• Bare branches
• Pail filled with soil
• Yarn or ribbon
• Cut-out cardboard apple shapes
• Glue
• Red, green, and yellow construction paper

Make an apple tree using bare tree branches. Take pictures of each child in your room.  Ask each child to trace an apple shape on a piece of red or green construction paper and cut it out. Have each child paste his or her picture onto the shape. Punch holes in each apple. Help each child thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole and tie a knot. Ask children to write their names on the apples.

Children will “branch out” as they explore family members and roles

 

In Advance: Introduce the topic of extended family by talking about relatives. What does your child do with their relatives? Do you visit relatives? Do you gather for certain holidays/ celebrations?
 
Make a list of family members on a large chart with your child. Mother, father, sister brother, grandparents, grandmother, cousins, aunt, uncle etc. Mention that some families have special names for family members and that is something that makes each family unique.
 
Explain to your child that he/she is going to create his/her own family tree. Describe the process your child will use to make a family tree. On a piece of tag board have your child line his/her elbows up with the bottom of the paper. Ask him/her to put his/her arms side by side and lay fingers out flat. Trace from the elbows (trunk) up and around the fingers (branches). This will be your child’s tree.
 
Invite your child to draw pictures of his/her extended family above and around the branches. Help your child label the names of family members. At the top or bottom of the tag board have children write “My Family Tree.”
 
Display the tree on a wall or bulleting board for your family to appreciate.

Play a family guessing game by giving clues about family members and having your child guess to whom you are referring. (Example: Who has an older brother?  This person is a boat captain and lives in Florida. Who has a collection of model cars? etc.) This will bring a lot of laughter, and increase children’s awareness of their larger family.
 
Remember: This is a great opportunity to present the idea of diversity to children. Young children may not know the terminology for family member classifications. Accept all names children share, as some children know grandparents, aunts, uncles in different terms, or languages.

The Transition From 2 to 3

 

What kind of preschool program is best in this year of change?

 

The independent nature of two-year-olds is captured in some of their favorite phrases: “Mine,” “No,” and “Me do it.” They are very busy people and assert themselves as a matter of course as they explore and figure things out for themselves. Among the many physical achievements of this transition year is learning to use the toilet. Two-year-olds are naturally curious and interested in other people. They can be very caring of one another one minute then become angry and aggressive soon afterwards. Twos tend to have very strong feelings and often don’t know how to express them. But they are fascinated with words, and as they approach three, they usually can use words to communicate their needs, express their feelings, and even comfort themselves.

 

More and more, two-year-olds are enrolled in organized care programs. We are concerned that many preschool programs designed for three- to five-year-olds offer two-year-olds the same program they offer the older children. This is inappropriate and not in the best interests of young children. Twos benefit from a program that respects their needs for individual play and flexible scheduling, that allows plenty of time for the routines of their lives — taking jackets on and off, using the bathroom, snacking, and resting. Two-year-olds are just beginning to be interested in playing with other children, but this interest does not include sharing toys or materials. Because they have short attention spans, they are generally unable to sit in groups for any length of time. As children turn three, they are much more ready for focused play in small groups where they learn to take turns, share, and listen to one another.

Math gets a bad rap. Here, we dispel some long-held beliefs about how children learn it.

Myths about math learning abound in our country. Although some may contain half-truths, they are not true. They are perpetuated, though, because most people have not been given the opportunities to deeply understand math and its uses. Unfortunately, these persistent myths can harm a child’s chances at being successful in this subject. So know the truth:

MYTH 1: Young children can’t solve mathematical problems. While it’s true that kids need to know some addition facts to problem-solve, they’re not always exactly what you might think. For example, let’s see how 5-year-old Jamie solved this problem: If you have four cards on the table and two on the floor, how many will you have in all? “Well, it’s like fooooouuur,” says Jamie, pointing to the table and then to the floor, “Five, six. Six!” Another child, a bit less advanced, might put up four fingers on one hand, two on the other, and then count them all. Both are powerful problem-solvers. Like miniature mathematicians, they have modeled the problem and used what they did know to solve it.

Children know about numbers, counting, and “making more.” Second, and even more impressive, they can put together what they know and invent ways to solve such addition problems. So, invite your child to solve real problems and fun, made-up number problems of all types! For example, ask a dinosaur lover, “If there were two triceratops near the water, but then three more came, how many would there be altogether?” Just keep the numbers small at first.

MYTH 2: Young children must sit down to learn math. For children of all ages but especially for young children, good math learning is about engagement and interest, not drudgery and drill. High-quality early math includes thinking, active experimentation, and talking about mathematical ideas of all types — number, shape, spatial relationship, location, length, area, patterning, and so forth. Children might debate who is bigger or who is smaller, or they might draw maps to a playhouse.

To create rich math experiences, encourage your child to engage in a wide variety of activities, such as building with blocks or estimating and then checking to see how many steps it is to the playground. Play games. Count the dots on dice, and move a game piece that many spaces.

MYTH 3: Toddlers should not be doing math. If that means young children should not sit down to drill addition facts, of course, we agree. However, providing appropriate math experiences at young ages is important. Children are interested in the world, and even think about the world mathematically almost from birth. They learn math if they are given the opportunity to have mathematical experiences and talk about them.

The younger the child, the better it is to follow his interests. Children learn the foundations for math concepts just by playing, talking, and singing, but you can help further your child’s knowledge by providing a rich learning environment with materials that invite mathematical play. Such materials include blocks, puzzles, nesting toys, and other materials to explore. It is the reasoning that children learn from activities that is most important to their future mathematical development. So, to make these experiences truly mathematical, talk to your child about what they are doing. You can say something like, “I noticed you are making the building symmetrical — the same on one side as on the other.”

MYTH 4: Children learn math concepts by playing video games. Some studies show that older children can learn spatial skills from video games. But we know that, for young children, there are far richer ways to learn about space and shape, such as by crawling, running, and riding trikes, and by making constructions with a variety of materials. So go “low-tech” for most of your child’s math learning. When your 4 year old is really interested in the computer, you can offer on-screen activities with interesting mathematics. We recommend the Building Blocks software.

MYTH 5: Time spent on math is time taken away from literacy and social-emotional experiences. This is simply not true. In fact, as the previous examples show, good mathematics is about moving, building, talking, and playing — all activities that build important skills in many critical areas. Children count the number of steps they climb going up the stairs, and the number of times they hit a balloon to keep it afloat. When older preschoolers play card and board games, they learn to share and play fair. Time spent on math also contributes to language, literacy, and communication skills. In addition, working with shape, puzzles build “visual literacy” skills that contribute to better writing and even IQ scores later in life.

Mix in a pot….

 

1 cup cornstarch

1/3-cup sugar

4 cups cold water

 

Heat stirring constantly. Once it starts to thicken – remove from heat – it will resemble wall paper paste initially but as it cools, is more like Vaseline. Divide between as many bowls as you have colors (food coloring). Add some food coloring to each bowl and mix. I chose primary colors only.

 

When it has cooled (I couldn’t wait that long), scoop some of 2 or more of your goop into a ziploc bag (or similar – my eco conscience was able to justify using the bags as it’s in the interest of education!).

 

Seal the bag and squish and squeeze to blend the colors – hold bags up to light (window in our case) to see the results in its full coolness.

3/4c water

1/2c cornstarch

1tsp vegetable oil

1c clean dry sand

 

Bring water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add oil and cornstarch – it will foam slightly Stir hard until foam subsides. Put back on (medium) heat for about a minute, stirring constantly until cornstarch thickens and is mostly incorporated. Texture should resemble watery mashed potato. Cool 10 minutes. Using hands mix in sand. Blend well and knead until dough forms. Enjoy! This dough can be baked at 120 degrees for about 1 hour.

You can wash your hands and take your multivitamin every day, but that’s not always enough to keep your body and mind humming. What can make a difference:

 

1. Follow the rule of 3
Staying well means eating well.  Visualize a peace sign on your plate at meals, fill one third with lean protein, the second with a quality carbohydrate, and the third with fruits or veggies (heavy on those dark leafy greens, please!).  Choose at least 2 different types of foods for snacks.

 

2. Give yourself a time-out
Make sure your children are safe, then find a quiet place you can be alone.  Shut the door, and take 3 minutes to yourself.  Breathe!

 

3. Air out the house
Open the windows and let the stuffiness out.  And turn on your kitchen exhaust fan for at least ten minutes every day. It’s an easy way to clear out dust, allergens, chemical buildup from common household cleaners, and even the pollutants we carry in on our clothes and shoes from outdoors.

 

4. Schedule playdates
Kids aren’t the only ones who need to have fun is a motto of sorts for Olinda Reynaud of Richmond, Virginia, mom of Evan and Mallory, 8 and 5. “Once a month, I have a happy-hour date with my girlfriends, and no kids are allowed.”

 

5. Let your mind wander
“When my two kids were young, I used the daily crossword in the paper to unwind,” says Karen Zager, Ph.D., a New York City psychologist. “Focusing on finding the right words helped me let go of the day’s tensions.” Other moms swear by physical activities like knitting or gardening.

 

6. Make workouts sacred
We all know regular exercise helps the heart, bones, and mind stay strong — if you do it often enough.  Of course, you needn’t join a gym. Trade childcare with a neighbor, or jot down your workout slots on the calendar so your husband knows when he’ll be on duty. If you treat workouts as important health appointments, you’re more likely to keep them.

 

7. Go for the green
Don’t underestimate the power of a tree!  Nature is good for you, says Frances Kuo, Ph.D., psychology professor and nature researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “People have a greater sense of well-being the more they are in touch with nature. There’s even evidence that people recover from surgery faster if they have a view of trees instead of something like a brick wall.”

 

8. Get into the groove
Who doesn’t love listening to favorite songs from high school? Turns out it can be good for you, too. “It transports your mind back by triggering the neural patterns that were originally stimulated at the happy event,” says Barbara Reuer, Ph.D., a San Diego music therapist. “This can lower the stress hormones that sometimes make us sick.”

 

9. Just (don’t) do it
When you’ve had it with all your to-do’s, try a do-nothing day — or afternoon. I buy some magazines and rent the kids a DVD, make popcorn, and order in Chinese food or pizza. No laundry, no phone calls, no playdates, and no errands — it’s a mini-vacation!

 

10. Turn errands into exercise
“I always look for an active way to do them,” says Selene Yeager of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and mom of Juniper, age 3. “I put on my backpack and ride my bike with my daughter to the store. Sometimes we drop off library books, pick up milk and bread, even grab a frozen treat; it becomes a fun adventure rather than a tedious round of errands.”

 

11. Get enough shut-eye
There is plenty of evidence to show that sleep deprivation hinders a whole slew of things, including concentration, memory, cognitive function, and immunity.

 

12. Rent a comedy
Funny and uplifting movies can make you feel better — laughing is said to boost serotonin, the feel-good hormone in your brain.

 

13. Jump-start your energy

If you’re yawning at midday, take two minutes to go up and down a flight of stairs. No stairs? Walk around the block or your office building. Such short bursts burn calories, enhance your mental clarity, and help you relax.

 

14. Benefit from blooms
Feeling frazzled? Treat yourself to flowers. Researchers at Kansas State University discovered that flowers actually work as a pain reliever; they think that the bright colors may stimulate our brains to produce serotonin and other good-mood hormones. Flowery fragrances are also thought to chase away the blues.

 

15. Act happy
…even if you have to fake it. “When I’m crabby, I make a point of being nice to someone I don’t know — the supermarket cashier, say — and I always feel better,” says Trudy Miller. Optimists are less likely to die from heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems than pessimists, say Dutch researchers, who speculate that a sunny disposition helps protect the immune system.

 

16. Refocus on food
Don’t think in terms of “bad” food, or depriving yourself. New York City nutritionist Elisa Zied, a mom of two, has a more positive approach: “If I’m thinking about chocolate, I run a mental check on what I haven’t had yet. If it’s fruit, veggies, or something whole grain, I’ll go for that first, and I may still have room for the less nutritious candy.”

 

17. Dump out your purse
You may still have 50 zillion things to do, but less junk to sift through lifts a mental load — and your aching shoulders will thank you.

 

18. Turn your car into a bookmobile
Rebecca Jaffe, a doctor and a mom of two, Joshua, 10, and Rachel, 8, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, listens to books on tape during her daily commute. “It makes my car seem like a retreat,” says Jaffe. She also listens to books on tape with her children as a way of unwinding together.

 

19. Stretch it out
“When my two-year-old daughter is occupied, I grab a few minutes for this move,” says Janice Gates, a yoga instructor in San Anselmo, California:

• Lie on your back with your legs up against a wall, so your body’s in an L shape.
• Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths.
• Try to maintain the pose for 5 to 15 minutes to ease muscle tension and replenish energy.

 

Create a tool for learning about color mixing that can be used over and over to reinforce the concept.

 

Learn what happens when you mix two primary colors.

 

• You will need 16 oz. water bottles (one for each child)

• Water

• Vegetable Oil

• Liquid Watercolor™ in primary colors

 

Have the children fill a water bottle almost half way with water. Add some blue watercolor. In a measuring cup, mix oil and yellow watercolor. Add the oil and yellow water color mixture to the bottle with the blue water in it. Screw on cap and secure with masking tape. Shake the bottle until the solution turns green! The water will settle and the colors will separate back to yellow and blue.

 

Make other colors like purple using blue and red. The children can use this again and again to reinforce the concept of blending colors.