Seashore Preschool Gym and Science Show a smash hit

Long Branch —  Parents saw firsthand why Seashore was voted Best Preschool in Monmouth County in the 2016 Asbury Park Press Readers Choice Awards and how the program gives children a definite leg up when they attended the Annual Preschool Gym and Science Show April 3 and 6.

SWING & NO MISS —As part of the Preschool Gym & Science Show April 3 and 6, under the direction of animated Coach Shawn Metz, young students demonstrated eye-hand coordination by hitting ball after ball off a tee, competing in relay races and scaling a 6-foot high super climber.

Dynamic physical education teacher Coach Shawn Metz raised the energy level through the roof at the event held at the preschool campus. Young students were well prepared to demonstrate how much they had learned since the beginning of the year and it showed.

Lining up like small Olympians, they ran to their circle in the gym, ready to run an

LEARNING DOWN TO A SCIENCE — Children impressed their parents with how much they learned about mixing colors, the senses, botany, the weather and seasons in the Science Lab portion of the Annual Gym and Science Show with veteran teacher Diana D’Ambrosi.

obstacle relay race, scale a super climber as tall as the gym teacher who spotted them, and hit ball after ball off a tee.

According to preschool teacher Allison Manning, the two-part event included science lab experiments along with activities in the gym where boys and girls demonstrated gross and fine motor skills, the ability to follow multi-step directions and what they were taught about being part of a team.

Pairs of children were challenged to crawl through tunnels, pick up a toy, grab a flag hanging from the basketball hoop and race back to the beginning of the obstacle course to see who could put the toy in a hula hoop first.

“Students have been preparing for this show since September,” Metz said. “When they first saw the 6-foot tall Super Climber they would be asked to climb, they shook their heads and said ‘We’re scared.’ I’m 6 foot tall. Looking up at it from their perspective, it must have looked 10 feet high,” he added. “Then they said,

‘We are scared, but we are going to try anyway.’”
Thanks to Metz’s can do, energized approach and the confidence he instilled, all students climbed to the top, turned and came back down the other side — while classmates enthusiastically cheered them on.

Next, they demonstrated eye-hand coordination by hitting balls off a tee, while Metz explained that they started with big rubber balls that would be impossible to miss and sized down to whiffle balls.
“See the ball, hit the ball,” he chanted.

With perfect swings, each child stepped up to the plate and smashed ball after ball.

All were winners. All received high fives, gold medals and applause from classmates and parents.

After the physical education component, it was on to Science Lab with veteran teacher Diana D’Ambrosi, where children completed experiments that showcased what they learned about the senses, botany, the solar system, seasons, the weather and how to mix colors.

Using a magnetic board, D’Ambrosi challenged students to show parents what color they would get if they mixed blue and yellow, or red with yellow or red with green – wowing the crowd with their quick responses.

Discussing the germination process, children also did their own plantings and talked about how their seeds would become seedlings and then flowers.

“It was great to see how excited children were to show parents how far they have come and feel proud of their accomplishments,” preschool teachers Miss Allison, Miss Lindsay, Miss Marleigh and Miss Betty said.

“Our goal is to make learning fun and at the same time teach boys and girls to focus, follow directions and begin to solve problems,” they added.  “By starting physical education at this level, preschoolers develop eye-hand coordination, balance, dexterity and confidence – skills all children need to succeed.”

The award-winning Seashore School, which opened in 1974, is designed for families who want a smaller class size and more progressive curriculum than their town offers, at an affordable tuition. For more information, please call 732-222-6464, visit www.­seashorecampandschool.com or check Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.