Dear StrongStart families,

The winter is here! Days are still short, but are thankfully getting longer. As adults, we are often looking forward to spring, but for a child there so much to experience and enjoy in any season. The best winter gift is of course snow, let us hope our children will be lucky to experience a bit more snow this year.

When you are outside with your child, take the time to notice and wonder together. Notice frost on the grass, bare trees, bristle leaves that stayed after wind blew away most of them, cherry blossom buds that came out a bit too early. Take time to feel the textures, experience cold, moisture, crunch, sliminess.

Talk about what you are noticing, but also ask your child: “I don’t see any birds, where do you think they are, I wonder?”; “Remember when we had snow… We built snowman and then it all melted away. Where did the snow go, what do you think?”

Of course, their stories or ideas might differ from reality.  Every culture or nation is full of wonderful myths which were created as early humans were trying to make sense of their world and answer the same puzzling questions: What is the thunder? Where does the sun go at night?  Where does the water from a puddle go on a sunny day? We enjoy them as stories now but they started as  scientific questions or what  we now call ” inquiry”.

When we allow children to express their thoughts and use their imagination and connect with what they already know, we’re allowing children to make sense about the world around them, think critically, and let their creativity and imagination blossom.

To start you on your wonderous journey…

CLICK HERE to join me in wondering and in reading “When Winter Comes” by Nancy Van Laan and Susan Gaber.

This wonderous book is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Stay warm and safe,

Ms. Lillian