Happy Holidays to all! Here at Vernon Hills Montessori Academy, we have been feeling the holiday cheer! We had our Holiday Concert at Hawthorn Mall on Friday, December 13th. It was so much fun!
Celebrations and Holidays in the Montessori Classroom
"The Montessori approach to celebrating special days is a gift to children as it expands their minds, their hearts, and their worlds." —Alex Chiu, Montessori Musings
Why Celebrate Holidays?
Celebrating holidays in the classroom can:
help mark the changing of the seasons
provide an opportunity to study history and geography
honor the birthdays of special people who have made a contribution to the world, such as Maria Montessori
encourage understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures
create a sense of community that welcomes all families
give opportunities to introduce holiday art projects and food preparation, like tamales for Christmas and latkes for Hanukkah
bring light and joyfulness to the long, dark winter months by honoring the many winter holidays.
Which Holidays to Celebrate?
"As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we are different. That may be the most essential message of all, as we help our children grow toward being caring, compassionate, and charitable adults." —Mr. Rogers, Fred Rogers' website
The word holiday comes from the Old English word for "holy days." Religious holidays are meaningful to many families. People celebrate holidays for numerous reasons, including giving thanks, seeking protection, and celebrating freedom. Your school may choose to honor holidays that families in your classroom already celebrate, inviting parents to share a traditional food, cooking project, or ritual from Ramadan, Passover, Easter, or Holi. Children can learn how holidays bring joy to people around the globe as we celebrate the diversity of the families in our communities.
There are endless holidays that can be successfully celebrated with young children, from Lunar New Year, Cinco de Mayo, and the Cherry Blossom festival, to the lesser-known Elephant Day and International Day of Peace, and the winter holidays of solstice, Diwali, Kwanza, Hanukah and Christmas.
We want to wish each of you a happy holiday season. Whatever way you celebrate, may your family be safe!