We are happy to welcome a new friend, Ian.
He is almost 2 and will be here two mornings a week.
"Are you ok?"
Nurturing Empathy
Empathy is the ability to recognize, appreciate and respond to another's feelings. Human beings are born with a capacity for empathy. Newborn infants are able to identify the cries of other newborns and will cry in response. These are the earliest expressions of what later becomes the child’s ability to empathize with another. But empathy doesn’t develop only because of the way our brains are wired. Very young children must experience empathy in order to develop the ability to be empathic with others. Empathy develops out of young children’s earliest relationships with parents and caregivers who recognize, understand and respond to their needs and feelings.
Encouraging children’s capacity for empathy is important in early childhood because morality depends on it: in order for children to be able to treat others as they want to be treated, they have to be able to recognize and understand how others feel. True empathy doesn't begin to appear until the age of 18 to 30 months, when toddlers begin to develop a sense of self and other. It is only when they are able to understand that someone else exists as separate from themselves that toddlers are able to recognize the feelings of another and respond in a comforting way.
Empathy is important for children’s ability to get along socially with peers. When a child is capable of empathy, she is able to understand the emotional and social effects of her behavior on others. She can also more accurately interpret the social cues of her peers and understand their intentions. On the other hand, children who are less empathic tend to behave more aggressively towards others. This may be related to their inability to perceive or accurately interpret the feelings and behaviors of others.
How can you nurture empathy in young children?
• When a child hurts another child, explain in simple words how the hurt child feels. Focus on feelings, not actions. Model empathy by expressing your own concern about both children in the situation.
• Ask questions like, ”How do you think Sam feels when you take away the truck he is playing with?” When reading books to children, talk about what the characters are feeling and why they might feel that way.
• Collect pictures of children expressing different emotions. Ask children if they can match the children who are feeling
mad, sad, happy etc.
• Acknowledge the caring or thoughtful things that children do for others.
This article originally appeared in Child Care Health Connections, a bimonthly newsletter published by the California Childcare Health Program (CCHP), a community- based program of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Family Health Care Nursing.
Sea Stars
Not only did we have fun learning interesting facts about Sea Stars, we were able to take art outside.
After painting the echinoderms we took them outside and used sand to recreate their protective body "Armour".
A few fun facts that we learned today .....
"Them live on rocks in the water" ~ Jackson
"If their arm is eaten they will grow another one" ~ Maya
"It's pretty" ~ Arianan
"It's not a fish but they have eyes and can see under water" ~ Bianca
"My Sea Star is purple" ~ Lulu
"They don't swim but they get hold by boys, not me, just in Hawaii they do" ~ Aydan
"They sit on rocks, silly Megan" ~ Beya
From the Monterey Bay Aquarium (click link to hear the song)
Living in the sea
My tiny tube feet
Are very sticky
When I get hungry
For an ocean treat
I take my stomach out to eat!
With spiny skin
My arms are called rays
Pointed and thin
If I lose an arm
I can grow it back again
I'm an invertebrate
That can regenerate!
Sea Star, Sea Star, Sea Star
Such a pretty sight
But what an appetite!
I'm a Sea Star
Living in the sea
The mussels and oysters
Are all afraid of me
'Cause when I get hungry
For a little more
I vacuum clean up
The ocean floor!
Sea Star, Sea Star, Sea Star
Such a pretty sight
But what an appetite!
I'm a Sea Star
Living in the sea
When I get hungry
For an ocean treat
I take my stomach out to eat!
Under the Sea
One of my favorite themes for toddlers is the Ocean. From now until late Aug we will fill our days with water, sand, seashells, starfish and more! We will be painting with fish (yes, real fish), examining octopus (yes, a real octopus) and may even have a few live fish visit the water table.
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