A December to Remember

What a month it’s been and oh my goodness, what a year! December wrapped our classroom in extra sparkle, laughter, and learning. From celebrating friends’ birthdays to spontaneous dance parties (our favorite kind!) and our much-anticipated end-of-the-year pajama party, the days were full of joy and cozy cheer. Both classes enjoyed learning about the month of December and the holidays celebrated during this time, and as the mornings grew frostier and the afternoons a little brighter, we even explored the winter solstice and how daylight changes with the season.

And then there was the snow… SNOOOOOOW!!! We painted snow, painted with snow, sang about snow, and of course, played in it. The excitement for the first snowfall was real and so was the chill! Together, we talked about winter gear and what our snowmen need to stay warm. With practice and patience, our little snow angels have settled into a suiting-up routine and are showing so much independence getting ready for outdoor play. Snow days might look like pure fun (and they are!), but they’re also packed with learning; balancing, navigating slippery ground, and tossing snowballs all build gross motor skills, coordination, and spatial awareness.

​With a new month came a new topic of interest community and it’s been wonderful to see how this learning has blossomed in both classes.

The morning class began their exploration by asking a big question: What is a community? From there, they learned about different types of communities and identified familiar buildings found in their own neighborhoods. Along the way, they picked up lots of new community vocabulary and proudly used it during conversations and play.

One of the most special outcomes of this unit has been social, children are taking turns more thoughtfully and engaging in more inclusive dramatic play with one another. It’s been heart-warming to watch their understanding of community show up in how they treat their friends.

They also strengthened their fine motor skills with a fun snow stamping art activity. Using a “snowball” dipped in white paint, the children stamped snowy patterns onto paper, building hand strength and coordination while creating beautiful winter art.

​The afternoon class dove into the question of "What makes a community? ". They explored different types of communities and expanded their geographical knowledge by looking at a world map and learning about the continents. Through thoughtful discussions, they shared places they go and see in their own community and talked about ways we can help our communities and the people in them.

During play, children practiced penmanship as curiosity and excitement grew around our letter of the week. We’ve seen wonderful teamwork, cooperative play, and thoughtful moments of respecting each other’s boundaries. Directional skills were strengthened through energetic freeze dance , and letter knowledge expanded with the always-popular Alphabet Fishing  game.

​​December truly brought out the magic of winter, of learning, and of growing together as a classroom community. We’re so proud of all the ways these preschoolers are learning, playing, and caring for one another every day. We cannot wait to see what the new year brings.