The Weekly Update #4

The holiday season is a special time for families to come together, create lasting memories, and enjoy some extra fun and festive moments. As we approach this time of year, it's a wonderful opportunity to engage your child in activities that spark their creativity, promote family bonding, and bring the joy of the season to life.

For many young children, the holidays are a time of wonder and excitement. Whether it’s making a handprint ornament, baking cookies, or dancing to holiday music, these activities provide the perfect chance to slow down and enjoy the season together.

I’ve put together a list of fun, easy, and festive ideas that families can enjoy at home. These activities are designed for families and can help develop important skills like creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving—while also creating a space for laughter and joy. Whether you're looking for something crafty, a way to stay active, or an opportunity to relax with a holiday movie, there’s something for every family to enjoy.

I hope these ideas help bring some extra cheer into your home this holiday season. Wishing you all a wonderful, joyful, and memorable time together!

1. DIY Holiday Cards

• What You Need: Blank cards, markers, stickers, glue, glitter, and any other fun art supplies.
• Activity: Let kids decorate their own holiday cards for family and friends. They can draw pictures, add stickers, or even glue on cut-out shapes to create their designs.

2. Holiday Movie Marathon

• What You Need: Cozy blankets, popcorn, and a selection of holiday movies.
• Activity: Pick some classic holiday movies (like The Polar Express, Frosty the Snowman, or A Charlie Brown Christmas) and watch them as a family. Make it even more special by watching with hot cocoa!

3. Gingerbread House Decorating

• What You Need: Pre-made gingerbread house kit (or graham crackers), icing, candy decorations.
• Activity: Assemble and decorate a gingerbread house together. Kids can use candy to create their own designs, making it a fun, hands-on activity.

4. Snowman Bowling (Indoor)

• What You Need: Empty plastic bottles (for pins), a soft ball.
• Activity: Set up empty bottles as "snowmen" and let the kids roll a soft ball to knock them down. This is an easy and fun way to stay active indoors.

5. Make Holiday Ornaments

• What You Need: Clear plastic or wooden ornaments, paint, stickers, glitter, markers.
• Activity: Let kids paint or decorate their own ornaments to hang on the tree. They can also add their handprints or write their names and the year on them to create lasting memories.

6. Bake and Decorate Cookies

• What You Need: Pre-made cookie dough or ingredients for sugar cookies, frosting, sprinkles, and candy decorations.
• Activity: Bake cookies together and then let the kids decorate them with frosting, sprinkles, and candies. You can create holiday shapes like stars, snowflakes, or Christmas trees.

Hobart is all about helping the community! If you ever need any resources or support, please feel free to reach out and I will do my best to help find you the resources you need!

The Early Learning Center does a weekend food assistance program! Your child should have gotten a paper copy of this in their folder. If you need returned the form back to the school, then you are all set! If you haven't filled it out and would like to participate, please fill out the link below and we will make sure your child is added to our program!

There is also a list of resources that can be beneficial to you as well! You can click on the link below and see what resources there are. If you don't find what you are looking for or have further questions, please reach out!

You can also go to www.findhelp.org for even more resources!

Every week I go into classrooms to work on social emotional skills! Every month you can check out what I am doing here! This month Mr. Williams and Miss Louie are doing this lesson together!

Teaching a kindergartner about personal space is an important lesson that can help them develop healthy relationships with others, build respect, and understand boundaries. Parents can continue the lesson at home by reinforcing the concepts in fun and engaging ways. Here are some ideas:

1. Use Everyday Situations

• When you're talking or playing with your child, gently remind them about personal space by saying things like, “Let’s make sure we give each other enough space so we feel comfortable,” or “You are standing too close to me, let’s take a step back.”
• At the grocery store or in public places, point out to your child when they are too close to someone, and explain that it’s important to give people enough room to feel comfortable.

2. Role-Playing

• Create role-playing scenarios where your child practices asking for personal space or giving space to others. For example, “What do you say if your friend is standing too close to you?” (A good answer could be: “Can you give me some space, please?”).
• Act out different situations together (e.g., at a birthday party, while playing with a friend) and practice how to politely ask for space when needed.

3. Use Visuals or Stories

• Books: Find children’s books that address personal space. For example, "Personal Space Camp" by Julia Cook or "The Invisible Boy" by Trudy Ludwig. Discuss the lessons from the story afterward.
• Drawings: You can draw pictures of “safe” and “too close” spaces. Show them how personal space is like an invisible bubble around everyone.

4. Games

• The "Personal Space Bubble" Game: Stand with your child and demonstrate a “bubble” around your body by extending your arms. Then, take turns walking around and respecting each other’s bubbles. This can help your child visualize how personal space works.
• Simon Says: Play a game of Simon Says with a focus on personal space. For example, “Simon says, step back and give me some space,” or “Simon says, stand two steps away from me.”

5. Teach Respectful Touch

• Model appropriate physical touch by explaining and demonstrating what is and isn’t okay. For example, “It’s okay to high-five or hug a family member if we ask first,” but “We shouldn’t touch others without asking or if they don’t want to.”
• Practice asking for permission before giving a hug or a touch, and teach your child to ask others too.

6. Positive Reinforcement

• Praise your child when they respect others' personal space or follow the rules you’ve set. For example, “Great job! You remembered to ask for space when you needed it.”
• If they forget or make a mistake, gently remind them and encourage them to try again.

7. Discuss Feelings

• Help your child understand how others feel when their personal space is invaded. Ask questions like, “How do you feel if someone is standing too close to you?” or “What should we do if we notice someone looks uncomfortable?”
• Encourage empathy by discussing how we can make others feel safe and respected.

By making these practices part of your daily routine, your child will gradually internalize the concept of personal space and learn how to apply it in different settings, both at home and in school. Keep it fun, supportive, and consistent!

Hello! I’m Miss Taylor Louie, and I’m thrilled to be the school counselor here at the Early Learning Center. My role is to support students in their academic, emotional, and social development, helping them navigate the challenges of school and life with confidence and resilience.

I’m passionate about creating a safe and inclusive environment where every student feels heard and supported. Whether it's helping with academic planning, providing guidance on personal issues, or facilitating group counseling sessions, my goal is to empower students to reach their full potential.

If you or your child ever need someone to talk to, whether it's about school, friendships, or anything else, I’m here to listen and help. Feel free to reach out to me via email at tlouie@hobart.k12.in.us and let’s work together to ensure a positive and successful school experience!

Looking forward to a great year ahead!

Hello! I’m Ryan Williams, and I’m in my second year as the Behavior Interventionist at the Early Learning Center. My role is to support students in managing their behavior while promoting social and emotional growth through personalized strategies that foster meaningful opportunities for development.

Before stepping into this role, I taught middle school math for 17 years. I earned my master’s degree in School Counseling and am excited to serve the Hobart community in this new capacity. Having been a Brickie myself since kindergarten, I’m passionate about helping our young Brickies grow and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

If you’d like to discuss how we can partner together to support your child’s continued growth, I’d love to be part of that journey. Feel free to contact me at rwilliams@hobart.k12.in.us or 219-942-7263 ext. 8822.

Thank you, and I look forward to the great year ahead!

Hi, everyone! My name is Mrs. Lyndsey Deaton, and I am the Wellness Supervisor at the ELC. I work closely with Miss. Louie, the school counselor, and Mr. Williams, the behavioral interventionist. My goal is to help students form their own tools and goals necessary to help self-regulate their emotional and behavioral choices in a safe and positive way. This ensures a better learning experience for not only themselves, but those around them. A few examples of how I achieve this would be providing support within the classrooms, talking students through their emotions with calm down techniques, weekly goal checks and collaborating with teachers in weekly meetings. I am passionate about seeing students progress and grow throughout the year as they hit their behavioral goals and seeing the joy that it brings them. Feel free to contact me at 219-942-7263 x8818 or at ldeaton@hobart.k12.in.us for any questions or if you'd like to work together to ensure a positive school experience! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child's learning journey!

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or need anything. I am here to help!

Take care,

Taylor Louie

tlouie@hobart.k12.in.us

(219) 942-7263 ext. 8804