This week brought a winter wonderland of learning and exploration to our classroom! The weekend storm brought very cold days, which meant we couldn’t venture outdoors as much as we’d like. However, we brought the magic of the outdoors inside! The children had a wonderful time exploring the snow indoors in creative and engaging ways. They painted the snow with different colors, felt its cool texture in their hands, and observed how it melted over time. Snow also made its way to our sensory table, where it provided a new avenue for exploration and learning and of course, by popular request, we also brought back ice painting, which captivated the children’s attention for long periods of time!

Maria Montessori emphasized the importance of sensory experiences as a foundation for learning, believing that children learn best through hands-on exploration of their environment. She saw the senses as “the gateway to intelligence,” helping children understand the world around them.

As the week progressed, the snow stayed long enough for us to enjoy it outdoors in its full glory! The children’s excitement to head outside was matched by their growing independence in preparing for the winter weather. Dressing for outdoor play is more than just putting on winter gear; it’s an opportunity for toddlers to practice independence and gain confidence in their abilities.

In our classroom, each child identifies their individual winter bag and retrieves it from the designated area. They then sit on the classroom rug to begin the dressing routine. First, they take off their indoor shoes, retrieve their winter pants, and lay them out on the floor. Sitting down, they practice pulling up their pants until they can see their toes, then stand up to finish pulling them on and zipping their snowsuit. Afterward, they put on their snow boots, coats, hats, and mittens. With each practice session, the children become more adept at this sequence, and their smiles reflect the pride they feel in achieving this task independently. We encourage you to provide time and space for your children to practice this skill at home, as this consistency will further enhance their confidence and capability.

Once outside, the children embraced the opportunity calmly and joyfully, taking in the sights and sounds of winter while exploring the snow at their own pace. It was a peaceful and enriching experience that highlighted the beauty of nature and the joy of discovery.

Lastly, our sensory exploration didn’t stop at snow. This week, the children explored beets as the food-tasting lesson.  They were intrigued by the long green leaves and were in awe to discover the vibrant purple inside the beet. Even though it was not a favorite vegetable for all, we report that 100% of the class tasted it and many of them expressed how beautiful the beets were.

Stay warm and have a great weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty

This week brought a special milestone as we celebrated the first third birthday of one of our students in the classroom! It was a joyful occasion marked with smiles, singing, and a sense of togetherness.

We also introduced a beloved new addition to our classroom: a baby doll named Simba. One of the children came up with the name, and the rest of the class eagerly agreed, demonstrating wonderful teamwork and cooperation. Simba has quickly become a favorite, offering the children an opportunity to practice nurturing behaviors like feeding, reading, singing, and cuddling. These sweet interactions allow the children to develop empathy, patience, and social-emotional skills while learning the importance of caring for others.

In the art area, the children explored a new challenge: using scissors. This activity requires focus and fine motor skills, and it has been rewarding to watch their confidence grow as they successfully cut strips of card stock. This is a wonderful step toward developing hand strength and coordination for future skills like writing and crafting.

Our food-tasting adventure this week featured avocado. While some children were hesitant at first, many discovered they enjoyed its flavor!

To end the week, we enjoyed a fun group sensory experience: painting with ice! The children were fascinated by the cold texture of the ice and delighted in using it to create colorful, freeform art.

As always, our story time has been filled with laughter and engagement, with some of our favorite books this week including The Itsy Bitsy Snowman by Jeffrey Burton, Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes, What Can You See in Winter? by Sian Smith, and the class’s most popular pick: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, within others.

We’re so proud of the growth and enthusiasm your children bring to our classroom every day, and we look forward to more meaningful experiences together next week!

Have a great long weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty

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