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HOLIDAY GREETINGS
We are talking about family traditions and how you celebrate the holidays. We are looking for your help to share your family traditions with your child's classroom and teachers. We are asking if there are any parents who would like to come in to share your traditions, read your favorite holiday book, sing songs or any other fun ideas that can be shared with the classrooms. We would love to have you join us.
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SPECIAL DAYS IN DECEMBER
Monday, December 4
--National Cookie Day
Friday, December 8
--WILD Day
Tuesday, December 12
--National Poinsettia Day.
Tuesday, December 15
--Vikings Day
Tuesday, December 19
--Frosty Snow Birthday Party and Gingerbread decorating family event.
Friday, December 22
--Pajama Day
Monday, December 25
--Center closed
Friday, December 29
--Fancy Day
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FAMILY EVENT
Join us Tuesday, December 19, from 4:00-5:30 for gingerbread house building and special presentation of Frosty's magic Birthday Party by Robert at 4:15. This is an interactive show for young and old. There will be hot chocolate a cookie to celebrate the holiday season.
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DAYS OFF
Please let us know if your child will be gone any days during the upcoming holiday season as teachers are planning their holiday schedules.
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HELPFUL HOLIDAY SEASON TIPS
Here are some helpful tips that we hope will make your Holiday Season more enjoyable, fun and memorable for everyone in your family:
1. Remember to keep a normal sleeping
schedule
to ensure that your child doesn't
get overly tired.
2. Keep a regular diet. Limit the amount of
sweets and rich foods.
3. Don't be surprised or disappointed if your
child does not want to sit on Santa's lap.
Children have been taught to be aware of
strangers.
4. Don't expect a young child to participate in
all the rituals during the holiday season.
His/her short attention span may only be
able handle a few minutes of tree decorating
or cookie making.
5. Make gift giving simple. When so many gifts
are opened at once, so much is lost in the
excitement of new toys.
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CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
We thought everyone would enjoy learning about other celebrations that are happening around the world during the month of December. We will touch on these holidays with our children this month so that they are aware of not only Christmas, but holidays celebrated by other children:
St. Barbara's Day - Dec. 4
: In this Syrian Legend, St. Barbara's miserly father didn't approve of her giving to the poor. However, she still made sacrifices to help those in need.
St. Nicholas Day - Dec. 6
: In the Netherlands, children put shoes out as a sign to St. Nicholas that they are safe in bed. They awake on St. Nicholas Day to see if sweets or toys have been placed in their shoes.
St. Lucia's Day - Dec. 13
: In Sweden, a young girl, usually the oldest daughter, dresses in a long white dress with a red sash and places a crown of evergreens adorned with glowing candles on her head. Her task is to serve coffee and special twisted buns with raisins, called lussekatter, at daybreak. This celebration is for the return of light after the darkest time of the year, and the beginning of the Christmas season.
Hanukkah - Sundown Dec. 12-Dec. 20:
Jewish people celebrate this eight-day "Festival of Lights." A very special part of the celebration is the lighting of candles in a holder called a Menorah.
Las Posadas - Dec. 16
: Las Posadas (literally lodging) is celebrated by Spanish-Mexican Americans. It is the re-enactment of Joseph & Mary's trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem to find shelter before the birth of the child.
Christmas - Dec. 25
: Each year, on December 25, Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. In order to celebrate this day, Christmas Trees are set up in many home around the world, decorated with lights, ornaments, and tinsel. In addition, gift giving and singing carols have become important traditions for the holiday, which celebrates generosity and a sense of unity among all.
Kwanzaa - Dec. 26-Jan. 1
: Kwanzaa means "First fruits". The 7 principles reflected upon are unity, self-determination, collective work & responsibility, cooperative purpose, creativity and faith.
We welcome families to share special traditions or holidays with your child's class. Please feel free to talk to your child's teacher to arrange a time.
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"A GOOD TOY IS REALLY ONLY 10% TOY AND 90% CHILD."
I read this quote recently and it inspired me to think more about the kinds of toys available to young children. So many toys are one-faceted and leave little to a child's imagination. Or, they are "learning-oriented" and have right and wrong answers associated with them. So much now is made of plastic and feels cold and hard. It's challenging to know what to consider when selecting toys today.
And just at the time when many of us are looking for holiday gifts, the great outdoors is not providing as many nuts, twigs, pinecones, and stones to play with as children have had for the last several months. At least some of each day during spring, summer, and fall, children were connecting with nature's loose parts and thinking of their own ways to play with them.
So, this year as I am making lists of toys that I can give to our grandchildren, I am trying to keep in mind the above quote by Joan Almon, former director of the Alliance for Childhood.
And, in doing so, I am also inspired to look at the toys as multi-dimensional, even if the inventor of the toy had something else in mind.
An example of that is LEGOs - the small ones that come with directions on how to build a really cool vehicle. Our grandson got several small sets for his 5th birthday. For a few months I helped him keep them separated in plastic baggies with the pictures and instructions in each bag. Together we assembled several of them, although it was tedious and so much work that he didn't want anyone to touch them once we had put them together. Then one day my grandson dumped all the LEGOs out on a tray. At first, I was horrified. How was he ever going to figure out how to make the vehicles "right" now?
But, as you might imagine, it doesn't matter that those vehicles may never be put together. Instead, Alejandro is making his own LEGO creations - and is so proud!
So now I am looking for toys that have varied properties and can be moved and manipulated in many ways. I get excited about toys that allow children to invent, create, explore and, when possible, rearrange loose parts. I am happy if a toy has no specific directions. If children can use their imaginations and try their own ideas, they can discover their own answers and create new possibilities. So, join me in the search for those creative and interesting toys!
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
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It has been a wonderful year at Especially for Children, and we want to thank you again for choosing our program.
We've gathered some of the special moments of learning and fun from across EFC centers in a photo slide show. Check it out, and thanks again for a great year!!
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