of other Carstairs families interested in having their child join Playschool, please let them know they can find the registration forms on our website.
4 Year Old Parents
Kindergarten is coming soon and we want your children to be as confident as possible to start their first year of school.
There are four skills that your children should be doing consistently upon entering kindergarten:
1. Your child must be able to hold a pencil correctly (proper pencil grip – tripod grasp)
2. Your child must be able to hold scissors correctly (thumb’s up)
3. Your child must be able to recognize his/her name
4. Your child must be able to put on his/her own shoes, and zip up his/her own coat
We have been working on these skills with the children since the beginning of the school year and they all have been doing very well. Any extra work at home with these tasks would be beneficial to the transition from playschool to kindergarten.
Pajama Days:
The children can come to playschool in their pajamas and they can also bring a pillow and a stuffie. Regular classroom routines will be followed, however we will be including a few different games and activities. Each class will be watching a movie and will have popcorn as a treat, please send your child with a regular snack as the movie won’t be played until the end of class.
Donations
Some donations we would really appreciate this month are:
Large white paper plates
Table Time
This month, the three year olds will be working on diamonds, and then doing a review of the shapes they have learned. We will then move on to working on vertical lines, and we will be starting to learn the vocabulary for the Handwriting Without Tears program. These activities will aid the children in recognizing familiar two-dimensional shapes, and will allow them to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for symbols. At this time, they will be practicing holding a crayon and using their helper hand to stabilize their papers. At craft time, staff works one on one with the children and we are able to help them with proper pencil grasp, holding scissors correctly, and following one or two step directions.
At the beginning of the year, playtime for three year olds usually involves parallel play, where the children play beside each other but not with each other. As the year goes on, this slowly transitions into imaginative play where the children will start creating games that involve more than just themselves. This is where we are at now in the three year old class and there are some really close friendships emerging! During this kind of play, the children are learning problem solving skills, sharing, taking turns, as well as new ideas they may have not thought of themselves. All the skills are extremely beneficial for the children and are preparing them for the more structured four year old program.
This month the four year olds will be working on letters G, S, J, and D. Practicing these letters will help the children learn to use correct top-to-bottom, left-to-right directionality for letters, while holding a crayon with proper pencil grip and using their helper hand to help stabilize objects and paper. Mrs. Gerle works closely with the children to help them with their pencil grip as well as help them with the letters in their name. They have come so far with their name writing and their understanding of the lingo used in the Handwriting Without Tears Program.
Ms. Johnson focuses on some kind of scissor practice which may have to do with the theme or the letter being worked on. The children love this center and all of them have improved significantly with their scissor skills.
Tips for Supporting Learning at Home – How to Build Independence in Preschoolers
During the preschool years, children begin to truly develop their sense of independence. This is immensely important for building confidence and a sense of self.
> To nurture independence, structure the day. When children can anticipate their day, they are better equipped to take on responsibilities.
> Start small. Before going outside, for example, your child may put on their own hat and get their shoes from the closet.
> Let your child choose. Involve them in choices, like what to wear. Provide 2-3 options, and then praise their ability to make a choice.
> Let your child help. Children love to help! When you allow your child to help, even if it takes you longer to get things done, you foster their confidence and give them an opportunity to learn something new.
> Let your child solve problems. Allow your child to try things that are hard and to solve small problems on their own. Wait until they ask for help or assist only in getting them to the next step in a task. You can acknowledge that something is hard and let them know that you are proud by offering praise for trying something on their own, or for the first time.
> Give your child chores. Simple tasks like picking up toys or putting laundry in the basket allow your child to have reasonable responsibility, and those tasks also help with maintaining routine and structure throughout the day.
