~Singing Helps~  “Singing encourages a child to express their emotions and sharpens their ability to communicate while exercising lip and tongue movement. But one of the biggest benefits of singing is the repeated use of the memory muscle. Learning a piece of information attached to a tune embeds that information more rapidly in a child’s mind. The majority of children learn the alphabet not by simply saying the letters, but singing them. As children get older the power of singing in their lives can still be extremely beneficial. Matthew Freeman, development manager of “Sing up”, a nation ..read more

Happy New Year! 2021 has already started off amazing, and we cannot wait for the wonderful year ahead! In the fall we learned about dinosaurs, we created (and hatched!) our own dino eggs! We discussed all different types of transportation in November, we created train paintings and sang many different transportation songs! In December, we learned about the different holidays celebrated in different cultures. We read many books about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. So far this year, we have learned about our solar system by making a model solar system, a “marble painted” Sun and other art pro ..read more

It is so crazy that we are already two full months into the new year. I am so looking forward to all that this year has in store! Already in 2021, we have learned about space, made our own moons, and welcomed our new assistant teachers! In February, we have so many exciting things to look forward to! We will be celebrating Black History Month by learning about some revolutionary women, famous musicians, and famous artists. We will also be celebrating Valentine’s Day! It will be a busy but exciting month for everyone! In March, we will move into our theme of “My Body” where we will learn about ..read more

What a wonderful start of the year we’ve had! Over the past month we have introduced so many new works to our classroom, and the students are thriving. We have introduced reading chapter books in the afternoon with Ms. Anna and cooking lessons with Ms. Tatiana. We have also started weekly sounds, writing folders, a reintroduction to our reading program, new extensions to familiar work, and the list goes on and on! I am so proud and inspired by the love and excitement the students are showing for all the new work. They are working so hard and learning so much. Below I will list when each conti ..read more

~Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep?~ Many children go through their days sleep-deprived. When children do not get enough sleep their actions can be wrongly classified as “behavior problems.” Due to lack of sleep, they may have trouble controlling their emotions. This happens because the part of the brain that helps us regulate our responses and actions is greatly affected by the amount of sleep we get. Parents are sometimes unsure of actually how much sleep a child needs. The chart below was created using data from the University of Michigan Health System. It shows you a ballpark amount of s ..read more

~Indoor Play Activities~ “Toddlers thrive when they can run around outdoors and play. According to KidsHealth.org, toddlers between the ages of 12 and 36 months need a minimum of 30 minutes of structured physical activity and a minimum of 60 minutes of free play each day. When cold weather strikes, you’ll need to become a little more resourceful and create a few indoor activities to keep your toddlers active for this length of time.” Below are a few fun activities to engage your toddler when you are stuck inside. Dance off Play your child’s favorite song or cd and play the freeze dance game ..read more

Montessori themes at home: Winter Conflicts Since the winter holidays are around the corner, children will be receiving a variety of gifts, candies and tokens from loved ones, such as teachers, family and friends. When there is more than one child involved, conflicts can occur. This is a good time to talk to your child about how to solve arguments in a peaceful, Montessori way. Below are tips to try at home for when conflicts with sharing and giving arise. 1. Help children gain a sense of connection, belonging and significance: Awareness- “Do you re ..read more

MONTESSORI THEMES AT HOME: Giving Thanks The holiday season is near. This is the time of year where our families get together to play, cook, and most importantly, eat! What a great time to teach your child grace and courtesy skills at the same time.  In the Montessori environment, teachers show students good manners by modeling them at the snack and lunch tables.  They show the children how to wait to eat their food until everyone at their table sits down, how to swallow all of their food before talking, and even how to clean up their dishes when they are finished. Below are some fun ..read more

~Creating an Ordered Environment ~ “Having a place for everything, on a child-friendly scale, encourages both independence and self-discipline. Children know where to find what they need, and where to put it when they’re done. An ordered environment also has fewer distractions, allowing children to focus on the task at hand.” To make things accessible to your child: Provide low shelves or drawers for clothing; lower the rod in the bedroom closet. Keep a small step stool in the bathroom and kitchen so your child can reach the sink. Arrange toys and games on low open shelves with a particu ..read more

~Sign language with your infant~ Why should you teach your infant sign language? The definition of sign language says, “Any means of communication through bodily movements, especially of the hands and arms, rather than through speech…” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sign%20language) Research has shown five important reasons why sign language can help you and your child at home. According to healthyfoundations.com, “sign language can 1. help babies talk sooner . . . and boost spoken vocabulary, 2. empower babies to direct adults’ attention to what they want to talk about, 3. reduce ..read more