International Day of Peace 

Smart Art (all day): 
We will be pushing our big tables out of the way to make room for a large cut out tree of butcher paper! Kids will be able to write their hopes for the future on leaves of different colors and have parents stick their leaves way up high to make a tree of peace!
(Sensory Table)> Explore yarn and figurines to discover how we are all connected to each other in this world!
Purpose: Children will be able to explore collaboration and teamwork as they work together to create a tree of hope. They will build scissor skills, learn more about their community, work on letters, and discover the cause and effect of tape.

Story Time (TIMES: 11:30AM & 2:30PM):  Whoever You Are by: Mem Fox 
Synopsis: Every day all over the world, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same. They may not speak the same language. Their lives may be quite different from each other. But inside, they are all alike. Stirring words and bold paintings weave their way around our earth, across cultures and generations and remind children to accept differences, to recognize similarities, and–most importantly–to rejoice in both. 

Music & Movement (directly following story time): Breathing Techniques: You can start this by saying, “do you ever feel really mad or really sad? What do you do when you feel this way?” (wait for responses). Then you can go into, “I am going to teach you a few ways to calm yourself down! These are called breathing techniques; can you say breathing techniques?”  

Then you can show children a few different ways to be mindful of their breathing.  

1. Place your hands over your heart and take a few deep breaths. Count them as you go. 
2. Sit crisscross apple sauce and place your hands on your knees. If you place your palms up to the ceiling it means you need energy, if you close your thumb to your pointer finger it means you have enough energy and you want to protect it. Do this and breathe three times. Count as you go.  

Purpose: Engaging in breathing techniques supports children in decreased stress, reduces anxiety, helps children remain calm, strengthens sustained attention, sharpens your ability to focus and learn, slows the heart rate.

Grown-up Tip: Daily affirmations instill positive thinking, emotional balance and self-confidence. Children are never too young to hear or learn affirmations! When they are old enough to talk, have your child repeat after you, “I am strong, I am beautiful, I am capable….” Then listen as they create their own affirmations.