Young Scholars Academy

Where Children Develop a Love of Learning

  • Home
  • About Us – Our Mission
    • Our Child Care Team
    • Team Leaders
    • Team Member of the Month!
  • Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Additional Benefits
  • Contact Us
    • Careers at YSA
 5815 Tutt Center Point - Colorado Springs, CO 80922
 (719) 522-9099
Check Availability
  • Events & Updates
  • Programs
    • Infant Program
    • Toddler Program
    • Preschool
    • Prekindergarten
    • Junior Kindergarten
  • School Age Programs
    • Before and After School Program
    • Summer Camp
  • Enrichment Programs
    • Curriculum Ideas For Home | Young Scholars Academy
    • Art Projects
    • American Sign Language
    • Music & Fitness
  • Testimonials
    • Our Kids Speak!
  • Blog

Joyful Learning: Christmas Activities at Our Preschool in Colorado Springs

December 8, 2023 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

The Christmas holiday season is such a magical time at our Preschool in Colorado Springs. From decorating our classrooms with lights and garlands to doing fun Christmas-themed activities, our students get into the holiday spirit while continuing to learn and grow. In this blog, we will highlight some of the joyful Christmas activities we did at our preschool this December. 

Decorating Our Classrooms 

One of the first things we did to kick off the Christmas season was decorating our preschool classrooms. The toddlers, pre-k students, and teachers all worked together to: 

  • Put up strings of colorful Christmas lights around the rooms 
  • Hang stockings on our bulletin boards with each student’s name 
  • Make paper snowflake decorations to tape up on the windows 
  • Build miniature Christmas trees out of craft supplies to display student art projects

It was so sweet to see the kids proudly show their parents around our festive classrooms during drop-off and pickup. They literally lit up seeing their creations displayed for all to enjoy. 

Making Ornaments 

Ornament-making has become a beloved annual tradition at our Preschool. This year, some of the Christmas crafts our students made included: 

Snowman Ornaments 

Our two-year-olds had fun making these snowman ornaments out of basic craft supplies: 

  • White paint and clear plastic balls to create the snowman’s head 
  • Orange triangle cut-outs for the nose 
  • Black buttons glued on for the mouth and eyes 
  • A red or green ribbon to hang the ornament 

As teachers helped guide the process, the toddlers learned about shapes and colors while unleashing their creativity in decorating their snowmen. 

Popsicle Stick Frame Ornaments 

Our pre-k students challenged their fine motor skills to make precious family photo ornaments. Using popsicle sticks, glue, and a bit of glitter, they created mini frames to hold their favorite family photos. These special keepsakes now hang proudly on the families’ Christmas trees.  

Tasty Treats for the Holidays 

In addition to making ornaments, our kids had fun enjoying some tasty holiday treats to eat at our Christmas celebration. Throughout these holidays, we offered tasty treats to our kids. Some of these delights include:  

  • The North Pole Breakfast Cereal was a big hit – it featured colorful fruit loops mixed with marshmallows and milk to create a sweet and festive breakfast treat.  
  • Emily’s Spaghetti provided a savory option, made with noodles, vegetables, and elf juice instead of tomato sauce.  
  • And you can’t have a proper Christmas party without cookies – our swirly twirly yogurt cup cookies were decorated with sprinkles and icing to look like Santa hats and Christmas trees. 

With the yummy cuisine, it’s no wonder everyone left with full bellies and big smiles! 

Crafting Up Some Holiday Cheer 

In the week leading up to our Christmas sing-along, students worked on creating some festive crafts as part of their daily lessons. 

Painted Wine Glasses 

Our four-year-olds practiced holding a paintbrush properly to decorate red and green wine glasses for their parents. This physical activity worked on their fine motor control and dexterity.  

  • Supplies: wine glasses, red/green paint, paint brushes, stickers 
  • Skills learned: fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, dexterity, grip 

Decorative Coasters 

The students folded colored construction paper into four squares and used scissors to trim the edges to make Christmas trees, snowflakes, and star-shaped coasters. We laminated them so families can use them year after year! 

  • Supplies: construction paper, child safety scissors, laminator 
  • Skills learned: shape recognition, cutting, following instructions

Our Annual Christmas Sing-Along  

The highlight of December at our preschool is always our special Christmas sing-along event. Teachers and students do musical performances together. Every year, we pick famous Christmas kids’ songs, and everyone stands up to sing together. After these special musical performances, the children had a special visit from you-know-who…Santa Claus! 

A Visit from Santa Claus 

Once the performances finished, we dimmed the lights and jingled sleigh bells to announce a surprise guest. Ho, ho, ho! In walked Santa Claus to speak to the children and give them a small early Christmas gift as a thank you for doing such great sing-along performances. 

The looks of joy and wonder in the children’s eyes reminded all parents and teachers why the holiday season is so magical, especially for little ones. Santa visited and congratulated each classroom, wishing everyone a very merry Christmas before dashing off to finish preparations for the big night! 

Dressing Up on Grinch Day 

During December’s cheerful activities, our preschool held a delightful “Grinch Day” event where students dressed up as characters from the classic Dr. Seuss book. Some students embodied the Grinch by wearing all-green outfits and crazy hair. We had a few Cindy Lou Who lookalikes in sparkly dresses and matching hairdos.  

One toddler came as the adorable Max the Dog, complete with a Santa hat. And many kids showed up in colorful Christmas pajamas just like the sweet Who-ville residents. Also, there was a day when children wore jammies in which they looked super cute.  

The smiles and laughter during the costume parade down the halls were priceless. We are so pleased Grinch Day was a hit this year. Seeing the kids dress up and take part in holiday fun is now one of our favorite preschool traditions!  

Reading Christmas Stories 

In the days leading up to our winter break, teachers read a variety of Christmas-themed stories to the students. In addition to classic tales like “The Night Before Christmas,” we try to incorporate other messages and traditions. 

The teachers supplement these read-alouds with lessons about vocabulary words, guided discussions on the themes, and related coloring sheets or puzzles to enhance comprehension.  

Christmas Fun and Games 

On the last few days before our winter break, we organized several holiday-themed games and activities to let the children have festive fun with their classmates. 

Snowball Fight 

The students wadded up white yarn into balls and divided into teams for a silly indoor snowball fight! Instead of throwing them, each child had to race across while balancing their snowball on a little plastic sled. Laughter filled the classroom, taking the edge off before the big break. 

Find the Elf  

Teachers hid a mini plastic elf around the classroom and created clues for students to try to locate it. This encouraged them to work together while getting in some movement after all the holiday treats and excitement. 

Spreading Holiday Cheer – Donations for Struggling Families 

For the fifth year in a row, our preschool partnered with the Colorado Springs Christmas Tree Project (CSCTP) to help spread cheer to less fortunate families during the holidays. CSCTP donates Christmas trees to struggling families not just in Colorado Springs but all over the state. 

In the spirit of giving, our kids worked together to create over 700 handmade ornaments to donate to these families. Teachers guided the students in transforming craft supplies into cheerful decorations like snowflakes, paper Christmas trees, etc. The delighted faces of students putting the finishing touches on each unique ornament was truly heartwarming. 

We strive to teach young children the importance of kindness and generosity through community service projects like this. Partnering with the CSCTP allows our students to experience the intrinsic rewards that come from creating something with their own hands for someone else. We hope the handmade ornaments help spread some holiday magic and cheer to Colorado families facing hardship this Christmas season. 

Farewell Party  

On the final day before winter break, we ended our Christmas fun with a mini farewell party for the students. We served hot chocolate and holiday cookies, and students exchanged custom holiday cards. 

It was a wonderfully festive way for all the students to celebrate the season and enjoy one last holiday hoorah before saying goodbye for winter break! 

As you can see, December was filled with so much Christmas fun and learning here at our preschool. Our staff aims to make it a truly joyful life experience for the students, getting them excited about the magic of the season. We look forward to dreaming up even more festive activities for the next holiday season! 

Call Young Scholars Academy 

See firsthand the engaging, cultural holiday fun we create at Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs. Schedule a tour at our award-winning early learning center today!  

Give your child the gift of hands-on, playful learning this Christmas season. Enroll now!  

Frequently Asked Questions 

How long has your preschool been serving families in Colorado Springs? 

As one of the best preschools Colorado Springs has to offer, our preschool has been proudly educating kids in the Colorado Springs community since first opening our doors in 1995. We have built longstanding relationships with local families during that time. 

What fun activities do students participate in at your preschool program in Colorado Springs? 

At our top Colorado Springs preschool, children enjoy various fun activities. For instance, we offer art, language lessons, holiday events, sports lessons, and play at outdoor playgrounds. We aim to provide a well-rounded early childhood education experience. We keep our students engaged in joyful learning all year long. 

Why should parents consider your preschool the best option among preschools in Colorado Springs? 

Parents looking for premium preschools in Colorado Springs for their kids should consider our preschool. We offer low student-teacher ratios, a custom curriculum focused on hands-on learning, qualified and trained teaching staff, and an inclusive environment. 

What fine motor skills do the preschoolers practice when they paint wine glasses and make coasters? 

The preschoolers work on properly holding paintbrushes and controlling brush strokes as they paint wine glasses. Making shaped coasters allows the children to use scissors to improve their skills. 

What Christmas story books can preschool teachers read to teach important holiday lessons? 

The teachers can read stories like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to teach about holiday values beyond materialism.  Likewise, other cultural books about Christmas festivals can be discussed with kids to make them aware of the importance of this festive event. 

Filed Under: Activities, Events, Holidays

Creating Halloween Fun for Young Children

October 16, 2021 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

There can be a lot of pressure these days to make sure our children have that perfect holiday experience. It can be a difficult feat with Pinterest and social media, but COVID added a new level. So how can you make the holidays meaningful and fun while also keeping everyone healthy? A little bit of creativity!

Last year, trick or treating was virtually non-existent as families wanted to steer clear of community events and stay safe and healthy. This year is proving to be much improved but there are still things you can do at home for your little ones to keep the fun alive.

1.) Easter/Halloween hybrid. We chose not to go out last year and our boys were sad. Instead, we hid candy throughout the house, put lots of glow sticks everywhere, played spooky music on, and sent them searching with their Halloween bags. It was actually such a blast that they’ve asked to do it again this year. For children not eating candy, simple Halloween stuffies, bubbles, and toys can be put into a cute basket.

2.) Halloween crafts at home. There are a ton of fun keepsakes you can create with your young children. Some favorites of ours are booty print pumpkins, baby footprint monsters, and a first Halloween canvas. We love to pick up cheap Halloween stickers and create collages with them too.

3.) Halloween baking. Our boys love to decorate cookies and cupcakes. We bake every year and set out frosting and candies to have fun with. We make it a family affair and send pictures to out-of-town family members to see who has created the best masterpieces.

There are a lot of fun things that can be done in the safety of your home or even just for small children too young to go out trick or treating. As life returns to a more normal state, some of these can also still be a ton of fun during the weeks leading up to Halloween.

 

Ms. Amy
Parent Connection Coordinator
Lead Infant Supervisor

Filed Under: Holidays

Countdown to Christmas

December 1, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Boy in long Christmas hat reading a book and yawns on the floor by the white Christmas tree

 

Looking for something fun to do with the holidays in these interesting times?

Countdown each day of December with a new book. They can be any book, or you can do holiday themes only. If you keep with holiday themes you can always store these with the Christmas decorations to reuse the books for following years. I did this last year and didn’t even remember doing this at all, let alone what the books were Ha- so it just might work well if you were hesitant of reusing books.

The way this works is your child(dren) get to open one book each day in December. It’s an interactive advent calendar if you want to use it that way too (number your books to use as a calendar).

If you can keep up, wrap one book each night before you go to bed. If you know yourself well enough then set aside some time to wrap each book all at once. The long Thanksgiving weekend would be a good time to get that jump started. Keep this in mind for next year, as I know you are already reading this too late. So, this year wrap the couple that you need to get through the week. Wrap the rest on your next day off or if you’re feeling super energized while watching the new Grey’s whip it out then!

You can do this in addition to your Elf on the Shelf. He can be holding your new book each morning with his shenanigans or use it to your advantage and the game can be to find where the Elf has hidden the book each day. He can leave a clue. You’re welcome, just gave you all your Elf days if you are struggling to keep up.

All jokes aside, this is a really great way to get your kiddos reading through the holiday season. It is a great tradition and fun for the whole family. It isn’t too much extra work because you are usually reading a bedtime story anyway or doing the Elf on the Shelf or an advent calendar, or all three…so might as well cut yourself some extra time in the Christmas pie. I hope this sounds like a fun addition to your holiday traditions.

Ms. Brooke
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Curriculum & Literacy Coordinator

Filed Under: General Updates, Holidays

We Promise

October 12, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

When I had our first son, I had been working in Early Childhood Education for 7 years. I thought coming back to work and returning to “normal” would be a walk in the park. Boy…was I wrong! I lasted a whole 2 weeks and put in my notice so I could stay home with my baby. I was literally in the room right next to him but it was too difficult and I was fortunate enough to be able to make the decision to stay home with him. I had been doing this job for so many years but I had no idea what it meant to have all these parents trusting me with their babies.

Even under normal circumstances, we truly understand what we are asking of you when you leave your precious babies with us. It’s a lot. Whether you’re excited to return to work or not, leaving your baby in the care of someone else is hard. We’re asking you to put so much trust in our ability to love, care for and protect your little ones. In a pandemic though? It’s insanity.

I can tell you all that on our end, we’re missing the relationships with you as parents. I am personally still in contact with parents of babies I taught 10 plus years ago. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job and one thing I am lost without. So asking you to trust us when you hardly know us is a tall ask, and we are completely aware of that.
In light of this I’ve been talking with the other teachers in the building and we’ve come up with some promises to you as teachers and a lot have said some of the same things. Pandemic or not, here are some promises to you.

We promise to love your children as our own. We spend a large amount of time with your children. We get the reputation as babysitters but I promise it’s so much more than that. We get to know your children. We bond with them. We learn their cues and quirks. We truly love them.

We promise to advocate for your children and for you as well. Parenting is hard. I talk about all the advice (good and bad) and how hard it is to sift through that, but sometimes having us as another set of eyes is important. We’ll advocate for the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, and empower you to seek out answers for those struggles and ways to celebrate those wins. We have your backs. 100%.

We promise to communicate and keep you in the loop. We’re a team, and while this form of communication is new and challenging for a lot of us, we’re putting in the work to bring it all together. Messages, phone calls, pictures, conferences…we’re here for it all. Please feel comfortable reaching out to us to make those connections, and we promise to do the same.

This pandemic threw everyone for a loop, but even without it love, advocacy, empowerment and communication are definitely at the forefront of what we do here day in and day out. We promise.

Ms. Amy
Parent Connection Coordinator
Infant Nursery Supervisor

Filed Under: Holidays

5 Ways to Give your Child Positive Attention

September 18, 2020 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Studies show that when children receive positive attention from adults, it can have a drastic impact on their behavior. Giving children positive attention sometimes requires that we as parents alter our perspective. When we give children positive attention, it means we focus more on the good, and try to ignore (at least at the moment) the bad. The idea is that for children, receiving attention from a parent can be very powerful. So essentially, rather than telling them what they are doing wrong, highlight what they are doing right. It’s not an easy shift, but like anything else, it will only take a matter of time until it becomes more natural. 

In practice, positive attention can be exhibited in many forms. It can be shown with the use of “power words” and affirmative gestures. It’s important for children to feel like they are on the right track and that their efforts are appreciated. Positive attention, in a larger context, mostly depends on how to implement it in a healthy way. Studies have also shown that when we are clear and specific with our words when giving positive attention, children understand more clearly what kinds of behaviors are expected and appropriate. 

On a smaller scale, positive attention really isn’t as complicated as it may sound. It’s simply breaking down one thing into smaller pieces, kind of like expounding and picking things apart,  but in a healthy way. Some experts refer to this as “labeled praises”. This approach actually makes it clear to your child exactly what it is you like about what they are doing. This type of praise provides a very specific, effective positive response.Here are a few helpful tips and reminders as you practice giving your child positive attention:

Avoid negative attention

Children thrive from receiving attention from adults. It is part of their nature. If they can’t get your attention by behaving appropriately, they will most likely try to get it by misbehaving. Try to do away with unpleasant words,or words that are discouraging. This part may be the most challenging because scolding a child is often what comes naturally initially. But in this case, see if you can ignore the negative behavior, and then provide positive attention when they stop. This is called active ignoring. By withdrawing your attention when children behave poorly, it sends a message that they need to stop what they are doing for them to be able to get the attention they are seeking.

Be spontaneous when giving positive attention

Children often crave attention as much as adults do. Who doesn’t, right? You know how some things are a lot sweeter and meaningful when they occur unexpectedly? Make it a habit to give out unsolicited affirmations, as this will have a great effect on your child’s mood. Try to put yourself in your child’s shoes. If you are shown appreciation by someone, your mood will usually be lifted.

Create a positive environment

When children grow up in a warm, nurturing environment, it promotes a holistic growth. The tone you set at home should be positive, as this is essential for a child’s drive to be his or her bestelf. Doing so inspires children and will usually bring out their best. Whether your child is at home or at school, a positive atmosphere is beneficial to his or her social-emotional well-being and disposition.

Acknowledge

With every little accomplishment, acknowledge. Your child’s little victories are yours too. Every step, no matter how big or small, must always count. From things that they do right, to the littlest of achievements, acknowledge. 

Create a stronger bond

It can be quite challenging as you try to transition to a new approach and break the habit of making unnecessary comments every time your child misbehaves. Keeping your cool may be difficult, but in the long run it is necessary. Just like any other habit, achieving this change can be achieved through constant application. Try choosing and writing down your choice of words ahead of time for moments when you find yourself caught in a tough situation. It is also helpful to allot at least 10-15 minutes a day when you can give your child your full, undivided attention. Create a list of fun activities together that you and your child can do each day. For example, you could play a card game. When you choose an activity, you can make it fun and nurturing at the same time. Other ideas include board games, arts and crafts, playing make-believe,  or dress-up. This will not only be helpful in creating a strong bond between you and your child, it will also remind you of your own childhood and help you stay young at heart. 

Giving children positive attention may seem hard to do at first, but  it can be as easy as counting  to three. Giving your child positive attention is all about speaking and using kind words. The goal of this approach is to create a healthy relationship between you and your child. 

It always pays to know more. For more helpful parenting tips, please visit us at Young Scholars Academy.

 

Filed Under: Family Tips, Holidays

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 14
  • Next Page »

CHECK AVAILABILITY

Photo of Best Childcare School

Young Scholars Academy
5815 Tutt Center Point
Colorado Springs, CO 80922
(719) 626-9650
Mon - Fri 6:00am - 6:00pm

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Follow Us

Summer Camp Signup!
Programs
Review Us Online

Categories

  • Activities
  • After School
  • Art Projects
  • Calendar
  • Events
  • Family Tips
  • General Updates
  • Health & Wellness
  • Holidays
  • Newsletters
  • Pre-Kindergarten
  • Preschool
  • Programs & Curriculum
  • Email Login
  • Disclosures
  • Site Map
  • No Joke Childcare
  • Admin Login
  • Contact Us
  • Updates Simplified

5815 Tutt Center Point Colorado Springs, CO 80922, (719)522-9099

Copyright 2025 Young Scholars Academy All Rights Reserved.

Email Login| Site Map| No Joke Marketing For Childcare| Contact Us| Updates Simplified