April brings all the reminders of the excitement of change. Whether it be cherry blossom petals swirling in the recent windstorm or new buds poking out from trees and the ground, a change of season is finally upon us. As an emergent learning program, there are so many provocations that we can discuss with the children to foster conversations around Spring and a season of change. Encouraging our children to take notice of the changes in our environment inspires curiosity to explore our community and to love learning. Seeing the changes in our weather and plants are tangible examples of what change means.
If you are planning to expand your family or are currently pregnant, talking about a new sibling early on prepares your child well in advance. This doesn’t replace the one-to-one bonding that’s needed when a new baby arrives, but it does give a great foundation for conversations about how love is shared and for your own child to express how they feel about sharing their home.
If you are starting a new extra curricular activity or daycare, the transition will affect everyone involved. Showing a child how a tree grows taller each season or a plant that expands its girth is a great analogy for what your child can look forward to at their program. As they attend classes, they learn more and their body and minds grow accordingly.
While we all know change can be exciting, it can also bring about levels of uncertainty. But the more time we spend talking to our children about what to expect, why it happens and what we can do about our feelings, the better we are preparing them to anticipate and conquer change.
Your partner in learning,
Fiona Abbas-Lee
