Being outside is THE best. Children use all of our senses when we’re outside. They see, hear, smell, touch and sometimes taste. Being outdoors builds their confidence. In a less structured environment children have an opportunity to control their movement and refine their gross motor skills. Being outdoors promotes exercise, children need to move! It teaches us responsibility and promotes imagination. These are just a few of the benefits of having an outdoor class. “When children come in contact with Nature they reveal their Strength”. Maria Montessori

It’s a new year and a new month and it feels like winter has arrived. Its a great time to introduce the kids to the animals of the artic. Maybe they can relate to these animals due to some of the weather we are experiencing during this month. Penguins, polar bears and snow are a few of the things we have on our shelves for January. The children had fun with our sensorial bin with snow made out of baking soda and shaving cream. We made igloos out of marshmallows. What a great way to discover their senses. January has been a short month for some of us. Fun fact: Masks help us stay warm!

December marks the end of the year and what an unusual year it has been. Masks, cleaning and sanitizing has not stopped us from enjoying our outside class. Gathering leaves to toss, create and grind. Developing our balancing, coordination and concentration skills. We tossed leaves into air, made necklaces and found satisfaction in grinding them into dust. Some of us learned to weave using yarn and puzzle strips. We ended the month with a obstacle course and candy cane hunt.

Gathering leaves