This month I wanted to share with you a poem written by Anita Wadley of Edmond, Oklahoma.

When I am building in the blocks, please don't say I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play, about balance and shapes.

Who knows, I may be an architect someday.

When I'm getting all dressed up, setting the table, caring for the babies,

Don't get the idea I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I may be a mother or a father someday.

When you see me up to my elbows in paint, or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping clay,

Please don't let me hear you say, "He is just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play. 

I'm expressing myself and being creative.

I may be an artist or an inventor someday.

When you see me sitting in a chair "reading" to an imaginary audience,

Please don't laugh and think I'm "just playing."

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I may be a teacher someday.

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs, or packing my pockets with choice things I find,

Don't pass it off as "just play."

For you see, I learning as I play.

I may be a scientist someday.

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some plaything at my school,

Please don't feel this time is wasted in play. 

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate.

I may be in businesss someday.

When you see me cooking or tasting foods,

Please don't think that because I enjoy it, it is "just play."

I'm learning to follow directions and see differences.

I may be a cook someday.

When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my body,

Please don't say I'm "just playing."

For you see, I 'm learing as I play.

I'm learning how my body works.

I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.

When you ask me what I've done at school today and I say, "I just played."

Please don't misunderstand me.

For you see, I'm learning as I play.

I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work.

I'm preparing for tomorrow.

Today, I am a child and my work is play.

All parents want to do the best they can for their children.  We take parenting classes, we read books on parenting, siblings, and birth order, and we talk with experienced mothers. Although every parent wants to do what's best for his/her child, new research is showing that what you don't do is just as important, says psychologist James Windell, author of Children Who Say No When You Want Them to Say Yes.  Why?  "If parents protect or help their kids too much, they can interfere with the progress of important developmental skills," says Windell.

Here are five areas loving parents need to avoid:

1.  Answering all your child's questions too quickly.

One of the most important roles parents have is to teach their children about the world.  So when your child asks, a parent's impulse will be to simply answer the question.  If you're busy or out and about with your kids, you should answer their questions.  But if the question is asked at home, give your child some time to try and figure out the answer.  This builds a sense of compentency and stimulates intellectual curiosity and creativity.

2.  Letting your child give up when he's discouraged.

Quitting before giving something a fair shot keeps children from experiencing the feeling of satisfaction that comes from mastering a difficult situation.  This will enable your child to grow into a self-confident adult willing to face challenges.  Practice makes perfect so help your child to practice things that are difficult rather than allowing them to say, "I can't or It's too hard."

3.  Giving too much praise.

Many parents praise every effort or every piece of work that their child produces.  While giving your child compliments will boost self-esteem, giving too much indiscriminate praise can do just the opposite.  If you praise everything a child does, they stop believing you and wonder why you feel the need to exaggerate.  Instead, comment on something specific that catches your eye, such as the bright colors in a piece of art.  This will mean more and be a real ego boost.

4.  Being aware of when to step in--and when not to.

Resist the temptation to protect your child from being upset.  Life isn't always easy and we don't always get what we want.  Children need to know that there are consequences attached to their actions or they'll be less inclined to do the right thing.  Learning to wait for a turn or share a toy are lifelong skills every child needs to experience.

5.  Protecting your child when she doesn't need it.

Of course, every parent want to protect their child from real dangers.  However, you don't want to discourage our child from learning and growing so allow your child to take risks in a safe environment.  Allowing a child to try new skills, even if they don't perform it perfectly the first time, allows them to become more confident in themselves and their abilities.

February 14 is Valentine's Day.  What do friends mean to a preschooler?  Children today are beginning earlier in social situations, and they are spending more time with peers.  Recent studies have found that some friendships formed in the early years of childhood are second only to family relationships in importance.  From such findings comes a heightened awareness of the social and emotional importance of friendships in the early years.

Enrollment in an early childhood program offers children social experiences that might not be available to them in relationships with adults or siblings.  With many friends her own age, a child encounters lots of opportunities to negotiate and compromise.  Children are encouraged to express their opinions and ideas, as well as to respect others.

Interacting with peers and feeling their acceptance can have long-term effects on a child's life.  Preschoolers develop social competence in three areas:  initiating interactions, maintaining ongoing relationships, and solving conflicts with other children.

While some children easily join a group at play, others have difficulty.  As adults, we can help young children learn social strategies for entering groups or for talking to other children about what they want by modeling appropriate and effective language that will encourage acceptance rather than rejection by a peer.  Saying, "I want to play.  I'll be the sister. OK?" works better than, "Hey, let me do that!"  Helping your young child to interpret the signals other children send will also help them develop social competency.  For example, "When a child smiles at you, she might want to play with you and be your friend."

We need not be too concerned when children frequently change best friends.  A friendship may last only for an afternoon of play.  Celebrate friendships in all their permutations and combinations.  If your child doesn't have a best friend, don't worry.  Your child may prefer a small group or large group or even an entire class.  However, if your child feels the need for a special friendship at school, he/she may benefit from one-on-one time with one of the other children outside of the early childhood setting.  Playing together a few times outside of school often gives two children a level of comfort with each other that carries over to their time at school.

Surrounded by daily reminders of the approaching Christmas season, it is easy to get caught up in the exciting, yet stressful, chaos of gift giving, Santa Claus and family reunions.  It is easy for us to forget that this is to be a time of peace and joy.  What all of us don't need is more things to put on our "To Do" List but try to focus some time and attention to activities that bring your family together for a few minutes of peace and love during the bustle of the weeks ahead, moments in which we can remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Since your calendar is often full, it is a challenge for your child to patiently wait for Christmas to come.  Sesame Street has published a book on this subject entitled, "I Can't Wait."  Make a special calendar with your young child thinking of something nice they can do or help with each day.  As each task is completed, have your child add a sticker to their calendar.  We are all preparing for a very special day and this visual reminder can help your child see the calendar progress toward December 25th.

Gift giving can always be stressful.  Often children are overwhelmed by too many gifts, things which may break quickly or were purchased only because a child saw it on TV and had to have it.  And many parents feel the need to overextend on their budget during this time of the year.  This year, look for gifts that will keep on giving.  Why not buy some gently-used clothes at a thrift store for your child to use as dress-up clothes?  A pair of Dad's old shoes and a toy cell phone makes every boy look just like his Dad on his way to work.  Use your imagination and put together a box of craft materials including crayons, markers, stickers, maybe even some glitter glue. Now you are all set to make a Valentine's Day card for Grandma.  When my girls were little, they loved to play "school."  No surprise since their mother was a teacher.  I gave them a set of old books, some paper, a small American flag and some red pens.  From that day forward all of our stuffed animals had to sit quietly in a row and listen to the "teacher."

If you have moments of utter chaos in your home (and there are many moments like this prior to Christmas) take time out to do something special with your child.  Try one of these ideas each day to help you make it through the last hectic days leading up to Christmas with a little peace and joy:

1. Play Christmas music and dance around.
2. Read a favorite Christmas book together.
3. Make an ornament for your tree.
4. Clean out your closet (more room for new toys) and bring gently-used items to school to share with the Sudanese children.
5. Visit a mall with great decorations for "window shopping."
6. Invite neighbors over for hot chocolate and show off your tree.
7. Take an evening walk or drive and look at the lights.
8. Put food out for the birds.
9. Make Christmas cookies and share them with a neighbor.
10. Make a Christmas card for a special friend.
11. Watch a Christmas DVD.
12. Make reindeer food (oatmeal with glitter) to sprinkle on your lawn on Christmas Eve.
13. Read the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20.
14. Make a birthday cake for the birth of the baby Jesus.
15. Have a very Merry Christmas!

Have you ever heard someone remark about a preschool program, “All the children do is play”?  In good early childhood programs there is a lot of play—and there should be! 

Years of research on children’s learning and development document the many benefits of play for children’s intellectual, social, emotional, physical and language development. Children at play are actively involved in creating themes, exploring and establishing environments, solving problems, and developing shared understandings. 

Children play in many ways.  They play independently, sometimes near each other but with each child engrossed in their own activity.  They engage in what is called parallel play, perhaps each using each others’ toys or even talking, but not coordinating their play.  They also play cooperatively, organizing roles and scenarios for group play.  As they get older, children are capable of more cooperative, coordinated play.  All kinds of play are valuable. 

As children play with each other, they learn to see another child’s point of view, and they become more empathetic and caring.  They come to understand customs and rules in their own culture and to appreciate those of others.  They learn to use language in new ways as they describe their play and interact with others.  In play, children are active and can develop their muscles and coordination. 

As a parent, you can support your child’s play by providing space, opportunities, and materials.  Set up areas where your child can play without fear of damaging furniture of injuring themselves.  Make sure your child has time to choose and become engaged in their own play activities. And provide your child with simple, interesting materials. 

Play is the most important activity in the lives of young children.  It is serious business that can pay big dividends for any child.

You probably have noticed that our classrooms have a lot of noisy bustle. Children are moving, talking, playing, and exploring. Research and experience tell us that to be effective with young children, teaching practices need to be “developmentally appropriate.” What this means is simply that educators need to think first about what young children are like and then create an environment and experiences that are in tune with children’s characteristics.

Children ages 2-6 learn best through direct interactive experiences. They learn extraordinary amounts through play and exploration. The younger children are, the greater the need to place emphasis on items that are relevant and interesting to them at the moment, not in the context of some future learning. A developmentally appropriate program involves active learning. It takes advantage of a child’s natural desire to move and touch. Young children love to manipulate items and explore new ideas. They enjoy the opportunity to see how things work and to test their own theories.

We have organized our classroom environments to promote active learning, and we do lots of things to encourage children to think and talk about their discoveries and creations. We thank you for sharing your precious children with us, and we welcome you to a community that will take advantage of your child’s natural motivations, abilities and interests to promote active learning that is developmentally appropriate.