We Are Peacemakers!

12/18/2025

"Peace is what every human being is craving for, and it can be brought about by humanity through the child"
-Maria Montessori

Our Peace Curriculum at the Children's Garden is deeply rooted in Maria Montessori's work in Peace Education. While we draw from many educational philosophies to create our unique learning community, our years of teaching in Montessori schools have been integral in creating an environment to support young peacemakers.

Montessori recognized children as the redeeming factor in the evolution of humankind. In order to bring about a world of peace and tolerance it is important to focus and teach peace early. Having a peace curriculum is a sure way to prepare our children to be peace-seekers. Dr. Montessori said “…we must gather together all the elements of the world and organize them into a science of peace.”

There are many forms and layers of peace. To think about what peace is and how it can be practiced means analyzing possibilities for its application. The Peace Flower diagram provides a simple, concrete framework upon which teachers and parents can focus on.

The Montessori Peace Flower- The Four States of Peace Awareness:

Self Awareness - An awareness of how we are thinking, feeling, and behaving. It means being mindful about thoughts, words, and actions.

Community Awareness - An awareness of other people in the community and the nature of relationships we have with people, especially people with whom we interact every day. Community radiates out from each individual to include family, other students, teachers, school staff, neighbors, shopkeepers, etc.

Environmental Awareness - An awareness of what the earth needs to stay healthy and how individuals, communities, and cultures treat the earth.

Cultural Awareness - An awareness and appreciation of the differences in people’s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior.

In Early Childhood, we spend a significant amount of time on the first petal of Self Awareness. We want to help identify and name all of the various feelings the child will have, and help them know that all feelings are okay and give them tools to process their feelings in a healthy way. Continuing to move outward, we want to show them what appropriate actions they can do with these feelings. We then want the child to begin to contemplate and meditate upon their actions before they are performed.

While concentrating on the first petal of self awareness, our overall goal is to help the child move from a less egocentric state to one of community, environmental, and ultimately cultural awareness.

Here are some of our favorite books that explore all the petals of awareness:

The Peace Stick by Nidhi Mirsa was by far the favorite book with the kids and had them eagerly using their Peace Flowers to take turns expressing their truth and listening with their hearts!

A lovely Montessori practice is to use the Peace Flower method to help preschoolers learn how to problem solve. Similar to a "peace stick" if there is any conflict each child has an opportunity to speak respectfully while they are holding the flower while the other child or children practice listening.

Breathing Beads

By now all the kids should know - what's the first thing we can do to calm down when we start to feel upset?

BREATHE!

The kids loved decorating their popsicle sticks, threading their beads, and practicing the breath together.

To use the breathing beads we moved all the beads to one end of the pipe cleaner.

Then we breathed in as we slowly moved one bead to the other end of the pipe cleaner, matching movement and breath.

On the exhale, we moved another bead.

We repeated for the remaining beads and then moved the beads back, one by one, to the beginning.

You can also use the breathing beads for encouraging longer breaths by counting 2 or more beads per inhale and 2 or more beads per exhale.

Peace on Earth!

We loved this tape resist "Peace on Earth" project! We mixed blue and yellow water color on paper plates to look like the blue water and green and orange land of the earth and then peeled off the tape to show a peace sign.

Snickerdoodle Peace Cookies

These cookies were extra peaceful as we whispered prayers of peace for all while measuring, cracking, and mixing!

Ingredients

For the cookies
- 2 cups almond flour
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
For the cinnamon coating
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a bowl place the almond flour, baking soda and pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
Add the coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract.
Mix to combine.
Let rest for 10 minutes.
To make the coconut coating, combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.
Flatten each ball slightly with your palm.
Bake in preheated oven for 9 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool in the pan.

Cinnamon is our Herbal Ally this month!

Cinnamon Cider Communi-Tea!

We made a delicious apple cider with fresh grated cinnamon, nutmeg, apple juice, orange juice, and fresh orange slices. Such a great winter treat!

ALPACA is our Slumberkin of the month!

Alpaca teaches children to articulate their feelings, manage their anxiety, and share their worries with others. The link below has tons of free resources to practice at home together!

https://slumberkins.com/pages/alpacaresources?srsltid=AfmBOorTKZSVHrxtmyyMAcRSnqpI_2iHtFJpVAr2WxZb1L2_t1xb547C

Inside/Outside

On the really cold days we are grateful for our warm indoor space where we focus on getting along and creating collaborative environments! Our train tracks have been getting a lot of use as a wonderful team-working game.

And we have ben getting lots of outside time too! We see a lot of cooperation in the big yard! The kids love to build, and they create obstacle courses together. These wooden blocks help develop motor function, coordination, and creativity as they receive so much sensory input while playing.

Let it Snow!

Combining shaving cream with baking soda, we created some fluffy slopes. While we mixed and matched coloring dyes, we talked about color theory. Which colors create others, and how easy it is to end up back at brown

Winter Solstice Celebration

To prepare for our celebration the children have been exploring the spiral shape and the kingdoms of life on earth,

The first light of Advent is the light of stones.
Light that lives in sea shells, crystals, and in bones.

The second light of advent is the light of plants.
Light that reaches to the sun and in the breezes dance.

The third light of advent is the light of beasts.
Light that shines, in the greatest and the least.

The fourth light of advent is the light of humankind. Light of love and thought, to give and understand.

Thanks to all who came out and joined us for the Winter Spiral ceremony!

Salamander Time!

We found a Red Salamander in our hay! We got to talk about what they eat, and where they like to live. There is so much life around us even in the winter