 Planning for Holidays & Special Occasions at Day Care or Preschool
When planning for holiday celebrations or birthdays for very young children, the best thing to remember is KISS. Keep it short and simple.
Most children younger than 4 have little understanding about holidays or special occasions. They don't know about customs or traditions - they're still too little to have experiences to draw from - so they don't have expectations.
Here are a few basic tips to help you make the most out of celebraing special occasions with preschoolers in day care or play groups.
Plan and maintain a flexible agenda.
Start preparing only a day or two before the special event or holiday, and involve children in the preparations.
Keep activities simple and short, with a child-centered focus and pace.
Familiar situations, routines and people help prevent distress and lessen the likelihood of upsetting children.
For many small children a change in routine or a new or unusual situation can be highly stressful. If there are more people around and / or unknown people - even if they're in a familiar setting - it can be distressful or even frightening to a preschooler. Try to keep changes and variables to a minimum so the child can focus on the event and activity and enjoy the day.
|
