Every Child Belongs: Inclusive Ways To Celebrate the Season

Educators, we are officially in the thick of fall. 🍂 The leaves are changing colors; the air is cooling off, and believe it or not, stores are already rolling out the Christmas decorations. Before we know it, we’ll have arrived at the end of the year!

I can already hear the buzz in the aisles at Target and see all the ads for toys and hot chocolate. Many staff members and parents are brainstorming creative ways to celebrate with their students. It’s truly a joyful time, but it is also a good moment to pause and remember that not all families celebrate this season in the same way.

How can we ensure all children feel included and are able to join in on the end-of-year fun?

I'm so glad you asked.

Celebrate Growth and Students Not Just Holidays

As educators, we have so much to celebrate beyond the traditional holidays. One of my favorite sales each year is the Nordstrom Semi-Annual Sale, so why not take a page from their book and host a Semi School Year Celebration.

We've completed parent teacher conferences, made meaningful connections with families, and witnessed incredible student growth. This is the perfect time to pause and reflect on how far our children have come since the start of the school year.

Ideas for Celebrations

• Friends and Families Feast: Celebrate community and connection. Invite families to share recipes that students can make and prepare. Welcome families to the feast and allow students to proudly serve their families.

• Semi School Year Celebration: Celebrate reaching the halfway mark of the school year with fun learning games, dance breaks, and student-led reflections. Invite families to a classroom walkabout that showcase the students work.

• Acts of Kindness: Create a kindness chain or kindness tree where each act of empathy or sharing adds a new link or leaf. This activity is great for promoting peer relationships and building social-emotional awareness.

• Winter Break Cozy Pajama Party: Allow children to wear pajamas on the last day of school before winter or fall break. Have families collect colorful leaves and bring them to school. Children will create leaf art, read fall stories, and taste warm apple cider. Play music and have a last day of school dance party.

Taking time to celebrate moments of growth, kindness, and curiosity sends the powerful message to students that every achievement matters. Creating inclusive celebrations does not take away joy; it means we expand it. So this fall as the world outside buzzes with holiday energy, let's remember to make room for every child to feel seen, valued, and included.

In classrooms like ours there is always something to celebrate.

Dr. Tasha McMullan