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Category Archives: Kids
The tradition of Valentine’s Day originated in Rome in the 5th century as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop who was beheaded by Emperor Claudius on February 14, 270 A.D. The story goes that the Emperor banned marriage in his empire and put Valentine to his death when he found out that Valentine was secretly marrying young people.While the storm goes through: Reading to Children
It is never too early to start reading to children. Children of all ages enjoy having stories read to them. Reading, cuddling up on a couch or reading before a child takes a nap or goes to sleep at night, is comforting for the child. This special time together builds a bond, take the time to read to the children in your life.
- Read slowly, this gives children time to thing about what you are reading
- Change your voice for different characters, or read in a softer voice from some characters,
louder for others. A sing song voice is fun for young children.
- Share a picture book with a child and have them tell you a story from the pictures!
- Read every day!
- Children have favorites, so don’t worry if they want the same story every day, but add a few others so they can develop new favorites.
- Talk about the story, ask the children what was their favorite part. Let them share the story back to you or their parents!
- Do arts and crafts about the story. Have them draw you a picture about the story.
- If the children are old enough to read themselves, have them read you a story. Alternate, you read, they read. This will encourage them to read more!
- Have fun, read stories about subjects you and the children enjoy!
- Turn off the TV and computer and read!
Au Pair in America at Barefoot Books
- Barefoot Books
Summer is a time of travel and adventure for children and adults alike. So, how can we travel to experience this sense of adventure, yet stay right in town? If you live in our area, it’s easy! Just step into the world of Barefoot Books at 89 Thoreau Street, Concord.
With the help of our au pairs from Canada, South Africa, Thailand, and Brazil, children visiting the bookstore have had the chance to visit the rainforests of Brazil and the north country of Canada, they’ve learned about the elephants of Thailand, and they have traveled along with a child living on the veld in South Africa. Au pairs have read engaging stories to the children and they have also happily worked with the children to create crafts related to a different group of countries each week during the month of July . This summer program at Barefoot Books has paired au pairs who want to teach about their own countries with children from far and wide who have come to the bookstore to step into another culture with an au pair.
Look at the photos to get your own view of our au pairs and the children at Barefoot Books. Join us in August to visit with au pairs from New Zealand and all of Europe. Welcome to another expression of cultural exchange provided by Au Pair in America!
More Barefoot Books Pics
MORE SNOWY DAYS COMING!
Here are some helpful tips on activities for you on cold, snowy or rainy days at home with the children.
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!
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.
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.
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)
Fall is Apple Season
Apples come in many varieties, colors, shapes and sizes. Some are wonderful to munch on, others are best when cooked. Regardless of the variety apple picking is a fun activity. If you do go apple picking you will almost certainly bring home more apples than you can possibly eat, but there are lots of fun things to do with apples, and many ways to eat them as well.
Applesauce is very simple to make. Remove the core and quarter the apples. If you leave the peel on during cooking it will give the applesauce a pink color. When the apples are very soft, remove any peel that is left, mash the pulp or put it through a sieve. Add sugar if needed.
Try making dried apple rings. They are easy and can be used as a nutritious snack. Peel, core and slice as many apples as you like into 1/8 inch rings (Macintosh or Golden Delicious apples work best). Dip each ring into a mixture of lemon juice and water to help the apples keep their color. Pull a piece of string through the center of each ring and hang in a dry, warm place. They take 1-2 weeks to dry and become chewy.
Rainy Day Project!
Cooking with Kids
1. Burns: If you are cooking with older kids and also have an infant in your care, the only safe place for him/her while you are cooking is in the play pen, high chair or crib.
2. If a child does get burned, put cold water on the burned area immediately. Then cover the burn loosely with a bandage or clean cloth. Call the doctor for all burns.
BE PREPARED – know where the First Aid Kit is in your house
Cooking With Kids
Cooking with children has many benefits. It is a wonderful way for adults and children to have fun together while the children learn important skills. Cooking activities can: help to develop hand-eye coordination, help to improve small motor skills, encourage the ability to do things in a logical order, and build reading and math skills. Through cooperation it can give the children an important sense of accomplishment. There is no other way we can see, smell, taste and share the results of our efforts.
Children as young as a year can begin to help in the kitchen doing very simple tasks such as putting ingredients into a bowl. By the time children are 3 or 4 they can start to use a knife, but it must always be with adult supervision. Cooking on the stove should be limited to older children. Use the back burner whenever you can, and make sure pot handles don’t stick out where little hands can reach them, or where they can accidentally be knocked off the stove. Make sure that children wash their hands before cooking, and if theyr are handling meat or eggs they should always wash afterwards as well. Remember to teach children that clean-up is part of cooking. Here are some recipes to get you started:
Soft Pretzels
1 package yeast
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
1 egg, beaten
Stir yeast into water. Add the sugar and salt. Blend in flour. Knead until smooth. Cut into pieces and roll long and skinny. Let the children make balls, worms, letters, etc. Put on foil lined greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Fruit Smoothie
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 banana and/or pieces of most any other fruit – melon, berries, peach, etc.
2 tsp honey
dried mint or a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.
Put all ingredients in the jar of a blender – don’t fill it to the top, as it needs space to blend. Blend until smooth. You can also blend in some ice for a frosty treat
Muddy Hand Cookies
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa mix
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together. Add eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients, blending thoroughly. Chill dough until firm. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Lay you hand on the dough and cut around it to make your hand print. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes
English Muffin Pizza
6 English Muffins, split
1 package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can or jar pizza sauce
Line a cookie sheet with foil and place English muffin halves on it. Spread with the pizza sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Add other toppings (vegetables or meat) if you wish