Tomorrow is our Collaboration Corner live call at 1pm. We'd love to see you there and get to know all of you. If you have a question or a topic you'd like to discuss, please fill out the question form. To find it, go to the Classroom tab above, click the "start here" lesson, and find it under the Collaboration Corner page. While you're there, take a peek at The Ultimate Preschool Playbook introduction video! Looking forward to chatting tomorrow! Have a great day!

This week inside PDN, we’re focusing on building learning through movement — not just using movement before or after instruction. When you’re doing walkthroughs, try coaching with prompts like: - Where could children show the idea with their bodies instead of only with words? - What could we swap from “sit-and-tell” to “move-and-show” in the next 2 minutes? Then (this is the key) offer a tiny demo teachers can copy immediately. 1) Literacy: “Sound Switch Steps” (phonemic awareness + inhibition) - “When you hear /m/, take ONE step forward. When you hear a sound that is not /m/, freeze.” - Call quick words: mom, sun, milk, hat, map, fish - Add challenge: “Now let’s switch it up! This time, when you hear /m/, take ONE step backward. When you hear a sound that is not /m/, freeze right where you are.” - ✅ This teaches sound discrimination, listening, impulse control, and flexibility. 2) Movement & Science: “Animal Action Freeze” (gross motor + observation + self-regulation) - “Let’s move like animals we know! When I call an animal, show me how it moves.” - Call out: “Frog! Elephant! Bird! Snake!” - After a few seconds: “Freeze!” - Ask: “What do you notice about how your body feels? Which muscles did you use? How does a frog move differently from a bird?” - ✅ Builds body awareness, vocabulary, observation skills, and self-control through playful movement. (These work great even with wiggly groups because the movement is the instruction.) 📌 One line to share with staff:“Movement isn’t the break from learning — it’s one of the ways we teach it.” 💬 What’s one part of your daily routine that could become a “move-and-show” moment this week?

As we wrap up our last two days before a two week winter break, I am thinking of my fellow directors and teachers. Thank you for the hard work you do every day, the preparations you do to make life wonderful for the tiny humans in your charge, the support you provide to families and the encouragement you offer to each other. Wishing you happy holidays. In the words of Tiny Tim (from A Christmas Carol), “God bless us, every one!”

As we come to the end of this year, we want to pause and say thank you. To the directors holding the big picture while managing a hundred quiet details. To the teachers showing up day after day with patience, creativity, and care—even when it’s hard. Your efforts matter. Even when they go unseen. The way you create safety, stay curious, and choose connection over and over again makes a real difference in children’s lives. We see the heart you bring to this work. We see how much you care. And we are deeply grateful to walk alongside you. As you head into the break, we hope you can rest, exhale, and remember: what you do truly matters. Thank you for being here—and for all you give, every single day.

As we head into December transitions, it’s completely normal to see big feelings show up — even in classrooms where things are generally going well. Breaks change rhythms, routines, and expectations, and young nervous systems feel that. One of the most supportive things you can offer right now is a simple, predictable goodbye ritual. Not big plans. Not extra activities. Just consistency and connection. Here’s why it works: - Predictability lowers stress: Short, repeatable rituals tell children, “You’re safe. This is what happens next.” - Closure supports memory: Naming “what we loved” and “what comes next” gives children a simple story to carry through the break. - Previewing reduces worry: A calm “After the break, we’ll…” helps returning feel more manageable. - Small is enough: One consistent goodbye phrase or a simple countdown beats long explanations. - Connection over perfection: Brief, warm moments regulate nervous systems far more than packed plans ever could. Feel free to share what’s working in your school right now — or what you’re noticing showing up for children as routines shift this time of year.