Parent & Family Resources

Dear Berry Patch Families,

The school year is in full swing! The Berry Patch is all about love and learning with our friends. I hope you and your child are connecting with friends, both old and new. 

Each month, you will receive a parent and family education newsletter. The topics will focus on the nine Berry Patch virtues: friendship, courage, gratitude, generosity, responsibility, kindness, patience, honesty, and cooperation. The virtues will be taught in a variety of ways throughout the month in your child’s classroom. Extend the lessons at home to reinforce the learning. 

Tips for Friendship Skill Building

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year to all new and returning Berry Patch families. We are busy preparing for another fabulous year of love and learning. 

Preparing for the school year is a great way to build excitement and relieve anxiety. Use these tips to get ready as a family for the beginning of the school year. A little preparation can go a long way to make the transition to school smooth for everyone.

• Take part in Classroom Visits to meet the teacher, explore the classroom, and meet new friends. 
• Read The Berry Patch Parent Handbook for important information.
• Print a calendar for your child with school days highlighted in Berry Patch colors. Cross off the days to practice counting skills and prepare for school days.
• Choose appropriate school clothing. Learning can get messy, so plan accordingly.
• Send a backpack that can accommodate school projects, winter clothing, and other items.  
• Download our tips to avoid separation anxiety: Separation Anxiety in Young Children. 
• Take advantage of our Parent and Family Education Program at no additional cost for support, guidance, and encouragement in all aspects of parenting and family life. 
• We highly recommend phasing out morning naps for Raspberries and Huckleberries so your child will be prepared for a full morning of learning.

May 15, 2022

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Summer is right around the corner! The next three months provide a time for less structured play and activities. Plan to enrich your child’s summer with learning activities to spark the imagination, expand the mind, and foster social interaction skills.      

April 15, 2022

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Spring conferences are scheduled for April 21 and 22. This is a valuable opportunity to collaborate as a team to discuss how your child has developed academically, emotionally, socially, and physically. It’s a time to talk about what skills your child should be focusing on during the summer months to be prepared for the next year of school.

Tips to Make the Most of Parent Teacher Conferences 

1. Arrive on time.

2. Keep the conversation focused on the child. Use the questions below as a guide.

3. Take notes. Don’t forget a notebook and pen. 

4. Stay within the scheduled conference time. 

March 15, 2022

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Tattling, it’s one of THOSE topics for many parents.

Parents, have you heard anything like this at your house?
“Mom, Matthew is ….”
“Dad, tell Sophia to stop…”
“She touched me!”
“He looked at me!”

Tattling… it’s enough to drive a parent crazy!

Dear Berry Patch Families,

This month’s focus for Parent and Family Education is the topic of FRIENDSHIP. Most of the conversations I’ve had with parents in the last 18 months have centered on social emotional skill building and getting along with others. The pandemic has isolated our kids from the normal activities of childhood. As a result, they haven’t had the experiences needed to learn to socialize well. 

Making and keeping friends is an ongoing skill. Practice is necessary! The Berry Patch staff assist your children daily in friendship building skills. Kindness, polite behavior, and respect are all rolled into everyday lessons. The Berry Patch School’s Parent Tip Sheets are helpful resources for your family. Download the tip sheets: Social Emotional Learning, Communicating Well with Young Children, and The Power of Play for additional tips and strategies.

January 15, 2022

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Minnesota is winter wonderland! Get outside and embrace all winter has to offer. Sledding, snowman building, and snowshoeing are fun artic activities for the whole family. Since The Berry Patch School is a play-based program, I’d like to encourage you to play… outside.

Here are a few tips to get geared up for a day in the snow.

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Generosity is a great virtue to instill in all children. But training children to be generous can be a bit overwhelming. At times, it’s difficult to get kids to share with their siblings much less other kids. Rest assured, the virtues of compassion, kindness, empathy, and generosity can be taught. Use these ten tips to encourage generosity in your family during the holidays and all year long.

Top Ten Tips to Encourage a Generous Heart

Dear Berry Patch Families,

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for families to gather, celebrating the gift we have in our relationships with one another and the blessings we have been given. Growing an attitude of gratitude in children is a foundational piece of parenting. Recognizing both the large and small gifts in life and cultivating a grateful heart is the goal. 

The adage, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” comes to mind. Adults who express thankfulness in all circumstances are modeling a thankful and gracious heart to their children. From thanking the cashier at the grocery store to handwritten notes of appreciation after receiving a gift, children learn the meaning of truly appreciating others.

Dear Berry Patch Families,

“What did you do at school today?”
“I played!”  

If this is an everyday conversation at your home, your child is on the right track! The Berry Patch School’s play-based program incorporates intentional and systematic learning experiences. Learning objectives are taught in direct instructional methods with the teacher leading the learning. Guided play and free play are used to practice and learn skills and concepts. Specific outcomes are associated with both free play (independent) and guided play (adult coached) activities in the classroom and relate to the overall learning objective.