Here are some things I've bumped into lately that you might find interesting.
During the last economic down turn, I was selling Discovery Toys, my kids were preschool age and there was a big surge in family games and holding a family games night. Well there is a new kid on the block and family game nights are being reinstituted all across the country. Check out SimplyFun. I bought Farkel and Grabbage for our family fun night. "Liebrary" and "Kahootz" are look fun too and I have them on my wish list for combating cabin fever this winter! Check out the puppets too! Another thought: be prepared for a baby boom or boomlet in the next 9-12 months. Usually another outcome of an economic downturn!! Good for us in child related businesses.
The following activities are excerpted from Jump into Math: Active Learning for Preschool Children by Rae Pica (Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, 2008).
For babies:
Making Tummy Time Fun Time
What do you do with a baby who simply doesn’t enjoy being on the tummy?
First, it’s important to acclimate an infant to this position as early in life as possible. Right from the start, following a nap or diaper change, two to three times a day, you should place him on his tummy for a brief play period. You can gradually increase the length of these periods as the baby becomes used to them. Also, whenever possible, lie on your back and place the baby facedown on your chest. This not only helps him adapt to this position; it will also give him a reason to lift his head: to look at you!
But even if tummy time didn't begin the day she came home from the hospital, it’s not too late to start! Following are some suggestions for making tummy time a fun time.
Get “down and dirty” with baby. Lie side by side with the baby and have a “conversation!” Coo and sing and make funny sounds. There’s no one else’s voice he’d rather hear. When the baby is ready to start lifting his head, you can also lie head-to-head with him. He’ll eventually lift his head and push up on his arms because he wants to look at you. You can make it worth his effort by making his favorite funny faces!
Tempt her with a toy. Place a favorite toy or stuffed animal just out of baby’s reach and encourage her to get it! Mirrors and rattles work well, too.
Circle the wagons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing toys in a circle around the baby. Reaching in different directions helps develop the muscles needed to roll over, scoot, and crawl.
Give him a lift. If all else fails and the baby still fusses while facedown, place a pillow or a “boppy” under his chest, with his arms in front of him. Or lay him across your lap, raising one of your legs to create a slight incline. This will make it easier for him to see what’s going on around him and should stop the fussing. Then, as he develops upper body strength, he’ll no longer need the lift.
Remember: The policy is “Back to Sleep. Tummy to Play!”
Making Tummy Time Fun Time
What do you do with a baby who simply doesn’t enjoy being on the tummy?
First, it’s important to acclimate an infant to this position as early in life as possible. Right from the start, following a nap or diaper change, two to three times a day, you should place him on his tummy for a brief play period. You can gradually increase the length of these periods as the baby becomes used to them. Also, whenever possible, lie on your back and place the baby facedown on your chest. This not only helps him adapt to this position; it will also give him a reason to lift his head: to look at you!
But even if tummy time didn't begin the day she came home from the hospital, it’s not too late to start! Following are some suggestions for making tummy time a fun time.
Get “down and dirty” with baby. Lie side by side with the baby and have a “conversation!” Coo and sing and make funny sounds. There’s no one else’s voice he’d rather hear. When the baby is ready to start lifting his head, you can also lie head-to-head with him. He’ll eventually lift his head and push up on his arms because he wants to look at you. You can make it worth his effort by making his favorite funny faces!
Tempt her with a toy. Place a favorite toy or stuffed animal just out of baby’s reach and encourage her to get it! Mirrors and rattles work well, too.
Circle the wagons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing toys in a circle around the baby. Reaching in different directions helps develop the muscles needed to roll over, scoot, and crawl.
Give him a lift. If all else fails and the baby still fusses while facedown, place a pillow or a “boppy” under his chest, with his arms in front of him. Or lay him across your lap, raising one of your legs to create a slight incline. This will make it easier for him to see what’s going on around him and should stop the fussing. Then, as he develops upper body strength, he’ll no longer need the lift.
Remember: The policy is “Back to Sleep. Tummy to Play!”
ForAll Ages:
Relax!
Being Balloons. Breath control plays an important role in relaxation. When we inhale slowly and then exhale twice as slowly, we decrease the supply of carbon dioxide in the blood, thus slowing down the activity of the nerves and brain. To promote deep breathing with children, ask them to pretend to be a balloon, slowly inflating (by inhaling through the nose) and deflating (by exhaling through the mouth). You'll likely need to demonstrate this yourself first.
Statues & Rag Dolls. The ability to intentionally control muscular tension is also critical to relaxation. Adults do this by alternately contracting and releasing their muscles. However, because young children won't understand the terms contract and release, you can play a game called Statues & Rag Dolls. Before you being, talk with the children about the differences between statues and rag dolls. Then alternately invite them to pretend to be a statue and then a rag doll. This, as you can imagine, requires them to alternately contract and release the muscles. (Always end with the rag doll!)
Melting. Melting is a wonderful -- and fun -- slow-motion activity. Talk about the melting of ice cream cones, snow sculptures, or ice cubes. Then ask the children to pretend to be one of these things and to show you just how slowly they can melt.
Finding Creatures in the Clouds. This can only be a relaxation exercise if it doesn't become an assignment! If you send little ones outside to find creatures in the clouds, simply make it a suggestion and, perhaps, provide a blanket for them to lie on. If you join them in the activity, resist the temptation to turn it into a contest to see who can find the most creatures. Instead, lie beside them and quietly describe what you're seeing. And if nobody discovers any creatures, it's okay to just lie there looking.
Relax!
Being Balloons. Breath control plays an important role in relaxation. When we inhale slowly and then exhale twice as slowly, we decrease the supply of carbon dioxide in the blood, thus slowing down the activity of the nerves and brain. To promote deep breathing with children, ask them to pretend to be a balloon, slowly inflating (by inhaling through the nose) and deflating (by exhaling through the mouth). You'll likely need to demonstrate this yourself first.
Statues & Rag Dolls. The ability to intentionally control muscular tension is also critical to relaxation. Adults do this by alternately contracting and releasing their muscles. However, because young children won't understand the terms contract and release, you can play a game called Statues & Rag Dolls. Before you being, talk with the children about the differences between statues and rag dolls. Then alternately invite them to pretend to be a statue and then a rag doll. This, as you can imagine, requires them to alternately contract and release the muscles. (Always end with the rag doll!)
Melting. Melting is a wonderful -- and fun -- slow-motion activity. Talk about the melting of ice cream cones, snow sculptures, or ice cubes. Then ask the children to pretend to be one of these things and to show you just how slowly they can melt.
Finding Creatures in the Clouds. This can only be a relaxation exercise if it doesn't become an assignment! If you send little ones outside to find creatures in the clouds, simply make it a suggestion and, perhaps, provide a blanket for them to lie on. If you join them in the activity, resist the temptation to turn it into a contest to see who can find the most creatures. Instead, lie beside them and quietly describe what you're seeing. And if nobody discovers any creatures, it's okay to just lie there looking.
Just in time for Christmas Break:
Ideas for Counteracting Boredom
Initially, a child who hasn’t had enough practice in self-sufficiency is going to need help generating ideas of things to do. When that happens, you can offer her choices, but keep it to a minimum of two or three so she doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the decision making. Point out that she has a new book waiting to be read. Offer to get her set up for finger painting. Or ask if she would like to help with something you need to get done – making cookies or raking the leaves, for instance. If none of these choices appeal to her, stay your course. If you assure her that you have every confidence she can find something to do, she may be initially stumped, but because she’ll want to validate your belief in her, she’ll find something.
Boston Globe parenting columnist Barbara Meltz suggests that a parent sit down with a child to brainstorm a list of activities the child enjoys. If you write them on slips of paper and put them in a jar, the next time he’s bored he’ll have plenty of ideas to choose from. And having helped create the list, he’ll take pride in it and feel empowered.
Boredom in the family car is too often cured with DVD players – an item I’d happily ban if I had my way! They promote the idea that being electronically entertained is more important than families talking to one another, and more important than taking in the surroundings, no matter how beautiful they may be. The next time you’re on the road with your family or child, fill as much time as you can with conversation. When that runs its course, play a game of I Spy (for example, “I spy something that begins with the letter f,” for field or flowers). Whoever guesses what the other person has in mind gets to start the next round. Not only does this draw attention to what’s outside the vehicle’s windows, but it also reinforces letter awareness. To promote color recognition and appreciation, challenge passengers to see how many green, red, blue, or yellow things they can find. And when the conversation and games run out, don’t be afraid of a little quiet time. It’ll give your child a chance to think or simply rest.
An age-old favorite for counteracting boredom in the outdoors is to find creatures in the clouds. But don’t make it an assignment! If you send your little one outside to find creatures in the clouds, simply make it a suggestion and, perhaps, provide a blanket for her to lie on. If you join her in the activity, resist the temptation to turn it into a contest to see who can find the most creatures. Instead, lie beside her and quietly describe what you’re seeing. And if neither of you discovers any creatures, it’s okay to just lie there looking.
Initially, a child who hasn’t had enough practice in self-sufficiency is going to need help generating ideas of things to do. When that happens, you can offer her choices, but keep it to a minimum of two or three so she doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the decision making. Point out that she has a new book waiting to be read. Offer to get her set up for finger painting. Or ask if she would like to help with something you need to get done – making cookies or raking the leaves, for instance. If none of these choices appeal to her, stay your course. If you assure her that you have every confidence she can find something to do, she may be initially stumped, but because she’ll want to validate your belief in her, she’ll find something.
Boston Globe parenting columnist Barbara Meltz suggests that a parent sit down with a child to brainstorm a list of activities the child enjoys. If you write them on slips of paper and put them in a jar, the next time he’s bored he’ll have plenty of ideas to choose from. And having helped create the list, he’ll take pride in it and feel empowered.
Boredom in the family car is too often cured with DVD players – an item I’d happily ban if I had my way! They promote the idea that being electronically entertained is more important than families talking to one another, and more important than taking in the surroundings, no matter how beautiful they may be. The next time you’re on the road with your family or child, fill as much time as you can with conversation. When that runs its course, play a game of I Spy (for example, “I spy something that begins with the letter f,” for field or flowers). Whoever guesses what the other person has in mind gets to start the next round. Not only does this draw attention to what’s outside the vehicle’s windows, but it also reinforces letter awareness. To promote color recognition and appreciation, challenge passengers to see how many green, red, blue, or yellow things they can find. And when the conversation and games run out, don’t be afraid of a little quiet time. It’ll give your child a chance to think or simply rest.
An age-old favorite for counteracting boredom in the outdoors is to find creatures in the clouds. But don’t make it an assignment! If you send your little one outside to find creatures in the clouds, simply make it a suggestion and, perhaps, provide a blanket for her to lie on. If you join her in the activity, resist the temptation to turn it into a contest to see who can find the most creatures. Instead, lie beside her and quietly describe what you’re seeing. And if neither of you discovers any creatures, it’s okay to just lie there looking.
