10 Second Tip

Repurpose a glass jar by painting it in sections with Mod Podge (or watered down white glue) and sticking on colored tissue pieces. C made a baby food jar into a votive candle holder. They make lovely vases too.

10 Second Tip

Try counting the house. A clipboard makes this learning activity officially fun!
Count The House PDF

10 Second Tip

Tape markers to toy cars and they become cars that drive and draw! It's even more fun when the paper stretches out long like a highway. Try taping several together.

10 Second Tip

The plastic lids from coffee cans are great reusable paint palettes. Save up enough milk caps or juice can lids and with two sheets of the same stickers, you've got a memory game. Recycling!

10 Second Tip

Allow children to take breaks. Heck, plan for it! If you sense a meltdown coming on, it's possible that a light snack or change of pace will keep tantrums at bay. Sometimes we forget to slow down and take care of ourselves too, which ultimately makes or breaks our tolerance levels!

10 Second Tip

Every success has a journey behind it. Challenge yourself to go beyond praising the moment your child succeeds to recognizing the steps it took to get there!

Courage Optimism Resilience Determination

10 Second Tip

Create a list with your child of that which makes you happy, be it places or people or experiences. If it brings joy, record it and pop it into the baby book for safekeeping. Someday one of you will look back and smile!

10 Second Tip

If you feel it, talk about it. Help children to identify the emotions they are feeling by showing interest in how they feel.

"You look upset. Can you draw me a picture of what you are feeling?"

10 Second Tip

While paint is wet, sprinkle kosher salt on watercolors and to add a sparkly textured effect to the finished artwork. It will soak up the watercolors! Or stir salt into tempera paint before painting to change the sensory experience.

10 Second Tip

Recycle those Christmas cards by cutting them into puzzles. Instead of random pieces, cut same size squares from the front of each card. Mix them up and let the matching begin!

Character Qualities

I've decided that as part of my curriculum I'd like to explore character qualities. The depth to which I can explore them will depend on the age group I ultimately end up with, but I feel that we can all benefit from examining that which builds a person's character. If I have toddlers, I will probably focus on one quality per month. Similarly, if I have preschoolers I would focus on one quality per month but they may differ slightly. It would look something like this, order TBD.

TODDLER
1. SELF-CONTROL (turn-taking, sharing, waiting in line, patience)
2. HONESTY (tell the truth, accept responsibility)
3. LOVE (being accepting, giving, caring)
4. FLEXIBILITY (able to adjust to change)
5. RESPECT (good manners, help others, listen to adults, kind words)
6. SENSITIVITY (understanding feelings, aware of emotions in self and others)
7. RESPONSIBILITY (good choices, accept consequences, good listener)
8. GENTLENESS (show personal care and concern, speak and act kindly)
9. SECURITY (what/who makes me feel safe and secure)
10. PERSEVERANCE (try, learn, work hard, be determined)
11. GRATEFULNESS (be thankful for what you have, give thanks)
12. FAIRNESS (share, take turns, cooperate, appreciate differences)

PRESCHOOLER
1. RESPONSIBILITY (good choices, accept consequences, good listener)
2. COMPASSION (be kind, helpful, considerate)
3. RESPECT (good manners, help others, listen to adults, kind words)
4. TRUSTWORTHINESS (be dependable, keep promises, tell the truth)
5. FAIRNESS (share, take turns, cooperate, appreciate differences)
6. ORDERLINESS (organized, thorough, time-aware)
7. CITIZENSHIP (be a good classmate/friend, respect the rules, do your best)
8. SELF-DISCIPLINE (do a good job, respectful words, best use of time)
9. HONESTY (tell the truth, accept responsibility)
10. INTEGRITY (be loyal, be your best, doing the right thing)
11. INITIATIVE (recognizing and doing what needs to be done before being asked)
12. TOLERANCE (accepting others)

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.

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!