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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
We have two special holiday gatherings this month. On Tuesday, December 19, the Preschool classes will perform their favorite Christmas songs! Light refreshments will be served after our holiday event. We will also do our annual holiday book exchange with their friends.
On Wednesday, December 20, we will have an Infant and Toddler tea from 4 to 5:15 p.m. We will welcome in winter with some fun activities in the classroom, followed by a holiday sing-a-long and our book exchange.
A CHILD'S SMILE IS WORTH "RICHES"
Children light up our hearts when they smile. They make you feel good, warm, and fuzzy inside. You can't take that smile to the store and exchange it for groceries, but you can put it inside the memory box of your mind to open up on rainy or tough days. That is one of the many perks of working with children. Thanks for your smile!
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BOOK EXCHANGE
We will be having our annual holiday book exchange at the winter programs. Preschool is on Tuesday, December 19, and Infant/Toddlers is on Wednesday, December 20. The children can bring a book to exchange with their friends. Please bring in a wrapped book with your child's name on it if they would like to participate. Please limit the cost of the book to no more than $5. All ages will participate in the exchange!
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BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Santa will visit with the children starting at 8 a.m. on
Friday, December 22. A light breakfast will be served at this time for parents and children. Feel free to bring a camera to take pictures with Santa!
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This year we will be participating in the Pajama Program. The Pajama Program is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2001. They offer at-risk children the unconditional, magical gifts of new pajamas and books to create a safe escape at bedtime. We will kick off our program on
Monday, December 4, teaching the children about the program and caring for others in our community. We will have a collection box where you can bring in new and unused pajamas and books to drop off. We will conclude our program on
Friday, December 15, with a pajama and hot chocolate day!
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CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
The children will 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 they are aware of not only Christmas, but holidays celebrated by other children. Please see our Celebrations Around the World insert to learn a little about the holidays we will be discussing!
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HOLIDAY CLOSING DATES
Our center will be closed on Monday, December 25, and Monday, January 1. Please sign the sheet on the parent table if your child will be absent on other days.
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WINTER WEATHER
Remember to have outdoor winter clothing: jackets, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens here everyday so that we may enjoy our time outside!
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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 together 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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