GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There are many ways to give back during the holiday season, but the season of giving doesn’t have to be limited to just the holidays.
The Learning Experience in Grand Rapids is teaching its students the importance of giving year-round.
The preschool teaches kids their A-B-Cs, 1-2-3s and Spanish— Now, teachers like Mandy Cebelak are trying to instill into their young minds what it means to give back.
“In this classroom, we can really have a conversation about how to help and how to be thankful and things that make us happy and make the world a better place,” Cebelak said.
The preschool often partners with community centers, shelters and organizations like Make-A-Wish.
“We teach our children what it means to donate— giving of our time, giving of funds to help other people that are less fortunate,” Center Leader Rachael Reynolds said.
Reynolds showed FOX 17 how they use various characters, like “Grace” and “Charity,” to help bring these lessons to life.
“Our slogan for Grace and Charity is that it doesn’t matter how big or small you are, it’s the size of your heart that matters,” she explained.
This Thanksgiving, the preschoolers made place mats for local seniors and hand-delivered them to a nursing home down the street.
“They’ll get to look at that and say, ‘somebody cared about me,’ and our children are excited about that,” Reynolds said.
“They’ve already started helping each other in the room,” Curriculum Leader David Fowler added. “If we have problems getting ready for nap time, they help each other get their nap stuff out. They help each other get silverware out to eat for snack or lunch, so they’re already learning how to help other people.”
The Learning Experience hopes that by letting kids see firsthand how their generosity affects others, it will set them up for even greater things in the future.
“I have kids that come up to me and say, ‘I shared with my friend,’ and I love seeing that,” Cebelak said. “It’s so cool to see their little minds process that and use it in the classroom and at home, as well, and in the community and the world as a whole.”
