One of the main highlights of our week was our first lesson on food tasting. As children grow beyond the infant stage, they begin the journey to independence as toddlers. Many parents notice this change in their children when it comes to mealtime, as they begin to hear a resounding “No!” when it comes to eating the foods they once loved and trying new ones. In order to help families, we have integrated food tasting into our toddler program as a way to ease children into the idea of trying new foods by teaching them all about the food and encouraging them to participate as a group.

This week, we introduced some delicious red apples!

Children were really excited to see the food-tasting tray covered, especially our second-year students, who knew what was coming. The children gathered quietly around the tray as they noticed there was a surprise under the towel. To keep the mystery going, I peeked under the towel and got the children really excited and curious! There were smiles and expressions of awe at the moment I finally removed the towel that was covering the apple. This fruit was presented as a whole first, then cut in front of them, presented as half, and then served individually. In our conversation, and as the children could touch the apple being presented, we included such adjectives as cold, big, smooth, red, and tasty to keep adding to our vocabulary. Children observed while I slowly picked up a piece of apple and placed it inside my mouth, tasting it slowly and dramatically, with the purpose of encouraging curiosity and expectation when it was their turn to taste. They willingly accepted my invitation, and they all enjoyed some yummy apples. This lesson is a favorite every year, and we can’t wait to explore all the different food items on our list each week.

This week, we also celebrated our first birthday in the classroom. It’s always a joy to see those smiley faces feeling seen and cherished!

By the end of the week, we gathered as a school and celebrated the International Day of Peace. Each year, the International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world on the 21st of September. Established by the United Nations, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.

On this day, Montessori schools from around the world join together to sing for peace. The song travels around the globe over a 24-hour period, starting with New Zealand and ending with the Hawaiian Islands.

Maria Montessori truly believed in peace education as she felt that world peace can only be achieved through education. In Montessori, we strive to give children the tools to live at peace with others and settle conflict in a peaceful manner.

While you enjoy some of your children’s pictures, we encourage you to put the volume up on this beautiful song and remember that each one of these little ones deserves to live in a peaceful world. So let’s work together for it!

Enjoy your weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Mollie

As we conclude our phase-in period, we couldn’t be more thrilled to share our enthusiasm for the incredible progress we’ve already witnessed in each of your precious toddlers! The journey has just begun, and it’s already filled with moments of discovery and growth.

As the days go by, your children are settling into their routines more comfortably. There are fewer tears at drop-off time and more moments filled with dancing and giggles throughout the morning. The children have been eagerly exploring their new learning environment, becoming more familiar with us, their peers, and the physical space around them. Our classroom is designed to nurture independence, encourage freedom of choice, and foster a deep respect for each other, the materials, and the shared space. Gradually, your children will learn how to navigate this newfound freedom while demonstrating care and consideration for one another.

We have introduced some essential ground rules. One of these rules is “Respect for Others’ Work.” While sharing is a vital concept, it is a task that most children at this age are not developmentally ready for. Instead, we encourage the idea of taking turns, promoting patience, mindfulness, independence, order, and concentration. Children are learning to assert their need for independent work by saying, “This is my work. Please don’t touch.” It’s remarkable to witness how even our youngest learners can begin mastering these valuable skills with the right guidance and encouragement.

Another important rule we’ve introduced is “We Respect our Materials.” We, as guides, model the importance of handling materials gently and with care throughout the day. When a child decides to throw a material, we gently redirect them to use one of the balls and provide simple verbal cues on how materials should be handled. Ex: “We throw a ball.” “We are gentle with our materials”. This approach fosters a sense of responsibility and respect for their learning tools.

On a different note, our toddlers have had a blast exploring our outdoor space. They’ve also been practicing sitting in a community circle, bonding with our classroom pets, Lizzo and Scooter (two beautiful leopard geckos), and transitioning from place to place around the school using the rope, a.k.a. “The choo-choo train.” Some favorite songs from this week included Walking in the Jungle by Super Simple Songs, Walk Around by Nancy Kopman, The Goldfish by Laurie Berkner, and classics like The Wheels on the Bus and Old McDonald Had a Farm by Cedarmont Kids. As we have been focusing on studying the animals of the farm and their sounds, children have also loved the books Noisy Farm by Tiger Tales and The Farmyard Jamboree by Barefoot Books as some of their favorites.

Now, we invite you to please mark your calendars for an event you won’t want to miss. Join us next Thursday, September 21st, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. for our Curriculum Night. This special evening will provide you with an opportunity to explore our learning environment, gain insights into our curriculum areas, and get a glimpse of the materials and experiences that will enrich your children’s educational journey. We are here to support you every step of the way, so don’t hesitate to bring your curiosity and questions with you!

Enjoy the photos,

Mrs.Hood and Ms. Mollie

Reminder: Tuesday September 19th- School Photo day

Thank you for adhering to your child’s scheduled, staggered arrival and dismissal times. Unless your child has a sibling at the primary, elementary, or middle school levels, or you have registered for early drop-off, arrival for toddlers is from 8:30 to 8:45, and dismissal is at 2:45. 

Of course, we had to finish our school year with a wonderful gym field day! The air quality outdoors might have stolen our water day, but it didn’t take away the joy and the fun of enjoying time together, doing what toddlers really love: RUNNING!! The children had so much fun, and we loved watching them laugh and challenge themselves.

We set up a huge obstacle course where children had to grab a bean bag, crawl inside tunnels, hop over hula hoops, slide under rainbows, balance on the balance beam, jump high in the jumping station, ride a long horse, tip-toe on colorful dots and climb a mountain to bring the bean bag to its destiny, then… repeat it again! Of course! 🙂

We also had a great time playing together with our friends from Mrs. Wilson’s class using the giant parachute! Parachutes will be forever magical, even to us grown-ups! And as it had to be, we finished our “Uff! … Busy morning,” as one of the toddlers expressed with a delicious ice pop! Yum!

Looking through school pictures, I cannot stop the overwhelming feeling of thankfulness! I know we have said it before, but we need to say it one more time: Thank you for entrusting us with your little ones and walking next to us to give them the best experience each day!

We give them back to you pounds heavier, inches taller, months wiser, more independent, confident, and mature than they were back in September. They did a great job unfolding and growing each day, and we feel honored to have witnessed it. They, for sure, will continue to be part of our lives. Even though some of them will be moving up a level, remember that we will always be interested in your children and their destiny-wherever they go, whatever they do, and whoever they become.

They are truly precious to us!

Enjoy the contrasting pictures of the first weeks and the last weeks of school of your child in our Toddler program!

Reminder: Please join us at the Crossing the Bridge ceremony- Toddler graduation, next Wednesday, 6/14, at 9:45 by the FWM bear!

Love,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Marissa

Is it true? How’s it possible!? Are we really a couple of days away from ending our school year? It seems like yesterday when we welcomed the toddlers into our classroom! Your children have been working like busy bees from day one and have challenged themselves in every way. We couldn’t be more proud to see how much each of them has accomplished in different areas, one being great social-emotional development. It’s incredible to see the type of friendships born between them and how socialization has started to be very important to them. This is a great sign of growth!

At the beginning of the school year, it is usual to see a lot of toddlers parallel playing… children are aware of other little human beings around them, but they are not interested in really connecting with them. They might look into each other’s eyes, but as their thinking is still so concrete, they just seem more interested in the “little ball” with the nice color that moves, so it’s logical they decide to explore it. This is what we usually call: poking each other’s eyes. It’s common to see a toddler curiously trying to explore another child’s face with their index finger and the other toddler thinking he is just receiving something to taste. Yeap! We call that one finger biting! Ouch!

Thankfully the connection has developed, and as they have matured, it’s now common to see the children waiting for their friends at the door, inviting each other to play together, having logical conversations, joking and making each other laugh, hugging and verbally expressing their affection for each other. Amigos are the best!

As we enjoyed the last few days together as a little family, we spent quality time outdoors this week singing, walking, running, building, digging, chasing each other, laying in the sun, talking, and exploring nature. We also explored peas for food tasting!

We can’t wait for all the fun planned for the next few days. Thursday, 6/8, is our Toddler’s Water Day, and we will have our Crossing the Bridge ceremony on Wednesday, 6/14. Please refer to the email sent with all the instructions.

We wish you a beautiful weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Marissa