Getting the Christmas Balance Right in Your Setting
In the early years Christmas is an exciting time, we get to see the world through the eyes of the children filled with wonder, curiosity and joy. As Christmas approaches it can become a very stressful time for practitioners working in early years. So many things to think about, are we doing a Christmas play, or a sing along, has every child made a Christmas card, a present for their parents and joined in the craft ‘production line’. Oh, and then there is end of term parent meetings, deep cleaning, Christmas fayres and copious amounts of chocolate consumption.
This year I am sure is even more challenging then ever as practitioners are working out how to do nativities, via zoom or Microsoft teams. We are all using different ways of communicating and engaging with parents, which has meant as a sector we have had to learn new skills, new ways of working. All whilst smiling and being there for our children, meeting their needs and being child-centred. Even though we have the financial worries of a sector that is burdened already with the issue of under funding and now we are wondering, how else can we get the money we would have had from donations at our Christmas fayre, nativity or parental events.
Each day though we go in and make wonderful learning opportunities for the children, we make Christmas fun and exciting doing things like elf on the shelf or having Santa’s workshop as our role-play area. Sometimes however, I always felt I lost the magic of Christmas in all of the stress of cards, making presents, crafts, parent meetings, and parent activities. Often as a manager leaving me feeling exhausted and worn down.
When I look back on my many years of working in the early years, I don’t remember the hundred cards we made using footprints and handprints. I am not saying there is not any value to these they create wonderful memories for parents of how small their child was and is always appreciated. However, in my opinion it is a balance, sometimes we do adult-led activities or crafts, and that is fine children are learning skills such as following instructions, listening and learning different skills. But my memories are of the crafts that children took in their own direction the ones that were often spontaneous and the children led with their interests. For example, the year we spent hours and hours making snowflakes after we had seen snow through the nursery window and been out to explore it. We made snowflakes with paper, loose parts, printing on paper, we learnt about symmetry, weather, seasons.
You know I don’t even remember the numerous numbers of crafts we did as part of the production line. I remember the smiles on children’s faces, the time I saw children fully engaged in an activity, their uniqueness coming through. Or the time I saw a child achieve a new skill for the first time. Like when a child made a number Christmas tree, cutting her triangle up into strips and labeling each one with carefully written numbers before counting out the right number of jewels and sparkles and gems. The sense of pride and achievement, the first time they ever wrote numbers independently that we had been working on matching numbers to amount and they just took it to the next level.
So, I guess this is my challenge to everyone in the early years, have you got your balance right? Between making those perfect crafts for parents that will create keepsakes for grateful parents for years to come. And being child-centred and just enjoying the magic of Christmas alongside your children and forgetting the stress of the tick list of everything to do. It is a tricky one, and I know that Covid-19 has probably added to this stress this year; but I want to encourage you all to think about your balance, your motivations and why you are doing what you are doing this Christmas in your setting. But most importantly I want you to try and see the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child! Relax and enjoy the moment.
Merry Christmas!
By Pauline Milsted
Director of Growing Together