Teach Your Kids Everything They Need to Know for Pre-K and Kinder with School Sparks

One other resource that I found invaluable for teaching your kids at home is the School Sparks website.  This website was designed by a former teacher and has thousands of worksheets on every topic you could imagine (including auditory processing, reading comprehension, fine motor skills and even holiday worksheets!)  One of the best ways to get your kids interested in learning at home is by starting with the holiday worksheets.  They are more interesting to them, more colorful and they get them into the spirit of the season.  Since we're in October, take a look at their Halloween worksheets and print some out at home to get your kids started. Click the link to get to the worksheets that you can print for FREE!

If you like the site, you may want to save money and order all of their worksheets in a bound book.  It includes over 450 of their best worksheets for only $28.  A great deal that was an excellent resource for me as well as many other mom friends that ordered it.  And by the way, I was not paid or compensated in any way to write this review on School Sparks.  I simply loved the site and had to tell other moms about it.  So check it out and use it with your kids. You'll be benefiting them more than you know and you'll be saving money on preschool too!

Get Your Children Ahead Before They Even Start Kinder!

As the proud mother of an amazing 4 year old, I want nothing more than to watch my daughter succeed in life.  That is one of the reasons I decided to start working with her on learning her shapes, colors, numbers, letters and more as early as 2 years old.  By the time she was 3, she was already writing her name, reading sight words and doing basic math.  Now at 4, she's already reading at 1st grade level, adding, subtracting, telling time and TONS more.  And she's not even in kindergarten yet.

There has long been an argument between mom friends of mine whether you should or should not work with your child in order to help him or her get a head before they start kinder.  Some moms say not to do it because the child will then be bored when they start school.  I do not believe this at all.  As a former teacher, I loved when my students came into class prepared and already had the foundation for what they were going to learn.  I saw that they had more confidence when it came to school work and learning new things that they were not already exposed to.  If you have kids at home, it would benefit them to spend at least 15-30 minutes per day working on educational topics that they will see in the upcoming school year.  This will not only prepare them, it will give them extra confidence and a step ahead so the school year is not so challenging.  Standards are getting increasingly more difficult so it would benefit us to help them.

Now, as a former teacher, it is not difficult for me to find resources to teach my daughter. For some moms, though, it can be tough to decide what resources to use and where to get them.  I got a lot of my books at the dollar stores (the 99 Cent Store & the Dollar Tree).  I also purchased some of the curriculum books at Costco.  I got large books there that included every topic (letters, numbers, sentences, reading comprehension, math, etc) for less than $10.  Costco also has 20 book sets of BOB books which are EXCELLENT for teaching reading. Those were key in helping my daughter learn her sight words and begin reading independently.

For other educational tools to teach your kids, click on the "Education" tab at www.FitFluentialMom.com.  There you will find reviews on other educational products and websites you can use to teach your kids at home ;)

Cupcake Crayons Made Out of Crayon Scraps

 If you have young children, you surely have your fair share of broken crayon pieces around the house.  Instead of throwing them away, recycle them and make fun cupcake crayons they can reuse.  Not only are these fun for them to use, they can be made in any color combination you want.  They are also the ideal shape for smaller tots that have a difficult time grasping a standard crayon.  If you don't happen to have broken crayon pieces, I'm sure your children's teachers at school, church or day care have some you can use for this craft.  Promise your kids will love it!  Follow the steps below:

What You Will Need

--Broken crayon pieces

--Mini cupcake tin

--Mini cupcake liners

Steps

1) First you'll have to remove the paper off each of the crayon pieces. This is definitely the most labor intensive part of this project.  My daughter (4 years old) was at it for almost an hour with me.  She was so excited to make her cupcake crayons, though, that she didn't care! LOL 

2) After peeling them all, we broke the larger pieces into smaller pieces that would better fit into each mini cupcake tin.  

3) After breaking down all of the crayons, we put 2 liners in each of the cupcake tin spots.  If you only put one, the crayons will leak through and it will be difficult to clean and reuse for actual baking next time. You can also use the foil liners.  They are thicker and the crayons don't bleed through them like they do the thin paper ones.

4) After you've lined the tin, turn the oven on to 200 degrees.  It won't take long to heat to such a low temperature so I usually wait until this step to even turn it on.

5) Once the oven is on,  add the crayons to the cupcake tin in any combination you'd like.  You can make some solid color crayons and you can mix colors as well.  We kept color families together but made some cool combinations as well (orange + yellow, red + purple, blue & green, red + orange, multi-color).

6) After the tin is full and/or you're out of crayon pieces, place the muffin pan in the oven and "cook" for about 10-15 minutes.  Watch them carefully so they do not overheat or burn.  The smell is not great but it will be worse if they burn.  They will also stick more to the pan.

7) When you remove them, make sure to do it carefully and slowly.  The crayons will be a thin, watery liquid consistency and can spill easily.  Let them cool for about 30 minutes and remove them from the tin.  

8) After they have completely cooled, remove the cupcake paper/foil wrappers and they're ready to be used! 

 

My daughter absolutely loves them and doesn't even want to use her regular crayons anymore.  

A Fun, Rainy Day Experiment!

Need something to do with your kiddos indoors on this rainy day? Try this easy Ice & Salt experiment I found on Surviving a Teacher's Salary blog. All you need is a frozen block of ice, salt and food coloring. Check it out at http://www.survivingateacherssalary.com/2011/10/awesome-ice-salt-art-experiment.html

FREE Online Resources for Teaching Your Kids!

Here’s a site that’s not only a great tool for moms & dads but for teachers & home schooling parents too!! The site has a HUGE database of worksheets, assessments, e-books, writing tools & more for kids. The handouts are in color, easy to print & cover every topic you could imagine including the alphabet, auditory processing, visual discrimination, letter/word awareness, phonics, gross motor skills, social development & much more. I’ve spent hours online looking for educational tools for my daughter to use at home and this is BY FAR the best site I’ve found so far! Check it out at http://www.schoolsparks.com/

BabyWise: The Cliff Note Version

As a new mom, a good friend and great mom recommended the book BabyWise to me. Having seen how well her two boys turned out, I never doubted the book and began reading it immediately. I wanted my husband and care takers to follow the BabyWise

routine as well, however, I knew they wouldn't read the book. So, I decided to type up an abridged version for them from the notes I took while reading the book! I will post it on the blog in several segments, the first one being below. Enjoy and, buy the book if you can. It's an excellent parent tool for both parents and kids!

PART 1
Table of Contents
(1) The Babywise Routine
-Guidelines for Feeding Time
-Guidelines for WakeTime
-Guidelines for Nap Time
(2) Sleep Patterns
(3) 3 Rules for Baby to Wake Up Happy

BABYWISE ROUTINE:
3 components:
(1) Feeding & Diaper Change Time
-At least 15 - 30 minutes of continuous eating (not snacking) followed by adiaper change every 21/2 to 3 hrs up to 8 weeks of age & ending up every3-4 hours between 2 months to 1 year.
(2) Wake Time
-Immediately after eating, keep baby awake as long as possible (30-90 min)
(3) Sleep Time
-Put her down for a nap until the next feeding is due

Guidelines for Feeding:
-Weeks 1 to 8
Feed baby every 3-4 hours from the beginning of each feeding except atnight. Average 7 to 8 feedings (not snacks) every 24 hour period. Ifshe sleeps longer than 5 hours though, wake her up to prevent her from missinga feeding in the day.

-Weeks 8 to 15
Feed baby every 3-4 hours for 7 to 8 feedings a day & drop the late nightfeeding. This may mean feeding every 2 hrs or less starting at 6pm to get enough feedings throughoutthe day. By week 12 to 15, most babies can go 3-4 hours between feedings,so, by week 15 you may be at 5 to 7feedings per day.

-Week 16 to 24
Baby maintains 4 to 6 liquid feedings per day with 3 of them (breakfast, lunch& dinner) also supplemented with baby food.
-By Baby's 16 to 24th week, you will introduce solids & continue with 4-6liquid feedings per day. If you're breastfeeding, you may need to add more tomaintain milk supply.
-By Baby's 24th week, her main mealtimes should be lined up with the rest ofthe family. Liquid (2-4) feedings should be spread throughout the day &given just before solid food meals
-As you begin introducing solids, you're not adding feeding periods, justadditional foods. Breastmilk or formula should be given or offered before eachsolid meal. Breastfeeding moms must maintain a minimum of 4 - 6 feeding periodsa day to maintain milk supply.

-Week 25 to 1 year
Baby should be at 3 meals a day with the rest of the family. If still breastfeeding,add 1 - 3 more liquid feedings a day before or in between meals.
-By Baby's 25th week up to 1 year, she should continue to eat throughout theday with 4 to 5 nursing periods before each meal throughout the day.

Guidelines for Wake Time:
-Wake time should be 30 - 90 minutes, depending on the baby & earlier naptimes or duration of feeding.
-Wake time can be you with the baby or when the baby remains awake but alone.Examples of wake time with the baby are singing or reading to her, bathing,walking, or playing with her. Examples of wake time for her on her own areputting her in the crib to follow the mobile, in her swing to play & watchthe toys dangle, laying her on her floor gym face up to reach for the toysabove her (helps w/ hand-eye coordination), in a bouncer or playpen or inher infant seat to look around & follow mom & dad's movement around thehouse.
-An important part of wake time is "Tummy Time". Babies need tummytime to strengthen their neck muscles since their heads grow so quickly in thefirst months. Put your baby down on a playmat for tummy time several times aday for a few minutes at a time. She should get a total of about 30 minutes oftummy a day. Make sure she's near or next to you at all times during tummy timeto prevent choking or suffocating.
-Avoid watching tv while holding the baby or turn her away from it. Althoughshemay seem facinated, it will put her brain into overload. The rapid changinglight patterns from scene to scene & the change in volume will heighten hertension. She's not able to neurologically handle such rapid light and soundchanges.

Guidelines for Sleep/Nap Time:
-Nap time should be 1 to 2 1/2 hours when she eats every 3-4 hours a day. Ifbaby isn't napping well, cut back on wake time because they may be overstimulated. Fatigued or over stimulated babies become hyper alert, fighting offsleep through crying.
-Some crying is normal when putting her down for a nap or sleep time. It willeventually dissipate. Crying for 15-20 minutes at first is normal & willnot emotionally or psychologically harm her.The American Academy ofPediatricsrecognizes several periods of crying as a natural part of ababy's day.

Sleep Patterns:
-Newborns: If feedings are kept routine & constant, nap times willtoo. When there are too many changes in her daily routine, this will affect hernap/sleep time as well. Naps should be 1 to 2 1/2 hours long. Nighttimesleep should be no longer than 5 hours to give her adequate nutrition &calories to grow. This will also help mom sustain adequate milk production bynot going to long without nursing.
-Babies 2 months: By this time, she should be dropping her night timefeeding & sleep 7 to 8 hours a night.
-Babies 3 to 5 months: By this time, there will only be 4 to 6 feedings a day & she should besleeping 10 to 12 hours a night. By 5 months, the 3rd nap time may be dropped.This means Wake times & other nap times will last longer.
-Babies 6 to 16 months: By 6 months, she should drop her late afternoon/eveningnap, leaving only 2 nap times during the day. One in the morning and one atnight lasting 1 1/2 to 2 hours long.
-Babies 16 months and up: By this time, she should be sleeping 10 to 12 hours anight & taking only one nap in the afternoon for 2 to 3 hours.

3 Rules for Baby to Wake up Happy:
-You highly influence your baby's wake up disposition:
(1) Mom, not baby, decides when nap starts
(2) Mom, not baby, decides when nap ends
(3) If she wakes up cranky or crying, its because she hasn't had sufficientsleep, has a dirty diaper, loud noises, getting sick or is uncomfortable insleeping position.
-When babies fall asleep they transition from active sleep to relaxed sleep in30-45 minutes. During active sleep they may stir, fuss, cry or make noises. Donot pick her up or attempt to console her unless she cries for an extendedperiod of time (longer than 30 minutes). Babies need to become accustomed toyour schedule for them in order for them to eventually adhere to it.

Pediatric Advice

Below are some notes I took from my daughter's pediatrician. Some is information she told me, some is from pamphlets that she gave me and the rest is from books, magazines and websites I came across as an expecting mommy.. I received so much information that I found it useful to take some notes for myself while preparing for my new arrival! Hope you can all benefit from them as well!



Pediatrician Book: Feeding Suggestions
Table of Contents
(1) Freshly Expressed Milk Storage
(2) Milk Thawing
(3) Water for Baby?
(4) Introducing Solids
(5) Signs of Food Allergies
(6) Foods & Feeding By Age
(7) Colic Symptoms & Solutions

Freshly Expressed Milk Storage
-4 hrs at room temperature
-24 hrs in cooler w/ 3 ice packs
-5 to 7 days in refrigerator
-3 to 6 months (6 if at 0 degrees)
-Thawed milk can be refrigerated for 24 hrs
-Don't store thawed breast milk
-Don't store milk kept in cooler longer than 8 hrs
- Never refreeze thawed milk

Milk Thawing
-Warm milk under cool then warm running water for a few minutes OR
-Put milk in container with heated water
-Don't ever heat milk directly on stove
-Don't ever microwave milk
-Thawed milk must be used within a 24 hour period if refrigerated & within 1-2 hours if left at room temperature
-Don't refreeze leftover thawed milk

Water for baby?
-Breastmilk & formula contain enough water but some parents offer water for taste & variety
-If you give her water, limit it to 2 oz a day until at least 4 months. Use only boiled tap water or bottled water with added flouride. You can also use weak chamomile tea as part of the 2oz per day for fussy babies

Introducing Solids
-Should not be introduced until at least 4-5 months.
-Introduce only 1 solid food at a time to determine if it agrees with her or causes an allergic reaction.
-Always give with a spoon, not a jar or bottle
-Babies with only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon & should not be force fed.
-Stay away from foods that are a choking hazard such as raisins, grapes, sliced hot dogs, peanut butter, nuts, chips, meats, any food that's hard to chew & any food about the size of the baby's trachea.

Common Signs of Food Allergies
-Difficulty breathing
-Constipation, diarrhea or vomiting
-Watery eyes, coughing or runny nose
-Excessive bloating or gassiness
-Unusual daytime crankiness

Suggested Foods & Feedings by Age
Babies 0-4 months
-BREASTMILK: 8-10 feeds day for total 16-32 oz
- No solids at all

Babies 4-5 months
-BREASTMILK: 5-6 feeds day for total 24-36 oz
-SOLIDS: Rice or single grain cereal up to 1-2 times a day
-No vegetables, fruits, juice or proteins

Babies 5-8 months
-BREASTMILK: 8-10 feeds day for total 24-32 oz
-SOLIDS: Single grain cereal, cereal & fruit mix, oven dry toast or teething biscuits up to 2-3 times a day
-JUICE: Infant 100% juice max 4oz a day
-VEGETABLES: Strained or mashed soft vegetables 1/4 to 1/2 cup a day up to 7 months
-Soft boiled vegetables after 7 months
-FRUITS: Strained or mashed w/out peels max 1/2 cup a day up to 7 months
-Some soft fruits after 7 months
-No proteins

Babies 8-10 months
-BREASTMILK: 2-4 feeds day for total 20-30 oz
-SOLIDS: All baby cereals 1/2 cup a day, toast, 1/2 plain bagel, crackers & bread up to 3 times a day
-JUICE: 100% infant juice max 6oz a day
-VEGETABLES: Cooked, chopped soft vegetables only
-Soft or canned packed only in water or fresh peeled, seeded & chopped fruits
-PROTEINS: Ground or finely chopped lean meats, egg yolks, few teaspoons of
plain yogurt & cheese

Babies 10-12 months
-BREASTMILK: 1-2 feeds day for total 16-24 oz
-SOLIDS: All baby or unsweetened cereals 1/2 cup a day, toast, 1/2 plain bagel, crackers, bread, mashed potatoes, rice or pasta up to 3 times a day
-JUICE: 100% infant juice max 8oz a day
-VEGETABLES: Cooked, chopped or in sticks for finger food only
-Soft or canned packed only in water or fresh peeled, seeded & chopped fruits
-PROTEINS: Ground, chopped or small tender pieces of lean meats, egg yolks,
cooked beans, plain yogurt & cheese

Common Colic Symptoms & Solutions
Symptoms
-Colic "Rule of 3" is crying that occurs for more than a total of 3 hours throughout the day, 3 days a week for 3 consecutive weeks.
-Crying that starts off quietly & escalates to an ear-piercing pitch.
-Arching her back when she cries.
-She can temporarily be soothed by burping, the pacifier or the swing.
-Sleeps or dozes off during feedings during feedings, not swallowing & digesting
properly.

Solutions
-Babies with some of the above symptoms often have GER (Gastroesophageal Reflux) instead of colic. Zantac can help relieve discomfort during feedings & reduce the spitting up. All babies spit up to some degree but they shouldn't be spitting up large amounts (vomitting) at every feeding. Zantac will help reduce the burning babies experience in their throat and esophagus from stomach acid. To prevent baby from spitting up the dosage, use a slender syringe & squirt the medicine toward the back of her cheek so she swallows it.
-Keep baby upright or no more than semi-reclined for at least 20 minutes after each feeding.
-When possible, have mom or dad soothe the baby after feeding to improve bonding, comfort & psychological feeling of comfort in the baby from the baby instead of from other friends or family.
-Elevate the head of the crib by rolling a towel and placing it under the mattress
-Breastfeed for 10-15 minutes from one breast, burp, then do the same on the other breast. Start on the opposite breast at the next feeding.
-Sucking is calming so don't let baby fall asleep sucking at the breast since she isn't actively swallowing & digestings. Offer a pacifier if she's done
eating & has fed for an adequate amount of time.
-Pick a consistent bedtime & make it obvious its bedtime. Do this by creating a nightly routine by exaggerating the differences between day & night feedings. You could dim lights, rock her, play gentle music, swaddle her, read to her & put her to bed after feeding & burping.
-Downsize daytime naps. They shouldn't be any longer than 1 to 2 1/2 hours at the most, diminishing in time & quantity of naps throughout the day as they get older.

SafetyTat: A Removeable Safety Tattoo for Your Child

Here's an idea I think is pretty clever. I know I get pretty nervous when I take my daughter to a crowded mall, amusement park, carnival or sporting event! As much as I don't like to, I use a "backpack leash" to be on the safe side and make sure my little one doesn't wander. Well, a new, innovative company came up with a great idea. They created temporary child safety tattoos known as SafetyTat.

A mother of 3 created this product when while at an amusement park, she decided she needed a way to identify her kids if they happened to be lost. She also wanted whoever found them to know who to contact immediately. So, she wrote her cell phone number on their arm and explained to them why she was doing it. She stressed to them that they should stay together and ake sure never to lose sight of their siblings or their mom but, if they are separated, they can use the number to help find their mom again. The kids were instructed to tell any adult near them, should they become lost or separated from the group, that the number to contact their mom was on their arm.

Since it was not a permanent ink pen, the number needed to be re-written several times due to sweat, heat and clothes rubbing on it. After a number of other parents commenting on what a great idea she had, she decided to develop SafetyTat. Her slogan is, “the tat that brings kids back”. For more information on safety tips and ordering your own SafetyTat, visit the SafetyTat Website. They are sold in packs of 6 or 18 and cost a little more than $1.00 each. That seems very much so worth my child's safety and I'll definitely be ordering some.

I was not paid or reimbursed in any way by the SafetyTat website to post this blog.

Making Every Moment a Teachable Moment

Increasing Your Child's Vocabulary, Recognition, Speech and Comprehension with Daily Tasks

Teachable moments are anywhere and everywhere. Parents should take every opportunity to teach their children as they go through the day. School isn't the only place children should be learning. All parents have to do to take advantage of teachable moments throughout the day is realize that there are teachable moments in virtually anything and everything you do. Below are some examples that I used when my daughter was a toddler.
When you wake up in the morning, ask your little one what the numbers on the alarm clock are. Even toddlers can begin to recognize numbers at an early age! Ask them what shape the alarm clock is. A square, a rectangle, a circle?

1. When eating breakfast, continue with shapes and ask about the shape of the top of a cup, the plate the table, etc. Expand with asking about colors too. What colors are in the food? Fruits and cereals come in many different colors so it's easy.

2. Have your little one match colors together in his breakfast as he or she eats.

3. After breakfast, move on to colors and shapes with clothing. You don't have to let you little one choose his clothing since he may not make the wisest choice for the weather but you can pull out a few choices and have him pick the matching pieces.

4. After breakfast, go out for a short walk. Look at the houses, leaves, cars, people, airplanes, birds, etc and make your child aware of his or her surroundings.

5. On your way to preschool, kindergarten or just to run errands, ask your child about environmental cues. Most children can recognize the signs to popular stores around their neighborhood because they see them often and hear you say them. This is a great opportunity to teach letters as well. If they recognize the Target sign, ask about the first letter in the word. What letter is that? Is there another "T" in Target? Is it a big T or a little T?

6. Identify people in stores while running errands. Teach children the difference between a young boy, a teenager, an adult such as a mom and dad and an elderly person such as a grandpa.

7. Look at prices of items when shopping and teach your child (usually 5 or above) about prices and rounding up numbers. Prices tend to be easily rounded up at grocery stores since most end in 95, 97 or 98 cents.

8. When paying, show your child the money and see if he or she can figure out how much to give the cashier. If the bill is $7, show your child a $5 bill and a $10 bill and see which one he thinks will be enough to pay for it.

9. When taking a bath at home, filling up a glass of water or filling up a bucket in the yard, show your child the difference between half full, half empty, empty and full.

10. At the end of your day, recap and see if your child remembers what he or she learned throughout the day. See what they have retained and what they have to continue to work on the following day.

There are countless other ways to take advantage of the environment around you and make every moment in the day a teachable one. As a former teacher, I try to do this as often as possible with my little one and I've seen it make a notable difference in her recognition, comprehension and speech. It has helped increase her vocabulary and expand on her curiosity. Now she asks me about many things as opposed to me having to pique her curiosity about it.

More resources

• www.theparentcenter.net

Educational Websites for Kids with Tons of Activities

Educational Websites for Kids with Activities, Recipes,

Birthday Party Themes, Printables and More!

Here's a great website I came across when I was looking for new activities for my daughter and friends. It's Activities for Kids and, not only does it have recipes, printables, crafts and travel games, but it also has tons of features for teachers! The site features classroom activities, personalized open house invitations, activity calendars and more. Parents can use these at home as well if you have a few kids around the same age and/or have other kids cared for at your home.

In addition to all of the features for teachers and parents to teach their kids anything and everything including art, math, American Presidents, the Pledge of Allegiance and more, the site also features tons of Birthday Party ideas! Make free personalized invitations, thank you cards, guest lists and happy birthday banners with clip art directly from their site. They also feature party games, party foods, recipes and more. Need to keep kids entertained, print out the printable games they feature. Not sure what theme to go with for the party? They have a long list of themes along with great ideas on incorporating them. Having tons of family over for the holidays? Entertain them with fun holiday activities, recipes and arts and crafts!

Everything on the site is free and printable without any copyright restrictions. Check it out!

Teach Your Kids Spanish at Any Age

You don't have to speak Spanish yourself or have relatives that speak Spanish to teach your little ones. Many parents have expressed to me lately how much they wished they spoke Spanish because they want their kids to be bilingual. With the economy the way it is and with jobs being so hard to find, they want to give their kids an early advantage and get them interested in the language early on so they maintain it and continue learning it through elementary, high school and onto college. Well, I always tell them that they don't need to speak Spanish themselves in order to teach their kids. There are tons of resources, most of them free, to teach their kids Spanish at home. Below are some examples, along with some ways to make your home a bilingual one. The whole family can learn together!

Nickelodeon Nick Jr's Say It Two Ways Program with Dora & Diego

Nickelodeon's Nick Jr website offers games, activities and printables to help your child learn words in English and Spanish. Perfect for young preschool or kindergarten age children just starting with the language.

Spanish for Kids

This is an excellent, comprehensive website for parents and kids of all ages to test their Spanish and learn it at any level. It features tons of free activities including memory games, vocabulary, alphabet sounds, children's videos, songs & lyrics, spelling practice, conversational Spanish to speak with friends, age appropriate activities, worksheets and more! The site also has sections to make your own flashcards, puzzles and even a section for Spanish teachers that you can check out. It also has a "Test Your Spanish Level" section to estimate yours or your child's level of fluency in the language. For older children, it has a Verb Conjugator section to help with the most difficult part of learning the language. Simply enter the word and it conjugates the verb for you. There's also a Spanish/English Dictionary, Text Translator and Sentence Maker. Excellent learning or tutoring resource! What more could you ask for and it's free!!

Spanish Lessons

This website features specific lessons on all of the major Spanish topics, including music and literature. It's ideal for high school age children or children that already speak the language and want to learn to read and write. The site features audio samples, quizzes, musical audio and more. It also allows you to subscribe to a free email newsletter so you can get notification whenever new activities are posted. Some of the lessons include people identifiers, question words, verbs, masculine and feminine words, days of the week, months of the year, imperfect verbs and much more!

Teaching Spanish at Home

• In order to enforce lessons at home, it may help to label items all around your house in Spanish and English. Simply write the words on 3 x 5 cards or Post-It notes and tape them everywhere such as on chairs, windows, doors, appliances, etc. You can also type them and cut them out to make all of the letters look exactly the same and encourage font recognition.
• Practice the words when eating, bathing, playing, etc by asking your child what it is and having him or her tell you in both English and Spanish.
• You can also make Spanish/English bingo games, flash cards, memory games and more!
• When your child draws pictures, see if he or she can draw items that he knows the Spanish words to so he can tell you what it is in Spanish.
• When asking for something, have him or her say Please and Thank you in Spanish as well as English.

Simple tasks such as these and using the online resources will help your entire family learn the language and quickly spark an interest in your little ones so they keep learning it through childhood and into college!

Milestones & Household Items To Help Your Child Achieve Them!

Are you wondering if your little one has reached some of the more typical milestones of toddlerhood? Do you want to help your child reach his or her reach important points in development? See if your little one can do the following and, if not, use some of the household items below to help him do so!

Parents place a lot of importance on milestones specific to the development of a baby. Many times, parents will compare their child to others around the same age. The fact is that children grow and progress at different rates. One child may sit up at 4 months while another many not do so until 6 or 7 months old. Some children walk as early as 9 months old while others don't take their first steps until they're a year and a half. Although milestones vary greatly from child to child, parents do play a part in helping their child reach milestones. Parents should work with their child from very early on by encouraging tummy time, sitting up, rolling over, taking steps and more. Are you wondering if your little one has reached some of the more typical milestones of toddlerhood? Do you want to help him or her reach important points in development Do so by helping build fine and gross motor skills and do it with items in your own home. Not sure if or what you need to work on? See if your little one can do the following and, if not, use some of the household items below to help him do so!

By the end of the 1st Year, your baby should:

Sit up for periods of time with no support

Crawl forward and backward

Stand by themselves (sometimes holding onto something)

Pick up an object while standing (sometimes holding onto something)

Move around furniture or walk around it while holding on Mimic others

By the end of the 2nd Year, your baby should:

Walk without holding your hand

Pull a toy while walking

Carry a toy while walking

Begin to run

Stand on tiptoes

Kick a ball

Climb onto and down from the sofa

Walk up and down stairs holding onto support

By the end of the 3rd Year, your baby should:

Climb well

Walk up and down stairs, alternating feet

Kick and direct the motion of a ball

Run easily

Pedal a tricycle

Bend over easily without falling

By the end of the 4th Year, your baby should:

Hop and stand on one foot for up to 5 seconds

Go up and down stairs without help

Kick a ball forward

Throw a ball overhand

Catch a bounced ball most of the time

Move forward and backward with agility

By the end of the 5th Year, your baby should:

Stand on one foot for 10 seconds or longer

Hop

Do somersaults

Pump on a swing

Begin to skip

Is your little one not quite there yet or do you want to help him or her meet developmental milestones? Use these household items for help!

Balloons: These are great for visual tracking, throwing and catching! Throw them up in the air and have your little one catch it. It falls slowly so you'll be able to help him or her practice reaction time. Throw it at your toddler and have him duck to avoid it! Test how fast his reaction time is and, the best part is, it won't hurt if it hits him!.

Paper Towel Rolls: When they're empty, fill them up with rice, cover each end and wrap it up in tape. Then use it as a shaker and make music with your little one. Have him mimic the sounds you make and follow a beat!

Hula Hoops: Your little one might be too small to hula hoop with it but she can still jump through it, in and out of it, push it or pull it around.

Sprinklers: Not everyone can have a pool in the backyard. When it's hot, you don't need a pool. Use the sprinklers in your front or back yard for some summer fun. Jump in and out of the water, try to jump away from the sprinkler or bring out a slip n' slide near it.

Pots & pans: Most kitchens have stacks of pots and pans that fit together, one on top of the other, from smalllest to biggest. Separate all of the pots in the pile and have your little one try and put them back in the order they belong in!

Fruit Loops or other Colored Cereal: Of course it's a food that is eaten for breakfast or a snack but, before eating it, learn something with it! Have your little one separate the different colors and name them for you each day before breakfast. In no time, he'll know the basic red, green, yellow and orange colors!

Paper: Have paper that needs to be shredded before being thrown out? Have your little one rip it up for you! The dexterity needed to tear pieces of paper helps them refine their fine motor skills!

Glasses: Even if you no longer use them to drink out of, save those kids' cups you get at restaurants. Place it on the table or on the floor and have your little one practice making it in the cup. Throw a plastic ball, coins, pieces of macaroni or any other object.

Chalk: Take it outside and start writing! Practice letters, numbers, shapes & more. When you're done, leave it out there and let the rain or the sprinklers wash it away! Better yet, draw a hopscotch and start jumping!

Rope: Use it to jump rope as usual, play tug or war or as a line marker on the ground for a race!

Gymboree Child Education Classes

This article is from about a year ago but not much has changed! My daughter still LOVES Gymboree and has learned a lot during the past 6 months we've been going there. It has taught her to share with other kids, say please, thank you and sorry when it's called for, sit for listening time with the teacher and so much more! I highly recommend it for your little ones.

Well, I'm not exaggerating when I say that it's been AT LEAST a year since I've been meaning to take Shae to a Gymboree class!! Since she was about 7 months old, I've wanted to take her but just couldn't find enough time in the day. Between work, cleaning, cooking, making lunches, doing laundry....and getting up for work before 4 am during the week, I was just too tired and didn't have the energy to do it. I was also under the impression that classes were only in the mornings.... more suitable for the stay at home mom schedule. Well, this week, after getting my 20th coupon in the mail for a free introductory class, I finally logged onto the website from my cell phone (or smart phone as some would call it) and signed Shae up for her first class.

The class was scheduled for Wednesday at 7:10 pm. So, my daughter, husband and I had dinner, changed and got ready to go. Although we only live 1.2 miles away, we left 25 minutes prior to the time the class would start......I guess we were just a little bit anxious. We got there within a few minutes, of course, and got out of the car. We peeked in the window, saw that another class was still in session, and decided to take a walk around the block while we killed time before our class was to begin.

When it was finally 7pm, we walked in the door and were greeted by teacher Heather. She happily welcomed us and invited Shae to start exploring. She first reminded us, however, that shoes are not allowed in the gym and we were to wear socks. If we forgot ours, which we did, we could wear some of the clean, washed socks they provide. I was thrilled at this, by the way! We take our shoes off at home, and so does everyone that comes over. The disgusting things on the bottoms of shoes DOES NOT belong anywhere near my hands, mouth, face...or anywhere else besides the bottoms of shoes. Having parents and kids remove shoes ensure that none of the disgusting things on the bottoms of shoes will end up where it shouldn't

Now, back to the Gymboree class...Shae was encouraged to go barefoot to prevent slipping and sliding and our little newby didn't even hesitate!! She immediately started climbing the ladders. going through the tunnels, down the slides and on the bouncy balls! As parent newbies, we just stared for a bit and analyzed the crowd. After a few seconds, we got more comfortable, took our shoes off, put the "clean socks" on and followed Shae around. She immediately loved it and climbed all over. She went up the ladders, rolled the balls, climbed on the teeter toter and had a blast. When the class started, teacher Heather, a spunky, sweet, very animated 25 year old, began banging a tamborine and called the kids to the mat.

Most, if not all, immediately came and were immediately drawn to Gymbo! A clown, and the Gymboree mascot, for lack of better words. She had a BIG Gymbo and LITTLE Gymbo and, therefore, the lesson of the day was Big and Little. She walked around and showed the kids the big slide and the little slide, big ball and little ball, big ladder and small ladder and so on. She then encouraged us to follow our children around and continue the lesson on our own.

We did that and had a blast interacting with Shae, the other parents and the other kids. Throughout the class, teacher Heather called the kids back to the mat, added more to the lesson with big and small rings, bubbles and more. We culminated by playing parachute and Shae then continued to play.

Signing up for the class weekly was a no brainer. It was obvious it would benefit her socially, physically and mentally. It would help get her in the classroom mentality, needing to stay in a group for periods at a time and it would get her around other kids, something we don't do unless we go to the mall germ pits (aka indoor playgrounds at malls).

In addition to the weekly Play and Learn class, we also get free access to their Open Gym Time that's scheduled various times and days throughout the week. That alone makes it worth it because it gives Shae other opportunities to come play with other kids without the structure of the class.

Overall, my only regret is not signing up for the class sooner! I know for a fact that Shae would have benefited greatly had she been attending from an early age. If and when I have another baby, I'll be coming as soon as possible and, since classes start for the 0 - 3 month age group, that means it'll be almost immediately!

Hope you have all enjoyed my review and I welcome you to attend, at least, the free introductory class. You have absolutely nothing to lose and much to gain! Visit Gymboree 's website for locations near you !

How to Enhance Learning at Home

Helping Your Child's Teacher Teach Your Child

Children attend school for approximately 8 hours a day, for 180 days a year. Teachers teach your children the school curriculum, in addition to manners, safety, social skills and much more. Although it is a teacher's job to teach his or her students, the learning shouldn't stop once the child goes home for the day. Daily lessons should be expanded on my parents at home in order for children to truly benefit from what they learn in school. Parents should block out time each day to expand on the academic lessons taught.

Parents should also speak with children about the activities they participated in throughout the day. Social skills are also a big portion of what children acquire in school. On a daily basis, children interact with other children, teachers, counselors and much more. Parents should speak with their child about who they spoke with and interacted with throughout the day and how they made them feel. Lastly, children spend another approximately 180 days at home either on weekends or summer and winter vacations. Even if it's for just five minutes, parents should still take time each day during off days making teachable moments and reinforcing what was recently learned in school.

Academic Lessons
After school can be a hectic time at home. Music, dance, sports and many other activities children participate in leave little time for quality time with parents spent discussing the school day. Even if it's for 5 minutes after dinner or a few minutes during bath time, parents should still spend some time discussing what was learned during the day with their children. For example, if your child learned percentages in math that day, help him figure out what percentage of his dinner he must eat before he gets dessert. If he learned spelling, use foam bath letters and have him spell out new words he learned in the tub. If your child learned a new exercise or game in physical education, take the family outside after dinner and have him teach everyone what he learned.

Teaching something that you learned is the best way to retain it yourself! Teachers also depend on parents to help their children with homework and continue the teaching at home. While this will not replace a teacher's role, it will add to it and solidify academic lessons because children have real life experiences to relate them to,

New Activities & Experiences
Maybe your child had to work in a group for the first time during the school day. Maybe he had to give a speech in front of the class. Either way, it's something he has not yet experienced in the past. Ask you child about his new experience and how it made him feel. Does he prefer to work alone or in groups? Does he prefer to work with certain children in his classroom or does he prefer girls over boys in his group? These are all questions that will tell you a lot about your child's personality and will allow you to learn something about him you may not have known before. Maybe your child was in trouble but it wasn't major enough for you to be notified by the teacher. If your child is used to coming home and telling you all about the activities he participated in throughout the day, he'll feel more comfortable confiding in you when good or when bad things happen.

Recess & Play Time
During the school day, children also have unstructured playtimes during recess and snack times. During these times, children interact with each other without guidance from other adults and often end up dealing with conflicts on their own. They form relationships, have arguments, learn to share and much more. This is one of the major parts of a child's school day because these interactions will be the basis for his or her adult relationships.

Weekends, Holidays and Summer Vacations
Although children get a break from school on weekends, holidays and summer vacations, this does not mean that learning should cease. Many children will forget what was previously learned if it is not repeated and reviewed at home on weekends or especially during long winter or summer breaks. Parents should invest in review books and materials that reinforce lessons learned at home. Books should also be abundant at home and parents should encourage reading at the earliest age possible, preferably starting when babies are only months old. Encouraging a love of reading at an early age will foster a love of reading far into adulthood.

The internet is also an excellent tool for parents. There are a variety of websites that offer learning tools free of charge. There are activity pages, learning games and much more all free of charge at the touch of a keyboard. Museums and cultural festivals are also a great way to enhance learning in children. Many museums have free days for children to attend.

Learning should be something that's fostered, nourished and encouraged as often as possible both at home and at school. Parents play an important role in ensuring that learning continues beyond the school day and that what is learned during the school day is maintained.

More resources

• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5456182/vacation_days_learning_plan.html?cat=4
• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1719238/how_to_enhance_your_childs_learning.html?cat=25
• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/56999/helping_your_child_succeed_in_school.html?cat=25