The Importance of reading to your child

We always want our children to be interactive and always grow their knowledge and comprehension skills. One great way to do all of that is to read to your children. It's important for them that there is interaction and learning skills involved. Children learn to love the sound of language before they even notice the existence of printed words on a page. Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop language and listening skills and prepares them to understand the written word. When the rhythm and melody of language become a part of a child's life, learning to read will be as natural as learning to walk and talk.

Although the life of a parent is often hectic, you should try to read with your child at least once a day at a regularly scheduled time. But don't be discouraged if you skip a day or don't always keep to your schedule. Just read to your child as often as you possibly can.Taking the time to read with your children on a regular basis sends an important message: Reading is worthwhile.

You may go through a period when your child favors one book and wants it read night after night. It is not unusual for children to favor a particular story, and this can be boring for parents. Keep in mind, however, that a favorite story may speak to your child's interests or emotional needs. Be patient. Continue to expose your children to a wealth of books and eventually they will be ready for more stories.

It's often a good idea to talk about a story you're reading, but you needn't feel compelled to talk about every story. Good stories will encourage a love for reading, with or without conversation. And sometimes children need time to think about stories they've read. A day or so later, don't be surprised if your child mentions something from a story you've read together.

With your help, as your children begin a lifelong relationship with the printed word, they can grow into adults who read easily and frequently whether for business, knowledge, or pleasure.

Reminder: Open House

 

Just a friendly reminder that next week is our Open House!

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6 Games That Teach Toddlers Colors

These color activities pack a powerful learning punch and are just plain fun too.

Want a great way to brighten your little one's day and stimulate that busy little brain? These low-key color activities won't teach your cutie how to name each and every hue!

Play with your food.

Generally, the brighter a food is, the healthier it is, so turn your toddler's plate into a double-duty lesson in colors and nutrition. Name the color as you serve up the food brown bread, yellow cheese, red pepper strips, green broccoli trees, white hummus.

Paint by hand.

Give your pint-sized Picasso homemade finger paint, which is less expensive than the store-bought kind. Plus, part of the fun is whipping up a batch together. To make it, mix 1/2 cup cornstarch and two cups water into a saucepan and boil the mixture until it gets thick. Divvy the cooled concoction into a few plastic bowls and add as much food coloring as you want. Then let her smear it on a large piece of butcher paper or poster board until she's produced a color-saturated masterpiece.

Stroll in the shades.

Before you go on a walk, have your cutie choose a piece of construction paper that she can hold onto outside. During your toddler outing, help her spot objects that match the color of the paper: leaves, pumpkins, someone's apricot-colored jacket to go along with an orange piece; the sky, a pair of jeans, and the neighbor's Mazda to match a blue piece.

Race for a ribbon.

This color activity combines learning with an energy-burning race, so try it the next time the weather's got you stuck indoors. Tie a different colored ribbon to the tops of three long-handled wooden spoons, then put the beribboned spoons in a small pail placed at least ten feet away from your tot. Call out the color of one of the ribbons, and tell your darling to make a dash for the spoons " and earn a victory hug for her effort (whether she grabs the right one or not).

Primary toss.

Got socks? Place two laundry baskets on the floor, and tape a piece of white paper to one. Grab a bunch of socks and hand your sweetie a sock ball of any color, telling tell her to throw it in the basket she thinks it belongs in (be sure to help her " you want color activities to be fun, not frustrating). Sock alternatives: Try stuffed animals (with a blue or multi-colored piece of paper on one basket) or other small toys for a game that's challenging for her mind and her motor skills.

Dress up.

Even second-year toddlers can be creative about their clothing choices (pink tutu with a green top and purple-striped leggings, anyone?), but you can still try to teach the concept of matching colors. To start, pull out a T-shirt and three pairs of pants. Can your little one figure out which pair matches the top? Help her see how, for instance, the green flowers on the shirt are the same shade as the green bottoms, then let her pick her own matching set. Just remember, though: Even when your sweetie understands the concept, she's bound to have her own definition of what's stylin'.

Open House

 

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Recommendations for Starting School

Parents, teachers, and health-care professionals know that our children need to be well-rounded, and that while paying attention to academics is important, we need to also foster social, physical, and emotional development. How can you best prepare your child for starting school?

Here are four recommendations for starting school:

Talking: From day one, take time to talk with your child. Whatever you are doing together, use your words to describe, explain, and answer the questions that will come with increasing frequency as your child gets older.

Learning: At this stage, children learn from whatever they are doing. Of course it is important that they are exposed to the ABCs and 123s, so find opportunities to identify letters and count whenever possible. Also expose children to science, history, geography, and the arts, including music, dance, and visual arts. Take advantage of libraries and museums which have wonderful resources and programs for in-person and online learning.

Sharing: Working together really is important in kindergarten, college, and beyond. An important first step to preparing for starting school is to practice sharing. Sharing encourages the use of good manners and lots of opportunity to say "please" and "thank you."

Remembering: Children like to keep track of what they have learned and accomplished. Help your child write stories about experiences and talk about likes, dislikes, and interests.

Having A Safe Summer

Summer is here and for kids it means no school, here are some tips for avoiding Summer dangers your kids may find in outdoor play.

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion. If you suspect your child may be suffering from it, have him stop all physical activity, lie down in a cool place, and drink fluids. Seek medical care if the symptoms don't stop quickly or your child's body temperature is 103°F or higher.

Get Rid of Bugs

Prevent mosquito bites by keeping kids away from bodies of stagnant water, applying an insect repellent containing DEET, and having children stay indoors in the early-morning and early-evening hours, when the pesky insects are most abundant. Bug sprays that contain 10 to 30 percent DEET are safe for use on children over 2 months old.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can occur in kids who are extremely active. During exercise, depending on their size and weigh, kids are encourages to drink between four and ten ounces of fluid every 15 to 20. For junior jocks exercising more than 45 minutes, a sports drink (not an energy drink) with 6 to 8 percent carbohydrates and electrolytes will help maintain balanced energy levels.

Treat Rashes Properly

If your kid's been exposed to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, here's how to make him more comfortable: Wash the area with soap and water for at least ten minutes; apply an over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream; and keep scratching damage to a minimum by trimming his fingernails. For persistent itching, use calamine lotion three to four times a day. Call a doctor if the rash is on your child's face or if these treatments don't work.

Keep Ticks Off

To prevent tick bites when you and the kids are out in grassy or wooded areas, wear long-sleeved shirts, tuck the ends of pants into socks, and consider applying an insect repellent containing permethrin to pant cuffs, socks, and shoes (but not to skin).

Have a Safe Summer!

Tips For Bathtime

  

Your child never minded bathtime as a baby, and he still enjoys the pool. So why has he become a tub-resistant toddler? It probably isn't due to a fear of the water, says Denaye D. Barahona, a licensed clinical social worker and child-behavior expert in Evanston, IL. “As a baby he was content to follow the schedule you set, but now he has his own ideas of what he'd like to do. Taking a bath instead of, say, playing might not exactly be what he had in mind,” Barahona explains.It's not just about the bath. He may be resisting the start of the wind-down for bed.

Don't get in the habit of skipping baths to avoid a confrontation. Instead, tweak the timing so it doesn't interrupt the same activity each day. If you tend to give your child a bath right before bed, for instance, the two may be linked in his mind and what's he's actually resisting is the start of the wind-down. Alternate with some morning baths so tubtime marks the start of a fun day rather than the end. Try these tips, too:

1. Give your child a heads-up five minutes before scrub-down time so he isn't surprised.

2. Run the water with the bathroom door closed, then bring him in—the faucet can be loud to little ears.

3. If your guy seems to be scared of the drain, put a few inches of water in the tub, add a small toy, then pull the stopper to demonstrate that even his little plastic boat is too big to disappear.

4. Let him watch a video on your smartphone or tablet while he bathes (just be sure to invest in a waterproof case to protect it first).

5. Act confident during the bath, and give him a big hug after so it ends on a positive note.