FEBRUARY 2026
Welcome to February—a month often associated with love, but also a beautiful opportunity to celebrate friendship, family, connection, and simple acts of kindness. As we move through these winter days, February invites us to slow down, reflect, and intentionally show care for ourselves and for one another in meaningful ways.
Kindness is more than a gesture—it’s a choice rooted in a genuine desire to make a positive difference, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. Research consistently shows that kindness and mental health are deeply connected. Acts of kindness can reduce feelings of isolation, strengthen our sense of belonging, and remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Even the smallest acts—a smile, a kind word, or a helping hand—can have a ripple effect that reaches far beyond what we see.
This month, let’s practice kindness with intention. Let’s open conversations about how we can support those who are less fortunate and uplift the people around us. Most importantly, let’s model and teach the power of self-care and gratitude—especially to our children. Life brings challenges to all of us, but choosing gratitude helps us focus on what we have rather than what we lack. Taking time to appreciate ourselves and express gratitude to the people closest to us can strengthen relationships and bring more joy into our everyday lives.
February is a reminder that kindness begins within and grows outward—and together, we can make it a habit worth celebrating all year long. 💙
UPCOMING SCHOOL CLOSURES
Friday, February 13 – Pro-D Day
The preschool will be closed on Friday, February 13th as our teachers participate in professional development workshops.
Early Childhood Educators are required to complete 40 hours of professional development every five years to maintain their licenses. These workshops allow our team to stay current with best practices, new research, and emerging trends in early childhood education.
By investing time in ongoing learning, our teachers are better equipped to provide high-quality care, meaningful learning experiences, and a safe, nurturing environment for all of our little ones. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to grow and learn for the benefit of your children.
Monday, February 16 - Family Day
Our preschool will be closed on Family Day in recognition of the importance of family in a child’s life.
Family Day is a time to slow down, connect, and celebrate the people who make children feel safe, loved, and supported. Families come in many forms, and this day honors all the relationships that nurture a child’s sense of belonging.
Throughout February, our classroom focus is on kindness, friendship, gratitude, and helping others. Family Day offers a wonderful opportunity to practice these values at home—through caring words, shared moments, and thoughtful actions with the people closest to your child.
Ways Families Can Celebrate Family Day
Families may choose to:
Share a special meal or snack and talk about what you are grateful for
Show kindness through helping one another with small tasks
Spend time playing, reading, or creating something together
Take a walk or enjoy an activity that encourages cooperation and friendship
Talk with children about what “family” means and how families care for one another
Take photos of your family adventures and make an album so you always have a tangible keepsake that everyone can look back on
These everyday moments help children build empathy, connection, and a strong sense of belonging—skills we nurture in our classroom every day.
September Registration Update
September preschool registration is officially underway! We hope that families planning to enroll have had a chance to submit their registration forms along with their deposit.
Priority placement for currently enrolled families began on January 31st, and as of February 1st, remaining spaces are now being offered to families in the wider community.
If you have friends, neighbours, or family members with young children who may be looking for a preschool for September, we would love your help spreading the word about St. Catherine’s Preschool. Feel free to stop by the office to pick up some of our advertising postcards to share or post in places you and your children visit in the community.
Thank you for helping us grow our preschool family—we truly appreciate your support!
RAINBOW ROOM - Danielle, Karen, Vibha, Monica
Happy New Year, Rainbow Room families!
January was a fun and busy month as we explored our theme of Arctic Animals. The children were fully immersed in learning through discussion, art, and hands-on play. We talked all about some of the animals that live in the Arctic, including whales, walrus, caribou, wolves, owls, seals, and polar bears. Together we learned about where these animals live, what their habitats are like, what they eat, the sounds they make, their sizes, and so much more.
To bring our learning to life, we created a makeshift igloo and an ice cave for the children to explore. These spaces quickly became favorites and encouraged lots of imaginative play and conversation about life in the Arctic.
We also began sending our Whale, Echo, home with the children, and the adventures Echo has been having look like so much fun. We absolutely love seeing and hearing about these special moments and look forward to many more adventures with Echo as the year continues.
We also began introducing scissors to the children. Some were able to practice cutting independently, while others needed a little extra support. Everyone did a wonderful job trying something new and developing their fine motor skills at their own pace.
After the Christmas break, all of the children settled back into the routine very well, and we were happy to welcome two new friends to the Rainbow Room. It has been wonderful watching everyone adjust so smoothly.
Once we finished learning about Arctic animals, we shifted our focus to Winter activities and Winter clothing, discussing how we keep ourselves warm during the colder months and the different types of clothing we wear in Winter.
As January comes to an end, here’s what to look forward to in February:
Danielle returns from her holiday
Valentine’s Day Parties: February 12th & 13th (more info to come)
Lunar New Year: February 17th
Family Day Holiday: February 16th
A friendly reminder that outdoor days can be quite cold, so please be sure to pack warm clothing for your child, including hats, mittens, and extra layers.
A big thank you to Carol for being with us throughout the month of January. We always enjoy having her.
Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to another exciting month ahead!
Warm regards,
The Rainbow Room Teachers
TREEHOUSE ROOM - Gabi, Mary, Catriona, Monica
Hello Treehouse families,
Our first theme of the new year was Winter, and the children loved exploring the chilly season. We talked about cold weather and cozy clothes, learned about snow, ice, and winter animals, and enjoyed winter songs, snowflake crafts, snowy landscapes, and snowmen in all shapes and forms through fun stories. It was wonderful to see their excitement as they discovered how Winter changes the world around us and how animals survive harsh weather conditions.
After Winter, we jumped way back in time to our next theme: Dinosaurs! I have to be honest—this theme is not a favourite subject among us teachers, but it’s always a big hit with the little people. Every year, we seem to have quite a few children who are Dino experts, embarrassing (and correcting) us grown-ups with how well they can pronounce dinosaur names compared to us—and they can’t even read yet! 🙂
Aside from learning dinosaur names, we made dinosaur art and pretended to be dinosaurs during playtime. We talked about big and small dinosaurs, what they ate, and how they lived long ago. There were lots of roars, smiles, and imaginative play among the little ones!
Our very favourite activity this month was the “exploding volcano” experiment, which was met with claps, excited laughter, shouts, and jumping students all around the table.
Our next theme will focus on Valentine’s Day, friendships, family, kindness, and different emotions. We are looking forward to a new month filled with love, joy, and excitement that matches our next theme. Thank you in advance for contributing to the upcoming Valentine’s celebration party!
Please remember to dress your children in layers, as we love to spend time playing outdoors.
RESOURCE ROOM - Marion
This is the time of year, with registration taking place, when parents begin to wonder whether their child is ready for the next step. This may include attending more sessions or spending longer hours. Are they ready to head off to kindergarten?
Young children change and grow so quickly—if there is something they cannot do this week, they may be able to do it in just a few weeks’ time. It is important to give children the time to develop at their own pace.
Our daily classroom routines allow children to build self-esteem and confidence. They thrive on routine and boundaries. Providing choices that you are willing to follow through with allows children to make decisions and helps develop problem-solving skills.
Kindergarten readiness letters have been sent out. Please review this information with your child, and if you have any questions, speak with the teachers or email the office.