Kindergarten Packet 2023-2024 by marinwaldorfschool

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

We are joyfully looking forward to the start of our new year together and would like to welcome all kindergarten families to our 2023-2024 community Creating a bridge between home and school through a common picture of what is important for a healthy childhood is essential to Waldorf education. It is our hope that we can work together to deepen our understanding of how to provide nurturing support for your child in their first seven years of life.

This packet provides you with information about the first day of school, a packing list, sewing instructions, immunization requirements, articles for you to read over the summer, and a calendar for the year, among other important items. If you are new to Waldorf education, you will find that we strive to provide and promote a quality environment for the developing young child. We understand that during these unusual times, many of us have relied upon screens far more than we normally would. We hope that you will use the upcoming summer days as an opportunity to take up or renew your commitment to minimizing screen time and restoring healthy habits of connection with nature, the outdoors, and each other. We cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of freeing young children from the influence of technology, both for their own well-being as well as for the group experience at school.

As we prepare for the next year, we encourage our kindergarten parents to read the book Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne or listen to his podcast series. In addition, Waldorf Education A Family Guide is a good overall reference book on the Waldorf approach.

If you have any questions over the summer, the office staff will do their best to provide an answer Please contact Wing Choi, front office manager, at office@marinwaldorf.org with general questions about school operations, or Wilma Gramajo, registrar, at registrar@marinwaldorf.org, for questions about immunizations, aftercare, and school records.

We wish you all a restful, playful, healthy summer and truly look forward to being with your beautiful children in the fall.

Warmly,

Daniella Baker Early Childhood Director

daniellabaker@marinwaldorf.org

Things to Know for Kindergarten 2023-2024

Arrival Time

We receive the children in the kindergarten play yard every morning at 8:15am. After everyone is assembled, we walk to the classroom together Punctuality is important as children benefit from the rhythmical experience of starting the day together.

Snack and Lunch

Every day in the kindergarten, we prepare a fresh, warm snack in the classroom and eat it at a table together If your child has allergies or special dietary needs or restrictions, please let the teachers know in writing as soon as possible. Depending on the foods that are restricted, it may be necessary to provide alternative snacks for your child to eat during our shared snack time.

Lunch should be healthy and substantial. Please do not send candy, chocolate, or sugary prepackaged foods such as bars, kettle corn, or fruit yogurts. We ask that you use reusable containers whenever possible. Please label your containers.

Food Restrictions and Allergies

The early childhood classrooms are peanut-free. Sunflower butter and other nut butters are generally allowed; however, in the case that there is a child with a very serious allergy in your classroom, the teacher may ask you to refrain from packing food that pose a risk to that child.

Birthdays

We celebrate birthdays as close to the actual day as possible. Parents are invited to participate in the celebration. The birthday ceremony includes a story highlighting events from your child’s life or qualities of the development of your child’s individuality. You will receive more detailed information as your child’s birthday approaches.

If you would like to bring a treat for our snack time on your child’s birthday, fresh seasonal fruit and heavy cream, which the children will whip at school, would be appreciated. As much as you would like to preserve this moment, we ask that no photos be taken during the ceremony to enhance the mood of reverence for the young child. To minimize any social difficulties, arrangements for non-school celebrations should be handled outside of school and with sensitivity Please send invitations via email; do not

deliver them at school. Personal gift-giving among the children should also be done outside of school.

Pickup Time Is 1pm

Children should be picked up promptly at 1pm from the benches in front of the school. This is an opportunity to have a brief check-in, if necessary, with your child’s teacher. Once you have signed your child out, please keep them in hand and be mindful that the aftercare program has started in the early childhood classrooms. Children who are not picked up at dismissal time will wait for their parents in the front office.

“The Nest” Extended Care Program

Our extended care program is designed with the young child in mind, continuing the rhythm of the school day with rest, snacks, outdoor time, and free play.

Our aftercare program operates Monday-Friday every day school is in session except the last Friday before winter break and the last day of school. There are two aftercare program options: 1pm-3pm and 1pm-5:20pm, Monday through Friday We admit students into the program on a rolling basis until it is full.

Please note aftercare is only available to students on a contract basis. For more information about aftercare, please see the enclosed aftercare information and handout.

Wellness Policy and Health Practices

The early years are a time of protection and thoughtful tending. We adhere to and likely surpass state licensing mandates for the education and care of young children. Now more than ever we are committed to providing this healing education to our youngest students.

We have been diligent in researching and preparing best methods to support your children’s, your family’s and our own best health. Our frequent hand-washing and daily cleaning of the classrooms will continue as always.

This year, as in years past, our illness policy will be in full effect to protect the health of everyone in the kindergarten. Additionally, updates or changes from our state licensing agencies may come into effect and could override MWS policies or practices regarding illness. We will adopt the policies as they arise.

In an effort to keep all members of the community healthy and safe, we request that you please keep your child home from school if they are ill, or present any symptoms that could be contagious, such as fever, cold, cough or flu symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, rashes and any other communicable symptoms. If your child becomes ill at school, we will call you promptly and ask that you pick them up as quickly as possible. If we cannot reach you, we will call the first person on your emergency form and continue until we reach someone.

Waldorf schools are distinguished as centers brimming with vitality and well being. We are committed to maintaining this trend.

Communication

As caregivers outside of the home, we are in communication with parents frequently. Formal parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for the week before our November break, but we are available to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time throughout the year.

We strive to practice direct speech at school. Questions concerning issues in the kindergarten should be brought to your lead teacher as clearly and promptly as possible. If you would like to schedule a conversation, please send an email specifying a convenient time to talk. We prefer face-to-face interaction but we can also schedule a phone conversation.

At pick-up time, the teachers will share any important information about your child’s day. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your child’s teacher.

Any communication meant for the entire kindergarten parent body must be approved by the class teacher You can bring it directly to your teacher or go through the class parent. Class parents will not send group emails without the prior approval of the class teacher.

Cell Phones and Photos

Finally, an important note that the Early Childhood wing is a cell-phone-free zone, so please check messages before coming to campus for pickup and dropoff.

Supporting Our School

Our faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees are deeply committed to keeping Marin Waldorf School's tuition as affordable as possible, in addition to providing needs-based financial aid to families who qualify Our indexed tuition model does not cover the school’s full operating expenses. We expect all families, preschool to 8th grade, to make a financial contribution to the annual Community Fund campaign, which helps us close the gap between our income and our operating budget.

Getting Involved

Our community is vibrant and active! We encourage parents to contribute to our school community by volunteering, helping prepare for and attending annual festivals, participating in development activities, and attending other special events on campus.

All Marin Waldorf School parents are members of the Parent Association. The association is coordinated by a parent chair or co-chairs who meet regularly with representatives from each class. The Parent Association’s main roles are supporting the school's fundraising endeavors, community-building activities, and annual festivals. An active Parent Association is vital to our school’s functioning!

We are looking forward to working together with you to ensure a healthy, smooth, and joyous year!

Items Needed for Kindergarten 2023-24

Throughout the year, your child will need the following items. Please label all items with your child’s name.

● Outside shoes (see description below)

● Inside shoes (see description below)

● Sunhat

● Warm or wool hat

● Clothes bag (sewing instructions included) labeled with your child’s name

● 2 place mats and 2 napkins (sewing instructions included)

● Washcloth with hook in same fabric as napkin

● A full change of clothes to be kept in the clothes bag, including:

Short-sleeved shirt

Long-sleeved shirt

Socks

Underpants

Pants

Shorts

● Raingear, including rain suit or raincoat/rain pants, hat/hood, boots (see description below)

● Warm winter jacket

● Kids size backpack (REI Tarn 12 or similar)

● Reusable containers for lunch items brought from home

● Water bottle

Sturdy Outside Shoes

We run, jump, climb, hike, and play Our ability to move freely is of utmost importance in the kindergarten. Shoes need to be easy to get on and off as well as sturdy enough so that your child can comfortably participate in all kindergarten activities. High-topped sneakers, shoes with commercial characters, sling-back sandals, clogs, dress-up shoes, and anything flimsy are not supportive for the active school day Please, no light-up shoes or boots.

The children’s shoes play a crucial role in supporting motor development, so please choose them with care. A basic, sturdy sneaker is ideal. If they are able to tie them, laced shoes are also wonderful, both for support and for the opportunity they provide to practice tying bows. This is a wonderful way to establish the kind of motor skills needed for writing and other fine motor tasks

in the future. We expect all 6-year-olds to be capable of properly tying their shoes and ask you to help in teaching them.

Inside Shoes

It is very important that the children wear appropriate inside shoes. The children wear them when inside the classroom. After trying many styles throughout the years, we strongly recommend slip-on, rubber-soled shoes like Keds.

Clothing Bag

We ask all parents to complete a small sewing project, which includes a clothing bag, before the first day of school. The clothing bag will hold an extra set of clothes that will be kept in your child’s cubby.

Full Change of Clothing

Please put an entire change of labeled clothes in the clothing bag, including multiple underwear, multiple socks, pants, T-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt, and a sweatshirt or sweater. Although we have “borrowing” clothes, most young children prefer to wear their own things.

Lunch Containers

We also ask that you send food in minimal packaging, without much recycling, utilizing reusable containers. Lunch containers can be sent directly in a child’s backpack or in a bag that fits inside their backpack.

Water Bottle

Please send a small water bottle with your child’s name on it.

Cloth Napkins and Place Mats

The children set their own lunches onto a place mat with a napkin every day. You can make the napkins and place mats with the same fabric you use for the clothing bag. (See the pattern included.)

Raingear

Our daily rhythm provides ample outside time, even in the rainy season. Sturdy raingear is very important. Raingear should fit properly and snap or button comfortably Many hooded raincoats don’t fit well around the neck, so check when purchasing. Please don’t send umbrellas to school with the children.

We have found that snow boots are not good rainy-weather protection for the children’s feet. Rubber or plastic rain boots are essential on rainy days, as is warmth, so dress the children in multiple layers as well as rainwear. We can strongly recommend the following as good options:

● Tuffo Muddy Buddy - tuffo.com

● Oaki - oaki.com

● Puddlegear - puddlegear.com

● Biddle and Bop - biddleandbop.com/pages/rain-gear-helps

Additionally, our school often hosts a winter clothing swap in the fall, which allows parents to share gently used winter gear and rainboots with other families.

Choosing Clothes for School

The micro-climate at Marin Waldorf tends to be chilly in the morning, warming up by noon. Even when the late afternoons are hot, our mornings can still be cold and windy. Please send your child to school in many light layers that can be put on and off throughout the day

Sturdy, comfortable clothing is essential. Pants are best for all kinds of play If your child insists on wearing a dress or skirt, they should start the day with heavy cotton tights or leggings in cool weather and shorts underneath in warmer weather. Natural fibers such as cotton, silk, linen and wool are ideal as they absorb moisture and hold body temperature well.

Logos and media characters on the children’s clothes are not appropriate at school and best saved for home days. In addition, we request you refrain from sending your child to school with jewelry, watches, nail polish, or tattoos.

In the kindergarten, it is especially important that the children have freedom to explore and develop their own imaginations so please leave all valued items at home. Even a special rock or shell that could get lost or broken should stay at home or in the car waiting for them.

Labels and Name Tags

All the children’s clothing and necessities must be properly labeled. Please label everything that comes to school in a place that is easy to find, especially rain gear and rain boots as many look alike. A Sharpie or waterproof marker work well. We thank you in advance for this!

Kindergarten Festivals and Events 2023-2024

Seasonal festivals and events are one of the ways we celebrate the natural world and create a sense of rhythm and order to the school year. Parents are encouraged to attend these beautiful community-building events whenever possible Here are some of the important events that kindergarten families can look forward to in 2023-24.

All School Beautification Day Saturday, August 26, 2023

On our annual All School Beautification Day, families gather to prepare the school to receive the children. Our work day is a wonderful opportunity to build a sense of community and make a valuable contribution to getting our classroom ready For kindergarten families, that might mean ironing silks, polishing crayons, or raking wood chips. This is also the day for the children to bring their inside shoes, towels, and change of clothes to their cubbies We expect everyone to attend!

Kindergarten Potluck Picnic Thursday, August 24, Time TBD

Also called “warming day,” this is our first meeting as a class After the families arrive, teachers gather inside the classroom with the children for a circle and a story while parents set up the meal in our play yard. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share and their own plates and utensils from home.

First Day of Kindergarten Thursday, August 31, 8:15am-1pm School begins at 8:15am Parents should walk their children into the kindergarten play yard where they will meet their teachers

Back to School Night Thursday, September 7

Back to School Night is an opportunity to meet the school’s faculty and administration, and to connect with parents of children from preschool to 8th grade. After an all-school gathering, we will have our first parent meeting of the year in the preschool classroom Please note that Back to School Night and all subsequent parent evenings are adults-only events.

Family Harvest Festival Saturday, November 4

Current students, their parents, and their siblings are invited to campus for an afternoon of live music, dancing, and fun harvest-themed crafts and activities

Kindergarten Lantern Walk Date TBD

Children create beautiful handmade lanterns at school then gather with their parents on a designated evening at dusk to walk around campus with their lanterns lit Leading up to the event, children learn seasonal songs at school to sing together on their walk around campus.

Winter Spiral Friday, December 1

The Winter Spiral is a seasonal tradition at Marin Waldorf School, held in early December, a few weeks before the winter solstice Each child walks along a path of evergreen boughs, holding a candle or fruit in their hands Kindergarten students typically walk the spiral in the early evening, when the light is just beginning to fade from the sky. Parents observe them in silence.

May Faire & Grandparents/Special Friends Day Friday, May 3

An all-school festival, the May Faire is a celebration of spring. Every year in early May, our students gather in the oak grove, where grades 1-8, as well as the faculty, present a maypole dance accompanied by the 7th-8th grade orchestra. Kindergarten students are often given the role of scattering rose petals on the ground before the dancing begins We encourage all kindergarten families to join us for the event!

Beach Day Date TBD

The year in kindergarten traditionally concludes with a family day at Heart’s Desire Beach in Point Reyes Held on one of the last days of the school, it is a memorable and joyous day for the children, marking the start of summer with a special outing together.

Parent Evenings & Other Parent Enrichment Events

We look forward to seeing you at our enriching parent evenings! These meetings are essential to the healthy development of a kindergarten parent body and creating a bridge between home and school Please make every effort to attend.

Sample Kindergarten Daily Schedule

8:15am Arrival

8:20am Movement or outdoor activities (running, balance beam)

8:40am Artistic activity

9am Inside play

10am Circle time

10:30am Snack

11am Outside play

12:15pm Story, puppet play, or costume play

12:30pm Lunch

1pm Dismissal / Extended day program begins

Early Childhood Sewing Instructions 2023-2024

You will make:

2 single-layer napkins, 15” square

2 double-sided placemats, 12” by 16”

1 cubby bag for a change of clothes

1 hook for a washcloth & attach it

You will need:

2 1/2 yards of cotton calico, at least 45" wide in a pattern appropriate for kindergarten

¾ yard of coordinating solid color cotton, at least 45" wide, of similar weight

3 ½ yards of 5/8” ribbon

1 washcloth

Please note: Preshrink the cotton fabric

Preshrink the fabric twice by getting it wet and drying it in a hot dryer. This will help the items hold their shape through the weekly washing process.

Layout

Lay out and cut the pieces according to the instructions. Please follow the instructions with regards especially to the size of the pieces.

Napkins Cut two 16" by 16" pieces from the cotton calico

Place Mats Cut two 12" by 16" pieces from the cotton calico

Cut two 12" by 16" pieces from the solid cotton

You can make pattern pieces from tissue paper, or newspaper, or simply measure out the dimensions onto the fabric, mark them with pins or fabric pencil and cut accordingly.

Two Napkins

Fold all the edges under 1/8” to 1/4” and press seam with iron.

Fold the already folded edge under 1/8” to 1/4” again and press seam again.

Now there is a rolled edge around the item.

Pin in place.

Sew around the edge to hold in place.

Two Place Mats

Pin one calico and one solid piece, right sides together.

Sew 5/8” from the edge, all the way around, leaving an opening 5” to 6” for turning.

Trim the corners.

Turn right side out and press flat.

Sew the opening closed.

Optional: topstitch ¼” to ½” from edge.

Loop on a Washcloth

Using a 4 x 2 inch piece of extra calico fabric, please fold over and sew it as a loop onto the corner of a washcloth that your child will use to dry their hands after hand washing throughout the day. These loops will allow them all to hang in a row on hooks by the sink.

2023-2024

Early Childhood Extended Day Program (“The Nest”) Contract

Marin Waldorf School’s early childhood extended day program is designed with the young child in mind, continuing the rhythm of the school day with rest/nap, snacks, outdoor time, and free play. The program begins immediately after the regular school day is over, with program options till 3pm and 5:20pm.

I. Contract and Registration

Early childhood extended day programs are available by contract only. To enroll your child in the 2023-2024 program, please select your program preference on the following page then sign and date the contract. To participate in the program, families must sign up for a minimum of three days of extended care.

To enroll, please submit a copy of your signed contract to Megan Smith, registrar, at registrar@marinwaldorf.org or by mail to 755 Idylberry Road, San Rafael, CA, 94903. To guarantee a spot in the program, please enroll no later than May 31, 2023. After this date, enrollment will be available on a rolling basis as long as space is available. (Please see “Program Limits and Wait List” below.)

All new contracts, contract changes, and cancelations are effective on the first day of the following month. For more details, please see “Cancelations and Refunds” below.

II. Aftercare Calendar and Hours

Aftercare is offered every day school is in session except the last day before winter break (Wednesday, December 20, 2023) and the last day of school (Tuesday, June 11, 2024). Aftercare begins immediately following regular preschool or kindergarten dismissal, at 12:45pm and 1pm respectively, and runs until 3pm or 5:20pm.

III. Fees

Families may opt to enroll their children in aftercare three, four, or five days a week for 3pm or 5:20pm pickup. To participate, you must enroll your child for a minimum of three days/week.

Extended care fees are calculated monthly and are based on the number of days your child is enrolled and the pickup time selected. The annual program fees are as follows:

Please note: You do not need to select the same pickup time for all three, four, or five days your child is enrolled in the program; before sending an invoice, the business office will adjust your contract fees according to the days and times selected.

IV. Payment Options

After you submit your signed contract, you will receive an invoice from Marin Waldorf School and may submit your payment the following ways.

• One payment due in full on or before September 1, 2023, no fee

• Two equal payments due on or before September 1, 2023, and again on or before December 1, 2023, subject to a 2.5% interest fee

• 8 monthly payments from September 2023 through April 2024, made through FACTS

tuition management New accounts require additional paperwork, which are processed through FACTS, our payment processing provider, subject to a 5% interest fee

V. Program Limits and Wait List

Per childcare licensing requirements, the size of our extended day program is limited

Children may join the program on a rolling basis as long as space is available. Once the program is full, families who would like a spot in the extended day program will be put on a

Days 12:45/1pm3pm 12:45/1pm5:20pm 3 $2,450 $4,895 4 $3,250 $6,500 5 $4,050 $8,100

waitlist and offered a space if one becomes available. Please contact the front office if you would like to join the wait list for aftercare.

VI. Midyear Start and Contract Changes

If you would like to enroll your child in aftercare after September 2023, or you would like to make a change to your aftercare pickup time or days in the program, you must submit a new signed contract to Megan Smith in the school’s front office at registrar@marinwaldorf.org. All contract changes are effective on the first day of the month (for example, a contract received on September 15 will be effective October 1). Fees for new contracts or fees/refunds on updated contracts will be prorated based on the date the new/updated contract is submitted. Before submitting your new or updated contract, please contact the front office to determine if there is space available in the program.

VII. Cancelations and Refunds

No refunds will be issued for days missed due to absences or school closures during your contract. If you wish to cancel your child’s aftercare contract, please submit a request in writing to Megan Smith, registrar, in the front office, at registrar@marinwaldorf.org All cancelations are effective on the last day of the month (for example, a contract canceled on October 10 will be effective November 1) Once the front office has received your request, the business office will issue a refund for the balance of your agreement

VIII. Siblings

If you have more than one child participating in the aftercare program, please fill out and submit separate contracts for each child. You may submit one payment for all participating children.

IX. Pickup

Please pick up your child no later than 5:20pm. For late pickups, a $5 per minute late fee will be charged. Parents may pick up their children from aftercare anytime official dismissal time.

CHILD’S NAME:

Grade level Preschool Ki Kindergarten

Please select the days and pickup times below. Please note that you must select a minimum of three days to enroll in extended care.

Mondays 3pm 5:20pm

Tuesdays 3pm 5:20pm

Wednesdays 3pm 5:20pm

Thursdays 3pm 5:20pm

Fridays 3pm 5:20pm

My child, named above, will be attending the Early Childhood Extended Day (“The Nest”) Program during the 223-2024 school year. The Extended Day Program is available Monday to Friday every day school is in session from August 30, 2023 to June 11, 2024, except Wednesday, December 20, 2023. There is no extended care on the last day of school.

Your contract and payment must be submitted to the school before your child's place is reserved. No refunds will be made for days missed due to absences (including illness, vacation, etc.) during your contract. To cancel or make changes to your contract, you must complete a new registration contract and submit it to the front office. Changes and cancelations are prorated based on the new contract date. Please note all new contracts and changes are effective on the first day of the following month.

Please select your payment method:

I will pay for the full contract charges selected above by check or credit card on or before September 1, 2023.

I will pay 50 percent of the full contract charges selected above by check or credit card on or before September 1, 2023 and make a second payment in that amount on or before December 1, 2023

I already have a FACTS account on file and wish to pay the contract charges selected above monthly.

I already have a FACTS account on file and wish to pay for the contract charges selected above biannually (September 2023 & December 2023).

I do not have a FACTS account and will complete and submit a FACTS form within 10 days of signing and submitting this form to pay for contract charges selected above.

By typing or signing my name on this electronic record, I/we am/are supplying my/our electronic signature with the intent to sign this agreement and agree to its terms.

DATE: SIGNATURE:

Print name:

The Nest

Early Childhood Extended Day Program at Marin Waldorf School

Dear Parents,

There are a few things we, the Nest teachers, would like to share with you about the extended day program

Preschool Aftercare Schedule

12:35-12:45 pm Bathroom train

1-2:20 Quiet time and stories*

2:20-2:30 Bathroom train and shoes/jackets

2:30 Late aftercare train to yard

2:30-2:50 Snack**

3pm Prepare to go home

*Sometimes, if the children are already rested, we will offer simple drawing, books, story, or songs as we gently transition to snack

** Please pack a special aftercare snack and label it. At the end of rest/quiet time at 2:20pm, they children pack up their bedding and we sit together to eat

Preschool/Kindergarten Late Aftercare Schedule

At 3pm, the children in the preschool and kindergarten classrooms join together until 5:20pm.

3-3:45 Garden, Sandbox or Grandmother Oak

3:45-4 Bathroom train

4:-4:30 Second Snack*

4:30-5 Free play/seasonal crafting

5-5:15 Clean up time

5:15-5:20 Final goodbye

* At 4pm, we provide a snack for the children, which is often rice and beans, honey buns, apples, crackers, soup, or a surprise You don’t need to pack extra food for the 4pm snack

Outdoor Time

During aftercare, your children are enjoying nature, either in the garden as they work together planting, weeding and harvesting, or exploring the Grandmother Oak They jump, run, play in the trees, explore nature, build forts and play games. On special occasions we’ll visit Bubbles, the resident turtle, in the large garden

Seasonal Crafting

We offer simple seasonal crafts for the children They may work with clay, make nature journals, craft corn husks dolls and work with yarn. We try to implement elements from the garden into the crafts as much as possible, such as using leaves for leaf rubbing or making oak gall ink for drawing

3pm Pickup

Please pick up your child promptly at 3pm in front of the school on Idylberry Road If you need to pick up your child early for special circumstances, such as appointments, trips, grandparent visits, etc., please let your child’s teacher know in the morning at drop-off.

5:20pm Pickup

Please remember that parents must arrive no later than 5:20pm Parents are welcome to pick up their children anytime between 3pm and 5:20pm Come directly to the kindergarten play yard to sign your child out. At 5:20pm, the children will be waiting at the front of the school on Idylberry Road.

Bedding

We encourage parents to supply their child with bedding that is easy to roll up with Velcro straps. The children roll up their bedding after rest so it’s helpful when the bedding is a simple design The bedding can be used for several years, from Pre K to Kindergarten. In pre K, a child may bring a small natural stuffed animal/doll for comfort. The small friend would stay in their cubby at school with the bedding A blanket and pillow are okay, too

Here are some sources:

1) “Nap mats” can be found at https://wildkin com/pages/nap-mats or

2) Amazon com: Moonsea Toddler Nap Mat with Removable Pillow and Fleece Minky Blanket, Lightweight and Soft Perfect for Kids Preschool, Daycare, Travel Sleeping Bag Boys and Girls, 21" x 50" Fit on a Standard Cot: Baby

Rest and Quiet Time

Building on the rhythm of the regular school day, we start aftercare with a short rest time, which allows the children to refresh and prepare for a joyful afternoon. Every day, the children lay out their mat to rest or sleep We create a very comfortable, cozy space and may play a simple instrument to calm the children, or we may just be quiet Sometimes, if the child would like simple and gentle massage on their feet, we will offer that.

Whenever possible, we respect parents’ wishes that their child not fall asleep during rest time, but we encourage the child to rest quietly. We also honor the request from parents to either allow or help their child to sleep

We understand this is a special time for the children and for the families. We feel very honored to be part of the child’s early educational experience and are very dedicated to providing a rich and joyful time for them

I look forward to working with the children and getting to know the families better

Kind regards,

Barbara McVeigh Lead Aftercare Teacher Marin Waldorf School

The Four-Year-Old Child

The world of the four-year-old begins to expand beyond home and the circle of family. The most intriguing new territory is social. Four-year-olds typically want to be around other children, especially if they do not have siblings. As a result of their new experiences, they may well “bring home” new behaviors and language. Four-year-olds still need regular rhythms and clear boundaries to give them the sense of security out of which to explore new areas and to counter influences that may not be consistent with what is happening at home.

They can participate for longer periods in structured activities, but still need even longer periods of unstructured time. They like to run, can walk longer distances on their own two sturdy legs, and may enjoy riding scooters or balance bikes. The family may have already gone on camping trips, but now the four-year-old can be a fuller participant.

Four-year-olds are ready for more complex stories and are particularly drawn to animal tales, stories with rhymes and repetition, and very simple fairy tales. In Waldorf nursery and preschool classes puppets are often used at story time, which help the children to experience the story more vividly.

While the two-year-old played primarily with things and the three-year-old moved those things around, the four-year-old will still do both and add a dramatic, imaginative element to his or her play. Creative play, especially with playmates, is what nourishes the child’s development at this stage. Family life (of both humans and animals), daily activities, and the overcoming of household problems form the greater part of the content of this play. Dramatic play represents a healthy means of processing experiences that the child has witnessed and also of integrating new learning.

Younger fours may need help negotiating differences among play partners and finding “win-win” solutions. At this age, inclusion is an important theme. “There is room for everyone.” “Let’s make our house bigger.” Helpful advice that adults can offer or model to playmates is to knock and ask, “May I please come in?” or “I have brought you a present.”

Four-year-olds can be exuberant about everything, especially at home. They often need guidance in how to express themselves in consideration of others. While good manners may have been modeled previously, making this a priority at this stage is important. “Please,” “thank you,” “excuse me,” and “I’m sorry” should be family currency. The family meal is the perfect time for social learning and modeling care for others and practicing appropriate mealtime conversation.

Predictability in the environment and in daily rhythms were critical during the earliest years and continue to be, but now, clarity of expectations in social situations is equally as critical for the fouryear-old child. Again, modeling is the best way to teach good manners and consideration of others. Long-winded preaching falls on seemingly deaf ears.

Challenges for the parents of the four-year-old may resemble those of the previous years and also include some surprises, such as the new behaviors and language learned outside the home or from new playmates.

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he increased capacity of the four-year-old to focus may mean that transitions become tricky again. Many of the suggestions delineated in the description of the two-year-old will still be helpful, but parents will naturally need to adjust for the increased language skills and other capacities of the older child. Suggestions about limiting choices given for three-year-olds also hold for four- year-olds. That the child’s cooperative spirit in other settings is not always evident at home is what might seem new and puzzling.

and doing so is a privilege, especially if adults carry the same feeling inwardly. Parents have found that both of these expressions can be used very effectively for younger children as well.

Potty talk, name-calling, and images that are developmentally inappropriate, whether from media or other sources, may well find their way into the life of the four-year-old. This requires a calm, evenkeeled response by family members. Over-reacting will often escalate unwanted behaviors. Firm and clear statements beginning with, “In our family, we… (fill in the blank)” are the most effective remedy. This requires considerable self-discipline from parents, but is also an unavoidable yet valuable opportunity to clarify and communicate family values.

The gift of parenting a four-year-old is the opportunity to clarify family values and begin creating the family culture.

The Five-Year-Old Child

The world of the five-year-old is a fairy tale world. Imaginative play is now inspired more by archetypal characters and their adventures than by everyday events. While five-year-olds live deeply into their fantasy play, the tide of imagination often carries them quite gracefully along in ordinary life as well. They are typically more adept and less easily frustrated than during the previous year.

To understand this stage of development, it is helpful to revisit the notion of three distinct periods within the first seven years. (See the introduction to this series.) Between 4 1/2 and 5 years of age, there is a shift towards “thinking-willing.” The child’s thinking is beginning to wake up during the last third of the first seven-year cycle. This new capacity allows five-year-olds to respond not only to environmental stimuli, but also to generate their own pictures and ideas out of which to create and play.

tasks. This is, in fact, as it should be. Observing or working alongside adults helps them learn how to organize materials and create a logical process for the task, in addition to enhancing their fine and gross motor skills. They are physically participating in our thinking processes.

Active fives may enjoy the challenge of learning how to jump rope, scale a climbing wall, or ride a bicycle.

The waking up in the head coincides with increasing control of the limbs. Five-year-olds enjoy participating in gardening, yard work, cooking, baking, sweeping, sewing, simple woodworking, laundry and dish washing. They are excited about participating, but will want to do these tasks with adults or playmates and will benefit from being guided in setting up and following through with

Five-year-olds are quick and eager to learn, but are not yet ready, physically and psychologically, for long periods of sitting at a desk or bookwork. They need to be active and they delight in dressing up in costumes and acting out their beloved stories. The may show signs of stress if their days are not balanced with sufficient physical learning and opportunities for creative, imaginative learning.

As they approach the age of six, children’s play tends to become more goal-oriented. In fact, they may occasionally seem to have fallen out of the imaginative stream. They may say that they are bored. They may spend their playtime talking and planning a game, but never actually playing. The purposeful activities described above can help them through this “dry period” and also show them the possibility of using their creativity in a new way.

After such rich self-directed play, this new stage can come as quite a surprise for parents. The six-year-old will continue to struggle with how to find his or her new place in the real world, as we will see in the following article.

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A major challenge for parents of the five-year-old comes from the outside world.

Five-year-olds are openhearted prey for marketers and media. What the media offers as soul nourishment to children often resembles stereotypes of humanity and human activity, rather than true archetypes. Five-year-olds are more aware of gender differences and these images can have a strong influence that may need to be countered by family values. Is the humor to which they are exposed healthy and good-natured or is it is it meanspirited and insensitive to others? Parents need to be conscious of giving their children ideals that inspire rather than limit their future sense of self and their capacity for empathy.

Five-year-olds are interested in stories about their parents when they were growing up. For both parent and child, bringing back and re-enlivening memories can be both enjoyable and an opportunity for parents to share their views of life and learning. If the tradition of parentcreated tales (see The Three-YearOld Child) has continued, stories will now involve more potential danger and a spirit of adventure, and will contain life lessons, without a moralizing tone, of course.

rhythm can bring a creative element to life at home. Conscious care of the world of things builds habits that are applicable to future academic success and social skills.

Do parents have a passion or skill that they can share with their children? Children look with respect and admiration at expertise and creativity and are thrilled to be able to engage in an art or craft with a parent.

The gift of parenting the five-year-old is the intimate sharing of both work and play that is the basis of our life in community.

The Six-Year-Old Child

Even before a child’s sixth birthday, parents may begin to notice some surprising changes. Six-yearolds may exhibit a new kind of restlessness, may become suddenly clumsy or indecisive, and are often resistant and argumentative. They appear to be testing the established boundaries with new vigor. It may be more accurate to say, however, that they are really testing their new selves.

Thinking is beginning to awaken in the last one-third of the first seven-year cycle of development, (See the Introduction to this series). If we remember this and we realize how powerful thinking can be, we can imagine that the child’s accustomed way of being in the world could be thrown into chaos. The six-yearold is exploring this new capacity of thinking and trying to integrate it with what is more familiar and comfortable, and in the process, everything has to be reorganized!

At the same time, six-year-olds are more sensitive and vulnerable than indicated by their outward behavior, especially when their ideas do not bear anticipated fruit. They can be silly, emotionally volatile, easily fall apart, or have trouble completing a given task. They may need to talk about what happened to them during the day at meal times or before bed.

They need, above all, to be recognized as the same child, yet NOT the same child as they once were. They need us to see them with fresh eyes and be sensitive and understanding of the transformation that they are undergoing. This does not mean that parents should let go of their expectations and boundaries. It means that we need to hold on to them in a different way.

Ideas are emerging and the six-year-old may strongly identify with an idea as “my idea,” and ride it like a wave toward a growing sense of independence. Parents are no longer the constant center around which the six-year-old revolves, but the child is becoming his or her own center. In the same vein, six-year-olds also tend to exaggerate and want to do things that they are not yet able to do.

Because of their increased capacity for mental picturing, six-year-olds are ready for chapter books, like Winnie-the-Pooh or Mother West Wind and other Stories by Thornton Burgess. The humor and pathos of these characters and their stories are warmly comforting and ring true for the six-year-old.

Many six-year-olds actually seem to embrace and play with the chaotic element of this developmental reorganization. This can be difficult for the rest of the family. How we respond can make a difference in how gracefully and quickly they move through this period of change.

The main challenge for the parents of the six-yearold is how to keep an even keel and a steady hand on the tiller of family life while in the uncharted and

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choppy waters of this period, often called “the first adolescence.”

As already mentioned above, unqualified acceptance of and real interest in the emerging aspects of the six-year-old will mean that he or she does not need to keep raising the “notice-me flag” over and over again. Six-year-olds also need protection from their self-initiated chaos. By upholding the consistency of their expectations, parents provide dependable ballast that can mitigate the child’s feeling of upheaval.

Six-year-olds will cooperate if they are given simple, appropriate reasons for doing so; if requests are communicated with a good dose of humor; if decisions are framed so that they are not an either/or or a yes/no situation. Generally speaking, direct confrontation is not usually an effective strategy. Six-year-olds need some breathing space to process the situation and to feel that they are cooperating out of their own will.

Keeping a positive attitude, although not easy, will help both parent and child navigate more successfully. Modeling the behavior and communications that we want our six-year-olds to choose is still incredibly important.

Finding appropriate channels for the increased energy levels and restlessness is also helpful. Sixyear-olds are duly impressed with skills of adults in homemaking, building, crafts and gardening activities. All of the purposeful activities that were suggested for the five-year-old still hold keen interest for the six-year-old. The six-year-olds, however, are more capable and will be able to do more on their own than when they were five and will respond well if the adults with whom they are working notice their increased skills. Time outside in nature is also a healing and helpful influence during this period of development.

The gift of parenting a six-year-old is the strengthening of one’s own calm center in order to support your child as he or she navigates the changes that herald the end of the first seven-year cycle of growth and development. You may begin to notice a

calming down after 6 1/2, as your child consolidates these changes and prepares for the new phase of development that begins around the seventh year.

The Seven-Year-Old Transformation

The child’s first developmental period ends and the second begins around the child’s seventh birthday. Many of the changes that were mentioned in connection with the six-year-old signal the shift from the first to the second cycle of seven years. In the second seven-year cycle development moves from the predominance of the will to the predominance of feelings, imagination and social life. It is also the beginning of learning about the world from a beloved authority rather than through imitation.

years, also called the life or etheric forces, are now available for creating on another level, in the area of imagination and mental images. These are the forces required for abstract learning and memory.

From physiology, we know that all of our cells are replaced every seven years. The birth of the child’s life body is the result of the child’s taking hold of his or her physical body during the first seven years of life. Once the child has taken hold of his or her physical body and some of the growth forces are freed up for other creative functions, the child has gained his or her own “protective garment,” usually referred to as the life body or etheric body. Waldorf educators recognize this freeing of some of the creative forces from activities of growth and maintenance, at around seven years of age, as a sign of the birth of the child’s own life body or etheric body. Prior to this subtle “birth,” the child has lived in the “womb-like” protection of the family life.

In Waldorf education we speak about the first seven years as the period of time during which the child “takes hold” of his or her physical body. This “taking hold of” gesture includes the change of teeth. The emphasis on teeth comes from the understanding of teeth as the hardest part of the physical body. While the baby teeth are a part of the child’s inherited body, the six-year-old molars are the result of the child’s own activity. The new permanent teeth indicate that the process of taking hold of the body nearing its completion.

With the eruption of the child’s permanent teeth, some of the growth forces active in the first seven

One visible sign that seven-year-olds are undergoing significant change is their passion for skipping and jumping. While the child at the beginning of the first seven-year cycle conquered gravity by standing upright, now the child is using gravity to launch him or herself heavenward. We could say that the caterpillar is becoming a butterfly! During the seventh year, the child is trying out his or her transformed physical, social/emotional, and intellectual capacities.

Parents of the seven-year-old will notice their child’s new capacity for learning and independence, even though they may occasionally see moments of

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hesitation and even regressive behaviors in their child. The seven-year-old change means change for parents, as well. It means being sensitive as to when to step forward and when to step back.

It means recognizing when we might be hanging on to our children, rather than letting them move forward. It means finding new ways to offer support now that our child has entered a new cycle of development.

The gift of life with a seven-year-old is learning to let go enough for your child to sense your confidence in him or her, and at the same time, staying in touch enough to know when more support is needed.

YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL AGE:

A PARENT’S GUIDE

Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Ed. D.

YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A PARENT’S GUIDE

Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Ed. D.

When I talk with parents these days,they often say that their children’s lives are very different from what their own childhoods were like. Frequently, they name technology as the single biggest change in their kids’ lives—and in their own lives too. Many parents go on to say that their children are on screens more than they want them to be, and that screen use is often a source of conﬂict with their children. Many express uncertainty about however they are letting their kids use screens, and a sense that they might be doing it“wrong.” I’m hoping that theideasinthisreportwillresonateinapositive way for readers by providing some helpful new information and support on this challenging topic—that’s my goal in writing this.

Technology cascaded into all of our lives in a very short period of time. Many of us are struggling to make sense of it, to ﬁgure out how we can use technology well. It has been a challenge for every age group. Some of the concerns we read about are serious—the psychological effects of social media, the breeches on privacy, health issues like sleep disturbance, eye strain, and perhaps other effects waiting to emerge.1 Many of these risks have their biggest impact on young children because their bodies and minds are still forming.

Many parents find it hard to make decisions about screen time for their kids because advice comes from different directions and often conflicts. In the field of child development, we have decades of theory and research that can be very helpful as a guide for screen and digital device use with young kids. These ideas can

be a resource for you to depend on when you are trying to ﬁgure out about any screen, app, or digital device your child might want to use.

From child development theory and research, we know a great deal about how children learn and develop and what they need in order to grow to their full potential. In this report, I’ll offer you six core ideas that come from the ﬁeld of child development that can be helpful in evaluating screen and technology use with young children. We can use these ideas, not as a rigid rulebook of “shoulds” and “should nots,” but more as a guide to help us make decisions and support kids in this tech-saturated world of ours.

SIX CORE IDEAS FROM THE FIELD OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT:

#1. YOUNG CHILDREN USE THEIR WHOLE BODIES AND ALL OF THEIR SENSES TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD. Babies and young children are always moving. They have to move. It’s the movements and use of all of their senses that drives their development. A lot of us in the child development ﬁeld were delighted in the 1990’s when advances in neuroscience began crossing over into child development. The brain scientists were conﬁrming that play and active learning are critical to optimal brain development. Neurons in the brain strengthen and connect as children move, explore, and interact in the world. Everything we knew from child development theory was supported by this new brain research.

The brain of a newborn is a little more than one quarter of the volume and weight of the adult brain. By the age of three, it has reached 80 percent of its adult size and, by age ﬁve, 90 percent. Neurons are strengthening and synapses are forming in the brain at a faster rate during these early years than at any other time in life.

Neurons in the brain strengthen and connect as children move, explore, interact in the world.

Unfortunately, there is a dearth of speciﬁc research about how media use affects brain development. But what we do know is that the experiences a child has shape brain development. As the child moves, interacts, and uses her senses, neural activity in the brain is stimulated. One neuroscientist wrote, “You hold him on your lap and talk…and neurons from his ears start hard-wiring connections to the auditory cortex. And you thought you were just playing with your kid.”3 A child’s whole development, brain development included, is best supported when young kids have full-on opportunities to use their whole bodies and senses for activity, play, and social interaction.

In my view, this is a very fundamental point. We want to encourage young children to act on the world, to be interested in exploring everything around them. When we teach them early in life that an object—a screen--entertains them, we are undermining their inherent capacity for taking initiative and learning through discovery.

#2. YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN FROM DIRECT, FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN THE REAL WORLD.2

Everything on a screen is a symbolic representation of something in the real world. You and I know this without even thinking about it. But young children don’t understand this. And it takes them many years to realize fully that what is on the screen is a representation of something and not the real thing. Even my grandson Miles, at the age of four, punched the television set because, he said, “I thought the bad guy was coming out of the TV.”

The youngest of my eight grandchildren is Max, who is two years old and lives in Swaziland. Recently, we had a Skype call with him and his parents. Max kept reaching for the screen, trying to touch me, to play and interact the way

When we watch young children who are engaging with screens, like the child in photo #1, one of the first things we notice is that they are not moving or using their whole bodies. Their bodies are more passive as their attention is absorbed by the screen. The focus shifts from moving to looking. From acting on the world to re-acting to what’s on the screen. This is a very significant shift in energy and attention for a child. Further, there is something even more significant. When a child propels herself forward physically—to grab a toy, to crawl, to stand—she is taking initiative to act in and on the world. When a child looks at a screen, not only is she more passive, but also her attention shifts away from her own initiative.

we did when I was visiting him last summer in Africa. He was confused. It’s true that with more experience, young children seem to get used to talking to a screen version of their loved ones. Skype and various apps that allow for real time conversations can help children be in touch with loved ones who are far away, and many families are glad to have this way to connect.

Photo #1 Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Apptivity Seat

When a child looks at a screen, not only is she more passive, but also her attention shifts away from her own initiative.

In the ideal sense, children beneﬁt most from having direct experiences in the actual world of relationships and objects. This is because threedimensional experiences are wholistic, they involve a child fully—body, mind, and feelings-and this level of engagement is greater than what can be gained from two-dimensional experiences.

children. And a majority of parents believe that early screen use is beneﬁcial.4 But we need to be cautious about these claims, as companies can make them even if they are false or not grounded in research.5

Let’s imagine that the child in photo #3 is reaching for a ball that she sees on the screen. Think of all the things she could do with an actual ball. She could grab it, turn it over in her hands, roll it, watch it roll away, crawl to get it, throw it, bite it--she could keep on inventing new ways to explore the ball. And with each exploration, the neurons in her brain would be getting stronger, new synapses connecting.

When I was in Swaziland last summer, Max was 18 months old. He was using a ball to work on a very important cognitive concept: object permanence. This is one of the most fundamental concepts in human development--the idea that when something is out of our sight, it still exists. Without this concept, humans wouldn’t learn language or math or be able to think of anything abstractly. We all constructed this concept in our minds during the ﬁrst two years of life, and we did it by having lots of experiences interacting with objects and people. Slowly, we learned that things existed even when we couldn’t see them.

In photo #3, we see a young child reaching for something she sees on a screen. This is an advertisement from the company KiddieTab that is promoting the use of screens with young children. It says: “The Beneﬁts of Exposing Young Children to Modern Technology.”

There is a lot of marketing to parents that asserts the beneﬁts of screen technology use with young

Max spent a lot of time working on this idea last summer. He would roll the ball under the couch so it was out of sight. At ﬁrst, he looked a bit confused. Where was the ball now? Eventually, he would crawl under the couch and ﬁnd it. He practiced this countless times, each time getting a little more secure with the idea of where that ball was even when it was out of his view.

Max wouldn’t have been able to build this important concept in his mind without having had direct experiences with the ball in threedimensional space. Seeing the ball on a screen would not have given him the data he needed to construct this idea.

Photo #2 Grandson Jake Skyping from the U.S. with his Guatemalan family Photo #3 Enlight KiddieTAB Advertisement

There are many concepts young children develop out of their experiences with three-dimensional objects. When we watch them, we see that they are learning almost constantly from banging things, dropping them, rolling them, mushing them around, covering them up, tasting them, rattling them, etc.

I saw a research study recently that said that young children couldn’t transfer information learned on a two-dimensional screen to three dimensions.6 That seems obvious to me because of how they learn and need to learn in the early years. Presenting a child with images on a 2-D screen short changes a child by giving her far too little to go on, too little information on which to build concepts needed in order to build the foundation for later learning.

#3. YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN BY INVENTING IDEAS.

Children are active learners. They learn by interacting with other people and by having lots of hands-on experiences with all kinds of things around them.

Children don’t learn optimally when we try to put information into their heads directly. Most of us probably remember having to learn some things by rote when we were in school. And most of us probably know that we forgot what we learned quite quickly. For genuine learning to happen, kids need to construct ideas for themselves, in their own minds. This is the kind of learning that is real and genuine and stays with us.

Let’s look at photo #4 of children building with blocks. When kids build with blocks and with many other materials, they are working on a whole variety of concepts. One very important group of concepts relate to number. With blocks, kids classify them into groups by shape. They put them in order by length. They match them up in various ways. They do this usually while they are playing and this learning is happening naturally. These concepts build toward an understanding of quantity, a concept that is quite complex and takes time to understand, a concept we all constructed at one time in our young lives.

If you and I look at different objects--let’s say at a group of four giraffes, a group of four watermelons, and a group of four cupcakes--we know without having to think about it that there are four objects in each of these groupings, even though they look very different. But we didn’t always know this, and young children don’t automatically know it. They have to build this understanding over time. For young children, whichever grouping is the biggest—takes up the most space—has the most in it. Without thinking about it, you and I can “abstract” the quantity of four from the materials and understand that these differentlooking amounts have a “fourness” in common.

Photo #4 Block building in a Kindergarten classroom

Presenting a child with images on a 2-D screen short changes a child by giving her far too little to go on, too little information on which to build concepts needed in order to build the foundation for later learning.

This isn’t a concept that we can teach children directly. Like many concepts, children have to construct this idea from their own experience with materials. That is why having lots of experiences with a whole variety of real objects is critical to early math learning.

In many early childhood classrooms these days, adults are teaching children by direct instruction through rote learning. Commonly, there will be ﬂashcards with number symbols written on them: 4, 5, 8, 9, etc. Teachers will hold these up for children to name. But a child can call out the correct “name” of the numeral without understanding the “concept” of the number. He could say that “4” is “four” without understanding the concept of quantity.

Unfortunately, in early childhood education today, there is far too much drilling of number names and other speciﬁc memorizable “facts.” Many adults are deceived into thinking that children understand concepts because they can parrot back the names of symbols. But children have to construct this understanding in their own minds through their ongoing actions on materials and in play with other kids.

Good early childhood education offers play-based learning experiences that allow children to build ideas through engaging activities. This is what active learning really means. It’s the opposite of drills and rote learning. The focus in a playbased classroom is on each child’s developing understanding and not on getting ﬁnal right-or wrong-answers.

When we observe children, we notice that they are often working on these early math concepts spontaneously. I was in Guatemala where my grandson Jake lived, and he was ﬁve years old at the time. We had a lovely fruit salad one morning for breakfast. The bowl of fruit was out on the table for ﬁve of us to share. Jake went out to the table and set up the breakfast on his own.

He put a plate at each chair (one-to-one correspondence). Then he spooned three pieces of watermelon and two pieces of pineapple onto each plate (classiﬁcation by three’s and two’s). Again, Jake was working on these pre-number concepts on his own, just through his own natural activity.

During this same visit, I noticed that Jake was getting interested in counting. One day as we walked by the lake in his lakeside village, we saw some ducks on the water (there were ﬁve). He started to count: “one, two, three, four, eight!” He grinned at me happily.

If Jake were in a classroom with an emphasis on direct instruction and right answers, the teacher would correct him for counting incorrectly. But actually, Jake was showing how much he already knew about number. He was matching the name of a number to each duck. He knew that those names referred to quantities. He stated the

Photo #5 Children work on math concepts in their everyday lives

Good early childhood education offers play-based learning experiences that allow children to build ideas through engaging activities.

names in an order. This was a lot to already know. But he still needed more experience before he would understand the speciﬁc quantity that each of those names referred to.

In addition, when children are learning through interaction--with materials and with other kids-they are learning about learning itself. They learn that they can have their own original ideas. They can create and invent and build understanding in their own minds. Because screen-based learning focuses on direct instruction and right answers, kids get the wrong idea about what learning actually is. In classrooms where children have too much direct instruction, they can think that knowledge and answers belong to the teacher. And when they learn by computers and apps, they can think the answers are in the devices. In both cases, the answers lie outside of the child, and are not within his or her own power to discover.

#4. YOUNG CHILDREN MAKE SENSE OF THEIR WORLD THROUGH PLAY.

Unfortunately, most of the learning apps and computer learning games such as the example in photo #6, by their very nature, promote the kind of learning that emphasizes getting the right answers and learning by rote. Kids follow directions and give answers. With screens and digital devices, they can’t learn by manipulating actual building materials. If they do have an app that lets them move objects around on a screen, for example, they will learn something, but far less than what they could potentially learn from having materials in their hands and discovering myriad things to do with them. The learning that comes from drills and producing answers does not provide as solid a foundation of understanding in a child’s mind. It is a more superﬁcial kind of learning that does not hold up as well as the kind of learning that a child constructs through direct action on materials.

When you and I have experiences that cause us angst--maybe we have a disagreement at work, or something scary happened to us, or there was a conﬂict at home--we tend to go over the moments of difﬁculty in our minds. We replay the events mentally as we try to sort through what happened. We might talk with someone we trust and verbally describe what took place and how we feel. As adults, we have this ability to use our thoughts and words to process our experiences. But children don’t have these tools. The way that young children process and make sense of their experiences is through play.

Play is so vital to young children’s emotional and mental health that it is sometimes called the engine of development. Play is universal among children, as universal as walking and talking. All children know how to play, and no one has to teach them. Surely, any activity that is wired into humans this way is critical for human adaptation and development.

Photo #6 ABC Mouse Online Curriculum for Children Ages 2-8

when children are learning through interaction--with materials and with other kids--they are learning about learning itself

When my grandson Jackson was two years old and I was giving him a bath, a small spider dropped down from above onto the rim of the bathtub. Jackson started screaming in fear of the spider. I was surprised and tried to show Jackson that the little creature was harmless, but he kept on screaming and seemed genuinely scared. So, I wrapped Jackson in a towel and lifted him out of the tub.

The next day when Jackson came over to my house after day care, I had some play things set out. There was playdough, a tiny doll (Jackson’s baby brother had just been born so he played with the little doll a lot), and a plastic spider—the kind you can buy in a jug full of different kinds of plastic animals. There was also a little box on the table. Jackson put the toy baby into the box. He squished some playdough into a ﬂat shape, covered the baby up, and said, “The baby is scared of the spider.” Then he took the baby back out of the box, then quickly returned it to the box, covered it with playdough and repeated, “The baby is scared of the spider.” And, then once more, Jackson repeated the same little scenario.

A two-year-old is just beginning to play, but we can see the simple and important elements of play in what Jackson did. He told a little story that was based in his own experience with the spider, but it was also partly from his imagination. He projected his own fear of the spider onto the baby and then found a way to protect the baby from the spider with the playdough cover. Jackson repeated this little story several times, all the while getting a sense of mastery over what had scared him.

As children get older, their play becomes more complex. Brain scientists would tell us that the neural structures of the brain increase as children’s play gets more complex, and the growing brain supports more complex play.

Children get better at playing the more they play. They need to practice every day so they can become good players.

Jackson’s spider encounter is an example of an everyday stress that could happen in the life of a fortunate child like Jackson whose basic needs—for a home, food, love, and security—are well met. There are forms of stress that some children experience that are far more severe than seeing a spider. But even in situations where there is more extreme stress--often when there is poverty or violence in a child’s life--play is a vital resource that can help children cope. I have been amazed at the ability of children I’ve worked with in situations of violence and war that are able to use their play to strengthen their sense of safety and security.

In observing children at play, whoever they are and whatever their circumstances, I look for the basic elements of play that we saw in Jackson at age two: a story that comes from the child’s own experience; some original parts to the story that come from the child’s imagination; some evidence of emotional beneﬁt to the child (i.e., making sense of a situation; feeling positive, secure and safe; having fun).

Because play is such a vital resource for healthy development, it is worrisome to observe the signiﬁcant decline in children’s play today. Children are now playing less both at home and in school.7

In classrooms for young children, we’ve seen a dramatic decline in play. The education reforms of the last almost twenty years have pushed academic standards and testing down to our youngest kids, even to preschoolers. Studies have shown that classrooms for young children have far less play than in the past, less arts, less recess, and more direct instruction and

Because play is such a vital resource for healthy development, it is worrisome to observe the signiﬁcant decline in children’s play today.

worksheets.8 These changes in early childhood education have been detrimental to all young children, but most harmful to black and brown children living in low-income communities where misguided education reforms have had their greatest impact.9 The loss of play in classrooms for young kids has robbed them of one of the greatest resources they have for making meaning of their lives and gaining feelings of mastery over difﬁcult experiences.

The loss of play inside of schools has corresponded to a reduction of play in children’s lives outside of school. Children are spending more time in front of screens — watching television, movies, and using computers, tablets and phones — than ever before.10 The time kids are spending with these types of media is replacing child-directed play, even among very young children.

Many of us are familiar with issues relating to screen addiction, and all age groups, including young children, seem to habituate to screens. While there are many factors involved in screen addiction, different for each age group, it is worth noting that from a developmental perspective, young children may be especially vulnerable to habituation because of how their minds work. Young children are more swayed by what they see than are older children and adults who have a more developed capacity to think critically and to step away from what they are seeing if they choose to. Young kids live in the moment: they get engrossed with the images in front of them, and they are pulled in completely.

Action ﬁgures of characters from the movie Frozen

Not only are children today playing less, but when they do play, their ability to create their own original stories has declined.11 The prevalence of screens in combination with the mass marketing of toys and products linked to screen media has affected how children play. When children see movies—for example, Frozen or Star Wars and then play with the action figures, props, and costumes linked to these films, they typically act out the media-based stories and not stories of their own. The play looks very similar from one child to the next. Ideally, however, no two children would play in the same way. This particular influence of commercial culture has meant that not only do children today play less, but even when they do play, the experience isn’t as fully beneficial as it might be.

Also, the messages in media culture tell children about themselves and their world. There’s an over-representation of white characters in much of kids’ pop culture and more whites featured in leading roles, as well as a prevalence of rigid gender stereotypes—all of which can negatively impact children’s sense of self.12

#5. YOUNG CHILDREN BUILD INNER RESILIENCE AND COPING SKILLS THROUGH PLAY.

After our visit to Guatemala the year my grandson Jake was four years old, I learned that he had cried for a long time when he realized that my husband Doug and I had left. The following year after our next long visit, I was determined to do a better job of helping Jake prepare for our departure.

Photo #7

Young children are more swayed by what they see than are older children and adults

The day before we were leaving to return to the U.S., I brought Jake over to the little casita where we were staying. I had some things to play with set out: my familiar home-made playdough, some popsicle sticks, paper, crayons and glue.

I drew a simple house on paper with two stick figures and said to Jake, “Tomorrow, Grampa Doug and I are going on an airplane back to Boston” (he had visited Boston in the past). Right away, he picked up a crayon and drew his own “house” on paper. He put us all inside the house and gave us names: Mommy, Papa, Grampa Doug, Nancy, and Jake. On another piece of paper, he drew another “house,” ringed it with play dough and called it Boston. He put the same five people in there too. Then he started making airplanes. Jake glued two sticks together and put five people on the plane: Mommy, Papa, Grampa Doug, Nancy, and himself. He flew the plane from the house in Guatemala to the house in Boston. All of us were on the plane and all of us were in the houses together. He made more planes, always with five of us on them, and flew them all around the room and between the two houses. He was very engrosssed in this play and it went on for a long time. When it was time to wind down, I said, “Jake this has been really fun playing with the airplanes and houses. But remember that tomorrow, Grampa Doug and I will go in an airplane back to Boston.” I put two of his little playdough pieces on a plane and flew it to the Boston house.

The next day after we had left Guatemala, Jake’s mom wrote to me to say that Jake woke up that morning and announced, “Grampa Doug and Nancy are gone. They went back to Boston.” He seemed settled and tranquil, with no sign of distress.

Inner resilience builds in children over time. When children have the chance to play every day, they increasingly build skills that help them work through challenging experiences. Just in this one play episode, we can see that Jake was able to come to terms with an event that was potentially difﬁcult for him. Instead of the feeling of despair he’d had the year before, there was a different conﬁdence: “I can do this. I know Grampa Doug and Nancy left and I’m okay.” When children play this way over time, their inner resilience strengthens; they become secure in handling the challenges life brings.

The materials Jake played with had a lot to do with his ability to create play of benefit to him. The materials were undefined and openended. With popsicle sticks, playdough, crayons and paper, he could make whatever he wanted. Giving kids undefined materials allows them to reach inward to create the props and symbols they need to get the most out of their play. This can’t happen when we give them defined toys or screen apps or games because the images are pre-set. They determine what happens in the play and impede a child from accessing his or her own imagination and emotional needs.

Photo #8 Jake’s house with everyone inside Photo #9 Jake’s airplane with all of us on board

There are screen apps and games that many children spend a lot of time “playing.” Puppet pals, the app pictured in photo #10, is an example of a phone app. The creators of Puppet Pals advertise the app as “encouraging creative play.” There are characters in the app--policeman, ballerina, doctor, astronaut—and kids can tap on the screen to mix their heads and bodies. They can make the characters talk, move their limbs, and put them on animals or vehicles to ride as they tell a story.

I watched two of my granddaughters as they played with Puppet Pals. They had a lot of fun creating the characters, making them move, putting them on animals to ride. Almost all of their time was spent this way. The story they told was brief and conﬁned to the characters and actions of the app.

It can be helpful to realize that the more that elements on a screen shape play, the less a child’s play can come from within. And the less a child’s play comes from within, the harder it will be to build inner resilience and coping skills through play. All of the entertaining options offered on the screen

interfere with a child’s own story and the needs of her own psyche. It’s a tradeoff we can keep in mind: More direction from outside means less access to the inner life of imagination and emotion.

#6. CHILDREN LIVE AND LEARN IN A CONTEXT OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

There is a human, social dimension to almost everything a child does. If we look again at photo #4 of children building with blocks, we see that the children weren’t only learning math with the blocks, they were learning math from one another. They learned from hearing each other’s ideas and they also learned about getting along with each other as they played.

Children’s emotional and social development happens slowly over time, just as their cognitive development does. They develop awareness and skills slowly that grow from their experience interacting with others.

Today, the context in which children are developing socially and emotionally is changing rapidly and dramatically. Children are playing less both in school and at home and therefore, have less experience interacting with other kids. And it seems, judging from the research, that many children have less time or less focused time with parents.13 Many parents are less available to children because of time spent with technology.14 Because child development theory would tell us that children need lots of social interaction for healthy development, it is a concern that they are getting less of it today.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it looks like for children today to be having less social interaction, but this story really made me think. My friend Joyce told me that she recently rode on a bus and in the seat across from

Photo #10 The Puppet Pals phone app

Inner resilience builds in children over time.

The more that elements on a screen shape play, the less a child’s play can come from within.

her was a young child who looked to be about one year old sitting on the lap of a caregiver. Joyce said that she and the child began to interact. They smiled at each other, made faces, and went back and forth in their nonverbal communication. Suddenly, the caregiver whipped out a smart phone and handed it to the child who went quickly into a phone-absorbed state and never looked at Joyce again. This is one small example of one mobile device affecting one social interaction in a baby’s life. What will be the effect on children of an accumulation of countless social experiences reshaped by technology?

When smartphones came out about ten years ago, many of us noticed parents on their phones with their children in public places like parks and restaurants. Teachers would tell me about parents on cell phones at day care pick up time, paying no attention to the child or the teacher, while continuing their conversations. Researchers began reporting that children felt “unimportant” when parents were on their phones; that they felt they were competing with technology for parents’ attention.15

There’s a large body of work in the child development field on children’s healthy attachments and sense of security. While there are many important factors that affect children’s emotional security, having the consistent, focused, loving attention of an adult is a major one. Perhaps those of us who interact with children have an opportunity here. We can practice giving our full, undivided attention to children at least during some times of the day. Doing this offers us a meaningful experience in the act of being present, something most of us find very difficult. Just staying in the moment of being with a child with awareness is a satisfying practice for us, and a true gift to children, one they sorely need today.

Soon after smartphones appeared on the market a decade ago, apps and tablets for kids became more prevalent. And as the prevalence of kiddie technology increased, something else began to occur. Parents and caregivers began to see an easy opening for using phones to amuse and distract children. What quickly became a common practice was to offer a phone to a child in a difﬁcult situation--a hard transition, a conﬂict, a scary moment--or simply to occupy a child, like the caregiver on Joyce’s bus. It was an easy solution. Distract the child, end the distress, amuse the child, make life easier. But at what cost to the child’s social and emotional development?

A few summers ago, I spent a week with close friends, including ﬁve-year-old Quentin and his Nana. Quentin is very close to his Nana, he adores her. After we’d spent a full week together, Nana explained to Quentin that she had to leave in the morning to visit her own mom. When Nana pulled out of the driveway, Quentin let go with a painful cry. He wailed so completely, with so much sadness, as he watched his Nana drive away. I took Quentin on my lap and there he sat, crying. After a while, when I thought it might be possible, I made a suggestion: “Quentin,” I said, “I have an idea. Let’s get some paper and markers and you can make a picture for Nana and we can send it to her.” Quentin liked this idea. He was ready to feel better.

What will be the effect on children of an accumulation of countless social experiences reshaped by technology?

I set Quentin up at the table with the paper and markers and left him for a bit. When I came back to the table, I was quite amazed. Quentin hadn’t made a picture for Nana, he had written her “a letter”—something he had never done before.

Quentin’s letter, pictured in photo #11, was written in ﬁve-year-old invented spelling. Maybe you can decipher it, but here is what Quentin told me it said:

“I MISS YOU NANA. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE? I REALLY LOVE YOU.”

When Quentin was in my arms crying hard, I could’ve offered him my phone to play with. Quentin loves to play games on the phone. (He’s one of those kids who gets his hands on your phone if it’s on the table, and surprise! You have a new downloaded app before you know it.) Offering Quentin my phone would’ve been a really easy option and one that would’ve distracted him right away from his pain. What a seductive option that is for an adult! It works so effectively. But the problem is, it works only in the short term.

If I had given Quentin my phone, he would not have had the chance to feel his feelings of sadness and

loss, to ﬁnd the words to express those feelings, to write a letter to his Nana and to strengthen their relationship in doing so. If I’d given him my phone, I would have bypassed all of that rich emotional experience he deserved to have.

Children need to have the full range of emotional and social experiences in order to grow that part of themselves. If we bypass those harder moments and don’t let children make their way through them, they will grow up without a rich emotional life and without the tools that develop from life experience. They will learn that when they feel bad, instead of looking inward to ﬁnd the resources to cope, they can turn to a screen or something else external to make themselves feel better.

CONCLUSION

Knowing how young children develop and learn, in my view, is the single most important resource we have for making decisions about screen use. The six core ideas from child development, listed on page 14, lead to speciﬁc suggestions that we can put to use when trying to decide how to handle screens and digital devices with young children.

Photo #11 Quentin’s “Letter” to Nana

If I’d given him my phone, I would have bypassed all of that rich emotional experience he deserved to have.

Knowing how young children develop and learn, in my view, is the single most important resource we have for making decisions about screen use.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PUTTING THE SIX CORE IDEAS TO USE:

1. Surround young children with opportunities to move and explore using their whole bodies and all of their senses.

2. Provide young children with all kinds of objects to explore. And try to give them lots of opportunities for social interaction--remembering that kids grow cognitively, socially and emotionally as they actively engage with materials and people.

3. Keep children away from screens in the ﬁrst two years of life as much as possible and keep screen use to a minimum throughout the early childhood years. When a child wants screen time, we can ask ourselves: “What is the potential of this activity for fostering imagination and/or social development? Is there a more beneﬁcial, more fully engaging experience available for my child right now?”

4. Try to provide a space (even a corner of a room in an apartment can work well) and uninterrupted time for children to play every day.16

5. Give children undeﬁned materials (playdough, art materials, blocks and building materials, household objects) to play with that will encourage the deepest, most creative and expanded play possible.

6. Try to pay conscious attention to our own use of mobile devices in the presence of children and try to set devices aside until later as much as possible.

7. Try to make screen use with children a conscious choice and not one we turn to automatically.

8. Try practicing the art of being fully present with children—giving them our full attention-- even if it’s just for a few moments.

9. Avoid using screens to occupy children or to distract them from difﬁcult feelings or moments. Keep open-ended materials like playdough, markers and paper, building materials easily accessable.

10. Be alert to the school environment children have and advocate for classrooms that engage kids through playful learning and allow them to follow their own curiosity rather than the didactic learning that is so widespread today.17 www.deyproject.org

@DEY_project

REFERENCES

1. Hertsgaard M, Dowie M. How big wireless made us think that cell phones are safe: A special investigation, The Nation, March, 2018.

2. The ﬁeld of child development deﬁnes “young children” as children from birth to age eight.

3. Frost JL. Neuroscience, play, and child development, Paper presented at the IPA/USA Triennial National Conference, June, 1998.

4. Zimmerman FJ, Christakis DA, Meltzoff AN. Television and DVD/video viewing in children younger than 2 years, Archives of Peditric & Adolescent Medicine, 2007.

5. Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood. FACT SHEET: Baby scam: Marketing to infants and toddlers. www.commercialfreechildhood.org.

6. Strouse GA, Ganea PA. Toddlers’ word learning and transfer from electronic and print books, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, July, 2016.

7. Haidt J, Lukianoff G, How to play our way to a better democracy, New York Times, September 1, 2018.

8. Bassok D, Latham S, Rorem A. Is kindergarten the new ﬁrst grade? ScienceDaily, January, 2014.

9. Ibid

10. Ravichandran P, DeBravo BF, Beauport MPH and R. Young children and screen tiime (TV, computers, etc.), National Center for Health ResearchYoung, 2018.

11. Levin DE, Carlsson-Paige N. The War Play Dilemma. New York: Teachers College, 2006.

12. Carlsson-Paige N. Taking Back Childhood: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Conﬁdent, Creative, Compassionate Kids. New York: Penguin books; 2009.

13. Radesky JS,Kistin CJ,Zuckerman B,Nitzberg K,Gross J,Kaplan-Sanoff M,Augustyn M,Silverstein M. Patterns of mobile device use by caregivers and children during meals in fast food restaurants, Pediatrics, 2014.

14. Dona Matthews, Turn off that smartphone, mom and dad! Psychology Today, November 23, 2017.

15. Caroline Bologna, Many kids feel “unimportant” when parents are distracted by smartphones, survey says. Hufﬁngton Post, July 2015.

16. TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) www.truceteachers.org.

17. Michael Yogman, Andrew Garner, Jeffrey Hutchinson, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children, Pediatrics, August, 2018. From the American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report.

NANCY CARLSSON-PAIGE, ED. D.

Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Ed.D., is Professor Emerita at Lesley University where she was a teacher educator in child development for more than 30 years. Nancy has written many books and articles on children, their social and emotional development, and the effects of media on young children. Her most recent book is called Taking Back Childhood:A Proven Roadmap for Raising Conﬁdent,Creative,Compassionate Kids.

In 2012, Nancy co-founded Defending the Early Years and is now a senior advisor at DEY. Nancy is an advocate for education policies and practices that promote social justice, equity. and the well-being of all children.

DEFENDING THE EARLY YEARS (DEY) is

non-proﬁt

organization working for a just, equitable, and quality early childhood education for every young child. DEY publishes reports, makes mini-documentaries, issues position statements, advocates on policy, and has an active website full of resources, blogs, and activist steps for early childhood educators.

www.deyproject.org @DEY_project

© November, 2018 by Defending the Early Years. All rights reserved. Full report, Young Children in the Digital Age: A Parent’s Guide, available for downloading at no cost on our website: www.DEYproject.org

Daily Rhythm at Home and Its Lifelong Relevance

by Helle Heckmann

As parents of little children, you are often very tired and you get too little sleep, and when you have too little sleep you also have too little energy and then often you give in when you think you should not have done, or you get angry or irritated so you are not present and when you are not present you lose the children and you do not like yourself. To make it easier for you to deal in the daily life with your children there are three important considerations:

• To be flexible

• To set limits (borders) and

• To observe the same routine everyday

o become flexible is the result of objective inward observation. You may train your flexibility through an inner work where you learn about yourself. In relation to limits, you have to find out them for yourself. You have to decide what the limits are for your child in your house: time to go to bed, time to eat, what to eat, what language to use in the family and so on. You have to make up your mind about limits beforehand, so, instead of saying “no, no, no…” and becoming angry, you simply do not allow the children to go beyond the limits. You know this is your decision and do not need to be angry. If you are ahead of the child and you see a certain situation coming, with humor and the right gesture or word, you can move away from the situation, and this will be possible if you train your flexibility. Knowing more about yourself will give you the possibility to also be ahead of yourself. When you catch this tool you can start working with your children in a much freer way, because the limits are set.

The third recommendation, to make a routine which is the same every day, gives the child rhythm. All Waldorf families probably know how the daily life is in the nursery and kindergarten. The children go

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through the day in alternate periods of concentration and expansion, as if in a breathing rhythm where there is inhaling and exhaling.

In the inhaling or breathing-in phase the child directs his attention to an activity that basically relates him to himself. For little children each breathing-in period (drawing, water painting, and knitting, eating…) is very short because little children can only concentrate for short periods of time. In the exhaling or breathing-out period, the child relates mainly to the surrounding world (free play, free running etc.). For each breathing-in period the child needs a breathing-out period and so a pattern is established. This rhythm is something that you can bring into your home. You have to try to find out when the children breathes-in and when they breathe-out. And when the children are in the breathing-in period, you have to make sure you are present, so the child feels ah, here I feel my parents, they are there for me. After that, for very short time, you can do what you have to do at home and you can tell your child you have to wait because I need to do this. And this will be all right because you know you have been present with the child. As an example, look at the situation when parents pick up their children from the kindergarten. At the very moment you are picking up your child: Does the cell phone ring and you answer? Do you greet your friends and engage in intense talk? If yes, then you are not present for the child. In my last visit to Mexico I saw very few parents really greeting their children, the majority were talking to other parents or engaged in school affairs or talking in their cell phones, or arriving late or in a hurry.

But, for your child who has been gone for five hours and who really wants you… you are not there. So the child screams I want an ice cream! I want this or that! or he starts running around, or falling, or getting into little conflict because he is confused, because he has not really met you. On the contrary, if you take the time (and it is five seconds perhaps), you bend down, give him a hug and then smell him (so lovely!) and really you are there, his eyes will tell you more than words, how his day was. He cannot tell you with words because he cannot remember, but his eyes will tell you everything. And then you take his hand and walk together (of course in a tempo that the child can follow), and this is really lovely because you are making a new nice situation, a “you and I situation.” Now, if you need to greet people you can do it, very shortly, but together with the child because your child will feel I am where I belong, with my parent. This was a breathing-in situation where you were present. Then you go to the car and go home (breathing-out) and it is probably time for eating which brings again a breathing-in situation. How do you eat? Do you sit down together with the child? Or is the child sitting by himself and you are walking around talking on the telephone? If you give yourself the time and sit down with your child you will teach the child manners at the table by your example. Many of the children today do not sit with their parents and they do not learn to hold utensils appropriately. However, this is important, otherwise when they are seven years old they cannot hold a pencil and to learn it at that age is so difficult compared to when they were one or two years old.

In addition, to sit at the table and to have a beginning, a process and an end, is important because this is how you should live the whole of life. Everything has a beginning, a process and an end. It may take you only fifteen minutes to sit appropriately, to check how the child holds and drinks from cup (children from one year onwards do not need a sip cup), to eat with closed mouth, and everything you are given and so on, being, in this way, an example for your child to follow, but more importantly you have taken this short moment to make again a “you and I situation” and at the same time you also help the child to find a social form of how we are when we eat together.

When you finish with the meal you remind the children they need to help with the table so that they also learn that when they are a part of a social environment they also take part in the cleaning up. In this way you have made and create a situation where you have been present and now you can say to the child go and play (breathing-out) because you have been there, and then you can do what you need to do but you

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have to be visible to your child. This is so, because a little child cannot play by himself if the center is not there and you are the most important person for the child. You are his center, and if you leave the room the little child will follow you.

When you are doing your things, the situation may occur where children will say I am bored. In this case you, of course, don´t turn on the television or music. When you are occupied with other things, you can tell your child now you play by yourself. If you know you have been present you can actually expect them to find something to do themselves. It is very important that you are not afraid of your children not knowing what to do or being bored. It is very important that you feel it is right: I have been there with them now they can be by themselves.

Nowadays, parents often use media or adult-directed activities for their children because they are afraid of their children being bored and assume that they are not able to do anything themselves. This is a tricky situation. If you think you have to entertain your under-seven children all the time, with media (films, TV, videogames, computers and so on), after-school classes, and/or other adult-directed activities, then they do not learn how to play by themselves. They will not have a moment where they can be in a state of not knowing what to do and from there progress into a state of finding images inwardly and thus creating things from inside out. By letting them to be bored you help them, because being bored represents the opportunity the children will have to go into this process of inner creativity. The fact that children are able to be by themselves, to create their own play without adult direction is of great importance because during the first seven years of the child everything is about being able to create.

If all the activities come from outside (electronic screen, video-games, adult direction, etc.), then not much happens in the sphere of inward creation. That is why in Waldorf kindergartens, teachers do not sit down and play with the children but do real work, from which the children draw inspiration to use it in their own play. In these kindergartens you may find teachers sweeping, cooking, sawing, tending the vegetable patch, taking care of farm animals, cutting wood, and whatever the particular setting of each school allows to do. Equally, you, as a parent, in the breathing-out phase, may do your work and the children beside you should be able to do their work (i.e. their own play). This is possible only when the children feel that they have met you in a previous breathing-in phase.

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CALIFORNIA IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR K – 12 TH GRADE

(including transitional kindergarten)

1. Requirements for K-12 admission also apply to transfer pupils.

2. Combination vaccines (e.g., MMRV) meet the requirements for individual component vaccines. Doses of DTP count towards the DTaP requirement.

3. Any vaccine administered four or fewer days prior to the minimum required age is valid.

4. Three doses of polio vaccine meet the requirement if one dose was given on or after the 4th birthday.

5. Four doses of DTaP meet the requirement if at least one dose was given on or after the 4th birthday. Three doses meet the requirement if at least one dose of Tdap, DTaP, or DTP vaccine was given on or after the 7th birthday (also meets the 7th-12th grade Tdap requirement. See fn. 8.)

One or two doses of Td vaccine given on or after the 7th birthday count towards the K-12 requirement.

6. For 7th grade admission, refer to Health and Safety Code section 120335, subdivision (c).

7. Two doses of measles, two doses of mumps, and one dose of rubella vaccine meet the requirement, separately or combined. Only doses administered on or after the 1st birthday meet the requirement.

8. For 7th-12th graders, at least one dose of pertussis-containing vaccine is required on or after the 7th birthday.

9. For children in ungraded schools, pupils 12 years and older are subject to the 7th grade advancement requirements.

10. The varicella requirement for seventh grade advancement expires after June 30, 2025.

DTaP/Tdap = diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine

Hep B = hepatitis B vaccine

MMR = measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine

Varicella = chickenpox vaccine

INSTRUCTIONS:

California schools are required to check immunization records for all new student admissions at TK /Kindergarten through 12th grade and all students advancing to 7th grade before entry. Students entering 7th grade who had a personal beliefs exemption on le must meet the requirements for TK/K-12 and 7th grade. See shotsforschool.org for more information.

UNCONDITIONALLY ADMIT a pupil whose parent or guardian has provided documentation of any of the following for each immunization required for the pupil’s age or grade as de ned in table above:

• Receipt of immunization.

• A permanent medical exemption.*

• A personal beliefs exemption ( led in CA prior to 2016); this is valid until enrollment in the next grade span, typically at TK/K or 7th grade.†

CONDITIONALLY ADMIT any pupil who lacks documentation for unconditional admission if the pupil has:

• Commenced receiving doses of all the vaccines required for the pupil’s grade (table above) and is not currently due for any doses at the time of admission (as determined by intervals listed in Conditional Admission Schedule, column entitled “EXCLUDE IF NOT GIVEN BY”), or

• A temporary medical exemption from some or all required immunizations.*

IMM-231 (1/21) California Department of Public Health • Immunization Branch •

GRADE NUMBER OF DOSES REQUIRED OF EACH IMMUNIZATION1, 2, 3 K-12 Admission 4 Polio4 5 DTaP5 3 Hep B6 2 MMR7 2 Varicella (7th-12th)8 K-12 doses + 1 Tdap 7th Grade Advancement9,10 1 Tdap8 2 Varicella10

ShotsForSchool.org

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION SCHEDULE FOR GRADES K-12

Before admission a child must obtain the rst dose of each required vaccine and any subsequent doses that are due because the period of time allowed before exclusion has elapsed.

DTaP

Hep B #2

weeks after 1st dose

Hep B #3 8 weeks after 2nd dose and at least 4 months after 1st dose 12 months after 2nd dose

MMR #2

weeks after 1st dose

months after 1st dose

Varicella #2 Age less than 13 years: 3 months after 1st dose 4 months after 1st dose

Age 13 years and older: 4 weeks after 1st dose 8 weeks after 1st dose

1. Three doses of polio vaccine meet the requirement if one dose was given on or after the fourth birthday. If polio #3 is the nal required dose, polio #3 should be given at least six months after polio #2.

2. If DTaP #3 is the nal required dose, DTaP #3 should be given at least six months after DTaP #2, and pupils should be excluded if not given by 12 months after second dose. Three doses meet the requirement if at least one dose of Tdap, DTaP, or DTP vaccine was given on or after the seventh birthday. One or two doses of Td vaccine given on or after the seventh birthday count towards the requirement.

Continued attendance after conditional admission is contingent upon documentation of receipt of the remaining required immunizations. The school shall:

• review records of any pupil admitted conditionally to a school at least every 30 days from the date of admission,

• inform the parent or guardian of the remaining required vaccine doses until all required immunizations are received or an exemption is led, and

• update the immunization information in the pupil’s record.

For a pupil transferring from another school in the United States whose immunization record has not been received by the new school at the time of admission, the school may admit the child for up to 30 school days. If the immunization record has not been received at the end of this period, the school shall exclude the pupil until the parent or guardian provides documentation of compliance with the requirements.

Questions?

* In accordance with 17 CCR sections 6050-6051 and Health and Safety Code sections 120370-120372.

† In accordance with Health and Safety Code section 120335.

See the California Immunization Handbook at ShotsForSchool.org

DOSE EARLIEST DOSE MAY BE GIVEN EXCLUDE IF NOT GIVEN BY

#2 4 weeks after 1st dose 8 weeks after 1st dose

#31 4 weeks after 2nd dose 12 months

2nd dose

#41 6

3rd dose 12

3rd dose

Polio

after

Polio

months after

DTaP #2

weeks after 1st dose

2 4

DTaP #3

weeks after 2nd dose

DTaP #4

months after 3rd dose

#5 6 months after 4th dose 12 months after 4th dose

CALIFORNIA IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR K-12TH GRADE (continued) IMM-231 (1/21) California Department of Public Health • Immunization Branch • ShotsForSchool.org

REPORT OF HEALTH EXAMINATION FOR SCHOOL ENTRY

To protect the health of children, California law requires a health examination on school entry. Please have this report filled out by a health examiner and return it to the school. The school will keep and maintain it as confidential information.

PART I TO BE FILLED OUT BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN

ADDRESS Number, Street City

PART II TO BE FILLED OUT BY HEALTH EXAMINER

HEALTH EXAMINATION

NOTE: All tests and evaluations except the blood lead test must be done after the child is 4 years and 3 months of age.

REQUIRED TESTS/EVALUATIONS DATE (mm/dd/yy)

Health History

Physical Examination

Dental Assessment

Nutritional Assessment

______/______/______

Developmental Assessment ______/______/______

Vision Screening ______/______/______

Audiometric (hearing) Screening ______/______/______

TB Risk Assessment and Test, if indicated ______/______/______

Blood Test (for anemia) ______/______/______

Urine Test

Blood Lead Test

______/______/______

Other ______/______/______

IMMUNIZATION RECORD

Note to Examiner: Please give the family a completed or updated yellow California Immunization Record. Note to School: Please record immunization dates on the blue California School Immunization Recor d (PM 286).

POLIO (OPV or IPV)

DtaP/DTP/DT/Td (diphtheria, tetanus, and [acellular] pertussis) OR (tetanus and diphtheria only)

MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)

HIB MENINGITIS (Haemophilus Influenzae B) (Required for child care/preschool only)

HEPATITIS B

VARICELLA (Chickenpox)

OTHER (e.g., TB Test, if indicated)

OTHER

PART III ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM HEALTH EXAMINER (optional) and RELEASE OF HEALTH INFORMATION BY PARENT OR GUARDIAN

RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Fill out if patient or guardian has signed the release of health information.

Examination shows no condition of concern to school program activities.

Conditions found in the examination or after further evaluation that are of importance to schooling or physical activity are: (please explain)

I give permission for the health examiner to share the additional information about the health check-up with the school as explained in Part III.

Please check this box if you do not want the health examiner to fill out Part III.

If your child is unable to get the school health check-up, call the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program in your local health department. If you do not want your child to have a health check-up, you may sign the waiver form (PM 171 B) found at your child’s school. PM 171 A (09/07) (Bilingual) CHDP website: www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/chdp

State of California Health and Human Services Agency Department of Health Care Services Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program

ILD’S NAME Last First Middle BIRTH DATE Month/Day/Year

ZIP code SCHOOL

DATE EACH DOSE WAS GIVEN First Second Third Fourth Fifth

VACCINE

Signature of parent or guardian Date Name, address, and telephone number of health examiner Signature of health examiner Date

INFORME DEL EXAMEN DE SALUD PARA EL INGRESO A LA ESCUELA

Para proteger la salud de los niños, la ley de California exige que antes de ingresar a la escuela todos los niños tengan un exa men médico de salud. Por favor, pidale al examinador de salud que llene este informe y entregelo a la escuela este informe sera archivado por la escuela en forma confidencial.

PARTE I PARA SER LLENADO POR EL PADRE/LA MADRE O EL GUARDIÁN

NOMBRE DEL NIÑO/NIÑA Apellido Primer Nombre Segundo Nombre FECHA DE NACIMIENTO Mes/Día/Año

DOMICILIO Número y Calle Ciudad Zona Postal Escuela

PARTE II PARA SER LLENADO POR EL EXAMINADOR DE SALUD

EXAMEN DE SALUD

AVISO: Todas las pruebas y evaluaciones excepto el análisis de sangre para el plomo deben ser hechas después de la edad de 4 años y 3 meses.

PRUEBAS Y EVALUACIONES REQUERIDAS FECHA(mm/dd/aa)

Historia de Salud ______/______/______

Examen Físico ______/______/______

Evaluación de Dientes ______/______/______

Evaluación de Nutrición ______/______/______

Evaluación del Desarrollo ______/______/______

Pruebas Visuales ______/______/______

Pruebas con Audiómetro (auditivas) ______/______/______

Evaluacion de Riesgo y prueba Tuberculosis* ______/______/______

Análisis de Sangre (para anemia) ______/______/______

Análisis de Orina ______/______/______

Análisis de Sangre para el plomo ______/______/______

Otra ______/______/______

REGISTRO DE INMUNIZACIONES

Aviso al Examinador: Por favor dé a la familia, una vez completado, o a la fecha, el Registro de Inmunización de California en papel amarillo.

Aviso a la Escuela: Por favor apunte las fechas de inmunización sobre el Registro de Inmunización de la escuela de California en papel azul.

VACUNA

FECHA EN QUE CADA DOSIS FUE DADA Primero Segundo Tercero Quarto Quinto

POLIO (OPV o IPV)

DTaP/DTP/DT/Td (difteria, tétano y [acellular] pertusis [tos ferina]) O (tétano y difteria solamente)

MMR (sarampión, paperas, rubéola)

HIB MENINGITIS (Hemófilo, Tipo B) (Requerida para centros de cuidado para niños y centros preescolares solamente)

HEPATITIS B

VARICELLA (Viruelas locas)

OTRA (e.g. prueba TB, de ser indicado)

OTRA

PARTE III INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL DEL EXAMINADOR DE SALUD (optional) y PERMISO PARA DIVULGAR (DISTRIBUIR) EL INFORME DE SALUD RESULTADOS Y RECOMENDACIONES

Llene esta parte si el padre/la madre o el guardián ha firmado el consentimiento para divulgar (distribuir) la información de salud de su niño/niña.

El examen reveló que no hay condiciones que conciernen las actividades de los programas escolares.

Las condiciones encontradas en el examen o después de una evaluación posterior que son de importancia para la actividad escolar o física son: (por favor explique)

Yo le doy permiso al examinador de salud para que comparta con la es cuela la información adicional de este examen como es explicado en la Parte III.

Por favor marque esta caja si Ud. no desea que el examinador llene la Parte III.

Firma del padre/madre o guardián Fecha

*de ser indicado

Firma del examinador de salud Fecha

Si su niño o niña no puede obtener el examen de salud llame al Programa de Salud para la Prevención de Incapacidades de Niños y Jovenes (Child Health and Disability Prevention Program) en su departamento de salud local. Si Ud. no desea que su niño(a) tenga un examen de salud, puede firmar la orden (PM 171 B), formulario que se con sigue en la escuela de su niño(a). CHDP website: www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/chdp

State of California Health and Human Services Agency Department of Health Services Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program

PM 171 A (3/03) (Bilingual)

Kindergarten Packet 2023-2024

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

Things to Know for Kindergarten 2023-2024

Arrival Time

Snack and Lunch

Food Restrictions and Allergies

Birthdays

Pickup Time Is 1pm

“The Nest” Extended Care Program

Wellness Policy and Health Practices

Communication

Cell Phones and Photos

Supporting Our School

Getting Involved

Items Needed for Kindergarten 2023-24

Choosing Clothes for School

Labels and Name Tags

Kindergarten Festivals and Events 2023-2024

Sample Kindergarten Daily Schedule

Early Childhood Sewing Instructions 2023-2024

Layout

Two Napkins

Two Place Mats

Loop on a Washcloth

2023-2024

Early Childhood Extended Day Program (“The Nest”) Contract

I. Contract and Registration

II. Aftercare Calendar and Hours

III. Fees

IV. Payment Options

V. Program Limits and Wait List

VI. Midyear Start and Contract Changes

VII. Cancelations and Refunds

VIII. Siblings

IX. Pickup

The Nest

Outdoor Time

Seasonal Crafting

Bedding

The Four-Year-Old Child

Further Reading

The Five-Year-Old Child

Further Reading

The Six-Year-Old Child

Further Reading

The Seven-Year-Old Transformation

Further Reading

YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL AGE:

A PARENT’S GUIDE

YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A PARENT’S GUIDE

SIX CORE IDEAS FROM THE FIELD OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT:

#2. YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN FROM DIRECT, FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN THE REAL WORLD.2

#3. YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN BY INVENTING IDEAS.

#4. YOUNG CHILDREN MAKE SENSE OF THEIR WORLD THROUGH PLAY.

Action ﬁgures of characters from the movie Frozen

#5. YOUNG CHILDREN BUILD INNER RESILIENCE AND COPING SKILLS THROUGH PLAY.

#6. CHILDREN LIVE AND LEARN IN A CONTEXT OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

What will be the effect on children of an accumulation of countless social experiences reshaped by technology?

CONCLUSION

SUGGESTIONS FOR PUTTING THE SIX CORE IDEAS TO USE:

REFERENCES

NANCY CARLSSON-PAIGE, ED. D.

DEFENDING THE EARLY YEARS (DEY) is

non-proﬁt

Daily Rhythm at Home and Its Lifelong Relevance

CALIFORNIA IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR K – 12 TH GRADE

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION SCHEDULE FOR GRADES K-12

REPORT OF HEALTH EXAMINATION FOR SCHOOL ENTRY

PART I TO BE FILLED OUT BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN

PART II TO BE FILLED OUT BY HEALTH EXAMINER

INFORME DEL EXAMEN DE SALUD PARA EL INGRESO A LA ESCUELA