Shannon's Au Pair in America Blog

It’s that time of year. The kids are getting ready to go back to school. The schedules will change. The weather will change. Enjoy the rest of summer!

Tips for Staying Cool This Summer
• Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and modify your activities appropriately.
• Pay attention to your hydration status and be sure to drink plenty of fluids.
• Try to stay in relatively cool areas, even when outside. Many public places, such as libraries, shopping malls and movie theatres, are air conditioned.
•Avoid hot, enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children unattended in a car!
• Use a fan, if available.
• Stay on the lowest floor of your building.
•Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.
•Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing.
•Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.
•Cool beverages are good for cooling down the body, while alcoholic drinks can impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

Signs of Heat Overexposure
•Heavy sweating — though if heat stroke sets in, the body can no longer compensate and stops sweating.
•Pale skin.
•Muscle cramps.
•Feeling tired and weak.
•Altered mental status (confusion or disorientation).
•Headache.
•Becoming semi-conscious or passing out.
•Nausea or vomiting.

Steps to Take After Recognizing Heat-Induced Illness
•Call 911.
•Get the person out of the sun and into a cool area. An air-conditioned area is ideal, but moving someone into the shade will also help.
•Apply water to help the person cool off.
• Apply ice to the neck or armpits, where large blood vessels are close to the surface.
•Remove any heavy clothing.
•Immerse the body in cool water, either at a swimming pool or in a bathtub.

Posted by Shannon Scholand on Apr 13, 2011 No Comments

Make sure and stay warm!!! If you go outside don’t forget your hat and gloves.

ABC’s of Winter Fun

A is for Art – try drawing, painting or gluing
B is for Baking – bake a dessert together for dinner
C is for Clay – Use non-hardening clay or play dough to shape and mold
D is for Dance – put on a lively tape
E is for Exercise – be sure to get some everyday
F is for Friends – invite some over
G is for Greenhouse – find a local greenhouse to visit to enjoy the sights and smells
H is for House – make a playhouse from a large appliance box
I is for Ice skating – take the children to a local rink
J is for Jigsaw puzzle – be sure to pick one that isn’t too difficult
K is for Kitchen science – try a safe experiment
L is for Library – borrow some new books
M is for Movie – make one with a video camera, or watch one
N is for Necklace – make one out of cereal or macaroni
O is for Origami – learn to make simple paper creations
P is for Puppets – socks make easy and fun puppets – put on a show!
Q is for Quiet Time – everyone needs some of this
R is for Reading aloud – choose a good book and a comfortable place to sit
S is for Seeds and Suet – put out food for the birds and watch them eat
T is for Tent – make one from old blankets and chairs
U is for Unplugged – do a day with no TV
V is for Variety – try something new everyday
W is for Walk – take one in any weather (be sure to dress appropriately)
X is for Xylophone – make your own with glasses, water and a metal spoon
Y is for Year – make a calendar or scrapbook to remember the year
Z is for Zoo – visit the animals

Listen to Music and Dance Day
Don’t let the rain or snow stop you from being active. Put on a lively tape and dance around the house today.  Show the children some traditional dance moves from your country!

Tea Party Day

Mix up some warm cocoa or milk and invite the dolls or stuffed animals for a tea party

Art Day
Make today an art day – try drawing, painting, creating with glue or clay.

Make a necklace today– use a licorice “shoelace” (the really long thin ones) and cereal for young children and then they can eat the whole thing.  For something less sticky, use string instead of the licorice.

Puzzle Day

Do a puzzle or make one of your own. Find a fun picture in a magazine and glue it to lightweight cardboard. Cut into shapes.

Make a Pie

Pies are popular every day and are easy to make if you buy a prepared crust in the freezer or dairy section of the grocery store. Try this easy recipe;

Chocolate Pie

Purchase pre-made pie shell and Jell-O instant chocolate pudding.  Prepare pie shell per directions.  Let cool.  Prepare pudding, pour into pie shell, let set for an hour and voila!  Dessert is served!

Pet Rocks
Make an imaginative pet using a smooth stone. Draw a face with marker or paint. Decorate with feathers, sequins, yarn, buttons, or whatever else you can find.

Have a pretend day at the beach
Put on swimsuits and relax on beach towels.  Pretend you can hear the ocean!

Stamping
Rubber stamps and stamp pads are fun, but for a change try sponge and some kitchen utensils or cut shapes into a potato, apple, or orange. You could even let the child dip his or her hand into some water-based paint to make great pictures.

Indoor Gardening

Children love to watch things grow! Take a root vegetable (potato, carrot, turnip or beet) and cut off the top 1-2 centimeters. Hollow out the inside. Tie a string around the vegetable and fill it with water. Hang it in a window and watch what happens! Don’t forget to add water as needed.

Make your own snowstorm

 Find a clear glass jar, any size, with a tight fitting lid and no label. Cut a piece of aluminum foil into teeny, tiny pieces. The easiest way is to first cut strips then cut across the strips into little pieces. The smaller the pieces, the more it will look like real snow. It takes a lot of flakes (and patience) to make a good snowfall.

Don’t stop until you have enough to at least completely cover the bottom of the jar. Cut a small evergreen branch for your tree. Fill the jar with water, add the tree and one drop of dishwashing liquid and put the lid on. Turn the jar over, give it a shake and put it down right side up. Watch the snow fall!

Treasure Hunt!
Pretend you are all on a desert island looking for treasure. Make a map or place clues around the house leading the children through the hunt. This can be done with pictures for non-readers – draw a picture of the television, then at the television place a picture of the stove. At the stove place a picture of a bed, and so on to the end. The “treasure” can be a treat to eat, or a new game to play.   Read books about pirates to add to the fun.

Build a playhouse today

Find a box from a large appliance and turn it into a playhouse to use indoors. Cut windows and a door. Furnish it and decorate it as you wish.

Make a fort today

Use blankets and couch cushions to make a fort and play inside.  Don’t forge to put everything away!

Make a picture frame
Glue 4 Popsicle sticks (available in craft departments) in a square to make a frame. Decorate the frame with glitter, lace, yarn, feathers, stickers, confetti or whatever you have on hand. Mount a picture from the back and be sure to date it! You can also
glue a magnet on from the back so that the picture can hang on the refrigerator. (This activity is suitable for children 3 and older)

1. Play in the snow

2. Go sledding

3. Go ice skating

4. Build a snowman

5. Warm up with hot chocolate