2 - 4 Years SEL

Adam and I are always looking for activities to do with the girls, and there’s plenty of learning and fun to be had this Halloween.  It can be as simple as counting and sorting Halloween candy, drawing a spooky picture, or making a paper plate spider web. The learning is always there – you just have to look for it!

1. Pumpkin Coloring Contest

Get out the crayons, print out this pumpkin picture, and watch your little artist’s imagination come to life! Points for the silliest, spookiest, and most creative pumpkins.

2. Paper Plate Spiderwebs

Fall trees aren’t just full of leaves – they’re also full of spiders! Garden spiders are most active in the fall so you’re likely to see more of their elaborate, beautiful webs in the trees in autumn, too. Join the fun and spin your own spider webs out of a paper plate!

1. Cut the center out of a paper plate.
2. Let your kids color the outer edge of the plate with beautiful fall colors like red, orange, and yellow.
3. Using a single hole puncher, punch 12-14 holes around the edge of the hole.
4. Tape one end of a length of yarn to the back of the paper plate and wrap tape tightly around the other to form a ‘needle’.
5. Demonstrate how to weave the yarn back and forth through the holes to create the web, then hand the plate over to your child.
6. Once, the web is spun, remove the pin from the end of the yarn and tape that end to the back of the plate, too.

Add a pipe cleaner spider for the perfect fall finishing touch – cut four black pipe cleaners in half and twist to create an eight-legged creepy crawly!

3. Frankenstein Fun

Start with a blank sheet of paper, then guide your kids, step by step, to draw Frankenstein’s head. Instructions are below:

1. Draw a large rectangle, short sides up and down, long sides on the sides, to form the head.
2. Add a rectangular ear on either side of the head.
3. Add a zig zag line just below the top of the head to make hair.
4. Draw two parallel lines coming out of the bottom of the head to form the neck.
5. Add the start of another rectangle beneath the neck to form the top of the body.
6. Draw two circles for eyes and two half circles inside the circles to form pupils.
7. Add rectangular eyebrows at an angle over the eyes.
8. Add a rectangular mouth.
9. Using the bottom of the mouth as the base, draw three triangles, then connect the pointed tops of the triangles to the top of the mouth’s rectangle to form teeth.
10. Shape a nose between the eyes and the mouth
11. Once the outline of Frankenstein is complete, kids can go crazy with details – add bolts, scars, etc. Outline the creation in Sharpie, and color him in with crayons, colored pencils, markers, even watercolor paints. You’ll be surprised how differently each of your children’s drawings are!

4. Spooky STEM Sculptures

Put all that Halloween candy to good use, with STEM sculptures! Use candy pumpkins and toothpicks to create STEM structures designed to introduce early math and science principles like gravity, balance, angles, and more. Younger kids can try building a simple tower with a three-pumpkin base supporting a single, floating pumpkin. Challenge older kids to create a taller tower, pyramid, spiral, or spider web!

5. Skeleton Puzzle

This double sided skeleton puzzle not only makes a great Halloween activity, it’s also a great way to teach your kids about the name of bones!  It also makes a great front door decoration to help greet your trick or treaters. 

Happy Halloween!

How often do you find your child lost in their only little world of imaginative play? In our house, it’s a daily occurrence – and since school has started again this Fall, I often find the girls playing school. Pretend play is not only a critical part of early child development, it can also help you learn more about your child and their current school experiences.

4 Things You and Your Child Can Learn Playing School

Have you ever been struggling with a project at work, and you come home and think through it while you go through the motions of your day, maybe even in your dreams? Our kids are no different! While you may ask them how school was and get little more than a word or two response, left to their own imaginative play devices, they may reveal far more about their day.

So the next time they want to play school, you should not only encourage it, but listen up.

You Learn 95% of What We Teach to Others  

Ever heard the saying “We Learn . . . 10% of what we read,  20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we experience, and 95% of what we teach others.

”It originated from William Glasser, a famous American psychiatrist, who pioneered work in choice therapy and its applications in education. What it means for playing school? If your child can come home and pretend to teach what they’ve learned to their stuffed animals and dolls, they are more likely to master the material.

Last week, my daughter’s preschool class was beginning a year-long alphabet study by reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. John Archambault. She was playing school, and asked me to write the repetitive refrain from the story on her pretend play school board – she’s a pre-reader, but after I wrote it, she used the pointer to point and read each word on the board!

So instead of doing more math worksheets, or practicing sight words on paper, ask them to teach addition to their favorite play things.

Gain Insight into What’s Happening at School 

How many times have your picked up your child from school with a glum face? You ask, “How was school today?” and get met with a single word response if you’re lucky. You can push the question, but you know it often leads them to shut down even more.

If you back off, and let them play freely when you get home, you can often learn exactly what’s going on at school without even asking. Whether they are playing school, or re-enacting dialogue with princesses or stuffed animals, you might just hear what’s bothering them. Or if nothing is bothering them, you can often discover what they are learning about, who they are playing with, who’s being reprimanded by the teacher, and more.

I recommend letting them play as independently as possible, and revisiting what you learn with them when you have quiet 1-on-1 time. I find the best time to really get them talking is just before bed, after stories, when you are tucking your child in for the night.

Role Playing Develops Social and Emotional Skills 

When your child is playing school (or engaged in any form of pretend or imaginative play), you will often hear them replaying dialogue they observe in the world around them. Maybe they are re-enacting scenes from their favorite show, or replaying what happened at school that day.

Practicing the exchange of dialogue and re-enacting events are an amazing way to help your child develop social and emotional skills they will use for the rest of their life. Role playing during imaginative play is also a great tool for you as a parent to help guide your child when they are struggling with feelings, or even after they have behaved inappropriately.

If they have had an argument with a sibling or a friend at school, or even with you, when they are calmer, you can recreate the situation and offer up words, phrases and alternative actions they can use the next time the situation arises.

Discover Your Child’s Passions

Want to find out what your child is really into? Leave them to their own imaginative devices. When they are playing school, see what lessons they choose to teach. Are they reading books to their stuffed animals? What books do they gravitate towards?

When they are playing school, do they re-teach science experiments or math lessons? The areas they choose to explore voluntarily are likely the subjects they enjoy most. Be sure to encourage those passions… but also take note of the areas they often avoid. This may be an indication of subject areas they struggle with, and may need your help to develop in those areas.

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So the next time you happen upon your kids ‘playing school’, be sure to sit back, let them play and catch the conversation. Not only are they having fun, they are cementing their learning while offering you valuable insights into the part of their day you don’t often get to see firsthand.Grab your own self-storing Pretend & Play School set here. For more great play ideas for kids, check out my Imaginative Play and Kids Activities boards on Pinterest.

It’s no secret that kindergarten today is much more challenging than the kindergarten of your childhood. It’s more academically rigorous, with less play, no more naps and longer days. Is your child ready? How do you know? With my oldest entering kindergarten this month, I share these same questions. So I turned to my mother, a 30 year veteran kindergarten teacher, for her insights on what she expects from kids on the first day of school.

 Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten

For many children, kindergarten is no longer the first school experience – with most entering students having one or more years of preschool behind them.  However, there will also be kids for who this is their very first time in school, and a kindergarten teacher will be well prepared to teach to wide range of academic and social capabilities.If you are questioning whether or not your child is ready to start kindergarten, use the following checklist for the basic skills they need to succeed in their first formal year of schooling. It’s a perfect guide to use alongside the Learning Resources All Ready for Kindergarten Readiness Kit.

1. Recognize Name

Your child’s name will be ALL over their kindergarten classroom – on cubbies, folders, tables, and more. Help them recognize their written name on sight, name the letters in their name, and write their name to the best of their ability. Need some easy name recognition exercises?

• String Learning Resources Lacing Alphabet Beads (part of the Kindergarten Readiness Kit) to spell out their name
• Use dot stickers for this simple Sticker Name Recognition Activity from Busy Toddler
• Try Name Recognition Soup from Munchkins and Moms, also using Alphabet Beads

 2. Name the Letters of the Alphabet

To be ready for kindergarten, your child should at a minimum be able to name half of the capital letters of the alphabet. The Kindergarten Readiness Kit includes lots of alphabet activities, activity cards and manipulatives. Here are a few more of our favorite alphabet activities:

• Use the Alphabet Marks the Spot play mat for an Alphabet Scavenger Hunt, working on both naming letters and letter sounds
• Play Letter Recognition Games with an ABC Bottle made out of a recycled water bottle and colored alphabet pasta

 3. Determine Hand Dominance

Is your child a righty or a lefty? Hand dominance is determined in-utero before your child is born. But clear, proficient use of one hand over the other may not be fully established until your child is 4-6 years old – right around kindergarten.If your child’s hand dominance is already clearly established, your kindergarten teacher will readily recognize it. If it’s still unclear to you, be sure to let your child’s teacher know as well.

4. Know How to Hold and Use Scissors Correctly

If you haven’t put a pair of scissors in your child’s hands yet, it’s time to start. If you are worried about scissor safety, or they get frustrated because they lack the hand strength or coordination to use scissors properly, this is a great series of activities to teach scissor skills and scissor safety.The Learning Resources Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Kit is also a great resource to use in play and build fine motor skills to support using scissors.

5. Name and Recognize Colors 

Your kindergartener should be able to recognize and name basic colors – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, brown and white. Color recognition helps children with one of the earliest basic math skills – sorting. The Kindergarten Readiness Kit includes manipulatives for color recognition. You can also play one of our favorite games – Color Match – using just colored paper and whatever toys you have at home.

 6. Count and Recognize Numbers to 10

Most preschoolers learn to count, recognize numbers to 10 and understand one-to-one correspondence (count objects) to get ready for kindergarten. If your child isn’t there yet or needs a refresher, this easy counting activity for preschoolers from Busy Toddler is a great place to start. For a more hands-on challenge, try this counting meets simple engineering activity for kids to build a bridge for elephants!

7. Make Rhymes

Nursery rhymes have been the beginning of literacy development for generations. Recognizing words that rhyme is an important first step to get ready for kindergarten and in learning to read.

If nursery rhymes are not part of your family’s repertoire, you can play a simple rhyme game. Say any word (“Cat”), and ask your child to say a rhyming word back to you (“Hat”). Take turns until you run out of rhymes (“Sat, Mat, Pat, Rat, etc.)!

8. Play and Share with Peers

Kindergarten is as much about laying the ground work for academics, as it is about social development. To get ready for kindergarten, encourage your child to play and sharing with peers and siblings.  Remind them to “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Schedule playdates with peers at home, the park or playground, or you can play this simple sharing activity to role-play this important social skill.

 

9. Take Direction and Accept Disappointment

 

Your child’s kindergarten class will likely be the largest class they have been a part of to date. Students will be expected to follow directions from teachers, and may not always get their way. A great way to get ready for kindergarten to practice both taking direction and handling disappointment is by playing games as a family.Focus on following the directions, playing fairly, and help coach them through disappointment when they lose. For great game options for kindergarteners, check out Math Marks the Spot,and Riddle Moo This!

 

10. Basic Hygiene and Self Care

 

To get ready for kindergarten, your child will need to be able to use the bathroom independently, including wiping themselves and washing their hands. They will also be expected to eat lunch and snacks, largely independently as well, including clearing their places and properly disposing of trash. Be sure to review school lunch options with them, or send food they can and will eat.If they don’t already do these basic self-care skills independently, it’s a good idea to work on it before school starts at home.

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Is your child ready for kindergarten? Many kindergarten programs will have entry screening to aid the school in placing your child during the registration process. The screening will examine many of these basic skills, and often alert you at that time if they have concerns over your child’s readiness for kindergarten.

 

Remember as you start the school year that your child’s kindergarten teacher is a tremendous resource and your partner in your child’s education.  Teachers always welcome open communication, and encourage you to share both your and your child’s concerns, desires, and personal preferences.

 

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Getting a toddler to pay attention to what you’re saying can be frustrating. And if you expect them to follow directions, forget about it.

The thing is, you get it. You know that whether they’re 18-months or 3-years old, toddlers are easily distracted. It’s developmentally appropriate for them to have short attention spans and immature communication skills. You also know that these youngsters are exploring their independence. What mommy has to say can wait, right?

Well, not necessarily. It can be easier than you think to capture... and keep... your toddler's attention. Check out the 9 tips below...

1. Keep it simple 

When you speak, they might be hearing the teacher from Charlie Brown, “Wah wah wah wah wah.” Maybe, instead of saying, “Brendan, darling, I’m hoping you’ll help mommy by putting these trains back in the box because we’re going to the store soon and….,” say ”Brendan, please put your trains in the box now.”

2. Be specific

The directive to “clean up the playroom” might overwhelm your child, especially if there’s a floor full of tracks, engines, dolls, and fish shaped crackers. They just don’t know where to start, so they keep on playing. It might make more sense for you to start with something simpler like, “Put all of the tracks in this green box.” Then you can give the next directive.

3. Ride out their emotions

If your toddler is acting out because they’re really angry or tired, they’re definitely not in a good “head space” to listen to you. Be patient and validate their feelings. It works better than criticizing them for crying or not listening. Then you can move on to what you’d like them to do.

4. Meet them at their level

Instead of yelling something from the other room, move to where they are. Crouch down to their level and look them in the eyes. This gets their attention while also letting you know they are ready to listen.

5. Make them part of decision

Even though they’re young, toddlers like to make decisions. With a toddler, though, you can’t ask them an open-ended question like, “What do you want for lunch?” It’s better when they have two options, such as “Would you like grilled cheese or a turkey roll?”

6. Use the word when

Toddlers want what they want and they want it now, and even though you’ve asked them to put their crayons away 10 times, they’re perfectly willing to leave them all over the table if you’ve told them you’re taking them to the park. That’s when you say, “When you pick up your crayons, we’ll go to the park.” Then they know that the park is contingent upon their compliance.

7. “Repeat after me”

Building listening skills involves receiving and giving information—and it takes both focus and practice. When you’ve asked them to do something, have them repeat back what you’ve said by saying, “What does Mommy want you to do?”

8. Give positive feedback

Why not compliment your toddler when they’re doing a great job listening? It’s so easy to point out when they’re not listening, but positive reinforcement can help them make better choices (i.e. listen!) during future interactions.

9. Make listening fun

There are some delightful things you can do to help your toddler develop listening skills:

•  Use a puppet to talk to them about anything. It works on children’s TV shows, right?
• Set up a treasure hunt. They have no choice but to pay attention and follow your directions if they want to find rewards.
• Give your activity a theme song. In addition to being silly, it can help them learn and make connections. It makes cleaning up less boring for you, too.
• Read together. This might be the perfect way to help your child engage and listen while spending quality time with you.
• Play Games. Practice with games that require listening skills, like name that toddler tune or I spy.