It's All About Family: Activities for Kids

Spend "together time" as a family. Celebrate this very special relationship by using a variety of activities that focus on the family theme. Take this theme into reading, writing, speaking, music, and art.

My Family Quilt

There is nothing cozier than a quilt. They feel like home. Begin this lesson by reading The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy and discuss the importance of family and what family means to each child. Talk about the making of quilts and how you can incorporate family heirlooms and memories inside this stitched piece of art.

Why not try an art project involving quilts? Cut out squares of pastel-colored paper. Invite the kids to draw and color a quilt block for each member of the family including pets. Draw the person and surround the headshot with things they love. Now, if you have an odd number of family members, just have the child create an extra quilt block (or two) with some of his/her favorite things. When all blocks are done, glue them together onto a sheet of poster board. Next, take a black marker and create stitch marks around each quilt block to replicate the real stitching on a quilt – a work of art that has spanned generations.

Family Fun and Laughs

For this themed activity, read the book The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. It’s a fun pairing of words and pictures that capture the energy and love that flows from a family reunion. After reading the story together, take time to share memories of family experiences.

For a project, have the kids think of a specific family gathering.  At the top of the page of paper, write the event in a large circle. Next, branch down to the next level and add all the family members who attended. The third row holds circles for things that happened during the event.  The last row of circles includes thoughts of how the children felt during this family gathering.  This “graphic organizer” project helps kids to express how they feel about their family, the events, and even tips for future family gatherings. This organizer design is almost like an outline for when students are asked to write a story.

CONTINUE READING... (a Bright Hub Education article by Tania Cowling)

Books available on Amazon -- Click to Purchase

The Relatives Came
The Patchwork Quilt

Family is always a good theme to engage children in discussion and activities. Children learn through books and art -- get them involved today. 

Happy Parenting,
Tania  :)

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Getting Ready for 2023 With the Kids: Games to Play

New Year’s Eve has all the fixings for a true children’s celebration—the chance to stay up way past bedtime, toss confetti in the air, sport silly hats, and raise a toast. Whether you want to ring in 2023 with your child at a family party or throw a sleepover bash for all his/her friends, the following games are here for you to consider.

CELEBRATE WITH BUBBLE WRAP—

Tape sheets of bubble wrap (small bubbles and large ones) to a hard floor or driveway.  When the New Year’s countdown concludes have the kids stomp on the bubble wrap to make loud popping sounds.  Sure safer than fireworks!

NEW YEAR FREEZE DANCING—

Give each child a noisemaker horn. Play some peppy music and while the music is playing the kids can blow their horns. When the music stops, the children freeze and yell “Happy New Year.”  This is a fun game—but beware—it can get very LOUD!

THE MOUSE RAN UP THE CLOCK—

This game is based on the “Red Light, Green Light” activity.  One child is the “Grandfather Clock” and stands with his back to the players (mice). He calls out hours at random, and the mice race to take that number of steps before “Grandfather” turns around. Those who fail must return to start. The first mouse to “run up the clock” wins.

HIDE THE CLOCK—

An adult hides a ticking clock. Gather the kids and have them find it.  Another fun way is to set the alarm for 5-7 minutes, if the kids don’t find the clock—the alarm will surely give a loud clue.

FESTIVE BUBBLES—

Set out a pie plate with homemade soap solution. Mix 3 parts water to 1 part “Joy” or “Dawn” dishwashing liquid.  For lots of miniature bubbles, tape together a bunch of plastic drinking straws.  Dip one end in the bubble solution, hold the other end about one inch from your mouth (do not put your lips on the straws) and blow. For the big dipper, twist one end of a pipe cleaner into a large loop, dip it in the soap solution then slowly wave it in the air to create a giant bubble.

PLAY VOLLEY BALLOON—

Batting a balloon back and forth may sound easy, but in this challenge, there’s a catch:  Each contestant must link an arm with his/her partner, leaving just one hand free for the task. Whichever pair is able to volley their balloon the longest wins.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS,

TANIA  :)

Photo courtesy of geralt, CCO Public Domain on Pixabay.com

Sources for games:

Channels to Children by Carol Beckman, Roberta Simmons, and Nancy Thomas, copyright 1982

Family Fun Parties, culminated by Deanna F. Cook, copyright 1999

Piggyback Christmas Songs for Kids -- What Fun!

Christmas is near and Christmas carols are being played on the radio, in programs, stores, and basically all around. Singing with children is such a lovely family tradition, but why not divert away from the traditional carols, maybe just for a little while and sing some fun piggy-back songs sung to traditional children's tunes? Here are a couple of my favorites to try:

Songs Around the Christmas Tree

The traditional Christmas tree fascinates children with all the bulbs and bubbles that adorn its branches. Christmas is magical for children, so these songs make it fun. Sing this first song to the tune of "This Old Man." The title is "Toys on the Christmas Tree" and has several other verses.

This little drum, on the tree,

Santa put it there for me,

With a boom-boom, rat-a-tat,

Rummy-tummy-tum,

Christmas Day is so much fun!

Children love to sing "The Wheels on the Bus", so this time make it a fun Christmas song with these new words.

The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink,

Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink,

The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink,

All Christmas day.

Continue singing all the following verses:

The presents at the house go rattle, rattle, rattle ...

The mom at the house goes bake, bake, bake ...

The dad at the house goes snore, snore, snore ...

The grandma at the house goes hug, hug, hug ...

The grandpa at the house goes kiss, kiss, kiss ...

Since this song is open-ended, think of new verses together to add to this song.

Have fun singing these songs together.

More songs to come!
Happy Parenting,
Tania  :)

(Song authors unknown)

Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com

T is for Toys: What to Know Before Buying Them

8 Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Toys

Each year many children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Even innocent-looking toys such as marbles and balloons can present a hazard to small children. The National Safe Kids Campaign recommends avoiding the following when choosing toys:

·      Toys with small removable parts. Small parts are hazardous and can pose a choking hazard to children under age 3. Use a small-parts tester (which can be purchased at a toy or baby specialty store) to measure the size of the toy or part. If the piece fits entirely inside the tube, then it is considered a choking hazard.

·      Toys with sharp points or edges. Children may unintentionally cut themselves or another person.

·      Toys that produce loud noises. Toy guns, high-volume music players and other loud toys can permanently impair a child’s hearing. Many toys have decibel levels high enough to cause hearing loss.

·      Toy darts and other projectiles. Propelled toys can cause cuts or serious eye injuries.

·      Toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches. Long strings and cord could wrap around a child’s neck and unintentionally strangle him or her.

·      Electrical toys. Electrical toys are a potential burn hazard. Avoid toys with a heating element, including batteries and electrical plugs, for children under age 8.

·      Toys painted with lead paint. Exposure to lead can result in lead poisoning, causing serious damage to a child’s brain, kidneys and nervous system. If the toy is a family heirloom, be sure the paint is safe. In addition, toys manufactured in other countries may also contain lead paint. Lead testing kits are available at hardware and baby supply stores.

·      Toy cap guns. Aside from potentially encouraging violent play, paper roll, strip or ring caps can be ignited by the slightest friction and cause serious burns.

Source with More Information:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/safe_toys.html
https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_risks/toy-safety?


Enjoy your holidays with the kids, but be safe.
Happy Parenting,
Tania :)

Photo courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved

Get Ready for Thanksgiving With Fun Turkey Songs

Turkeys are large birds, both wild and domestic. The Pilgrims hunted wild turkeys for their Thanksgiving feast and this bird has become a tradition in most American families for this holiday. Turkeys walk with a specific waddle that children love to imitate. Invite the children to pretend to be turkeys as they sing these songs.

How many ways can the Hokey Pokey be adapted? Here is a version for Thanksgiving with plenty of movement.

You put your right wing in (the elbow),

You take your right wing out,

You put your right wing in and you shake it all about.

You do the Turkey Pokey and you wobble all around.

That's what it's all about.

Continue singing and playing this game with these verses:

You put your left wing in...

You put your right leg in...

You put your left leg in...

You put your head in...

You put your whole self in...

This open-ended song emphasizes the sounds that turkeys make and young children love to act out the infamous 'gobble' sound. Sing this turkey song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot."

I'm a little turkey,

My name is Ted.

Here are my feathers,

Here is my head.

Gobble, gobble, gobble,

Is what I say,

Quick run...It's Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving Dinner Song

Today this holiday is celebrated with a feast (just like the first Thanksgiving) with family, relatives and friends. Sing this song about what good food might be on the table. Use the tune of "Are You Sleeping/ Frere Jacques."

Turkey dinner, turkey dinner,

Gather round, gather round.

Who will get the drumstick?

Yummy, yummy drumstick.

All sit down, all sit down.

Cornbread muffins,

Chestnut stuffing,

Pudding pie, ten feet high.

We were all much thinner, before we sat for dinner.

Me, oh my, me, oh my!

All children benefit from experiences with music. It enhances learning especially the child's language development. These Thanksgiving songs for children will enlighten the holidays with fun music and energetic movement.

Note About Songs: Authors Unknown

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com --

Thanksgiving, Kaz/1443 and Turkey Cartoon, GraphicMama-team-225; all CCO Public Domain

You have several weeks to teach these cute songs to your children. Music puts us into the happy, holiday mood. Don't you think?

Happy Parenting,

Tania :)

Fun Halloween Crafts for Kids

Get ready, as Halloween is coming on the 31st of October. What a wonderful family holiday; a perfect time for parents and children to spend time together carving pumpkins, designing costumes and planning trick-or-treat activities. Kids can lose themselves in fun without having to worry about normal, proper behavior. They can act out their fantasies, dreams and imaginations, it's OK because it's Halloween. Spend good days together making these fun Halloween crafts for children.

Make a Bat with Hands
Make use of a child's hands to make this fun Halloween bat. Trace each hand onto black poster board, heavy construction paper or fun foam. Then cut out a headpiece with pointed ears. Assemble the pieces with glue or tape. The handprints are the bat's wings. Decorate the head with googly eyes (or paper ones), a pompom nose, and a freaky mouth cut from white paper. Add a yarn or ribbon loop at the top to hang this bat decoration around the house.

Halloween Tic-Tac-Toe
Take the traditional tic-tac-toe game and give it a Halloween flair. Cut a large pumpkin from a sheet of orange poster board. Draw the game grid with a black marker. Cut game markers (in Halloween shapes) from construction paper. Another good tip is to use your computer and find clip art that would serve as markers, you need at least five markers of two different shapes. Preserve your game board and pieces covering them with clear plastic adhesive paper if you wish. Enjoy playing this game with the children and think about how this game can be made for other holidays too.

Photos courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved

Use the month of October to make crafts and decorate the home or classroom. Have fun bonding with your children and give them big hugs!

Tania

N is for Nature Walks

Take children on nature walks to look for bugs. Tell them to observe only and not touch (a child might touch an insect that could sting). Together talk about how some bugs crawl and other fly. Ask the children to pretend to be an insect and move like the bugs they see. Sing songs like “Eensy Weensy Spider” or “Bringing Home A Baby Bumblebee"

At home, plan a "bug hunting exploration" by hiding several plastic toy bugs around the house and invite the children to find them. Another variation is to fill a dishpan with clean sand, hiding the toy bugs inside. Children can catch the toy bugs by using a tweezer or tongs to pull the insects out.

Make a Bug Hotel

In order to observe insects closely, try capturing a few placing them in a well-confined temporary home. With a little “bug hotel”, children can invite friendly insects inside to spend a day or night studying them through its many windows. Youngsters can use poster paint to decorate the outside of an oatmeal container. Paint or draw the windows, then use scissors or a craft knife (adults only) to cut them open.

Placing insect stickers on the container would be fun too. Take a piece of window screening and roll it so it rests snugly around the inside of the container. Trim so the top edge fits beneath the lid and leave a one-inch overlap where the sides meet. Place the lid on top. Glue a hotel sign on the container – let the kids choose the name.

After the insects have been captured, take time together to look at the bugs closely either with the naked eye or use a magnifying glass. Count the legs, wings, antennae and look at the colors and patterns of the insect. Be kind to the guests – provide some nature food and water (a filled plastic water cap) while they are visiting. When observation is over, just unfasten the lid and let the insects fly out.

Photos courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved

Teaching Alphabet Letters to Preschool Children

Welcome to a new school year - whether you're a teacher or parent, these ongoing lesson posts will help you with ideas to foster early learning skills with your children.

When we think of preschool, it's as easy as ABC - well, there is more to learning the alphabet than just singing the ABC song. Here are some ideas to get you started.

When you allow young children to create alphabet letters using different art tools, materials, and techniques, they are more likely to recognize and learn how letters are formed. This article has three alphabet art ideas for your preschoolers. Let the children partake in these crafts where they will learn and become creative as well.

Make Collage Letters

Draw a box-type letter on a piece of cardboard or poster board. Invite the children to spread glue onto the letter and adhere any of the following materials to make a raised textured letter that they can feel. Think about using sand, seashells, crushed egg shells, paper scraps, dried beans or pasta, buttons, seeds, and even spices (so they can smell the letter). These are just a few ideas and I'm sure you can think of others. Sometimes it is best to coordinate the letter and the material used in the collage to make the letter sound. For example, when making a letter B, use buttons or with the letter S, use sand.

Create Letter Characters

Give each child a block letter and colored markers. Invite them to 'dress up' the letter by drawing in facial features, hair, and designs. You can even give the children scraps of fabric for them to dress up the alphabet letter with clothes. Challenge the children to give their letter a name, such as "Billy B" or "Tara" T.

Unique Fingerprints
Do the children know that they have unique fingerprints and that no one else has the same prints? Even though they are young, it's a piece of information well worth mentioning. For this alphabet art craft, have the children stamp thumbprints to create letters. Take a foam produce tray and place a few layers of paper towels inside. The towels act as a stamp pad when tempera paint is poured on top. Have each child put a thumb into the paint tray and stamp out a thumbprint in the shape of a letter. It's best if the teacher lightly draws the letter on paper for the children to follow. Another variation is to fill in a block letter with a number of fingerprints, maybe in different colors too.


Happy teaching and hug your little ones each day,
TANIA

Photo courtesy of Morguefile

August is Amblyopia Month - Kids With Lazy Eye Syndrome

Hello viewers.,

I'm attaching a media press release with medical information that I thought many would be interested in reading. I know many of you are not in Florida, but the information is helpful to all. 

Enjoy your August,

Tania

The Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and the For Eye Care Foundation (FECF) have launched an educational campaign recognizing August 2022 as “Amblyopia Awareness Month”. The goal is to bring awareness about the importance and need for early vision screenings that can detect serious vision problems such as Amblyopia, a vision issue more commonly referred to as “lazy eye”.

Amblyopia is the most common, yet preventable, cause of permanent vision loss in children. In Florida, fewer than 20 percent of preschool children are currently screened for vision problems.

“Early childhood screenings are key to ensuring that no child has to lose their vision due to a detectable and preventable issue, especially as many forms of amblyopia are difficult to detect without a screening,” said Joseph T. Nezgoda, MD, MBA, President of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology. “Our efforts this month echo our mission- to educate parents and guardians on these common eye issues and ensure they are empowered to ask questions, seek help and ensure that the best eye care possible is provided to their children.”

During Florida’s 2022 legislative session, the Florida Senate approved a resolution that would recognize August as “Amblyopia Awareness Month” in Florida. The resolution also seeks to promote statewide preschool vision screenings, with the goal of testing all children between 3 and 5 years of age.

“I am proud to support the education efforts of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the For Eye Care foundation- the health of our children is critical, and we must ensure that Florida’s parents and guardians are educated and informed so they can make the best decision possible for their children,” said Senator Lori Berman, sponsor of resolution.

Early vision screenings are the greatest tool parents have at their disposal. The detection of amblyopia and other vision threatening disorders like retinoblastoma tumors, cataracts, and strabismus in early childhood increases the chances of successful treatment, especially if the disorder is detected before a child reaches 5 years of age. Vision screenings can be done by a child’s pediatrician or ophthalmologist and physicians recommend starting at 12-months, repeating every few years.

To learn more about the FSO’s efforts, visit: mdeye.org/amblyopia

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com 

5 Creative Toys From Household Materials

When the kids shout "I'm bored," suggest these games using household materials and some existing toys for a new slant on play. The children will learn educational skills as well.

Children love to play with games, store-bought or homemade. A manipulative type of game is an object used within a skillful manner. In other words, children can manipulate theses table toys to develop coordination and these same objects encourage thinking skills, visual perception, and problem-solving. Explore some of these innovative ideas and watch your children learn skills by using these homemade games for kids.

Shape Treasure Hunt -- Parents can precut shapes (squares, triangles, rectangles, circles, etc.) from construction paper. In advance, hide the shapes all around the room making sure to have enough so that each of your children can find at least 8-10 shapes. This is a game plus an art activity after the shapes are found. Direct the children to hunt for the shapes hidden. At the end of the hunt, encourage them to share shapes if one child gets more than the others. Sit down at a table and discuss what the kids have found. Ask, "Who can name the shapes?" "Who can name the colors?" "Did you get two or more of the same shape?" Now, let the children try to manipulate the shapes and create a picture or design. With glue, children can paste these into place on paper.

Twin Constructions -- Set out "fit-together" toys such as Legos, Duplo blocks, or any other construction-type toys. Have two children (or you and your child) sit side-by-side and try to construct the same structure. This activity teaches children to pay attention to color, shape, position, and also give them practice in following someone else's lead.

Make a Geo-Board -- Children can create geometric shapes on this grid-like board with the use of large rubber bands. Hammer nails (with adult supervision) in a grid pattern about one-inch apart all over a plywood square. Give the board to the children along with a variety of rubber bands in different sizes and colors. Invite the kids to stretch the rubber bands around the nails to create geometric shapes like squares, triangles, and rectangles. Who can create an octagon?

Paper Match Game -- Collect wallpaper, paint chips, or scrapbook paper samples and make a set of two matching cards. Index cards work well. Glue a large square of the same paper on two cards. After you have made a variety of cards, shuffle the deck and let the children turn over each card and match the pairs. You might want to laminate each card with clear plastic adhesive paper for durability. Kids can practice visual discrimination and attention to detail in this game.

Poker Chip Math Game -- Give the children a box containing red, white, and blue poker chips. Let them sort the chips by color and then count them. Next, make patterns with the poker chips, for example, two red, one blue, two white, one red, two blue, two white and so on. Let the kids copy the pattern with the remaining chips.

Make creative toys and games from household materials. Your children will love these homemade games for kids that will keep them amused for hours and teach them skills along the way.

Source: Personal Experience

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Until next time. Happy Parenting!

Tania