"The Montessori approach to celebrating special days is a gift to children as it expands their minds, their hearts, and their worlds."
—Alex Chiu, Montessori Musings
There is a wide range of opinions about whether or not to celebrate holidays in the classroom, and if so, which ones to honor. As part of their anti-bias curriculum, some Montessori schools choose not to celebrate any holidays at all. Other schools only honor birthdays with the unique Montessori ritual of inviting the child to carry a globe of the Earth and walk around the symbol of the sun, one revolution for each year of the child's life. Then there are schools that have found ways to celebrate many different holidays, taking care to be inclusive of the various cultures and religions of children in their school and community.
Celebrating holidays in the classroom can:
"As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we are different. That may be the most essential message of all, as we help our children grow toward being caring, compassionate, and charitable adults."
—Mr. Rogers, Fred Rogers' website
The word holiday comes from the Old English word for "holy days." Religious holidays are meaningful to many families. People celebrate holidays for numerous reasons, including giving thanks, seeking protection, and celebrating freedom. Your school may choose to honor holidays that families in your classroom already celebrate, inviting parents to share a traditional food, cooking project, or ritual from Ramadan, Passover, Easter, or Holi. Children can learn how holidays bring joy to people around the globe as we celebrate the diversity of the families in our communities.
There are endless holidays that can be successfully celebrated with young children, from Lunar New Year, Cinco de Mayo, and the Cherry Blossom festival, to the lesser-known Elephant Day and International Day of Peace, and the winter holidays of solstice, Diwali, Kwanza, Hanukah and Christmas.
Some teachers create their own celebrations that involve both children and parents. In her book, Intentional Connections: A Practical Guide to Parent Engagement in Early Childhood & Lower Elementary Classrooms, Montessori teacher Dorothy Harman describes the "Winter Celebration" when parents are invited to come observe their children at work in the classroom and share a song and school-made snack.
Gently and gradually introducing the seasons and holidays is the best way to maintain the stability and routine of the classroom. In the weeks before an approaching holiday, begin to add books about that holiday to your reading corner. During circle time, tell stories, sing songs, recite poems, and play games honoring the coming season or holiday. "Five Fat Turkeys" is a joyful outdoor singing game to play before Thanksgiving, for example.
Classroom activities can reflect the colors and smells of the new season:
At a Japanese language immersion Montessori preschool class in Berkeley, California, I observed children participating in Setsubun, the traditional Japanese celebration of the arrival of spring. "The children love the bean-throwing ritual to chase away evil spirits, " their teacher said.
As the morning work period came to an end, children joined the guide sitting on the rug and began to sing Japanese songs. Several children continued working, choosing not to join the group. They were left undisturbed. The teacher described to the class (in Japanese, of course) the meaning of Setsubun, the special spring ritual to drive away evil spirits and bring in good fortune and good health.
The excitement was palpable as everyone went outside. Roasted soybeans (called "fortune beans") were distributed. One teacher put on the Oni (evil spirit) mask and the children threw handful of soybeans at her shouting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Evil spirits out! Happiness in!") Several older children took turns putting on the mask, prompting their laughing classmates to throw even more beans. Afterwards, as part of bringing luck in, children were given more soybeans to eat, one for each year of their life.
Evil spirits out! Happiness in!
—by Irene Baker, MEd, Montessori Educational Consultant at Montessori Services. She holds both primary (ages 3-6) and elementary (ages 6-12) Montessori certifications and has taught at all three levels. For over 20 years, she has served as a Montessori consultant and teacher-trainer for primary and elementary levels, and has presented workshops for teachers at schools and AMS conferences. Her work with students and teachers is infused with her passions: storytelling, history, social justice, non-violent (compassionate) communication, poetry, meditation, music, and the natural world.
—Originally Published 2019
