“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours… the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear.” -Maria Montessori
Toddler 2 is buzzing with excitement for warmer weather which means no more bulky snow pants or obstructive mittens. In our outdoor classroom, we have been noticing shrinking snow piles, deep puddles, busy birds and squirrels and warm spring breezes. One child even noticed the snow drops blooming in front of Toddler House!
Over the next few weeks, we will spend a lot of time discussing spring. For example, we will go for short walks around the neighborhood to look for other signs of the changing seasons. Also, Ambra, our outdoor enrichment coordinator, will be helping us plant some seeds (vegetables, herbs and flowers) to be transplanted to our outdoor classroom. Please let me know if you'd like to lend your green thumb to help us with this activity! We will also be spending more time outdoors and will eventually be asking that you drop-off outside.
This seasonal transition will allow for new experiences and therefore new vocabulary. Two-year-olds have entered into what Maria Montessori calls an "Explosion Epoch" marking the developmental milestone of huge gains in language. They begin using 3-4 word sentences, gain 200-300 new words in just a few months time, use new phrases, understands positional words, asks SO many questions, understand that language is used as a communication tool and can identify objects for its use. What an amazing time in an individual's life to be able to express their thoughts effectively. On the other hand, some children may feel frustration when they are misunderstood.
You can participate in this language explosion by naming new things you see in the environment with lots of adjectives, expanding your child's sentences (for example, if your child says, "No boots!" you could reply, "Ok, you don't want to wear your boots. Would you rather wear your shoes?"), asking them questions about what they see, recalling events from their day and telling stories about things that happened in your day. Remember, your child is in a stage where they are absorbing new information without being consciously aware they are doing it. No need to teach or preach, just natually exposing them to new experiences is all it takes. Aren't our brains awesome?
Thank you for sharing your children with us everyday. They are all incredible beings.
One last thing, I'd like to welcome Sarah back to T2. We are so happy to have your contagious smile return to our classroom. With that, I'd also like to send a heartfelt thank you to Acadia for supporting T2 in so many ways. We will miss you, Acadia!
Be well,
Amanda Isaksson, Acadia Prestidge, Sarah O'Farrell and Jill Jaworski
Upcoming events
Wednesday, March 18 - Parent Education at 5:30 -7 PM at Lakeside Coffee
Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3 - School Closed for Spring Break
Saturday, April 18 - Spruce Up Day