4 Ways to Instill Thankfulness in Young Children
It’s never too early to teach your child about thankfulness. By learning concepts of generosity and compassion, children strengthen their connection to their community and become sensitive to the feelings of others.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, so now is a great time to reinforce the importance of thankfulness and giving back to those in need.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.
TODDLERS: Be a good role model
In the classroom: Our teachers introduce “please” and “thank you” to our toddlers by using sign language and verbal communication. Students practice good manners with their dolls, stuffed animals and each other.
At home: Modeling positive behaviors is a great way to teach your child good manners. Say “please” before asking him to do something, and always follow with “thank you.”
Recommended reading:Little Critter® I Am Helping by Mercer Mayer
BEGINNERS: Share your gratitude out loud
In the classroom: Our teachers encourage our Beginner students to name a few of their favorite toys and games, and bring one in from home to share with friends. By sharing their belongings, children nurture connections with their classmates, and build necessary problem-solving skills.
At home: Talk with your child about the things in your life for which you are thankful, and ask him to name a few as well. Extend the discussion beyond physical possessions. For instance, if he is thankful for a favorite toy, say “Grandma bought you that toy, and we are thankful for her.”
Recommended reading:Spot Helps Out by Eric Hill
INTERMEDIATES: Show appreciation through actions
In the classroom: By age three, children begin to understand the concept of appreciation. They create birthday cards for their teachers, make art projects for friends, and write thank you cards for classroom visitors.
At home: Go shopping with your child, and buy a small token of appreciation for a friend or family member. Ask your child to draw a picture or write a thank you note to accompany the gift.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Good Deeds by Norman Bridwell
PRE-K/PRE-K2: Give back to those in need
In the classroom: During the holidays, many of our schools host donation drives for organizations in need. Our older preschoolers discuss why they are participating, count the items donated, and sometimes have the opportunity to deliver the donations.
At home: Donate canned goods to a local food pantry, and allow your child to choose the food that he would like to donate. Explain to him that you are thankful to have good food to eat, and that you want to make sure that others have the same.
Recommended reading: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
We provide many opportunities for our preschoolers to develop thankfulness and show gratitude towards others. By setting this positive foundation, your child will be more appreciative and generous as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education
November News
From the Principal’s Office:
Thank you to all who came out to the Pumpkin Parade! November is here and we love this time of year! The classrooms have many opportunities to learn about weather and seasonal changes as well as explore pumpkins and apples! We will begin to talk about thankfulness in the classrooms as well. Coming up we will be accepting gently used blankets and/or towels to be donated to a local animal shelter. Sometimes we forget about our furry friends in need. Be on the lookout for more information!
With the holidays fast approaching, please be on the lookout for attendance sheets to let us know if your child will/will not be attending school so that we can staff appropriately.
Important Dates:
Wednesday, November 11th- SCHOOL CLOSED (Teacher In-Service Day)
Friday, November 13th- Pajama Day!
Thursday, November 19th- “Red Carpet” Movie Premier! (Children will be invited to dress up and walk a red carpet to watch a special Thanksgiving movie!)
Friday, November 20th- Thanksgiving lunch
Thursday, November 26th- SCHOOL CLOSED (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Days are becoming cooler, please bring in a seasonal change of clothes for your children. Please remember to label your child’s clothing, jackets, hats, mittens, bottles, nap items and sippy cups to avoid confusion of items being sent home with another family.
Please do not leave your children unattended in the building. There are areas in which children are not allowed to enter (kitchen, laundry room, adult bathroom, etc.) for safety reasons.
The sign in and out binder on the front desk is another way we keep your children safe. Noting the times your children arrive and leave helps us track which adult brought or picked up the child. Our teachers also keep records of attendance in the classrooms, so please make sure your child’s teacher acknowledges you at drop off or pick up; especially when picking your children up from the playground areas. Thank you for helping to keep our children safe.
For Parents:
When is Chesterbrook Academy Closed? Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day and 4th of July
We will also close early on Christmas Eve 3:00 pm.
Withdraw Policy: In order to withdraw your child from school, four weeks notice must be given (per the tuition policy). If you are withdrawing for any period beyond 3 weeks, your spot may be secured by paying the registration fee ($80). If the registration fee is not paid prior to your withdraw, your child’s spot is not guaranteed upon your return. All withdraws must be made in writing.
According to DPW, children are allowed to be here for up to ten hours per day. Any time beyond those ten hours will result in additional charges.
Vacation Credits: Families are allotted one week’s worth of vacation credit per fiscal year (July 1-June 30). This credit is used for a Monday-Friday week when your child will not be in the building. Your family must be enrolled for 6 months prior to being eligible for the vacation credit! Please remember: 2 Weeks notice must given in order to take advantage of this credit.
Wellness Policy: According to the parent handbook we will send children home for the following reasons. We also reserve the right to send a child home for any signs of communicable diseases:
Fever 100.5 or higher
Vomiting
Diarrhea (reoccurring)
Cough/Sore Throat
Fussy, cranky, excessive crying
Head lice
Unknown rash
A child must be 24 hour symptom and medicine free in order to return to school.
Parking Lot Safety: Please maintain a safe driving speed through the parking lot at all times. Please do not leave your car running in the parking lot. Please do not sit in the parking lot on your cell phones, as space is extremely limited. Please do not allow your child to be unattended in the parking lot at any time.
From the Education Department
4 Ways to Instill Thankfulness in Young Children
It’s never too early to teach your child about thankfulness. By learning concepts of generosity and compassion, children strengthen their connection to their community and become sensitive to the feelings of others.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, so now is a great time to reinforce the importance of thankfulness and giving back to those in need.
Below are age appropriate activities that we implement in the classroom, as well as activities for you and your child to do at home.
TODDLERS: Be a good role model
In the classroom: Our teachers introduce “please” and “thank you” to our toddlers by using sign language and verbal communication. Students practice good manners with their dolls, stuffed animals and each other.
At home: Modeling positive behaviors is a great way to teach your child good manners. Say “please” before asking him to do something, and always follow with “thank you.”
Recommended reading:Little Critter® I Am Helping by Mercer Mayer
BEGINNERS: Share your gratitude out loud
In the classroom: Our teachers encourage our Beginner students to name a few of their favorite toys and games, and bring one in from home to share with friends. By sharing their belongings, children nurture connections with their classmates, and build necessary problem-solving skills.
At home: Talk with your child about the things in your life for which you are thankful, and ask him to name a few as well. Extend the discussion beyond physical possessions. For instance, if he is thankful for a favorite toy, say “Grandma bought you that toy, and we are thankful for her.”
Recommended reading:Spot Helps Out by Eric Hill
INTERMEDIATES: Show appreciation through actions
In the classroom: By age three, children begin to understand the concept of appreciation. They create birthday cards for their teachers, make art projects for friends, and write thank you cards for classroom visitors.
At home: Go shopping with your child, and buy a small token of appreciation for a friend or family member. Ask your child to draw a picture or write a thank you note to accompany the gift.
Recommended reading: Clifford’s Good Deeds by Norman Bridwell
PRE-K/PRE-K2: Give back to those in need
In the classroom: During the holidays, many of our schools host donation drives for organizations in need. Our older preschoolers discuss why they are participating, count the items donated, and sometimes have the opportunity to deliver the donations.
At home: Donate canned goods to a local food pantry, and allow your child to choose the food that he would like to donate. Explain to him that you are thankful to have good food to eat, and that you want to make sure that others have the same.
Recommended reading: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
We provide many opportunities for our preschoolers to develop thankfulness and show gratitude towards others. By setting this positive foundation, your child will be more appreciative and generous as he enters elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD – Director of Early Childhood Education