Little Sprouts share Christmas wishes, traditions

WOOD COUNTY – At Little Sprouts Learning Academy, children are invited to write letters to Santa before he comes and visits. Santa visits both centers annually — in Rudolph and Auburndale — but this year, parents were asked to share some family traditions in addition to their children’s Christmas wishes.
Owner Brook Seevers said she hopes to further engage families in their child’s play and learning.
“We wanted to get the families a little bit more involved, so we also added that piece with asking the families what their family traditions are,” Seevers said.
By sending kids home with the intention of writing a letter to Santa but also connecting with their family regarding holiday traditions, Little Sprouts hopes to foster intentional communication — not just between the parent and the child, but also the parent and the school.
“A lot of times children are in childcare longer during their days than they are at home with their parents. They have to work, so we like to be their sounding board to say, ‘Hey, your child has done this today, and they’re learning this, and now you can continue to keep that flowing at home.’ Or, ‘what are you guys doing at home to help us flow better at school during the day?’ We want to connect all those pieces when we do those different types of activities with families involved,” Seevers said.

Teachers have been able to get to know families themselves better by making them a part of letters to Santa. Seevers said one family reached out to say their child can’t talk yet and so cannot communicate, but she was able to propose alternatives because they reached out.
“If they can’t talk, then maybe get them to show you different things they like by bringing it to you. Maybe ask, ‘Do you like the blue book, or do you like the red book?’”
Seevers said she and her staff have enjoyed seeing all the different family traditions, with some shared and some unique.
“[The letters] were inspired by our traditions, as a staff,” Seevers said. “Now seeing how exciting it is for the kids, too, reflects what we know in our own traditions.”
While not all cultures celebrate Christmas, the holiday season continues to be a bright spot that brings everyone together, and fostering inclusion emphasizes the Christmas spirit.
In their Auburndale location, Little Sprouts operates out of the elementary school. The Little Sprouts’ letters are hung on the walls in the hallway before being sent to Santa, and Seevers said she has enjoyed seeing other elementary students stop and read the letters on their way to class.
“It’s really cool to see the fifth graders and the fourth graders — because we share that wing with them — they walk by and you can see them standing there, reading them and smiling,” Seevers said.
No one enjoys Christmas quite like young children, and the Little Sprouts have shared their love for both gifts and traditions this year, spreading holiday cheer throughout Wood County.
To learn more about Little Sprouts, visit their Facebook page (Little Sprouts Learning Garden) or reach out to lilsproutslearninggarden@gmail.com.