Reminder: We are closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. We look forward to seeing you and the children on Tuesday when we reopen.
The Magic of Music
It's a Monday morning...did you wake up a little groggy? Were you perhaps thinking of the seemingly endless to-do list that can kick off a week? If you were lucky enough to get in some early morning exercise, or moment of solitude during your commute, did you pop in the earbuds, or turn the up the volume when a familiar tune came on? There are plenty of reasons we reach for music: to zone out, to escape, to concentrate, to meditate, to motivate, we all have our personal reasons why.
Perhaps you don't think all too much about music in your life; it's more of a soundtrack happening in the background. Or, maybe music plays a more central role, and you've stopped strumming your guitar long enough to read this. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, music is something worth thinking about in the lives of young children. Fostering a love of music is not only something that is good for the spirit, but early exposure to music has a whole host of benefits for children spanning multiple areas of development including: social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language/literacy.
To find out more about the science behind just what music does for children, give this article from PBS a read. There are a many, many in depth studies out there that laud the benefits of music on development. In fact, here's another.
However, what may be even more worthwhile to consider are the ways in which children experience music with the most important people in their lives. To risk sounding a little overly sentimental, music is a really beautiful thing. It stands on it's own as something we are drawn to, and this is no different for children. Children want to make music together and with you. Integrating music into the lives of children can be as simple as singing or humming around the house or in the car. It can mean singing your child a lullaby, banging on different containers to make sounds, shaking homemade rattles, or playing a recorded music for your child. You can often find us at school doing just this. Connections are made through the familiar melodies and shared experiences that music naturally brings.
So, in the hustle and bustle of what can seem like another manic Monday, we encourage you to take a moment to consider music and it's universality. And, if you have 20 minutes, below is an outstanding TED talk from Benjamin Zander called "The Transformative Power of Classical Music." Don't let the title scare you away, this video is about much more than just classical music, it gets to the heart of awakening new possibilities in people. And that's something we hope to do in our daily work with your children.
Nature Corner
Activity: Let's look for nature wherever we go - while riding in the car or bus, while looking out the window, or looking in books and magazines in a waiting room. Help watch for, point out, or name all the plants and animals I see.
Why?: Even short amounts of time looking at nature out of a window, or even looking at photos of natural environments is calming and improves my brain performance.
Classroom Happenings
Infant I: Last week we made a few changes to the room configuration and added a new climber to accommodate our movers. There has been lots of climbing on/up/over, so we are certainly keeping active! We've welcomed two new babies into the class, and the room is comprised of children that are similar in age to one another. The new children are adjusting wonderfully and we are so pleased to have them!
Infant II: The multiple ages in our classroom has allowed for the older students to be leaders, showing the younger children how the day goes and what's expected. In a matter of two weeks, the younger children have made a great deal of progress. For instance, we observed that the children transitioned very well into a single nap (instead of two) and that their sleep was both long and restorative. Last week we were also outdoors a ton, truly enjoying the late summer weather. A note to families: Upon drop off, please remember to have children wash hands. Also, please label food containers. Thanks!
Toddler I: Last week the early mornings were spent indoors enjoying the materials in the classroom. The children did a fantastic job of playing together, sharing and cleaning up the space after themselves. Thursday and Friday included the longest two walks the class has taken to date, including a Friday walk right into town. At lunch time, the children have been using compartment plates, and this has been a successful way to allow them a little more choice, while not overwhelming them with too much.
Toddler II: We are really into our snacks! We want to thank parents who have been contributing the healthy snacks and ask that you keep it up! Overall, we have really loved the fresh veggies, with cukes, tomatoes and peppers being the standouts. Last week the class enjoyed time at the SES playground and were seen trying out the swings and working on balance. Towards the end of the week, the children painted a large cardboard box outdoors, then played in/around/on top of it. Noticing lots of independence as children get ready for outside time, clean up, brush teeth, etc.
Pre-K: Walking, walking, walking...lots of it! It was a week full of "off campus" adventures once again. Both Jen and Holli have been really impressed with how well the younger students are doing adjusting to length and frequency of these trips out into the community. The new snack time is also going really well in the Pre-K classroom. The children have been really open to trying new things. A couple notes on snack: Do be sure to send along enough snack for all 15 hungry tummies. Also, keep in mind that the food you send that day, might not be consumed that day; we are trying to go through the seasonal fresh food that is sent in first so that nothing goes to waste. Thanks!
As Seen at MVS
Thanks for Reading!
Have a great week. -Sam
The Magic of Music
It's a Monday morning...did you wake up a little groggy? Were you perhaps thinking of the seemingly endless to-do list that can kick off a week? If you were lucky enough to get in some early morning exercise, or moment of solitude during your commute, did you pop in the earbuds, or turn the up the volume when a familiar tune came on? There are plenty of reasons we reach for music: to zone out, to escape, to concentrate, to meditate, to motivate, we all have our personal reasons why.
Perhaps you don't think all too much about music in your life; it's more of a soundtrack happening in the background. Or, maybe music plays a more central role, and you've stopped strumming your guitar long enough to read this. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, music is something worth thinking about in the lives of young children. Fostering a love of music is not only something that is good for the spirit, but early exposure to music has a whole host of benefits for children spanning multiple areas of development including: social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language/literacy.
To find out more about the science behind just what music does for children, give this article from PBS a read. There are a many, many in depth studies out there that laud the benefits of music on development. In fact, here's another.
However, what may be even more worthwhile to consider are the ways in which children experience music with the most important people in their lives. To risk sounding a little overly sentimental, music is a really beautiful thing. It stands on it's own as something we are drawn to, and this is no different for children. Children want to make music together and with you. Integrating music into the lives of children can be as simple as singing or humming around the house or in the car. It can mean singing your child a lullaby, banging on different containers to make sounds, shaking homemade rattles, or playing a recorded music for your child. You can often find us at school doing just this. Connections are made through the familiar melodies and shared experiences that music naturally brings.
So, in the hustle and bustle of what can seem like another manic Monday, we encourage you to take a moment to consider music and it's universality. And, if you have 20 minutes, below is an outstanding TED talk from Benjamin Zander called "The Transformative Power of Classical Music." Don't let the title scare you away, this video is about much more than just classical music, it gets to the heart of awakening new possibilities in people. And that's something we hope to do in our daily work with your children.
Nature Corner
Activity: Let's look for nature wherever we go - while riding in the car or bus, while looking out the window, or looking in books and magazines in a waiting room. Help watch for, point out, or name all the plants and animals I see.
Why?: Even short amounts of time looking at nature out of a window, or even looking at photos of natural environments is calming and improves my brain performance.
Classroom Happenings
Infant I: Last week we made a few changes to the room configuration and added a new climber to accommodate our movers. There has been lots of climbing on/up/over, so we are certainly keeping active! We've welcomed two new babies into the class, and the room is comprised of children that are similar in age to one another. The new children are adjusting wonderfully and we are so pleased to have them!
Infant II: The multiple ages in our classroom has allowed for the older students to be leaders, showing the younger children how the day goes and what's expected. In a matter of two weeks, the younger children have made a great deal of progress. For instance, we observed that the children transitioned very well into a single nap (instead of two) and that their sleep was both long and restorative. Last week we were also outdoors a ton, truly enjoying the late summer weather. A note to families: Upon drop off, please remember to have children wash hands. Also, please label food containers. Thanks!
Toddler I: Last week the early mornings were spent indoors enjoying the materials in the classroom. The children did a fantastic job of playing together, sharing and cleaning up the space after themselves. Thursday and Friday included the longest two walks the class has taken to date, including a Friday walk right into town. At lunch time, the children have been using compartment plates, and this has been a successful way to allow them a little more choice, while not overwhelming them with too much.
Toddler II: We are really into our snacks! We want to thank parents who have been contributing the healthy snacks and ask that you keep it up! Overall, we have really loved the fresh veggies, with cukes, tomatoes and peppers being the standouts. Last week the class enjoyed time at the SES playground and were seen trying out the swings and working on balance. Towards the end of the week, the children painted a large cardboard box outdoors, then played in/around/on top of it. Noticing lots of independence as children get ready for outside time, clean up, brush teeth, etc.
Pre-K: Walking, walking, walking...lots of it! It was a week full of "off campus" adventures once again. Both Jen and Holli have been really impressed with how well the younger students are doing adjusting to length and frequency of these trips out into the community. The new snack time is also going really well in the Pre-K classroom. The children have been really open to trying new things. A couple notes on snack: Do be sure to send along enough snack for all 15 hungry tummies. Also, keep in mind that the food you send that day, might not be consumed that day; we are trying to go through the seasonal fresh food that is sent in first so that nothing goes to waste. Thanks!
As Seen at MVS
Thanks for Reading!
Have a great week. -Sam
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