Tis the Season

As yucky as it is, Winter is the time when schools often find themselves plagued with Head Lice.  The good news is, if families are in the know, this pesky visitor is easy to avoid.  Knowing the following signs, symptoms and treatment from www.kidshealth.org is a great way to keep your house critter free!

Make a Bathtub Town

Want a fun way to help your children practice shapes and colors, all while getting clean!  Try this simple idea and watch your child build away.

Materials

• Scissors
• Craft Foam

1. Before you get into the tub, cut the foam strips into triangles, rectangles, and squares.
2. When your child is in the tub, have them dip the foam pieces into the water and arrange the shapes to build their own bathtub town.
3. When the bath is over, simply lay the shapes out to dry and store in a Ziplock bag until the next time.

Creating a Routine

Struggling to get out the house in the morning?  Having a challenges at bed time?  The experts at Positive Discipline share some ideas about making routines to help things run a bit better.

The more children do for themselves, the more capable and encouraged they feel. One of the best ways to avoid bedtime hassles and morning hassles is to get children involved in creating routine charts and then letting them follow their charts instead of telling them what to do.

Start by having your child make a list of all the things she needs to do before going to bed. The list might include, pick up toys, snack, bath, pajamas, brush teeth, choose clothes for the next morning, bedtime story, hugs. Copy (or when children are old enough let them copy) all the items on a chart. Children love it when you take pictures of them doing each task so they can paste the picture after each item. Then hang the chart where she can see it.

Let the routine chart be the boss. Instead of telling your child what to do, ask her, "What is next on your routine chart?" Often, you don’t have to ask. She will tell you. Choosing clothes the night before is one task that eliminates some morning hassles when children follow their morning routine (for which you may have another chart). If they have laid out what they want to wear the night before, they don’t get upset trying to find something the last minute. Other bedtime routine tasks that make mornings routines go more smoothly is for children to make their school lunch the night before.

Remember that the goal is to help children feel capable and encouraged. A nice fringe benefit is that you will be able to stop nagging and will experience more peaceful bedtimes and mornings

The more children do for themselves, the more capable and encouraged they feel. One of the best ways to avoid bedtime hassles and morning hassles is to get children involved in creating routine charts and then letting them follow their charts instead of telling them what to do.

Start by having your child make a list of all the things she needs to do before going to bed. The list might include, pick up toys, snack, bath, pajamas, brush teeth, choose clothes for the next morning, bedtime story, hugs. Copy (or when children are old enough let them copy) all the items on a chart. Children love it when you take pictures of them doing each task so they can paste the picture after each item. Then hang the chart where she can see it.

Let the routine chart be the boss. Instead of telling your child what to do, ask her, "What is next on your routine chart?" Often, you don’t have to ask. She will tell you. Choosing clothes the night before is one task that eliminates some morning hassles when children follow their morning routine (for which you may have another chart). If they have laid out what they want to wear the night before, they don’t get upset trying to find something the last minute. Other bedtime routine tasks that make mornings routines go more smoothly is for children to make their school lunch the night before.

Remember that the goal is to help children feel capable and encouraged. A nice fringe benefit is that you will be able to stop nagging and will experience more peaceful bedtimes and mornings.
- See more at: http://blog.positivediscipline.com/#sthash.YW0GJf32.dpuf

The more children do for themselves, the more capable and encouraged they feel. One of the best ways to avoid bedtime hassles and morning hassles is to get children involved in creating routine charts and then letting them follow their charts instead of telling them what to do.

Start by having your child make a list of all the things she needs to do before going to bed. The list might include, pick up toys, snack, bath, pajamas, brush teeth, choose clothes for the next morning, bedtime story, hugs. Copy (or when children are old enough let them copy) all the items on a chart. Children love it when you take pictures of them doing each task so they can paste the picture after each item. Then hang the chart where she can see it.

Let the routine chart be the boss. Instead of telling your child what to do, ask her, "What is next on your routine chart?" Often, you don’t have to ask. She will tell you. Choosing clothes the night before is one task that eliminates some morning hassles when children follow their morning routine (for which you may have another chart). If they have laid out what they want to wear the night before, they don’t get upset trying to find something the last minute. Other bedtime routine tasks that make mornings routines go more smoothly is for children to make their school lunch the night before.

Remember that the goal is to help children feel capable and encouraged. A nice fringe benefit is that you will be able to stop nagging and will experience more peaceful bedtimes and mornings.
- See more at: http://blog.positivediscipline.com/#sthash.YW0GJf32.dpuf

The more children do for themselves, the more capable and encouraged they feel. One of the best ways to avoid bedtime hassles and morning hassles is to get children involved in creating routine charts and then letting them follow their charts instead of telling them what to do.

Start by having your child make a list of all the things she needs to do before going to bed. The list might include, pick up toys, snack, bath, pajamas, brush teeth, choose clothes for the next morning, bedtime story, hugs. Copy (or when children are old enough let them copy) all the items on a chart. Children love it when you take pictures of them doing each task so they can paste the picture after each item. Then hang the chart where she can see it.

Let the routine chart be the boss. Instead of telling your child what to do, ask her, "What is next on your routine chart?" Often, you don’t have to ask. She will tell you. Choosing clothes the night before is one task that eliminates some morning hassles when children follow their morning routine (for which you may have another chart). If they have laid out what they want to wear the night before, they don’t get upset trying to find something the last minute. Other bedtime routine tasks that make mornings routines go more smoothly is for children to make their school lunch the night before.

Remember that the goal is to help children feel capable and encouraged. A nice fringe benefit is that you will be able to stop nagging and will experience more peaceful bedtimes and mornings.
- See more at: http://blog.positivediscipline.com/#sthash.YW0GJf32.dpuf

Ground Hog Day

While Ground Hog Day can be lots of fun, it is also a great way to sharpen critical thinking skills and get kids thinking about the science of shadows.  Try to the following links to crafts and activities that can get the whole family involved in the learning.

1. Make an old-fashioned shadow box with help from http://rhythmofthehome.com/2011/11/shadow-puppetry-and-shadow-play-for-children/

 

2. Kids will love matching shadows to household objects.  Create Shadows with a sheet and spotlight with this idea from http://susanevans.org/blog/shadow-puppets-behind-a-sheet/
 

3. Not feeling crafty, simply print up one of the shadow matching worksheets from http://www.earlychildhoodworksheets.com/math/brain-teaser/shadow-1.jpg