Mrs. Wilson: Finding Spring

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

It has been so nice to come back from Spring Break and see all of our friends again! We hope your family had a wonderful two weeks together, whatever you chose to do during the break.

The children certainly seemed to miss one another. This first week back, we focused on getting back into our routine while continuing our exploration of colors and zoo animals.

We were also very happy to enjoy our much-missed playground again. The snow that had buried our slide and was too deep for the children to walk through has finally melted. We’ve even started to notice signs of spring, with flower buds peeking out of the ground. They seem to be waiting for the last bit of cold weather to pass so they can fully bloom and add beautiful color to our world.

This week, we also celebrated three birthdays. Happy birthday to all three of our friends!

For Food Tasting this week, we tried zucchini. The children were a little confused at first because they thought it looked like a cucumber. While the two do look similar, we discovered that they do not taste the same. All of our friends tried the zucchini raw, but only some chose to taste it cooked.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, coming back from spring break, we’ve seen such a beautiful shift in the classroom. The children are truly showing that they are ready for more responsibility, and it has been amazing to watch their growth.

The children have been eager to help with real classroom tasks like folding laundry and even helping with the washing process. They are also taking pride in putting away their cots after nap time, helping Miss Patty load the cart, and getting their backpacks ready. These everyday routines are building independence, confidence, and a strong sense of responsibility.

We continued focusing on colors this week through a variety of activities, including puzzles, sorting, matching, and building. The children are becoming more confident in recognizing and grouping colors, all while strengthening their fine motor and problem-solving skills. We also got to do a magic science experiment and watched marker spread across a paper towel to finish making a rainbow.

One of the most special things we’ve noticed is the increase in teamwork and kindness. The children are choosing to play together more often, using kind words, and supporting one another. They are also taking initiative in caring for our classroom by cleaning, mopping, and wiping down surfaces.

It has been a week full of very mature progress, and we are so proud of how the children are growing, not just in skills, but in independence, cooperation, and confidence. We can’t wait to see all the wonderful things they continue to accomplish!

Reminders:

  • No school Friday, April 3rd

Ms. Mollie: Spring…….Almost!

Posted on by Mollie Smith

Spring is just around the corner, and we are all eagerly awaiting its arrival. You can feel the shift in the air as the days slowly grow longer. This week, we began planting seeds together, a quiet and hopeful reminder that growth takes patience and care. The children loved helping with this work, scooping soil, placing seeds gently, and watering them with such concentration.

We have also been enjoying more time outside whenever we can. Fresh air, movement, and connection with nature help ground the children and bring a beautiful sense of calm to our days.

With the time change this weekend and spring break approaching, it is also a time to be especially mindful of our little ones. Changes in routine can feel big for toddlers. You may notice larger emotions, extra tiredness, or a need for a bit more patience and connection. This is very normal. Consistency and gentle rhythms help children feel safe and regulated.

As we move toward spring, we continue focusing on slowing down, caring for our environment, and supporting the children through these seasonal transitions with love, grace, and understanding. 🌱✨

With Full and Hopeful Hearts,

Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette

Mrs. Wilson: March’s Magic

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

The month of March focuses on colors, color mixing, zoo animals, and St. Patrick’s Day. Over the next couple of weeks, the children will have many opportunities to explore these themes through hands-on work and stories.

This week, the children have been exploring the color tablets, learning the names of the primary colors. We are also reading the story Mouse Paint, which tells the tale of three white mice who discover the magic of mixing primary colors to create new ones. When we return from break, we will revisit this story, and the children will get to experience the magic of color mixing in real time through their own exploration.

In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, we have several works on the shelves that highlight the color green, shamrocks, and gold coins.

The children were also introduced to a pouring activity in the Refinement of the Hand area. This work helps strengthen the hands while developing eye-hand coordination and concentration. The children can choose between dry pouring with colorful rice or wet pouring with green water. Along with learning to pour comes the opportunity to learn how to care for our environment when spills happen. The children are practicing cleaning dry spills with a small table crumber and wet spills with a sponge.

Food Tasting: This week’s tasting was asparagus. The children were first given a raw asparagus spear to hold and explore before tasting it. Afterwards, they were offered roasted asparagus. While everyone was willing to try it, the class seemed divided—about half preferred the raw asparagus, while the others enjoyed the roasted version more.

Love and Light,
Cynthia and Sara

Miss Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, we welcomed March by refreshing our classroom shelves with new activities focused on colors. The children have been exploring many new puzzles and fine motor works that encourage color identification and matching.

One of the most loved new activities was filling a wooden rainbow with pom-poms. The children used their pincer grasp to pick up small pom-poms and carefully push them, one by one, into the matching colored arches. It was so satisfying to watch the rainbow slowly fill up and become a bright, fluffy masterpiece!

Another activity that sparked lots of curiosity was matching colored locks with their keys and unlocking them. The children worked patiently with the tiny locks, trying different keys and figuring out how to turn their wrists just enough to make them work. When they finally heard the little “pop” of the lock opening, their faces lit up with excitement and pride.

It has been wonderful to watch the children persevere, focus, and celebrate their successes as they explore these new materials. We are looking forward to continuing our colorful discoveries when we return from break!

Grace and Courtesy in Ms. Mollie’s Class

Posted on by Mollie Smith

This week in our classroom, we focused on the beautiful themes of love, kindness, and respect for all living things. In the Montessori environment, these ideas are not just things we talk about—they are things we practice every day through our actions.

The children have been working hard on practice and repetition, returning again and again to the materials that call to them. Repetition builds confidence and independence, and it is such a joy to watch their concentration deepen each time they try again.

We also spent time learning how to respect one another’s work. When a friend is working, we practice giving them space and waiting patiently for our turn. These small moments are powerful lessons in grace, courtesy, and empathy.

Kindness shows up in many ways in our classroom—helping a friend carry a tray, gently caring for our plants, using soft hands with classroom materials, and speaking to one another with warm voices. Through these everyday experiences, the children are learning that love and respect extend not only to our friends, but to all living things around us.

It is in these quiet, repeated moments that the children are building the foundations of compassion, patience, and community. Watching them grow into thoughtful and caring little humans is truly a gift. 💛

Mrs. Wilson: Big Toddler Emotions

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week in our classroom, we focused on naming and expressing emotions. The children are learning a new song, “Hello, Hello, How Are You?” which incorporates hand motions and facial expressions to match different feelings. At the end of the song, each child has the opportunity to point to the feeling they are experiencing. Lately, many of them have been choosing “tired” or “surprised,” which has been so sweet to see! We will continue this song for the remainder of the month.

Giving children the language to name their feelings is an important first step in helping them eventually express those feelings in healthy ways. We remind them that all feelings, including sadness and anger, are okay. What matters most is how we respond to those feelings.

We also practice strategies to help our bodies when we experience big toddler emotions. We take deep breaths, pause together, and talk about what our bodies might need in that moment — sometimes that’s a quiet space, and sometimes it’s a big hug.

Also, we celebrated another friend’s third birthday. Happy Birthday to our sweet friend!

Food Tasting: This week, for food tasting, we explored the vibrant beet! The children had the opportunity to observe and handle the beet in its whole form, complete with its long stalks and leafy greens. We talked about how the beet is a root vegetable—meaning the round, colorful part grows underground, while the stalks and leaves grow above the soil.

After taking time to explore its texture, shape, and beautiful deep color, the children were invited to taste the roasted beet.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, we focused on slowing down, working carefully, and completing activities from start to finish independently. It was wonderful to watch the children take pride in their efforts and show growing confidence in their abilities.

During art time, the children practiced unscrewing the caps on dot markers by themselves. This small but meaningful task strengthens hand muscles, coordination, and perseverance. They were so proud when they were able to do it on their own!

When water spilled after pouring activities, the children helped wipe the tables independently. These moments are valuable opportunities to learn responsibility, care for our environment, and understand that mistakes are part of the learning process.

We also practiced walking calmly from one activity to the next, helping create a peaceful classroom where everyone can focus and feel comfortable. The children are becoming more aware of their movements and how they share space with friends.

We were able to enjoy some time outside in the snow this week! The children loved moving their bodies, exploring the chilly air, and experiencing winter weather.

Keep an eye on the weather this weekend and look for updates Monday morning.