What's Your Family Song?

We often reflect on the outside world in our group time. We talk about our weekends, use the map to discuss places we've been, and, of course, we talk about our families. Family, in fact, is one of the most common themes of our large group time. We sing the Family Song which has been a long time favorite of my cohort even before we joined the Preschoolers.

Something that I love about the Family Song is how adaptable it is. In our preschool, we love discussing differences and similarities. The Family Song gives us an opportunity to discuss things that are the same and that are different in each of our own families. For example, we have families with a mom and a dad, families that live in two homes, families that include grandparents, families that have two moms, families that include an Uncle, families with or without pets... the list goes on and on. It also gives us a chance to relate to one another. The kids often ask Rio or myself to sing our own family song. They love to think about what our lives are outside of the preschool walls, too!

Taking this kind of time together to discuss our families builds community and connection. It exposes us to all sorts of things that are different and many things that are the same in each of our lives. Through learning about each other's families, we build a greater sense of understanding around what a family is. In my own home, I sing the song about our family as well as the family I was part of (and of course, still am!) before my kids were born. We also talk about other members of our "family" that aren't necessarily related but are very important in our lives- such as my children s' godmother who they refer to as "Aunt Lindsay". It gives us time to reflect on what we are thankful of, who makes up our community, and all the great people who exist in our lives. So, what's your Family Song? Who makes up your community and adds joy to your life?

Look for more posts on how we discuss family at the Preschool House! We are excited to be introducing the Family Song in Spanish, working on drawing Family Portraits, and making our own Family Books!