Hope you are enjoying your December. Be sure to take a minute from the “hustle and bustle” of the holidays to relax with family and friends. We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season!
Upcoming Events & Dates
December 10th- Holiday Open House – Santa will be here! 6:00-7:15
December 24th – closing at 2 pm for Christmas Eve
December 25th – Closed for Christmas Day
December 31st- Closing at 4:00 for New Year’s Eve
January 1st – Closed for New Year’s Day
Enchanted Care Holiday Open House: Thursday, December 10th – Be sure to mark your calendar for a fun filled holiday evening. Santa will be here, holiday crafts, cookie decorating and lots of holiday art! Hope to see you there…friends and family are welcome too!!
Holiday Schedules: Each classroom has sign up sheets for the 2 weeks of Christmas and New year. Please be sure to sign up for the days your children will be attending Enchanted Care for the winter holiday. This allows us to accurately plan for staffing and to allow teachers additional time with their families. Please note normal weekly tuition is required for these weeks and needs to be paid by Tuesday to avoid any late fees.
NBC – Fire Fighters Toy Drive – Enchanted Care Learning Center and Kids Campus are participating the the Firefighter Toy Drive. We will be accepting New, Unwrapped toys for children until Thursday December 10th – we will be delivering the toys to the North Orange Fire Station Friday, December 11th – Thank you in advance for your donations and helping us give back to our community.
Weather Reminders:
Be sure to check your child’s cubby for appropriate fall/winter clothing. Please label all jackets and coats to avoid lost items.
Classes will continue to go outside for walks and playtime as long as the temperature permits.
Enchanted Care will close if Delaware County is listed at a Level 3 Snow emergency.
Exploring Holiday Traditions from Around the World
The holiday season is here, providing a wealth of opportunities to enrich the children’s understanding of diverse cultures and traditions around the world. In addition, our students will share their own traditions with others.
Below are age appropriate activities that we use in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: As they near the age of two, children begin to recognize the sights and sounds of holidays celebrated by their family. Parents visit our classrooms to share holiday traditions, including unique books, songs and activities.
At home: Gather family photos and point out traditions, such as unwrapping presents, eating holiday dinner at grandma’s house, and making a snowman. Encourage your child to talk about what he sees in the photos.
Recommended reading: Children Around the World Celebrate Christmas by Christine Tangvald, Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy by Don Freeman, My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Children sing holiday songs from around the world and are introduced to holiday symbols that they may see in their communities, such as Christmas trees or Hanukkah menorahs.
At home: Take a drive with your child or bring him to various holiday festivals in your community. Encourage him to look for and identify holiday decorations.
Recommended reading: Christmas Around the World by Calliope Glass, Hanukkah Hop by Erica Silverman, Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna Washington
PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5)
In the classroom: After learning about holiday traditions around the world, our older preschoolers identify countries on a globe. For example, they might learn about Diwali, the festival of lights, and then find India on the globe. They might make tamales, a dish often served on Christmas, and then find Mexico on the globe.
At home: Ask your child to help you prepare your family’s favorite holiday foods. Talk about the long-standing traditions in which these foods are rooted. For instance, you might explain, “I used to bake cookies for the holidays with my mom. Now we can start baking cookies together!”
Recommended reading: Children Just Like Me: Celebrations by Anabel Kindersley, Light the Lights: A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman, The Story of Kwanzaa by Mary Washington
Exposing children to various holiday traditions helps them build strong social skills, establish a sense of self, and respect the differences of others as they transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
December Enchanted Care News
Hope you are enjoying your December. Be sure to take a minute from the “hustle and bustle” of the holidays to relax with family and friends. We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season!
Upcoming Events & Dates
December 10th- Holiday Open House – Santa will be here! 6:00-7:15
December 24th – closing at 2 pm for Christmas Eve
December 25th – Closed for Christmas Day
December 31st- Closing at 4:00 for New Year’s Eve
January 1st – Closed for New Year’s Day
Enchanted Care Holiday Open House: Thursday, December 10th – Be sure to mark your calendar for a fun filled holiday evening. Santa will be here, holiday crafts, cookie decorating and lots of holiday art! Hope to see you there…friends and family are welcome too!!
Holiday Schedules: Each classroom has sign up sheets for the 2 weeks of Christmas and New year. Please be sure to sign up for the days your children will be attending Enchanted Care for the winter holiday. This allows us to accurately plan for staffing and to allow teachers additional time with their families. Please note normal weekly tuition is required for these weeks and needs to be paid by Tuesday to avoid any late fees.
NBC – Fire Fighters Toy Drive – Enchanted Care Learning Center and Kids Campus are participating the the Firefighter Toy Drive. We will be accepting New, Unwrapped toys for children until Thursday December 10th – we will be delivering the toys to the North Orange Fire Station Friday, December 11th – Thank you in advance for your donations and helping us give back to our community.
Weather Reminders:
Be sure to check your child’s cubby for appropriate fall/winter clothing. Please label all jackets and coats to avoid lost items.
Classes will continue to go outside for walks and playtime as long as the temperature permits.
Enchanted Care will close if Delaware County is listed at a Level 3 Snow emergency.
Exploring Holiday Traditions from Around the World
The holiday season is here, providing a wealth of opportunities to enrich the children’s understanding of diverse cultures and traditions around the world. In addition, our students will share their own traditions with others.
Below are age appropriate activities that we use in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.
BEGINNERS (ages 2-3):
In the classroom: As they near the age of two, children begin to recognize the sights and sounds of holidays celebrated by their family. Parents visit our classrooms to share holiday traditions, including unique books, songs and activities.
At home: Gather family photos and point out traditions, such as unwrapping presents, eating holiday dinner at grandma’s house, and making a snowman. Encourage your child to talk about what he sees in the photos.
Recommended reading: Children Around the World Celebrate Christmas by Christine Tangvald, Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy by Don Freeman, My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz
INTERMEDIATES (ages 3-4):
In the classroom: Children sing holiday songs from around the world and are introduced to holiday symbols that they may see in their communities, such as Christmas trees or Hanukkah menorahs.
At home: Take a drive with your child or bring him to various holiday festivals in your community. Encourage him to look for and identify holiday decorations.
Recommended reading: Christmas Around the World by Calliope Glass, Hanukkah Hop by Erica Silverman, Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna Washington
PRE-K/PRE-K2 (ages 4-5)
In the classroom: After learning about holiday traditions around the world, our older preschoolers identify countries on a globe. For example, they might learn about Diwali, the festival of lights, and then find India on the globe. They might make tamales, a dish often served on Christmas, and then find Mexico on the globe.
At home: Ask your child to help you prepare your family’s favorite holiday foods. Talk about the long-standing traditions in which these foods are rooted. For instance, you might explain, “I used to bake cookies for the holidays with my mom. Now we can start baking cookies together!”
Recommended reading: Children Just Like Me: Celebrations by Anabel Kindersley, Light the Lights: A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas by Margaret Moorman, The Story of Kwanzaa by Mary Washington
Exposing children to various holiday traditions helps them build strong social skills, establish a sense of self, and respect the differences of others as they transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education