Save the Magic Education Collective

✨ Last Week at Save The Magic ✨

Community Circle & Teatime
During Community Circle, friends shared things they like to collect—dolls, stuffed animals, photo albums, rock collections, and little boxes of treasures. It was a fun way to learn more about each other.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we also read about courageous women who helped make the world better, including aviator Amelia Earhart, and journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Their stories sparked great conversations about standing up for what you believe in.

Classes

🧵 Talking Textiles explored surrealism and began planning a collaborative art project after reading about artist Leonora Carrington. Next week they’ll start creating using fiber arts and mixed media.

🎭 Creative Dramatics performed their play The Legend of Coral Peaks. The children created the entire production themselves—from storyline and characters to script and performance.

🧦 Puppetry began a two-week sock puppet project, creating movable mouthpieces that will turn into unique puppets next week.

💛 Another creative week together at Save The Magic.

❄️ Wrapping Up Winter at Save The Magic ❄️

This past week marked the end of our winter term, and we’re feeling so grateful. We loved our winter workshops and settling into a relaxed, kid-led Tuesday Community Workshop Block—it’s been special watching the children take more ownership of their time together 💛

As we head into spring, we’ll be continuing some favorite partnerships and welcoming a few new ones. 🌸

✨ Last Week at Save The Magic ✨

🫖 Community Circle & Teatime
Friends shared the puppets they created in our first puppetry class and brainstormed exciting Maker Space ideas like canvas painting, leaf prints, finger knitting, and beading.

🧘 Mindful Movement
Yogis explored Saucha, the first Niyama, through playful movement and gentle twists that support care for body and mind.

💙 Kids Give Back�Students created beautiful beaded bracelets for HopeCam, choosing inspiring words like hope, love, sunshine, and brave. It was a meaningful way to combine creativity with compassion.

🎤 Talk Trekkers with Highest Speak�Students explored how body language, facial expressions, tone, and eye contact affect communication—and even began tackling those tricky filler words like “um” and “like!”

🎭 The Puppet Playground with The Little Theatre of Alexandria�Our puppetry series kicked off with flip paper puppets! Children traced, colored, and assembled puppets whose eyes open and close—choosing from cats, dogs, or people.

Winter ended on such a beautiful note, and we’re so excited to step into spring together 🌼

✨ Last Week at Save The Magic ✨

We shared a beautiful, grounded week full of reflection, creativity, and play.

🍵 Community Circle & Teatime
We enjoyed teatime while reading poetry by Langston Hughes, including Fulfillment, San Francisco, and Mother to Son, sparking thoughtful conversations about hope, imagination, and resilience.

🧘 Mindful Movement for Young Yogis
Ms. Julianne guided yogis through the five Yamas, with many gravitating toward the Ganesha mudra and Satya (truthfulness). By popular request, practice both began and ended with savasana, and yogis took turns leading poses—legs up the wall was a favorite.

🌙 Lunar New Year Celebration
We explored Lunar New Year as a time for fresh starts, gratitude, and hope. After learning about dragons, lanterns, and the Chinese zodiac, we read The Great Race and played zodiac charades. Children also released something from the old year and created a shared Wish Tree, filling the space with intention and hope.

🧵 Talking Textiles
Students revisited their story quilt and brainstormed a new collaborative art project after learning about Indian artist Nek Chand. Fiber arts and mixed media will be used as planning continues.

🎭 Theater: Creative Dramatics
Through new movement and trust games like Sardines and Offerings, students practiced teamwork, focus, and creative expression.

We’re so grateful for the care and curiosity each child brings to our community. 💛

💛 Last Week at Save The Magic 💛

We had such a joyful week celebrating love, friendship, creativity, and community 💕 Thank you to all the families who joined us for our Palentine’s Party! From exchanging valentines 💌 to crafting 🎨 and enjoying chocolate-covered strawberries 🍓, the kids filled our space with warmth and laughter.

✨ What’s New

💖 Community Workshop Block Begins

Tuesdays now have a new rhythm ✨ We’re stepping into a more relaxed, child-led flow with open crafting, social time, and games, ending with optional yoga 🧘‍♀️ with Ms. Julianne.

🌿 Highlights from the Week

☕ Community Circle & Teatime
We welcomed a new friend, shared festive snacks and tea, talked about the things we love, and enjoyed some very silly Valentine’s jokes 😄

🎭 Creative Dramatics
The children played the imaginative Offerings Game, built a story together, and began acting out their script 👑🎬

🎨 Drawing & Painting Nature
Hedgehog watercolors continued 🦔 with beautiful work on subtractive techniques, soft vs. hard edges, and thoughtful detail.

❄️ Nature Art of the Seasons
Winter landscapes came alive with watercolor and oil pastel resist ✨ The children loved discovering “hidden” drawings layered beneath their paint.

🎹 PianoLab
We wrapped up with a celebratory performance and favorite music games 🎶 The kids played with confidence and supported one another so kindly!

🧘 Mindful Movement for Young Yogis
Yogis explored Aparigraha (non-attachment), peaceful and protective warriors, breath awareness 🌬️, and ended with a loving kindness meditation 💗

🪡 Talking Textiles
Students finished mixed-media canvases, practiced embroidery stitches on Valentine-themed pieces ❤️, and began conversations about art as a community act—leading into a collaborative art installation next week!

🎤 Talk Trekkers
We kicked off an exciting new partnership with Highest Speak Reach 🎉 The kids shared fun facts, explored what public speaking is, learned why it’s okay to feel nervous, and were introduced to the L.I.K.E. method for confident speaking👏

Thank you for being part of this magical, kind, and creative community ✨

✨ Last Week at Save The Magic ✨

❄️ Community Circle & Teatime
Friends were happy to be reunited and shared what makes the perfect snow day—sledding, movies, hot chocolate, and even snow cream! We also began talking about Black History Month an read Langston Hughes’ “Dream Variations” and That Is My Dream.

🎭 Creative Dramatics
The group jumped into improv games that encouraged quick thinking and creativity, then continued developing their play by adding new dialogue.

🎨 Drawing & Painting Nature
Students continued learning to draw and paint woodland animals, focusing on a hedgehog. They discussed studying other artists’ work, practiced layered sketching, and began watercolor painting.

❄️ Nature Art of the Seasons
With folding, cutting, and plenty of glitter, students created beautiful paper snowflakes—each one unique.

🎹 PianoLab
Students reached an exciting milestone by playing their first multi-part piano ensembles. They also explored famous composers through a fun music game.

🧘 Mindful Movement for Young Yogis
Yogis enjoyed a gentler practice focused on moderation and self-control, explored familiar poses with supportive tools, and relaxed with a calming winter meditation.

🧵 Talking Textiles: Crafting in Community
Students added embroidered details to their canvases while continuing to paint and experiment with texture. They also learned about folk artist Maud Lewis through the story A Tulip in Winter.

💌 Valentine Decoration & Card Making
We ended the week making decorations for our party and starting handmade Valentine’s cards for friends—a joyful close to a creative winter week.out

✨ Last Week at Save The Magic ✨

Last week was full of connection, creativity, and care for one another 💛

At Community Circle & Teatime, our Show & Share invited children to bring something that stirred harder feelings. The kids met this with so much openness and empathy—listening, validating, and comforting one another through stories of sadness, frustration, worry, and change. We reflected on winter poems, gratitude, and how thankfulness can live within us as a steady mindset.

Weekly Highlights

🎭 Creative Dramatics explored movement, emotions, and improvisation through playful theater games.

🎨 Drawing & Painting Nature dove into woodland animals, carefully sketching and painting a red fox while learning color mixing and watercolor techniques.

🍃 Nature Art of the Seasons learned about birds and migration, then made homemade bird feeders while watching a live bird cam.

🎹 PianoLab added new notes, rhythms, and songs—plus conversations about building gentle, consistent practice habits.

🧘 Mindful Movement for Young Yogis focused on Asteya (non-stealing), practicing the mantra “I have enough. I am enough. I can share.” and reflecting on how we honor our bodies and others’ time.

🧵 Talking Textiles began mixed-media canvas designs and explored art as activism through The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art.

🐦 Nature Studies with Burke Lake Park Naturalists investigated what makes birds birds—from feathers and beaks to their dinosaur ancestors—using hands-on tools and specimens.

So much heart, curiosity, and collaboration this week. We’re endlessly grateful for this community and the way these children show up for one another 🌱✨

Looking for a relaxed, creative homeschool day?
✨ Something new at River Farm ✨

A New Tuesday Rhythm

A student-led community block designed to foster connection, creativity, and play.

Children will enjoy:
🖌️ Maker space with open supplies + gentle project ideas
🎲 Game-schooling with board & card games
🥪 Shared meal time
🌿 Outdoor play & nature time

💛 Community block is under $25 per day
📅 Beginning as early as next month
🧒🏽👧🏽 Ages 8–11

Optional à la carte add-ons:
🎨 Drawing & Painting in Nature
🧘🏽‍♀️ Yoga

💌 Message us for details!