Ask your host parents how much time they think it should take your host kids to complete a certain tasks that you and your host kids struggle with.  Then set the timer and have a race against the clock to get things done before the timer beeps.  There is no reward, just a high five and a challenge to do it faster the next day.   This makes it fun and exciting!  Once the behavior has changed and the struggle is over, you will not need the timer as the expectation has been set and met.

Use a timer for things like

• getting dressed
• room cleaning–set the timer for five or ten minutes and challenge your host kids to clean as much of the toys room as possible before the timer beeps
• playtime before doing homework or chores

Children should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Many children prefer the crunch of raw food – especially popular are apples, pears, carrots, broccoli, celery and cucumbers.  Use your imagination to serve cut up vegetables in an interesting way– for example, make a figure with carrot stick arms and legs, a celery body and a round of cucumber for a head.

June 6 – National Applesauce Cake Day

Here’s a recipe for a healthy and delicious snack to make with the children

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Mix first sugar and shortening, then add flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix in applesauce and raisins/cranberries. Place in a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Visit Earthplace, ( the Westport Nature Center), the Stamford Nature Center,  Beardsley Zoo or Maritime Aquarium or set up a pretend zoo with play animals and blocks. Invite the host parents to visit your pretend zoo. Read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish or If I Ran the Zoo, both by Dr. Seuss. Encourage the children to make up their own animals and draw them. Think of all the animal sounds you can and play a game guessing what animal you are. You may find that the same animal says one thing in America and something quite different in your own country!