Infants Peek at the Week 04/21/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! We hope you all had a marvelous Pesach. The babies are getting re-accustomed to Chai Tots and truly enjoying the weather.

We are busy with our Annual Art Show preparations as well. Infants work on fine motor skills while creating fun “art.” At this age, art is about the process, not the product. Children are exposed to different media, colors and textures. Parents will be able to observe changes in development of skills as we are displaying works from each month. At the Art Show, you will be able to view your child’s work and see how much progress children make as they become toddlers and 3-6 students.

Expect the babies to spend time outdoors, If you haven’t already, please send sunscreen for us to re-apply in the afternoon. They should come to school with sunscreen already applied.

Please also send appropriate spare clothing for the spring weather. Messy kids are happy kids.

Have a great week!

Morahs Sarah, Marla and Leslie


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to our infant community this week! We hope you all had a peaceful and enjoyable Pesach.

As we settle back into our routine, we will be continuing to explore the new fine motor works on our shelves during morning and afternoon work times. Scissor work was introduced to some of the children during the week before Pesach. We discovered the looped scissors to work best. The handles of these scissors are connected which makes holding and squeezing the handles easier for small hands. This is a challenging task, and one that we will lead them through, using their interest as our guide.

Sometimes during the work cycles, we observe behaviors that signal to us to change course. Pushing others, throwing works, and loud screeching– sometimes there is limitless energy! In some cases, it may be a child’s way of signaling that they are feeling overloaded or seeking sensory stimulation. Engaging children in ‘heavy work’ activities can be a great way to channel this energy and calm the mind by giving children a sense of purpose. 

This week, we will continue to offer opportunities for heavy work in the classroom. You might see your little ones pushing small carts filled with heavy items, carrying a weighted sandbag, or transporting paint jugs across the room. Other heavy work activities that we include each day are bean bag toss, wheelbarrow walking, and crawling. Yes, crawling is beneficial to kids even after they start walking! These exercises all provide sensory feedback that kids may be craving when we see them push a friend or throw a toy. The more opportunities we give for heavy work, the less opportunity for undesirable behaviors!

‘Heavy work’ is any activity that involves pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying. These movements provide significant benefits for infants and toddlers, including:

  • Proprioceptive Input and Body Awareness: Deep pressure and sensory input to the muscles and joints; Better awareness of their body in space, which is crucial for coordination, balance, and motor planning. 

  • Self-Regulation: Calming for the nervous system. Release excess energy in a constructive way, leading to greater focus and a more regulated emotional state. Helpful during transitions or when a child is feeling a bit restless.

  • Muscle Development: Strengthen gross motor skills and build muscle strength, which are foundational for independence.

  • Sense of Contribution: Carrying, transporting, and delivering items can foster a sense of competence and contribution within the classroom community.

The benefits of moving their bodies in these intentional ways is evident in their longer length of focus and emotional regulation afterward.We observe each child carefully to ensure the heavy work activities are appropriate for their individual developmental stage and abilities.

We look forward to a wonderful week of learning and growth with your children!

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, Pallavi

Infants Peek at the Week 04/07/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Your children are busy learning and growing. We are preparing for Pesach by reading board books, singing songs and creating crafts such as Do-A-Dot frogs. We will be decorating Afikomen bags to take home.

We are also enjoying the changes springtime brings. We spend time outside to enjoy the warmer temperatures, spring blossoms and bird activity.

It's great fun to talk with your children back and forth,  "serve and return." It's an important step in speech development.

Please send extra clothing suitable for the season. Apply sunscreen in the morning at home. If you send in sunscreen for your child, we will reapply in the afternoon. Be sure to sign our green authorization form for sunscreen. 

Have a Happy and a Kosher Pesach. "Chag Kosher V'Sameach."

Morahs Sarah, Marla and Leslie


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Pesach is approaching! We are getting into the holiday spirit with various activities. We have an abundance of frogs! Frogs in our songs, frog puppets nibbling our toes, rubber frogs in the sensory bin, and frogs are flying through the air as we bounce them on the parachute. Try singing the “One Morning” song; lyrics below, or click the link for a video presentation of the song. 

New works on the shelf this week include language and fine motor materials. Some friends are drawn to the language works, especially the mini objects or small figurines of animals with matching cards: bears (polar bear, grizzly bear, black bear) and assorted animals (cow, cat, chimpanzee, lion, etc). The addition of a matching card is a new challenge in this language work. We also have parts of the body cards and self care items (bar of soap, scrub brush, sponge) in a basket.

Mini objects are integral to Montessori language curriculum. At around 18 months, toddlers enter the sensitive period for small objects which will last until around 3-4 years-old. During this time, they develop an intense love of tiny things. This sensitive period is an important stage. It allows toddlers to take pleasure in exercising very fine motor movements. As they get older, mini objects provide a concrete representation of language, making abstract concepts like words and grammar more accessible for young learners. 

Other friends prefer the new fine motor materials that fall within the Psycho-sensory component of the curriculum. We have a new lacing work that invites little hands to push and pull a wooden spindle through various holes, much like sewing. There are new, upright puzzles that give a new spin on spatial awareness and positioning: a three-dowelled material with six rings of various sizes and a two-dowelled, vertical bee shaped puzzle. One advantage to all these materials is that they can be manipulated in more than one way. Toys that offer multiple uses, also known as open-ended toys, encourage creativity, problem-solving, and imagination, allowing children to engage in diverse play scenarios and develop valuable skills. 

“One Morning” 

One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed, 
There were frogs in his bed, 
And frogs on his head! 
Frogs on his nose, and frogs on his toes! 
Frogs here, frogs there. 
Frogs were jumping everywhere.
Preschool Passover Song | Frogs Here, Frogs There | One Morning by Shirley Cohen Steinberg

Reminder: This week we will have an observer present for a couple of days. Morah Kathy is completing her Montesori infant-toddler student teaching, and her instructor will be here during that week.

Have a great week and a Happy Pesach!

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, Pallavi

Infants Peek at the Week 03/31/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Wow! It really is spring. We’ve noticed cherry blossoms and pear trees in bloom. Birds are very busy this time of year, and we see a variety of birds at our classroom feeder. Leaves are appearing. Children are naturally interested in nature, so it’s fun to point out what we see outside. 

Pesach (Passover) starts April 12, so we will be reading books, singing songs and doing crafts in honor of the holiday. Favorite songs are “Frogs Are Jumping Everywhere” and “Dayyenu,” a song from the Haggadah about gratitude to Hashem. 

We have several Pesach board books from the library. These books introduce the various ritual items used on Pesach. We use both Hebrew and English words for the items. For example, here is a list of items on a seder plate:

Zeroa – Shankbone

Maror and Chazeret – Bitter herbs

Beitzah – egg

Charoset – a pastelike combination of apples, nuts and wine

Karpas – vegetable

Chabad.org is an excellent source for information about the Seder Plate and Pesach in general.

We are also getting ready for the Art Show. The children will continue to do arts and crafts activities based on the theme of color. 

Thank you for sharing your children with us.

Morahs Sarah, Marla and Leslie


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Have you heard the birds chirping outside lately? Have you heard your little ones chirping inside? They are finding their voices! At school we observe they like to chirp in chorus sometimes. One child makes a high pitched screech, and others mimic. It becomes too loud, so we intervene. Do we use an even louder voice so they can hear us? No, we use a lower pitched voice. In this way we lead by example. Whispering, “Let’s use a quiet voice inside.”

This week we will focus on grace and courtesy lessons. Grace and courtesy is a component of the Montessori curriculum that focuses on how to be a good citizen. Skills we will encourage and model this week include: 

  • Using a quiet voice indoors 

  • Saying “please” and “thank you”

  • Greeting others and saying goodbye

  • Offering others a turn when you’re done playing

Modeling by example is the best way for older infants and young toddlers to learn. As Morahs, we say please and thank you to each other and to the children in a deliberate manner knowing the children are always closely watching. Many of our young friends are now saying “please” and “thank you,” while others use sign language (please = rubbing a flat hand in circular motion on chest, thank you = flat hand touches chin and extends outward). 

These lessons are informal and usually done in the moment in the infant community: frequent and repetitive mini-lessons, with minimal words and more showing versus saying. Having patience as we wait for a turn with a work/ material/ toy is a learned skill. We acknowledge their desire, “ I understand you want a turn. Soon,” and “That’s Robert’s work.” We guide the waiting child to a different work until it is his/ her turn. Slowly, but surely, our little ones’ capacity to wait grows longer!

During the week of April 7th, we will have an observer present for a couple of days. Morah Kathy is completing her Montesori infant-toddler student teaching, and her instructor will be here during that week. 

We are grateful to you for sharing your baby birds with us as they find their voices, patience, and independence each day!

Have a great week!

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, and Pallavi 

Infants Peek at the Week 03/25/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

The infant room babies have been very busy exploring, creating, and developing. Last week we added a new piece of furniture in our room to encourage gross motor exploration– a large set of wooden steps with a platform. Wow, have we observed some amazing movement! Crawling, climbing, and cruising along the piece. The other piece in our room that has been popular lately is the pullup bar. This bar invites the babies to crawl over, kneel, reach, and pull up. The reward is seeing their own image in the mirror above it! Learning to cruise along the bar is excellent strength building practice for learning to walk. Unlike walking a baby around, cruising along the bar is exactly at the child's pace and for the distance they are ready for. 

As they develop their fine and gross motor skills, they will have much more variety in their activities. To encourage fine motor development, please continue to send table foods/ finger foods. Foods like sauteed or steamed veggies, avocado, scrambled eggs, and frozen peas give your baby nutrients, exposure to various textures and flavors, and the opportunity to feed him or herself, rather than be spoon fed. It is such fun to practice using the pincer grasp at mealtimes too! 

We are putting together pieces for the Art Show and starting to learn about Pesach (Passover). Passover starts at night on April 12 and ends at night on April 20. The children will be hearing Passover songs, participating in crafts and having stories about Passover read to them. 

Have a great week!

Morahs Sarah, Marla and Leslie


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Last week we discussed giving time and space to children to encourage independence and mental toughness, which help build self esteem. This week we want to share with you a phrase we give the children to use when they have attempted a task on their own, and yet still need assistance.  

“Help please” is a simple request the children may say or sign (help = one flat palm facing upward, with the other hand nestled atop in a “thumbs up” position and rising upward). We encourage this phrase when needing assistance with everyday tasks such as squeezing the remainder of a pouch, opening a water bottle, or putting on shoes. We will wait until the child has attempted to do the task on his/ her own before reminding them to say or sign, “Help please.” Try it at home! 

New works alert! On a regular basis we trade out old works for new items. And as the children work toward mastery with certain materials, we add more pieces to a set to increase the level of difficulty. We have added a maraca to our music shelf. Shake, shake, shake!  A new spatula has now joined  the kitchen tools basket. Time to flip pancakes! The land vehicle language cards have been replaced with air vehicles: hot air balloon, airplane, and helicopter. Our sorting work now has two additional cups and balls for an added challenge. And lastly, we’ve added two additional wooden animals to the existing set - a camel and a tortoise have joined lion, zebra, monkey,and giraffe. 

We have observed the children’s own unique personalities and what they each gravitate to in the classroom. Miriam especially enjoys the clay work— rolling and pinching the play doh is so satisfying. Maris and Eliana like to express their creativity painting at the easel- sometimes with two colors, taking care to keep the brushes in the correct jar. Julian tackles the puzzles with determination, maneuvering his hand in different directions to make the pieces fit. Robert is a voracious bookworm who hasn’t yet met a book he doesn’t like! Chana likes to sort the balls into the cups. Such satisfaction when the balls roll perfectly into the cups! Enzo likes to play a variety of musical instruments, dance, and clap his hands with gusto. We have the best community of older infants! 

Have a great week!

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, Pallavi

Infants Peek at the Week 03/17/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Hope everyone enjoyed the Purim celebration! This past week we welcomed a new friend, Ezra! He is adjusting to our school and getting to know his classmates. 

We had a lot of fun learning about Purim and making our own groggers. The next major holiday coming up is Pesach (Passover). We are already planning crafts, songs and stories to read.

Spring is coming! We love going outside for fresh air and to play in our playground or go for stroller walks. The children love looking at cars and trucks at work in the neighborhood. We also pay attention to changes in nature that come with Spring. Birds are busy this time of year, buds are appearing on trees and even cones from nearby spruce trees are opening up and letting out their seeds.

Please send hats and sunscreen for your children as we spend more time outside.

Looking forward to a wonderful Spring,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Hope everyone enjoyed the Purim celebrations! Our infant classes enjoyed hearing the Megillah in the Shul, especially the lively sounds of the shakers whenever Haman’s name was read. We loved seeing the festive costumes too! 

In our classroom of young toddlers, we are noticing more capabilities with works and routines every day. Toddlers inherently have a “can-do” spirit. However, sometimes we adults can inadvertently get in the way of this independence. We want to be helpers. Or we want something done quickly. We notice that when given enough time, our children can open lunchboxes and containers. We observe that our children can help push down their pants (with assistance) before toileting. When given ten more seconds with the puzzle piece, they do figure it out! In this way we are building mental toughness. 

Mental toughness is sometimes referred to as grit. How do we encourage this in children? Don’t do too much for them! If you do too much, you will steal their self esteem. So when they give you a problem, don’t fix it. Give it back to them: “You can open your own lunchbox. Would you like help with the latches?” Children become confident when they solve their own problems. But if the adult has low self esteem, he/ she gets confidence by solving the child’s problems. Let's not do that. Allow the child to be responsible by not rescuing them. Too often parents rescue and they don’t realize they’re stealing the child’s self esteem. 

Wait: Children become more capable every day. The way to find out if a child can do a task is to wait. It may feel like hours! But if we are patient enough, the child realizes no one will do it for him/ her. 

Build in extra time: In our classroom, we help to build self-esteem by providing children with time and space to accomplish tasks for themselves. This requires patience from the adults, which can be challenging when running late. The solution is to build in an extra 10 to 15 minutes when getting ready for the next activity. In this way, children can put on their shoes independently, or put their own works away, at their pace, and we can still be on time for the next activity. There will be resistance; may be a struggle. But when you have built in extra time, you can more easily embrace it with patience.

Healthy self-esteem: Whether we are two or ninety-two, what we all need is to feel valued for what we can do and for who we are. These feelings are based not on what we are told we can do, but on what we actually do, and it is this experience that lets us know what we are capable of. Our self-esteem grows when we feel a valued member of a community and that is based on what we can personally contribute to the communities that we belong to. Whatever form the community takes – our school environment, our place of work, or our home. Children with healthy self-esteem not only feel capable in themselves, but do not feel the need to judge themselves as better or worse than others.

We are so grateful to be your partners in building up each child. Remember– allowing your child to struggle develops grit. 

Saving you a seat on the struggle bus…

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, and Pallavi 

Infants Peek at the Week 03/10/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

The next holiday, Purim, is this Friday! It starts at sunset on March 13. Our Purim dress-up and party day is Friday, March 14. Costumes are optional, but great fun. Be sure to send “regular clothes” for later. We will have hamantaschen for the children.

The children will be crafting their own groggers out of water bottles for use on Purim. We will also read a picture book about Purim, sing songs and experience the Chai Tots Purim party on Friday morning.

The weather continues to warm up and with it, opportunities to play outside. Please make sure to send changes of clothes for your children.

Be happy it’s Adar.

Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

This week we celebrate the triumph of good over evil… the holiday of Purim! It starts at sunset on Thursday, March 13. Our Purim dress-up and party day is Friday, March 14. Costumes are optional, but great fun. Be sure to send “regular clothes” for later. We will have hamantaschen for the children. 

The children will be crafting their own groggers out of water bottles for use on Purim. We will also read a picture book about Purim, sing songs and experience the Chai Tots Purim party on Friday morning where the entire school gathers together to model our costumes and admire others’. 

Language works on the shelf this week include real root vegetables: ginger, garlic, onion, potato, and sweet potato. The children enjoy holding these real foods in their hands, smelling the unique scents, and hearing and saying the names.

We hope sleeping is going well through the daylight savings adjustments. We are here to support any sleep or other needs your child may have.

We wish you a wonderful week ahead! 

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, and Pallavi 

Infants Peek at the Week 03/03/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

With the lovely weather, we have reintroduced outdoor activities to the delight of our babies. They went on stroller walks and saw ducks and geese. Buds are on the trees now, so we’ll continue getting out in nature. Please be sure to re-stock your child’s extra clothes – outdoor play can be messy.

We are working on Art Show projects, singing (and dancing to) our favorite songs and reading our favorite books. The children love Sandra Boynton’s Blue Hat Green Hat (The Oops Book).

Purim is coming. Be happy it’s Adar! We will do some Purim themed arts and crafts, mostly to provide painting or do-a-dot experience as the kids develop fine motor skills.

For gross motor skills, we will be offering outdoor exploration on the playground. There are ride-on vehicles and developmentally appropriate climbing toys. The playground also provides an opportunity to explore nature on a smaller scale. We observe the changes in the trees and the sounds of birds.

Thank you for sharing your adorable children with us.

Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Today the cat’s in the hat and the fox is in socks! It’s Dr. Seuss Pajama Reading day! We celebrate reading and rhyming today with snuggly reading time. Books with rhyming structure allows kids to more naturally learn about word families and begin to create a mental library of sounds. 

Each day we have circle time at 11 am. One of the Morahs sits on the round rug and begins playing an instrument and/ or singing. The children may choose to come participate, but if they are still focused on works, we allow that to continue until they are ready to join Circle Time. The nursery rhymes and finger plays that we sing maintain the essence of Dr. Seuss’s famous rhyming appeal while exploring new narratives. One song, “Slippery Fish” tells the tale of an ocean food chain. Each time another creature gets eaten, we place our hands on our cheeks and exclaim, “Oh no!” See the link to lyrics below. Circle Time serves as an important transition between morning work time and lunch. We have observed longer attention spans and engagement with the songs over the past month. So, don’t be alarmed if your child slaps his/ her cheeks and says, “Oh no!” It’s just part of the Slippery Fish song! 

https://musiclbk2.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/2/8/1428504/slippery_fish.pdf

This coming weekend Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday 3/9. We know this can be a challenge for sleeping, so we are sending positive vibes your way! We are looking forward to more daylight as we spring forward ☀️! 

We wish you a wonderful week ahead! 

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael

Infants Peek at the Week 02/24/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

The younger infants have been enjoying indoor activities due to the severely cold weather. We are looking forward to going outside once temperatures are above freezing. For now, the babies have been enjoying the multi-purpose room with space for mats, a slide, a model spaceship (they love it!) and building activities. Babies are very curious about magnets and enjoy working with our magnet tiles. They also build (and demolish!) with the large cardboard blocks.

The slide is another favorite with your children. It provides a safe space to practice climbing and cruising, important gross motor skills.

Infants are making progress with fine motor skills, best observed while they are feeding themselves. They work with object permanence boxes, puzzles, and other fun enrichment activities in the classroom. Some are surprisingly complicated for kids, but our bright babies are figuring them out.

We are starting to introduce the holiday of Purim to the babies, starting with songs. There will be more to come, so stay tuned.

Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

This week we’ve added real fruits and vegetables to our shelves for language works. Apple, lemon, and lime. Sweet potato, cucumber, and green bell pepper. We introduce each item, slowly give vocabulary, and repeat the words several times while holding the food and allowing for sensory exploration. Toward the end of the week, we will slice and sample some of the foods! 

We have several new puzzles out too— concentric circles, sea creatures, and a new Jewish puzzle. The Jewish puzzle has challah, 3 stars in a window to signify Shabbat is over, a Kiddish cup and wine, a Havddalah candle, Shabbat candles, and a Siddur. Becoming familiar with and curious about Jewish themes while strengthening fine motor skills — it’s what we do! On Fridays, each child will get his or her own ball of challah dough to knead, twist, and manipulate into a final product. We will bake it and send home the roll in a paper bag. Yum! 

Toileting has become a popular activity! Many thanks to the Morning family for donating a second potty chair to us. Having two chairs allows two friends to sit at the same time— very helpful to the process! At school, our process is: remove diaper, ask child if he /she wants to sit and allow for however long he/ she wishes, put on a fresh diaper, wash hands. This is the sensitive period for toileting. Have you seen more interest at home? 

We wish you a wonderful week ahead! 

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael

Infants Peek at the Week 02/17/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Our babies are experiencing tremendous growth! Each day we see them moving more, climbing, talking, interacting and dancing. We are looking forward to Purim, starting Thursday night, March 13 through Friday, March 14, which will be “dress-up day.” Costumes are optional for babies. It is also wise to include a “regular” outfit for later.

We will use our outdoor time to notice signs of spring. There will be lots of changes in nearby trees: buds, blooms and leaves. Many of our nearby trees have birds’ nests, too. The children have an inborn love of nature and their surroundings. Experiencing the change of seasons provides opportunities for growth of language, creativity and exercise.

As we get closer to Purim, we will be crafting (and shaking!!!!) groggers and singing Purim songs to get in a festive mood. Children will be exposed to the characters of the Megilla at a developmentally appropriate level.

Reminder: Please expect your children to go outside any day the temperature is above freezing. If it’s cold, we’ll only be out for a short time. Fresh air is very good for children (and adults). Making sure your child has a warm coat, hat and socks (warm slippers for stroller rides, too).


Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents,

Do you know about your child’s absorbent mind? Dr. Montessori observed the innate ability of young children (birth to age 6) to readily absorb information from the environment, effortlessly learning language by simply being immersed in the surroundings. The brain is acting as a sponge—soaking up words and concepts without conscious effort! 

To facilitate and guide the brain to soak up every bit of information, Montessori developed the “three-part lesson." This teaching method introduces new vocabulary words or concepts in three distinct stages: "Naming" (introduction), "Recognition" (identification), and "Recall" (cognition), allowing children to gradually learn and internalize the new information through repetition and active engagement. We utilize this for language lessons in our classroom.

This month on our shelves, our new language works are: North American Animals: moose, eagle, bullfrog, Farm Animals: rabbit, cat, dog, hen, and Kitchen Utensils: whisk, pastry brush, measuring spoons, spatula, and Dinner Table Place Setting items: placemat, plate, bowl, and cup. 

Lessons are informal and led by the child.  As the child shows interest in a material and removes it from the shelf, a Morah will then sit next to the child and present the three-part lesson in the following manner: Naming: The Morah presents the object or picture and clearly states its name, saying "This is an eagle." Recognition: The Morah asks the child to identify the object from a selection, saying "Show me the eagle." Recall: The Morah asks the child to independently name the object, saying "What is this?"

Key points about the three-part lesson: It is a gradual progression. Each stage builds upon the previous one, allowing children to slowly develop understanding and mastery. It is active learning: The child is actively involved in the process by identifying and naming objects, not just passively listening. We move from concrete to abstract: Real objects are used first before introducing pictures or abstract concepts. 

Our classroom is alive and rich with language! We are observing more and more first words, phrases, and sentences being uttered— to each other and to us, the Morahs. It’s a beautiful experience and we thank you for sharing your most precious gifts with us! We treasure them as we guide and celebrate all the soaking up of their absorbent minds. 

Happy 1st birthday to Enzo this coming weekend! You have been a welcome addition to our older infant community, and we love to watch you grow! 

Have a great week! 

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael

Infants Peek at the Week 02/10/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

This week we celebrate Tu B’shvat, the 15th of Shevat, which begins Wednesday night and goes through Thursday. It is the New Year for Trees. It is based on when “the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.” (Chabad.org website)

We will provide small tastes (where practical) of five of the “seven species” which are eaten on Tu Bishvat: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. The other two species are wheat and barley.* Tasting new foods is an important sensory experience. Children may opt not to try certain foods, and that is fine.

We have been busy decorating pots with stickers and will be sending home small plants that the children have helped plant. We have also been “coloring” pictures of leaves from different trees. Coloring media and methods are tailored to your baby’s development.

There are new sturdy pushing/riding vehicles in the “big room.” Our babies are working on their gross motor skills and love the new vehicles. Our indoor slide is popular, as well as our spaceship and outer space-themed tunnel work.

Reminder: Please expect your children to go outside any day the temperature is above freezing. If it’s cold, we’ll only be out for a short time. Fresh air is very good for children (and adults). Making sure your child has a warm coat, hat and socks (warm slippers for stroller rides, too).

Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

In our classroom, we are “Happy and we know it!” We are learning emotions through the familiar tune, “Happy and You Know It,” only we are adapting the lyrics to include other emotions and feelings. “If you’re angry and you know it, cross your arms,” “If you’re sad and you know it, rub your eyes,” “If you’re tired and you know it, stretch and yawn,” and “If you’re sick and you know it, cough into your elbow.” Learning through singing engages more senses, especially the tactile sense of doing a hand motion, which supports memory. 

We have observed some friends throwing various materials. It is a test of cause and effect to throw an object and see what happens! As we guide and model how to properly use the materials, we also recognize a need for classroom work that meets the needs of our young pitchers! Bean bags and a bucket have been fulfilling this need. We have seen overhand, underhand, and gentle dropping– all accompanied by cheers and laughter. 

This week we celebrate Tu B’shvat, the 15th of Shevat, which begins Wednesday night and goes through Thursday. It is the New Year for Trees. It is based on when “the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.” We will provide small tastes of five of the “seven species” which are eaten on Tu Bishvat: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. The other two species are wheat and barley.* Tasting new foods is an important sensory experience. Children ay opt not to try certain foods, and that is fine.

Using stickers, we decorated small pots, filled with soil, and added a young spider plant clipping in honor of the Tu B’shvat holiday. It was a grand time, digging in the sensory bin filled with soil. Some of us even dumped soil on our heads! We used green paint and our own fingertips and hands to paint on paper. The Morahs added trunks to make our green creations look like trees.

One small request: Please label all individual containers of food for your child. When we have all lunch bags open, this will help us ensure everyone is eating their own food, and that the containers are sent home in the correct bag.

Have a great week! 

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael

Infants Peek at the Week 02/03/25

YOUNG INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Our babies are really developing skills and personalities. Some say words and others babble, but all are expressing themselves. Morahs are encouraging speech by answering their vocalizations (serve and return). We encourage them to say each other’s names or otherwise identify each child in the room. For example, “Where is Shua?”

They also love songs and have their favorites in English and Hebrew. The babies are starting to do hand motions for “Wheels on the Bus,” one of their favorites. The whole group starts moving to the beat during “Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe!” 

Since the New Year for Trees, Tu B’Shvat, falls on February 13, we are singing “Tu B’Shvat Higia” in class. We also sing Shabbat songs every Friday, including “Bim Bam” (everybody’s favorite), “Shalom Aleichem” and “L’cha Dodi.”

Babies love our squirrel proof bird feeder right outside our classroom window. Winter is a great time to observe birds. They are looking for mates to start nesting, so their feathers are new and bright. Some birds are only here in the winter. We have seen dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows picking up seeds that fall below the feeder. Chickadees, house finches, cardinals and goldfinches eat directly from the feeder. Looking out the window, we also see rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks.

Please expect your children to go outside any day the temperature is above freezing. If it’s cold, we’ll only be out for a short time. Fresh air is very good for children (and adults!). Each day make sure your child has a warm coat, hat and socks (warm slippers for stroller rides, too).

Be sure to check out Seesaw for adorable pictures of your children.

Warmly,
Morahs Marla, Leslie, and Sarah 


OLDER INFANTS:

Dear Parents, 

Did you ever think your child’s favorite classroom activity would be sweeping up crumbs? Or putting away toys or items that are misplaced? From birth to age 5, Dr. Montessori tells us children are in the sensitive period for order. During this developmental stage children are especially interested in order and routine. One of the ways we foster this in a Montessori classroom is through Practical Life work. The last few weeks in our Daled classroom, we focused on Care of Self, with nose blowing and handwashing lessons. This week we are focusing on Care of the Environment. Three components to consider are: materials, environment, and real work. 

Materials 

Last week we noticed much attention to spills and crumbs. While painting, a blob of paint fell to the floor. During snack time, crumbs are everywhere! In order to properly address cleaning up, we have added some child-sized tools: a crumb catcher (metal, palm-sized hand brush and pan) and an upright stand that houses 4 different cleaning tools: stick broom, hand broom & dust pan, mop, and fluffy hand duster. 

Environment 

Next, we have made the materials available to the children in their natural environment. We allow the children to choose and explore the cleaning materials just as they would the puzzles and language works. We model using a broom around them, involving it in our daily routine. We respect their natural curiosity and don't interrupt them when they are working with a practical life material -- even if that means just holding it, or exploring it on the shelf. With that exploration done, it frees them to actually work with the material when the desire comes. They already know where the broom is, what it feels like, how it moves, and suddenly they are ready to make sweeping a reality. 

Real Work

Last, we make this real! Our young friends sweep the floor when they feel like sweeping the floor, when they see us doing it, or their friends. THIS IS REAL WORK. Resist the urge, to buy this broom and then dump a bunch of pom-poms on the floor for your baby/toddler. Toddlers don't need that fake experience. They may attempt to sweep for a moment, then either walk away or throw the fake mess everywhere. No! Make it real. Make it meaningful. Give them the opportunity to contribute, to practice when there is a real mess or when they feel like it.

Welcome to Enzo, who has moved into the Older Infants classroom this week. We are excited to have him as a member of our community!

Have a great week! 

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael

Infants Peek at the Week 01/27/25

Dear Parents, 

Our Daled friends have been showing their artistic sides lately. The art easel is a place for them to express themselves with the paint and brush. We change the color after a week or so. The children experiment with moving their arms and hands in various ways in order to spread the paint across the paper. We typically do not send the paintings home unless the child specifically indicates that he or she has depicted someone or something, or has a lot of pride about it. The main focus of this work is refinement of their fine motor skills and exposure to a new medium.

At meal times and snack times, we have incorporated the use of placemats. We cut silicone placemats in half to size them appropriately. These placemats define the child’s space, helping them understand what is their food versus what their friends’ food is. In the Toddler and 3 to 6 classrooms, they will continue to use placemats for this purpose. This is similar to another Montessori staple of older classrooms— the rug. The rug helps to define a child’s workspace, and establishes a personal boundary that helps prevent interruptions from friends. Both placemats and rugs fulfill our little one's innate sense of order and offer an element of consistency as their materials change and their foods vary. 

Welcome to Julian, the newest member of our Young Toddler community. Julian is 19 months old, and we are so happy to share our time with him!

We’ve made it through the bulk of January! The year is off to a great start.

Warmly,

Morahs Kathy, Pallavi, Rachael, Sarah, Marla, Leslie

Infants Peek at the Week 01/21/25

Dear Parents,

We have raised expectations for our young friends, and they have risen to meet them! In the Daled room, we have introduced toileting, hand washing, and nose wiping, and are amazed at the interest and progress made.

Dr. Maria Montessori discovered and wrote about sensitive periods in young children’s lives. Sensitive periods are times when babies and children have an intense urge to learn and acquire new skills. For toileting, the sweet spot is 12-24 months. We recently moved diapering to the bathroom. Changing diapers adjacent to the toilet leads to curiosity and interest in sitting. We have many friends who opt to sit on the toilet during diaper changes throughout the day. This proximity and familiarity with toilet learning will lead to more successful, and likely sooner, diaper-free time.

Hand washing, and nose wiping have also been introduced. Handwashing is the most popular new work in the room. Stepping up to the stool, lifting the handle and watching the water flow from the faucet is very exciting! 

Nose wiping is another important practical life skill. We have a table-top, plexiglass mirror and four folded tissues out at a time. The word we use is “mucus.” When we notice mucus, we make the child aware and remind them where the tissues are. We always help them to complete the task, after they have done the first few wipes. They are so proud to be able to take care of their own bodies.

In the Alef room, all of our babies are mobile and some will be walking soon! To encourage pulling themselves up, we have a bar on the wall, as well as appropriately sized and padded shelves. 

Some of their skills are developing alongside daily essentials such as eating and drinking. Babies are learning to use silverware or pick up finger foods using the pincer grasp. They are practicing drinking with straws. As our babies grow and develop, we tailor our works to their emerging skills. We always model putting away our work before getting out new works.

Important skills include: object permanence, serve and return communication with Morahs, baby sign language, enjoyment of nature and exposure to Hebrew songs.


Stay warm this week! 

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, Pallavi, Sarah, Leslie, and Marla

Infants Peek at the Week 01/13/25

Dear Parents, 

Welcome back after the winter break and snow days break! As we begin our transition of our older infant room to more of a young toddler room this month, we're excited to share some changes happening (Older Infant Room only). Our goal is a slow and natural transition that will help your child adapt to this new stage of development. 

Naptime Adjustments:

  • One Nap a Day: We'll be transitioning to a single nap from approximately 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Some children have already begun napping on cots with success. We'll continue to support all children during this transition. It’s heartwarming to observe their pride as they walk or crawl to their own cot and eagerly climb onto their cozy space. Their current sheets and blankets fit just fine! 

Mealtime Modifications:

  • Lunchtime Independence: As we encourage self-feeding skills, the children will use utensils alongside us as guides.

  • Packing for Success: Please pack your child's food in easy-to-open containers. Ideally, separate containers for lunch and snacks would be best.

Essential Items: To ensure a smooth transition, please send the following items:

  • Slippers: For indoor comfort and safety, we will wear slippers indoors. Please send in a pair to keep at school. 

  • Rain boots: For our friends who are walking, this enables unrestricted fun outdoors without worrying about getting shoes muddy.

  • Utensils: Your child can bring their own utensils daily or leave them in their cubby for the week.

Our younger infants will remain on a two nap schedule, which is working well for all  our little ones in the Alef room. Both groups of children intermingle in the morning during Large Motor time in the Big Room. We have been observing more mobility as they scoot, crawl, and pull to stand. The idea of freedom of movement, or allowing babies' inner-will to drive their movement in infancy is important for a lot of different reasons. You’ll see this inner-will as they shake cabinets, as they reach out and touch your face, and as they move their hands back and forth to explore a carpeted surface beneath them. This is all movement, and unrestricted exploration through their senses– an essential component of Montessori in infancy. 

As we embark on this exciting journey together, we appreciate your support and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to speak with any of us. 

“Help me do it by myself.” -Dr. Maria Montessori 

Warmly, 

Morahs Rachael, Kathy, Pallavi, Sarah, Leslie, and Marla