We are so excited to be starting Spirit Days at the centre. We’ve decided to bring these into the centre to help build a sense of community and inclusion. Children who choose to participate can look forward to dressing up for the themes. This allows children to demonstrate their creativity, individuality and interests.
One of our favourite quotes by James Baldwin reflects our intention perfectly: “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them” We want to encourage children to be involved in activities, inside and outside of the centre and show them that it can be fun. We strive to encourage children to be the best versions of themselves, even if it’s shown through wearing a crazy hair style or dressing up as a favourite superhero.
Spirit Days have been researched and it’s been proven they are more than just having fun. There are significant studies to show that children who have higher “school spirit” are happier overall. One of the benefits of these days could include conversation starters between children. If children see another child wearing something similar, or something interesting – this can start a conversation which can lead to a wonderful friendship – one that may not have happened without that small piece. It gives children the opportunity to share something about themselves to their peers. We believe this encouragement to participate in Spirit Days starts the foundation for many other important aspects of their lives.
Our first Spirit Day was January 13. It was Jersey Day. We invited the children to wear (if they wished) their favourite jersey. It was not limited to a specific league or sport. We saw a wonderful variety and all of the staff wore jerseys as well. Stay tuned for more Spirit Days!
