Stone soup: This tradition has become one of the most special ones at Sunny Hill, and one of my personal favorites, on so many levels.
- Community: In September, returning kids are typically excited to come back to school, but the class has changed with some kids off to kindergarten, and new faces in the crowd. The beginning of the year is about separation for some, and connection, relationships and the building of a new classroom community for all. By this time of the year we have formed a learning community, and preparing soup together, from vegetables that all have contributed, feels like a celebration of that precious feeling of community.
- Oral tradition/Storytelling: We read books, listen to podcasts, watch shows, but how often do we connect with our human past through storytelling? The dramatic retelling of our interpretation of the story of stone soup introduces the oral tradition to a new generation.
- Reinterpretation of story: After the first telling, we leave the props out for children to use. For days, groups of children have gathered around the rug, distributing vegetables, taking turns (or not) narrating the story, and bringing people together around that beautiful pot of soup.
- Real work: Children strive to be a part of real, useful work, and they are absolutely capable of doing so, with guidance. Learning to use appropriate adult tools safely (like vegetable peelers), or using kid versions that work (like kid knives), gives them that sense of accomplishment, of autonomy, of contributing to something meaningful that we all need to feel.
- Healthy, adventurous eating: There is a special pride and joy in making your own food, and sometimes it can lead to trying new things. There is so much excitement involved in kids choosing vegetables, peeling and cutting vegetables, telling the story, wondering if there really is a stone in the soup (yes!), that they just might try a whole bunch of vegetables (or even one) that they have never tried before:)
Baking: Of course, baking is also a marvelous example of real work with real rewards, and most kids don’t need to be convinced to try the outcome! The Extended Day kids baked Monday afternoon, then the morning kids baked Wednesday morning, with great excitement that we will get to share these treats with you! Reading the recipe, following directions, measuring, cracking eggs, differentiating dry and wet ingredients, mixing, helping each other and taking turns are all practiced when we bake together at school. And the outcome is wonderful! We can’t wait to share our pumpkin and apple cinnamon muffins with you!
Sunny Hill Preschool Gratitude Tree: In addition to their personal trees, a Sunny Hill Gratitude tree is now growing leaves, among other things. Children are invited, and will continue to be invited, to add things that they are grateful for in school to the tree, and to fill it with their creations and love.