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December 2025

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Educator Focus

Creating Calm and Connection During the Holidays

The holiday season is full of sparkle and warmth – and for young children, it can also bring excitement, unpredictability, and sensory overload. As early childhood leaders, your role is to shape a classroom environment that balances joy with calm, and connection with constancy.

Keep routines central

Children feel secure when they can anticipate what comes next. In the flurry of December events, preserving familiar patterns around morning greeting, circle time, snack, and transitions helps anchor their sense of safety. Edutopia emphasizes that well-established routines and procedures reduce disruption and free teachers’ energy for meaningful interactions. (See “Rules and Routines in the Classroom” by Edutopia)

Honor diverse traditions with care

Celebrations can nurture inclusion when handled thoughtfully. According to NAEYC’s “Holidays in a Diverse World: Applying Anti-Bias Thinking to Curriculum,” teachers should consider which holidays to include, how to present them, and how to ensure all children feel respected. The authors warn against assuming all families celebrate the same way, and recommend offering open, pluralistic touchpoints (e.g. winter themes, family traditions) rather than privileging one belief system over another. NAEYC

Create cozy and calm learning zones

On colder or indoor days, designate soft-lit corners or quiet nooks where children can decompress with a book, soft light, or calming music. Invite “quiet sparkle time” before transitions, perhaps with a brief breathing exercise or a clustered snowflake visual. These pauses help reset energy and nurture emotional regulation.

Model kindness, gratitude, inclusion

Use class conversations or story time to highlight giving, community, and respect for differences. Encourage children to share ways they show kindness at home or speak about how their family celebrates (if they wish). This kind of sharing builds empathy and belonging.

Care for your staff and community

Your team’s emotional well-being shines through to the children. Schedule small check-ins, moments for gratitude sharing, or short breaks during the day. A warm, calm teacher presence helps steady the classroom.

Adapted from “Holidays in a Diverse World: Applying Anti-Bias Thinking to Curriculum” (NAEYC) and “Rules and Routines in the Classroom” (Edutopia).

Activity of the Month!

Snowflake Wands

Materials Needed:

• Jumbo Craft Sticks
• Paper or Foam Snowflakes
• Paint
• Glitter
• Ribbon
• Glue

Paint jumbo craft sticks white, silver, or blue. Glue a paper or foam snowflake at the top, and decorate with glitter and ribbon. This festive winter craft encourages creativity and helps children practice fine motor skills. It’s simple to prepare and can be adapted for different age groups by using pre-cut shapes or letting older children design their own snowflakes.

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