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“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand” Confucius You might be thinking, my child is already compassionate, sweet and kind. But for young children, their limited life experiences means the kindness they exhibit centers more on their immediate world: their parents, extended family, their school. They might understand what it means to be nice to a friend and how to provide a sympathetic gesture when someone they know is sad, but kindness for the greater good is usually beyond their understanding. Gaining a big picture sense of how to be a socially responsible empathetic person can take a lifetime to fully comprehend.



 With some adult modeling and guidance, children&#8217;s narrow empathetic lens can easily be accelerated by expanding their focus to include a wider range of people, especially surrounding the holiday season. This can be done by talking and modeling what an act of kindness looks like and feels like and celebrating each moment of kindness that your child is involved with.



 These acts of kindness can relate to small and big ideas. To understand the ramifications of their actions, children just need to relate to the person or concept they are bestowing kindness on. Here are some examples: 



For Infants:



&#8211; Remember that babies are always watching you. As much as you can, model small acts of kindness in front of your baby and practice self talk while doing it. 



&#8211; When you verbalize appreciation for your partner, show your baby a hug, or a smile, so they see you and learn kindness along the way 



&#8211; When you wash hands with your baby, use self talk to discuss what you’re doing, and why it matters to protect and take care of others



&#8211; Virtually, with your child, check up on an elderly person in their life



&#8211; Face time with their special friends and model how to tell them that they are missed and ask if there is anything that you can do for them



For Toddlers &amp; Preschool



&#8211; If your child personally knows an essential medical worker, send a video that expresses gratitude or do a zoom sing a long meeting with that person



&#8211; If you have an elderly neighbor, send over a special piece of art to leave outside their home



&#8211; Virtually, with your child, check up on an elderly person in their life. Face time with your child’s special friend and model how to tell them that they are missed and ask if there is anything that you can do for them



&#8211; When your child displays kindness of any sort- they are nice to a sibling, they help you with dinner, they give you a spontaneous hug- thank them for the kind gesture



&#8211; To carry on this idea on a daily basis, make a kindness calendar.  Each day, with your child plan one act of kindness they they would like to accomplish by the end of the day.



Being an empathetic being is a process, but over time your child will master this complex skill by doing one act of kindness at a time. By helping your child become more aware of other people who are not normally on their immediate radar, you are helping to open up their mind and heart to the language of kindness and appreciation and giving them a sense of hope of a brighter tomorrow &#8211; an idea that we all need to hang on to in this uncertain time.

Practicing Kindness with Young Children

One of the secrets to creating an easy flowing school day for young learners is helping children with the transitions from one part of the day to the next. The number of transitions that your child moves through are multiple.&nbsp; Without transitional tools, the best laid plans rarely work out. Read on to create a repertoire of strategies to help you make transitions much smoother. It is never too early to begin incorporating transitional strategies into your child’s daily routine.



Transition with a timer:



Children’s sense of time is different than adults.&nbsp; If you say, “ you have five more minutes to play” a young child probably does not understand what five minutes means.&nbsp; Providing children with a kitchen timer can solve this dilemma. A timer takes away the element of surprise about when it is time to stop what they are currently doing.&nbsp; When you are ready to start a transition you can say “ Can you hold this timer. I am going to set it for five minutes and when the timer rings let me know because that is when we are going to …” This technique can help children feel in control , be in charge of their schedule as they make a transition.&nbsp;



Transition with a story:



You can start with this song and then cozy up with your child and read a favorite story before transitioning to the next part of the day.



Tune: “If You’re Happy And You Know It”



If you’re ready for a story, come sit down.



If you’re ready for a story, come sit down.



Let’s gather near, so you can hear.



If you’re ready for a story, come sit down.



Transition with Movement:



Take a few minutes between activities to “get the wiggles out” by incorporating movement and physical exercise as a way to break from one activity and start something new.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Other ideas for transitioning:



&#8211; Dim the lights and then have your child close their eyes while you help them guess what the next activity of the day is.



&#8211; Put on classical music to refocus your child’s focus



&#8211; Have an exercise challenge- How high can you jump, how many jumping jacks can we do, how&nbsp;



&#8211; Use a clapping response game where you clap and they respond. For example, clap two times and then your child parrots the clapping



&#8211; Set the Stage &#8211; Give children age-appropriate information so they know what’s happening and how it will affect them.



&#8211; Co-create plans by involving them in daily decision-making, like choosing the next activity or what they’d like for lunch.



Once you start thinking about your day in terms of blocks of time, transitions cues will come naturally to you and make these sometimes challenging moments of the day more fun and less stressful.

Transitions Made Easier

At Vivvi, our snack and meal times are for more than just eating. We view this time of the day as an important communication and learning time. Based on decades of research, Vivvi teachers know that meal time offers opportunities for engaging in purposeful conversations to extend language and critical thinking skills and promotes fine motor strength as peer relationships are built and a foundation for healthy eating habits  transpires.  



These communal eating experiences begin even before the meal begins at our school.&nbsp; With infants,&nbsp; as they eagerly await for their bottle, self regulation versus instant gratification is practiced, as well as fine motor skills as they learn to use a grasping grip for bottle holding. And as teachers respond to their needs our babies become confident and secure.



With toddlers and preschoolers,  during meal preparation, children practice 1:1 correspondence as they set the table and fine motor development to open food containers; extending their collaborative skills as they work together in a respectful way. 



The same benefits of a group  meal experiences at school benefit children at home.  But with our busy lives and obligations- how can this be done? Here are some tips to help you get organized to discover the joys of family mealtime. 



Use Helping Hands&#8211; Assign a meal prep job to each person in your family.  For babies it can just be giving them a sensory bin activity that will keep them occupied while you start your meal prep.  For toddlers and preschoolers it can be having them shred the lettuce for the salad or setting the table.  By starting to introduce the idea of being a contributor to a family meal at a young age- as your child grows they will more likely continue to understand the necessity of being an active participant in daily family routines. 



Menu planning&#8211; If your children are old enough, get them involved in meal planning.  Participating in food selection, can motivate picky eaters to try different foods.  In a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition,  children were offered sweet red pepper and asked to rate how much they liked it. Then, each day for the next eight days, they were invited to eat as much of the pepper as they wanted. By the end of the experiment, the children rated the taste of a pepper higher than the first day and were eating more of it.



Cleaning up&#8211; As we know once a meal is done- that is when the real work begins!  This is the perfect time to model the value of working together to achieve a common goal- a clean kitchen and will help your child gain a sense of responsibility and accountability.



Finding time to eat as a family might just be the ultimate learning experience for your child.&nbsp; As Henry Wasworth Longfellow said “a single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years of mere study of books”&nbsp; During your next family meal, enjoy the food and company as you nurture the roots of learning in your child.&nbsp;

What Children Learn During Mealtime

At this time, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html">CDC</a> advises that travel increases your chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes covid-19, and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.&nbsp; For those who are choosing to travel during the holiday season, we’ve compiled some best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Precautions to take while traveling in a car:



&#8211; Wear a mask outside of the car when you cannot achieve social distancing &#8211; minimize touching your mask, face etc and throw out disposable masks once they’ve been used.



&#8211; Wash your hands after touching common surfaces like a gas pump, door handles, bathroom stalls, etc.



&#8211; Stock up on clean masks, sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer to have for use in the car and where you’re headed. (Don’t assume your destination will be stocked up on fresh supplies!)



&#8211; Minimize the stops you make on your way to/from a destination.



&#8211; Pack snacks, drinks and plenty of things to keep everyone busy during the trip. (If you’re a parent, you’ve already mastered this!)



Precautions during family gatherings:



&#8211; You’re most at risk when you’re spending time around people with less than six feet of distance for more than 10 minutes. So, now’s the time to get creative with seating arrangements &#8211; spread out (utilize the couch for dinner as a “special treat.”) 



&#8211; Limit interactions with family members or friends over 65, or anyone with an existing condition or compromised immune system. Wearing masks in these situations is a big help in keeping safe.



&#8211; Discourage buffet-style eating and choose one person to serve (Everyone should be chipping in on chores anyway, right?)



&#8211; Consider mailing gifts or other packages to your destination ahead of time



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Other things to consider:



&#8211; Before you travel, check with your employer about potential quarantine after traveling, which can determine how and when you will be away from work.
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&#8211; Self-monitor for symptoms, especially when you come back from hotspots.



&#8211; If you can, get tested a day or two before the actual gathering for peace of mind (and ask others you will see to get tested as well.)



&#8211; If you need to social distance or wear masks while you are visiting relatives, talk to your children first about what to expect and so they can prepare for the change. Travel restrictions vary by state &#8211; make sure you are aware of the rules for residents and visitors alike.

Tips for Traveling Safely this Holiday Season

With the election just around the corner, I’ve been pondering how to engage my son in conversation about it. But if the unprecedented nature of 2020 has hammered in one lesson, it’s that there’s a “child” version and an “adult” version of everything. So the big question for me right now is: As we soak in the news (and perhaps lots of anxiety) in the waning days of the month, how do we help our children to begin to grasp fundamentals like civic duty, the freedom to express themselves, and the power of their own voices? And what, if anything, are they capable of understanding?&nbsp;



No 2-year-old is going to master the complexities of the American political system — let’s face it, most adults don’t, either. But here are a few easy, developmentally appropriate ways to broach the subject with young children:



1. Bring them to vote, if you’re doing so in person this year. If not, let them peer on as you fill out mail-in ballots at the kitchen counter or point out campaign posters on your next walk.



2. Talk openly about the importance of kindness towards others, even the people we disagree with, and about how sometimes you win, but other times you don’t. 



3. Limit your child’s exposure to the news when possible. If not, make it an active, participatory experience. Talk about what you’re seeing on the screen. Describe candidates’ emotions or faces. Repeat and discuss some of the words that you hear. 



4. On Election Night — if the TV is on before bedtime — point out numbers, letters, and colors; you can even turn maps, charts, and chyrons into a game of “I Spy.” 



5. Read! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L2FYT3Z/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">“A Is for All All the Things You Are”</a> breaks down complex subjects like “Fair” and “Xenial” through inclusive, kid-friendly illustrations. I also love <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://shop.nga.gov/755812/parker-looks-up-an-extraordinary-moment?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIsAEWBFMIMxnIjbKHU1v1SnQsCkHf-SifPXhdDYD4T4wozJq10CD6_QppqLRUaArLCEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Parker Looks Up</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=max+for+president" target="_blank">, Max For President</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/books/review/unpresidented-martha-brockenbrough.html">this New York Times Book Review list</a> of political books for kids. 



And remember, simple wins. Doing just one of these things can start to set a foundation for learning and conversations to come.

Talking to Children About the Election

As children get older, Halloween is right up their alley.&nbsp; It&#8217;s a day when their fantasies can be lived in real time.&nbsp; Check out our ideas below, and before you begin to plan, get your children involved, as they likely have some fun ideas of their own!



Halloween Countdown:&nbsp; A visual countdown helps children develop a sense of security and self-discipline (and supports early math skills!) while getting excited for a special event.&nbsp; Create a simple calendar and hang it at child-level.&nbsp; Each day, draw pictures, use stickers or a marker to count down the days!



Transform any space:&nbsp; Children love small spaces, so don’t feel pressure to take over your entire house with halloween decorations. A closet, corner of a room or even a big box can become a different world with just a few changes:



&#8211; Use pumpkins, gourds or leaves, pine cones and branches you’ve collected from a walk in the park.&nbsp;&nbsp;



&#8211; Construction paper or old cardboard, tissue paper and some tape/glue can make jack o&#8217;lanterns and silly skulls to line your walls or hang from the ceiling.&nbsp;



&#8211; Cover flashlights with colored tissue paper to create that spooky glow.



Indoor Scavenger Hunt &amp; Trick or Treating: What better way to start the day than with a scavenger hunt of Halloween artifacts.&nbsp; You can print photos of the objects hidden, shut off the lights and with flashlights search for the Halloween treasures.&nbsp; Add a trick or treat element by hiding candy or snacks with each treasure.



Host a virtual Halloween costume contest: Dressing up is one of the best parts of Halloween, and you can still show off your costumes during a group call! Challenge your kids to create their own costumes using items they have at home, and organize a contest for specific categories, like funniest, most colorful, most unique, etc.



Halloween Movie: This year Halloween falls on a Saturday, a great day for movies.&nbsp; You know your children best and&nbsp; the amount of scariness your children can handle.&nbsp; A few of our favorite movies recommendations include:&nbsp; “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” “Monsters Inc.,”&nbsp; “Coco,”&nbsp; “Winnie The Pooh and the Heffalumpen” and “Curious George, a Halloween BooFest”

Halloween for Preschoolers & School Age Children

While some young children love the spooky spectacle of Halloween for other children Halloween can be unsettling, or even scary since developmentally distinguishing fantasy and reality is not yet fully understood. At Vivvi, we celebrate by making Halloween a special  “Orange Day”  with these activities: 



1. Make orange <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vS5Lk7dEPB2b3HIsWQB_WkNr4dKESdnK8RboBgw5RrHxgXX2n7SKRZyeGuAjsgvqvN6Dh66pLmaVWBa/pub?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000">playdough</a> or <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQF-Q-hGi7Tn0qlL9xeRqwYvnh4ZjRIPQFZtJmmVD5-kTI-RPnLJEg0Aw7l6_R2Cib-8uUL82W-l3Kp/pub?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000">slime</a>



2. Red and yellow paint mixing



3. Make orange fruit salad with oranges and persimmons



4. Go on an orange treasure hunt in your home



5. Make a magical <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQGbB9DiIRnwgPLCgUwi3UnXZvGUyP_QXOkjOpJtMS14Z-uIgV_Dfs_-8qM76RBHzw1roUTGNXV_IBT/pub?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000">blanket fort </a>



6. Pumpkin painting and/or jack o lantern carving



7. Everyone wears orange for the day!

Halloween for Infants & Toddlers

Face coverings are an essential component in keeping children safe as they return to school ​and ​child care and other group settings​ ​and it is required for use for children over 2 years old. Here are some tips on making it a daily family practice.



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Offer Variety and Choice: Many parents know that most battles get resolved when you involve your child in a decision-making process and empower them to make their own choices. Purchasing or making a few different types of masks in a variety of colors or designs will support this independent thinking. Bonus &#8211; you’ll always be sure to have an extra clean mask on hand. If possible, allow your child to pick out the masks or material before you purchase or make them. When your child needs to wear a mask, start with giving them a choice. For Example: “Would you like to wear your red mask, or your blue mask?” 



Practice “Masked” Behavior: Help your child feel good about seeing others and themselves in a mask by finding opportunities to model a variety of scenarios:



1. Wear your mask in front of your child



2. Practice wearing masks together, looking in the mirror and talking about it, demonstrating the correct and incorrect ways to wear them



Look at photos with other children wearing masks



Take a walk or visit the park. Create an activity such as “counting the number of blue masks” or “observing which masks have patterns versus solids”



Play! Put masks on a favorite doll or stuffed animal 



Reward &amp; Reinforce the Positive:



Practice with a timer. For example: “First we’ll practice wearing our masks for five minutes. Then we’ll play with your blocks.”



Do a favorite activity while they’re practicing with their mask



Plan a rewarding activity that requires wearing a mask like the playground!



Words of encouragement and plenty of positivity always help reinforce the behavior &#8211; take selfies, give high fives and cheers&#8230; whatever it takes! 



One Final Note&#8230; Wearing a mask is hard for a lot of people, and can be really hard for children. Pick and choose what tips here might work best for you and your child. Take it one day at a time, take breaks and have patience. Most importantly, try to remain calm and positive and model the best behavior by wearing a mask too!
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Making Mask – Wearing Comfortable & Fun

From the moment they are born, babies begin to gain an understanding about math. This occurs by just being part of the action and hearing the basic math language that you use everyday without even realizing it. Here are some ways you can provide your child with the start of a mathematical foundation as you engage in your everyday tasks that you do throughout the day:



Sorting skills: As you sort your laundry talk about the two piles of laundry you are making. Using self -talk you can say ”We need to sort the laundry into dark clothes and light colored clothes. Here is the dark pile and here is the light pile. What pile should I put this in?” This sorting discussion will provide your child with the start of understanding logic and problem solving&#8211;the foundation of mathematical reasoning.



Transitioning: When it is time to move your baby away from one activity to another, by saying to your child, “in five minutes, I am going to vacuum the rug or have your food ready,” the concept of time is being introduced.



Number Sense: There are so many opportunities throughout the day where providing your child with knowledge about quantity can be incorporated. Including: during diapering routines as talk about how many eyes they have, nose, toes etc, as you dress your baby pointing out using counting: “first we are going to put one leg into your pants, second we are going to” etc, setting the table by counting out loud how many place settings you need for dinner, counting out loud how many toys of a certain type are in the toy box, cleaning up “I need to pick up these two blocks-one block two blocks…”



Measurement: While cooking read the recipe out loud so your baby can hear fractional measurement words, during feeding time use words such as more or less to help your child distinguish what these words mean by saying” I see you have more to drink” or “ For breakfast you ate less then you are eating for lunch. You must be hungry because you are eating more.”



Estimation: As your child is playing, help estimate how many by saying “I wonder how many toys will fit in this bin? I think (say how many toys). Let’s count and see.” 



Patterning: Patterning is the basis of all mathematics. It develops the logical thinking needed for later high order math work. Musical experiences provide the beginning of this understanding as babies use their bodies to internalize the understanding of sequence and patterning as they move to the music. Try listening to different types of music for a variety of beats to follow.

Mathematical Conceptualization for Babies

When you think of what children need for healthy development, what comes to mind? Probably nutritious food, cognitive prowess and a loving home&#8230;play might not make your list. Here is why it should&#8230;



Playing is a child’s most important work, not something they do after their “real work” is done. It is how children make sense of the world around them and is the essence of how children develop and grow into capable and critical thinkers. If you are not schooled in the world of early childhood education, when you think of play for children, you might be imagining structured play with toys that lend themselves to predetermined themes such as a play gas station or a dollhouse, well think again. Those cardboard tubes, styrofoam packing materials, scraps of yarn that you have laying around your home earmarked for the trash … these may seem garbage worthy objects to you, but in the hands of a young child they are the gold standard of toys that provide endless possibilities to invent and explore. Engaging with these materials, considered the building blocks of powerful learning, is what open ended play is all about. With multiple uses, no rules to follow and the process not the product the priority, as Albert Einstein said, this type of play “ is the highest form of research.” So you might be wondering what should open ended play look like for my child and how can I support this sacred work of children? What is best is for you to become your child’s learning ally by supporting what they are doing by observing, not by leading or interrupting. So instead of jumping into their play, take a step back and give them the space needed to experiment, create, imagine and be themselves. As you observe, you will learn about your child’s interests and needs so that the future activities that you plan focus on your child’s agenda, and aren&#8217;t based on your expectations of what your child should be doing or should be interested in according to the “experts.&#8221; Like any new skill, for both you and your child, open play might take a little time to figure out. But like anything else, with practice both you and your child will soon learn how powerful open play experiences are for your child now and for their future.

The Importance of Play

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