Saturday, August 4, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Create A Story Book With Your Child
A fun way to build your child’s imagination
Writing is still one of our major forms of communication as well as a great way to express ourselves. Creating a storybook with your child is a fun way to introduce him or her to creative writing. You will also get to spend a few hours of quality time together and the end result will become a family treasure for years to come.
All you need is a notebook, a pen, and anything else you and your child would like to use to illustrate a story. You can draw pictures together, or make a collage out of old photos and magazine cut outs. Of course you can also add stickers, glitter or anything else you can come up with.
But let’s start at the beginning. The idea is to come up with a story and to write it down in the notebook. If your child has never made up a story, she will need some guidance and help from you. Think about what she is interested in right now: dinosaurs, ponies, ballet; characters from a particular book or TV show, etc.
Ask your child to name the main characters and encourage them to describe what they look like, what clothes they are wearing and where they are. You’ll be surprised how quickly they will come up with a story line from there. Encourage them along the way.
If your child is old enough to write, have her write the story herself as you go along creating it. Offer to take turns if she is still new at writing. Otherwise, write it down for her.
Have fun decorating or illustrating the story.
Start your next creative writing afternoon by reading some of the stories you have already created. Give your child the option to either continue with the same set of characters or to come up with some new ones. Before long you will have an entire book of stories that you will both treasure for a long time.
Article by:
Susanne Myers is the founder of http://www.kinderinfo.com/ [1] . Did you find this information useful and helpful? Be sure to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter so you can recceive our child care tips and family fun ideas right in your inbox! Sign up today at http://www.kinderinfo.com/newsletter[2] and receive a FREE copy of our latest e-book, Summer Fun!
Dania
www.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Finding Educational Games Online Your Kids will Love
Many times parents look online for educational games for their kids to play online. Some of these games can be found for free, but most of them are charge a small fee. As a teacher, you I highly recommend allowing your children to play these games as the advantages are many.
Advantages of Online Games:
When preschool children are exposed to online games, the results are phenomenal. The vivid pictures combined with words allow children to phonics without them even realizing it. Talk about learning reading skills while having fun.
Math sites are even more numerous. Cute little animal characters bee bop around the screen offering kids all kinds of incentives to play. Many math sites are aimed at children from 2 to 5 years old. While this may sound young to you, it is a perfect age. Kids have the hand eye coordination to move a mouse and click a button. The characters sing and dance away, encouraging them to count along.
Benefits of Online Games for Middle School
My middle school students have sat there and played Sudoku and that race car game for hours. (It was after a standardized test.) Granted, they did not have much else to do in class but they also did not complain either. They often ask to go to these sites and play the games.
While the math games are more popular for middle school students, some kids really like the science games. It really depends on the kid's interest. I have seen kids really get into stock market games and business games. There is one online game site that has kids building elaborate empires. It is completely free and they do everything from running factories and building web pages.
Downloads for the iPod
If you have a teen in your house, you have definitely heard about iPod apps. It may be worth considering letting your pre-teen, teen or tween download a few education games for the iPod. There are a couple of free games and a few games that you can get for a fee that are educational.
Many of the iPod games are just like the online versions except smaller. You won't get as many levels and the graphics aren't quite as good.
If you are getting it for your toddler, I would check out of the free version first. Oftentimes, you can find a "Lite" version of the games. These are super simple versions that only have a 5-minute trial or just one level.
In any case, educational games are out there and are worth checking out. Look around and you will see.
Advantages of Online Games:
- Computer Technology is a requirement in many states
- Computer games generally do not require additional resources
- Most computer games only require an internet connection
- Computer games support the curriculum found in the classroom
When preschool children are exposed to online games, the results are phenomenal. The vivid pictures combined with words allow children to phonics without them even realizing it. Talk about learning reading skills while having fun.
Math sites are even more numerous. Cute little animal characters bee bop around the screen offering kids all kinds of incentives to play. Many math sites are aimed at children from 2 to 5 years old. While this may sound young to you, it is a perfect age. Kids have the hand eye coordination to move a mouse and click a button. The characters sing and dance away, encouraging them to count along.
Benefits of Online Games for Middle School
My middle school students have sat there and played Sudoku and that race car game for hours. (It was after a standardized test.) Granted, they did not have much else to do in class but they also did not complain either. They often ask to go to these sites and play the games.
While the math games are more popular for middle school students, some kids really like the science games. It really depends on the kid's interest. I have seen kids really get into stock market games and business games. There is one online game site that has kids building elaborate empires. It is completely free and they do everything from running factories and building web pages.
Downloads for the iPod
If you have a teen in your house, you have definitely heard about iPod apps. It may be worth considering letting your pre-teen, teen or tween download a few education games for the iPod. There are a couple of free games and a few games that you can get for a fee that are educational.
Many of the iPod games are just like the online versions except smaller. You won't get as many levels and the graphics aren't quite as good.
If you are getting it for your toddler, I would check out of the free version first. Oftentimes, you can find a "Lite" version of the games. These are super simple versions that only have a 5-minute trial or just one level.
In any case, educational games are out there and are worth checking out. Look around and you will see.
Teach Your Child with Educational Games
There is no doubt that to get a head-start compared to the competition, your ch ild needs to start early and what better than using Educational Games and toys. Parents and teachers have realized the importance of including variety in learning and are seriously considering or are already using these alternatives.
It is all about studying, focusing and concentrating on the child attending school, doing homework or classes. Little do we realize that it is not easy for a child to become so serious during the best age of his/her life. Isn't it frustrating when your boss overloads you with work right when you want a break? That's exactly how frustrating it is for your child not to play and study instead.
But there is something to sort out this dilemma - that would keep both you and your child happy. While you want your child to have fun and succeed at the same time, your child needs to have fun while learning maths and science too. What can be better than introducing Games for kids while learning! Yes, we are looking at Educational games that teach your child while letting it have fun at the same time too.
These Games for kids often include categories like math games, facts, word games, language games, science rhymes, nature games, music, logic, geography and history quiz among others which gives your child an opportunity to select different subjects as and when he/she likes. In fact, there are some websites that will also bring out the artistic streak in your child by allowing it to colour drawings online. Wile, everything has gone electronic today, you sure can make optimum use of it by giving your child the opportunity to play Educational games.
You can find such Educational games online which makes it easily accessible if you have a computer or laptop at home. The online Educational Games for kids are an amazing way to build the required skills that your child needs to excel. These Games for kids teach mathematics, language, science, environment, computers etc. with fun and ease. It is a rewarding experience after all as he enjoys crossing levels using his mental abilities and learning along the way too. Educational Games for kids can be the best option for children who are preschoolers to middle school.
There are lots of online websites that sell these games. You can always explore further and as a parent or teacher who can decide which one is the best and most-suited for your child. The best thing is that the various graphics and animations make these a lot more interesting to children and the learning is also there. That is something which is difficult to find in a classroom. So give that advantage of starting early to your child with these Educational Games and toys for children.
harry ellis - About the Author:
For more information on educational games and toys for kids, checkout these videos on games for music learning
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Children’s Birthday Party Ideas
Little Kid Crafts For All Seasons
Posted By Audrey Okaneko
When my children were young, we had so much fun with birthday parties. Each year we did something different from the year before. Some years our themes allowed us to invite several children and some years our themes allowed us to only invite a small amount of other children.
When my daughter turned 3, we invited our local family members and about 5 other families. We had child appropriate activities, plus lunch and then Barny came. This was the period of time when Barny was sooooo popular with kids. We had hired a local party entertainer who rented the Barnie costume and then came and sang songs with the kids for an hour. It was perfect. The party lasted about 3 hours including cake, presents, eating, singing and a few games.
One year we rented a moon bounce. I was told by the moon bounce owner that at this age, about 12 kids could fit inside. We invited 11 other kids and the moon bounce entertained the kids for almost the entire time. We did have time to eat pizza and cake, and open presents. The remainder of the time was spent in the moon bounce.
It has been my observation that games such as a piñata leaves many children bored and wondering around. Children want to participate which is why I recommend a moon bounce. All of the children can participate at the same time.
When my daughter turned 8 we had an arts and craft party. We were able to invite several kids to this party. We used the recreation room at the local park and had long tables, each with a different craft. The kids took home t-shirts that they used puffy paint on, picture frames that they made themselves and necklaces or bracelets that they strung themselves on fishing line. We provided an assortment of beads. We also had cake and ice cream and even had time for presents.
Our goal was always to finish the party in 3 hours or less. This allowed for eating, presents and activities. After 3 hours kids become bored and restless.
One party that I have such fond memories of was a dress up tea party. We had a home here in town that converted part of the house to a dress up parlor. They had several very fancy dresses, high heeled shoes, necklaces, clip on earnings and tiaras. In addition the women who ran this business put makeup on all of the girls and painted their nails. They then served sandwiches on china with mini china tea cups filled with lemonade. The kids had a blast. Every child brought home a photo of themselves all dressed up.
We had many parties where with the help of other moms we transported the kids to another location. Here is a list of several ideas of places to take kids for a party:
Article by:
Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com/ [1]
One year we rented a moon bounce. I was told by the moon bounce owner that at this age, about 12 kids could fit inside. We invited 11 other kids and the moon bounce entertained the kids for almost the entire time. We did have time to eat pizza and cake, and open presents. The remainder of the time was spent in the moon bounce.
It has been my observation that games such as a piñata leaves many children bored and wondering around. Children want to participate which is why I recommend a moon bounce. All of the children can participate at the same time.
When my daughter turned 8 we had an arts and craft party. We were able to invite several kids to this party. We used the recreation room at the local park and had long tables, each with a different craft. The kids took home t-shirts that they used puffy paint on, picture frames that they made themselves and necklaces or bracelets that they strung themselves on fishing line. We provided an assortment of beads. We also had cake and ice cream and even had time for presents.
Our goal was always to finish the party in 3 hours or less. This allowed for eating, presents and activities. After 3 hours kids become bored and restless.
One party that I have such fond memories of was a dress up tea party. We had a home here in town that converted part of the house to a dress up parlor. They had several very fancy dresses, high heeled shoes, necklaces, clip on earnings and tiaras. In addition the women who ran this business put makeup on all of the girls and painted their nails. They then served sandwiches on china with mini china tea cups filled with lemonade. The kids had a blast. Every child brought home a photo of themselves all dressed up.
We had many parties where with the help of other moms we transported the kids to another location. Here is a list of several ideas of places to take kids for a party:
- Movie theater with pizza afterwards
- Ice skating or roller skating rink
- Children’s museum
- Miniature Golf
- A professional sporting event
- Batting Cages
- Children’s Gym such as Gymboree
- The Zoo (our local zoo is very small, so it’s easy to keep track of the kids)
Article by:
Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com/ [1]
Easy Crafts For Your Toddler
Posted By Susanne Myers
Keeping an inquisitive toddler entertained and stimulated isn’t always an easy task. His curiosity will usually get him in all sorts of trouble as he is taking things apart to figure out how they work. A great way to keep him busy with something slightly less destructive is to make crafts with your toddler. Crafting is also a wonderful way to spend quality time with your child. Take a look at the craft ideas below, pick something and start making an easy craft with your toddler.
Paper Plate Mask
Who knew that plain paper plates could be so much fun? All you need are the plates themselves of course, some scissors, markers and some string. Start by holding the paper plate in front of your child’s face and mark the spots for the eyes. Cut two holes for the eyes so your child will be able to see through the mask. Cutting a mouth opening is optional. Then let your child decorate the mask with markers or crayons. You can also have her cut shapes (think ears) out of construction paper and glue them on the paper plate mask. Tape or staple a piece of string to each site of the mask and use them to tie the finished mask around your child’s head.
Collages
Here’s another one of our favorite craft activities – a collage. You can make a collage with your toddler on just about any topic. Keep old magazines and even grocery flyers around and let your child cut items out of these papers. Then use a glue stick to glue them on a large sheet of paper or construction paper. Use markers, crayons and stickers to further embellish the collage. Don’t forget to hang it up when you’re done.
Macaroni Necklace
Macaroni aren’t just good for making mac and cheese. They are also the building blocks of macaroni necklaces. All you need is a handful of uncooked macaroni noodles and a piece of string. Make a large knot in one end of the string, then let your child thread the noodles on the string. When she’s done, just tie the two pieces of string together and the necklace is ready to be worn. You can also make a colorful necklace by painting the individual noodles with acrylic paint.
Crayon Suncatcher
If you have a toddler in the house, you are bound to have lots of small pieces of broken crayons as well. Here’s a simple craft that will turn those crayon pieces and a little wax paper into a colorful suncatcher. Start by grading the crayon pieces with an old cheese grater, or shave them with a knife. Put each color into a small bowl or in a little pile. Then cut two round pieces out of wax paper. They should be the same size. Let your child sprinkle the crayon shavings on one of the pieces of wax paper. When she’s done, cover it with the other piece of wax paper. Put an old towel on your ironing board and carefully transfer the wax paper crayon “sandwich” on the ironing board. Turn your iron on medium high (without steam). Add another towel on top of the wax paper and gently iron over it several times until the crayon shavings are melted. Allow your suncatcher to cool and harden before you pick it up. Thread some yarn through it to hang it up in the window. You can also sew a button stitch all around the suncatcher with some yarn and a thick needle to make the suncatcher a little more stable.
Finger Paint
What child doesn’t love to finger paint? Smearing paint with your fingers is just plain fun. You can use store-bought finger paint, or make your own by mixing condensed milk with a few drops of food coloring. This works just as well as commercial finger paint and is completely non-toxic. Don’t forget to cover the “work area” with plenty of old newspapers to make cleanup a snap.
Sock Puppets
Does your washer or dryer eat socks? Ours sure does and we end up with quite a few single socks whose counterparts have mysteriously gone missing. These socks are perfect for making sock puppets. All you need are two buttons for eyes and some scraps of fabric or felt and a little yarn. After that it will be up to your toddler’s imagination to turn the sock into a puppet – with your help of course. Not only will you have a lot of fun making these sock puppets, you and your child will enjoy playing with the finished products just as much.
Article by:
How would you like to get craft ideas like these along with parenting information, product recall info, recipes, book reviews and more delivered to your email inbox every week? That’s exactly what ParentingZoo – the new online Parenting Magazine does. Sign up today at http://www.parentingzoo.com/
Keeping an inquisitive toddler entertained and stimulated isn’t always an easy task. His curiosity will usually get him in all sorts of trouble as he is taking things apart to figure out how they work. A great way to keep him busy with something slightly less destructive is to make crafts with your toddler. Crafting is also a wonderful way to spend quality time with your child. Take a look at the craft ideas below, pick something and start making an easy craft with your toddler.
Paper Plate Mask
Who knew that plain paper plates could be so much fun? All you need are the plates themselves of course, some scissors, markers and some string. Start by holding the paper plate in front of your child’s face and mark the spots for the eyes. Cut two holes for the eyes so your child will be able to see through the mask. Cutting a mouth opening is optional. Then let your child decorate the mask with markers or crayons. You can also have her cut shapes (think ears) out of construction paper and glue them on the paper plate mask. Tape or staple a piece of string to each site of the mask and use them to tie the finished mask around your child’s head.
Collages
Here’s another one of our favorite craft activities – a collage. You can make a collage with your toddler on just about any topic. Keep old magazines and even grocery flyers around and let your child cut items out of these papers. Then use a glue stick to glue them on a large sheet of paper or construction paper. Use markers, crayons and stickers to further embellish the collage. Don’t forget to hang it up when you’re done.
Macaroni Necklace
Macaroni aren’t just good for making mac and cheese. They are also the building blocks of macaroni necklaces. All you need is a handful of uncooked macaroni noodles and a piece of string. Make a large knot in one end of the string, then let your child thread the noodles on the string. When she’s done, just tie the two pieces of string together and the necklace is ready to be worn. You can also make a colorful necklace by painting the individual noodles with acrylic paint.
Crayon Suncatcher
If you have a toddler in the house, you are bound to have lots of small pieces of broken crayons as well. Here’s a simple craft that will turn those crayon pieces and a little wax paper into a colorful suncatcher. Start by grading the crayon pieces with an old cheese grater, or shave them with a knife. Put each color into a small bowl or in a little pile. Then cut two round pieces out of wax paper. They should be the same size. Let your child sprinkle the crayon shavings on one of the pieces of wax paper. When she’s done, cover it with the other piece of wax paper. Put an old towel on your ironing board and carefully transfer the wax paper crayon “sandwich” on the ironing board. Turn your iron on medium high (without steam). Add another towel on top of the wax paper and gently iron over it several times until the crayon shavings are melted. Allow your suncatcher to cool and harden before you pick it up. Thread some yarn through it to hang it up in the window. You can also sew a button stitch all around the suncatcher with some yarn and a thick needle to make the suncatcher a little more stable.
Finger Paint
What child doesn’t love to finger paint? Smearing paint with your fingers is just plain fun. You can use store-bought finger paint, or make your own by mixing condensed milk with a few drops of food coloring. This works just as well as commercial finger paint and is completely non-toxic. Don’t forget to cover the “work area” with plenty of old newspapers to make cleanup a snap.
Sock Puppets
Does your washer or dryer eat socks? Ours sure does and we end up with quite a few single socks whose counterparts have mysteriously gone missing. These socks are perfect for making sock puppets. All you need are two buttons for eyes and some scraps of fabric or felt and a little yarn. After that it will be up to your toddler’s imagination to turn the sock into a puppet – with your help of course. Not only will you have a lot of fun making these sock puppets, you and your child will enjoy playing with the finished products just as much.
Article by:
How would you like to get craft ideas like these along with parenting information, product recall info, recipes, book reviews and more delivered to your email inbox every week? That’s exactly what ParentingZoo – the new online Parenting Magazine does. Sign up today at http://www.parentingzoo.com/
Dania
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Developing Toddler Motor Skills
Check out the Talking to Toddlers Webinar!
Posted By Rachel Paxton
If you have a toddler, you already know that he or she is a little bundle of endless energy! My twin boys turned two several months ago, and they have been non-stop action since they learned
to walk. There is never a dull moment! It’s been a long time since I’ve had a toddler in the house and I had forgotten howquickly they grow and how much they learn during this toddler stage.
At this age toddlers are developing many motor skills. There are two main types of motor skills: gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills involve large muscles, and are
strengthened by walking/running, climbing, and general play. Fine motor skills involve mostly the hands and fingers and hand to eye coordination. Your toddler will strengthen many of these
abilities on his or her own, but there are many ways you can encourage and help them to develop their motor skills.
Eating and Grooming
The easiest way to encourage your toddler to develop motor skills is to have them help with everyday activities like feeding and grooming themselves. Toddlers are famously messy when eating,
but this is the age when they should be using a spoon and fork to feed themselves, as messy as it may be. This will greatly help their fine motor skills and hand to eye coordination. Your toddler will also enjoy dressing and undressing, combing their own hair, and brushing their own teeth.
Drawing and Coloring
A toddler as young as 18 months old is capable of coloring. I didn’t know this until my boys brought home their first coloring page from Sunday School. I couldn’t believe it! Toddlers love
to scribble. Walmart sells some great oversized coloring books that my boys love to color in. Sit and color with them and show them how to hold the crayon. My boys love to take the crayons
out of my hands and tell me “no” when I try to color on the same page with them!
Puzzles and Shape Sorters
Puzzles and shape sorters are great for toddlers 18+ months old. Again, I was surprised at how young my boys were able to place pieces into a wooden puzzle. It took them a couple of months to
figure out which pieces went where and to be able to turn the pieces just the right way to fit into the puzzle, but it kept them busy for 10-15 minutes at a time and it was amazing how much
they remembered each time they sat down to do their puzzles.
Shape sorters are also great. We’ve had several different ones, and the boys have responded better to some than others. We found a neat one at Baby Depot that is shaped like a toolbox on the
outside and is a shape sorter on the inside. My boys have spent many hours figuring out which shapes go where. The toolbox makes a sound when the shape is placed in the correct hole.
Songs with Hand Motions
Toddlers love to sing and dance. Songs with hand motions are a great way for toddlers to learn fine motor skills. My boys started doing small hand motions at around 18 months old, but
after about age 2 they were ready to do most of the hand motions to their favorite songs. Some of their favorites: “Itsy-Bitsy Spider”, “Patty Cake”, “If You’re Happy and You Know it Clap Your
Hands”. Sunday school favorites include: “Deep and Wide” and
“This Little Light of Mine”.
Free Play and Exercise
Playing is a great way to develop both gross and fine motor skills. Running, jumping, hopping, and skipping are all skills your toddler will eventually master. I’ll never forget the first
time one of my boys jumped. He squatted all the way down on the ground and threw himself up in the air with his hands all the way up, and jumped about a half an inch off the ground. It was the
most hysterical thing I’d ever seen. When you catch your toddler doing these types of activities you can encourage them to keep doing them to develop these skills.
While your toddler may or may not be ready for a tricycle yet, this is a good age to introduce one to them, so they will know what’s expected and be ready to jump on and pedal away when
they’re ready.
My boys are also working on mastering climbing jungle gyms at the park, and playing “catch”. Throwing and catching a large ball is great for developing your toddler’s hand to eye coordination. At
first just have your toddler hold out their arms and throw the ball into their arms so it is easy for them to catch. They will soon get the idea!
Article by:
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit http://www.christian-parent.com/
The easiest way to encourage your toddler to develop motor skills is to have them help with everyday activities like feeding and grooming themselves. Toddlers are famously messy when eating,
but this is the age when they should be using a spoon and fork to feed themselves, as messy as it may be. This will greatly help their fine motor skills and hand to eye coordination. Your toddler will also enjoy dressing and undressing, combing their own hair, and brushing their own teeth.
Drawing and Coloring
A toddler as young as 18 months old is capable of coloring. I didn’t know this until my boys brought home their first coloring page from Sunday School. I couldn’t believe it! Toddlers love
to scribble. Walmart sells some great oversized coloring books that my boys love to color in. Sit and color with them and show them how to hold the crayon. My boys love to take the crayons
out of my hands and tell me “no” when I try to color on the same page with them!
Puzzles and Shape Sorters
Puzzles and shape sorters are great for toddlers 18+ months old. Again, I was surprised at how young my boys were able to place pieces into a wooden puzzle. It took them a couple of months to
figure out which pieces went where and to be able to turn the pieces just the right way to fit into the puzzle, but it kept them busy for 10-15 minutes at a time and it was amazing how much
they remembered each time they sat down to do their puzzles.
Shape sorters are also great. We’ve had several different ones, and the boys have responded better to some than others. We found a neat one at Baby Depot that is shaped like a toolbox on the
outside and is a shape sorter on the inside. My boys have spent many hours figuring out which shapes go where. The toolbox makes a sound when the shape is placed in the correct hole.
Songs with Hand Motions
Toddlers love to sing and dance. Songs with hand motions are a great way for toddlers to learn fine motor skills. My boys started doing small hand motions at around 18 months old, but
after about age 2 they were ready to do most of the hand motions to their favorite songs. Some of their favorites: “Itsy-Bitsy Spider”, “Patty Cake”, “If You’re Happy and You Know it Clap Your
Hands”. Sunday school favorites include: “Deep and Wide” and
“This Little Light of Mine”.
Free Play and Exercise
Playing is a great way to develop both gross and fine motor skills. Running, jumping, hopping, and skipping are all skills your toddler will eventually master. I’ll never forget the first
time one of my boys jumped. He squatted all the way down on the ground and threw himself up in the air with his hands all the way up, and jumped about a half an inch off the ground. It was the
most hysterical thing I’d ever seen. When you catch your toddler doing these types of activities you can encourage them to keep doing them to develop these skills.
While your toddler may or may not be ready for a tricycle yet, this is a good age to introduce one to them, so they will know what’s expected and be ready to jump on and pedal away when
they’re ready.
My boys are also working on mastering climbing jungle gyms at the park, and playing “catch”. Throwing and catching a large ball is great for developing your toddler’s hand to eye coordination. At
first just have your toddler hold out their arms and throw the ball into their arms so it is easy for them to catch. They will soon get the idea!
Article by:
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit http://www.christian-parent.com/
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