Nowruz means "New Day" and is the Persian New Year, celebrated on the first day of spring. It marks a time of new beginnings, family gatherings, and hope for the year ahead!
🌿 How is Nowruz Celebrated?
Nowruz is a 13-day celebration filled with special traditions:
🌼 Spring Cleaning (Khaneh Tekani): Families clean their homes to welcome fresh energy for the new year.
🍎 The Haft-Seen Table: A beautiful table is set with seven special items that start with the letter "S" in Persian, like Sabzeh (sprouted wheat for growth) and Seer (garlic for health).
🔥 Jumping Over Fire (Chaharshanbe Suri): Before Nowruz, people jump over small fires, saying, “Give me your warmth, take away my worries!”
💰 Eidi (New Year Gifts): Elders give money or small gifts to children as a symbol of good fortune.
🎊 Family & Feasts: Loved ones gather to enjoy delicious food like Sabzi Polo (herbed rice) and fish!
🌞 Why is Nowruz Special?
Nowruz is all about fresh starts, kindness, and joy. It reminds us to welcome the new season with hope, love, and positivity!
Nowruz in the Classroom
Our classroom is a mixing pot of different cultures and we have several friends who celebrate Nowruz. This art activity was recreating the Sabzeh.
Sabzeh is a traditional symbol of renewal and rebirth in Persian culture, often seen during Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It consists of sprouted wheat, barley, or lentils placed in a dish, representing growth, fertility, and the start of a new year. Sabzeh is a key element of the Haft-Seen table, a special arrangement of symbolic items, and is later discarded in a ceremonial act of letting go of past burdens and welcoming fresh beginnings.
In our classroom students are comfortable sharing their culture and family traditions or celebrations. This student brought a sabzeh from home and did an excellent job sharing this with the class. It was our main inspiration for the sabzeh art.
Nowruz Activity -
🔥 Chaharshanbe Suri: The Festival of Fire 🔥
Chaharshanbe Suri is an exciting Persian festival celebrated on the last Wednesday night before Nowruz (Persian New Year). The name means “Red Wednesday” and it is known as the Festival of Fire.
🌟 What Happens During Chaharshanbe Suri?
Families and friends gather outdoors to jump over small bonfires while chanting: "Zardi-ye man az toh, sorkhi-ye toh az man!"
("Take my sickness, give me your warmth and energy!")
This tradition symbolizes letting go of past troubles and welcoming health, happiness, and good fortune for the new year.
During circle time, we gathered a small pile of sticks and students took turns jumping over the pile. This was a great activity to talk about fire safety.
Happy Nowruz and Happy First Day of Spring!!!
You can download the free sabzeh art resource on my TPT Store
St. Patrick’s Day is a special day that celebrates St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. He helped bring Christianity to Ireland a long time ago. Today, people all over the world celebrate Irish culture on this day!
🌟 Why Do People Wear Green?
Wearing green is a big tradition on St. Patrick’s Day! Some people say it’s because:
✅ Ireland is called the “Emerald Isle” because it’s so green.
✅ Green is the color of shamrocks, a symbol of luck.
✅ Leprechauns (silly little fairies) can’t see green, so they won’t pinch you if you wear it.!
🍀 What is a Shamrock?
A shamrock is a small, green plant with three leaves. St. Patrick used it to teach people about kindness and friendship. Now, it’s a symbol of good luck!
🧚 Who Are Leprechauns?
Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous fairies from Irish stories. They love gold and hide it at the end of a rainbow! If you ever see one, be quick—because they run super fast! 🏃💨
🎉 How Do People Celebrate?
On St. Patrick’s Day, people have fun by:
🎈 Wearing green clothes and shamrocks.
🎵 Listening to Irish music and dancing.
🌈 Looking for rainbows and leprechauns!
🥔 Eating yummy Irish food like potatoes and soda bread.
🍀 Fun Classroom Activities!
Here’s how we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in our classroom:
🌿 Shamrock Art & Crafts
We made beautiful shamrocks using green paper as part of our writing. We talked about what makes us feel lucky. Did you know that the shamrock is a symbol of good luck and Irish tradition?
🎶 Irish Music & Dancing
We listened to Irish music and even tried some Irish dancing! It was so fun moving to the lively beats. We also practiced doing the Irish Dance.
Introducing coding in kindergarten fosters essential skills
while making learning fun. Young children are naturally curious and quick
learners, making this the perfect stage to start exploring programming concepts.
Here’s why coding is a game-changer for early childhood education and how to
get started.
Why Teach Coding in Kindergarten?
Problem-Solving
Skills: Coding helps children think critically and break tasks into
smaller steps.
Creativity:
Kids can turn imaginative ideas into stories, games, and animations.
Resilience:
Debugging teaches persistence and the value of learning from mistakes.
Collaboration:
Team-based activities improve communication and teamwork.
Future
Preparation: Early exposure builds a foundation for STEM learning and
future opportunities.
How to Introduce Coding
Unplugged
Activities: Teach sequencing and logic with screen-free activities
like treasure hunts or storytelling cards.
Kid-Friendly
Tools: Use apps and toys like ScratchJr, Bee-Bot, or Code-a-Pillar to
make coding accessible.
Play-Based
Learning: Blend coding with play, such as creating obstacle courses
with coded instructions.
Encourage
Exploration: Let children experiment, make mistakes, and find
solutions independently.
Storytelling
Integration: Use coding to bring narratives to life by programming
characters.
Tips for Educators and Parents
Keep
concepts simple, focusing on patterns and problem-solving.
Celebrate
effort and persistence, not just success.
Use
colorful visuals and interactive tools to maintain interest.
Be
patient and support individual learning paces.
The Impact of Early Coding
Coding in kindergarten nurtures creativity, critical
thinking, and confidence while sparking a love for learning. It’s not about
preparing kids for tech careers but equipping them to understand and shape
their world. Early coding ensures children grow as active creators, ready to
thrive in a tech-driven future.
Below is a simple game introducing our kindergartners to coding. The goal is to get the rat to the cheese while avoiding the cat. I like that the student was able to self-correct after she realized there was a better option to getting to her target.
In December we recognize several holidays and celebrations significant to families in our school community. This post will zero in on three such celebrations:
Christmas
Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays worldwide, blending traditions, religious significance, and universal themes of love, generosity, and joy. For some people, Christmas is a time of faith and reflection. For others, it’s about family, togetherness, and giving.
For Christians, Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and it is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, who, according to the Christian religion is the son of God. It is a celebration of hope marked with key traditions, including the nativity scene, singing carols, and attending church services.
Many families come together at Christmas to share meals, play games, and exchange gifts. People engage in acts of kindness like donating to charities and giving to those in need.
This year students created holiday ornaments and a paper snow globe using finger paint and crayons.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long cultural celebration that honors African heritage and African-American culture. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa takes place annually from December 26 to January 1. It draws inspiration from traditional African harvest festivals and focuses on principles promoting unity, self-determination, and cultural pride.
7 Principles of Kwanzaa:
Unity: Striving
for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
Self-Determination: Defining
oneself, naming oneself, and speaking for oneself.
Collective Work and
Responsibility: Building and maintaining communities together,
solving problems as a collective.
Cooperative Economics: Supporting
and building businesses that benefit the community.
Purpose: Working
collectively to build and develop communities in alignment with cultural
goals.
Creativity: Using
creativity to improve and beautify the community.
Faith: Believing
in the people, community, and the righteousness of the struggle.
Kwanzaa is a time for reflection, celebration, and commitment to building stronger families and communities. It serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural identity and collective progress, making it a meaningful addition to the holiday season.
Students created the Mkeka mat from paper using the traditional colours of black, green, and red on a yellow base. This craft was a great way to strengthen their fine motor skills. It was somewhat challenging for some students, however they did a fantastic job.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an
eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple
in Jerusalem during the second century BCE. The holiday commemorates the
victory of the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish fighters, over the much
larger Syrian-Greek army and the miracle that followed.
Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of
Kislev, which usually falls in late November or December. To celebrate the eight nights of Hanukkah, people light candles on a branched candlestick called a Menorah. They start with one candle and add a new candle each night. In addition to the lighting of the candles, gifts are exchanged and children play holiday games.
Other customs include:
Playing
dreidel: A spinning top game with Hebrew letters symbolizing the
phrase "A great miracle happened there."
Eating
fried foods: Such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot
(jelly-filled doughnuts), to honor the miracle of the oil.
Giving
gifts: Especially to children, a tradition that has grown in
popularity, influenced by the timing of Hanukkah near other winter
holidays.
Hanukkah is a joyful celebration of resilience, faith, and
miracles, making it a time for family, tradition, and reflection on overcoming
challenges.
Diwali is India's most important celebration, often referred to as Dipawali. It is a Hindu festival of lights that symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Families in my class celebrate Diwali so explaining this to other students was important. Diwali is celebrated annually and lasts for five days. It usually falls between October and November.
In class, students created Diya (lamps). These are an important symbol and are lit during Diwali
Thanksgiving is an annual Canadian holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October. Many families have their own unique ways to celebrate Thanksgiving. One thing that often highlights Thanksgiving is the food. For some families, it is the turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potato, and pie. For others, it is the opportunity to gather with family, share and have a wonderful time together.
In class, we read stories about being thankful and encourage students to share things they are grateful for. There are many stories online that our kindergarten students can definitely relate to. One of my favorite stories is A Spot of Thankfulness by Diane Alber. It is a great read-aloud that can engage students as they explore many talking points about thankfulness.
For students who can write, a sentence starter after reading the book is:
"I am thankful for..."
Thanksgiving Craft Ideas
Many different Thanksgiving craft ideas and activities that require very little prep work are available to share with students. Here are a few that have been done by my kindergarten classes.
Thanksgiving Hand Turkey
There are many variations to this craft idea.
Things I am Thankful For
For early writers, this incorporates writing simple words.
"Thank you for Helping me grow hand." This incorporates painting.
Thankful Tree
If there is available space in the classroom, a thankful tree is a great idea for a corner display. Outside of a physical tree craft, a cut-out tree can be displayed on the bulletin board with leaves representing the things students are thankful for.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for rich conversations with students during discussion sessions. When students are encouraged to talk about what they are thankful for, it helps them to be grateful for what they have. Oral communication is important in the kindergarten classroom as students learn to formulate sentences and make connections to the topic of discussion.
Kindergarten is a world of fun, exploration and learning. Students are all at different stages of their learning so the approach to setting up the learning environment and learning activities varies depending on the learner. The joy is almost palpable when you can see the journey of a learner from the stage of not being able to recognize a letter or hold a pencil to being able to read confidently and share their learning.
It has been a while since I updated this blog. I intend to revive my efforts and share with you a window to my classroom journey of kindergarten in a year.
First Day/Week of Kindergarten
Students learn in different ways so there is no one size fits all. Planning for the first day of kindergarten is tricky because of the myriad of personalities that come in. Many times, what is planned on paper does not even get executed based on the challenges that arise on the day. It is a tough transition for many of these kids and so our duty as educators is to make the transition from home to school as smooth as we can.
In this blog post, I will share some of my best practices for a somewhat smooth first day/week of school. Although every year the experience differs, it is important to be prepared for the basics. Working with a teaching partner is a definite advantage. This allows for shared ideas and is especially useful when dealing with criers. Yes, every year there is one common thread on the first day, settling the ones who have a hard time leaving their parents.
Here are my tips for first-day preparation:
Have a clipboard with a pen at hand
As students are dropped off, parents usually have important messages to share such as authorized family/friends for pick up, lunch, allergies, etc. I often prepare a handout with questions to capture most of this pertinent information, however, it is helpful to capture these as the children are dropped off. Also, ensure that a class list is attached to the clipboard. In addition, it is helpful to confirm the pronunciation of names with parents. Each child's name is part of their identity, you want to make sure that from day one you get it right.
Prepare Easy No Supervision Activities
As students get settled in their new environment for the day, it helps to have various activities to engage them. The focus on day one is not so much on learning concepts but on getting settled. Setting up building blocks, legos, magnetic blocks, playdough and colouring activities are just some examples of centres that students can navigate without direct teacher supervision.
First Day Read Aloud Books
Curious George's First Day of School
This is a really good read for the first day or probably first week of school. I have used it for about 3 years and the kids had so much fun mixing the colours. It can be a bit messy however, give it a go. What I have done is made it a centre with at least four kids at a time. If there are many criers on day one it might be best to give try on day two or three but definitely get it done in the first week.
The Night Before Kindergarten
This book is great for conversation prompts. It engages students and gets them to talk about their own expectations about kindergarten. If you have a class of SKs and JKs, the SKs usually enjoy sharing their own experiences when they started school and can reassure the JKs that kindergarten is indeed lots of fun. Students usually find it really funny to see all the adults crying towards the end of the story.
Circle Time
Circle time in kindergarten is a safe space for students to share and learn. Beginning circle time with rhymes, songs or simple games gets students settled. My kids love to play Simon Says or Sticky Sticky Bubble Gum. The Tap and Clap Name Game is also a good one to get them comfortable with their friends. See link below
Circle time is also a good time to reinforce classroom expectations. Keep in mind that in Kindergarten routines and expectations can take as much as two months to be fully in place. The key is simply patience, patience, and more patience. For the first week, I usually keep centre time no longer than 15 minutes. As students get more settled in the program the circle time can go up to 25 minutes. Now that seems like a lot of time but when it is exciting and engaging for the kids, the time goes by really fast.
Centre Activities
Centre activities are usually set up before students are dismissed from circle time. Over the years I have tried several approaches to centre time and I found that the best option that worked for my kids is free choice rotation with limited numbers at centres. How this works is lable centres with the total number of students allowed. For example, we might say at the drama centre, the limit is four. If students want to join and the limit is reached, they can ask a friend to exchange or choose another centre. The signs usually have the number and picture so students have a visual as to what the number represents.
Students are dismissed from circle time one at a time to a centre of their choice. If there is a very popular centre, then students rotate based on time. I will say, there are no hard and fast rules as it relates to centres. Each year students that come in are different and it is up to the teacher to decide how to approach this based on the students for that year.
Once students are comfortable with the routine of choosing centres, it leaves more time for the teacher to do one-on-one activities with the students to reinforce learning concepts taught.
Clean Up Time
From day one, it is important to reinforce the job of clean-up as a community effort. I usually play the clean up song which is the cue for them to stop all activities and aim to get everything in place before the song is concluded. Teamwork and cooperation are a huge part of learning in kindergarten. These character traits are reinforced throughout the day and in various activities both indoor and outdoor.
End-of-Day Home Transition
Dismissal is just as important as any other part of the day. For some students who are still settling, this is the best part of the day as they look forward to going home. We usually end the day with an extended outdoor play so students transition from there to being picked up. Before the extended play, we gather for circle time where we do a final game and a goodbye song.
Students are dismissed with their first day crowns or artwork which they can share with loved ones and talk about the activities of the day. Another important element of the end of day is to ensure that students leave their cubbies neat and tidy. Indoor shoes stay at school and so these are tucked away in their right places as well as other things that they have in their particular space.
Final Thoughts
It is so crucial to emphasize that the most important trait that an educator needs to successfully navigate kindergarten is patience. Rules, routines and expectations take time to implement. Don't be surprised if it all does not come together until the end of September even extending into October. The encouraging thought is that once students are comfortable with the routines, the rest of the year only gets better.
There is always that odd year or for some teachers, there is always that one or even two students who present a more difficult challenge than others. However, with time, even those students will start to show some progress.
Have a blast and let us see what is in store for the coming year!
