Let's Play in the Rain

The Young Children’s House is embracing the fall-like weather, rain, and special moments.  This week has been fun! The fall weather has been such a treat—cool and crisp, with that perfect autumn feeling that makes being outside extra enjoyable. And the children? They’ve been fully embracing the season with open arms, finding joy in every little moment.

Their attention has been drawn to something as simple as acorns, and it’s been incredible to watch. Every morning, they’ve spent hours outside gathering and collecting them. You should see how carefully they pick them up—sometimes cradling them in their hands or even stuffing their pockets, clothes, buckets, and wheelbarrows. It’s like a treasure hunt that never ends! They’ve been counting them over and over (and usually losing track, only to start again), completely fascinated by how acorns fall from the branches or hide beneath the grass. It’s been wonderful to see their curiosity and teamwork in action—some working side by side, others independently, all lost in the wonder of this simple fall activity. There are so many acorns around that it feels like they could explore them forever!

And today, despite the rain, the children didn’t miss a beat. It was raining, but they were just as eager to be outside. Honestly, they didn’t mind getting wet at all! For many of them, it seemed like the rain added an extra layer of fun—splashing in the puddles, watching the droplets fall, and getting completely soaked with joy. It reminded me of how much they enjoy our water activities, except this time, they were playing with the rain itself. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and it’s a great reminder to dress your child for all kinds of weather, because no matter what’s happening outside, they are always ready to dive in and explore!

We also had a special moment this week that I’m happy to share with you. We introduced the lighting of the candle at our prayer table, which felt particularly meaningful. Although most of our prayer services have been outside, this week we gathered indoors for this moment, and the flickering candlelight seemed to captivate the children in a way that was contemplative. There was something about the gentle glow of the flame that held their attention—it was peaceful and I could see how much they were drawn to it. It was a simple, yet beautiful, moment that brought a calm reflective ponder to our morning.

I’m so grateful to see how much the children are getting from their time outdoors and from these shared experiences. As we move deeper into fall, I’m excited to see what other discoveries await and what the children will reveal to us adults. From acorns to rainy-day adventures to moments of quiet reflection, this season has already brought so much joy, and I know there’s more to come!

A Year in the Life - Primary Week Two

In our Children's House, we refine and improve our little society throughGrace and Courtesy. The little skits performed by Senora Medina and I during our morning gathering are exaggerated and sometimes funny so they capture the children's attention and then they want to act and speak in these ways, too. Grace and Courtesy is also established through modeling and clear language by the adults and older children. 
 
What is Grace? A beautiful, unmerited gift that we receive from God to remain with Him. When I think of someone who is 'Full of Grace,' our Blessed Mother comes to my mind. So, how might she be a model for us in our daily interactions with children? I have often wondered how she might have responded when the child Jesus sneezed or tried to get up from the table before the meal was finished or ran off in a different direction. Surely, he needed to learn how to do things in the right way. How did she respond?  How did she teach him?
 
Courtesy is how we extend that gift to others through refinement of our movements, our words, our tone of voice and the overall consideration of others.

In our children's formative years, they are absorbing the behaviors and manners modeled by the adults and children around them, and therefore Grace and Courtesy is essential to the peacefulness and respect in our environments: school, home, play yards or wherever we are. Before the age of two and a half, children are taking everything in (we refer to them as an Unconscious Worker) so we want to give them all that is true, good and beautiful. Between 2 and 1/2 and 6, they are more conscious of their actions and those around them, and are refining all of these inputs and taking in more still! They refine by practicing their tone of voice, their actions, their language, how to treat others in social situations and what is acceptable and not acceptable.
 
(Here I will add...It is especially good to remember that when choosing shows or any media inputs for your children at home, these should also reflect the courtesy that you want your child to be absorbing!)

In our classroom we are trying to establish a culture of respect towards others through mindfulness of these virtues and details. When the teachers and parents are mindful of their own words, tone of voice, and movements the children respond in these same ways. When I give my full attention to a presentation using the materials and cleaning up to prepare something for the next person to use, the children do this too. When I make sure the classroomistidy and beautiful or notice when children are hurt or sad, the children notice too. They are watching everything we do and repeating everything we say.

Some examples ofGraceand courtesy skits that we offer:

• How to say, " excuse me " when passing by someone;

• How to put your sneeze inside your elbow and saying, " God bless you" to someone who sneezes;

• How to wait for a teacher's attention when she is busy with someone else;

• How to walk around a work mat that is on the floor so that we don't step on somebody else's work;

• How to open and close a door quietly;

• How to observe others working in the environment;

• How to walk on by someone who is working without disturbing them;

• How to put a heart on your table or work mat when you need help from a friend.

Dr Montessori recognized that children will be naughty at times, and warned their adults (parents and caregivers) not to give into these irritations with harsh language or actions, because it breaks down relationships, whichisfoundational for young children. Instead, model and show childrenwhatto doin different situations and they will happier and more compliant in the long run... and parentingis, by the way... a long run.

A Year in the Life - Toddler Week Two

We’re thrilled to share that all the children in the Young Children’s House are now on a normal schedule together! Both the returning and new toddlers are learning to be part of their new community. You can imagine the excitement and movement as the children’s curiosity leads them to explore new materials, experiences, and friendships. We are establishing routines and guiding the children as they learn how to BE in this new environment. There is so much happening, and the children's eagerness to explore and engage is wonderful to witness.

Though there are many exciting things occurring, I’d like to highlight one special routine that we are sharing together – our communal meal.  This week marks the first time all the children are partaking in our communal meal! This provides a great opportunity for them to connect with each other, have conversations, and enjoy some nourishment together. The children are eager to consume what’s on the table and it’s a delightful time for all. Food is a powerful motivator for many children, and sharing a meal together is a wonderful way for them to build relationships.

We are guiding the children on how to set the table and help prepare the food for the communal meal. So far with food preparations, they’ve helped by slicing apples, peeling the clementines, and separating the clementine segments.  They will continue to learn more each day as we vary the menu items.

The children are also learning to recognize our special song, “Come to the Feast,” which signals the start of our communal meal. When they hear the song, they gather around the table, stand behind their chairs, and sing our traditional grace. Our traditional grace that we sing was composed by Mr. Garvey, one of our toddler’s grandfather. Afterward, the children carefully pull their chairs out and take their seats. Each child serves themselves using tongs or a serving spoon from the serving dish, which they are mastering at their own pace. Some children quickly pick up the food, while others are focusing intently on this new skill. We gently guide them through the process, reminding them to place the food on their plate first instead of directly in their mouths.

In addition to the communal meal, the children are learning grace and courtesy while expanding their language – new and rich language and nomenclature.  We continue to guide them in setting up their spots with the appropriate table settings, and soon we will introduce more food preparation activities, including the beloved daily breadmaking! We can’t wait!

PARENT TIP: For those introducing new foods at home, remember that children aged 12 months to 3 years are in a prime period for trying new things. It may take up to 20-30 exposures to a new food for their taste buds to recognize it, so be persistent and keep offering new foods, even if you get a poor response at first.