We began today to have  children visitors, the ones who will be starting school in the summer and the fall. At group, we discussed the impending arrival of a delightful nearing 3 year old. Before he arrived, we wanted to think together with the children about what would make him feel comfortable and safe. My first question, after explaining the who, what and why of his visit, was- How do you think he will feel when he first gets here? Lots of answers- nervous, shy, embarrassed, a little bit scared. The children could really imagine how this experience would feel. Next question- What could we do to make him feel welcome and relaxed? A little thinking then- we could say hi to him, we could wave, we could show him where to play, we could say nice things to him, we could not do anything mean, we could tell him our names, we could tell him about the blue line ( that is our safety line in front of the swings). Great answers; we were ready to greet our first visitor.

We were so proud of our kids. They greeted and waved, smiled and helped.  And they were rewarded by a relaxed, busy new friend who will be a wonderful addition to their group come September. As he cried goodbye because he didn’t want to leave, I sensed that the kids knew they had done a great job.Tweet