A Spooktacular Day of Fun

Our preschool was filled with laughter, family, and friends as we celebrated our very first Trunk or Treat! Families came together for a day full of creative activities, playful moments, and plenty of smiles. It was the perfect way to welcome the season and make lasting memories together a celebration we’ll remember for years to come.

 
From the moment the first car pulled in, excitement bubbled throughout the parking lot. Families went all out decorating their trunks with colorful balloons, pumpkins, and playful Halloween scenes that delighted every child who passed by. One trunk even featured a dinosaur theme, complete with bright green streamers, friendly creatures, and a sensory table where the children could dig for bones. 

    

Our Trunk or Treat is one of our favorite traditions because it brings our families and community together. Parents, teachers, and children had the chance to connect, laugh, and celebrate the joys of learning and play. Moments like these remind us how special our preschool community truly is.

                               

One of the biggest hits of the day was face painting! Our preschoolers had a blast choosing their favorite designs from friendly monsters to sparkling butterflies and couldn’t wait to show off their new looks to friends and family.

  

We are so grateful to all the families who joined us and helped make this day a success. Events like our Trunk or Treat are what make our preschool community so special filled with joy, connection, and a whole lot of fun!

Sensory Play

 

Sensory bags are a simple, mess-free way to engage toddlers in hands-on learning through play. Filled with squishy, colorful materials, they stimulate touch, sight, and movement—helping young children explore textures, develop fine motor skills, and calm their emotions.

                                             

This toddler investigates a glitter sensory bag, supporting fine motor development, visual tracking, and early cognitive skills through hands-on play

This rainbow sensory bag encourages early color recognition, fine motor skills, and sensory processing—offering a hands-on learning experience tailored for toddler development

Toddlers explore a water sensory bag filled with colorful button shapes—promoting shape recognition, fine motor coordination, and sensory processing through engaging, tactile play

Toddlers engage with a fall leaf sensory bag, exploring seasonal colors and textures while strengthening sensory processing and observation skills

Here's a list of fun and educational sensory bag examples you make at home. They are perfect for toddlers and easy to try:

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🌈 1. Rainbow Color Sorting Bag

• What’s inside: Hair gel or clear soap + rainbow-colored buttons or beads

• Skills supported: Color recognition, visual tracking, fine motor development

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🍁 2. Fall Leaves Sensory Bag

• What’s inside: Clear hair gel + artificial fall leaves + orange/gold glitter

• Skills supported: Seasonal awareness, texture exploration, language development

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💧 3. Water & Button Shapes Bag

• What’s inside: Water + large plastic buttons in various shapes and colors

• Skills supported: Shape and color recognition, hand-eye coordination

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✨ 4. Glitter Calm-Down Bag

• What’s inside: Clear gel + fine glitter + sequins

• Skills supported: Emotional regulation, visual stimulation, mindfulness

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🐠 5. Ocean Discovery Bag

• What’s inside: Blue-tinted hair gel + small plastic sea creatures + shells

• Skills supported: Imaginative play, vocabulary building, sensory processing

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🧊 6. Frozen Sensory Bag (for cold-safe exploration)

• What’s inside: Water + small toys or objects (freeze before use)

• Skills supported: Temperature awareness, cause and effect, tactile curiosity

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🌼 7. Nature Explorer Bag

• What’s inside: Hair gel + small natural items (flowers, grass, small twigs)

• Skills supported: Nature appreciation, sensory integration, observation skills

PLAY, MOVE, GROW!

 At our preschool, we know that play isn’t just fun—it’s essential! From the tiniest infants to energetic preschoolers, physical activity is a cornerstone of healthy growth and development. Here’s why encouraging movement is so important for children ages 0–5:

1. Strong Bodies Start Young

Physical activity helps build strong muscles and bones, improves balance, and supports healthy growth. Even infants benefit from tummy time, which strengthens their neck, shoulder, and arm muscles. Toddlers and preschoolers refine coordination through climbing, running, and dancing.

2. Brain Boosters

Did you know moving helps little brains grow too? Activities like jumping, crawling, or playing catch support brain development, improve attention, and even help with problem-solving skills. Physical activity stimulates neural connections that pave the way for learning.

3. Social Skills in Motion

Playtime often happens with friends! Group activities teach children important social skills like sharing, taking turns, and communicating. Whether it’s building an obstacle course or playing tag, movement fosters teamwork and cooperation.

4. Healthy Habits for Life

Establishing active routines early helps children develop healthy habits that last a lifetime. Daily movement supports heart health, maintains a healthy weight, and encourages a positive relationship with physical activity.

5. Emotional Well-Being

Movement is a natural mood booster! Running, jumping, or dancing helps little ones release energy, reduce stress, and manage emotions. Active play provides an outlet for self-expression and creativity, helping children feel happy and confident.

Tips for Encouraging Movement at Home:

• Offer plenty of safe space for crawling, rolling, and exploring.

• Turn everyday tasks into movement games, like hopping to tidy up toys.

• Dance to favorite songs or play simple active games like “Simon Says.”

• Encourage outdoor play whenever possible—nature is a natural playground!

At our preschool, we celebrate every wiggle, jump, and giggle because we know that movement is more than fun—it’s a vital part of early childhood development. Let’s keep our little ones moving and thriving!

Free Art MATTERS!

Why Free Art Matters for Ages 0–5: Nurturing Creativity in Early Childhood

In the world of early childhood development, we often talk about milestones—first steps, first words, first friendships. But one of the most powerful (and often underestimated) experiences during these foundational years is free art. This doesn’t mean painting the “perfect” picture or staying inside the lines. Free art is all about open-ended, process-focused creativity—offering young children the freedom to explore, create, and express themselves without rules or pressure.

So, why does free art matter so much in the 0–5 age group? Here’s why:

🎨 1. It Builds Brain Connections

When babies and young children engage in art—scribbling with crayons, finger painting, gluing scraps—they’re wiring their brains in amazing ways. Free art supports the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities. These early interactions with materials lay the groundwork for future learning in math, reading, and science.

🖐️ 2. It Encourages Sensory Exploration

For infants and toddlers, art is often more about touch than visuals. Think of the joy in squishing paint between tiny fingers or the surprise of mixing colors. Free art gives young children the chance to explore textures, temperatures, sounds, and smells—all while activating multiple senses at once. These rich sensory experiences are essential for healthy development.

💡 3. It Sparks Creativity and Imagination

When children are given a blank canvas and a variety of materials without a strict outcome in mind, they begin to create from within. This kind of imaginative thinking is what helps kids become innovators, storytellers, and problem-solvers later in life. Free art lets them ask the important question: “What happens if I try this?”

🗣️ 4. It Supports Emotional Expression

Young children may not always have the words to express how they’re feeling, but art can be their voice. Through drawing, painting, and sculpting, children often process big emotions—joy, frustration, sadness, excitement—in a safe and healthy way. Free art gives children space to express themselves authentically.

👧🏽 5. It Builds Confidence and Independence

In free art, there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to create. This helps children feel successful and confident in their abilities. They begin to trust their ideas, make their own choices, and take pride in their unique creations. This kind of empowerment at an early age is priceless.

🚫 What Free Art Isn’t

Free art isn’t about pre-cut crafts, copycat projects, or adult-directed activities. While those can be fun too, they don’t offer the same developmental benefits. Free art is messy, exploratory, and driven by the child’s interests. It’s about process over product—celebrating the journey, not just the outcome.

 

🎉 Help Us Be Voted Best Childcare… Again! 🏆

 

🎉 Help Us Be Voted Best Childcare… Again! 🏆

We’re beyond excited to share that nominations are now open for Nashville Parent Magazine’s “Best of Parenting” Awards—and we’re aiming to be voted Best Childcare for the 17th year in a row! 💛🎈

At The Academy of Berkshire, we are so proud of the loving, enriching, and safe environment we create each and every day for our amazing children. From nurturing classrooms and creative learning experiences to our passionate teachers and strong family partnerships—everything we do is driven by our dedication to your child’s growth and happiness.

If you believe in what we do and love being a part of our AoB family, we would be so honored to have your vote! 💬✨

🗳️ How to Nominate Us:

Visit Nashville Parent’s Nomination Page

➡️ Select the “Best Childcare” category

➡️ Heart The Academy

➡️ Submit your nomination and share with family and friends!

Every vote helps us shine a little brighter—and helps other families find the same trusted care and joyful learning that you've come to love.

Thank you for your continued support, your trust, and for being part of our AoB community. Let’s make it 17 years strong! 🎉

 

🍼 Why Infant Socialization Matters: Building Bonds from the Beginning!

When we think about babies, we often focus on feedings, naps, and milestone moments like rolling over or saying “mama.” But there’s something else just as important happening from the very beginning—socialization.

Even the youngest babies are learning how to connect with the world around them. While it may seem like infants are too young to benefit from being around others, early social interactions play a powerful role in their overall development. Here’s why

👀 1. Babies Are Born to Connect

From birth, infants are wired to seek connection. They recognize familiar voices, respond to facial expressions, and mimic sounds. These early interactions—like cooing back and forth with a caregiver—are the building blocks of language, trust, and emotional security.

Being around other infants and responsive adults helps babies practice these social cues, such as making eye contact, smiling, and babbling in response to others.

🤝 2. It Builds Emotional Intelligence

Even before they can talk, babies experience a wide range of emotions—joy, frustration, curiosity, and more. Through socialization, infants learn how to manage and express these feelings.

When babies are around others, especially in group care settings, they:

• See how others express emotions

• Learn to share attention

• Begin to understand concepts like empathy

These early experiences help lay the groundwork for emotional regulation and healthy relationships later in life.

🧠 3. Social Play Fuels Brain Development

Social interactions aren't just cute—they're cognitive workouts! Engaging with peers and caregivers activates areas of the brain involved in:

• Problem-solving

• Memory

• Language processing

• Attention and focus

Simple activities like taking turns with a toy or responding to a friend’s laugh stimulate brain development in a big way.

🗣️ 4. It Supports Language Growth

Babies learn language through hearing and interacting with others. When infants are exposed to social environments where they hear different voices, tones, and words, it enhances their ability to:

• Understand language patterns

• Imitate sounds

• Build a foundation for future communication

Social settings give infants a chance to "talk" in their own way and get a response—which is key to language development.

👶 5. It Prepares Them for Future Relationships

Socialization in infancy helps babies develop trust, confidence, and a sense of belonging. These experiences prepare them for preschool, friendships, teamwork, and even how they’ll handle challenges later on.

In a supportive environment, infants learn that they are safe, loved, and part of a community—a lesson that lasts a lifetime.

💡 Final Thoughts

While infants may not be having playdates in the traditional sense, every interaction counts. From peek-a-boo games with a teacher to watching another baby babble across the room, infant socialization is powerful, purposeful, and essential.

At our center, we cherish these early connections. Our classrooms are filled with nurturing adults and opportunities for babies to engage, explore, and grow together—because we know that building social skills starts with the very first smile.

🎉 Help Us Be Voted Best Childcare… Again! 🏆

We’re beyond excited to share that nominations are now open for Nashville Parent Magazine’s “Best of Parenting” Awards—and we’re aiming to be voted Best Childcare for the 17th year in a row! 💛🎈

At The Academy of Berkshire, we are so proud of the loving, enriching, and safe environment we create each and every day for our amazing children. From nurturing classrooms and creative learning experiences to our passionate teachers and strong family partnerships—everything we do is driven by our dedication to your child’s growth and happiness.

If you believe in what we do and love being a part of our AoB family, we would be so honored to have your vote! 💬✨

🗳️ How to Nominate Us:
Visit Nashville Parent’s Nomination Page
➡️ Select the “Best Childcare” category
➡️ Heart The Academy
➡️ Submit your nomination and share with family and friends!

Every vote helps us shine a little brighter—and helps other families find the same trusted care and joyful learning that you've come to love.

Thank you for your continued support, your trust, and for being part of our AoB community. Let’s make it 17 years strong! 🎉