With the holiday season in full swing, it’s important for children to know that Christmas isn’t the only holiday out there. Living in a such a diverse world today, encourage your children to learn about the many holidays people from different cultures celebrate. Understanding other holidays helps children to acknowledge that there’s more to the holidays than gift giving and helps them to build respect for other beliefs and traditions. Holidays teach us to learn the foundations of society, embrace cultural history, and build values.

Here Are 4 Other Holidays You Can Teach Your Child About!

1. Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts eight days, beginning on the 25^th day of the Hebrew calendar month of Kislev, which usually falls sometime between late November to late December of the Gregorian calendar. In 2019, Hanukkah celebrations will begin on December 22 and end on December 30^th.  This holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, supporting the victory of a battle won by a family of eight brothers who fought against the Syrians who made it illegal to practice Jewish customs. Jewish people participate by lighting a candle each night on a menorah, playing games, such as spinning a dreidel, giving gifts to one another, and eating foods with religious significance.

2. Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a week-long African diaspora holiday celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach, and the name stems from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. The holiday is based on ancestral traditions and celebrates African heritage, unity and culture. Kwanzaa is usually celebrated with singing, dancing, feasting and giving gifts. Kwanzaa also celebrates the three primary colors of the Pan-African flag: red, black, and green. Red represents the blood that connects ancestry; black represents the people; and green representing the abundant land of Africa.

3. Diwali

Diwali is one of India’s major holidays, lasting a total of 5 days. The holiday is a celebration of lights, symbolizing the victory of a religious figure, Rama-chandra, who won a significant battle against the demons. The first two days consist of families cleaning and decorating their homes to attract good fortune. On Day 3, people attend a festival, and on Day 4 and 5, people visit their families with gifts and food.

4. Lunar New Year:

Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most popular holidays in the world. Originating from China, it is commonly referred to as Chinese New Year. But the holiday is celebrated by many East and Southeast Asian countries. The holiday celebrates the beginning of the new year based on the traditional Chinese calendar, and it typically last about 15 days. Each year is represented by one of 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. An animal usually symbolizes and highlights certain characteristics that will bring good fortune to the new year. Activities include decorating with red paper lanterns and lights, feasting with family, and giving gifts.

How We Encourage Diversity at Silverline

At Silverline, we pride ourselves in providing a school environment that is inclusive and open to any race, culture, and religious affiliations. Our classrooms provide students the opportunity to reflect diversity and connection to the world through hands-on activities. We encourage our students to be culturally aware and learn to develop a profound respect because it helps them to be better communicators and prepare for the real world.

With Pearland being one of the more popular cities to live in Texas, the city has numerous activities for the entire family. Located only 15 miles from Houston, Pearland is within close range of a lot of Houston’s top tourist attractions.

1. Centennial Park, 3219 McLean Rd, Pearland, TX 77584

If you prefer having fun while spending time outdoors, this park is the perfect option!  It’s a very family-friendly park with a golf-course, off-leash dog area, and a playground with seasonal water play. Your child will enjoy getting some fresh air while having fun!

2. Space Center Houston, 1601 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058

If you want to further your child’s development in STEM, take them to the Space Center Houston! The Space Center is one of Houston’s top attractions and it hosts some of the best educational programs in the nation. Children will learn about a variety of topics including the stars, the planets, and what it’s like to be an astronaut!

3. Froberg’s Farm, 3601 Hwy 6, Alvin, TX 77511

Froberg’s Farm is a fun-filled farm that provides fresh produce, nuts, candies, and homemade goods. As we are heading into Fall and Winter, Froberg’s Farm offers a Fall and Winter Festival with themed holiday events filled with fun activities for the whole family.

4. Pump It Up, 310 Genesis Blvd, Webster, TX 77598

If you have an energetic child that loves to jump and run around, take them to Pump It Up! Pump It Up is an indoor playhouse with inflatable slides, obstacle courses, and play structures. With affordable prices and daily deals, it’s the perfect option for a fun-filled day out.

5. S.E.C.R.E.T. SPY GAME, 1500 Binz St, Museum District

Serving ages 6 and up, the S.E.C.R.E.T. spy game lets your child live out their undercover spy dreams. Children get to report for duty and go on secret missions throughout the museum. With state-of-the-art technology and detailed scenarios involved, this experience feels almost close to the real thing!

6. Code Ninjas, 12810 Broadway St Ste 160, Pearland TX 77584

If you’re looking for something educational to do with your child, then this is the perfect location for you! This playcenter combines technology, games, and having fun with friends all into one exciting day. If you have dreams of your child having a future career in engineering or technology, Code Ninjas will help your child get a head start by learning to code through a game-based curriculum.

Silverline Montessori in Pearland, Texas

Our goal at Silverline Montessori in Pearland, Texas, is to encourage our families to spend quality time inside and outside of the house. We believe that when children go to new places and experience new things, it can be an extremely rewarding experience for them. Throughout the school year, we hold several events for our students to expand their senses and offer them different perspectives.

Whether you’re a child or an adult, anyone can benefit from using positive affirmations in their daily lives. A positive affirmation is anything you say or think about yourself in a positive light to build self-esteem. When you repeat these words often, you can start to make positive changes to your daily life.

How we feel about ourselves affects our emotional and social development. It’s important children know how to create encouragement, love, and support within themselves because they will be more independent and less likely to seek validation from others. It’s crucial to start teaching children how to build positive attitudes while they’re young because it serves as a foundation for the rest of their lives, and it can play a huge part in building their confidence. At such an impressionable age, words can make or break a child’s self-esteem.

Have your child repeat these top self-affirmations every day!

1. I am beautiful inside and out.

Children often depend on their peers for validation on their inner and outer beauty. Teach them to have self-love, and understand that beauty is the eye of the beholder and what they think about themselves is what matters the most.

2. I am important.

Teaching your child to feel important will let them know their lives have meaning, and they have the potential to change the world. When children have something to look forward to, they become more self-motivated and eager to take on new responsibilities.

3. It’s okay to not know everything.

Children need to understand that it’s okay not to know it all because there’s always more for them to learn, and everyone learns at a different pace. Attempting to a be a know-it-all can act as a hindrance to their learning. If children think they know it all, they are less likely to listen to others and less open to criticism.

4. I know my talents.

Self-comparison is the thief of joy, and children often fall into that trap when it comes to evaluating their own abilities. Children often base their intelligence and talents based on what they can achieve academically and are often pressured by a sense of competition among other classmates. It’s important for them know their talents outside of the classroom as well.

5. I’ll be okay no matter what.

Even as adults, it’s hard for us to grasp the concept of thinking we’ll be okay when we go through mistakes and inconveniences. It’s important for us to both understand and teach our children that our problems won’t make or break us. Teach your child that mistakes always have a lesson. Approach mistakes as opportunities to learn something new and improve our results in the future.

6. Today is going to be a great day.

Teaching your child the importance of speaking a good day into existence breeds them into optimistic individuals. They will be less likely to have a bad day if they’ve conditioned themselves into only thinking positive thoughts. This will also improve their performance and relationships in the classroom.

Teaching Positive Self-Esteem At Silverline Montessori:

At Silverline Montessori, we take pride in helping our students become their best selves and fostering a high sense of self-esteem. It’s important to know that when it comes to raising a confident child, children need to understand that confidence comes from within. We help our students develop social skills such as collaboration and respect for others and encourage students to develop strong friendships with their peers. These healthy relationships make children feel confident and comfortable in their environment and in themselves.

Screens are everywhere in this day and age. Mobile devices are crucial for working people, televisions are a major source of information and entertainment, and entire industries have been founded upon the world’s use of screens. Screens are so pervasive, but are they a good influence for a child’s development?

Let’s take a look at the greater discussion on the use of screens in early childhood.

The physical effects of screens

Research has shown that children spend an average of 7 hours a day looking at screens; basically, a third of each day is spent looking at bright lights behind glass panes. Because of how much time children watch screens, they must have an effect of some kind on children, right?

In fact, they do. For starters, screens tend to adjust our body and mind’s daily rhythm. Screens are bright, and that light goes through our eyes to the pituitary gland of the brain (that’s the part that affects our mood and alertness based on how much light the eyes receive).

As a result, the the body can be regularly tricked into staying up later at night than necessary. In some cases, this can contribute to mild insomnia. For a young child in the midst of cognitive and physical development, even the slightest bit of insomnia can have negative effects on their growth like slowing or stunting development.

Learning with screens

While too much screen time can hurt mental and physical growth, we shouldn’t ignore the learning potential for children that technology has to offer.

Mobile devices that have access to the internet are immediate sources of knowledge. If you can think of a question, there is most likely a link or website with the answer. From a Montessori perspective, this can be a great tool for children to follow their curiosity.

Children are naturally curious, asking many questions about the world around them. Technology nowadays can act as a guide, much like an instructor, for a child’s cognitive development. Just as your child’s curiosity is almost limitless, so is the wealth of information available at their fingertips within seconds.

Conclusion for parents

Technology can be a very helpful learning tool for children if used properly. Apart from over-usage or poor timing, the freedom of the internet can be overwhelming at times. With proper guidance and very clear boundaries in place, children can gain much from looking at their screens.

Screens at Silverline

At Silverline Montessori, we are dedicated to helping children become better prepared to succeed in the modern world. Our computer learning program blends seamlessly with a Montessori curriculum, so that children can find the balance between computing tasks and other activities.