top of page

December in Benjamin Preschool

Benjamin Preschool Senec


Ms. Lala's Class and Ms. Anna's Class

Preschool Gift Exchange Brings Joy to the Classroom

December was full of excitement and wonder in our preschool classroom, especially during our annual holiday gift exchange. The event was a heartwarming celebration of generosity, community, and joy as the children eagerly participated in sharing small, thoughtful presents with their friends. Each child brought in a wrapped gift, carefully chosen with a 5 euro limit to keep the focus on thoughtfulness rather than cost. The festive setup, complete with twinkling lights and holiday music, created an atmosphere of magic and anticipation.

Before the exchange, the children learned about the importance of giving and how even small gestures can bring happiness to others. When the big moment arrived, each child took turns choosing a wrapped present from the pile. The room was filled with delighted smiles and giggles as wrapping paper was torn away to reveal surprises like crayons, books, and small toys. The gift exchange was not just about receiving—it became a valuable lesson in gratitude and the joy of making others happy.

This cherished tradition is a wonderful way to foster a sense of community and inclusivity in our classroom. Thank you to all the families who contributed to its success by participating and helping their children choose thoughtful gifts.



Bunnies Class

During one of our December PE we visited the fairyland Arendelle, where we spread the magic and made our frozen lake (a big piece of painting foil). While the famous song “Let it go” played we got moving with our whole body. After proper health exercises were done, our fun continued during several team competitions focused on ball rolling. At the end we discovered how it looked under the “ice” - the transparent foil. The atmosphere was brilliant, all children participated and had fun.

PE in early childhood is essential for overall development. It helps build strong bones and muscles, improves coordination, balance, and motor skills, and supports cardiovascular and immune health. It also enhances cognitive development, boosting concentration, memory and problem solving abilities. Additionally, regular activity fosters social skills like cooperation and teamwork while promoting emotional well-being by reducing anxiety and improving self-esteem.



Kindergarten Class

As the month of December knocked at our doors, it brought with it the winter season. We spent time exploring the magic and excitement of various winter traditions including Christmas, through songs, poetry, decorations, crafts, stories and lots more. In the spirit of giving that this wonderful time of the year inspires, we dedicated our last day of preschool before the Christmas break, preparing a special "Everyone Gives & Everyone Gets" Christmas gift exchange morning for the children. 

With the very thoughtful help of the parents each child brought with them, one carefully wrapped Christmas gift to share. Once we'd collected all of the gifts in the morning, we secretly numbered them. Each child then picked a random number out of a box and received the gift that was labelled with their number. Afterwards we all tried to work out who each gift originally came from. It was an amazing ending to a great month.





Benjamin Preschool Pezinok


Ladybug Class

December was full of various wonderful and magical activities. Cinnamon water experiment was a fun science experiment during which kids could discover how certain spices such as cinnamon repel water. First we could watch the cinnamon swim and create patterns on the water. This happens because cinnamon contains natural oils that don't mix with water, so they push the cinnamon up and keep it on top instead of sinking. Then the kids tried what happens when they dip their finger (or even their whole hand:) into the water. It looks like magic but it's actually just science!



Bees Class

In December, our classroom was filled with excitement as the children prepared for the month of love, giving and sharing. Using their fine motor skills, the little ones carefully used air-dry clay and cut out small ornaments such as trees or stars. With a burst of creativity, they decorated it with colorful buttons, adding a personal touch to each gift. The finished projects took shape, transformed into adorable keepsakes that would be treasured by moms and dads. On the day of the gift-giving, the preschoolers proudly presented their handiwork to their parents, beaming with pride and love. Through this delightful experience, they learned an invaluable lesson: the joy of giving is a gift in itself. 



Kindergarten Class

During December we were focused (of course) mostly on Christmas - preparing for the magical time by learning songs, poems, ways of celebrating it, crafting, preparing a show for parents, reading stories but there was only one tradition worth mentioning - St. Lucy´s day - that is celebrated on December 13th. First we had to find out why and how this tradition is celebrated. We discovered that is as well as Christmas also St. Lucia is celebrated in the world in different ways. In our home country Slovakia girls dressed in white sheets walked from one household to another to get rid of bad spirits and diseases. They were holding a goose feather to clean all the corners. It was also believed that the first visit in the house could not be a woman. 

Another tradition is related to this day - single girls prepared 12 papers with the names of men taking one every day until Christmas. The one remaining paper with the name should be the name of the future husband. In Scandinavian countries St. Lucia is the bearer of light, hymns and Swedish treats. The festival begins with a procession led by St. Lucia designee, who is followed by young girls dressed in white and wearing lighted wreaths on their heads and boys dressed in white pajama-like costumes singing traditional songs.

We believe that it is important to have the knowledge of our Slovak celebrations as well as multicultural and have an overview of the world around us. 




Comments


bottom of page