Our 3-year-old students were recently treated to a magical experience designed to spark curiosity about the changing seasons. To launch our winter inquiry about how ¨Cold weather transforms the environment¨, teachers created an interactive theater performance inspired by Jan Brett’s classic tale The Mitten, brought to life in the Sensorial Classroom under glowing black lights. During the play, the 3-year-old teachers transformed into beloved characters from the story, including Baba, who demonstrated how a wool mitten is carefully knitted with needles; Nicki shared the story of losing his mitten in the snow; and the Narator provided the expressive voices of the forest animals. One by one, the animals appeared and showed how they huddle together inside the warm mitten to protect themselves from the cold. The immersive setting, special lighting, and expressive voices captivated the children and invited them right into the story. The children loved every moment and participated enthusiastically — answering questions, sharing ideas, and demonstrating a growing understanding of animal habitats and cold weather. Their curiosity shone as they made meaningful connections between the story and how animals survive during winter. Dovile Satkeviciute I3 Teacher
