Playground Safety, Slides

My "learn something new each day" thing learned. I'm guilty of doing this a few times myself!

Why sliding with kids is dangerous

Four Seasons Poster

Divide a piece of paper into four sections and label Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Have your child browse through old magazines for at least one picture to go with each season, from weather to clothing to activities we do during that season.

Butterfly Match

I bought two packages of butterfly party favors so the children can play a matching game. C also likes to sort them by color and line them up in patterns.

Dog Bones Counting and Addition

I found bone-shaped paperclips at Walmart. The puppy pictures were from the back of an old calendar. Children count and place the same number of bones on the picture as there is puppies. Some children will then be able to count the total number of bones.

Beginning Letter Box

I used a fishing tackle container and lowercase alphabet stickers. Any craft organizer will do. I placed one sticker in each slot and found an item that started with that letter. Note: I did not use all of the letters of the alphabet. You could use even less letters for younger children.

Amos 'n Andy

My mom used to call this snack "Amos 'n Andy," the same things as Egg in a Basket, Popeye, Toad in the Hole, Egg in a Nest, Egg in a Frame...whatever you call it, it is easy and tasty!

Use a cookie cutter and cut a shape out of a piece of bread. Butter that empty bread and put it into the frying pan. Crack an egg into the shape. Fry both sides.

What's cool about making this for kids, besides that it's an easy breakfast is that you can cut out any shape the kids will enjoy, think holiday and seasonal!

Coin Sort

Rummage up a handful of change and have your child sort the coins. Identify coins and explain their values.

*Extension: Open up shop and "sell" a few items to your child so he or she can practice counting the money.

Homemade Silly Putty Recipe

Way easy. Equal parts white school glue and liquid starch. I use 1/2 c. of each. Add a few drops of food coloring to get the desired color. Stir it up and you'll have your very own silly putty!

Best done over tile, kitchen counter or table.

Recycle It Tip: Save large empty cereal bags, cut open to form a large playmat or placemat. It'll make clean up easier!

Paint Pallette Tweezer Transfer

Using a paint pallette some tweezers or small tongs, you can set up a transfer activity. Pile pieces in the center and transfer small items (I used paperclips) using tweezers or tongs to each of the smaller cups.

Paint Pallette: $1.49 from craft store

Transfer items: Endless possibilities. Try cereal and eat after success!

*Pinching and grasping strengthens hand muscles in pre-writers.*

Using your " I's " outside

3 Ways to Enhance Outdoor Time

Investigate, Interact, Imagine

Investigate: Look at things often overlooked. Ask questions about the environment then seek answers. Spend time observing plants and trees over time, or bugs in their natural habitats. Let children experiment with what water does to sand and how the wind blows maple leaf pods. Ask "What are you experiencing with (each of your senses)?" as they explore.

Interact: Kids need to expend energy, and groups of kids are great at encouraging each other to do just this! You can often observe groups of children making up or playing games which are full of movement and action (gross motor development). Practice the fundamentals of sports with a few of the neighbor kids or teach them one of the games you used to play at recess when you were younger. The neighborhood park can be a comfortable place to practice early social skills.

Imagine: It takes time for children to conjure up imaginative plots and story lines. Give time to develop imaginative play. Set out a box of simple props or costumes OUTSIDE and they'll look at them in a whole new light! If children have a good thing going, give them time to play out the scene without interrupting.*

*I can remember having quite long periods of time outside with the neighborhood kids where we'd have to entertain ourselves and the longer we had it seems the more creative we had to be to occupy that time!

Recycling Greeting Cards

Turn a greeting card into a puzzle by cutting it into pieces, as many as you think your child can handle.

Punch holes around the outside of a card to make lacing cards. Weave a shoelace through the holes. Try cutting out specific shapes from the pictures on the cards and punch around those.

*Extension: Laminating will extend the life of the pieces.

Share recycling with your children.
Is this the world you want to leave them?

Pony Bead Patterning

Pipe cleaners make a great "string" to pattern on. It stands steady when pony beads are pushed on, unlike string which can be frustrating to little fingers holding and pushing beads on all at once. Bend one end so beads don't come cascading off. Encourage pattern making and then finish by turning the final product into wearable bracelets, or rings if they don't extend the pattern that far!

Play Today

Think back to what you did with your child yesterday. I hope you fit in a little time for playing together. Playing together sends a message of love. I want to spend my time with you, doing things you enjoy. You deserve my time and attention!

So, what will you play today? The more imagination required, the better!

BOARD GAMES*DANCE COMPETITION*JOKE CONTEST*TEA PARTY*FOLLOW THE LEADER*MUD PIES*HIDE AND SEEK*OBSTACLE COURSE*CLOUD WATCHING*BIKE RIDES*TAG*CATCH*MAKE MUSIC*DRESS UP*I SPY*SPORTS*PUPPET SHOW*FORT*ART*BOOKS*BLOCKS*PRETEND*HOUSE*TREASURE HUNT*CARS AND TRUCKS*LEGOS*DOLLS*CHEFS*MODELS*CARDS*COLLECTIONS*PLAYDOUGH*RAKE LEAVES THEN JUMP CARELESSLY INTO THEM*ASK THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO PLAY

Play is after all, justification to stay young forever!

What's it shaping up to be?

I cut shapes out of construction paper in a variety of colors and sizes. I challenged C "Can you make a sailboat? A house? A tree?" and he arranged the shapes to his interpretation. I also took a turn creating and asked C to guess as I added shapes to see how quickly he could figure out what I was making. C also created freely and had me guess what he'd made.

*Variation: Once you've made an arrangement you like, glue it down on another piece of construction paper for an art piece.

Toddler Property Laws

1. If I like it, it's mine.

2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.

3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.

4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

7. If it looks just like mine, it is mine.

On Loving When Loving Gets Tough

I bet there are times when you've just had it with the whining/bickering/talking back. When you can't take one more "He touched me!" The arched-back temper tantrum in the middle of Costco has you pulling your hair out! Your child forgot something even though you've repeated a hundred times "Don't forget your (insert coat, backpack, homework, etc. here)!" At the point of anger, it's easy to overlook the message the child is sending...

"I want to be loved the most when I'm acting the most unloveable."

Ahhh, a cry for attention. And yes there are situations which call for denying that attention. But you have a CHOICE to react positively or negatively, keeping in mind that anger adds fuel to the fire.

In heated moments, remain calm and reassure your child I LOVE YOU. It is those times that they most need to hear it and probably the time you feel least able to say it! If you can manage, try "Listen, I love you like crazy and think we should talk about this in a few minutes once we've both calmed down." It's ok for parents to step away and take a time out. Children might even be intrigued if you say "I'm putting myself in time out so I can think about how to handle this." You'll come back refreshed and prepared to discipline with love instead of out of anger. And you are teaching your child a valuable lesson "I am loved NO MATTER WHAT."