A large part of our work with toddlers is to lay the foundation for developing emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and express emotions. Cultivating emotional intelligence in toddlers is crucial for their social and emotional well-being.

Teaching children to identify and name emotions is the first step in teaching children about their own emotions and the emotions of others. Being able to identify and name their feelings can help children to feel heard and understood. Introducing toddlers to a diverse range of emotions through books, stories, and discussions will develop their emotional vocabulary. Since toddlers often mimic the actions and attitudes of the adults around them, demonstrating healthy ways to express and manage emotions is crucial – such as taking deep breaths to calm down when feeling frustrated. One of our favorite books this month was In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek. We have read it numerous times, and it has inspired discussions about times when we’ve felt a variety of different emotions. The children especially enjoy hearing the anecdotes that I share with them about times when I have felt brave, happy, sad, etc. 

For this week’s food-tasting experience, we tried beets. The children seemed very fond of exploring the whole beet and were quite eager to taste this vibrant root vegetable. Some studies have shown that children need to be exposed to a new food at least a dozen times before they make a final decision about truly liking it or not, so perhaps consider adding beets to your menu this week – maybe topped with crumbled goat cheese!

The children decorated their Valentine’s Day bags this week, and we’ve been reading Valentine’s books that celebrate friendship. We’re looking forward to exchanging cards next week. 

Wishing you all an enjoyable weekend. 

Christine and Lizette

The week flew by! We tried broccoli. Raw did not go over very well, but the steamed broccoli was a hit! 

We were thrilled to have a few warmer days to enjoy on the playground. The children are becoming much more independent in dressing themselves for the outdoors. Zipping one’s own coat can be quite tricky. We tend to get the zipper started for the children, then encourage them to zip it the rest of the way up. Many of the children are now able to get their coats on and off independently as well. Has your child shown you the special ‘flip’ that we do at school? They stand by their hood (or toes to tag if they have no hood), put their arms into the arm holes, and flip the coat over their head, beaming with pride upon completion. Taking their coats off can be a bit tricky as well. Rather than jumping in to complete the task for them, we tend to help the children just a little in order to set them up for success. For example, help the child to take one hand out of their coat. Then, that hand is free for them to use to take off the other side. I often tell them that we work as a team to get the job done. We can see on their faces that they feel empowered even in the tasks that we adults may consider small.

A few favorite activities this week have been painting at the easel, re-telling Bear Snores On (by Karma Wilson) using the felt board, and driving the PlasmaCars in the gym. We walked to the gym without our rope, “just like the big kids,” which was very exciting. 

We have a new group of Middle School students who visit us weekly as part of their Social Impact program. The children are delighted when our new friends join us. Bryant, Anders, Emma, and Allie have been enthusiastic role models and also really seem to enjoy their time with the toddlers. 

Wishing you all a healthy weekend filled with a perfect balance of fun and relaxation.

Christine & Lizette

This week, we enjoyed strawberries as our food-tasting experience. Despite the children’s familiarity with the fruit, they were in awe as we cut the strawberry to reveal the white inside. We discussed the edible seeds on the outside of the strawberry and remembered that some seeds are not edible, such as those from an apple.

We’ve noticed since our seaweed tasting a few weeks ago that a few children have brought seaweed for a snack- and it sparks conversation each time!

We had the opportunity to expend some energy in the gym this week. We worked on catching, throwing, and kicking balls. A few children did a few laps around the gym. We discussed how running and exercise change the way we breathe and make our hearts beat faster.

We’ve also enjoyed some time outdoors. There is so much to learn through the senses – especially when there is snow on the ground. We particularly enjoyed listening to the sound of the snow crunching underneath our boots with each step.

We have been talking a lot about woodland animals, such as chipmunks, skunks, raccoons, and bears. A few of us have shared stories of encounters with these backyard critters.

Happy Birthday to our friend Kai, who we celebrated in class this week.

Please note that a handful of photos in this week’s batch are from last month but never made it into the post. I will share a funny song that we discovered by accident, which the children love. If you play it at home, I hope you’ll have the chance to see their bodies move and groove to the music as they listen. (We always listen to music on a speaker using Spotify, even though I share via YouTube.)

Also, for those of you whose children will be moving into Primary next year, please consider attending the Moving Up information night on Thursday evening, February 1, at 5:30 pm. It is a great way to gain more information about your child’s year ahead.

Happy and healthy weekend!

Christine & Lizette

Happy New Year! We were all thrilled to see each other again,  relishing the return to school after a rejuvenating break spent with our families during the holiday celebrations at home. 

The children seamlessly re-acclimated to their routines, displaying a keen enthusiasm for their independence. Alongside honing their fine and gross motor skills, they eagerly engaged in learning activities encompassing colors, shapes, counting, the concept of opposites, and the Spanish language.

We spent the week revisiting their favorite songs and books, as they’d make requests for their favorites each day.

Ms. Lizette brought one of her favorite snacks to share with the class – dried seaweed! The children were eager to taste it. The majority could not get enough of the salty, thin, green, crunchy snack. Food tasting is a fun way to encourage the children to try new foods, in addition to enriching their vocabulary.  

We sincerely hope you enjoy the weekend. Stay warm and healthy! -Christine & Lizette

It was an eventful week! We had a birthday celebration for Spencer, and have been loving the book he shared with us; Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton. We’ve been incorporating the song (on Spotify) into our daily circle time. It is quite catchy and gets everyone up and moving!

We found out that Kai became a big brother – we are so excited for the whole family. Congratulations!

Our ‘Pajamas & Pancakes’ party was a big hit with the children! The pancakes, berries and hot cocoa were devoured. We had a dance party, too. It was such a fun day!

We tasted ruby red grapefruit- both fresh and jarred. The jarred was a more popular favorite. Many of the children repeatedly asked for more!

We attended the school-wide holiday concert, where we were polite members of the audience – keeping mostly quiet and giving a round of applause in between songs. Their older schoolmates were captivating as they confidently took the stage to perform songs for all of us. 

We look forward to seeing all of you in 2024. Wishing your families joy, love, and good health in the new year. Wishing a very  Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Warmly,

Christine & Lizette

 

As you can see in the photos each week, the children spend a lot of time working with the Practical Life materials. These materials strengthen the coordination of small muscle movements, particularly in the fingers and hands. Developing fine motor skills in toddlers lays the groundwork for various essential skills they’ll need later in life. From writing and drawing to self-care tasks like buttoning clothes or tying shoelaces, these skills form the basis for many everyday activities.

Fine motor activities require precise coordination between the eyes and hands. As toddlers engage in activities like pouring water or threading beads, they refine their hand-eye coordination, which is fundamental for tasks such as reading and writing.

Strengthening fine motor skills empowers toddlers to become more independent in daily activities. Everyday tasks like feeding themselves, brushing their teeth, or getting dressed become achievable, boosting their confidence and fostering a sense of autonomy.

This week, we were invited to attend the Middle School’s production of Chef Showdown! The play was written, produced, and constructed by the 6-8th grade students. Our class was excited to walk down to the gym to be a part of the audience. 

Food tasting: We tried baby kale three ways. First, we each munched on a raw leaf. The next day, we tried homemade kale chips, seasoned with olive oil and salt (many thanks to Ivy’s family!) By week’s end,  some of the children opted to try the raw kale again, this time with a vinaigrette dip.

Wishing a Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! May the festival of lights fill your hearts and homes with happiness, hope, and peace. 

Warmly,

Christine & Lizette

 

Last week, along with the entire school community, we ushered in the season of gratitude. The Middle School hosted a Thanksgiving celebration, symbolizing the spirit of kindness and unity. Students from each level, Primary – Middle School, presented The Story of the Four Elements and then, a group of students, teachers, and staff, shared cultural blessings of gratitude in the native language of that culture, before sharing the bread that was baked by all the students. Our class sat quietly, completely enthralled and excited to see the familiar faces of their middle school mentors. 

Special thanks to the Huttemann and Sabath families for generously providing all the ingredients so that we could bake banana-blueberry bread to contribute to the special gathering. The children absolutely loved the entire baking process – washing hands, mashing, measuring, mixing, stirring, sniffing, bringing the bread to and from the oven, and finally tasting the bread. (The children made muffins to share as a class, but we baked bread to share at the communal feast.)

A few favorites from the week have been reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you Hear? Reading, singing, and acting out I’m Going on a Bear Hunt, and singing  Give Yourself a Bear Hug by Stephanie Leavell.

Wishing you all a perfect balance of relaxation and fun this weekend, Christine & Lizette