Thanksgiving Break at Nestling House

As Thanksgiving approaches, we’re taking time to reflect on all that we’re grateful for, our wonderful children, supportive families, and the dedicated team that makes Nestling House such a special place to learn and grow.

Both the Howell and Herman Locations will be closed on Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 29th for the holiday break as our team takes time to rest and celebrate with loved ones. We wish all of our families a peaceful and joy-filled break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, December 1st for more learning, laughter, and cozy winter fun!

Food That Connects Us

Mr. John’s Pasta Primavera

Pasta, spinach, and roasted veggies, in lemon-tarragon dressing. Served with mozzarella chunks and sliced pears.

As we move into the Thanksgiving season, food is on everyone’s mind-not just as something we eat but as something that brings us together. At Nestling House, mealtime is an extension of our philosophy: real, meaningful experiences that nurture connection, independence, and care for environment.

Our in-house chef, Mr. John, prepares meals that are both nourishing and exciting, encouraging children to explore new flavors and textures. Recently, our menu featured favorites like sweet potato black bean casserole, a chickpea twist on butter chicken, and pasta primavera.

At Howell, mornings begin with a wholesome a.m. snack such as banana oat muffins, pineapple with cottage cheese, and breakfast trail mix. Across both centers, children enjoy p.m. snacks that are as fun as they are nutritious- from oatmeal carrot cookies and cranberry raisin Chex mix to the classic ants on a rice cake.

Additionally, at our centers, children are encouraged to serve themselves and take part in setting up and cleaning up, learning that mealtime is a shared responsibility and a community experience. These small acts help foster confidence, a care for others, and a sense of pride.

Food at Nestling House isn’t just about nourishment; it’s about belonging, gratitude, and the joy of sharing good things together.

Work of Art by Alli Dunlop Event

Tomorrow, November 16th, Nestling House Herman will be hosting a special event from 10am to 12pm! Author and illustrator Alli Dunlop will be joining us to read her new children’s book, “Work of Art,” followed by a related art activity. Alli is a veterinarian and mother of four who lives in Hartland, Wisconsin. Her book is a picture book designed to help families build emotional resilience, strengthen connections, and foster compassion in everyday moments. We hope to see you there!

A Message from our Enrollment Coordinator, Janelle!

A Note About Outdoor Play and Gear:

Outdoor play is an integral part of what we do at Nestling House! From providing a rich sensory environment to boosting mood, to fostering a positive relationship with the natural world, there are hundreds of reasons why spending time outdoors is good for us! As it gets colder, our work as teachers to get children outside, and sometimes to keep them outside, can become more challenging. This is likely why a lot of childcare centers drastically reduce their outdoor time during these colder months. It is such a privilege to work in an environment where the caregivers care about the value of playing outside in all kinds of weather and are committed to putting in the extra effort to carry out that part of our philosophy! One thing we can do as adults is to model a positive attitude towards the weather and braving the elements!

As temperatures continue to drop, layers will be immensely helpful (extra pants, sweatshirts, socks). While we strongly encourage children to keep their gear on to stay warm, there are few points to keep in mind. Children can be fiercely independent, and trying to force children, for example, to keep a coat on, can backfire tremendously in terms of adults being able to follow-through on the expectations being set. This is why we like to set expectations that we have control over, eg: “You must have your coat on before we go outside. You may put it on, or I will put it on for you.” Whether a child keeps a coat on is a lot more difficult for us to control (and frankly not usually worth it!). Additionally, we often project how we are feeling as less active adults onto how the children are feeling, when in reality, they are running around playing and likely feeling a lot warmer than we are. (Have you ever started raking leaves in a jacket and had to take it off because you were too warm?). Finally, I’d like to add, in case it’s a concern, that cold weather itself doesn’t make us sick (see myth #4: the facts and fictions of cold and flu season)! ☺

Of course, if we start noticing signs of a child feeling too cold, we will do our jobs in keeping them safe, but often at this point, the natural consequence does the work for us! The best thing we can do is provide the proper gear to keep our kids warm and stay positive! For a detailed guidance on how to dress your child for outdoor play in the winter, I really like this blog post: 

https://wilderchild.com/blogs/news/how-to-dress-your-kids-for-outdoor-winter-activities