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Childreach and Investing In Children are bringing Judy Arnall, Speaker, Trainer and Canadian Bestselling Author to London on Friday, June 3, 2011 During the day, she will present an innovative workshop “Helping Parents Raise the Digital Generation” for professionals who work with families, and on the evening of Thursday, June 2 she will be speaking to parents.
Contact Jane Powers at jpowers@childreach.on.ca for more information.
My littlest was beading a mountain of friendship pins this week, and she had strung all the decorated safety pins on a long purple string. I noted that when I was little, my friends and I would put them on our shoelaces. She gave me the strangest look.
But what was stranger than her look was that it dawned on me that I had completely forgotten to teach my child how to tie her own shoelaces! Oh, the guilt. Thankfully, my resilience skills are up to par, and rather than dwell on the fact that I had potentially failed as a mother, I thought about how we were going to solve this issue.
During this time of reflection, I reassured myself that although she could not tie shoelaces, she could knit a scarf. It’s definitely not a lack of fine motor skills holding her back. However, apparently knitting is higher up on my parenting priorities than tying shoelaces. To be honest, I also thought about going against all the ‘rules’ and seeing how far in life she could go without ever learning how to tie shoelaces, and the non-conformist in me was inspired. Who says she needs to wear shoes with laces? The only problem with this option was that I think she would look super cute in hightop sneakers.
The irony of all of this is I’ve done this before – the whole teaching a kid how to tie her shoelaces. I seriously can not remember how I did it. It’s been almost ten years!
I asked the littlest if she wanted to sit down and learn how to tie shoelaces, and she simply said, “Nope.” With 15 years of parenting behind me, I’ve learned to pick my battles very carefully which really means, I don’t pick many battles at all anymore. They’re right when they say your parenting relaxes with subsequent children. I respect that she doesn’t want to learn how to tie her shoelaces. That’s cool. And I’m cool.
In the meantime, she’ll wear slip-on shoes and shoes with velcro and buckles a little bit longer. She’s down with that, so I am too. One day she will want to learn, and when she does, I have some handy reference links up my sleeve!
A to Z Kids Stuff | Tying Shoes
youtube videos galore
Tying shoes step by step
Until then, I’ll keep my eyes open for the pair of shoes that will inspire her to learn and keep my shoe-lacing skills sharp. :)
Written by Nadine Reeves, Administrative Assistant
* Appropriate for ages 3 and up
Objectives
- to learn about the benefits of toads and frogs in our garden
- to encourage their occupancy in our garden
Materials
- clay pots (preferably broken in half)
- live toads to look at or pictures of them
- clay soil and grass clippings to make adobe houses
Part One:
Read a book about toads to the children (see list of books below for ideas), discuss their needs, likes and dislikes.
Part Two:
Go on a toad-seeking expedition in the garden, or show children some toads you found previously. Children can hold the toads if they want, making sure they are gentle. Talk about what toads are doing in the garden. Ask how they think we can make sure the toads stay in the garden. Introduce the idea of making the toads a home.
Part Three:
Have fun making the toad houses with the children. Have them help you place the houses in the garden, creating a nice shady shelter for the toads. Place a source of water near the house for the toads. A shallow container can be buried and filled up with water to make a shallow pond. Check it often throughout the summer, changing the water at least weekly so mosquitos don’t take up residence.
Questions to Ask:
- How are toads different from frogs? Toads generally have dry, bumpy skin and live on land, while frogs have moist, smooth skin and live in or near water. Toads have stubby bodies with short hind legs. They walk rather than hop. Frogs are skinny and have long legs. They have strong, webbed hind feet for leaping and swimming.
- Do toads croak? Yes, both toads and frogs have distinctive songs. That’s how they call the females.
Resources:
- Frogs and Toads by Bobbie Kalman and Tammy Everts, Crabtree Publishing Co. 1994
- From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer and Holly Keller, Harper Collins Pub. 1994
- For a children’s website on frogs (including pictures and sounds), visit http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/living-green/living-green-citizen/for-kids/frogs-for-kids.html ; for answers to frog questions, visit http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/faq1.html#life
- Frogland – http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtml
It is Safe Kids Week – May 31 to June 5!
Head injuries are the leading cause of serious injury and death to kids on wheels. This year’s theme is “Got Wheels? Get a Helmet!” This is an opportunity to bring attention to the importance of wearing a helmet and the prevention of injuries sustained by “kids on wheels” (bicycles, scooters, in-line skates and skateboards). Activities with wheels are fun and a good way to get exercise but it is important to stay safe so that kids can stay active. A helmet could save a child’s life. Be sure they wear a helmet every time they ride. Remember, YOU are your child’s best role model. Everyone should wear a helmet when they ride or skate.
To learn more about helmet safety, visit www.safekidscanada.ca
Make sure your child(ren) is able to blow. You can practise by blowing materials such as cotton, small pieces of paper, cellophane, and dry pasta such as macaroni. Practise both blowing orally and with the aid of a straw.
When you are ready to blow bubbles, warn your child(ren) that the floor and area around them may become slippery. Use low transparent plastic containers for your bubble solution. Using low tables, blocks or boxes will allow the bubble solution to be at your child(ren)’s height.
Questions to Ask to Assist Learning
Can you watch the bubble and see where it lands?
What do you think would happen to the bubble if it touches the grass?
How long do you think the bubble can fly before it pops?
How many bubbles can you blow at once?
Were your bubbles the same size?
Were some bubbles big and some bubbles small?
What shape is your bubble when it leaves the wand?
Does your bubble stay this shape forever?
How many colours does your bubble have in it?
How do bubbles travel?
How does moisture affect your bubbles?
Can you blow bubbles with a bent straw?
If you point the straw up, which way do your bubbles go?
Can you make bigger bubbles with many straws together?
What will happen if you stop blowing?
What do you think will happen if you put a sharp pointed object into your bubble?
Can you make a pile of bubbles?
Can you touch a bubble without breaking it?
Who can make the most bubbles in one dip?
Create a bubble and see how long two people can keep it in the air by gently blowing it.
Determine the difference in the size and number of the bubbles by movement of the wand. (moving it slowly, quickly, up, down, sideways)
Here are some of the many advantages to belonging to our toy library.
- Your child has a variety of toys from which to choose as their interests and skill levels change.
- You can borrow toys that are no longer available in stores.
- You help the envirnoment by not adding more toys to the junk yard.
- You save money purchasing fewer toys
- You and your child(ren) can test a toy before buying.
- Your child learns to take care of toys and take responsibility for them.
- Your child learns to make decisions.
- You can learn what toys interest and challenge your child.
- You can ask a qualified toy librarian for advice on choosing toys that match your child’s skill development.
For more information about our toy library, please visit our website!
Get a jump on your garden this year, involve your children, and try the following planting activities. Children seem to possess an innate desire to watch things grow. Remember to include them in all stages of gardening. Seedlings can be started indoors in early to mid-May and later transplanted outside. You may even want to give your children their own area of the garden to tend. If space is limited, try a large pot or window box. Experiment, make predictions and follow up. Try charting plant growth. Have children guess when sprouts appear and watch to see how accurate their judgement is. Older children can make and record on their own charts. Now get busy, dig out your garden tools and start planting!
Greenhouse Tumblers
Place a wet paper towel around the inside of a clear plastic cup. Slip seeds between the cup and the paper towel. Invert a second cup on top on top of the first cup and tape together. Place in a warm, sunny location. Watch for growth. Various types of seeds can be used. Try beans, sunflowers, and pumpkins. Try one of each seed, and compare the rates of growth, shapes and sizes. Note that the roots appear first, followed by stems and leaves. Also note the direction of growth.
Sponge Gardens
Fill a small pan or Styrofoam meat tray with water. Place a sponge in the pan and sprinkle with seeds. Grass seeds or alfalfa sprouts give quick ‘no-fail’ results. Place in a warm, sunny location and keep moist. Sponges can be cut in various shapes; for example, cut shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day or try hairy caterpillars.
Egg Shell Plants
Save your broken egg shells, wash out, and use as a planter to start your flower or vegetable plants. Place an egg shell in each compartment of an egg carton. Fill with soil and plant a few seeds in each egg shell. Water and keep in a warm, sunny location. For a greenhouse effect, use half an egg carton and place in a large Ziploc bag. As plants grow, thin to one plant per shell. When plants are ready to transplant outdoors, simply crush the shell and place in the ground. (The egg shell acts as a natural fertilizer for the soil.) Marigolds and zinnias are recommended for children because they grow easily and will not be disappointing for the young gardener.
Help your child get ahead at home with these tips to help teach time:
· Model time-related vocabulary, such as ‘minutes’ or ‘o’clock’
· Sing songs about time, such as ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’, and make up rhymes to help your child remember ways of telling the time
· Make a clock with your child and decorate it with images of things which happen at particular times
· Use toy clocks with moveable hands and play time games with your child
· Try using sand-timers and sun-dials to show your child other time-keeping devices
· Ask them time-related questions involving reading the clock and estimating. This will keep them thinking about time
· Try giving them a watch to wear; it will familiarize them with the clock face and encourage independent learning.
We’ve gone a step further and created two kits that our members can borrow to help teach your children to tell time – “Clockworks” for your preschoolers and “Telling Time” for your school-aged children.
Interested in our Lending Resources membership? Click here to find out more.
This well-known children’s entertainer from Vancouver has performed to sold-out crowds of young children for the past 13 years!
She is returning on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 to perform two concerts at Forest City Community Church. Group tickets (15 or more seats) are available at the early bird price of $7 each and may be booked at any time by calling Jane at 519-434-3644, Ext. 36. Individual tickets will be available in March.
The first concert is at 9:15 a.m. and is specifically for preschoolers. The second concert is at 11 a.m. and is trilingual – English, French and a little Spanish too! There will also be a workshop for teachers/parents/caregivers in the evening of Wednesday, April 22. Click here to go directly to Charlotte Diamond’s website.
The 5th Annual Home Child Care Conference “Commitment to Caring” is a full-day conference to rejuvenate caregivers by offering workshops, networking and vendor shopping opportunities. Choice of workshops, continental breakfast and lunch are all included with conference registration.
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Place: Fanshawe College, M Building, London, Ontario
Registration Fee: $50 before April 4, $60 by April 14 deadline.
Call Sheri at Childreach, 519-434-3644 ext 39 for more information and/or to register. For a full brochure, click here.
