You may be preparing already not only for Thanksgiving but also for the Winter holidays your family celebrates. Whether you observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another special day next month, we thought you might be interested in some suggestions for holiday giving.  We're sharing some of our own ideas along with recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  We hope these two lists, one for infants and toddlers and one for preschoolers, spark your creative gift-giving ideas.  Comment if you'd like to share some of your own!

​Typically, babies will be more interested in the box a gift came in, the shiny ribbons they can grasp and wave, the paper they can tear or a piece of sticky tape! 

We suggest toys that encourage open-ended play and meet the needs of children at their ages and levels of development. Please share these suggestions with anyone buying or making holiday donations to young children:

• Birth through 6 months: rattles, squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, vinyl and board books, books with nursery rhymes and poems, unbreakable mirrors
• Older infants 7-12 months: large beads, balls, and nesting toys, large soft blocks and wooden cubes, low, soft things to crawl over; baby dolls, plastic and wood vehicles with wheels.
• One-year-olds: board books, toy phones, dolls (doll beds and strollers), dress-up props, puppets, stuffed toys, plastic animals, plastic and wood vehicles, blocks, puzzles, large pegboards, toys with parts that do things (dials, switches, knobs, lids), large and small balls
• Two-year-olds: wood puzzles (with 4 to 12 pieces), objects to sort (by size, shape, color), blocks, sturdy transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture (kitchen sets, chairs, play food), dress-up clothes, sand and water play toys, washable crayons and markers, large paintbrushes, fingerpaint, large paper for drawing and painting, colored construction paper, chalkboard, large chalk, rhythm instruments, picture books, large and small balls for kicking and throwing, ride-on equipment (but probably not tricycles until children are 3)

Important Note: Always keep in mind the safety of toys, especially for children under age 3.  Toys that may pose a choking hazard may not be labeled as such, so do your own testing before giving toys to infants and toddlers:  Pull on all the parts of the toy to see that they are securely fastened together.  Then check every piece for size.  If you don't have a small parts test fixture that "measures 1 inch to 2.25 inches in height, slanted on a diagonal plane, and 1.25 inches in diameter"(NIH.gov), a toilet paper roll may be a good substitute.  Keep any toys that fit completely into the tube away from children under 3.  Recent research shows that occasionally choking can happen even for larger toys, so use your best judgment and always supervise children's play vigilantly. (NIH.gov)

​Here are some suggestions for gifts that encourage open-ended play for young children (approximately 3-5 years old):

For more toy suggestions for young children listed by ages and stages, visit: naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys

You don't have to spend a bundle to give gifts of love and learning for preschoolers!  Providing open-ended activities with household objects and creative materials (such as wrapping paper scraps, boxes, and ribbons) can also keep your child engaged and learning throughout the holidays.

If you are planning to do some online shopping, please visit our website store to purchase our own EEPWORM® picture books and comfort toys.  They were designed to help children deal with big feelings, so they can help with self-regulation!

​​As a young child, I was often confused by all the pictures of snow, on TV and in books during the winter.  I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where snow was an incredibly rare occurrence.  I do remember a light snowfall when I was about 10 years old, which was my first memory of snow.  What a treat that was!  There wasn’t enough snow to make a snowman, but my brothers and I enjoyed our one and only snowball fight!

Whatever weather or other challenges this winter brings your way, we at ECS hope you will be warmed by the kindness of family, friends, and strangers alike.  We also encourage you to cope with your worst days by going above and beyond to spread kindness and good cheer to others.

We’d love to hear about the acts of kindness you share and model for your children - it will warm our hearts to be reminded that we are in such a caring community!

As you reflect, thinking about what you and your children have accomplished together last year can help you revise your teaching goals for 2023!

We teachers often make our biggest plans according to the beginning of the school year rather than by New Year’s Day.
But many of us can use a time to rejuvenate our teaching energy now!

Here's a goal-setting exercise a former principal of ECS team member Marjorie Wild used.  The teachers would write goals for the school year, not to turn in, but to keep for themselves. They were asked for a personal goal, a professional goal, and a goal for the students. 
This communicated  the principal's respect for her staff as individuals, not just as teachers. It emphasized that personal and professional goals are both important, and that the goals for the children should be top of mind. This was an administrator who was great at goal-setting and validation! ​

​If you set any similar goals at the beginning of the school year, now is a good time to reflect on how far you have come.

• Revise those goals if necessary, now that you know your class and each child's needs.
• Share your goals for children with their families during parent conferences. 
• Suggest resources that may help your children succeed in school and ask about the families’ goals as well.  (Remember, part of developmentally appropriate practice is partnering with parents!)

​If you did not set goals when the school year began, now is a great time!  You know your children, their accomplishments, and the adjustments that may be necessary for success!
-Set goals.
-Revise as needed.
-Remember why you became a teacher and remind yourself - and others - often!

I hope these quotes will inspire you to use mindfulness to take care of yourself as well.  Try focusing your attention on your breath, your body, or your surroundings.  Or use awareness as you do an activity you find relaxing, such as walking or jogging; dancing or listening to music; journaling, drawing, or painting; sewing, baking or gardening.  You may also want to focus your mind on positive thoughts, like the people and the things you are grateful for and the things you've been able to accomplish.  

When the stress of the holidays - or life in general - gets you down, try a few mindfulness practices.  Perhaps, as they did for me today, they will help you feel a little calmer.
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All of us at ECS are wishing you peace and happiness this holiday season!