We go outside, even in the winter
We are looking at A LOT OF snowy days coming up this winter!
And we cannot wait for all of our outdoor winter adventures.
We wanted to address some concerns about having kids outside during the colder, darker months. Please rest assured that we keep abreast of the weather constantly. We are always tuned into how the kids and adults are faring. We keep their safety and comfort in mind as well as all the safety and licensing regulations.
We will also not subject a child to outdoor play if they are not properly attired. We have worked to have a stock of jackets, mittens, hats, even boots so that a child who comes unprepared may still participate with their friends. That being said, visiting our Supply List and making sure that your child has everything they need for each season helps us and them each day!
There will be some days that are too wet or too cold! We will have little movie and popcorn parties and days where we do art while the weather outside is frightful. BUT barring exceptional highs and lows, most weather is perfectly fine for kids and adults of all ages, and we will be going outside as often as possible.
The Better Kid Care Program, the center of knowledge for all the best childcare curriculums and teacher programs, has an entire article on the importance of winter play for children. You can read it here.
The loss of consistent outdoor playtime is absolutely detrimental to the physical and emotional wellness of a child.
In this article from Tinkergarten, they talk about how children need several HOURS of play time a day to be healthy! Keeping them indoors may seem the best way to be safe, but really, we are hindering their growth.
Occupational therapists encourage parents to take children outside in all seasons. This helps brain development and to mitigate sensory issues that are on the rise in children.
Kids are meant to play. They are meant to get dirty and windswept. They are meant to eat snow, trip in their swishy snow-pants, to fall down and find they can get back up again.
According to Pediatric Occupational Therapist Angela Hanscom, not only are these things incredible for attention and sensory issues, they are a KEY ROLE in developing The Vestibular System. This is the system our bodies use to know where we are in space! It is even more important than it sounds. Without serious play, children are more frail, more clumsy, less able to pay attention, and much more likely to struggle with emotional regulation.
Our preschool teachers are especially focused on “Kindergarten-Readiness.” This involves working on letters and numbers and pre-writing skills, but it also involves physical health and social-emotional independence. Outdoor lessons and games help cement fine-motor and gross-motor work. Operating in varying weather helps develop their sensory resilience which is essential for increasing attention span inside and outside of the classroom.
For more on Angela Hanscom’s research and Timbernook Program, click here!
For more on outside play and holistic healthy development, check out this CoordiKids Article
Here are some totally normal, outside winter activities we do at Common Ground that actually promote Kindergarten Readiness.
1. Building an Igloo with Friends: Promotes core strength, cooperation, simple machines and tools usage, basic engineering, imaginative play, patience, sensory endurance
2. Snow Walking and Rolling down Hills: Inner Ear training, strength training, leg and inner core training, aerobic workout
3. Snow Writing: Using natural tools to promote fine-motor practice. You can also use markers to do color work.
4. Winter Walk: Aerobic Exercise, Seasonal Cycles and Lessons, basic biology flora/fauna studies
What do we always say? NO BAD WEATHER. ONLY BAD CLOTHES!
Is you child really set up for this winter? Here are items that we have on our student supply list that we highly recommend purchasing as soon as possible.
Please keep in mind that all the shopping links on our blog are Amazon affiliate links. If you shop with amazon through those links, you are also supporting Common Ground directly AND keeping your kiddos prepared for all seasons!
Check out our SUPPLY LIST for our recommendations for each season!
SNOW BOOTS — Snow comes in all different shapes and sizes, but it is always cold and always wet. An insulated, water resistant boot that goes high up a child’s leg will keep them warm and dry while they play. PLEASE NOTE: While rainbows will keep a child’s foot dry, they are not properly insulated and do not offer any protection against the cold. Snow boots are most appropriate in cold, wintry weather.
WATERPROOF GLOVES OR MITTENS — Snow gloves protect against the cold, but they are also water resistant. Cotton gloves, while warm, will become wet very quickly and will do more harm than good when trying to keep your child’s hands warm. Please make sure they have snow gloves available.
SNOW PANTS — Snow pants are key to making sure a child is warm and happy for a longer period of time. The water resistant fabric makes sure that the pants they wear to school stay as dry as possible so fewer clothing changes are required.
THERMAL UNDERWEAR — We recommend these over sweat suits because they keep a child warm without overheating them or keeping their sweat in. These are perfect for layering winter clothes and helping a child regulate their body temperature while they play rough outside.
We will keep you all posted on our winter lessons and activities! Stay safe!!
— LJ and the Common Ground Crew
Here are some other essential readings on the subject of being outside.
Safety Tips for Childcare Providers and Parents!
A Montessori Guide to Playing in Winter!
Athletes and Explorers discuss keeping your kids warm in winter!
Busy Bees and Love Bugs meet Jiji the Penguin- 4s start ST Math
This week the Love Bugs and Busy Bees started their ST Math journey with Jiji the Penguin. ST Math is an online program that teaches math using fun puzzles that keep the children interested and entertained. The first step is starting to learn their 13 character password- which sounds daunting, but feels like a matching game. The expectation for Pre-K is 30 minutes per week. We are doing small group sessions of 10 minutes 3 times a week: Love Bugs MWF and Busy Bees TWTh.
To learn more about ST Math and to play games, visit bit.ly/welcome-stmath. For more information about ST Math or to download free family resources, visit stmath.com/parent-math-resources.
So far the kids have really enjoyed the time together learning from Jiji! We will keep you updated on our progress.
FCPS Language Immersion Lottery Now Open
If you have rising Kindergarteners or first graders and are interested, the lottery for the language immersion programs in Fairfax County opened today. We have been really impressed with what we have seen from the Lake Anne Spanish Immersion Kindergarten Teachers. .
Below please find additional information.
For families wanting to apply for Lake Anne Dual Language Immersion, the lottery registration begins today. Here are the dates
Online registration will close March 3, 2022 at 4 p.m.
Status notification emails regarding lottery outcomes will be sent on March 16, 2022.
Parent online responses with school selection, signed disclosure statement and fee payment (if applicable) is due on March 30, 2022.
Late online registration will open March 16, 2022. Late applications will be added to the end of the generated waiting list according to the date received.
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/dual-language-immersion-programs-registration
In order for families to place their kids in the lottery, they need to register their rising kindergartener at their base elementary school and ask for an activated SIS Parent account.
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/kindergarten-registration
Then they go to this URL and log into their SIS account.
https://insys.fcps.edu/WLImmersion/login/ED/00
The Hunters Woods lottery is separate and has slightly different dates, beginning in March. Hunters Woods has an info session on 17 Feb. Hunters Woods Elementary School has a magnet program for the Arts and Sciences. Through Responsive Instruction, Responsive Classroom strategies, arts integration, STEAM and Project Based Learning (PBL) opportunities, we work to promote a collaborative family of learners, focusing on innovations in teaching and learning. The staff at Hunters Woods is committed to weaving the arts throughout the curriculum.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/elementary-magnet-schools
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/elementary-magnet-school-lottery
It is ok to go into both lotteries. It is also ok to accept a Lake Anne offer and then decline it if you get into Hunters Woods. You do not give up your spot at your neighborhood school or the other lottery by doing so.
Conscious Discipline: The Art and Necessity of Wishing Well
What is “Wishing well” and how is it helpful day to day?
Wishing well is a way to instantly calm ourselves, and offer love and caring to others.
It is in our very building blocks to be helpful. When others are upset we want to make it better, but do not often have the tools to do so!
“Wishing Well” is a way for children to help others when there is no tangible way to offer their help.
To wish well:
1) Put your hands over your heart.
2) Take a deep breath in.
3) Pause and picture something precious in your mind
4) breathe out while opening your arms and sending those precious, loving thoughts out to the person you are wishing well.
The Wish Well Board is used for the class-wide Wish Well Ritual that you can also utilize at home. When a child is absent, moving to another school, has arrived late or is in need of support for other reasons, place the child’s picture or name in the heart inside your Wish Well Board. At home, you can “wish well” those whom you miss, who are sick, who are experiencing big events (tests, new jobs, tryouts, a new home, a new school, or a new baby arriving), and anyone who seems to be struggling.
During your Wish Well Ritual a song can be key to making connections with the other people in your group and cementing the good feelings into the wish! Conscious Discipline has songs like “We Wish You Well” on Songs for I Love You Rituals Volume 2 or “I Wish You Well” on It Starts in the Heart (in English and Spanish).
You may purchase a Wish Well Board, or create your own using a magnetic cookie sheet and magnets or foam board and velcro.
How to Use Wish Well in the Elementary Age Bedroom
Life can be complicated, families and friends can be separated by vast distances, and personal struggles abound. Yet, there is always something we can do to demonstrate our loving concern and connect with those we care for: We can wish them well. The Wish Well Board provides a visual way to aid children in wishing others well and helps adults remember to take a quiet moment, too.
Families can use the Wish Well Board from Conscious Discipline or a homemade one. Wishing well generates an internal cascade of feel-good neurochemicals and hormones that boost positive feelings.
Your Wish Well Ritual is easily incorporated into your morning routine as part of a Brain Smart way to start the day, but some children will also benefit from a personal Wish Well Board or routine in their rooms. This enables them to “visit” with the photos of loved ones and offer loving wish wells privately as well as in a group setting with the whole family.
From the bottoms of our hearts, we wish you well! Have a wonderful day!
Your CG Family
Martin Luther King Jr. -- Kids Edition
A lot of parents ask how to teach about Martin Luther King Jr. to their kids.
Super Ally Videos I History of MLK Jr. I PBS Kids on Race I MLK Jr. by Kid President I Time for Kids MLK Jr. I MLK Jr. Facts for Kids
Teaching the story of one man may seem simple, but it opens up so many complicated and uncomfortable questions parents may not feel qualified to answer correctly. Is your child old enough to understand? Will it upset or confuse them?
Children start recognizing differences between people at three months old. Giving them the tools and words they need to develop awareness and empathy is essential to a bright future. Part of that is understanding the trials of the past and the pitfalls of the present.
So how do we do that?
Read. Read. Read. Read. Read. Reading is a super power. Children’s books are a teacher’s key to unlocking lasting lessons for kids. Did you know that children relate/love/bond to book characters they see as much as they relate to real people? Brilliant children’s book authors have written about Martin Luther King Jr. in ways that children understand. Here are a few recommendations:
I am Martin Luther King Jr. by Brad Meltzer (this is a personal Common Ground favorite of many teachers)
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Picture Book Biography) by David Adler and Robert Casilla
The Story of Martin Luther King Jr.: A Biography Book for New Readers by Christine Platt
Martin Luther King Jr. by Carrie Hollister
National Geographic Readers: Martin Luther King, Jr. (An Early Readers Book!) by Kitson Jazynka
I have a Dream by Martin Luther King JR. (with a CD)
Something Happened in our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano (Author), Marietta Collins (Author), Ann Hazzard (Author), Jennifer Zivoin (Illustrator)
I’m Mixed! by Maggie Williams
Last Stop on Market St. by Matt de la Peña (this is a personal Common Ground favorite of many teachers)
We’re Different, We’re the Same (Sesame Street) by Bobbi Kates
All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
Do your research to find the right words. It can be hard when a question your child (or student!) asks stumps you. Where do you begin? How much do you say? When will they tune out? PBS Kids has an amazing series of articles on how to talk about diversity, injustice, and how to be a good friend.
Why and How to Talk to Your Children about Race
The Race Conversation for Young Children
A Discussion Guide on Talking to Young Children about Race and Racism
How to talk Honestly with Children about Racism
Don’t discourage questions. Be honest. Encourage curiosity in your children by exploring all topics, including ones that make you uncomfortable. Admit when you don’t know something or if you made a mistake, and keep reminding kids that you are still learning too. Kids will be afraid to be wrong, ask the “wrong” questions, or to make mistakes if you show that you are. Learning is a journey you should be on your whole life. Let them know it’s a journey they are on WITH you, that you are a team.
Proceed with sincerity, kindness, an open heart. Growth is hard. Since Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement, there has been progress, but we are nowhere NEAR finished. While we are teaching this next generation, we must remember we are not finished growing and should never be. Be aware of the past and what it can teach us. Be mindful of the present and how you can be better each day. Be hopeful for the future, and remember that Dreams take work.
With Love,
Your CG Family
Let's Breathe Together: Breathe on a Tropical Island
We loved the breaths designed by Mindful Schools so much that we have made cards for a lot of them! Our Star Breather helper in our classroom can pick a couple of them or a whole theme!
Today we did Breathe on a Tropical Island! It was so fun, we thought we would share it with you.
We started with setting the scene. Warm sand. Bright sun. The sound of the ocean. We cupped our ears and took slow, deep breaths in and out, listening to the waves.
Next we explored our surroundings! We picked up a lovely Starfish, traced its arms and did Starfish Breath together!
To show that we are not alone, we reminded ourselves that we are a team! We did Beachball Breaths together.
To finish, we did Shark Breathing to speak aloud our Affirmations.
I Am Safe.
I Am Strong.
I Can Handle This.
Let’s Breathe Together.
If you like our beach adventure and want to do more, try out Dolphin Breath and Blowfish Breath!
Conscious Discipline: The School Family
School Climate Impacts All Achievement
Ask yourself, “Would I rather have children say, ‘What do I get if I’m good?’ or ‘How do I give of my goodness?’” How you answer this question will determine the school climate and culture you want to create. School climate impacts all achievement. The culture of a school can foster bullying, blame and cliques, or it can build cooperation, willingness and responsibility.
The School Family builds connections between families and schools, teachers and teachers, teachers and students, and students and students to ensure the optimal development of all.
Historically, we have unconsciously used the metaphor of a factory when creating our classrooms and schools. The goal of a factory is to create standardized products through a rewards and punishment paradigm. Research and experience prove that we need a new metaphor if we wish to build successful and safe educational institutions. The School Family, built on a healthy family model, is this new metaphor. The goal of a healthy family is the optimal development of all members.
The School Family is created through routines, rituals and structures.
The School Family creates a fundamental shift in education and classroom management. Leave coercion, fear and external rewards behind, and step into a world where intrinsic motivation, helpfulness, problem-solving and connection govern your classroom.
How are we helping cultivate The School Family at Common Ground?
Changing the entire philosophy and direction of our educational system seems daunting… but how do you do anything? One step at a time.
One of the little steps is: Creating a visual schedule in our classrooms.
The classroom is for the child. It is supposed to be a supportive, loving environment structured toward holistic learning. A child thinks symbolically and needs assistance with visualizing the future. If a child is anxious or unsure about what comes next, this impacts their attention and their behavior. This simple addition to the classroom offers a clear view of transitions It can also help with home sickness.
All of our schedules will be a more specific version of this example from Conscious Discipline’s helpful materials.
What schedule pictures would be on your schedule at home? How does/would a consistent schedule help you and your children during transitions?
Subscribe to our blog to learn more about what we are doing to cultivate our school family!
Conscious Discipline Spotlight: Clearing up Misconceptions
Social-Emotional Learning has been on the rise in schools since the nineties, and we at Common Ground are eager to continue that trend.
As many of you know, we have been learning and promoting the study and lifestyle of Conscious Discipline as a center. We have been taking and retaking the courses (Ms. Victoria is on her second time through! I personally listen to the audio and then watch the videos to help get a firmer grasp on the subject matter) in order to appropriately apply the lessons to all of our classrooms. We hope to encourage our parents to take the course with us in time (stay tuned!) so that we can teach our kiddos how to speak confidently and kindly with their hearts.
Teaching with Love is much more powerful and long lasting than Teaching with Fear.
But sadly, this is a rather new concept in education and parenting, and it’s receiving backlash from those who refuse to grow themselves.
This article came out today. It brought to our attention some arguments against Social Emotional Learning programs in schools. The immediate and long-lasting benefits of teaching your child the inner disciplines of emotional self-awareness and problem solving through empathy are essential to our growth as a species, so I would personally like to clear up some of the misconceptions presented.
All learning begins at birth. Children begin learning the second they open their eyes. Everything is new and without context, so they turn to their caregivers for guidance. Children begin mimicking and responding to parents and teachers as early as three months. No Small Matter is an eye-opening documentary all about the essential roll early childhood educators play in the lives of children, starting with newborns. How you interact with babies, when you interact with babies, what responses you give to different emotions and behaviors, children absorb these calls and responses, these cause and effect relationships, like little sponges. Learning to calm yourself, learning to deal with frustration, learning how to communicate those feelings and frustrations in an appropriate way with peers and adults, all of this begins to happen before the age of 2. They have friends they “parallel play” with starting at 18 months. They are playing WITH each other by the age of 3. Imagine how overwhelming a disagreement with a friend is when you have all the social tools you have now can be.
There are parents who are questioning the validity of these emotional regulation practices and their usefulness in elementary school. They even suggested the notion that Guidance Counselors in grade school are an invasive waste of money. If children primarily learn through social interaction with adults and peers, how could giving them the tools to navigate those interactions with clear communication and confidence be anything but essential?
Awareness is not Encouragement. One of the arguments against SEL is the notion that it makes kids face social issues they “don’t need to know about yet.” They are even using the scare tactic that SEL “advertises suicide.” Making a child aware of their feelings can only be helpful. It gives their anxieties and frustrations names. It encourages them to untangle their thoughts and focus on keeping calm.
Becoming aware of problems in the world and personal stressors does not make them manifest, it simply sheds a light of what’s already there. Children primarily learn how to interact with their world by watching adults interact with each other, not how adults interact with them personally. They know so much more than we give them credit for. Conversely, trying to hide or dismiss their feelings does not make them any less real, and only encourages them to hide/bury any issues they have. These don’t go away, they just get expressed as anger and distrust down the line. Mental and Emotional Health issues are not on the rise, we are simply becoming more aware of them. We are seeing the multi-generational effects they have on entire families and communities. Social Emotional Learning SAVES lives because we are learning about these toxic behaviors that have defined our teaching for so long. Instead of trying to hide them again, we should be working to eradicate them once and for all.
Emotional stress affects academic achievement. A child that cannot calm down is a distracted learner. A child that fights with their peers is a disruptive learner. A child that is afraid to fail is a stressed learner. A child who thinks their only value comes from achievement and academic prowess will do anything they can to achieve perfection. If they do not have a safe space to express their negative feelings and sort through their fears, they will find other outlets in the form of one addiction or another. Conscious Discipline has been recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), which promotes the adoption of scientifically established behavioral health interventions. Social Emotional Learning is key in helping avoid substance abuse in children. The notion that “children should only focus on their academic progress” is privileged, because some children do not have a choice. Acknowledging that their are factors in a child’s life that matter besides academics is just acknowledging reality.
Your child is not raised in a vacuum. I am a parent. I am a teacher. I am slowly becoming trained in Conscious Discipline. I am still not everything my children need, and I do not pretend to be. My children have been nurtured by trained childhood education professionals. They have been taught by teachers with a strong background in education. I love them with all my heart, but I am not a trained counselor. I am not a history teacher, a math teacher, a science teacher. I am a single, biased human being. I am so incredibly fortunate that my children have a fleet of adults who can teach them so many things I can’t. A lot of these parents are arguing that the emotional and mental health “stuff” should all be dealt with at home. Just holding that belief implies that those lessons and obstacles are private matters to be hidden or ashamed of. Learning how to treat your friends and how to talk to your loved ones in times of friction or stress is JUST as essential as learning your numbers, and so much harder to learn later in life. Teachers that have gone through social emotional training are trained in programs written by health and education professionals. They have gone through rigorous testing and years of classroom observations. They have proven results. Read more about Conscious Disciplines 25 years of award winning classroom management here. You could be the best parent in the entire world, but you shouldn’t have to be EVERYTHING your child needs. Trust professionals.
Lastly, there has been an argument against SEL because of the idea that teaching emotional regulation and empathy for others has somehow become 'a vehicle for this quote-unquote 'social justice activism' and the indoctrination of controversial ideas related to race, sexuality and even gender and identity.'
First of all, asking a child if they feel like they belong and teaching them how to react with understanding over anger in an argument is (hopefully) unrelated to any political agenda. We are hoping to help our children learn to communicate better. We are hoping to help offer a strong, assertive foundation based in self-actualization and the knowledge that you can only control yourself, not others. These are teachings based in ancient stoic philosophy. They are not new, and they have withstood the test of time.
Second of all, we at Common Ground firmly stand for our neighbors of every race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality, gender identity, etc. If understanding our own feelings and empathizing with the feelings of others is “controversial,” so be it.
Help us create a kinder world. Help us create a world more rooted in reason and focused problem solving.
We can love our parents, our teachers, our friends with all our hearts and still acknowledge that our old methods of teaching and parenting were flawed. We can love ourselves and understand that our CURRENT methods of teaching and parenting are flawed. Let’s continue growing together.
Love Love Love,
LJ and your Common Ground Family
Learning Begins at Birth: Infant Curriculum
We have written quite a lot about how are preschool teachers are not just “babysitters.” They are early childhood professionals who give your kid a whole-body, play-based learning experience. We have seen time and time again that our approach encourages our students to be confident, independent learners who have a leg up when they begin kindergarten!
Now it is time to give our infant and toddler teachers credit where credit is due. They are phenomenal, educated, practiced professionals at their trade, and they are giving your babies an enriching childhood experience.
No Small Matter is an eye-opening documentary all about how early REAL LEARNING truly begins. We talk about this a little in our Conscious Discipline Spotlight, but essentially children start looking to you for guidance at birth.
Our teachers are constantly talking to our tiniest students. They are singing. They are describing everything they’re doing. They are making that uninterrupted eye contact and responding to any attempt at communication. All of these things are helping build essential those neural pathways for learning.
Here are some examples of how our infant teachers do lessons through play.
Songs with colorful pictures help associate words with tangible objects.
Coloring and themed sensory play help with fine motor work!
Coloring with chalk is perfect for cause and effect with fine motor work.
Animals and weather velcro gloves help with cause and effect and word association!
Playing outside in every weather helps with sensory, self-regulation, attention, and physical fitness.
Our little explorers learn so much, and it is a joy to watch. Don’t you wish you were here?
Love, Love, Love,
Your Common Ground Family
Spotlight On: Conscious Discipline - A Transformative Experience
We, as an entire center, have been taking Dr. Becky’s Conscious Discipline courses.
This is so much more than a “how-to” class. Conscious Discipline takes a transformative view on our interactions with EVERYONE, not just our students, which makes it an incredibly unique and humbling experience.
What is Conscious Discipline?
Instagram I Blog I Free Webinars I Podcast I Discipline Tips I Extra Info Links I Methodology
Conscious Discipline is designed to completely transform the way we look at “discipline.” For generations we have looked at punishment and discipline as synonyms. We have created a divide of judgment between good and bad, pass and fail, win and lose, that encourages learning and behavior through fear.
All. Behavior. Is. Communication. If we only address the behavior, we are not addressing the needs causing the behavior that aren’t being met. The goal is not “to drive you crazy,” which they can’t do anyway, if you have control! They just do not know how to ask for what they need yet.
Conscious Discipline is a series of classes designed to give you empowering tools that help you communicate, guide, and encourage with LOVE, a force much more powerful and long lasting than fear. Check out the methodology link above for the four key tenants!
In order to help children build a foundation of discipline and emotional regulation within, we need to teach ourselves to be aware of what we are saying with our words. We need to catch ourselves in moments of heightened emotion, and break defensive habits that have been passed down from parent to child.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US! How?
Here is a tried-and-true tool that we learned at the very beginning of our training. It’s called STAR BREATHING, you star!
Three deep breaths shut off the “fight or flight” system of the brain.
This active calming technique is an essential component of emotional health. Teach children to S.T.A.R.: Smile, Take a deep breath And Relax.
S.T.A.R. is one of four core breathing techniques in Conscious Discipline. The other techniques are Drain, Balloon and Pretzel. <—Click here to download a poster showing these different techniques to remind you and your kiddos how to calm yourself before you respond.
Giving yourself a chance to calm down gets you out of the “survival state.” Once you’re calm, if you’re still frustrated, repeat to yourself ”I am safe, Keep Breathing, I can handle this.” to keep the bad feelings at bay. Problem solving can commence once you are calm and ready!
We have made our Conscious Discipline Action Team and will be rolling out changes! Stay tuned, we will be sharing more things that we are implementing in our center to help transform early childhood education as we know it.
Love Love Love,
Your CG Family
Fall Supplies to stay Warm and Dry
It’s that time again, the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and the temperature is all over the place! It’s FALL in Northern Virginia!
We would like to remind you that our kids spend a good portion of their day outdoors, so layers are a must this season! In addition to the every day things your child needs, we ask that you also send in:
A lightweight jacket each day: Preferably a wind breaker, given how strong the wind can be in autumn!
A raincoat to live here at the center: We have had several days where the weather starts out sunny, but by pick up it is POURING. Per our Covid-19 policy, we try to stay outside as much as possible. Help us keep your kiddo safe and comfortable outside!
A pair of rain boots and extra socks to live at the center: We have had several days where the weather starts out sunny, but by pick up it is POURING. Per our Covid-19 policy, we try to stay outside as much as possible. Help us keep your kiddo safe and comfortable outside!
You can read more about our philosophy on “no bad weather, only bad clothes” here.
You can read more about why, even without the influence of Covid-19, we stand by going outside as much as possible here.
THE PERFECT RAINCOAT: ALLOWS THE CHILD TO WORK IN TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND STAY REASONABLE DRY FROM THE KNEES UP.
WATER BARRIER - RAINCOAT MUST BE A RAINCOAT AND NOT A WINDBREAKER. WINDBREAKERS ABSORB WATER; RAINCOATS ACT AS A BARRIER.
ZIPPER - MUST HAVE A WORKING ZIPPER CLOSURE.
UNLINED - THINNER RAINCOATS CAN BE WORN IN ALL TEMPS AND OVER COATS IN COOLER TEMPERATURES.
OVERSIZED - OVERSIZED RAINCOATS ALLOW FOR MULTIPLE LAYERS AND COVERAGE OF LEGS WHEN RAIN PANTS ARE NOT PRESENT. (HINT: BUY AN ADULT SIZE OR LARGER CHILD’S SIZE! - SEE IMAGE FOR GOOD FIT!)
A GOOD FITTING HOOD COMES WELL FORWARD OF FOREHEAD.
SLEEVES COVER FINGERS WHEN ARMS ARE DOWN; HANDS STAY DRY. CAN BE ROLLED, HEMMED, OR CUT IF TOO LONG. IF BOTTOM OF RAINCOAT COMES TO AT LEAST THE KNEES. KNEE TO ANKLE LENGTH BEST. DOES NOT HAVE CINCHED BOTTOM.
Team Spotlight: Kindergarten + School Age
Our Kindergarteners, better known as “The Jellyfish” are doing swimmingly with Miss Janette!
The small class experience has really allowed Miss Janette to take our kids on a hands-on, personalized adventure for their first year of elementary school. They do yoga, they utilize play in all their lessons, they get up-close and personal with science projects and class activities. It has been such a delight seeing them grow so much in so little time!
Our School-Age Kids don’t “check out” when they check in, thanks to Ms. Victoria!
Once the Before/After care kids get to their outdoor classroom, the fun really starts! Ms. Victoria has taught them kickball, read Encyclopedia Brown, even made elephant toothpaste! They are even making a HAUNTED HOUSE for our Trunk or Treat Spooktacular!
They may only be here for a few hours, but our School Age crew really makes that time count for something.
We have found that, for both groups, the more focused physical activity the better. These two teachers really get to know the students in their care, take account of what they need, and make sure they provide for them in a patient, structured way. In doing so, these kids feel confident in trying new things and exploring their curiosity.
Thanks, Elementary School Team! You exemplify what Common Ground stands for.
Team Spotlight: Our 4 year olds DIG their Routine!
Our 4s teachers are absolutely incredible at what they do to get their kiddos ready for kindergarten.
What’s the main thing they focus on? Self-Motivated Learning. This requires our preschoolers to feel safe, supported, and free to explore their surroundings without fear.
A clear, firm, interactive schedule provides an excellent foundation to a child. The teachers have a schedule complete with pictures of their students doing each activity! Having pictures tied to words helps form tangible understanding of each task and is really helpful for prewriting skills. Plus, seeing themselves in pictures DOING the activities is often a fun incentive to get them to stick to it!
Jobs and Responsibilities. The students have to take care of their classroom! To encourage them to be excited about this, their teachers give them SPECIAL JOBS every day to show them how to be leaders!
Practice Practice Practice. Every day the kids help guide circle. Every day the kids draw whatever they like in their journals and have discussions with their teachers about it (there’s no WRONG way to draw a squiggle). Every day they get a chance to be the person they want to be when they step through the door. Their teachers are here to encourage them, not punish them, and making mistakes is an essential part of GROWTH!
Family Photos. We are all Common Ground. Our teachers understand how integral a child’s family is to their growth and learning journey, and do not expect them to leave that at the door! Each child has a family photo with them so that they can be reminded they are loved ALL the time, 24/7.
The Love Bugs and the Busy Bees have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to preschool. Our kids go into kindergarten confident in themselves and comfortable in the learning environment. We have found that in this time of uncertainty where everyone is a little more stressed and unsure, we need these foundational tools more than ever! So parents, take as much comfort as your kiddo does that they are safe, healthy, happy learners here at Common Ground Childcare.
Love Love Love,
Your CG Family.
Team Spotlight: Infant and Toddler teachers make our days bright!
As we all know, LEARNING BEGINS AT BIRTH.
Our Bubble Buddies, Little Penguins, and Playful Pandas Teachers are incredible about offering what all babies need: Undivided attention, opportunities for curiosity, full-body play, and daily outside time.
We all know that children function better in countless ways if they get to be outside for multiple hours each day. The little ones, especially the LITTLE little ones that are not ambulatory, sometimes make this tricky…
So what do your fabulous infant and toddler teachers do? They lay out blankets and let them stare up at the sky while getting leg stretches. They go on lovely nature walks where they narrate the new and interesting surroundings. The teachers talk about leaves and bird calls while the kids stare in wide-eyed wonder and peace. They let them play with age appropriate toys, practice their walking skills, or sometimes just read them a book in the bright sunshine! It is such a joy to see them go on their mini-adventures.
How do we do this all year, rain or shine, cold or hot weather? Take a peek at our EXTRA DAILY SUPPLIES for all seasons! We recommend you make sure your children are prepared for any weather at all times. We are outside as much as possible to protect against the Covid-19 pandemic, but also because kids just learn better after running around breathing fresh air.
THANK YOU, INFANT AND TODDLER TEACHERS!! You are all shining stars, and our babies are so lucky to have you.
Celebrating Juneteenth
Here at Common Ground, it was already in our minds to honor and celebrate Juneteenth. We were so surprised and pleased that Governor Northam made it a state holiday last year, even in the midst of everything else going on. We were closed in June 2020, so we could not honor it properly, but it gave us time to think on what it means to our teachers and students. On the actual day we continue to do the work and support our families today, but all of our staff gets Holiday Pay.
We are also here to say that’s not enough. A nod to acknowledge this National Memory on what was supposed to be the end of racial injustice is the best way to BEGIN striving for growth and change. Stopping here implies that there isn’t still work to do.
Our work is just beginning everywhere, especially in childcare, where women of color help raise and educate the future.
The best way to begin striving for growth and change is acknowledging the mistakes of our past. There is no better personification of this journey than Ralph Northam.
The Daily Podcast has an amazing episode covering Northam’s journey in the last five years. You can listen to it HERE. When it was discovered Northam had dressed in black face during a contest in medical school, it was disappointing, but unsurprising. Black politicians had been used to this song and dance of half-hearted apologies and photo ops. Instead of trying to bury his mistakes, Northam took the time to feel that shame and consider his internal dialogue. Most importantly? He asked. He listened. He sat down with his BIPOC politicians and asked what he should be doing to guide the future of Virginia in the right direction.
Their collaboration has transformed Virginia. Knowing that there is so much still to do is heartening, because it means we can still grow and change and continue toward a better future.
What are things we can do here? Today? Now? What are the things WE can do to move our families, our school, our district, our state, our country, our world forward?
Self-Reflect. Be okay with realizing you don’t know everything, that you are wrong, that you have biases. Familiarize yourself with them. Knowing the problem is instrumental in defeating it. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME. Making a mistake or being wrong is only bad if you don’t work to improve. Learn what there is to know about Juneteenth.
Listen. Listen to your BIPOC neighbors, friends, teachers. Ask them what you can do, how you can support them. Ask them what they need, and keep your promises.
Speak. After the first two steps, it’s time to speak! Talk to your representatives, talk to your friends and family, help guide them in personal growth. Supporting your BIPOC childcare teachers is more essential than ever, now that the Biden administration is taking great strides in the early childhood educational field. Help them make their voice heard by adding your own.
Thank you for helping support our Common Ground community every single day. Growing with you has been an honor and a privilege.
Love Love Love,
Your CG Family
May is National Foster Care Month
Here at Common Ground Childcare we are dedicated to helping all children grow in a loving, nurturing environment.
Which is why we are using our voice to bring attention to National Foster Care Month. Foster care children are in more need of advocacy than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has done a lot to shine a light on the inequalities of representation and support, especially for our minority children in the foster care system.
What can you do to help?
Educate Yourself
What is Foster Care? Why is it necessary? How can I get involved? These questions and more are answered Here.
Key Facts and Statistics
Include these key points in your messaging to demonstrate how child welfare and legal professionals can prioritize foster care as a services to families by engaging young people in all aspects of permanency planning and helpingthem maintain meaningful connections with family and other support systems while in out-of-home care.
There are over 423,000 children and youth in foster care. Over half have a case plan goal of reunification with their parents or primary caregiver.
Juvenile and family court systems can influence whether children are reunified with their families or reenter care.
Meaningful and appropriate involvement of youth in their court hearings and case planning greatly benefits all participants and leads to more favorable outcomes for families.
Competent legal representation for parents is associated with the achievement of timely reunification.
A strong support system of professionals and family can help young people address the challenges they face during their transition to adulthood. Virtual engagement tools can be used to establish and maintain that support system by enhancing connectedness for all involved.
In addition to supporting brain development, encouraging young people to be active participants in planning their own lives supports the development of leadership skills, improves self-esteem, and helps form critical social connections.
The Resources that child welfare professionals need to have access to are HERE. This site has a lot of info for adults in every level of involvement, including how to volunteer and be a personal advocate for a child in need.
A Proclamation from the White House - This is an acknowledgment that all foster care children, even ones recently aged out, need extra support. We need to do everything we can to make sure these kids don’t fall through the cracks just because they aren’t little.
Share what you have learned and how essential our impact is to foster children. Share it with friends and family, share it on social media, shed light on the inequities of our system and work to help us change it. Here’s a link to an Outreach Toolkit to show you the basics.
Donate: There are tons of non-profits all over the country that donate to help Foster Care Children in some capacity. We recommend checking Charity Navigator or doing your own research before picking one, but there are so many ways to help! For example, the Blue Ribbon Project aims to make sure foster kids are provided with a backpack full of essentials to make them more comfortable in their new homes.
Help your kids understand Foster Care
Explain to your children that Foster Care kids are just like them. Like all children, they need empathy, care, and patience while they figure out the world around them. This is always easier with books:
The Foster Dragon: A Story about Foster Care — One of the Dragon Series books that helps kids begin to understand what Foster Care is and what Foster Care Kids need!
Kids Need to be Safe: A Story about Kids in Foster Care — A children’s book for children IN the foster care system, and for kids who want to understand why the Foster Care system is so important.
Home for Awhile — A Children’s Book about Calvin, a kid in foster care who wants to feel safe in their “for awhile” home.
Love You from Right Here — Featuring a diverse representation of characters including men, women, boys, and girls, it is written from the perspective of the foster parent to the child in foster care.
No Matter What — A little squirrel’s journey to find love!
Above all, please keep abreast of the situation politically. Keep pushing for equity with your local representatives! Together, we will make a difference.
Love Love Love,
LJ and your Common Ground Family
WOYC21: Our Playful Pandas are Living it Up
All week we have been celebrating “Week of the Young Child” with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and it has been a TOTAL BLAST.
Ms. Pinky and Ms. Simi in the Playful Pandas have really taken this opportunity to flex their incredible teaching muscles and show the world how much education really happens in play-based learning.
On Music Monday, Mr. Josh stopped by to play a little concert for each class. The Pandas got to play instruments and sing along to practice rhythm, patterns, and cause and effect! They also got to sing their heart out and dance the morning away.
On Tasty Tuesday our Pandas Teachers went above and beyond! Ms. Pinky and Ms. Simi presented their students with all different fruits. the kiddos got to touch and taste each one, then they took turns placing them into the blender. They even got to press the little blender button, much to their surprise and delight! Afterwards they placed the smoothie mix into little popsicle makers. While these froze a little more, the pandas got to try their concoction. At the end, they got to eat popsicles they made themselves. It was a step by step, multi-sensory science experiment that ended in a tasty treat!
Work Together Wednesday was quiet, cold, and rainy. But our Playful Pandas teachers had their kiddos build large, technicolor castles together. At the end, they all picked up the mess one piece at a time. Teamwork, patience, social practice. All these essential building blocks to emotional resilience and independence can come from something so simple.
Artsy Thursday is maybe my absolute favorite, and a perfect example of why kids’ art needs less guidance and more trust from teachers. Ms. Simi and Ms. Pinky put out paint, string, and paper. Then they stepped back and waited. The result was absolutely incredible. These one year olds stepped up, picked up the yarn, and began goofing around together. They splashed colors around, they shared, they made art. If we had walked them through step by step, it would have been a project. It would have been uniform. This was creative expression. This was pre-writing, fine-motor work, and independent experimentation. This. Was. Brilliant.
PLAY TO LEARN. LEARN TO PLAY. LEARNING IS JOY. Thanks for celebrating with us, Pandas!
Stay tuned for more wonderful ways our classes celebrated this week!
Paleontology and Potatoes
When it comes to Child-Led Learning, Full-Body Play, and Play-Based Curriculum, our Owls Teachers are really DINO-mite.
Today was the last day of Spring Break, and we wanted to do something extra-special for the Owls. They spent last week solving fairy riddles, sewing their own stuffed animals, and just enjoying each other’s company. Being a whole class of hybrid learners, we knew what they really needed was a technology detox. The one drawback to last week was that it was pretty cold each day! But today is pretty mild, and we wanted to get the kids outside as much as possible before school restarted…
There is no greater grand-finale to a no-tech week than a prehistoric dinosaur dig!
The idea came from last summer, where we had noticed some of the kids were digging, looking for “dino bones” in the mulch. We thought to make it an actual activity for our spring break, so it was time to get our hands dirty! The owls prepared for our dino dig outside in our garden patch with Miss Liz! After the fun dirt patch was all set up and the owls went in for snack, something strange happened… suddenly the dirt was filled with small dinosaur skeletons and a scattering of gorgeous jewels! The students were absolutely delighted. They gathered around the patch with spoons and plastic baggies, carefully sifting through the new dirt to find “long-forgotten” treasures. The children had a great time observing the various rocks and minerals they had found. What we were delighted to see was, rather than being a total free-for-all, they began helping EACH OTHER find dinosaur skeletons amongst the dirt. They all took turns scooping and combing through soil, feeling for a fossil, bones or rocks. When some students found more dinosaurs than others, they made an effort to re-hide the skeletons and guided their friends to find it for their keeping.
This activity was an absolute delight for everyone involved. Not only did they get to experience a “paleontology dig,” but they practiced working on their socializing, patience, fine motor skills and problem solving. These social-emotional tools are as essential as any reading/writing practice, and the events have spurred their imagination for future games and projects. At the end of the day, everyone went home happy and with great treasures, a truly wonderful way to end the spring break at Common Ground.
This was just the first digging project. We have a lot of planting to do in April, especially during Week of the Young Child.
The Owls class has shown their love of digging and playing in dirt, so we figured a little Spring Break Gardening would partner nicely with our Dinosaur dig. Every so often you end up with a sprouting potato or two in your kitchen. That is an excellent and easy way to start growing your own and teach about nature and sustainability. We started with 6 sprouting potatoes, provided by a family member who started scrap gardening during the pandemic, and a google search https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/potato-grow-bag-instructions/7099.html. The class got to see the sprouting potatoes whole in the classroom and learned that seeds are not the only way things can grow. We purchased soil and two potato planting bags. With good quality Dollar Store spades, the kids took turns and worked together to get the base layer of soil down. We planted our chunks and took turns again to cover them up. The bags are placed on the grassy patch by the main entrance which is perfect for us to be able to monitor when we go out for recess and then add more soil when the sprouts outgrow the top layer.
As you can see, the best memories do not have to take too much effort. This is an afternoon they won’t soon forget! We encourage you to go on outside and get your hands dirty! You won’t regret it.
Women's History Month: Fantastic Books for Kids
Hello Common Ground Readers!
TODAY IS READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY!!
March is also WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, so we decided to share ten of our most favorite books to share with your children. Reading to children is essential. It is food for their imagination. It is integral to the development of empathy and understanding people not like them.
Reading is a gateway to the entirety of what we can know. All you have to do is hand them the keys.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison: Buy Here - Little Leaders educates and inspires as it relates true stories of forty trailblazing black women in American history.
What will I be? by Jayla Joseph: Buy Here - There are no limits on the greatness we can achieve! A positive & powerful picture book showing Black girls planning for their futures.
Little Feminist Board Book Set by Lydia Ortiz: Buy Here - It is never too early to learn about amazing women of history! This set of board books teaches our littlest leaders about women activists, artists, leaders, and pioneers with colorful pictures to capture their imagination.
Fantastically Great Women who Changed the World by Kate Pankehurst: Buy Here - Share a different story each night, fill your children’s brains with all of the wondrous things even one person can do to change the world.
A Is for Awesome!: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World by Derek Desierto: Buy Here - Why stick with plain old A, B, C when you can have Amelia (Earhart), Malala, Tina (Turner), Ruth (Bader Ginsburg), all the way to eXtraordinary You―and the Zillion of adventures you will go on?
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating : Buy Here - Who doesn’t love sharks? Who doesn’t love a woman awesome and brave and smart enough to swim with sharks just to learn about them? Read your little marine biologist all about Eugenie Clark!
My Little Golden Book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Buy Here - The Little Golden Books all about amazing women are phenomenal, and this one is no exception. Add it to your shelf for your little freedom fighter.
The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill: Buy Here - This one is for middles instead of littles, but it is worth reading to anyone who will listen. Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.
I will be Fierce! by Bea Birdsong: Buy Here - A powerful picture book about courage, confidence, kindness, and finding the extraordinary in everyday moments.
Dear Girl: A Celebration of Wonderful, Smart, Beautiful You! by Amy Krause Rosenthal: Buy Here - A book about how every woman is extraordinary, especially YOU.
Please share your favorite children’s books on amazing women in the comments!
Do you like posts like these?? We have several book lists for all different themes! Here’s one for Children’s Books on Math!
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Miss Janette's "The Magic of Colors" Lesson Series PREMIERING IN MARCH!
To all the parents and guardians out there of curious, precocious little tykes…
We hear you. Winter is hard enough without the pandemic restricting activities. Sometimes you just need twenty minutes to do the dishes, to start a load of laundry, to make a zoom call. Sometimes you just need twenty minutes to take a deep breath and a sip of coffee.
That’s where we come in.
Miss Janette, the coordinator of our online classes for 2.5-3.5 year olds as well as our private kindergarten teacher, has designed four color spectrum lessons that come with a “ready-to-go” lesson box with everything you need!
Each twenty minute lesson has a story, a related craft or activity, and an extra bonus activity that can be done at any time. For each lesson you sign up for you receive a box with EVERYTHING your child needs to participate. Each activity is set up and measured out so that Miss Janette should be able to interact and teach your child with little to no supervision from a guardian!
Starting on March 8th, the classes will occur the next four Mondays!
Here is the registration page
We recommend signing up for all four classes because while they stand on their own independently, they also build on each other. Besides, they are all so fun, which one could you bear to skip?? The lessons are $20.00 per box, or $60.00 for the whole set! You may receive a “sibling box” for an extra $10.00 per lesson.
March 8th: Magical Color Mixing: Miss Janette will read Press Here and help your kiddo make their own magical color mixing wand!
March 15th: Rainbow Blooms: Miss Janette will read Penguins love Colors and do a Rainbow STEAM activity with your child!
March 22nd: Create Your Own Color Finders: Miss Janette will read Pete the Cat and his Magic Sunglasses. Afterward, she will help your kid create their own magical binoculars to help them search for colors!
March 29th:The Whimsical White Crayon: Miss Janette will read The Day the Crayons Quit and do an amazing coloring activity where they use colors to make their letters appear!
Give yourself a break, give the kiddos something to look forward to on their wintry Mondays.
-Common Ground
