Nutritious Menu Planning Resources
ideas_from_every_food_group_for_snacks.pdf | |
File Size: | 536 kb |
File Type: |
healthy_recipes_for_busy_families.pdf | |
File Size: | 541 kb |
File Type: |
guidelines_for_choosing_snacks_for_preschool_children.pdf | |
File Size: | 484 kb |
File Type: |
easy_menu_planner.pdf | |
File Size: | 46 kb |
File Type: |
Let's Play! Using Play-Based Curriculum to Support Children's Learning throughout the Domains By Cynthia Hoisington
Intuitively all early childhood teachers know that play is an integral part of young children’s lives, and that being able to play, both alone and with others, is a hallmark of children’s healthy development. We also understand that play enhances children’s physical, social/emotional, and creative growth, and we daily assess this growth by observing children at play.
We observe children playing both indoors and out—running, jumping, climbing, playing ball, and dancing—and we note their increasing abilities to move with confidence and control, to balance their bodies, and to utilize eye-hand coordination. As they build with small blocks and play with manipulative toys, we observe the gradual strengthening of their small muscles.
We observe individual children engaged in different types of play at different times, and we quickly notice that their play becomes more complex and more social as the year progresses. We are able to assess children’s growing abilities to direct their own play, to make decisions about materials and props, and to assert their own ideas and opinions about what they want to play. As children begin to play interactively, we see growth in their abilities to follow the rules of a game, to take turns, to share materials, and to begin to cooperatively solve problems that emerge during the play.
And finally, as we daily observe children drawing and painting, building and constructing, and engaged in the process of hands-on creative play, often with little or no intervention from adults, we observe how play supports their growing abilities to express themselves uniquely and creatively, to explore new materials, and to use familiar materials in new and more complex ways.
What other types of learning does child-initiated play support? Can play also stimulate children’s cognitive development, and therefore be useful in supporting the development of science, math, language, and literacy skills?
Want to read more?? Visit: http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=453
We observe children playing both indoors and out—running, jumping, climbing, playing ball, and dancing—and we note their increasing abilities to move with confidence and control, to balance their bodies, and to utilize eye-hand coordination. As they build with small blocks and play with manipulative toys, we observe the gradual strengthening of their small muscles.
We observe individual children engaged in different types of play at different times, and we quickly notice that their play becomes more complex and more social as the year progresses. We are able to assess children’s growing abilities to direct their own play, to make decisions about materials and props, and to assert their own ideas and opinions about what they want to play. As children begin to play interactively, we see growth in their abilities to follow the rules of a game, to take turns, to share materials, and to begin to cooperatively solve problems that emerge during the play.
And finally, as we daily observe children drawing and painting, building and constructing, and engaged in the process of hands-on creative play, often with little or no intervention from adults, we observe how play supports their growing abilities to express themselves uniquely and creatively, to explore new materials, and to use familiar materials in new and more complex ways.
What other types of learning does child-initiated play support? Can play also stimulate children’s cognitive development, and therefore be useful in supporting the development of science, math, language, and literacy skills?
Want to read more?? Visit: http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=453
Helping your preschool child learn new skills
_Some parents have asked me about how they can help their child at home to develop handwriting skills. Here are some helpful tips for helping your child build skills in writing.
It is important that your child has development strong fine motor skills before he/she regularly practices handwriting skills, as this development will assist in holding, moving and guiding the pencil or pen.
This link has great fun ideas for developing fine motor skills:http://preschoolmama.com/index.php/2008/04/01/preschool-handwriting-activities/
Readiness is a very important factor in teaching a child any new skill. "If your little genius is ready, then how will you know? A child who is ready to read is expressing interest in words. He/she is asking what the letters are that he sees and continually wanting you to read the same stories over and over." Found at: http://nurseryschoolratings.com/wp/archives/12/how-to-teach-reading-and-writing-to-your-preschooler-at-home/
Have you ever asked yourself, "My child just isn’t interested in doing schoolwork. I’ve just given up. How do I help him/her?" This is a common question parents ask themselves when things get frustrating while trying to help a child learn a new skill. This website is aimed for children a little older than preschool, but many of the tips can be used for teaching preschoolers as well. http://ag.udel.edu/extension/fam/FM/issue/successschool.htm
It is very important to teach your child at an early age that if you try and try again to succeed. Here are some strategies For A Child Who Gives Up Too Easily: http://www.parentsjournal.com/node/200
This is another great site with tips for helping children who give up easily: http://www.ehow.com/how_7726294_child-gives-up-easily-school.html
Thank you for taking the time to read some of these documents to help your child strengthen in their development.
It is important that your child has development strong fine motor skills before he/she regularly practices handwriting skills, as this development will assist in holding, moving and guiding the pencil or pen.
This link has great fun ideas for developing fine motor skills:http://preschoolmama.com/index.php/2008/04/01/preschool-handwriting-activities/
Readiness is a very important factor in teaching a child any new skill. "If your little genius is ready, then how will you know? A child who is ready to read is expressing interest in words. He/she is asking what the letters are that he sees and continually wanting you to read the same stories over and over." Found at: http://nurseryschoolratings.com/wp/archives/12/how-to-teach-reading-and-writing-to-your-preschooler-at-home/
Have you ever asked yourself, "My child just isn’t interested in doing schoolwork. I’ve just given up. How do I help him/her?" This is a common question parents ask themselves when things get frustrating while trying to help a child learn a new skill. This website is aimed for children a little older than preschool, but many of the tips can be used for teaching preschoolers as well. http://ag.udel.edu/extension/fam/FM/issue/successschool.htm
It is very important to teach your child at an early age that if you try and try again to succeed. Here are some strategies For A Child Who Gives Up Too Easily: http://www.parentsjournal.com/node/200
This is another great site with tips for helping children who give up easily: http://www.ehow.com/how_7726294_child-gives-up-easily-school.html
Thank you for taking the time to read some of these documents to help your child strengthen in their development.
Reasonable Behaviors for Preschool Children
(http://www.sacsc.ca/Preschool%20Bullying%20web%20version.pdf)
_The first year
Your best alternative for discouraging unwelcome behaviour is to distract the child. Indeed, during the first year, the word no barely registers on infants; they may understand that you are angry but do not understand the link between actions and their consequences. Give them lots of attention, affection and security, be consistent with your expectations about manners and give lots of praise.
The second year
Toddlers of this age may play in the same area, but they likely aren’t playing together. At this age, children tend to play independently even when they are together, and they tend to imitate each other rather than interact. Even so, conflicts can arise. Usually, though, aggressive behaviour is the result of frustration and misperception, not the intent to hurt.
During their second year, children observe, learn and understand much more than they can tell you. They are the centre of their universe, and that universe is getting bigger every day. They learn something every time they explore, experiment, seize, probe, push. They want to own everything they see, including things that belong to other people, and they cannot comprehend concepts like sharing, avoiding danger or handling a valuable object carefully. Furthermore, they cannot communicate their desires because their language skills are limited. This may cause some frustration and elicit behaviour that seems aggressive, such as dragging you or a playmate along by the arm to show you something. Children at this age do not understand the difference between right and wrong and cannot understand why parents say “no.” They want to do things, like open containers or push the vacuum, but lack the physical skills, strength and coordination. The natural response to situations like this is frustration.
Toddlers frequently experience frustration but have limited resources for handling it, and therefore often express their feelings in aggressive behaviour: be prepared for tantrums, crying, biting, throwing, screaming, hitting, yelling and more. Toddlers follow their aggressive instincts and need to learn how to tame them.
Toddlers cannot absorb long lectures about appropriate behaviour. Instead, frequent repetition of small messages is the most effective way of communicating. Firmly say things like, “No hitting,” or “We do not push our friends,” and be consistent with your reasons for saying “no.”
Parents must remember that children who act out instincts are not bad. Your objection should be to the behaviour, not to the child, and your response to the inappropriate behaviour should include helping the child learn a better way to behave.
Three to five years
This is a time of great intellectual growth. Children can follow stories, grasp new ideas and talk about them. They are ready to learn about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and about other people.
There are still limitations, however. At this age, children understand that hitting hurts others. Even so, they may not always be able to stop themselves from aggressive or hurtful behaviour nor can they foresee the consequences of their actions; children in this age group cannot readily understand that they can avoid hurting others by not hitting them. Still, they do generally possess some degree of self-awareness:
if they make others cry, they probably feel bad for having done so.
This is a time of great intellectual growth. Children can follow stories, grasp new ideas and talk about them. They are ready to learn about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and about other people.
There are still limitations, however. At this age, children understand that hitting hurts others. Even so, they may not always be able to stop themselves from aggressive or hurtful behaviour nor can they foresee the consequences of their actions; children in this age group cannot readily understand that they can avoid hurting others by not hitting them. Still, they do generally possess some degree of self-awareness:
if they make others cry, they probably feel bad for having done so.
Is there a difference between playing and bullying?
Play builds the imagination, develops physical coordination and teaches children about rules, roles and possibilities. Occasional roughness between young children is a perfectly normal part of play. Aggressive behaviour, especially if uncommon or for a short period of time, is often the result of physical or emotional stress caused by things like hunger, anger, fatigue, illness, divorce, death of a pet or a new sibling.
Bullying is very different from occasional rowdiness or behaviour problems under unusual circumstances. Bullying is repeated roughness or repeated planned victimization. The intention of bullying is to cause deliberate hurt, or to gain more power and control. Bullying occurs consistently between the same children, with each consistently playing the same role—victim or aggressor. The victim is usually younger, smaller and weaker, and lacks the skills to cope with the aggression.
What are the consequences of bullying?
Victims of bullying become shy, isolated and fearful. The instigator of bullying is encouraged to believe that conflict is best resolved using threats or force; bullying behaviour provides a false sense of the child’s own importance and power and sets him or her up for social failure.
By helping kids develop the right skills early, you can prevent bullying permanently.
Do parents make a difference?
Yes! The lessons you teach your children in their first few years will leave an indelible mark on them for the rest of their lives. You and the other people involved in raising a child are already unconsciously teaching countless life skills, like eating, washing and dressing, and you are also setting the foundation for lifelong learning, social behaviour and health. You are probably teaching those skills with patience, good humor and consistency. The same qualities are required when teaching emotional skills.
Your best alternative for discouraging unwelcome behaviour is to distract the child. Indeed, during the first year, the word no barely registers on infants; they may understand that you are angry but do not understand the link between actions and their consequences. Give them lots of attention, affection and security, be consistent with your expectations about manners and give lots of praise.
The second year
Toddlers of this age may play in the same area, but they likely aren’t playing together. At this age, children tend to play independently even when they are together, and they tend to imitate each other rather than interact. Even so, conflicts can arise. Usually, though, aggressive behaviour is the result of frustration and misperception, not the intent to hurt.
During their second year, children observe, learn and understand much more than they can tell you. They are the centre of their universe, and that universe is getting bigger every day. They learn something every time they explore, experiment, seize, probe, push. They want to own everything they see, including things that belong to other people, and they cannot comprehend concepts like sharing, avoiding danger or handling a valuable object carefully. Furthermore, they cannot communicate their desires because their language skills are limited. This may cause some frustration and elicit behaviour that seems aggressive, such as dragging you or a playmate along by the arm to show you something. Children at this age do not understand the difference between right and wrong and cannot understand why parents say “no.” They want to do things, like open containers or push the vacuum, but lack the physical skills, strength and coordination. The natural response to situations like this is frustration.
Toddlers frequently experience frustration but have limited resources for handling it, and therefore often express their feelings in aggressive behaviour: be prepared for tantrums, crying, biting, throwing, screaming, hitting, yelling and more. Toddlers follow their aggressive instincts and need to learn how to tame them.
Toddlers cannot absorb long lectures about appropriate behaviour. Instead, frequent repetition of small messages is the most effective way of communicating. Firmly say things like, “No hitting,” or “We do not push our friends,” and be consistent with your reasons for saying “no.”
Parents must remember that children who act out instincts are not bad. Your objection should be to the behaviour, not to the child, and your response to the inappropriate behaviour should include helping the child learn a better way to behave.
Three to five years
This is a time of great intellectual growth. Children can follow stories, grasp new ideas and talk about them. They are ready to learn about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and about other people.
There are still limitations, however. At this age, children understand that hitting hurts others. Even so, they may not always be able to stop themselves from aggressive or hurtful behaviour nor can they foresee the consequences of their actions; children in this age group cannot readily understand that they can avoid hurting others by not hitting them. Still, they do generally possess some degree of self-awareness:
if they make others cry, they probably feel bad for having done so.
This is a time of great intellectual growth. Children can follow stories, grasp new ideas and talk about them. They are ready to learn about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and about other people.
There are still limitations, however. At this age, children understand that hitting hurts others. Even so, they may not always be able to stop themselves from aggressive or hurtful behaviour nor can they foresee the consequences of their actions; children in this age group cannot readily understand that they can avoid hurting others by not hitting them. Still, they do generally possess some degree of self-awareness:
if they make others cry, they probably feel bad for having done so.
Is there a difference between playing and bullying?
Play builds the imagination, develops physical coordination and teaches children about rules, roles and possibilities. Occasional roughness between young children is a perfectly normal part of play. Aggressive behaviour, especially if uncommon or for a short period of time, is often the result of physical or emotional stress caused by things like hunger, anger, fatigue, illness, divorce, death of a pet or a new sibling.
Bullying is very different from occasional rowdiness or behaviour problems under unusual circumstances. Bullying is repeated roughness or repeated planned victimization. The intention of bullying is to cause deliberate hurt, or to gain more power and control. Bullying occurs consistently between the same children, with each consistently playing the same role—victim or aggressor. The victim is usually younger, smaller and weaker, and lacks the skills to cope with the aggression.
What are the consequences of bullying?
Victims of bullying become shy, isolated and fearful. The instigator of bullying is encouraged to believe that conflict is best resolved using threats or force; bullying behaviour provides a false sense of the child’s own importance and power and sets him or her up for social failure.
By helping kids develop the right skills early, you can prevent bullying permanently.
Do parents make a difference?
Yes! The lessons you teach your children in their first few years will leave an indelible mark on them for the rest of their lives. You and the other people involved in raising a child are already unconsciously teaching countless life skills, like eating, washing and dressing, and you are also setting the foundation for lifelong learning, social behaviour and health. You are probably teaching those skills with patience, good humor and consistency. The same qualities are required when teaching emotional skills.