Preschool and the Gift of Giving

 Holiday time is a natural time to help your child experience the wonderful feelings of generosity and giving.  Your child’s preschool helps in this regard as well.  Who can describe or forget the bursting pride on your preschooler’s face when presenting the gift made in class wrapped until the paper is crumpled and the present peeks through the open corners?
Learning to share is a basic premise of preschool programs and opportunities to reinforce and experience positive feelings of giving are present in each preschool day.  Being part of a class or group promotes helping each other in a variety of simple ways.  The importance of staff awareness of the positive effects for both the giver and receiver of friendship and helpfulness cannot be overstated.  The teacher sees the benefit for both when designating a friend to hold the hand of the new child as they walk to the playground and knows they are both reaping rewards from the kindness and caring involved.  The give and take of each experience that is an act of goodwill helps and is a small step along the way as the children are forming their sense of who they are and beginning to understand the “world” they live in.
We can, even while the din of commercials are ringing in their little ears, balance the anticipation of getting with the experience of giving and gratitude.  Young preschool children can perhaps comprehend how calling grandma to see how she is or to wish her a happy holiday is helpful more easily than telling them about the needs of other children in a foreign land.  Having your child take a small plate of cookies she helped you bake to an elderly neighbor allows you to give your child the gift of giving and makes happy memories for both of you.
After the holidays, making simple thank you cards with crayons and stickers gives children practice in expressing gratitude along with feeling proud of their work even when they may not be old enough to sign their names.
For further information or to schedule a tour please call 661-259-3888.  Village Country Day Preschool is located at 24279 Valley Street in Newhall.