Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Need for Creative Kids
Parents Magazine
Thrive in 2025
Picture a brick. Okay, got it? Now stretch your mind and come up with a list of possible uses for that brick (besides building a wall). Stumped? You're not alone. That question -- or a variation on it -- is part of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, which many school districts nationwide have used for the last 45 years to measure kids' originality and imagination. After consistently rising for decades, American kids' scores began a steady decline in 1990. If you think that's no big deal, consider this: In a recent IBM poll, 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the single most important trait for leaders of the future.
That doesn't mean you should worry if your child isn't building elaborate Lego cities or can't draw anything more advanced than stick figures. Creativity isn't just about being an architect or an artist; it's about how you use your mind. From the Stone Age innovator who took two flints and sparked fire to the inventors who studied sand and conceived the silicon chip, out-of-the-box thinking has transformed the world we live in. And it's likely to be even more important in the coming decades, as we try to solve a host of complex problems: how to develop novel energy sources; bring peace to unstable regions; and find better and more affordable ways to treat diseases.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Child Central Station: More Blow Dryer Art
Child Central Station: More Blow Dryer Art: The children have really been enjoying working with the blow dryers as paint brushes. In fact, it has become an almost daily brush of choice...
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Low cost toys that entertain and educate by: Roxanne Rowley, Traverse City Early Childhood Parenting Examiner Posted: 10/19/2011 9:28 AM
There are some toys that are classics and never go out of style. As a Mom and former preschool teacher in northern Michigan I discovered that certain toys stood out as favorites. These toys allowed the children to use their imaginations, they were not terribly expensive and none of them required batteries!! Here, in no particular order, are the top favorite toys from my unscientific study!
Blocks Whether wooden unit blocks, cardboard brick blocks or Legos, children would play for hours with all kinds of blocks. They would build structures, make roads, or plan cities. There is really no “wrong” way to play with blocks. And the children were always very proud of whatever they built.
Sand and water play These two mediums cost virtually nothing, yet provide hours of contented amusement for children. A sand or water table along with plastic buckets and scoops offer good tactile experiences for little kids.
Dress up clothes Dressing up is another wonderful imaginative experience for children. They love to role play and having an outfit to go along with whatever they are pretending just adds another dimension. Plus it is relatively inexpensive to acquire dress up clothes by shopping at Goodwill or any thrift store.
Paints Whether watercolors, finger-paints, or easel paints, paints allow for plenty of creative and imaginative play. Children can learn about color and mixing colors as they create wonderful masterpieces of refrigerator art for parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Books There are many terrific children’s books available today. My preschoolers used to carry their favorites around with them to read throughout the day. There are lots of sources for books—libraries, thrift stores, book sales and book exchanges with other parents. For an unending supply of books, check out your local library. In Manistee County the Library is located at 95 Maple Street. They also have puzzles, puppets, children’s magazines—it is a great resource!
Play-doh Children love the tactile experience that play-doh or clay provide. It allows children to develop their fine motor skills and use their imagination, too. Homemade play-doh is inexpensive to make and less crumbly than the store bought kind.
Toys should help a child use their imaginations, provide many hours of entertainment, improve motor skills or cooperative skills and be a lot of fun. The simple, yet pretty low cost suggestions above fit the bill.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
How do children begin to recognize letters? by Rhonda Sampiere
Learning letters is just one part of a well rounded literacy curriculum.
Learning the names of alphabet letters—like all early
learning—is best done in the context of what is meaningful
to young children.
For young children, it is the letters of their own names
that have the most meaning for them. From recognizing
those special letters, they go on to recognize the letters in
the names of their friends and other meaningful print in
their environment.
Research shows that for most children, associating
names and sounds with the alphabet comes before conventional
reading. However, this finding does not mean that
letter names should be drilled into young children. There
are far more effective and enjoyable ways for children to
learn about letters.
There are many wonderful ways to foster letter and sound recognition
in the classroom. In addition to many ways to use
children’s names to teach letters, ideas included activities
focusing on letter attributes, letter sets , phonics and pho-
nological awareness. Following are some recommended
books about names as well as some popular alphabet
books.
Children’s Literature and Alphabet Books
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
A Porcupine Namesd Fluffy by Helen Lester and Lynn
Munsinger
Mary Wore Her Red Dress and Henry Wore His Green
Sneakers by Merle Peek
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
A Perfect Name by Charlene Costanza
Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell Bloch Sanved
Little Tex’s ABC’s by Jill Pierce
Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book by Dr. Seus
Learning the names of alphabet letters—like all early
learning—is best done in the context of what is meaningful
to young children.
For young children, it is the letters of their own names
that have the most meaning for them. From recognizing
those special letters, they go on to recognize the letters in
the names of their friends and other meaningful print in
their environment.
Research shows that for most children, associating
names and sounds with the alphabet comes before conventional
reading. However, this finding does not mean that
letter names should be drilled into young children. There
are far more effective and enjoyable ways for children to
learn about letters.
There are many wonderful ways to foster letter and sound recognition
in the classroom. In addition to many ways to use
children’s names to teach letters, ideas included activities
focusing on letter attributes, letter sets , phonics and pho-
nological awareness. Following are some recommended
books about names as well as some popular alphabet
books.
Children’s Literature and Alphabet Books
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
A Porcupine Namesd Fluffy by Helen Lester and Lynn
Munsinger
Mary Wore Her Red Dress and Henry Wore His Green
Sneakers by Merle Peek
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
A Perfect Name by Charlene Costanza
Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell Bloch Sanved
Little Tex’s ABC’s by Jill Pierce
Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book by Dr. Seus
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
1st Birthday Toy Ideas
My friend Danielle Wynne emailed me these ideas and I thought I should pass them along. Contact me if you need any help!!
Push Toys
Another great choice for the momentous first birthday is a push toy, one the baby can use to help hone her new walking skills. Choose from perennial favorites such as a child-sized grocery cart or the vacuum-like toy that "pops" when a child rolls it around. Some push toys come equipped with an extra activity tray, but when it comes down to it, anything she can propel with her own two feet is a winner in this category.
Toy Phone
Most 1-year-olds will delight in having their own toy phone, especially since the one Mom and Dad use is probably off limits. When the baby picks up his phone, grab yours as well and have a conversation; he may not be saying more than a few words just yet, but he'll love it anyway.
Nesting Toys
For many 1-year-olds, nothing's more fascinating than taking a bunch of empty containers and stacking them so they nestle one inside the other. Nesting toys help teach kids spatial relations, and many today combine sturdy construction with stimulating colors and patterns. Of course, most children will be equally fascinated by a spare set of measuring cups, but for a birthday it's nice to splurge.
Feeding Supplies
Now that their diets include solids and finger food as well as breast milk and formula, 1-year-olds are ready for plates, bowls, cups, spoons, and other feeding paraphernalia. Choose a set that features a favorite cartoon character like Winnie the Pooh or one from the baby's favorite book (Peter Rabbit springs to mind). Look for baby-safe silverware and crash-friendly plastic plates, cups, and bowls — all will be making several trips between the highchair tray and the floor. For a nice touch, bundle several items together in a gift basket.
Shape Sorters
Mastering the challenge of matching a round peg with the circular hole is a big accomplishment for toddlers. Toys that encourage them to match and sort shapes help them develop essential problem-solving skills. Even better, they're tons of fun. Choose from classic wooden "peg in the hole" toys and soft, squishy models with bold black-and-white patterns; either way, the 1-year-old recipient will be happy.
Noisemaker Toys
Toddlers love making noise, period. It gets them attention and it lets them make a less-than-subtle impact on the world around them. So if you want to delight a 1-year-old, give her a toy that rattles, clangs, beeps, or plays music. Several high-tech options are available these days, but you can always go the low-tech route instead — give her a tambourine or a couple of metal pots and a wooden spoon, and she'll be on cloud nine.
Saving Bond /Stock
When it comes right down to it, you just can't go wrong with money. Investing in a savings bond or buying a few shares of stock for a child now can mean she'll have a tidy little nest egg when she's older. Consider making it an annual (or semi-annual) birthday gift — she and her parents will appreciate the gift even more when it comes time to pay for college.
Bath Toys
By the time a baby is a year old, it's high time to turn bath time into fun time (or even zoo time!). Transform any toddler's tub into a pool of delights with a basket full of water-friendly bath toys. Stock up on everything from hippo bath mitts and soap fish to cheerful terrycloth animals and the requisite rubber ducky. As she gets older, her bath time friends will be an outlet for pretend play and other imagination-driven adventures.
Books
Kids can never have too many books, and birthdays are a great time to add to a toddler's library. The 1-year-old on your list is likely to get a kick out of titles such as Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?, by Dr. Seuss, and Noah's Ark, by Lucy Cousins. In general, you should still focus on getting board books with big bright pictures, which will stimulate the child's eyes and hold up under vigorous "reading."
Push Toys
Another great choice for the momentous first birthday is a push toy, one the baby can use to help hone her new walking skills. Choose from perennial favorites such as a child-sized grocery cart or the vacuum-like toy that "pops" when a child rolls it around. Some push toys come equipped with an extra activity tray, but when it comes down to it, anything she can propel with her own two feet is a winner in this category.
Toy Phone
Most 1-year-olds will delight in having their own toy phone, especially since the one Mom and Dad use is probably off limits. When the baby picks up his phone, grab yours as well and have a conversation; he may not be saying more than a few words just yet, but he'll love it anyway.
Nesting Toys
For many 1-year-olds, nothing's more fascinating than taking a bunch of empty containers and stacking them so they nestle one inside the other. Nesting toys help teach kids spatial relations, and many today combine sturdy construction with stimulating colors and patterns. Of course, most children will be equally fascinated by a spare set of measuring cups, but for a birthday it's nice to splurge.
Feeding Supplies
Now that their diets include solids and finger food as well as breast milk and formula, 1-year-olds are ready for plates, bowls, cups, spoons, and other feeding paraphernalia. Choose a set that features a favorite cartoon character like Winnie the Pooh or one from the baby's favorite book (Peter Rabbit springs to mind). Look for baby-safe silverware and crash-friendly plastic plates, cups, and bowls — all will be making several trips between the highchair tray and the floor. For a nice touch, bundle several items together in a gift basket.
Shape Sorters
Mastering the challenge of matching a round peg with the circular hole is a big accomplishment for toddlers. Toys that encourage them to match and sort shapes help them develop essential problem-solving skills. Even better, they're tons of fun. Choose from classic wooden "peg in the hole" toys and soft, squishy models with bold black-and-white patterns; either way, the 1-year-old recipient will be happy.
Noisemaker Toys
Toddlers love making noise, period. It gets them attention and it lets them make a less-than-subtle impact on the world around them. So if you want to delight a 1-year-old, give her a toy that rattles, clangs, beeps, or plays music. Several high-tech options are available these days, but you can always go the low-tech route instead — give her a tambourine or a couple of metal pots and a wooden spoon, and she'll be on cloud nine.
Saving Bond /Stock
When it comes right down to it, you just can't go wrong with money. Investing in a savings bond or buying a few shares of stock for a child now can mean she'll have a tidy little nest egg when she's older. Consider making it an annual (or semi-annual) birthday gift — she and her parents will appreciate the gift even more when it comes time to pay for college.
Bath Toys
By the time a baby is a year old, it's high time to turn bath time into fun time (or even zoo time!). Transform any toddler's tub into a pool of delights with a basket full of water-friendly bath toys. Stock up on everything from hippo bath mitts and soap fish to cheerful terrycloth animals and the requisite rubber ducky. As she gets older, her bath time friends will be an outlet for pretend play and other imagination-driven adventures.
Books
Kids can never have too many books, and birthdays are a great time to add to a toddler's library. The 1-year-old on your list is likely to get a kick out of titles such as Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?, by Dr. Seuss, and Noah's Ark, by Lucy Cousins. In general, you should still focus on getting board books with big bright pictures, which will stimulate the child's eyes and hold up under vigorous "reading."
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