Search results matching tags 'preschool' and 'parenting'

"W" Sitting Alternatives: Needs + Rationale

Anonymous — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:43:00 GMT

What is “W” sitting?

Marianne Gibbs, EdD, OTR/L

Gibbs Consulting, Inc.

“W” sitting occurs when children sit on the floor with their legs bent in the shape of a “W”. Observe your students today and see how they sit on the floor at school and home. Do they sit in the “W” position?

Why do children “W” sit?

Children may develop a habit for “W” sitting as a way to establish increased stability in their bodies when they cannot assume and maintain the criss-cross (tailor) sitting position. Unfortunately, “W” sitting compromises knee and hip joint positioning, inhibits trunk stability needed for sitting, and may impact the development of proficient hand skills.

What should teachers and parents do when a child is a “W” sitter?

Teachers and parents should gently, but firmly discourage “W” sitting. I recommend allowing a variety of sitting positions especially if kiddos are struggling or have pain sitting in the criss-cross position. All of the following positions support healthy joint development and learning.

Recommended Sitting Positions:

1. Long Sit (legs straight out in front of torso)

2. Side Sit (legs bent and tucked to one side)

3. Lying on Tummy (propped up on elbows)

4. Lying on Back (propped up on elbows)

5. Sitting on a small to medium-sized ball with feet connected firmly with the ground is a fun way to sit and gain coordination at the same time.

We should expect young children to move in and out of positions when sitting on the floor - that is natural and the way kids stay alert and learn to manage their bodies in space. Just as one size does NOT fit all, one sitting position will never accommodate the sitting needs of all children. Young children learn best when their bodies are safely and comfortably positioned. When you support a variety of appropriate sitting positions, you are setting all children up for success!

Marianne Gibbs, EdD, OTR/L

Write Out of the Box

Note-from-the-editor: This is very significant insight and often "unknown" by parents. Would you please help pass the word by 'pinning' from this post? Your pin is the most direct way to circulate this information to a wider group. Please share directly with those that you have the opportunity to impact. Thanks for your support of behalf of developing children everywhere. ~~ Debbie

Connecting the "DOTS" School + Home Connection by Dr. Danny

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:30:00 GMT

Connecting the “DOTS”

Hello from the International Reading Association’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. As luck would have it, I am presenting a seminar entitled “The Power of Parents: Building School and Home Connections,” based on a series of kits I have developed. The kits train parents, teachers and administrators how to work together to best meet the needs of each particular child.

As a parent you need to know that your child is important to her teacher. Your child is vital to the success of her teacher’s classroom and the school. Good teachers and administrators recognize how important you are to the development of your child, and they are excited to work with you to help your child. Contrary to what a lot of policymakers and folks in the media will try to have you believe, most public schools are doing a good job. As a matter of fact, their success is severely understated and under-reported, while the extraordinary successes of a few well-funded private and charter schools is heralded (there is plenty of data to show that a public school receiving the same funding as these success stories would achieve the same, or better, results). We can talk about that in a future column.

Let’s talk about you. You are your child’s single greatest teacher, and we educators need you to work with us. Together, we can move mountains.

I understand what you are going through, as I am a proud (and sometimes frustrated) parent of three. I know a lot about education, and even I can find the school system overwhelming. So what can we do together to do what is in the best interest of your child?

We simply need to connect the “DOTS.”

Do Play. The “D” in “DOTS” stands for “Do,” as in “Do Play.” It sounds like common sense, but – as my friend Davy Tyburski likes to say, “common sense is not common practice” nowadays. The role of play is critical in your child’s development. It sounds so easy, and that is why many folks scoff at its importance. Well, standing, walking, talking and eating are all fairly “easy,” yet critical, processes. The benefits of playing with your child are as widespread as a healthy diet, so make sure to “feed” your child’s emotional and psychological development by playing board games, going on outings and spending plenty of silly moments together.

Observe and Model. The “O” in “DOTS” stands for “Observe,” as in “Observe and Model.” Being the father of three children who have all grown up under the same roof, I am constantly amazed by how different my son and two daughters are from one another. All are gifts from God who have their own distinct gifts, and my job – as their father – is to determine their strengths and weaknesses and accommodate them. While my oldest daughter is naturally very motivated, my son can take some prying to do certain things. Meanwhile, my son is one of the kindest souls I have ever seen, while my daughters often fail to empathize with those around them. As parents, we need to observe our children and model for them expected behaviors. As an educator I can confess that before I meet most students’ parents on “Back-to-School” night, I can easily match them with their children, as they behave similarly. Kids who are late to school usually have tardy parents, quiet children often have quiet parents, etc.

Talk About Books. The “T” in “DOTS” stands for “Talk,” as in “Talk About Books” with your child. What can I say? Reading is my passion, and I have gratefully passed along that passion to my children (despite school’s attempts to take it away by requiring meaningless exercises, like book reports). If you want your child to succeed in school and in life, your child needs to be a passionate, efficient reader. Make life easier on your child by giving her the joy of reading. I can guarantee that children who like to read usually turn out to be better readers than their peers who detest it. Why? They choose to do it on their own outside of school, and every extra minute your child spends reading enhances her “reading muscles” the way exercise helps your overall physical fitness.

Support/Reward. The “S” in “DOTS” stands for “Support,” as in “Support/Reward” your child’s reading. By support I mean that you need to follow the interests of your child: if she wants to read nothing but fashion magazines, let her read fashion magazines. If she is fascinated with lemurs, help her get her hands on as many texts about lemurs as you can find (I speak from experience on this one). And when I suggest you should reward your child for reading, I do not mean you should give her pizza and candy for getting through Little House on the Prairie. That just creates a new generation of obese children who think of reading as a chore. Rather, reward your child with frequent trips to libraries and bookstores. Heck, discount stores like Dollar Tree and 99 Cent Store have all kinds of inexpensive books, writing supplies and other items that send the message to your child that reading is a reward in and of itself.

Parenting is not easy. Nobody hands you a manual at the hospital.

You need to understand, though, that you are doing a good job. If you read this column, I know you are a good parent because you are a concerned parent (my theory states that concerned parents = good parents). You want what is best for your child, and by working with your child’s teacher and your school’s administrators, I am confident that together we can move mountains with your child. More importantly, we will make learning fun and meaningful for your child so that she becomes a lifelong learner.

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of 14 books, and he acted as the lead consultant for the Building School-Home Relationships kits (Shell, 2012) that have been enthusiastically adapted in school districts across the country. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, where you can check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover and download other free resources.

How to Connect with Men in Children's Lives

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:00:00 GMT

THE MAGIC OF MALE ROLD MODELS

Great to have you visiting my monthly blog. A big thank you to Debbie Clement for her continued efforts in making this collaborative blog an ongoing reality along with our new resource center, the Early Education Emporium. Finally, a HUGE thank you to the parents of the preschool children and Sandy, the Lead Teacher, at Benson Head Start Center in Benson, Arizona, for giving me permission to use the following images.

This month's article is very simple. It is empowering. It is inspiring. The importance of female role models is known to be life lasting and so important that words simply cannot describe. We also know that having a positive male role model in the lives of our children is also life lasting. This is the story of how a truly inspired and loving teacher, Sandy from Benson Head Start, was able to:

Engage the men in the lives of the children served by her preschool center.
Document the care, love, and guidance of these men.
Empower the men of these children with an honoring display

In this first image, the fact that a preschool center is engaging both child and dad in the early childhood environment is fantastic. To see that the dad understands the importance of social interaction and imagination is jaw-dropping! Way to go Michael!

Having the opportunity this year, and for the two years of working/playing with these children is an honor for me. To see Jesus and his dad creating and playing together, along with dad's comments, lets me know dad sees the importance of play and how it can connect to learning many things, including respect.

Some male role models are grandfathers. Grandpa looks happy. Harmony looks happy. Research shows we learn a lot more when we're happy.

Way to go Grandpa Bob!

The joy on Hau's face is evident as he watches his son Brandon finger paint. This kind of simple interaction speaks to the importance of engaging a young child's energy to create a sense of safety and community. When community is built organically like this, the learner will risk to create more and more. This kind of routine in a child's life is empowering and life changing.

Thank you for taking time with your son Hau!

This particular Head Start center takes the time to plan days for the dads/grandpas to visit and interact. In addition, this center takes the time to beautifully display the images I'm sharing with you. When parents come into this center they feel honored and this impacts their perspective related to their children's early education. These images let the parents know "they matter deeply."

The dad in this image learned what Deagon learned....that a fun school is a productive school. Thanks you Eric for being the definition of a "man" and spending time with your son!

Zak took notice of Maddison's creativity. This is such a huge issue. When adults really take the time to understand what "Child's Play" is, something clicks. When "Play" and "Creativity" is seen as connected to learning, which it is, we as adults tend to look at play with more patience. Congratulations Zak on being a great dad!

The final image also revolves around creativity. Improvisation is a powerful bridge to creativity. Creativity, when combined with Critical Thinking, is a life skill that is necessary for internal and external success. When Cody, says "I learned that Adrian is creative" that speaks volume. Dad is seeing son as a young child who can create and has something to share. This ability to see your own son in an affirming way is truly inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to notice Cody...great job!

A HUGE APPLAUSE FOR THE MEN IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG CHILDREN!!!

Enrique "Hank" Feldman

Founder/Director of Education

Fostering Arts-Mind Education Foundation

Author, Living Like a Child

Holiday Reading Ideas by Dr. Danny Brassell

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Holiday Reading Ideas

You’re getting ready to drive to your relatives’ place for the holidays.

Perhaps friends and family are coming to your place.

Or maybe you’re looking for ways to entertain your children that do not include a screen.

What’s a parent to do to occupy children during their holiday breaks in a fun and meaningful way?

My antidote is “reading.”

A lot of people think reading refers to pulling out a “Classic” written in Middle English about subjects most children (and their parents, for that matter) have little interest in or understanding. Readinghas evolved to become much more, however. This holiday season, why not give your children the gift of reading? There’s lots of ways you can make reading come alive for your child.

Books on Tape. While driving long distances, why not turn off the annoying DVD player in your Toyota Sienna and opt for a book on tape checked out from your local public library (by the way – books on tape have evolved to include CDs)? For many – and especially for children, the beauty of allowing someone else to read aloud a story to you is that it literally allows you to avoid the work and stress of sounding-out unfamiliar words in favor of focusing on the situations portrayed in the story. Technology has allowed a wide range of talented performers to read aloud books. For my money, though, there is none more talented than the actor Jim Dale, who manages to create the voices of over 100 unique characters in his delightful read alouds of the Harry Potter series. Books on tape are also a great way to acquaint children with particular authors, as many choose to narrate their own works.

Play-Up the Classics. While simply saying the term “Classic” can turn most kids off to reading, the holidays provide a safe haven for traditions that I have noticed many children will no only accept but – in some cases – relish. How many of you remember a special person reading aloud ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas? Done properly with the right balance of flair and mischief, any good read aloud can turn even the most reluctant reader to the most ardent supporter. And one of our most important jobs as parents is to create experiences that our children remember fondly for the rest of their lives.

Compare & Contrast. I have never understood folks who deny children the right to watch movie versions of their favorite books. How silly is that? Not only do I allow children (including my own) to watch movie versions of books, I insist on it. Why? How many movies have you ever seen that told a story better than the book? Encourage your children’s critical thinking by reading aloud books with your children, watching movie adaptations together and then discussing the similarities and difference, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of both forms of media. I am willing to bet that in almost all circumstances, your child will prefer the printed version. This is a great way of stimulating children’s interest in why that may be so, that’s why I also encourage parents to…

Gifting Literature. What better way to stimulate your child’s interest in reading than by placing emphasis on it in the form of presents. I can honestly say that some of my most treasured possessions are books with inscriptions from my loved ones. My family loves the annual ritual of watching A Christmas Story on television. It was my interest in this movie that drove me to find the terrific Jean Shepherd book that the movie is based on, In God We Trust…All Others Pay Cash.The book in no way makes me like the movie any less – but I can honestly say that as good as the movie is, the book is better. And for a father like me who never knows what presents to buy, I can purchase the book and the movie!

And that leads me to my most important point.

Keep Reading! Your children have momentum now. Readingshould not just be a school event. We need to keep reading outside of school if we truly want to improve. Many folks have heard of the “summer reading slump,” where many students leave for their summer vacations and fail to read during their entire breaks. This is perhaps the biggest tragedy I see in schools today, and I feel the reason this happens is because schools often assign reading or insist on students creating silly projects to “prove” they read their books. Do your children have to prove they watched a television show or played a video game? Of course not! They enjoy those things.

Reading should be an activity met with as much anticipation as opening presents under the tree. Remember: you are your child’s best role model, so please read in front of and to your children as much as possible. Let’s let our children enjoy reading during this holiday break.

Danny Brassell, Ph.D., is “America’s Leading Reading Ambassador,” helping parents and educators inspire kids to love reading and achieve more. He is the author of eleven books, including his top-selling Secrets for Successful Readers. A father of three and professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills, he is the founder of The Lazy Readers’ Book Club, www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked site for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Watch video tips and learn more from Danny at www.dannybrassell.com, and check out his TEDx-Village Gate talk The Reading Makeover next month.

Happier Holidays with the Brains of Children in Mind!

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

By Deborah McNelis, founder of Brain Insights and author of, The Brain Development Series.

Hopefully it has been a wonderful year for you! Everyone of us either contributing to or following PreK and K Sharing, has been dedicated to making an impact toward happy and healthy children.

It is a pleasure to be a part of this wonderful community, so I share this post with wishes for beautiful holiday enjoying every moment of this caring time!

To help make this time of year more enjoyable, hopefully these tips will contribute to happier brains for the children in your life or are helpful to share with other parents! (Many of these tips do apply to adult brains also!)

Holiday Shopping

The brain likes the right amount of stimulation.The brain doesn't like to be bored and it also doesn't like to be over stimulated.

The brain also loves having fun, it likes using all of the senses, and thrives from physical activity. There also is a psychological need that makes a child seek attention. When a child is given positive attention and fun interaction, it is less likely that negative behaviors will result.

When a child is hungry, tired and not getting stimulated in a way that is fun and interesting it is more likely you will have to deal with acting out behaviors. Your child isn't trying to be "bad", his or her brain is just reacting to what it needs. Young children's brains are also of course not developed to the point of being able to control all of their feelings and impulses yet.

Children need the adults in their life to understand and offer support. Involving your child and interacting in fun ways while shopping will help keep your child's brain stimulated.

Involve your child in choosing gifts so they can experience the

benefits to the brain as a result of giving or donating to others

Name a color. Have your child look for and point out items with

that color as you shop

Have your child look for the first letter in their name printed on

items or signs as you shop

Give your child a suggestion for a way to move differently in

each aisle. For example you could say: "In this aisle walk on

your tip toes." or "This time take 3 steps then hop."

Encourage your child to describe how various items feel

Bring a coupon or photo from a flyer for items you plan to

purchase. Make a searching game. Have your child look for the

pictured item as you go through the aisles.

Holiday Eating

A child can play and learn for a good amount of time after eating a balanced meal. This will boot levels of feel good chemicals in the brain. But, if high sugar content foods and candy are eaten on an empty stomach, without the presence of adequate amounts of protein, this sends blood sugar levels sky-high. Then, 30 minutes later, a drop in the sugar levels can lead to aggression, anxiety, and hyperactive behavior.

Keep water and healthy snacks with you when you are away

from home to keep the brain from getting cravings and turning

to sugary drinks and fast food for meals

Provide meals that include adequate amounts of protein

Eat healthy foods before (or instead of) eating sweets. This will

help keep brain systems balanced and lessen the chance for

mood swings

Put a place mat in the refrigerator with a variety of healthy

foods on it. Let your child know these are food they "get to"

choose from when needing a snack

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Buying Toys for Children

Play is the way the brain learns best. When a child is using several senses, exploring, paying attention, and is trying things out in different ways, brain cells change and the child learns. Children need to participate and experiment… not watch. The brain also needs trial and error and a lot of repetition in fun and interesting ways. All of this is provided through play. It is important to keep this in mind when choosing gifts. Ensure toys do any or all of the following....

Provide an opportunity for direct interaction and manipulation

Give a child a chance to develop something with their hands

Offer a variety of ways for using the toy or object

Encourages dramatic play and pretending

Spark imagination and creativity

Allow the child to repeat or expand a process

Promotes movement and physical play

With good toys in mind, you may also want to get involved and vote for the worst toy for 2012 by Commercial Free Childhood.

The polls close Wednesday, December 5th at midnight so be sure to visit http://commercialfreechildhood.org/TOADY2012 today. And don’t forget to lobby your friends and family to vote for your selection.

Since there is nothing children want more than fun interactions with their parents .... Brain Insights Activity Packets make very loving gifts!

Enjoy every moment of the season with your healthy brains!!

Happy Holidays!!

Holiday Celebrations, Crafts + Diversity

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

DECEMBER FIRST!!

December's Here!

December ideas!

December celebrations.
December projects.

As soon as the turkey left-overs are finished,

the December dash is declared.

So much to do. So many decisions.

To-elf or not-to-elf:

that is the question!

Go here to see what Crystal did in her room last year.

Are you putting on a holiday program?

Family performance?

Did you see Miss Carole's bell ringing article last year?

Choosing a simple and child-friendly song that's DAP makes for delight over stress.

Are you searching Pinterest for a simple card keepsake memento?

Now's the time to click back to Carie's article from last year.

It's FILLED with ideas including this classic.

How about a gift idea?

Last year, Joanna's peppermint play-doh recipe

was our first pinterest explosion when our blog was just getting launched.

Just as classic this year as last.

Click here to see how Ayn tied in celebrations of many cultures into study for her students.

Creative Learning Fun

has oodles of Hanukkah ideas and inspiration.

Here's the link to a cluster of resources.

-----------------------------------------------------

You also need to pop over to fellow blogger,

"The Pleasantest Thing"

to receive the directions and tutorial on this next child-friendly craft.

Special thanks to Lindsay all the way around the world at Activity Village for her permission and support to encourage the inclusion of this Kwanzaa Kinara. She spells out the exact method used to create this keepsake on her blog in this article.

May you have a wonderful December and appreciate all that your heritage and culture have to appreciate.

-- Debbie --

Letter of Encouragement for Diversity in ECE

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:27:00 GMT

Hi Deb Dearest and My Family of Friends Who Love and Care for Our Children,

In early November, Columbus, Ohio, celebrated our annual International Festival. Our huge Vets' Memorial center was colorful with booths of many cultures, crafts, clothes, delicious smelling food , activities for children and continuous performances in music and dance representing the diversity of communities living in central Ohio. As always, my eyes were on the children!

Many many young children were dressed in the clothing of their family's backgrounds. Bright reds and golds, tunics and saris, headbands and fishermen's caps, ribbons, lace and leathers, the children brightened every moment of the festival. For the first time in years, young children were part of the performances, singing and dancing their rich traditions . They brought down the house!

Through the festival days (I am always a performer, volunteer, MC, whatever they want me to do) beneath the sights and sounds of the festivities, an old familiar song kept flowing through my mind."You've got to be taught before it's too late, before you are six or seven or eight, to hate everybody your relatives hate, you've got to be carefully taught..." (from South Pacific.)

Here, at this wonderful event that brought together people from the many subcultures enriching our city, that song took on greater meaning. The beauty of all the children, all the races, languages, clothing, food, crafts, songs and dances was contagious!

We needed to remember the powerful gifts each culture offers. We need to hear people speaking in the language of their homelands. We need to taste their food and appreciate their style of dress, listen to their songs (even though we may not understand the words , we feel the messages). Our children need to know that the world is made up of many kinds of peoples but we are all part of one incredible family- the human family.

Not all communities in our country are as lucky as Columbus,Ohio, to offer such multicultural experiences. That makes the challenge of helping our children learn about and love the wonders of the diverse citizens of our planet even greater. We need to start with ourselves --examine our own attitudes, honestly explore our own convictions.

"Before I teach others, I must teach myself." (Sylva Ashton-Warner) Our communication (verbal and non verbal) our behavior, our beliefs are demonstrated in everything we say and do. We can create communities of learning for our children where they learn to love and respect themselves, each other and others they meet in this ever widening world. That is our hope! That is our journey!

Enjoy the adventure! Peace and Love, Mimi

Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld, consultant, teacher, author-
Her books"
Teaching By Heart, Celebrating Young Children and Their Teachers
are available directly from Mimi.
Her text, Creative Experiences For Young Children is available by ordering from Heinemann

FEasT on Books as a Family by Dr. Danny Brassel

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:00:00 GMT

As the holidays beckon, many parents will find plenty of extra time with their children at home. Why not make it quality time and cuddle up behind a bunch of great books? My children and I try to “FEasT” on three a day.

Alright – I’m no fan of teaching acronyms either. Still, I am a huge proponent of simple mnemonic devices constructed to make my life easier. The “FEasT” acronym stands for the types of books I’d like you to read every day during the holidays with your children: a “F”avorite book, an “Eas”y book and a “T”ough book.

Favorite book. Remember what your favorite book was as a child? Maybe you marveled at the mischief of Curious George or yearned for your grandfather’s reassuring read alouds of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Perhaps you loved it when your mother sat you are on her lap in the family rocking chair and rocked away as you both enjoyed Robert Munsch’s Love You, Forever. All of us had favorite books as children, and I like to encourage parents to especially read these books to their children. You may not know this, but you read these books a little bit differently, and your children will pick up on that.

Additionally, when your children show preference to a particular book, you want to read those books constantly. If your children insist on you reading a chapter from a Harry Potter book, by all means – read that chapter. Have children who delight in the silliness of Captain Underpants? Read away! Almost all parents I have ever met can share a story of a book that annoys them to no end because their children insisted on them reading that book aloud 875 times. Sound familiar? You need to understand that your child is memorizing that book. This is a great confidence booster that will attract your children to read more. That is why easy books are so vital…

Easy book. This is a book that you read again and again with your children. I have three children: Kate (a third grader), Sean (a first grader) and Samantha (a preschooler…and a handful!). While Kate and Sean may act cool in front of their baby sister, it never ceases to amaze me how transfixed they will become as Samantha enjoys Sesame Street on television or brings me her favorite Humpty Dumpty-shaped treasury of nursery rhymes for me to read to her. Easy books build confident readers. Even though Kate is a pretty good reader in her own right – reading plenty of chapter books about Judy Moody and Magic Treehouse sleuths Jack and Annie – she still delights in any of our endless collection of titles featuring The Berenstain Bears and Arthur. And Sean marvels almost as much as me at the true genius of Dr. Seuss, who manages to always include meaningful messages embedded in rhyming confidence-builders designed to interest anyone in reading by making all audiences view themselves as bonafide readers.

Tough book. When I work with teachers, I usually point out that this is the greatest failure I most frequently see in schools. I bet just about every first grader in America saw the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, and I bet you all of those first graders understand the movie. I also bet that most of those first graders would not be able to read the script. Our listening comprehension significantly outpaces our reading comprehension at a young age. Thus, parent read alouds are vital.

While I love that schools across the country celebrate Dr. Seuss Day every March, I am incessantly annoyed to see so many adult volunteers go to classrooms to read aloud Dr. Seuss books. Have you ever noticed that in the upper right-hand corner of many Dr. Seuss books there is a Cat in the Hat with the slogan “I Can Read It All By Myself” arched around it? That statement is meant as a reaffirming message for children, not adults. Kids can read Dr. Seuss books! They cannot read more complicated, “wordier” texts. So why not pick out more challenging texts with topics that will intrigue your child? My father was a history major in college, and he passed down his passion for history to me by reading me stories about explorers, our Founding Fathers, astronauts and an array of other figures. Parents have a responsibility to pass along this wisdom.

So, the children have vacation from school. Mom and Dad have extra time off from work. The malls are packed, the freeways are parking lots and nothing decent seems to be on any of your 357 television channels. Why not spend this holiday season by visiting your local library, bookstore or even your personal home collection of books? Wouldn't it be great if more folks would choose to pig out on something that will boost their children’s intellect rather than their waistlines? “FEasT” on three books a day with your children during the holidays, and you can inspire your family to become a household of readers.

Halloween Book Reading, Craft and Feelings Google+ Video

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:15:00 GMT

Autographed copies from Nancy Robinson Masters

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Halloween can be an exciting time for children—or it may be a bit scary. Picture books provide an excellent opportunity to help children express their emotions. Encourage children to identify their feelings through the use of books, crafts, art, and by expressing your own emotions. This will enable children to better cope with various situations, or when things don’t go as expected, or when they need comfort.

Help children know that all emotions are okay, but it is how we handle our emotions that can be good or bad. You always want children to know that you love them; it is the behavior that may not be appropriate. Reward good behavior and help children know how they can discuss any feeling with you.

There are many picture books that can help describe feelings. I have chosen The Horrible Handmade Halloween Costume as an example reading it on the video below. My guest is Vivian Kirkfield, the author of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Vivian follows the reading with an easy craft to help your child express feelings. You can visit Vivian at Positive Parenting Participation.
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I am honored to read The Horrible Homemade Halloween Costume. Nancy Robinson Masters has written over 40 books and is the Recipient of the Scottish Rite Masons’ Stephen F. Austin Distinguished Service Award - the only woman to receive this prestigious award.

Autographed, New edition, 32-Page Full Color, Hardcover with dust jacket copies of The Horrible Handmade Halloween Costume are available for only $13.95 by clicking Nancy Robinson Masters - then visit her Books page.

Other Helpful links:

50+ No Sew Halloween Costumes

Honey Bee Wheelchair Costume

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} For a glimpse into Kindergarten, please see my book. Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Mommy with Selective Memory and I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both have been number 1 bestsellers on Amazon.

I love reading your comments.
Please feel free to add additional resources.

Fall: Pumpkin Patch, Scarecrow + Fire Station

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 20:26:00 GMT

{Note from the editor. We're having a few challenges in blog-land. MaryJo has a gazillion ideas to share, but the photos are having an issue being uploaded. They are well worth your returning to see them and will be inserted at our earliest convenience. In the mean time: use your IMAGINATIONS!}

Fall Leaves Begin to Herald Season's Change

The beauty of our world is peeking through my windows. The leaves are so many different colors, the fall flowers are in full bloom and the air is crisp. This is a favorite time of the year as I drive back roads from Southern Indiana to Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Indianapolis and down to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I pack my orange suitcases, grab the puppets and away we go. Children are so receptive to learning about the changes, the seasons and different types of songs, finger plays and food.

One of the best ways to get parents involved with the children is to create books that travel from school to home and back again. These books are kept in the classroom so children can read and reread during the year and reference what time of the year the book was made.The pumpkin pattern is from Jonesborough, Arkansas. It laminated with 5 mil. Laminate and attached with a metal ring. The holes on the white pages are reinforced with circle reinforcements.

The children visited the local pumpkin patch and took their own pumpkin home after designing a face on the pumpkin.

PARENT DIRECTIONS: Share your favorite pumpkin picking adventures. Your child will illustrate and dictate and return the book the following day.

Pickin’ Pumpkins in the Pumpkin Patch is a song by Jim Coffey and can be found on the CD Peeper Pizzaazzz along with the story of the Orange Ghost on Storytelling for Kids.

A visit to the local fire department is always a highlight for children and attending parents. After the trip this book was sent home so the children could dictate their favorite thing at the fire station. If you cannot visit the fire station call your local volunteers and ask if someone can bring the fire truck to your school or center.

Take It To Your Seat activities are designed by Evan Moor a great publishing company. The pictures are in color and all you need to do is cut them out and attach to a bag. The best idea is to purchase or ask for donations of bags and attach the SCARECROW to the outside with Velcro.

The directions are attached to the back with Velcro also. This way when the bag is worn all you have to do is replace the bag.

Inside the bag are the interactive TAKE-IT-TO-YOUR-SEAT activities. This idea was used the entire year and was set up as a center. When the children understood the directions it became a favorite center and they always anticipated the changes in the bags. The items attached to the bags were laminated with 5 mil. Laminate as were the activity cards.

Two of my favorite books to read along with others listed on my website.
Yes I read!!! Someone asked me if I always told stories and I said “Of Course I do!” then I realized that they were referring to reading to children. I read all the time as tI still do with my grandchildren but when a good story begs to be told and retold I am on it right away.

I will insert a few pages from a parent/child, class book. These ideas worked to connect our families and to get the children ready to become the best readers.

Each child had a page in the book and as you can see some parents spent lots of time and others just had a cup of coffee. No matter what the seeds were planted for parent involvement. This book was recopied and each child took a book home. We did this several times during the year. Budget restraints kept us from sending home a copy of every book.

Enjoy a healthy food activity to accompany this time of the year.

INGREDIENTS: Volunteers to help so each child can create their own edible pumpkin.

Raisins
Cheez Wiz
English Muffins
Spreading knife
Toaster

DIRECTIONS: Invite the children to choose a toasted English muffin half. Place the muffin on a paper plate and direct the children as to spreading the Cheez Wiz on the muffin. Tell them to cover the top of the muffin. After they are finished spreading the cheese on the muffin tell them to use the raisins to make a face on the muffin. They can then eat the muffin for their snack.

Each year at this time we talked about and explored spiders and how they spin a web. The following picture is of a paint reverse. Be generous with Elmer’s Glue to make the pattern of a spider web and paint it white and place a piece of black paper over the painted web, and rub it with your hand. The children spend many minutes rubbing the paper because they can feel the web under the paper. Pull the paper off and hang to dry. Children are always amazed at this process and it can be repeated throughout the year with different shapes.

This web is black and was reversed on orange paper.

Have a great rest of the month and keep the children’s minds wondering what you will come up with next. Some call this intentional teaching (a new buzz word) but at our center we have always taught with the intention of the children learning while having fun.

Check out my web site at www.storytellin.com to find the CDs with music and stories, and sign up for my newsletter.

Mary Jo Huff, Author, Storyteller, Puppeteer and Song Writer.