Yearly Archives: 2022

Explore the outdoors

bug on handPhoto by D Sharon Pruitt

It is great to see the world through the eyes of children.  There are simple things in day to day life that can be a thrill for young children.  Below are a few ideas to get you started thinking.  Try to take time for them to marvel at the world and see new things.

  • A car wash (the drive through kind or a bucket and a water hose in the driveway at home)
  • Parking on the street near a construction site to watch the big trucks
  • Feeding ducks bread at the park
  • Collecting leaves, pinecones and rocks
  • Driving across a bridge where they can see the water
  • Driving past a place where you can see animals
  • Any place that has something out of the ordinary, like a fountain or sculpture

 

Building positive self esteem in your children

Most American parents want their children to be independent and responsible, and have a positive image of themselves. A child’s self image is based on how the child sees himself or herself. This is called self-esteem. It is defined by the judgments children make about their own self worth. Self-esteem can be positive or negative. In America, positive self-esteem is very important.

A child may have positive or high self-esteem at different points in his/her life and negative or low self-esteem at other times. Most preschool-aged children typically have very high self-esteem. As children get older, their peers become more critical of each other and can affect a child’s self-esteem. As children move into the elementary school and middle school their self-esteem can decrease for a period of time due to the criticism from their friends.

There are several ways for parents and au pairs to build positive self-esteem in children and have them feel good about themselves. The suggestions include:

  1. Providing warmth, support and praise
  2. Using positive discipline
  3. Being responsive to a child’s needs
  4. Having reasonable, age-appropriate expectations of a child
  5. Developing and enforcing consistent limits
  6. Providing opportunities for a child to make choices
  7. Providing opportunities for a child to explore, investigate and problem-solve
  8. Encouraging a child to be responsible for their actions
  9. Expressing interest in a child and his or her activities.
  10. Helping a child handle disappointment and failure.
  11. Providing opportunities for a child to succeed.
  12. Providing opportunities for a child to help other people.

Take time to read a book today!

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 think 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.
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  • 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!

 

Celebrate National Bubble Day!

Celebrate National Bubble Day! Kids and adults of all ages enjoy the colors, shapes and possibilities of bubbles.

Create a beautiful portrait or just make homemade bubbles for an afternoon of fun and adventure.

Bubble Burst Paintings

Blowing bubbles never seems to lose its charm for little kids, but here’s a colorful way to make a good thing even better. To start, stir 2 tablespoons of tempera paint or 15 drops of food coloring into a 1/2-cup of bubble solution. Then tape a large piece of paper to a fence or between two trees and have your child blow the bubbles against it. The end result will likely be more about the process than the final product, but he’ll love watching the bubbles hit the paper and burst into vibrant circles and splatters.

Homemade Bubble Recipe

This recipe is a winner. It’s easy to mix up–and inexpensive to boot. Simply stir together 6 parts water, 2 parts Joy dishwashing liquid (this brand works the best), and 3/4 part corn syrup. Store in a covered container.

Have your kids try experimenting with a variety of homemade bubble wands: pipe cleaners bent into interesting shapes, cookie cutters, yogurt lids with the centers cut out, and so on. For a giant bubblemaker, cut off the top and bottom of a large metal can with a can opener and hammer the inside edges until they are smooth (a parent’s job). Dip either end in the solution and wave through the air.

For more fun, try these additional bubble-making techniques.

Make Your Own Play Dough

Play dough is the perfect modeling material for children. Their small hands can pat, poke, pinch, roll and knead it into many shapes. Keep it in an airtight container to use another day, or let it air dry into favorite shapes.

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Measure 2 cups of flour, one cup of salt and 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of oil to one cup of water in a separate bowl then add the mixture to the dry ingredients. For colored play dough, squeeze 10-20 drops of food coloring into the water before you add it to the mixture. Cook the dough at low heat in a wide pan, stirring constantly until it becomes rubbery. Remove the dough from the heat and knead it for a few minutes. When it cools the kids can play too!

Photo: Kevin Jarrett (Flickr)

ABC’s of Winter Fun

snowflake

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