Hello Everyone!

I cannot believe how fast this year is passing. During this month, the children have enjoyed the Christmas and Hannukah materials throughout the classroom and singing “Jingle Bells” and “The Dreidel Song” during Circle. We have also been singing “Fly Eagles Fly” while enjoying the Philadelphia spirit.

Winter Break and Changes in Routine

Winter Break is full of holiday fun and cheers, like celebrating Hannukah, Feast of the Seven Fishes, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or New Year’s Eve. Homes might be decorated with lights, candles, traditional art pieces, or family heirlooms; and may smell of fun treats to eat. Some people may be traveling and visiting family or friends, engulfed in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season; and some may choose to snuggle up together for cozy days, possibly drinking hot chocolate. No matter your plans for Winter Break, your child’s daily routine will be different so meltdowns and tantrums might occur. They are also expected, as they are during times of transition, changes in routine, or when a child is experiencing emotional dysregulation due to fatigue, hunger, or illness. This means even the most fun and exciting days can lead to meltdowns. 

• Keep a consistent routine as much as possible
  • A routine gives children a sense of control because they know what to expect. The holidays can disrupt this, causing the child to feel out of control. Try to keep some routines like bedtime and nap time as similar as possible, so your child knows what to expect.
• Get-togethers can be overwhelming for some children
  • Gift your child some grace when around people during Winter Break. They might react shyly or nervously, even if their temperament is typically outgoing and social. Remember not to force them to hug or kiss any family members or friends if they feel uncomfortable.
• Responding to high emotions
  • When responding to big emotions remember to avoid taking your toddler’s behavior personally. Check your own emotions first, and then proceed.
  • If your child is too upset to talk to, be sure to have a safe space for them like a pillow area. Once they are calm you can discuss what happened.
  • Take a look at the attached article from ZeroToThree.org entitled, “Pro Tips for Managing Toddler Tantrums”

Activities During Winter Break

The home is an organic environment for child engagement and refinement of skills. Practical Life, also called Independent Living, is the area of the curriculum that aids in building independence, concentration, and self-regulation; along with the skills needed for self-care, environmental care, grace & courtesy, and cooking. The materials found in this area are comprised of materials found in the home.

One of the simplest ways to engage your child at home is by inviting them to wash something. At a minimum, you need a bowl of soapy water and a sponge. You can limit how much water goes into the bowl, as to avoid any flooding or big puddles. When doing any activity with water, you may choose to place a large towel underneath. Here are some suggestions:

• Washing A Shelf
• Washing A Table
  • Invite your child to help clean the table before a meal or after a meal.
• Washing A Chair
• Cleaning Shoes
  • Take a look at the bottoms of your family’s shoes with your child. Which one is the dirtiest? Invite your child to scrub that shoe.
• Washing Produce
  • Set aside produce that can be cleaned by your child. Even a small bucket or basin on the floor would work.
• Washing Dishes
  • If there is no access to the sink, place a few dirty dishes into a basin on the floor, or on a towel with a bowl of soapy water.
• Exploration
  • Your child may want to explore absorbing water with a sponge and squeezing it out. Adding a little food coloring makes it fun and interesting.

Of course with any type of water activity, have a towel close by so your child can dry up the water.

As you may remember, the children have been very busy preparing snacks and enjoying the food preparation work. They can do this at home too. When you are cooking a meal, include them. The children can help at home with cleaning rice, whisking, pouring, and scooping. Some of the work they have explored are:

• Apple Cutting
  • The apple is cut into four pieces and given to the child. It would be too difficult for them to start with a whole apple.
• Peeling a Clementine
  • Most children will need an adult to start peeling for them but they can finish it by themselves
• Banana Cutting
  • Some children have explored using a fork and knife to cut a banana. The knife we have is dull enough that it cannot cut an apple or through a banana peel, but it can cut through soft foods like a banana. I suggest you do this at home using a dull knife or cheese spreader.

*** Here is a link to the October Blog that featured Food Preparation (the setup of each) and the Independent Baking Work, along with a recipe and a link for a crinkle cutter: Ms. Michelle: October 2022 ***

Other activities might be

• Puzzles
• Bracelet making using pony beads a
• Stickers, or any other artwork like drawing with crayons or paint
• Exploring a wallet
  • Children enjoy wallets, purses, bags, containers, twist-off jars, etc. Anything they can open and find things. Be sure to remove your debit and credit cards first!

We have made it through the first half of the school year, and I cannot wait to see what else is in store for us. Please know how appreciative and thankful we are to have the privilege of guiding your children throughout their toddler experience at Greene Towne Montessori School. Best wishes, happy holidays, and Happy New Year!!!

See you in January!