The Mom I Want to Be

colorful cereal boxes
scissors
small plastic baggies
contact paper (optional)
family photos or photos from magazines (optional)
shoebox or other cardboard (optional)
glue (optional)
• develops problem-solving skills
• supports fine-motor development

1. Cut the front and back panels off of a large cereal box.

2. Cut the panels into three, four, or five pieces to make a puzzle. Store the pieces for each puzzle in their own plastic bag.

3. Invite your child to put together the puzzle!

4. You can also use family photos or pictures of familiar objects (such as animals or vehicles) to make puzzles. Glue the pictures onto cardboard. Once the glue has dried, cut out the puzzle pieces.

5. Cover the pieces with contact paper to help them last longer.

Learning benefits:

 

containers of your favorite flavors of yogurt

variety of toppings, such as chopped nuts, raisins, maple syrup, granola, and sliced fruit

bowls

spoons

 

1. Peel and slice your favorite fruits. Then place all the ingredients on the table and ask your child to think about which yogurt flavor and toppings she would like to use to make a yogurt sundae. Let her taste toppings individually.

 

2. Talk about what a sundae is and how to make one. Ask your child to fill a bowl with yogurt, then spoon fruit slices, nuts, and other toppings onto it. Encourage her to taste her snack after she adds each topping.

 

3. Make your own sundae, perhaps using different ingredients so that you can compare tastes later.

 

4. As you enjoy your snack, talk about how these sundaes are different from ice cream sundaes. Brainstorm other kinds of sundaes you could make at another time.

 

Learning benefits:

supports fine-motor skills

encourages comparison and counting skills

Inclement weather is either upon us, or it’s coming and why not be prepared with a few activities that your children are sure to love!indoor roadway with painter’s tape and a sharpie. Perfect compliment to matchbox cars.

1. Make an

2. Construct an indoor obstacle course with pillows, hampers, and a broom

3. Scavenger hunt – no need to get too detailed with this one. Hide some similar objects around the house and go hunting for them. Create simple clues-verbal or written.

4. Movie Madness Party – Allow Your kids to choose 2 or more movies and do it up movie style, complete with tickets and popcorn. Make it a “drive-in” by decorating a cardboard box like a car!

5. Board Game Bonanza! Gather several board games and hold a tournament series (best 2 out of 3) .

6. Little Artist: spread butcher paper on the kitchen floor, add some crayons and let them go to town. Hang the masterpiece up to admire all day long!

7. Dramatic play: kitchen, store, post office, restaurant, beauty shop…the possibilities are endless.

8. Have the ultimate book reading session! No limit. Just. Pure. Books.

9. Make a snow/rainy day fun box (fill it with crafty stuff for an impromptu collage).

10. Play hide and seek with stuffed animals.

11. Make an indoor fort or hideaway in a secret space.

12. If it’s raining, make a rain catcher and set it out! At the end of the day, record your findings.

13. Hold a dance party.

14. Make a family video time capsule to watch on the next indoor play day

15. Act out a favorite children’s book together.

16. Have a storytelling session. Let each child contribute to the storyline. Ask “What comes next?”

17. Hold an indoor picnic for mealtime.

18. Have a “Fashion Show”.

19. Indoor “Fire Drills” Set the timer to go off and run around the house 5 times. Just like the ones you do outside the car. It’s just about being silly together in a confined space!

20. Write letters/draw a picture for far away relatives/pen pals.

 

Find fast ideas for introducing your baby to books.

1.      Create reading rituals. Set aside a specific time of day to be your daily reading time. Make a routine of picking out the day’s books together and then sitting in your designated reading spot.

2.      Cuddle. Find a comfortable, quiet place to read and snuggle close with a book and your child’s favorite toy or blanket.

3.      Read with expression. Emphasize rhythm and rhymes, and use different voices for characters, but don’t read in “baby talk.”

4.      Talk about the pictures. Point out colors, shapes, animals, and things of interest to the story.

5.      Share different kinds of books. Picture books with bright art and simple words like those by Eric Carle will hold her attention. Delight your child with rhyming sounds or songs like those in My Very First Mother Goose Book and other collections. Introduce words and concepts with books that teach colors, letters, and numbers. Also use lift-the-flap books and pop-ups that let her interact with the story.

6.      Read it again. Infants and toddlers love hearing the same sounds and words over and over. Reading a book several times also helps him become familiar with common words.

7.      Record yourself reading. Make an audiotape of yourself reading a favorite book and play it on car rides or as an alternative to television. Let your toddler “read” along on her own.

 

To know what your toddler thinks about his world before he can tell you directly in words, play with him. In play, you see and hear what he understands and thinks about the world. Remember, however, that this is his play, not yours. You are a partner and a facilitator, occasionally a “go-fer,” but not a playwright, producer, or director.

 

The Power of Peek-a-boo

 

The simple game of put-and-take is about your toddler learning how to make things appear and reappear over and over and over. The reassurance that the toy is there again and again seems to comfort as it fascinates, preparing her for the countless disappearances she faces in her life from this point forward.

 

Peek-a-boo is the interpersonal example of a similar, if more complex process. It moves from the simple opening and closing of eyes, to removing a covering over her eyes, to turning around to find a voice not seen, to crawling after the “lost” partner. Next, it is the child who disappears, as she initiates the sequence. She is the leaver, and seems to savor the power apparent in the role. But wait a second too long to reunite with her and the fun is over. Toddlers have their limits, even when it’s their game.

 

Joint play is so pleasurable to children this age. It is as though they are saying: “I feel so close to you, I want to keep it forever, especially when you are not here” or “I need some reassurance that I’m okay when I can’t see you.” Yes, it’s time-consuming, and there are not many shortcuts in this experience. But rest assured that their appetite for it is not perpetual. Before you know it, your child will prefer her peers to you.

Games to Play with Your Toddler

 

Make-believe: Using simple dress-up (hats alone are great), narrate her play: “And now you get on your hat.” Describe what you think she is feeling: “Don’t you feel fancy (snazzy, cool…)!” And listen for when you are not quite on track: “So, then what?” Children often love to have you with them in these imaginary explorations and usually will do their best to keep you from getting lost along the way.

 

Peek-a-boo: Use reflecting surfaces (mirrors, windows) as you play peek-a-boo with your child’s image and then yours. Try a little face paint or make-up to explore what happens to his face as he, or you, add a dot here or a line there. It helps him define who he is by enjoying the reflection of his face and the feelings between you. Doing this together feels different, better, and usually more important.

 

Flashlight game: Sit together in the dark with a flashlight and give your child a sense that she has some control over what disappears into the darkness. Narrate the experience with her as you share the job of turning the flashlight on and off together. Sara, at 22 months, loved this game and called it the “good-bye light game.” She seemed to be sorting out the comings and goings of important things and people as the lights went off and on.

 

 There are countless other ideas available. Borrow, invent, and reinvent games just for the two of you.

 

 

They are SUPER SIMPLE and only need a few things, most of which is usually laying around the house. I grabbed the bottles from the recycling bin (2 L or 20oz. sizes work well), the construction paper and glue already on hand.

 

 

 

 First put a few drops of white paint (tempered, or acrylic) and a drop of water into the bottle and close the lid tightly.  Shake or turn it over and over until the inside of the bottle is completely coated.  Cut out 3 circles from paper, felt or other medium and glue to the bottle, forming 2 eyes and an “wooooOOooooing” mouth.

 

 

You can hang these around for a spooky affect.

 

Consider creating several in different sized bottles, and setting them up as a decorative display, perhaps sitting in raffia or angel hair.

 

Create a number of the same size for Halloween “bowling”.

 

 

Is your child’s preschool classroom set up to teach social skills? The best way to assess the emotional climate of a classroom is to spend an hour or more as a visitor. Pay special attention to how teachers interact with children to promote the development of emotional and social skills.

 

The Environment

 

Here are just a few examples of what you might see in different interest areas:

 

House corner: Props that represent different cultural groups; dress-up clothes that inspire children to reenact previous experiences.

 

Table toy area: Duplicates of favorites to minimize the demands for sharing; a sand-timer or waiting list so children know when their turn comes.

 

Cooking: A class cookbook of recipes the children have tried, with photographs of the cooks and illustrations by the children.

 

Library area: Books featuring people of different cultures, different kinds of families, people with disabilities, and stories on topics such as friendships, helping others, handling conflicts, and dealing with fears.

 

Art area: Paints and crayons in a variety of skin tones.

 

The Teachers

 

The most important indicator of a positive social climate is how teachers interact with children. When you visit, look and listen from the perspective of your child. It’s a good sign if you see teachers doing the following:

 

Bending down to talk with a child at her eye level.

 

Helping children to appreciate each other’s strengths and interests: “I bet Tyrone can help you with that puzzle. You know how he likes puzzles.”

 

Accepting mistakes as part of the learning process.

 

Describing the behavior they want to see in positive terms: “Keep the water inside the water table. The floor gets slippery if it’s wet.”

 

Encouraging children to help one another.

 

Demonstrating good manners.

 

Interpreting feelings so children learn to recognize how others feel: “Look at Andre’s face. Can you see how upset he is? Let’s see what we can do to help.”

Welcoming families to visit at any time and encouraging them to participate and contribute to the program.

 

What You Should Not See

 

Teachers focusing on children’s misbehavior without dealing with the problems that cause it.

 

Children being sent to a time-out chair to sit and think about what they did wrong.

 

Teachers talking down to children or shouting at them from across the room.

 

Standards for behavior that are not age-appropriate, such as having children sit quietly or wait in line for long periods.

 

Questions to Ask

 

What are your most important goals for children who attend this preschool?

 

How do you help children learn to get along well with others?

 

How do you help a child who is very shy or timid?

 

How do you handle a child who is very aggressive?

 

What rules do you have for your classroom and how do children learn about them?

 

For what reasons would a child be disciplined and how?

 

How do you help children learn to solve conflicts?

 

A project for even the really young!

 

Edible “Glitter”:  Mix a few drops of food coloring into sugar.

 

Edible “Glue”

 

3/4 cup water

2 T corn syrup

1 tsp vinegar

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup corn starch

 

In a small saucepan, add the water and corn syrup and vinegar, stir well and bring to a rapid boil. Meanwhile measure 3/4 cup cold water and 1/2 cup cornstarch, stir until dissolved then slowly add cornstarch to the first mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens and cools and you have yourself glue!

 

Lightly brush the gourds with “glue” and give to child along with shallow dishes of your colored sugar.