Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: January 7-10, 2025
Dear Joyful Beginnings Hummingbird Families,
Welcome back to school! We hope that your break was restful and meaningful and that you enjoyed the surprise snow day on Friday! The new semester is off to a wonderful, wintry start. Last week, we enjoyed our indoor classroom more than usual as we waited for the sun to warm the air a few degrees in the morning before venturing into the forest. Outside, we welcomed frost, ice, and chilly winds as part of the children’s play. We are so proud of how the Hummingbirds adapt to these changes in rhythm and show such resilience as we learn about how to safely dress our bodies for the weather. We have overheard a few of them singing along to one of our December circle songs as they put on their mittens and gloves: “Thumbs in the thumb place, fingers all together. This is the song we sing in mitten weather. When it is cold, it doesn’t matter whether the mittens are wool or made of finest leather. This is the song we sing in winter weather.”
Looking to the rest of January and February, we continue to honor and reflect the seasons around us through song and story. Our new winter circle starts off with singing “The North Wind Doth Blow.” The origins of this rhyme date back to 16th-century England. As such, it is full of rich language that the children likely do not hear in their daily vernacular but easily assimilate and internalize.
I would like to make mention of how we are preparing the Hummingbirds for the classroom changes associated with my maternity leave. Most of the children have lovingly accepted and acknowledged my pregnancy and even bring food they have prepared in their mud kitchen “for the baby.” To further their understanding of the situation and prepare them for my absence and Ki Pri’s presence in the classroom, I will be sharing with them a story I wrote about a seed that grows into a star child. In the story, the mother who grew the seed takes time to be away with the child and rest. Storytelling is such a rich resource that offers information to children without overexplaining or overwhelming them with details. Please reach out if you (or your children) have any questions about the upcoming transitions!
Announcements and Reminders for Hummingbirds:
When possible, please label your children’s winter gear with their name or symbol. Gloves and hats specifically are easy for teachers to confuse as each child has a few that they rotate.
1/20: MLK, Jr Day of Service: No School
1/20: CAB Service Project: 10:00 a.m.
1/21: Indoor Early Childhood Curriculum Night: 6:00-7:00 p.m. We encourage all families to attend! We will be discussing the role of storytelling in the early years!
With Gratitude,
Ki Alycia
