JANUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER

January has passed by quickly, and it has been a wonderful start to the new year.

We introduced our new 2026 calendar and learned that it is the Year of the Horse. The children enjoyed making movable horses and learning a song about horses and their hooves, clipping and clopping along. We also celebrated the Japanese New Year by exploring traditional customs. The children created their own "osechi" displays, pasting various foods into a "jyubako" (stacked box). A few of us recognised some of the food, some of which we love, and others not so much! Additionally, we practised traditional New Year calligraphy, focusing on the word "osechi."

In the garden, our radishes are growing strong despite the cold. The children recently harvested and sampled some as a snack; most of us preferred them lightly sautéed. Despite the cold, we continue to enjoy our time in the garden, wearing our gardening gloves to clear leaves and water our bulbs as we wait for spring flowers to emerge.

We have been introduced to poetry and have enjoyed reciting a poem about a snowman and finding out the meanings of new words that appear in the poem. Figuring out that we can write is so exciting because we can let others know what we are thinking without speaking! We are seeing a growing interest in writing, and our movable alphabet is now getting heavy daily use! 

Although the days are still getting colder, we are looking forward to an exciting month ahead.