Summer is a fun and exciting time for children, filled with lazy days at the pool, family vacations, and playing outdoors. However, it’s important to remember that summer break also means a break from structured learning for most children. As parents and caregivers, finding ways to promote continuing children’s development during this time is crucial.

Here are some tips on how you can keep your child engaged and learning throughout the summer:

Encourage Outdoor Activities

The warm weather and longer daylight hours make summer the perfect time to explore the great outdoors. Encourage your child to spend time outside playing games, riding bikes, or going on nature walks. These activities provide physical exercise, help develop gross motor skills, and stimulate creativity.

Plan Educational Field Trips

Summer is the perfect time to take your child on educational field trips. This could include visits to museums, zoos, or historical sites. These experiences will expose children to new and exciting things and help develop their curiosity and critical thinking skills.

Engage in Summer Reading

Reading is a fundamental skill that should be nurtured all year round. Take advantage of the extra free time in the summer to encourage your child to read for pleasure. Visit your local library regularly and let your child choose books they are interested in. You can also organize a book club with other parents and their children, creating a fun and social environment for reading comprehension discussions.

Enroll in Summer Camps or Classes

Summer camps and classes offer a variety of activities and learning opportunities for children. Look for programs that focus on your child’s interests, such as sports, arts, science, or music. These activities provide new experiences and help develop social skills and teamwork.

Involve Your Child in Daily Tasks

Simple household tasks like cooking, gardening, or organizing can be great learning opportunities for children during the summer break. Please encourage your child to participate and explain the reasoning behind each task, helping them develop life skills and critical thinking abilities.

Use Technology Wisely

While it’s important to limit screen time, technology can also offer valuable learning opportunities for children. Many educational apps, games, and programs can enhance your child’s skills in various subjects. Just be sure to monitor and balance screen time with other activities.

By incorporating these tips into your summer routine, you can ensure that your child continues to develop and learn during their break from school. So go out and explore, read, create, and most importantly, make memories with your child that will last a lifetime.  Remember that learning doesn’t have to stop just because it’s summertime – with some creativity and effort, you can promote continuing children’s development all year round!

The winter months can be especially tough for parents trying to keep their children active. Getting kids to leave the house can be challenging when it’s too cold and snowy outside. But staying active is essential for physical health, mental wellness, and fighting cabin fever! So here are some ideas that can help you get your kids motivated this winter.

Indoor Playgrounds

There are lots of fun indoor playgrounds that are great for kids of all ages. They provide a safe place for your children to play and explore and allow them to interact with other children in a supervised environment. You may find classes or programs at these locations to benefit your child’s development during the colder months. Just make sure that you check out their safety protocols before bringing your children in!

Yoga & Exercise Classes

Your local gym or community center may offer yoga or exercise classes tailored explicitly toward young children. These activities are a great way to stay physically active while having fun and learning new skills. It also provides an opportunity for social interaction with other kids who share similar interests as your child. Plus, you can join them during class if you need a break from indoors all day!

Snow Activities

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that playing in the snow should be ruled out completely! You can turn activities like sledding, snowball fights, and building snowmen into fun family outings, even when it’s chilly outside. Just ensure everyone knows to bundle up, so they don’t get too cold! If there’s not enough snow where you live to participate in those activities, try visiting a nearby ski resort or ice skating rink instead – both are great ways to stay active while having fun with your family.

Keeping your kids active during the winter doesn’t have to be complicated – plenty of options are available! Indoor playgrounds, yoga and exercise classes, snow activities – all of these can help keep your children entertained while providing plenty of physical activity. So don’t let cabin fever get the best of you; get creative and find ways to have some wintertime fun with your kids today!

Benefits of Playing Outside for Early Childhood Development

Most early childhood experts agree that outdoor play is essential for young children. Not only does it provide them with the opportunity to explore and learn about their environment, but it also helps them to develop important physical, social, and cognitive skills. Here are just a few of the benefits that outdoor play can provide for early childhood development:

Physical Development

Outdoor play is a great way for young children to get the exercise they need. Running, climbing, and playing games are all great ways for them to develop their gross motor skills. Additionally, being outdoors can also help children to develop their fine motor skills as they pick up small objects or try to climb onto playground equipment.

Social Development

Playing outside also provides young children with the opportunity to interact with other kids and adults. This can help them to develop important social skills, such as communication, cooperation, and problem-solving. Additionally, outdoor play can also give children a chance to practice their leadership skills as they take charge of games or activities.

Cognitive Development

Finally, outdoor play can also help young children to develop important cognitive skills. Searching for objects, counting steps, or following directions are all great ways for kids to learn about their environment and develop their thinking skills. Additionally, playing outside can also help children to develop their imaginations as they pretend to be different animals or characters.

As the weather warms up outside, the best way to spend the days is in our backyards or visiting some of the best parks around your home.

Working parents want to ensure their children are learning the best they can while away at daycare. While there are many benefits of enrolling your child in a daycare program, one of the most overlooked ones is the resiliency it can instill in a child. Here is how child care centers build resilience in children.

Successful daycares set up spaces to allow the children to explore their environment safely, which builds up self-esteem, independence, and confidence. There are many hands-on approaches to learning at daycares, which can help bloom creativity in children. Many skills are learned from this approach, and since children are curious by nature, they will constantly learn more and more.

Empathy is one of the most important traits anyone can develop. At childcare centers, children are constantly working and playing with each other. This can empower children to do good for others, but this can also help them be more confident in themselves. Children are taught social lessons each day, and when they learn that not every child is like them, they begin to understand how to be more empathetic towards others.

Because of the social environment, children learn to self-regulate behaviors and develop patience. Tying in the empathy they develop, children become much more resilient. They may even begin helping other children who might have a difficult time with solving a problem.

Over time, you will find that your child overcomes minor challenges once they’ve spent time in a child care center. Their development is crucial to their success in their adolescence, and much of their learning can start at daycare.

All children love to play. But did you know that they naturally learn by playing? There is more to “having fun” when children play. Since they are actively making their own choices and being involved in an activity, children can discover meanings and build connections. As a parent, you want to ensure your children are getting the best educational experiences they can get, even at very early stages of life. Luckily, you can incorporate learning into your playtime. Here are ways you can extend your child’s learning through playtime.

For Two Years and Under

While you may not think babies are “playing” in the sense that a toddler would, they do experience with their senses. One of the best educational experiences for babies is a “show and tell” activity. Children start to interact with other materials as they get older, but when they are under two, you can make for an interactive yet educational experience.

Show your babies any colorfully contrasting items, or ones with lots of texture and noise. They will be mesmerized by the sight of some objects. You should have them placed within their reach, and encourage them to play with them. You can use any toy or object that is safe for their age. Many people don’t realize they are already doing activities like this.

Another way to encourage learning while playing is to “tell” them what they are doing. When your baby is playing, interact with them and describe to them what they are doing. You should show that you are curious about what they’re doing and ask them questions. For instance, if your child is playing with a red ball, you can announce, “I see you are playing with a red ball!” You could then begin to ask them questions about the activity, such as, “What does the ball do?”.

Playing With Toddlers

As children get closer to the toddler years, they begin to incorporate what they see others do into their play. They might also begin to play next to other people. If you notice your child fixating on an activity that other people are doing, you should ask them questions and encourage them to try the activity themselves. For instance, if there is another group of children working on a puzzle, the toddler may wander over and watch them figure it out. Explain to them what they are doing. “Those kids are fitting the pieces together to make a puzzle. Can you find the missing piece?”

For many young children, playtime can be an educational experience. As a parent, you should encourage your child to explore their curiosities, and be there to ask questions. The more you pique their curiosity, the more informational the experience can be. Playing can be an incredibly powerful tool for children!

Children learn most when they experience the lessons they learn in school or childcare. Responsibility is an important trait that children should learn early on. Here are some tips on how to raise responsible children.

Be a Role Model

First and foremost, as parents, you should model responsible behavior in the home. Some simple steps are apologizing when a mistake is made, cleaning up after every mess, bringing a shopping cart back to the store, etc. Many simple moments in our everyday life require our attention, and involving your kids in them can help teach them responsibility.

Outline and Enforce Rules

Be consistent with your enforcement of rules. Make a few set rules for the house, and make sure you are consistently verbalizing them. You should also make sure you are always enforcing them for every child, and not making excuses for them.

Stay Positive

Maintaining positivity is incredibly important. When you have a chore to do, be cheerful about it when you ask your children to help. If you’ve finished your meal, say “Please put your dishes in the sink”, rather than “Why did you leave a mess?”. Positive reinforcement can be crucial when introducing responsibilities to your children. Another good tip is to involve yourself in the chore. After a meal, you could say “Let’s clean up the dishes now!”.

Parents will begin to realize that their actions rub off on their kids. When you show that you take care of your responsibilities, your children will learn just how important they are. Try to keep your kids involved in your daily activities as much as possible, as this will enthuse them to learn about responsibility.

Every parent should care about their children’s mental health. And in times like these, many children may feel stress in and out of the home. Regardless of the situations, they are facing at the moment, there are methods parents can take to ensure their children’s mental health is taken seriously. Here are some tips that parents can follow to support their child’s mental health.

Make Routines At Home

Routines are essential for children to follow, as it gives them a sense of structure and security. Many changes have been made within the last year that may have damaged this sense of consistency, such as remote learning, moving around workspaces, and other adaptations we have had to make to combat COVID-19. Try to stay consistent with your routines at home, and if they have questions about why they need to make these adjustments, provide reassurance to them. When children know what they should expect in a situation, they will feel in control.

Don’t Burn Yourself Out

As a parent, you want to care for your children. However, this can often result in neglecting self-care. You aren’t able to pour from an empty cup, so you need to make sure your mental health is in check. Practicing guilt-free self-care is crucial to prevent yourself from burnout, and it also creates a great example for the kids. Try to create a list of things to do each day to bring joy into your life, and maybe share those moments with your kids!

If you want to develop empathy and stress-management skills in your kids, you shouldn’t mask your feelings to them. If you’re having a rough day, share with your children why you feel that way. For instance, due to social distancing guidelines, many of us have not seen our family in quite some time. You might feel bummed that you missed another holiday this year, and your kids might ask why you seem so sad.

By telling them the reasons why you feel this way, you help them identify and validate these emotions. You can then create a coping strategy. For instance, while you were not able to have a face-to-face dinner with your family for Easter this year, you still managed to have a virtual meeting. The concept of reuniting the family on a holiday still exists, albeit in a different format.

Spend More Time Together as a Family

While you develop routines for your family, make sure to put effort into making fun routines. For instance, dedicate your Saturdays to exploring a new park. Look up nearby parks, or venture out into state parks. These small routines can help develop strong familial relationships as well as giving your children something to look forward to every weekend. At the end of the day, ask your children for three good things that happened today. This can help them practice gratitude.

As spring begins a new season, many families are excited to finally spend some extra time outdoors. With Covid-19 restrictions still in effect for many states, many parents are wondering how they can entertain their children outdoors. Here is a list of fun and creative activities you can do with your kids outside in the Spring.

Make Your Own Bubbles

Every kid loves bubbles, but did you know that they are incredibly easy to make? The best part, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. To make your own bubbles, all you will need is dish soap, water, and glycerin. Mix the batch up, and get ready to blow bubbles in your backyard. There are many fun activities you can play with your children, such as a bubble tag, or a freeze dance. Whoever pops the most bubbles while the song plays wins.

Do a Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are incredibly popular during this time of year, especially during Easter. You don’t need to round off some objects to have your kids find them. Instead, let them explore nature. Have them find flowers, pinecones, or even look for the perfect, roundest rock. Kids will love looking for unique items right in your own backyard, which is a great way to get them to enjoy some of the amazing beauty nature has to offer us.

Grow Veggies With Them

There is never an age that is too early to be taught how to garden. Bring your kids to a garden center and have them pick out a vegetable they would want to grow. You can teach them how to take care of the plant, from potting it to watering it, and as soon as you’ll know, it will become a bountiful crop. This can be an exciting way for your children to understand where the food you eat comes from, and it might even be the perfect way to get them to consume more veggies.

Take Spring Pictures

Many parents dread the idea of doing a family photo, especially with multiple kids. However, you can make the idea a bit more fun than just having them get dressed up and smile for a camera. Make the photo shoot a challenge by having your kids look around your yard to find the “best” spot. Then, you can take pictures in their spots. This will be perfect for updating your family pictures, but you can also do scrapbooks with them for a Mother’s Day project.

Spring is an optimistic time. Everybody is excited to see the warm weather arriving, so it’s a perfect time to connect back with your family outdoors. Consider some of these creative activities for spending time with your kids. It will keep them occupied for quite some time, and the best part is that it will all be spent outside.

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. And now that summer is officially over, a new season is upon us, one that is typically loaded with family activities. However, With the typical events canceled, and kids getting cooped up at home with distance learning, many parents are struggling to find ideas for keeping their kids entertained, all the while enjoying some quality family time. But by following CDC guidelines closely, you can still enjoy many popular fall activities with your family. Here’s the top COVID-friendly activities you can do with your family this fall.

Apple Orchards

Every fall, one of the most popular activities is to go apple picking. However, even some of the largest apple-picking events have shut down for the year. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t find an orchard near you. Many smaller, farm owned orchards are remaining open.

To ensure there are strict social distancing measures, they may end up allowing limited tickets and have timed entries, to ensure there are not too many people going in at once. So wear your masks, and wait until you get home to eat the apples. Make sure you and your kids wash their hands and the fruit thoroughly.

Scavenger Hunts

Fall is a great time to enjoy scavenger hunting at farms as well, but because this activity requires multiple people touching hidden objects, it can be a breeding ground for germs. However, you don’t need to bring your kids to an organized hunt. Instead, you can do it at home.

This is a perfect way to keep your kids entertained and enjoy the fall weather, and you can even get more creative with what you’re hiding!

Watching Leaves Change Colors

One of the more popular fall activities is leaf-peeping (a.k.a watching the leaves change to their glorious fall colors). This is quite possibly the most COVID-friendly activity, as well as the most festive fall activity. The best part of this is that you can do this from the comfort of your car or on a bike! You can always bring your family to locations that are notable for their fall leaves, but just make sure you abide social distancing guidelines.

Going on Hikes

Fresh air is the best kind of air, and luckily hiking is a fairly social-distancing friendly activity. The best part is, you can even get your fall-peeping done too! Make sure you check which facilities or parks are open at the time, and of course, be cautious of how busy these can be. Many playgrounds will still be closed in various parts of the country, so finding a park with safe and easy trails will be an excellent option instead. Make sure to bring your own sanitizer just to be extra safe.

There is no risk-free situation for COVID-19. Of course, the best measure to combat the spread of this novel virus is to follow CDC guidelines. But just remember there are alternatives to just staying at home all day.

It’s been nearly six months since the initial shutdowns or businesses and schools, but as we are winding down the year, children are slowly returning to the routine of things, adapting to the changing climate of the pandemic we live in. For many children who are starting childcare, they might be simply too young to fully understand the magnitude of COVID-19, and as a parent, you probably are finding it incredibly difficult to talk with them about it. So here are some easy facts that you can share with your children.

Define what COVID-19 is

Let your children know what COVID-19 is by telling them there is a germ out there that can make some people sick. You can inform them of the common symptoms–if they are old enough to understand–such as a cough and fever. You should also let them know that not everyone may develop those symptoms or any at all.

Explain how germs spread

If you have not already gone over the importance of how germs spread, now is a crucial time. Explain to them how germs enter your body. COVID-19 typically spreads to the respiratory system by touching the nose, eyes, and mouth. Some children might not fully understand what germs are, so let them know that they are so small that they cannot see it. The best way to prevent contact is by frequently washing your hands and practicing not touching your face. They should also be aware of social distancing, especially when someone has a cough or a sneeze.

Teach the importance of washing your hands

Taking practical steps will not only prevent the spread of COVID-19, but it will teach them important lessons to use later on in life. Encourage them to wash their hands frequently before meals. If they sneeze or cough, make sure they know to cover it properly, and then follow up by washing their hands.

You can demonstrate these fairly easily. An excellent way to ensure they wash their hands for the recommended 20 seconds is to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. Get creative and have some fun!

Talking to your children about COVID-19 can be stressful for you, but it can be even scarier for your children. The importance of keeping your children calm about COVID-19 is crucial. You don’t want to cause fear in them, rather keep them informed and encourage them to do their part in preventing the spread.

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. You’re responsible not just for feeding and clothing your children, but raising and nurturing them into good human beings.

Having said that, there’s no fixed set of guidelines or one right way to parenting. Every child is different, and every parent is different, and therefore, good parenting can be different for everyone.

One aspect that is a must for good parenting is rewarding children.

The Importance of Rewarding Kids

Rewarding children for certain behaviors and rewarding hard work is extremely crucial to encourage them to continue doing it. Continuously rewarding kids for good actions will motivate them to repeat them until it becomes a habit. This is especially important when kids are younger.

The first seven years of a child’s life are quite important as during this time, their brains are rapidly growing, and they’re developing vital life and social skills.
If a parent can teach good habits to their children from a young age through a proper reward system, they have a good chance of sticking with them throughout their lives.

Additionally, rewarding kids, for example, by praising a child, makes them feel good about themselves. Consequently, it helps shape their personality as they have good self-esteem and self-confidence.

Similarly, there are a lot of benefits of rewarding children. It creates a positive atmosphere. Sometimes, it can even help discourage bad behavior.

How to Reward Kids

Some parents might think that getting their children their favorite toy or the latest gadget is the way to reward them. That is not necessarily true. Giving your child a gift is an example of a tangible reward. You can reward your children through intangible gifts, such as praise.

Parents must give both tangible and intangible rewards to not make them too materialistic. A simple pat on the back or praising their actions is enough to make your child feel good and motivated to do it again.

Rewarding kids doesn’t always have to be done after they’ve accomplished something. It’s important to reward them simply for putting in their best effort too, regardless of whether they were able to achieve their goal or not.

Dangers of Rewarding Children

Despite what many may believe, there is such a thing as too much rewarding. The main goal of rewarding kids is to encourage a particular behavior or habit.

If you put too much focus on rewarding, your child might become only focused on the rewards and not on inculcating those habits. Even if it’s intangible rewards like praise, too much of it can turn your child into a narcissist.

For parents, even the smallest of good deeds and tiniest achievements by their children can make them incredibly happy and proud.

From learning to tie their own shoelaces and getting potty trained to graduating from college and getting that first job, achieving these milestones simply fills parents with pride. However, to actually get their children to achieve those milestones, parents need to reward their kids regularly.

COVID-19 has disrupted the world, and many are experiencing the pangs of shelter-in-place. And because people are home 24/7 it’s causing anxiety levels to increase in adults and children. As such, parents are having to deal with their child or children’s schooling issues while trying to provide for their families. This pandemic is exceptional in its magnitude and spread throughout the world. It’s on every media outlet and it’s at the heart of every conversation especially during dinner. And due to the adjustments being made throughout the world, it has placed an increasingly amount of stress on children.

Here are a few ways on how you can keep your children calm during the COVID-19 crisis.

Remain calm. The key to having calm children during COVID-19 crisis or any crisis, is for parents to remain calm themselves. Children pick up on their parent’s behavior. For this reason, it is important for the parent(s) to remain calm in order to reassure their children that everything is okay. If you as a parent is unable to stay calm during the COVID-19 crisis, your children won’t remain calm either.

Create a sense of safety. Getting to know each other as a family is a safe haven to kids in the midst of vulnerability. Since kids are more susceptible and defenseless in many instances, it’s imperative to focus attention on providing a place of safety and giving them tangible provisions such as activities that are calming, their favorite dishes, blankets, or favorite toy used to make them feel safe or that all is well.

Limit exposure to news. News reports can be overwhelming for children especially since certain details about an event are described using sounds and images that may be a little too much for kids and can cause more harm than good. It’s also a good idea to not to depend on the news to provide your child(ren) with the updates about answers they may be seeking. Instead, get verified answers to the questions they are asking by seeking out credible sources to help you explain what is happening in the world concerning COVID-19. Let your children know that their safety is your number one priority.

Take time to listen. It’s important to give space for children to communicate their emotions and anxieties. By asking questions that allow them to give more than a yes or no answer gives them an opportunity to recognize what they want.

Tune in to what your children are saying, rather than giving them the answers allow them space to answer as they see it. Afterwards, reassure them by acknowledging what they have said and what they are feeling is normal.

Let the children play. Play is each youngster’s common type of conveying and preparing occasions. Children can recount tales about what they’ve heard and how they feel, regardless of whether they understand it or not. Besides, allowing children to play keeps them from being preoccupied with events that might be a bit too much for them. Plus, it gives them a way to release their bottled up tension and energy.

Crises have a way of affecting us and can cause a lot of anxiety especially to young people. How we cope is important not only for our well-being but for the well-being of our children. Thankfully, there are ways in which to remain calm during the COVID-19 crisis such as, remain calm as a parent, create a sense of safety, limit exposure to news, take time to listen, and let the children play.

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to remain calm during the COVID-19 crisis.

What are some of the ways in which you are helping your children remain calm during this pandemic? Let us know in the comment section.

COVID-19 has brought a lot of added stress to the world around us, creating a lot of uncertainty and leaving everyone at home. With your children no longer at daycare or school, it can add to that stress and be tough to keep that school. Luckily, there are many silver linings we can take away from this time, a lot of it coming from simply remaining calm. As a parent, you’re going to have to take the lead and help your children make the most of the situation.

Here are some ideas to create a calming environment for your children during quarantine:

Establish a Routine

Many children are used to following a daily schedule with a majority of the structure coming from school. As long as you lock into some form of a routine, your children will become familiar with the cadence and start to take things in stride. It’s all about providing consistency and stability allowing your children to form a new rhythm while everyone is at home.

Make Expectations Clear

One thing you can do for your children is give them a goal for the day and plan far ahead so they know what to expect the next day. Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of the day to course correct, confront each day with a plan that your child can understand. It may vary based on the age of your children, but if you dig deep you can find something that works.

Be Positive

This is a confusing time for everyone, there are bound to be some hiccups along the way, but simply being as positive as possible will be the best thing for your children. They are adept at sensing stress, so being positive will help keep things as normal as possible.

Practice Self-Care

When you and your children have downtime, do things that you can both enjoy and bond over. If you can co-parent, make sure you and your spouse take turns giving you a bit of alone time so you can be refreshed a little bit doing something you enjoy.

Know When to Bend the Rules

When the situation calls for it, try to be as flexible as you can. If you can end your work day a bit early to do something fun with your child, take that opportunity. Reward good behavior by getting creative. Doing this will boost morale around the house and enhance overall positivity.