Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Candyland!!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Cosmetics Database: How Harmful are Your Toiletries?
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=%2Findex.php
Not just for Mom's. It's a free database that lists everything from foundation and lip gloss to shampoo and baby products based on harmful ingredients. Each product is given a number rating from 0 (the safest) to 10 (7-10 usually have ingredients that have been known to cause cancer and other illnesses). Plus, there is a handy parents guide just for kids products.
How does your closet rate?
Not just for Mom's. It's a free database that lists everything from foundation and lip gloss to shampoo and baby products based on harmful ingredients. Each product is given a number rating from 0 (the safest) to 10 (7-10 usually have ingredients that have been known to cause cancer and other illnesses). Plus, there is a handy parents guide just for kids products.
How does your closet rate?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Enrollment for Fall!
We are signing up for the Fall! We currently have 1 opening for an infant (ages birth to 2), and for a child ages 2 to kindergarten. Please contact us @ 813-0062! We have lots going on this Summer; please stay posted :) for details about our program please visit our main site at: http://0664719.tripod.com
Thanks and we hope you enjoy our posts!
Thanks and we hope you enjoy our posts!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Health Fact Sheets for Parents/Families
Click here for fact sheets from the California Child Care Health Program on various health topics
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tips on Preventing the Spread of Colds/Viruses.
Chances are most of us are indoors, breathing the same air with the heater on. Germs spread like wildfire in heat.
Here are some tips for families and friends to reduce the spread of illness; because we all want to be able to celebrate the holidays in good health.
1. Wash hands frequently. Hand washing is the #1 way to prevent the spread of germs. Those same germs act as hitch hikers on hands, making their was to things such as noses, eyes, mouth.
2. Reduce the heat in your house if possible; 63-65 degrees. If it seems too cold, add extra clothing. As stated before, the heat promotes the growth of germs.
3. Keep surfaces clean; soap, water and a diluted bleach solution are the best way to kill germs.
4. Keep your living space as ventilated as possible; an overhead fan on low with a window cracked are possible suggestions to keep air flow going.
5. If the heat is on; keep the air moist so that nasal passageways do not dry out. When the lining of the nose is dry, the chances of getting sick are greater. The use of a humidifier can help when the environment is dry.
6. Spend sometime bundled up outside enjoying the season. Less time indoors means less time inhaling the same stale air.
Here are some tips for families and friends to reduce the spread of illness; because we all want to be able to celebrate the holidays in good health.
1. Wash hands frequently. Hand washing is the #1 way to prevent the spread of germs. Those same germs act as hitch hikers on hands, making their was to things such as noses, eyes, mouth.
2. Reduce the heat in your house if possible; 63-65 degrees. If it seems too cold, add extra clothing. As stated before, the heat promotes the growth of germs.
3. Keep surfaces clean; soap, water and a diluted bleach solution are the best way to kill germs.
4. Keep your living space as ventilated as possible; an overhead fan on low with a window cracked are possible suggestions to keep air flow going.
5. If the heat is on; keep the air moist so that nasal passageways do not dry out. When the lining of the nose is dry, the chances of getting sick are greater. The use of a humidifier can help when the environment is dry.
6. Spend sometime bundled up outside enjoying the season. Less time indoors means less time inhaling the same stale air.
Ear Infections. They are NOT contageous.
I like to offer family and friends information from time to time that may be of assistance especially concerning health issues. However, since I am not a health professional and have only aquired my facts from various trainings and classes, once in a while I will provide a link which can provide further information on a topic.
Please >>click here<<
to read about ear infection facts.
In all cases, it is best to contact your pediatrician for the most reliable and current medical info.
Please >>click here<<
to read about ear infection facts.
In all cases, it is best to contact your pediatrician for the most reliable and current medical info.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Math Games.
Mouse/cheese shape match box, seriation (arranging pieces in order) game and mouse color shape match game.
Circle 12/4/07
Today's letter is "J," we played a game; each person said their first and last name when they caught the bean bag, We had a felt board story about mice who ran out of a house, counting, month and weather recognition, shapes, sign language symbol for "Mouse" and colors!
December 3rd Thru 7th 2007. Lesson Plan.
Weekly report (12/3 to 12/7/07) Name: ____________________
Letter “J” Color: White Number: “9” theme: “nice mice”
Monday: circle: Letter “j” Days of the week song, counting 1-3. Discussion: introduce the sign language symbol for “mouse.” where do mice live? We work with children identifying their first and last names and identifying their names on a flash card. Language: We invite children to try to write names, pencils, paper and cards with their names on them are provided. Music & movement: letter “J“ rhyme. Mouse maze (we create a maze and invite children to enter. Arts & Crafts mouse nest collage. math: mouse shape match box.
Note to family: Please see the handouts given at pick up.
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: what do mice eat? , days of the week song, counting 1-4, weather & month recognition. music & movement: song/finger play: mouse in my house.
Game: “mouse, mouse where is your cheese” (Children guess who is holding the cheese). Math: Chef‘s cheese: children are invited to match cheese cut outs based on sizes. language: Book of the month: a house for mouse. arts & crafts: Make a Mouse ear head band!
Wednesday: Circle: Greeting: toss a bean bag to a friend, that friend says their name. What noises do mice make? Are they noisy or quiet? Days of the week song, month/weather counting 1-5. music & movement: Song: hickory, dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
Arts & crafts: wax paper sun catcher (holiday ornament). language/social: Clocks and alarms: children learn about a clock, what it is for and listen to the alarm. We can pretend to be sleeping and wake up to an alarm (props: sleeping bags, blankets, clock).
Note to family: ideas for this week: visit a pet store to see mice, or check out a mice book from the library. A good mouse book is : if you give a mouse a cookie.
Thursday: circle: Discussion: what do mice do in winter? . Days of the week song, letter “H“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar, counting 1-6. music & movement: Song: itsy bitsy mouse song. Bowling game. Arts & crafts: Our friends create a stuffed mouse. language: Directions: we use the mice we made during arts + crafts time to practice positional concepts such as up, down, place your mouse on. . . (head, knee, etc.)
Math: Game: chef‘s cheese: children arrange cheese cutouts based on sizes.
Friday: circle: mice are around us in different ways: can anyone name mice from cartoons or books? (stuart little, mickey mouse, maisy mouse, etc). Days of the week song, month/weather recognition counting 1-7. We look at some of the pictures of mice in stories. We talk about the difference between them and real mice music & movement: “how are you” song. Game: cat and mouse (tag). arts & crafts: finger print mice: children are invited to make fingerprints, draw mouse features (ears, tails, whiskers). Dramatic play: Continue “Clocks and alarms“ from wednesday.
Note to family: Have a great weekend.
We are on menu #1 this week. Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody!
Letter “J” Color: White Number: “9” theme: “nice mice”
Monday: circle: Letter “j” Days of the week song, counting 1-3. Discussion: introduce the sign language symbol for “mouse.” where do mice live? We work with children identifying their first and last names and identifying their names on a flash card. Language: We invite children to try to write names, pencils, paper and cards with their names on them are provided. Music & movement: letter “J“ rhyme. Mouse maze (we create a maze and invite children to enter. Arts & Crafts mouse nest collage. math: mouse shape match box.
Note to family: Please see the handouts given at pick up.
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: what do mice eat? , days of the week song, counting 1-4, weather & month recognition. music & movement: song/finger play: mouse in my house.
Game: “mouse, mouse where is your cheese” (Children guess who is holding the cheese). Math: Chef‘s cheese: children are invited to match cheese cut outs based on sizes. language: Book of the month: a house for mouse. arts & crafts: Make a Mouse ear head band!
Wednesday: Circle: Greeting: toss a bean bag to a friend, that friend says their name. What noises do mice make? Are they noisy or quiet? Days of the week song, month/weather counting 1-5. music & movement: Song: hickory, dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
Arts & crafts: wax paper sun catcher (holiday ornament). language/social: Clocks and alarms: children learn about a clock, what it is for and listen to the alarm. We can pretend to be sleeping and wake up to an alarm (props: sleeping bags, blankets, clock).
Note to family: ideas for this week: visit a pet store to see mice, or check out a mice book from the library. A good mouse book is : if you give a mouse a cookie.
Thursday: circle: Discussion: what do mice do in winter? . Days of the week song, letter “H“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar, counting 1-6. music & movement: Song: itsy bitsy mouse song. Bowling game. Arts & crafts: Our friends create a stuffed mouse. language: Directions: we use the mice we made during arts + crafts time to practice positional concepts such as up, down, place your mouse on. . . (head, knee, etc.)
Math: Game: chef‘s cheese: children arrange cheese cutouts based on sizes.
Friday: circle: mice are around us in different ways: can anyone name mice from cartoons or books? (stuart little, mickey mouse, maisy mouse, etc). Days of the week song, month/weather recognition counting 1-7. We look at some of the pictures of mice in stories. We talk about the difference between them and real mice music & movement: “how are you” song. Game: cat and mouse (tag). arts & crafts: finger print mice: children are invited to make fingerprints, draw mouse features (ears, tails, whiskers). Dramatic play: Continue “Clocks and alarms“ from wednesday.
Note to family: Have a great weekend.
We are on menu #1 this week. Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody!
Monday, November 12, 2007
This weeks theme and lesson plan
Weekly report (11/13 to 11/16)
Letter “h” Color: brown Number: 8 theme: “Exploring thanksgiving”
Monday: circle: Letter “H” Days of the week song, counting 1-13. Discussion: what is an immigrant? What is a pilgrim? Music & movement: Song: Sail the mayflower. Arts & Crafts children are invited to make a boat from playdough. dramatic play: “learning at the library“ props: table library cards, stamps, ink, books and newspapers. sensory: boats at the water table.
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: what grows here at home? Indians helped settlers learn to grow food and survive the winter, days of the week song, counting 1-14, weather & month recognition. music & movement: song: the first thanksgiving. Share a chair (musical chairs). Math: pie pieces, Children place numbered paper pie pieces in a pie tin. language: The story of the first thanksgiving (make a book).
Wednesday: Circle: Wampanoags are the native american tribe that lived in Plymouth when the settlers arrived. There are many different native american tribes in the us. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “the first thanksgiving“ fingerplay. Parachute fruit game (a friend runs under the parachute when their name is called and they grab a piece of fruit and say what it is. Arts & crafts: Dream catchers. Children are invited to create a feather collage after hearing the story of the dream catcher. language/social: “Harvest word concentration” (shape match with harvest symbols such as turkey, wheat stalks, corn and squash).
Note to family: Tonight would be a great night to introduce your child to dried fruit if you have any in the house (to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson).
Thursday: circle: what does thanksgiving mean to your family? Some people were not happy that settlers came; many native Americans got new sicknesses and were treated badly by some people. We are now beginning to learn more about native traditions. Days of the week song, letter “H“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “four eagle feathers” song. Native Americans were believed to be the inventors of pop corn. We are invited to “Pop” like popcorn. Arts & crafts: create a turkey with our handprints and feathers. Science: “why is it different”? Dried fruits and their fresh counterparts. Children learn that a long time ago people used to dry fruits and vegetables in order to eat them in the winter.
Math: “oh Nuts” sorting nuts in tins.
Note to family: To enhance today’s learning families are invited to share what their traditions are and what days are important to them. Is family coming soon to visit? Now is a great time to discuss this with your child.
Friday: circle: Saturday is national Bread day. Lets try to name all of the bread products we can think of. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar, letter “h” rhyme and flash cards. math: Hibernating bears (our friends are invited to matched colored bears to caves with corresponding colors). Cooking: lets make muffins. arts & crafts: friends are invited to make a card for someone they care about (for thanksgiving). Dramatic play: Bakery shop. The kitchen area is supplied with cake boxes, utensils, plastic foods and a cash register with play money.
Note to family: Families can continue on Saturday by visiting a local bakery or the bakery section of a grocery story for National bread day.
We are on menu #1 this week (please ask for more menus if needed.) Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody!
http://0664719.tripod.com
Letter “h” Color: brown Number: 8 theme: “Exploring thanksgiving”
Monday: circle: Letter “H” Days of the week song, counting 1-13. Discussion: what is an immigrant? What is a pilgrim? Music & movement: Song: Sail the mayflower. Arts & Crafts children are invited to make a boat from playdough. dramatic play: “learning at the library“ props: table library cards, stamps, ink, books and newspapers. sensory: boats at the water table.
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: what grows here at home? Indians helped settlers learn to grow food and survive the winter, days of the week song, counting 1-14, weather & month recognition. music & movement: song: the first thanksgiving. Share a chair (musical chairs). Math: pie pieces, Children place numbered paper pie pieces in a pie tin. language: The story of the first thanksgiving (make a book).
Wednesday: Circle: Wampanoags are the native american tribe that lived in Plymouth when the settlers arrived. There are many different native american tribes in the us. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “the first thanksgiving“ fingerplay. Parachute fruit game (a friend runs under the parachute when their name is called and they grab a piece of fruit and say what it is. Arts & crafts: Dream catchers. Children are invited to create a feather collage after hearing the story of the dream catcher. language/social: “Harvest word concentration” (shape match with harvest symbols such as turkey, wheat stalks, corn and squash).
Note to family: Tonight would be a great night to introduce your child to dried fruit if you have any in the house (to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson).
Thursday: circle: what does thanksgiving mean to your family? Some people were not happy that settlers came; many native Americans got new sicknesses and were treated badly by some people. We are now beginning to learn more about native traditions. Days of the week song, letter “H“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “four eagle feathers” song. Native Americans were believed to be the inventors of pop corn. We are invited to “Pop” like popcorn. Arts & crafts: create a turkey with our handprints and feathers. Science: “why is it different”? Dried fruits and their fresh counterparts. Children learn that a long time ago people used to dry fruits and vegetables in order to eat them in the winter.
Math: “oh Nuts” sorting nuts in tins.
Note to family: To enhance today’s learning families are invited to share what their traditions are and what days are important to them. Is family coming soon to visit? Now is a great time to discuss this with your child.
Friday: circle: Saturday is national Bread day. Lets try to name all of the bread products we can think of. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar, letter “h” rhyme and flash cards. math: Hibernating bears (our friends are invited to matched colored bears to caves with corresponding colors). Cooking: lets make muffins. arts & crafts: friends are invited to make a card for someone they care about (for thanksgiving). Dramatic play: Bakery shop. The kitchen area is supplied with cake boxes, utensils, plastic foods and a cash register with play money.
Note to family: Families can continue on Saturday by visiting a local bakery or the bakery section of a grocery story for National bread day.
We are on menu #1 this week (please ask for more menus if needed.) Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody!
http://0664719.tripod.com
Sunday, November 04, 2007
A copy of this weeks report (what we will be studying)
Weekly report (11/5 to 11/9) Name: ______________________
Letter “g” Color: brown Number: 7 theme: “Animals in winter”
Monday: circle: Letter “g“: flash cards, Days of the week song, month/weather recognition. Discussion: many different animals hibernate in winter. What is “Hibernation”? Music & movement: Letter “g“ rhyme. Bean bag toss. Arts & Crafts nest collage. dramatic play: Ready for winter? Cold weather clothing and pictures of winter activities in the house keeping area. sensory: hot and cold water in the sensory table.
Note to family:
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: Some animals and insects do not hibernate in winter but move to warmer climates. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “Little geese” song. Pretending to fly south like a goose! Arts & crafts: geese in flight collage.
Math: floating feathers (our friends are encouraged to catch feathers before they hit the ground. How many did we get? language: What’s missing? 3 items are shown and then covered with a blanket. Only 2 emerge. Which one is missing?
Note to family:
Wednesday: Circle looking at animals with thick fur; it helps them stay warm in winter. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “sing with me“ song. Freeze tag. Arts & crafts: Watercolor resist (our friends are encouraged to create with a crayon and paint over it with watercolor. language/social: Brown hunt. Who can find brown items in and outdoors? Sensory: soft and cuddly. WE fill the sensory table with items that are soft (cotton balls, pipe cleaners, teddy bears, etc.) Math: #7 how many fingers is it? What does the number look like?
Note to family:
Thursday: circle: Squirrels and chipmunks store their nuts and acorns at this time of the year, why? Days of the week song, letter “g“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “five little squirrels” song. Looking for “nuts.”
. Arts & crafts: foot prints in the snow (our friends are invited to make foot prints with white paint on brown paper). Science: what happens to a seed when an animal forgets where they buried it? A sprout grows by spring. We plant seeds and look at them later this week.
Math: “Oh nuits” sorting nuts in muffin tins.
Note to family:
Friday: circle: Greeting: When winter comes it is harder for animals to find food. How can we help them prepare ? Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar, letter “g” rhyme and flash cards. math: Hibernating bears (our friends are invited to matched colored bears to caves with corresponding colors). Cooking: delicious dill dip (cream cheese with dill lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Friends are invited to make and eat. arts & crafts: easy bird feeder: stringing cheerios on a piece of yarn.
Note to family:
We are on menu #3 this week (please ask for more menus if needed.) Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody! J
http://0664719.tripod.com
Letter “g” Color: brown Number: 7 theme: “Animals in winter”
Monday: circle: Letter “g“: flash cards, Days of the week song, month/weather recognition. Discussion: many different animals hibernate in winter. What is “Hibernation”? Music & movement: Letter “g“ rhyme. Bean bag toss. Arts & Crafts nest collage. dramatic play: Ready for winter? Cold weather clothing and pictures of winter activities in the house keeping area. sensory: hot and cold water in the sensory table.
Note to family:
Tuesday: Circle: Discussion: Some animals and insects do not hibernate in winter but move to warmer climates. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “Little geese” song. Pretending to fly south like a goose! Arts & crafts: geese in flight collage.
Math: floating feathers (our friends are encouraged to catch feathers before they hit the ground. How many did we get? language: What’s missing? 3 items are shown and then covered with a blanket. Only 2 emerge. Which one is missing?
Note to family:
Wednesday: Circle looking at animals with thick fur; it helps them stay warm in winter. Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “sing with me“ song. Freeze tag. Arts & crafts: Watercolor resist (our friends are encouraged to create with a crayon and paint over it with watercolor. language/social: Brown hunt. Who can find brown items in and outdoors? Sensory: soft and cuddly. WE fill the sensory table with items that are soft (cotton balls, pipe cleaners, teddy bears, etc.) Math: #7 how many fingers is it? What does the number look like?
Note to family:
Thursday: circle: Squirrels and chipmunks store their nuts and acorns at this time of the year, why? Days of the week song, letter “g“ rhyme and flash cards month and weather recognition, calendar. music & movement: “five little squirrels” song. Looking for “nuts.”
. Arts & crafts: foot prints in the snow (our friends are invited to make foot prints with white paint on brown paper). Science: what happens to a seed when an animal forgets where they buried it? A sprout grows by spring. We plant seeds and look at them later this week.
Math: “Oh nuits” sorting nuts in muffin tins.
Note to family:
Friday: circle: Greeting: When winter comes it is harder for animals to find food. How can we help them prepare ? Days of the week song, month/weather recognition, calendar, letter “g” rhyme and flash cards. math: Hibernating bears (our friends are invited to matched colored bears to caves with corresponding colors). Cooking: delicious dill dip (cream cheese with dill lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Friends are invited to make and eat. arts & crafts: easy bird feeder: stringing cheerios on a piece of yarn.
Note to family:
We are on menu #3 this week (please ask for more menus if needed.) Please see our blogsite for pictures of some of the activities we are doing this week. Thanks everybody! J
http://0664719.tripod.com
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Circle of Friends, Making a Circle of Friends.
Our friends are making a project called "A Circle of Friends" Each child is making "Friends" that for their creation.
Friendship Bracelets
Our Pre-K group is cutting colored plastic straws into small beads to string on pipe cleaners.
Motor Skills Activity
Our friends are busy writing with chalk on patio and erasing what they made with soapy water and plastic scrubbers!
When One Activity Carries Over Into Another...
Great Ideas Grow on Trees!
Miss Carmen had a great idea for fun with our friends! She and friends collected small pinecones from our trees and painted them with glitter paint and small brushes!
<--Here we see two friends sharing and helping one another. Hooray!
Water Table
Even our very small friends enjoy water. As Fall slowly finds us, we are trying to find as much time with water while it is still warm.
Water Colors with friends
Any activities which include water can be soothing. We are working together which builds social skills and vocabulary. We are learning about science as we mix colors and take them from a solid to a liquid with water.
Everyone looks like they're having such fun!
"Senior" Group Activities
Here are our friends in the "Senior" or Pre-K group working on a kitchen utensil memory game, leadership reading (children reading to each other), and Little bears counting game.
Collage Project with Miss Carmen!
Here is the "Junior" group with Miss Carmen working with pens, glue and collage materials.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Looking for Stuff to do with the Kids?
Click here for a list of activities and events in the community.Be sure to scroll down for more info...
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Curriculum for July
To view what we are doing every day in July click here. Our themes for this month are "Ants on the go" and "Around the Campfire"
Friday, June 29, 2007
Biting
Biting
Biting is a behavior that is not uncommon among young children. The reasons why children bite other people differ from child to child. It is quite natural for children around one year of age to bite their parents or anyone else who happens to be within reach. Most often in this age group, children bite to reduce the pressure on their sensitive gums due to teething.
True biting, not due to teething, can become a problem with children between 18 and 30 months of age. Children at this age are often unaware of the pain that biting causes to other children and to adults.
Although it is common for children to bite others while playing, this type of behavior warrants immediate action. Not only is biting extremely painful for children who are bitten, but it often leads to more fighting within the play group. Biters also run the risk of becoming unpopular with their playmates.
Young children often bite in response to frustration, anger, or excitement. Thus, it is important for parents and caretakers to be aware of what situations lead to biting behaviors. Such knowledge may help parents better understand the causes of biting behavior.
What Can Be Done?
Biting is not something that has to be endured until children are old enough to "know better." There are many steps that can be taken to both prevent and solve biting problems.
Biting is a behavior that is not uncommon among young children. The reasons why children bite other people differ from child to child. It is quite natural for children around one year of age to bite their parents or anyone else who happens to be within reach. Most often in this age group, children bite to reduce the pressure on their sensitive gums due to teething.
True biting, not due to teething, can become a problem with children between 18 and 30 months of age. Children at this age are often unaware of the pain that biting causes to other children and to adults.
Although it is common for children to bite others while playing, this type of behavior warrants immediate action. Not only is biting extremely painful for children who are bitten, but it often leads to more fighting within the play group. Biters also run the risk of becoming unpopular with their playmates.
Young children often bite in response to frustration, anger, or excitement. Thus, it is important for parents and caretakers to be aware of what situations lead to biting behaviors. Such knowledge may help parents better understand the causes of biting behavior.
What Can Be Done?
Biting is not something that has to be endured until children are old enough to "know better." There are many steps that can be taken to both prevent and solve biting problems.
Prevention
*Set Limits. To prevent biting from occurring, parents and caretakers should set limits before young children play together. Rules should be simple, like taking turns and sharing. Parents and caretakers should consistently enforce these rules.
*Catch children being good. Parents and caretakers should compliment children for getting along. Complimenting children will serve as a reward for good behavior. It will provide recognition to children who behave instead of to those who misbehave.
*Supervise play closely. Parents and caretakers should pay attention to what is going on in the play group. They should intervene before conflicts get out of hand. Structuring play periods may cut down on the opportunities that lead to biting.
*Watch what you teach. Parents and caretakers who use yelling, spanking, or any aggressive behavior as a form of discipline for children run the risk of teaching children that aggressive behavior is acceptable in certain situations, especially in solving conflicts. Adults who hit, yell, and/or throw things when they are mad are teaching their children to be aggressive when they are mad.
WIntervention
*Identify times when biting occurs. Parents and caretakers should observe times and situations when children resort to biting. They should use this information to change or avoid these situations. For example, if children bite whenever they play in a large play group, steps should be taken to limit the number of children in the group. Or, if children bite whenever they are with a specific playmate, steps should be taken to separate the two children during play time. If a pattern to the biting behavior is detected, the situations that lead to the biting behavior, if possible, should be avoided. It may be necessary for parents and caretakers to simplify play times, to make play groups smaller, and to make play periods shorter.
*Use brief time outs. Parents and caretakers should use a brief reprimand, such as, "No biting. Biting hurts. Time out." They should then place the children who bite in time-out. These children should be allowed to return to the play group after they are quiet and under control. Parents or caretakers should then provide positive attention, showing children who bite that there are better ways to communicate and be noticed.
*Provide alternatives to biting. Parents and caretakers should tell children what they can do instead of biting. For example, "Instead of biting when you're mad, just walk away." Or, "Instead of biting when you're mad, ask the teacher for help." Children should then be asked to repeat the alternatives back.
*Focus attention on the child who was bitten. Parents and caretakers should give all the toys, fuss, and attention to the bitten child. If children bite for attention, or to get a reaction from adults, they will soon learn that there are better ways to be noticed. If, for example, one child bites another in a dispute over a toy, the toy should be given to the bitten child. This will teach biters that biting will not bring about the desired result.
*Seek professional help for persistent biting. If biting continues to be a chronic problem despite repeated attempts to intervene, professional help may be necessary to clarify the reasons for biting and to eliminate the behavior.
What Not To Do
Biting should not be ignored in the hope that it will quickly go away. In most cases, it will not. No matter how frustrated parents become in their attempts to eliminate biting in children, biting children back to teach them a lesson is NEVER recommended. If this sends any message at all it is that adults hurt people, too. In most cases, very young children are unlikely to make any connection between the hurt they feel from being bitten, and the hurt they have caused by biting.
Things To Remember
In most cases biters cease biting as their language skills increase. As language skills improve, children become able to use words to express frustration and anger. This usually occurs around the age of three. With firmness and consistency in confronting and dealing with biting behavior, most biters get the message and quickly stop biting.
Finally, a bite that breaks the skin can cause an infection. If the skin is broken, it is important to wash the injury thoroughly with soap and water, and then apply a sterile dressing and secure it with adhesive tape. A doctor should look at the wound as soon as possible.
--Courtesy of Child Care Provider: Laura Valdez Laura’s Day Care & Preschool Lic. #60487 www.laurasdaycare. com E-mail: lauravaldez@ laurasdaycare. com E-mail: lauravaldez07@ comcast.net
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Lots of Tools to Create Bubbles
At the sensory table we have liquid bubble mix with lots of different types of things to make bubbles with; bubble wands, pipe cleaners, the inside of plastic toy boats, even sunglasses with th lenses popped out. Anything that has a center you can blow through can be used as a bubble maker. Parents who wish to try this a home can make bubbles with this homemade recipe: Basic Bubble Mix. 1/2 gallon of water; 3/4 cup of joy liquid dish detergent; 1/4 cup of glycerin. Mix and let sit for at least 1 day. Store in a sealed container.
Cirlces
Our shape for this week is the circle. Our friends are dipping the tops of pencils into red paint to create little circles on their paper!
Bubbles, Bubbles. Our theme for the next 2 weeks...
Bubbles. Lots of jobs use bubbles. We can find them at the car wash. Here our friends have volunteered to wash the rocking horses with soapy sponges! Such hard workers...
Click the title (its a link) to view other activities that we have planned for the next two months with, what else, BUBBLES!
Bubbles, Bubbles: lots of jobs use bubbles...
Our friends are exploring bubbles while washing dishes. Lots of people use bubbles in their jobs. Dishwasher is one job that uses them.
Click the title to see what we are doing for the next 2 weeks!!