Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Make-it Topic - Hibernation

Imaginative
  • Use a box and pillows place out costumes have the children be hibernating animals tents can be used also
  • Have paper berries attached to a wall, let the children pick berries for winter 
  • Place out pillows, blankets and flashlights, allow the children to pretend to be outside hibernating
Language
  • Read the poem time for sleeping use flannel boards to help tell the poem 
    • Now, it’s time for sleeping
      The bears go in their caves
      It keeps them warm and cozy
      Time for lazy days

      When the snow is gone & the sun comes out to play
      The bears will wake up from their sleep and then go on to play.
       
  • Read “What’s Hibernation”
  • Read “Wake me in the spring” discuss what favourite things the children do in the winter 
  • Read “Bear snores on” 
  • Make flannel board animals for a story of the Mitten by Jan Brett
Art
  • Place out leaves, branches, a small box or cup allow the children to make a den
  • Make pom-pom creatures 
  • Place a picture of a bear allow the children to paint it
  • Place out a half of Styrofoam ball for a porcupine allow the children to stick toothpicks in and glue on eyes place out paint if desired 
  • Place out different magazine pictures of animals, have the children make a collage
  • Place an animal sticker on a paper, allow the children to paint, color, glue sprinkle to help it hibernate
  • Make snow pictures using cotton balls
Water/Sand
  • Add small animals, cups and boxes to the sand table 
  • Place a small amount of fish, gravel or sand in the bottom of the water add snails, snakes, lizards for hibernating in use spoons and sifts
  • Add leaves to the table with bugs and ladles
Gross Motor
  • Hibernating animal hunt, hide plastic animals around, show the children photos of the animals to find
  • Musical hibernation, place out different color mats, play music, have the children dance as different animals when the music stops they “hibernate” on a mat 
  • Go on a bear hunt singing the song 
  • Place out different size boxes and baskets have the children try to fit in each one 
  • Have a hibernation day have the children wear their pyjamas, make forts out of pillows and blankets eat berries and bears for snack
Science/Curiosity
  • Place out different mittens have the children see what feels warmer
  • Place a piece of ice in the open and another in a cloth see which melts faster, this can be done with an ice in a baggy and one in Lard 
  • Place out fir for the children to feel and discuss why the animal stays warm
  • If possible place out a nest of a bird and bee with magnifier glasses allow the children explore it 
  • Bring a box outside, have the children sit in the box, is it warmer or colder in the box
  • Place out different dried berries with photos of non-dried fruit
Blocks
  • Place out little boxes and animals
  • Use different size sticks for building with
  •  If possible, suspend a dark color sheet or piece of fabric over the block area to make it a bit dark. Add small stuffed or other toy animals, snakes, frogs and bees in the block area and encourage the children to make winter homes for them to sleep in
  • Use the straws and connectors for the children to build their own caves
Conceptual/Table top/Fine motor
  • Place out pictures of caves, frozen water, trees,  mud and a house have pictures of animals and people, encourage the children to place the animals where they hibernate
  • Place out tweezers, foam cups with  pom-poms and a bin of  plastic leaves encourage the children to pick up the pom-poms using tweezers and place in the cups for the “bugs” to sleep 
  • Play a memory game of animals
  • Place out play dough and animals to create with
  • Use animal counters and different size containers, allow the children to count how many animals fit in one container
  • Cut photos of animals in different ways, have the children place them back together
Music
  • Sing the song Little bear do the actions 
    • Are you sleeping
      Are you sleeping
      Little bear
      Little Bear
      You will sleep all winter
      Through the cold, cold winter,
      Little bear
      Are you sleeping
      Are you sleeping
      Little bear
      You will wake in springtime
      In the warm, warm springtime,
      Little bear
      Little bear
Quiet
  • Place out a blanket between chairs add some pillows and books add a flannel board with animals 
  • Use a small child pool fill with string confetti and books
Cooking
  • Use a metal bear shaped cookie cutter to make fun shaped Jell-O, sandwiches, or cookies 
  • Make a trail mix for the hibernating children
Field trip
  • Helen Schuler nature center
  • Local pet store
  • Invite a conservation officer to talk 
  • Birds of prey center

Holiday Hazards

Keeping children safe during the holidays:

Festive Foods
  • Keep nuts and candies well out of reach
  • Remind visitors to keep any alcoholic beverages out of reach
  • Check the ingredients before giving anything to your child
Christmas Trees
  • Pine needles can pierce skin or become lodged in throats, they can also cause a fire risk
  • Ensure your child cannot pull the tree over
Decorations
  • Place decorations with small detachable pieces up high
  • Ensure heavy or fragile decorations cannot fall off onto your child
  • Knowing which Christmas plants are poisonous - and keeping them well away.
  • Ensure lit Menorahs and Christmas candles are constantly supervised, out of reach, and in a secure place
  • Remember candy canes are a choking hazard as well
Toys
  • Check toys thoroughly before passing to your child
  • Ensure they are age appropriate
  • Have not been recalled
  • Do not have cords or ribbons which could pose a strangulation risk
  • Do not contain sharp or jagged edges, or small easily detachable parts
  • Are non-toxic
  • Keep track of and dispose of all toy packaging (especially the small wires and plastic tabs used to hold the toy in place)


Sourced from What's Up Kids magazine, 2007 Holiday issue



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Cool Whines

Five ways to help your preschooler express herself, nicely:
by Liz Bruckner


Go on the offense
We've all been there: Your child suddenly doesn't want to leave the mall or eat what is being served for dinner or is disappointed by a gift - and expresses her displeasure about the circumstance through whining.  To avoid reliving similarly paintful moments, lay the foundation for acceptable behaviours before outings and celebrations. "Say something like, 'Grandma might give you a fit and it is important that you give her a bit thank-you, no matter what it is. That will make her feel so good,'" Brown Braun (a child development and behaviour specialist) says. "It is a good way to encourage gratitude and minimize whines."


Consider the conditions
"Sometimes children acting unsavory is about more than just the behaviour; it can be their response to an environment sabotaging their abilities to be their best selves. Whether it's too many late nights, parties, junk food, visits with friends or family or even highly distracted parents, a lack of regular structure can and does impact children," Brown Braun explains. The fix: Do what you can to anticipate your child's thresholds and breaking points, and try not to let children get past them.


Listen up
If your immediate response to a whiny preschooler is to ignore the issue, you may be encouraging the behaviour. "When you ignore, ignore, ignore, eventually you snap, respond negatively in frustration or give in. That teaches children that if they keep at it for long enough, they'll get what they want," says Brown Braun. There's always a reason for whining, she adds. "Unless you spend the time communicating with your child to uncover the problem, it never gets resolved."


Praise a pleasant voice
Try to make a habit of praising a child when she uses her normal voice in non-whiny situations, suggests Brown Braun. "Say something like, 'That's such a great voice! I am happy to listen when you use that voice," she says. Then, should a whining scenario arise, saying something like, 'When you're ready to use a regular voice, I'll be ready to listen,' will help remind your child to be consistent," adds Brown Braun. And even if you refuse a request, let your daughter know that you really appreciated the manner in which she asked.

Provide some undivided attention
We get it: You've had a hard day, but rather than snap when your child starts whining the moment you walk in the door, set aside a few minutes to focus on her alone. "Take a deep breath, put your keys down, forget about dinner and spend that time intensely focused on  your child," says Brown Braun. "It may not be easy, but buckling down and doing this meets your child's need for attention." Plus, once she feels heard, she's much more likely to respond positively to any requests while you get your family's evening routine started.


Canadian Family, November 2011 issue, page 30



Thursday, October 20, 2011

Building Active Habits

As parent, we teach children healthy habits while they are young, habits like brushing their teeth, buckling up in the car and choosing healthy food. Daily physical activity is another habit that we want to become so automatic that children won't feel quite "right" unless they've done it. If your children think that going to play outdoors means taking their pocket video game out on the porch, it may be time to rethink the habits they're forming.

Expect activity
Your expectations send powerful messages. Welcome children's activity and let them know that you expect them to like to move, whether they are two or sixteen years old, girls or boys, talented at sports or not.

Honour individuality
Not everyone can develop a high level of skill. Not everyone wants to be part of a team. But everyone can find a physical activity they enjoy and can practice on a regular basis. That includes children with disabilities. Help your children discover activities that suit their abilities and interests.

Show your approval
Children thrive on positive feedback so give them lots of encouragement for being active. Help them notice how good they feel when they move their body. They don't have to run the fastest or throw the farthest; emphasize their effort and progress instead. Be accepting of the action and noise that comes with physical activity. If you can't allow it indoors, make sure that children get opportunities to run around outdoors or in a gym.

Get involved
Your involvement will make activities more fun for children. Play hide-and-seek with your toddler, throw the ball back and forth with your preschooler, walk the dog with your eight year old, shoot baskets with your teenager. You might decide to take up a sport, like bowling or karate, as a family. Or plan an active family vacation around hiking and swimming. By sharing these fun times with your children, you demonstrate the importance you put on activity at the same time that you strengthen family ties.

Make it easy to be active
You don't have to enroll your children in a course every day of the week to encourage activity. In fact, in the case of your children, free play is more in tune with their stage of development and they will usually choose to move. However, you cannot count on your older children getting enough physical activity in school, especially if they take the bus or get a ride. Here are some ways you can help children build active habits:
  • Provide suitable space - Make a safe space in your home where children can play actively. Go often to the park, local rink and swimming pool.
  • Make time - Leave some time unscheduled so there's room for free, unstructured play. Limit screen time (television, computer, video games). If you can't find a long block of time for physical activity, look for a few ten-minute periods each day.
  • Provide equipment - Simple, low-cost equipment - balls, skipping ropes, Frisbee, etc. - will stimulate active play. An obstacle course, built with boxes, hoops and boards, can also get children moving in different ways. Make sure you supply the necessary protective gear (bike helmet, hockey pads, etc.) for whatever activity they are doing. If your budget is limited, choose a sport, like soccer, which requires minimal equipment.
  • Teach skills - At a young age, give y our children opportunities to learn and practice basic skills like running, jumping, climbing, throwing, catching, biking, swimming and skating. They might be too embarrassed to learn when they're older if everyone else already knows how.
  • Provide supervision - When you're not doing the activity with your children you want to be sure they are safe. Get together with other parents to see if you can take turns supervising at the park or walking to school.
Be active yourself
Your example speaks more loudly to children than your words. Show them your commitment to fitness by finding opportunities to be active: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the end of the parking lot and walk back, do floor exercises during TV commercials, get up and stretch at the computer. They'll understand that adults like to move too when they see you go for a walk with a friend, take a yoga class or make a date to go dancing.

Have fun
Everyone finds it easier to keep doing something when it's fun. If one activity doesn't work, try another till you find something that suits you and your family. You're building active habits that will last a lifetime.

Prepared by the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada). www.familyservicecanada.org / www.frp.ca 

Friday, October 14, 2011

Make-it Topic - Vacation

Imaginative
  • Set up an airport for the children to go on vacation, include suit cases, hats, old cameras, cars
  •  Set up a Hawaiian destination use leis and shells place a sheet out for pretend sand
  • Set up a vacation boat using a big box and place out different things in the box
  • Set up a travel agency using books, calculators, pens pencils, phones suit cases and fun shirts to buy
Language 
  • Pack an ABC suitcase use pictures of different items with in the alphabet and pack a suit case ex. A- alligator purse B- bubble gum C- camera D-doll and so on 
  • Read “The night before summer vacation”
  • Read “Oh the places you go” by Dr. Seuss discuss where they go in a day
  • Read “Just a snowy vacation” 
  • Place out a map and discuss the places on the map and where the children have been
Art
  • Make postcards
  • Use old stamps to make a stamp collage 
  • Make painted paper airplanes 
  • Use magazines allow the children to cut out destination photos attach to mack-tack cut out in a country shape 
  • Collect different travel guides from chamber of commerce, AAA, and tourist web pages. Allow the children to cut out the pictures and create their own travel itinerary 
  • Use tissue boxes to make a train for the animals to travel in 
  • Gather large boxes have a group decorating party to make trains, boat, planes; have paints, felts, material and buttons with glue to use
  • Make a travel diary to take home 
  • Place out paper in the shape of a suit case have pictures of clothes the children can cut out and paste in their suit case
Water/Sand
  • Place boats and people in the water table
  • Make a beach in the sand table using shells, balls, shovels, and buckets 
  • Place camels in the sand table
Gross Motor
  • Let’s pretend to be plane/boat/train/car to music 
  • Have a relay of packing a suit case
  • Place out mats with pictures of different places like mountains, beach, Eiffel tower, zoo have the children crawl, dance, jump to different places
  • Play a find the suit case game using clues around the house
Science/Curiosity
  • Ocean in a bottle: Collect a water bottle for each child. Have the children fill the bottom of their bottle with sand (about two inches). Drop shells into the bottle and then fill with blue soapy water. Super glue the bottle lid shut. As the children shake the bottle the soapy water will look like waves and the sand will be mixed up. Once the children quit shaking the sand will once again settle to the bottom
  • Object exploration: Bring nature items into the classroom from different area of the country. Such as sand, pine cones, snow, hay, flowers, etc. Let the children examine the objects and guess where they would have to travel to find them. 
  • Sink or float have items for a beach vacation do they sink or float 
  • Place out ice to see what happens
Blocks
  • Have cars, boats, planes, and people 
  • Have animals for a zoo to be set up
Conceptual/Table top/Fine motor
  • What should I bring place out pictures of different destinations that are hot and cold have items such as skis beach balls and ask the children what item they would take skis to the mountains, beach ball to the beach etc. 
  • Match the suit cases file folder game
  • Have a file folder game with stamps and an airplane, boat, or train at the end encourage the children to roll a dice and count trying to get to the end 
  • Lace and trace suit cases, and clothes
  • Place out a doll trace out with clothes have the children dress for a vacation
  • Place out play dough for making a travel machine
Music
  • Sing the vacation song 
    • Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation Oh we're goin' on a vacation
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)

      Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation Oh we're goin' on a vacation
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
      .
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation Oh we're goin' on a vacation
      Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)

      Include other modes of transportation such as a boat
Quiet
  • Use a flannel board for the children to make their own vacation story
Cooking
  • Make food from around the world and sample them 
    • Sushi use rice crab, avocado, and rice paper to roll the ingredients or use sea weed paper
Field trip
  • Go to the airport to watch the planes 
  • Visit a travel agency Take a city trip using the bus

Thursday, August 18, 2011

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND WIN!

Like us on Facebook to win a Melissa and Doug block set! Click the "Like" button on the right side of the blog and you will be entered into the draw.

Draw will take place on September 30th and will include only those who appear on the facebook page. Winner is responsible for pickup of block set at our office.

Block set retails for over $70.00




Good Judgement Takes Practice

In a world where teens and young adults face many choices, parents want children to develop their thinking skills so that they learn to make good decisions. You can use everyday opportunities to teach decision making and, most important, to give children chances to practice.


Child-led play
Play time is perfect for letting children practice decision making in areas where the choices matter little to adults. Children can choose for themselves which colour of block goes on the top of the tower, what gets served at the dolls' tea party or whether they play on the swings or the slide at the park.


Offer Choices
Even very young children can start making simple choices: which glass they will drink their juice from, which shoe to put on first. Choices get more elaborate as the child gets older: what clothes to wear to school, at what time to do homework.


Set limits
Parents need to determine the limits within which choices get made. For instance, your child can choose to go to bed in red pajamas or blue pajamas, but you set the bedtime. Your child may choose what gift to buy for a friend's birthday, but you decide on the price range. Your children's age and their individual abilities will influence which decisions you allow them to make.


Ask questions
Parents can ask questions to stimulate children to think about the factors that go into making a choice. For example, if your child is deciding what to wear today, you could ask questions about the weather and the planned activities: Is it raining? What is the temperature? Do you think it will be warmer later in the day? Will you be playing outside? Your own experience will tell you what things you need to ask questions about. If you dictate the choices, the child won't learn or practice the steps in the process.


Teach information gathering
Sometimes a child doesn't yet know how to get the information that is required. In the above example of dressing for the weather, you could show your child how to read the thermometer or find the weather forecast on TV or radio or in the newspaper. There will also be times when you will be the one to supply the information; they then can decide how to use it.


Practice with stories
You can encourage thinking about the consequences of choices when you read books or tell stories to your children. Ask them what they think will happen next, what would have happened if the character had done something different, what they would do in that situation.


Give responsibility
When you let children decide for themselves, they may make choices different from yours. This is why it is important to set limits and give them responsibility for decisions in cases where you can live with their choices, even if you don't agree. If you can't stand the thought that they might eat dessert without finishing their main course, make everything in their lunch box equally nutritious.


Allow consequences
Giving responsibility also means allowing children to experience the consequences of their actions. Sometimes these consequences will be uncomfortable for children, and it may be hard as a parent to see your children unhappy. However, if you rescue them, you send them the message that it doesn't matter what decision they make, their parents will fix anything that goes wrong.


Resist feeling incompetent
Sometimes, when you let your children make their own choices, other people will blame you for what goes wrong. You will be held responsible for decisions that your children make, whether you agree with their choices or not. That's why parents whose preschoolers choose to match a striped shirt with polka dot pants wear a button that says, "My child dressed himself today!"


It takes strength and conviction to stand up to this attitude from others. A sense of humour helps too. Perhaps there should be a button for parents of teens: "My child paid for getting her hair dyed purple with her own money."


Be patient
Learning to make good decisions takes time, and mistakes along the way are part of the learning process. As Mark Twain observed: "Good judgement comes form experience. And where does experience come from? Experience comes from bad judgement." It takes patience to raise a thinking child.

By Betsy Mann
From The Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs
www.frp.ca

Make-it Topic: Grandparents


Imaginative:
  • Set up a grandparents house place out cookies, rocking chairs, and other things the children feel remind them of their grandparents house
  • Make a bakery for baking grandparents favourites

Language:
  • Read “Grandmothers chair”
  • Do the finger play grandmas spectacles
    • These are grandmas spectacles (make fingers around the eyes)
      and this is grandmas hat (hat in triangle on top of head)
      this is the ways she folds her hands (fold hands in lap)
      and puts them in her lap
      these are grandpas spectacles
      and this is grandpas hat
      and this is the way he crosses his arms and that is that.
  • Learn to say grandma and grandpa in  a different language ex. Opa ,Oma ,Baba Papa

Art:
  • Make a grandparents goodie jar using baby food jars with glued on tissue paper filled with candy
  •  Place out shapes and yarn allow the children to make a picture of their grandparent
  • Make a photo frame for grandparents
  • Allow the children to make cards for grandparents
  • Make hand and feet prints

 Water/Sand:
  • Measuring cups and spoons in the water table
  • Place wood pegs in the sand
  • Place crochet needles in the sand table

Gross Motor:
  • Learn a folk dance
  • Go on a grandpas glasses hunt
  • Get different shoes such as boots have the children walk in grandpas shoes

Science/Curiosity:
  • House sounds: place out items that make sounds from a house
  • Soft  and hard: place out items that are soft and hard from around the house
  • Have pictures of how things were before electricity; make candles
Conceptual/Tabletop/Fine Motor:
  • Match the hearts
  • Modeling clay with cookie cutters
  • Match the grandparents
  • Card lacing
  • Match the eye glasses

Music:
  • Sing Down on Grandpas Farm
  • Add some shakers

Quiet:
  • Place large pillows and teddy bears

Cooking:
  • Make blueberry muffins  for grandparents day
  • Make bagel faces

Field Trips:
  • Visit a senior center
  • Invite the children’s grandparents in for a tea