Welcoming 2025!

Hello 2025! The feeling of walking through the door, greeted by the warmth of familiar smiles, says it all. Our hearts light up as we reconnect with friends, seeing those familiar faces and places that shape our everyday lives. It’s the comfort of our familiarities, the little moments that make everything feel right again - like stepping back into a place where time slows down, and every gesture carries a sense of belonging. The new year as a fresh chapter, yet filled with the beauty of what we already know and love.

We settle back into our usual rhythms, there’s a quiet comfort in the flow of these familiar moments. It is in the familiarities we have built, the faces we trust, and the spaces that make us feel at home, where the new year is both a continuation and a fresh start.

We begin our first day of being together again in the new year looking both of our calendars - year 2024 and year 2025. We know it is not easy to understand this concept of change. Therefore, we refer to have concrete visual aids to better support our learning experiences.

After some time we slowly grasp this passage of time. We notice the transition from one year to the next. For example, when a new year is written on the calendar (like “2025” after “2024”), we can begin to link the idea of the year changing with the marking of days, months, and of course, yay … our birthdays!

By associating our birthdays with certain dates, we start to grasp the passage of time. We walk through the blank pages of each month to mark our upcoming birthdays. As we see familiar events recurring on a regular basis, we develop a sense of familiarity and anticipation, helping us understand the flow of weeks, months, and seasons.

The start of a new year often brings a sense of renewal, a fresh perspective, and an opportunity to embrace new goals and attitudes. It is a time when we reflect on the past year, learn from it, and set intentions for the future. With this in mind, we ask ourselves What kind of attitude or changes we are hoping to embrace in the new year?

Nora, being her wonderful and adventurous self, expresses "trying new things" are something she likes to do in new year. She has her innate curiosity and eagerness to try new things, and carrying that mindset into the new year can lead to exciting discoveries and personal growth.

Yay! Isn't it fantastic, Kalyan! Saying goodbye to pull-ups in a huge step toward independence and growing up indeed. For Kalyan, to stay dry throughout the day, requires patience, encouragement, and plenty of positive reinforcement. 

That's such a heartwarming and thoughtful resolution, Fides! It shows empathy, love. and a deep sense of connection with your parents. Your desire to take care of your Mom and Dad can be expressed in small, meaningful ways - whether it is offering to help around the house, comforting when they are feeling tired, or simply expressing your appreciation with kind words.

Pranssi shares her unwavering charm in pitching in with shared household tasks. We are proud of you, Pranssi! It is a way to instill a sense of teamwork and responsibility. It also helps you feel like a valued member of the family and learn important life skills. 

That is such a beautiful and meaningful resolution! Emily loves to spend more time with family reflects a strong sense of connection, love, and the importance of relationships. It is a reminder of how valuable family time can be, and it can lead to moments of bonding, shared memories, and emotional growth for everyone involved.

Luka dearly sees a thoughtful and insightful perspective through things around him! When he begins to see a resolution in the relationships between things around him, it shows his growing awareness and understanding of how everything is interconnected.

Based on our shared last year's interests in the forests, we have been nurturing a growing desire to care for our environment, build stronger relationships with people, or even understand how our actions impact others and the world.

Fides clearly depicts his understanding by articulating "more and more trees growing". Through the metaphor of trees growing and multiplying, it suggests that he sees growth and connection as something continuous and ever expanding. 

Kai suggests, "When a tree is being cut, there is another tree growing." This is a beautiful way to express his understanding of relationships. Trees are a powerful symbol of life, interdependence, and resilience, and for him to focus on the idea of more trees growing speaks to his desire for positive change, nurturing the environment, and perhaps even fostering relationships with others in a similar way.

As we usher in the new year, we gather as a group to reflect on 2024 and talk about our goals and wishes for 2025. We are excited to share our thoughts and dreams for the year ahead, showcasing our growing awareness of kindness, responsibility, and self-care. During our morning discussion, we ask ourselves what we would like to achieve or improve upon this year.

When we articulate the above idea, we might be expressing an awareness of how small actions (like planting a tree, caring for something, or spreading kindness) can lead to much bigger outcomes over time, just like trees that grow and provide life and shelter.

​The start of a new year feels like stepping into a familiar embrace—a space alive with the whispers of possibility and the steady rhythm of connection we’ve built together. Today, we gather around the book Trees, letting its pages guide us into a world of wonder. We listen closely as we reach the part where trees offer fruit to the birds, their branches alive with life and purpose.

Then, the question arises:  "What happens to the birds in winter, when the trees are bare?"
Pranssi’s voice breaks through with certainty and care: "We can bring food to our house and keep it until winter to feed them."

Pranssi's innate capacity for empathy and her understanding that even small actions carry weight. Each idea emerges with intention, as if the children know instinctively that our thoughts and actions matter.  

Our questions and reflections weave a tapestry of understanding that deepens with each moment.  When the discussion turns to how we care for trees, Fides speaks up, his voice full of pride: "I have an apple tree" , and "I put water."
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We pause too, letting the weight of his statement settles. There is pride in his voice and a quiet confidence in his role as a caregiver. We take this opportunity to affirm his contribution.  By affirming Fides’ contribution, we model the value of small yet meaningful actions. We show to friends that caring—whether for a tree, a bird, or a friend—can take many forms and that every effort matters.

This exchange invites us to consider the quiet ways trees impact our lives. The shade they offer becomes a metaphor for care—protection and comfort that we often take for granted. Fides’ reflection encourages his peers to think deeply about our own interactions with nature. Soon, the conversation grows. We begin to discuss how trees provide homes for animals, fresh air for breathing, and beauty for everyone to enjoy.

​As we reflect on Fides’ words, Pranssi softly adds her voice, pointing to the illustration in the book of a child leaning against a tree: "The child is hugging the tree because it is giving shade."

Pranssi’s observation highlights a profound reciprocity — an unspoken gratitude between the child and the tree. To Pranssi hugging a tree becomes an act of love, care, and gratitude—a gesture that mirrors how we express affection toward one another. Through her eyes, we see the world imbues with tenderness, a perspective we strive to nurture and amplify.

Through our reflections, we are reminded that even the smallest gestures—a hug for a tree, a drop of water for its roots—carry the weight of connection and gratitude. These moments, like the shade of a tree, offer us comfort and inspire us to care for the world we share.

Our journey today unfolds under a canopy of curiosity and connection as we explore the natural world during our walk. We notice the trees standing tall around us, the trunks textured with patterns, shaped by time and nature. The air fills with the excitement of discovery as we share our observations.  

Suddenly, Emily stops in her tracks, eyes fix on a nearby tree. With a gleam of recognition, she points to a branch formation and announces confidently, that the tree has the "E"  from Emily, her declaration resonates, turning into a deeply personal discovery — it becomes a reflection of her identity. In her eyes, the tree now holds her letter, making it familiar and meaningful. ​

It is heartwarming to see how our goals center around helping our families and building healthy habits. These moments highlight our compassion and sense of responsibility, even at a young age.

Our next learning experience is an exciting game that brings out everyone’s competitive and cooperative sides. Each child has a cup in front of us, and the objective is to shoot four ping pong balls into the cup. The first pair to complete the challenge as Pranssi and Fides, who face each other and race to see who can get all our balls in the cup the fastest. Next, it is Kalyan and Luka's turn, adding more fun and friendly rivalry to the game.

Next, it is ​Kalyan and Luka's turn. We do it one by one on our own terms since we are still learning, adding a thoughtful and patient element to the learning experience.

This engaging game encourages hand-eye coordination, focus, and a sense of accomplishment as each child cheers each other on. It is a joyful way to continue building connections and teamwork as we start the new year together.

Our last learning experience of the day is a lively dance party where we do a Zumba dance to the energetic song "I Like to Move It!"  We have so much fun moving to the rhythm, and it is a fantastic way to end our day with joy and laughter.

As we move forward in 2025, we are excited to see how our goals inspire our daily actions and contribute to our personal growth. Here’s to a year filled with kindness, learning, and meaningful moments!

Kindest,
Children & Friends.