’Tis the Season of Kindness at Childtime

Excitement is definitely in the air as we prepare for the holiday season. It’s the perfect time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished, reflect on everything we’re grateful for and show our generosity of spirit. At Childtime, we’re ushering in a Season of Kindness — a theme that unites us all this time of year.

Our schools are championing kindness as one of two critical subjects, along with literacy, that are at the heart of our relationship with children’s television network Sprout. As a society, we’re seeing that more emphasis is needed on helping children develop social and emotional skills.  Nationwide, bullying is becoming more of a problem. We know that by integrating character development in the classroom in ways that are meaningful to children, they will be more likely to understand and learn positive values. When we help children grasp the idea of empathy — being able to understand the experiences, feelings and ideas of another person — we can make them more sensitive to the importance of kindness.

That’s why, beginning with Thanksgiving week and all through the holiday season, we’re putting a special emphasis on being kind to others. Working with Sprout, our Education Department has developed ways for our teachers to encourage and showcase our children’s kindness and empathy.

We Pledge To Be Kind

We’re getting everyone involved as we kick off the Season of Kindness during Thanksgiving week. Each school will make its own Kindness Pledge, setting and committing to a certain number of kind acts that children and teachers will share from now until mid-January. Each week, you’ll be able to see us track our progress through the Kindness Meter we’ll have on display in our schools. We’ll tally and celebrate every child’s kind acts in our classroom displays.  We’re also playing a big role in Sprout’s goal of recording one million acts of kindness. In fact, we’ll be able to feature our kind acts for all to see within their online Kindness gallery.

Don’t Sweat It

While the holidays are a time of joy, they often bring stress as we work to juggle seasonal deadlines with everyday obligations. That’s why, to help launch our Season of Kindness, we’ve compiled a survival kit of handy seasonal tips designed to help relieve some of that pressure.  These kits will be available beginning Thanksgiving week.

Holidays Around the World

The holidays give us an opportunity to share our cherished traditions with those in our community and to build understanding and awareness about others. Join us for our Holidays Around the World celebration as we learn about seasonal customs from far and near, and showcase your children in a special way. Come enjoy an evening of fun-filled activities that highlight a rich variety of cultures from around the world.

And once again, we’re here for you and your child during our Holiday Break Camp, with fun and creative activities for children up to 13 years old. Family friends are welcome too!  Check with your school director for local program dates.

Time to Shine!

As our Season of Kindness wraps up in mid-January, we know our children will have gained a greater understanding of what it means to be thoughtful, courteous and kind.  It’s a lesson that is sure to last a lifetime. Don’t miss our Kindness Award ceremony in mid-January as we celebrate your child’s outstanding acts of kindness!

Even Small Acts Matter Big!

In the classroom, in the playground, at home and everywhere we go, kindness is truly all around us! It brightens the day of at least two people — the giver and the recipient. We hope you’ll join us in putting a special emphasis on kindness this season. Here are some fun and simple ideas to consider sharing with your child during the Season of Kindness:

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Share this Article