Oh my! Wasn’t the Winter Celebration just the sweetest? We are so glad that so many of you could make it to watch the wonderful performances. From Peace Like a River to our Closing Circle Song, many lifetime memories were made.

This week, we turned our attention to our holiday gifts for our families, as we continue to learn about the different celebrations that we have this month – Christmas, Advent, Hannukah, Winter Solstice and Kwanzaa. Each of these celebrations focuses on lights, candles, and stars to brighten up the darkness of winter. These celebrations also focus on being together with those you love to bring extra warmth throughout the season. If anyone would like to share a tradition that is special in your family, we would be happy to have you come into the classroom to do so! Let us know.

Matt, Emily and Hayden subbed in the classroom this past week, as Donna attended her stepdaughter’s wedding in Australia, and Cari had a fun getaway to St. Louis to watch her daughter, Cate, play soccer.

Next week, it’s Pajama Week! Kids can come to school in their jammies everyday next week, as we will curl up by the fire for circle and stories and watch a movie on Thursday and Friday. Please make sure to have good outdoor clothes and footwear suitable for the weather.

Read on for class news:

Ladybugs:

The Bugs continued to work on their “Jingle Bells” Peekaboo books, and we started a fun winter themed Art Show piece. The children made wrapping paper for their family holiday gifts and enjoyed doing the wrapping and using the scotch tape all by themselves! Next week, we will have two pajama days and watch a movie, “Frosty the Snowman”, on Thursday.

Crickets:

The Crickets practiced their name writing and finished up their holiday gifts for their families. They made some beautiful wrapping paper and learned about the letter “N”. We started making some beautiful snowflakes for our courtyard decorations and continued to have fun with their new ‘sewing’ skills, as we got out the lacing cards at playtime.

Next week, we will have three pajama days, and watch a movie, “The Snowman”, on Friday.

Honeybees:

The Bees continued to write their stories, moving on to their ‘plot’. We used story telling cards at circle and made some wonderful stories about mermaids, sharks and pirates! The Honeybees continued our Body Rights curriculum, learning to ask permission for hugs, reading body ‘language’, and knowing what to do when your body feels uncomfortable.

On Thursday, we had the special honor of hosting Seattle preschool teacher and storyteller Yumiko Sorensen. Yumiko reached out to the school after hearing about a “magical school called The Children’s Garden”. She visited our class Thursday to observe, and to share songs and stories from Japan. She spent the day playing with us and sharing her whimsey. Families were invited to join in her storytelling the last 15 minuets of class. We were so touched by her kind, playful presence. Thank you Yumiko! We hope to see you again soon!

The Honeybees finished up their family holiday gifts and had so much fun foraging through the Garden Next Door, and Camp Tree Circle for bits and pieces to complete them.

Next week, we have pajama days every day of the week and we will watch a movie, “The Snowman”, on Thursday.

Have a wonderful weekend!