Ms. Mollie: January Simplicity

Posted on by Mollie Smith

January is a time of simplicity yet full of great momentum in the classroom. Teaching about the winter months gives us the opportunity to reflect deeply on how we are modeling love and showing appreciation for the winter. As many of you know, I adore winter, the cold, the snow, and the reminders to slow down. While doing an observation this week, I enjoyed the quiet of watching the children, seeing where children are challenged, where they are having success, and where they need to be pushed to gain more skills. In our Montessori classroom, the children are concentrated, content, and joyful, which are all the things I am looking for. While our week was simple, it was filled with all the right stuff.

With Full Hearts

Ms.Mollie. Ms. Lizette and Ms. Anabelle

Mrs. Hood’s Class: Copo de nieve!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

Happy New Year, Families!

We hope you had a wonderful holiday break filled with relaxation and meaningful time with your loved ones. It has been a joy to welcome your children back to the classroom. They transitioned peacefully after the break, arriving eager and ready to explore their environment and engage with the exciting new works on our shelves.

As winter is now in full swing, we’ve embraced the season in our classroom activities and lessons. This month, we are focusing on water and its various stages, offering rich opportunities for conversations and hands-on sensorial experiences.

This week, we introduced one of the most magical forms of water: snowflakes. Thanks to the weather, we had a chance to observe snow falling during playground time, and the children enjoyed trying to catch them with their tongues. We also observed snowflakes falling outside the windows, sparking curiosity and awe. (We’re hoping for more snow soon so we can enjoy it even more hands-on!)

Through simple and relatable language, we explained that while all snowflakes share symmetry and a hexagonal structure, each one is unique. This concept fascinated the children, who eagerly observed examples of snowflake structures displayed around the classroom. They spent time marveling at their differences and expressing their observations. This exploration of snowflakes feels like a beautiful metaphor for your children—each one unique, precious, and full of their own individual beauty. We feel so grateful to witness and support their growth every day.

To complement our lesson on snowflakes, we introduced a Spanish song called “Copo de Nieve” (Snowflake) by Super Simple Español. Using pretend snowflakes of various sizes, the children followed the song’s steps and acted out snowflakes falling from the sky. Along the way, they practiced naming body parts in Spanish, such as cabeza (head), nariz (nose), and mano (hand). We encourage you to add this delightful song to your playlist and sing along with your child at home—it’s a fun and engaging way to reinforce Spanish vocabulary together!

In our language area, we’ve journeyed to the Arctic! The children have been learning about arctic animals, including harp seals, arctic foxes, killer whales, walruses, huskies, caribou, beluga whales, and, of course, polar bears. This week’s focus was on polar bears, sparking curiosity and excitement as we discussed their unique adaptations to life in the cold.

On another note, a new and thrilling addition to our classroom has been the new climbing structure with a taller slide and a swing. If you’re not familiar with the benefits of swinging for toddlers, it’s more than just fun! Swinging promotes physical exercise, enhances sensory integration, and improves balance. As children swing, they engage their vestibular system, which is essential for spatial orientation and coordination. It also provides proprioceptive input, fostering body awareness and control. The rhythmic motion has a calming effect, helping children relax and regulate their emotions. The children have been absolutely captivated by this new movement structure,  spending significant time climbing, sliding, and swinging with joy.

For our food-tasting activity this week, we introduced kale, and it was a resounding success! Every child enjoyed it, thanks to the magic of homemade kale chips. If you haven’t tried this yet, we highly recommend adding kale to your shopping list. Kale chips are easy to make and a wonderful way to introduce this nutritious vegetable to your family. Check the recipe shared by the Micas here.

As we look forward to all the fun this month has in store, we’d like to share a gentle reminder to ensure your child has the necessary winter outdoor gear. Please send snow pants, waterproof mittens with mitten clips, snow boots, a winter hat, and a jacket in a labeled reusable bag. These items will allow your child to fully enjoy outdoor play while staying warm and comfortable.

We are so excited to continue this winter journey with your children and can’t wait to share more wonderful experiences in the coming weeks. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Warmly,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty

Mrs. Wilson: Happy New Year!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Over the years of working with toddlers, I’ve come to cherish the return from a two-week break. Initially, we worried that the children might struggle to transition back into the environment they had grown to trust or face challenges separating from their parents. However, we’ve learned that the reality is often quite the opposite.

It’s a heartwarming experience to see how much the children have missed their peers and teachers, as well as how quickly they remember their routines. The break also offers a wonderful opportunity to observe how much they have grown—not just physically but also developmentally. Their progress during this time is a beautiful reminder of the incredible potential and resilience of young children.

This January, the children will dive into the theme of Winter Weather. They will explore the types of weather we experience during this season, the clothing we wear to stay warm, and the fun activities we can enjoy in winter. In addition, we will be learning about Arctic animals and their unique adaptations to cold climates.

Our food-tasting activity this week featured a juicy and delicious ruby red grapefruit. The children thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and tangy citrus treat!

We are looking forward to a fantastic month filled with learning, discovery, and wintertime fun!

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Mollie’s Class: Hello January!

Posted on by Mollie Smith

Hello January! 

As I watch the snow gently fall this morning, I can’t help but reflect on the wonderful week we have had in our classroom. The first week back after a long break would seem like it was harder than most, the children have been absolutely resilient, they have come into school with grace, and the children crave order, routine, and structure,e all of which are in the very fiber of what we do and provide daily here at Fraser Woods. 

This week, we welcomed two new children and our second assistant, Ms. Anabelle, into our classroom, which has allowed us to open our classroom environment, practice our communication skills, and, most importantly, open our hearts to new friends who help complete our classroom. The children have been so enthusiastic to welcome them each day, wanting to help and play with them. Having our new children join us has really enforced grace and courtesy, practicing our kindness and thoughtfulness. It’s been very heartwarming to watch the children with such open arms welcome the new children.

Many things this week needed to be flexible due to the weather, so we were able to enjoy the gym each day! One thing I have recognized with toddlers is the need to run, climb, and chase daily. With more flexibility, we were also able to start our weekly baking! The children were so happy to make blueberry scones; the children helped with each step of the process and were very happy to enjoy the eating part, too! Our daily classroom work allowed the children to practice their skills, enforce concentration, and simply be content. 

With Full Hearts and Wishing you all a Happy New Year, 

Ms. Mollie, Ms. Lizette, and Ms. A

Mrs. Hood: Tis’ the Season!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

And just like that, our first trimester comes to a close, leaving us with so many cherished moments and heartwarming stories. Your children are truly blooming, and their joy, curiosity, and laughter bring so much love and life to our classroom. We are deeply honored to witness their growth and to see each of them unfolding so beautifully.

Thank you for your unwavering support and trust—it means the world to us. We are so grateful to partner with you on this incredible journey. A special thank you as well for your generous and thoughtful gifts; your kindness is truly appreciated!

This week, we celebrated with an amazing pajama holiday party, and it was a morning filled with laughter and fun! The children enjoyed games like “Pin the Nose on Frosty the Snowman,” a friendly snowball fight, a reindeer ring toss, and an epic dance session. We also gathered together for a cozy breakfast, delicious hot cocoa, a mini picture session, and some holiday storytime. But the most special part of all was simply being together as our own little classroom family.

As we continue to enjoy the beautiful holiday season, we wish you and your family light, joy, and peace. May 2024 bring health, happiness, and countless moments of love and connection to us all.

Enjoy the pics of your beautiful children, and have a safe and joyful holiday break. We can’t wait to see you in the new year!

Mrs Hood and Ms. Patty

Ms. Mollie’s Class: Happy Holidays

Posted on by Mollie Smith

This week, sharing the magic of holidays has been truly magical to see through the eyes of the children. This week, the children explored, played, and experienced the holidays through a variety of different materials and experiences. The children were able to experience Hanukkah traditions through play and taste! We are so thankful that Kat and Jeremy (Margot’s mom and dad) came to play dreidel, told us the traditions of Hanukkah, and made potato latkes for all of the children to try. The children absolutely loved the latkes, especially the applesauce and sour cream! We are so grateful and thankful to Kat and Jeremy for sharing such wonderful traditions with the children! We also got to experience our first Fraser Woods holiday concert! The children clapped, danced, and sat so beautifully.  

As always, parents, Lizette and I thank you for all of your support, kindness, and help in making our holiday pajama party so much fun! We could not have done it without you! We were so happy to snuggle up, read great books about the holidays, and simply be together drinking our hot cocoa!

With Full Hearts,

Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette

Mrs. Wilson: Holiday Cheer!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who sent such thoughtful birthday wishes to Ms. Sara.

Pancake and Pajama Day was a true highlight, and the children had an absolute blast! It’s a perfect way to end the week before the holiday break. The kids came dressed in their coziest pajamas and enjoyed a delicious breakfast of pancakes, mixed berries, and whipped cream, along with hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

After breakfast, we had a festive time jingling our bells to “Jingle Bell Rock”—twice! Then, we settled down for a story, How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.

The hot cocoa mugs the children used were a special gift from Ms. Sara and me, intended for them to use at home. The week wrapped up with the holiday concert, where students from Primary through Middle School delivered truly spectacular performances.

We wish everyone a joyful, peaceful holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year!

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Mollie: Playful December

Posted on by Mollie Smith

This December has been filled with so much play and quiet and peaceful works. I know you’re asking how a Toddler classroom can be filled with peace and quiet. Each day, the children are given the opportunity to choose works and move freely in the classroom, they are given age-appropriate materials that meet their developmental needs, and they are given the opportunity to have uninterrupted play. The children continue to explore Hanukkah and Christmas, and as a classroom, we talk about each and what the children love about them. We have been practicing our cutting skills, making snowflakes, and cutting out polar animals. Our Polar animals are a huge hit in the classroom, the children have so many questions about what they are, what they eat, how do they eat, where do they live? I encourage you to keep the conversation going about the Who’s, Whats, and Whys. They all help your child truly understand the world around them, and they help them develop language skills. 

With Full Hearts, 

Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette