The first thing I do when I meet a new student is introduce myself to his or her parent/caregiver to show we are “friends”. Then I get down to their level and introduce myself. This opens the pathway to a child feeling safe and comfortable. I encourage children to participate without being overly insistent, and if a child is really having a hard time I invite the parents to bring them into the stretching circle for a few moments so they can ease into class. It’s important to be very patient with toddlers because they need more time to transition into new activities than their older counterparts. A caring, positive voice and a smile will work wonders!