"Play is one of the most important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills." ~UNICEF, 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Put on your pajamas and party hat to ring in the Western New Year with Ms. Christina while also building important skills.* You don't have to wait until midnight on January 1 to celebrate — in this holiday Circle Time for everyone, we'll practice for the coming new year so you're ready to go when the calendar changes over.

SCHEDULE
Note: Class lasts 30 minutes for 3-5 learners; class will end a few minutes earlier for 1-2 learners. 
> SONG: THE NEW NEW YEAR'S SONG
> ACTIVITY: FIND JAN. 1 ON THE CALENDAR
> ACTIVITY: START THE COUNTDOWN TO 12 O'CLOCK
> RHYME: FIREWORKS ACTION RHYME
> GAME: HIDE AND SEEK WITH NOISEMAKERS
> CRAFT: MAKE A CONFETTI THROWER
> ACTIVITY: COUNTDOWN TO 12 O'CLOCK WITH CONFETTI AND NOISEMAKERS
> SONG: AULD LANG SYNE
> HOMEWORK: MAKE YOUR OWN CONFETTI THROWER

*SKILLS DEVELOPED
> Early Literacy Skills - Phonological awareness, vocabulary, letter identification, phonics, manual dexterity (for handling a book)
> Numeracy Skills - Number identification, ordinal numbers, sequencing, counting forwards and backwards
> Social Skills - Listening, patience, taking turns, empathy
> Cognitive Skills - Problem solving, searching, making choices, positive association with learning

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SHY OR RELUCTANT?
Listening is learning! Some of my very best learners were too shy to participate at first. It is okay for your child just to listen until they get used to the class. Keep your child in the room where they can hear my voice and give them something for their hands, like coloring or building with blocks. Before long, they will likely hear something that interests them and start participating all on their own.

MODEL THE BEHAVIOR YOU WANT TO SEE
One way to help your child relax is to participate alongside them, just off-camera. Let them see you following the motions, repeating the words, and having a good time.

HOMEWORK
The homework is to help your child make a confetti thrower from a toilet paper roll and pieces of tissue paper.

NOTE ON MUSIC
I strive to provide a welcoming and loving environment for all learners in my class. I research the history and origins of all the songs I use in my classes and don't use any I find to have hidden or harmful messaging, associations, or history. My own original songs are written with diversity, inclusion, and love for all children in mind.

TEACHING METHOD
You'll notice all of my classes are capped at 5 learners — this way I can see all of the learners' screens at all times and they can see each other for maximum group engagement. I also keep the class focused on my face, voice, and physical visual aids, such as magnets, flannel pieces, and books. Studies show kids in their formative years learn best through face-to-face interaction, so I don't use slides or virtual graphics that make my screen small and the other learners disappear. Learning in my class is centered on human-to-human connection, which creates a deeper, more permanent learning experience. Come see for yourself!