Sff! Celebrates Week of the Young Child

Last week was “Week of the Young Child,” a special week started by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers, and families.

Sff! wanted to celebrate our children in a different way this year, so we invited Joy the Clown to give our twos, threes, and fours classes a show. Along with bunnies and doves, Joy taught the children about the Golden rule: Respect others as you would like to be respected and treated by others. Respect your parents, respect your teachers, and respect the elderly. We are so grateful for the joy and happiness she brought to our children. Thank you Joy, the show was fantastic!

Sff! is honored to have an in-house, talented Zumba instructor on staff. Ms. Monica Andrade, who does Zumba as a hobby, was happy to offer Zumba classes for our children. They had so much fun with her! We would like to give Ms. Monica a BIG, BIG thank you for doing this with our children. Being active with the children helps them learn more about being healthy and makes learning easier.

Here are some other fun activities we did to celebrate the Week of the Young Child:

Sff! Wake Forest enjoyed the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dance event, and had a fun competition for our 2 year olds. Our children also enjoyed a performance from our Director, who sang while one of our lovely moms played the piano. It was great to have live music! Special thanks to Mrs. Sandra Potter and Mrs. Lucelia Rodriguez for finding unique ways to make our children feel special.

Sff! Cary teachers prepared a beautiful party for their children where they danced and ate ice cream. Our little ones had a bubble party and puppet show prepared by the teachers. Thanks to our Cary Team for planning such a fun party for our children. We also invited to Ms. Valeria Ronceros, who came and played some music. Thanks Valeria for the great performances!

In Sff! Duraleigh, our babies enjoyed story time and a puppet show at the playground.  They also played with the hula-hula and bubbles. Additionally, we had a special guest that came with a ukulele to play live music for our children and teachers. They danced, touched the instrument, and enjoyed this great moment! We would like to thank Ms. Valeria Ronceros for sharing her talent with our little ones in Duraleigh.

Sff! Raleigh enjoyed a delicious picnic and had story time at the playground. Each teacher celebrated our children with different activities per classroom. Thank you very much to our wonderful Raleigh staff for making everyone feel special.

We love special celebrations at Spanish for fun! Our teachers, parents and children had a great week-long celebration!

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Sff! Staff Benefits from Training Workshop with Noted Education Leader

Last month our teachers and administrators went through a workshop with Enrique Feldman to learn skills and ideas for engaging our students on a deeper level. At Spanish for fun! we are always looking to increase the knowledge and abilities of our highly qualified personnel and this workshop did just that.

Enrique is the Founder and Director of Education for Global Learning Foundation (GLF), a play-based and research-based organization that offers professional development for schools and organizations of all types. He has taken everything he’s learned over the years — from music and composition to improv and play — and channeled it into a literacy learning approach that values engagement, connection, energy and community. He promotes trusting your instincts and knowing when to take risks, authentic learning and frameworks, and building what he calls “Possibility Culture.”

Our goal at Sff! was to help teachers come up with creative ways to play with students. They learned about using games to achieve brain lateralization, how to break from routine and generate creative ideas in the classroom, and how to ask more open-ended questions. We believe there is always something more to learn and know that breaking from the day-to-day routine will help spark creativity. Being reminded of these things, as small as they may seem, can have a great impact on our daily approach to teaching.

Here’s what some of our teachers had to say about their experience:

“Today I used Enrique’s bilateral technique and my children were very happy while lining up to wash their hands. I loved it!” — Mrs. Maite, Sff! Wake Forest.

“Enrique is a very creative person, I really liked his workshop. I used the techniques he taught us with my students by asking them to close their eyes and imagine they were in the story I was reading. They asked me for more. I will continue putting his techniques into practice.” — Mrs. Emely, Sff! Wake Forest.

“Enrique taught us new things to practice with the children and also knowledge that we know, but for some reason forget to put it into practice every day. In particular, to choose to be happy always!” Mrs. Claudia, Sff! Duraleigh.

“These workshops for me are vitamins for my soul.” — Mrs. Mayela, Sff! Cary.

“It was a great honor to work with Enrique and NCAEYC. Our team got a lot out of it. We are already in talks to attend a large NCAEYC event with our entire team.” — Gabi Lowry, Sff! founder.

It was so exciting to work with a renowned company like NCAEYC and benefit from the experienced training they offer. One thing we stress to our staff is always remember that our brains and hearts can learn something new until the last day of our lives. This workshop underscored the message.

If you are searching for a preschool that will offer your child a safe, loving environment and an educational jumpstart, Spanish for fun! is your best option. Get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of our Glenwood campus. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website. We look forward to showing you why your child will thrive with us.

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Parent or Friend — What’s The Best Way For You Relate To Your Child?

There isn’t much to consider when it comes to the type of relationship you have with your child before they reach preschool age. Their speech is limited at this stage, their reasoning is suspect and their life experience is extremely narrow. You are the parent — the authority figure — and there’s little to discuss about it. As the days go by, however, children seem to quickly get to the point where they can process what you tell them. They begin draw their own conclusions about the validity of your comments and commands. This can lead to them arguing with you or even being defiant.

When this occurs, you face the challenge of deciding how to handle your child in the best way possible. Should you react as an authoritative parent and refuse to be defied? Or, do you negotiate with your child in a way they will understand to reach a compromise? What’s the priority: to be a parent or a friend? Many of us are quick to say the former, but we often act like the latter. The following post discusses the issue in clear terms:

Be Your Child’s Parent, Not A Best Friend

IT is a misconception that a parent can be a child’s best friend. Friends are a group of people that generally have the same ideas and notions about life and are considered equals. Children and adults almost always have different ideas about what they should be doing, and are certainly not equals. Children will have many sets of friends throughout their lives, but they will have only one set of parents. Read more at Jamaica Observer…

Okay, you can’t abdicate your responsibility as a parent. But can’t you maintain that role while also being a friend? The following post looks at this from both sides:

Can you be a parent AND friend to your children? Experts give their opinions

Fathers who try to be their sons’ best friends are being blamed for boys failing and falling behind girls at school.

Educational expert Barnaby Lenon says dads should instead supply the discipline boys need.

It has long been said that parents of both sexes need to provide rules and structure to their children instead of trying to please them. Two parents argue whether friendship is possible.

No, says Amanda Killelea

Part of me would love to be the “cool mum”, the mum who all my daughters’ friends think is great. Read more at Mirror…

Finding a healthy balance of the parent/friend relationship with your child is possible and can be extremely beneficial for you both. It requires being able to recognize when you need to adjust your parenting style and then being flexible enough to do it.

Forging a strong but accommodating relationship with your child means using different tactics at different times and stages of their life. The following post tells the story of a parent who is learning how to go about this very thing:

Why You Need to be a Parent and a Friend to your child

“You are being SO UNFAIR!”

“The answer is NO! I’m your parent, not your friend. End of story.” Her face was pinched into a scowl and she began digging through her purse for her car keys. Meanwhile, her teenage son waited on the opposite side of the car, continually brushing back his shaggy hair that kept falling into his eyes. His acne riddled face was contorted in anger and as soon as his mother unlocked the car door he forcibly flung his backpack in the car. His mother’s angry retort to such behavior was muffled by the car doors slamming. I unlocked my own car that was parked next to theirs in the school parking lot and felt a pang of sadness wash over me. ‘Oh Mama, I hope you change your mind,’ I thought to myself. Read more at Today…

Remember, you are your child’s parent by virtue of birthright, but how you handle the rest is entirely up to you. The key thing is to raise your youngster in a loving home that makes them feel secure and supported. Outside of the house, you can fortify these feelings by being selective about your child’s caretakers and educators.

If you are searching for a preschool that will offer your child a safe, loving environment and an educational jumpstart, Spanish for fun! is your best option. Get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of our Glenwood Campus. We would be delighted to show you our facility and our time-proven teaching methods. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

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Spoiling Our Team with a Trip to Asheville

At Spanish for fun!, we truly care about each and every one of our employees and want to make sure they are not only successful but happy. That’s why we make it a point to take them on retreats. Our work trips allow the team to bond, re-energize, and spark creativity.

A couple of months ago, we took our admin-directors to Asheville to do just that! We worked a little, we played a little, we explored, and we bonded as a team. We love to spoil our team!

The adventure started with a lunch on Friday afternoon.

 

After lunch we had a working session and then Rob cooked the team a delicious dinner!

 

On Saturday, we worked on overcoming fears by ziplining through the mountains! From one mountain to many others, we spent 3+ hours in the trees.

 

We had so much fun exploring the beautiful city of Asheville.

 

On Saturday night, we had fun as a team figuring out the breakout room!

 

On Sunday morning, we worked, went for a hike, and reached the sky!

 

Before we headed back to Raleigh, Rob treated us on his food truck, Out of the Blue Peruvian Fusion Cuisine.

 

We had so much fun with the team and love our unique trips! Here are some words from our admin-directors.

Karina

“This adventure allowed us to share with the founders and mentors we work with. We came to know each other in a different way, having a lot of fun in the beautiful city of Ashville with the colorful trees around us.

I would name this trip as freedom, happiness, and challenge!

The whole trip was spectacular! I loved being spoiled by Rob with delicious breakfasts, being welcomed in their home, and sharing with Gabi the zipline, tour of Asheville, food, music, flavors and fun together as the family we are!”

From Monica

“My trip to Asheville was a great experience, I really enjoyed our bonding time. I felt part of the team, a great, strong and fun team 🙂

I enjoyed the delicious food, and overall the experience of being with our admin staff in a non-working environment, getting to know each one of them better.

Great company, great hosts, great time. Thanks Rob, Gabi and team.”

From Lucelia

“Our trip to Asheville was super fun and inspirational. We had a great time together getting to know each other better, and spending time together in a place that has outstanding nature and landscaping.

My favorite part of the trip was definitely the ziplining. I was super afraid of doing it and my adrenaline was super high, but once I had the courage to go, and fly between the mountains, watching those spectacular autumn views, it felt amazing.

We came back with a renewed energy, feeling stronger and happier. Can’t wait for our next one.”

From Veronica

“My favorite part of the trip was the time I spent with my coworkers while we were on our way to Ashville and the time during our activity. I loved our Zipline activity and seeing the team that we have so united, and how we encouraged each other to do each one of the ziplines. Some of us overcame the fear of heights or for some, it was our first time. Thanks to Ms. Gabi and Rob for opening the doors of their home and for the delicious dinner and breakfast they gave us.

It was a great experience.”

From Valeria

“I loved being in contact with nature, the extreme activities, beautiful landscape, and reinforcing team bonds as well as team skills.”

From Ingrid

“I loved sharing experiences with my peers, and growing stronger relationships with them. It was definitely a unique weekend! I enjoyed Rob and Gabi’s warm hospitality and most of all I loved to get to know their loved Asheville.

It was cathartic for me to overcome my fear of heights. I was able to truly enjoy the zipline!!! Going up to the mountains, the incredible views, and daring myself each time I was on the zipline was a great experience!!

During the trip, new ideas came to me, and I came back refreshed, and with a strong feeling to make positive changes in my school. This is an experience that I hope happens again!!”

If you are searching for a preschool that will offer your child a safe, loving environment and an educational jumpstart, Spanish for fun! is your best option. Get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of any of our four campuses: Glenwood, Duraleigh (both in Raleigh), Cary, or Wake Forest. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website, spanishforfun.com. We look forward to showing you why your child will thrive with us.

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Here’s What Story Time Does For Your Child’s Social And Language Skills

Introducing your child to books at a young age is very important as it will set the stage for him or her to learn about the world around them. They can travel to any part of the world and find themselves in every sort of adventure when they learn to engage with books. Before your little one can read on their own, you should be reading to them. This is a great way to bond and promote their development in some key ways.

For starters, story time is excellent for enhancing your child’s language skills. As they listen to you read, they get to hear new words and how sentences are constructed. The following post offers more detail:

The Importance of Story Time

Reading to your baby aloud can do wonders for her developing language skills. It’s one of the best ways to help her learn.

The more words she hears in a day, the better. If you haven’t started already, make a habit of reading to your baby every day.

Good reading habits that start early will set the stage for her to learn new things down the road.

This a good time to:

• Invest in hardboard and bath books. They’ll likely end up in your baby’s mouth, but that’s a good sign that she’s taken an interest.
• Choose books with a lot of color and simple objects decorating the pages.

Read books with photographs of faces and animals (especially those that show emotion) to capture your baby’s attention. Read more at Web MD…

If you read to your child, not only will their language skills develop, they will also gain educational advantages over their peers as they grow older.

In addition to the cognitive benefits, reading to your child allows you to bond with them in a special way. Check out this post for more:

Not only does reading to your children help to improve their academic performance, but more importantly it strengthens your bond, improves their imagination, helps children learn to read, teaches them about the world around them, and provides important morals to help make your child a nicer person.

Experts recommend that children should spend at least 20 minutes per day reading and it’s recommended that even when children learn to read, parents still spend the time to read with their children.

We understand that some parents may be nervous about reading to their children due to a lack of confidence or their own literacy skills, but reading with your child doesn’t need to be difficult, or a chore. Read more at Nanny Job…

If you make story time fun and interesting, both you and your child will look forward to it. It may well end up being the highlight of the day, with each of you getting the chance to share your thoughts and emotions about the stories you read.

In addition to reading to your child at home, you can also introduce them to a structured story time at your local library. Along with the other advantages, this will help develop their social skills, like behaving approriately in a group. They can also learn critical safety information while participating, as the following post explains:

Children Learn Importance of Fire Safety at Story Time

Children were learning about fire safety and having fun all at the same time at the Rapid City Public Library on Tuesday for story time.

Lisa Saunders with the Rapid City Fire Department, Fire and Life Safety Division was interacting with the young kids by singing songs, reading books and playing games all relating to fire safety.

Saunders says they have been doing the program for school children for quite some time, but wanted to reach a younger crowd as well. Read more at Black Hills Fox…

If you are in Raleigh and looking for a preschool that will offer your child the benefits discussed in this post, Spanish for fun! is your best option. We combine the loving care that your child needs with Spanish language education, cultural learning and lots of fun. Get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of our Glenwood campus. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website. We look forward to showing you why your child will thrive with us.

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It’s the Winter Season…Here’s What’s Coming at Sff!

’Tis the season for winter fun and holiday activities! Here’s what we have going on at Sff! in the next few months:

January

In January, we learned all about transportation! Bicycles, cars, planes, trains, etc… Our little ones learned all about how we get around.

February

In February, we will be learning all about the Earth! This will include a Science Fair where we will learn what a science experiment is and how to conduct one. We will have several different experiments for the kids to try and will learn and get excited about science!

Important dates to remember:

• Wednesday, February 14: Valentine’s Day Celebration
• Monday-Friday, February 19-23: Science Fair Week

March

In March, we will celebrate and learn about different cultures across the world. We’ll learn by listening to the music of different cultures and learning other traditions.

Important dates to remember:

• Monday, March 5: Report Card Day!
• Monday-Friday, March 12-16: Parent-Teacher conferences
• Thursday, March 29: Easter Celebration
• Friday, March 30: Good Friday – School is closed

We’re so excited for all the fun we have planned! If your child isn’t registered for fun, get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of our Glenwood campus. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website. We look forward to showing you why your child will thrive with us.

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The Numerous Benefits of Early Childhood Education

The moment your child is born, he or she starts learning and developing cognitively, physically, socially, emotionally, and linguistically. As your child grows, their brain acts like a sponge for knowledge — learning from you and from their environment.

While all children will learn and develop quickly during these formative years, there are a lot of benefits to attending a preschool that specializes in early childhood education. Here are just some of the advantages your child will receive from the right preschool.

Social Skills

Being around other children in a safe and educational environment helps children develop social skills. Preschool allows them to engage both with other children and with adults, which is crucial to the development of social skills like listening, expressing ideas, sharing, making friends and being accountable for actions.

Autonomy

Allowing your little one to learn, discover and explore outside of your home and care, helps them develop autonomy. Learning how to be independent at an early age will help them later in life when independence is crucial. Allowing your child to explore on their own helps them develop a sense of self, and understand how their choices and actions affect outcomes.

Language Acquisition

Kids don’t come out of the womb speaking your language. They learn from you and from their environment. Preschool helps nurture language development and communication skills as they learn from and practice with teachers and classmates.

In addition to learning English, the preschool years are the perfect time for children to acquire a second language. Enrolling your child in a language immersion preschool (like Spanish for fun!) will help them on the road to bilingualism. And as you probably know, there are many benefits to being bilingual.

Some of these benefits include:

• Enhanced cognitive ability
• Faster learning
• Empathy and appreciation of other cultures
• Better multitasking abilities
• Increased attention span
• Better memory
• Increased concentration

Attention Span

A quality preschool has lots of activities that help develop your child’s attention span. Children learn concentration, they develop their listening skills and they learn how to follow directions, all through discovery and fun.

Exposure to Diversity

We live in a world rich with diversity. The earlier you expose your child to diverse cultures, thoughts and traditions, the better. Children who learn about diversity at an early age grow up to be more empathetic and understanding of others. They also learn to appreciate and understand that everyone is unique and different.

Better Performance in Grade School

Finally, early education (especially bilingual education) has been proven to help increase performance in grade school. This is because a quality preschool builds the right foundation for learning with regard to your child’s physical, mental, emotional and social development — all things that prepare them for a lifetime.

As a parent, you will be happy to know that you don’t have take our word for it when it comes to the validity of our claims. We have the feedback of a wide array of parents who have sent their children to Spanish for fun!, as well as the support of educators who see our results first-hand in their classrooms.

Here are two examples of the personal comments, phone calls, emails and letters we receive regularly about our school and teaching methods:

From a Happy Parent:

“We feel so fortunate a friend told us about Spanish for fun!. Not only do I feel my children are learning in a safe, diverse, unique environment, but also that they are absolutely adored by the staff. Picking up the children after a long day and still seeing the staff with big smiles and hugs for the everyone is wonderful. I love hearing my children’s language skills progress in both English and Spanish; and the weekly teaching plans seem fun and engaging. We feel lucky to be a part of the Spanish for fun! family!” — Blair

From a Kindergarten Teacher at Wake County Public School:

“Sff! kids are very well prepared to go to any public or private school. The teachers there do a wonderful job instructing them with the basic skills on how to start dealing with their daily lives and growing environment. They come to school with a great vocabulary, with a great ability to follow a conversation in Spanish, and knowing the letters of the alphabet. They get so excited when they hear the songs they already learned in Sff. They also come to school knowing a lot of games from Hispanic cultures. I believe Sff! is an amazing daycare because teachers there prepare students to be well-balanced individuals, capable of dealing with life’s challenges. It is a daycare that not only teaches Spanish; it goes beyond. They teach children to be open minded to a world of different cultures.” — Monica

Get in touch with us today to schedule a tour of our Raleigh campus. Call 919-881-1160 or complete the form on our website. We look forward to showing you why your child will thrive with us.

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