Monthly Archives: April 2012

How Do I Teach My Child to Read?

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When teaching emergent literacy skills be sure to:

#1 take the child’s lead!

#2 make it fun!

Knowing your ABCs, being able to identify uppercase and lowercase letters and the sounds they make are important early literacy skills. However, one of the best predictors of whether a young child is going to be a successful reader is his/her phonemic awareness skill level.  Phonemic awareness is part of phonological awareness.  This post explains what phonological awareness is and focuses on fun ways to help your preschooler or kindergartener develop phonological awareness. A future blog will focus on phonemic awareness, a higher-level skill.

Phonological awareness follows a developmental progression. It refers to skills such as the ability to identify final sound chunks as you would to rhyme, recognize distinct words in a spoken sentence, hear syllables in words and eventually identify distinct sounds in words.

Here are some enjoyable ways to help your child develop phonological awareness:

? Guess the Rhyme

When reading or singing, stop before you get to the second word of a rhyming pair to see if your child can guess it. At first, you can say most of the rhyming word.  As your child is ready, simply say the first sound. Eventually your child will probably be able to figure out the word without any clues. You can make it “silly” and accept nonsense words that rhyme.

? How Many Words?

Count the words in spoken sentences. You say a sentence; the child builds a design with manipulatives (e.g., blocks, colored macaroni…) representing each word in the sentence.  For example, if you have the sentence, “The girl went to bed.” The child would get to take 5 blocks or pieces of pasta to make a design.  As your child gets more advanced at this task, you can have him/her take a different color for each sentence so he/she can build more elaborate structures or pictures. My daughter also likes to make trail mix with different ingredients and necklaces with different colored beads using the “How Many Words Game”. Click Here to Download possible sentences.

? Syllable Counting

- Syllables can be heard as a beat.  You can march, jump, clap, drum….to the syllables.
- Counting syllables in names is fun.
- After your child is able to hear the different syllables, you can move on to more difficult games such as using compound words (e.g., sunshine) and asking the child to say, “Sunshine then say it again without the sun or without the shine.”  It is more difficult to delete the final syllable. Click Here to Download possible words.

Phonemic awareness is the most demanding phonological awareness skill, which develops later. It has been most directly linked to subsequent reading ability and can be taught. Phonemic awareness focuses on the sounds a child hears without identifying the corresponding letter. Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes).   Phonemic awareness and phonological awareness are often used interchangeably, but it is helpful to know the precise meaning of each.

 

 

A Perfect Spring Activity — Quick, Easy & Inexpensive Sidewalk Paint!

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What’s a sure sign of a truly engaging children’s project? Silence! We recently tried out an activity I saw on Pinterest. The little ones were so into it that they were just…quiet. This, of course, was followed by laughter and excitement!

A perfect spring or summer outdoor activity, this sidewalk paint (some people refer to it as sidewalk chalk) recipe simply calls for a 1:1 ratio of cornstarch and water, with food coloring of your choice. We used muffin tins as containers and experimented by mixing all different ratios—each offered fun and interesting properties (a little science lesson never hurts!).  The kiddos loved adding extra cornstarch, which made Oobleck (made famous by the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the Oobleck).  When you squeeze Oobleck it is turns into a solid and when you let go, it quickly turns back into a liquid.

 

They also enjoyed making up stories to go along with each picture they painted.  They already have plans to make a hopscotch board next time!

As long as you do not add too much food coloring, you don’t have to worry about staining hands, tools or surfaces, as the paint washes off easily with water.  It’s an inexpensive and creative way to paint outdoors with stunningly vibrant colors.

Lasagna “Muffins”

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Always eager to try out healthy, delicious, family meals that take minimal time to prepare, I was intrigued by this recent Babble.com recipe.  I like the option of only making a few muffins instead of a whole lasagna.  With that said, we always make 1 or 2 full muffin tins because my family loves eating these as leftovers. L. is always happy when I send her with this for lunch!

Here’s my take on this super-quick (about 25 minutes from start to finish including prep time!) recipe:

Ingredients:

-Egg Roll Wrappers
-Tomato Sauce
-Mozzarella, Ricotta and Cottage Cheese

Steps:

#1 Preheat your oven to 375.
#2 Coat a muffin tin with olive oil.
#3 Line each muffin cup with an egg roll wrapper (I used a small cup to help push them in.)
#4 Add a spoonful of tomato sauce into each cup.
#5 Add ricotta and cottage cheese (as well as any cooked veggies).
#6 Add mozzarella cheese to each cup.
#7 Fold extra egg roll wrapper back over the cup to seal.
#8 Add a small spoonful of tomato sauce on top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
#9 Bake for about 15 minutes (or until wrappers and topping look done).

To keep it super healthy, you can simply add veggies such as zucchini, spinach or mushrooms, and go light on the cheese.  

How’d mine turn out? I have literally made them three weeks in a row because it is so easy, and everyone in my family LOVES them. So when I know the day’s going to be one gigantic juggling act—this one’s definitely a go-to!

Frozen Letters: An Educational Cool-Down

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In true New England weather fashion, temperatures were in the 80’s yesterday. This fast-forward into summer-like warmth had us thinking of creative ways to cool-down and keep the kids engaged. So putting a new spin on old toys, we froze the girls’ magnetic letters!

I simply dropped magnet letters into plastic cups of water and left them in the freezer overnight. Then I filled our kiddie pool with an inch or two of luke warm water and let them play with the frozen letters. My 4 year old daughter was initially taken aback at the sight of her playthings stuck inside an ice block—“But, I love those letters!” she exclaimed. But within seconds she realized the ice would melt eventually and she’d have her letters back. 

From that point on she and her little sister had a blast. If you’re going to try this with your baby just be sure to watch carefully, as I had to with my one-year-old, so she didn’t get little pieces of ice as they melted.  

I built simple three-letter “mystery” words with the ice blocks and as they melted L loved trying to figure them out. It was a great way to stay cool on this crazy hot day!  Next time, I am going to try freezing colored-water as well.

Celebrate Earth Day (April 22)

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From encouraging our kids to (literally!) get their hands dirty in the garden to recycling and reusing materials in creative ways, we try to teach respect for our planet regularly. But Earth Day offers a tremendous and important opportunity to reinforce those ideas. Here are a few ways we recommend celebrating Earth Day with your children:

#1 Read

This is such a great way for children to see and hear about the many important aspects that make our Earth special and worth treating with care. There are many wonderfully written and illustrated children’s books that have earth-related themes. The Earth Book by Todd Parr is a favorite we’ve been reading with our daughter since she was teeny-tiny. Some other good books include Why Should I Recycle? by Jen Green and Mike Gordon, Earth Day—Hooray! by Stuart J. Murphy, and The Earth and I by Frank Asch. The ones you choose to read with your childen don’t necessarily have to talk about “the earth” or Earth Day specifically.  They are equally valuable if they touch upon subjects such as respecting and/or teaching about wildlife and plants, conserving energy, recycling, cleaning up our environment and/or planting.

#2 Create

Creating crafts is another way to get our children thinking and asking questions about the many aspects of earth. This past week we created Earth out of biodegradable materials. We simply covered a round plate with cornstarch, then used an eye dropper to drop green and blue colored water (food color and water) on the cornstarch. We talked about what each color stood for and made labels. The colored water actually appeared to make rivers when it hit the cornstarch, which was a nice surprise!  I was amazed at how long L. worked on her earth project.  I hope your little ones enjoy it ask much as she did.

#3 Discuss

The best way to truly ingrain important concepts is to engage in a dialogue with your children (and after reading Earth Day books and creating projects, we sure had a lot to talk about)! My daughter and I discussed different ways we can help the planet, such as cleaning up litter, planting trees, recycling, turning lights off, and conserving water. Never underestimate your child’s ability to engage in deep conversation!

Moving with Kids: Tips To Ease this Transition

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Moving, for whatever reason, can put a strain on an entire family, but is particularly challenging for children because they tend to thrive on routines and predictability. Switching to a new school and not knowing anyone, as well as moving into an unfamiliar home, throws off routines and may lead to withdrawal, sadness, anxiety or acting out. You can help ease this potentially difficult transition with these 5 tips:

? Set Expectations 

Try looking at photos of your new home and/or new school with your child, while explaining the concept of moving and living there. You mayactuallyvisit these places before the move to help him/her visualize living in the new environment and create a better understanding of what is about to happen. For a fun activity, create a connection with the new place by taking pictures of your child’s favorite stuffed animal or toy in the new school or home. You may even want to create a book of the pictures together with your child!

? Read Moving-related Stories

There are several great children’s books about moving. Get one or two before the move. Read them regularly. Discuss with your child that he/she will be moving soon and going to a new school just like the character in the book. Express excitement about the move whenever possible, as it will help generate positive feelings within your child!

? Maintain Normalcy

Try to keep all other factors such as foods, who picks up and drops off the child at school, bedtime routine,… the same as before the move.

? Thorough Goodbyes and Introductions

If possible, let your child have time to transition from his/her old school to the new one with activities such as setting up his/her new room (if not too far away) or meeting his/her new teachers and classmates. Equally as important, is to say goodbye to the current home/classmates. The details depend on the specific child as some do best with a quick and simple good bye and others may benefit from a more elaborate (book/notes/gathering) goodbye to friends & teachers and visits back to the former school once he/she has moved. For most children it is easier not to return back to the old school too soon after moving, because it is bound to stir up feelings of missing friends, teachers… that may make acclimating to new friends, teacher… more difficult. If your child really wants to go back and visit and keeps requesting it, then it is important to do so, if possible.

? Stay Positive and Communicate

Try not to make moving a taboo topic. Talk to your child and take his/her lead on what he/she needs to make this an easier transition. Depending on your child’s age, you can learn from discussion, role playing, listening to him/her talk to stuffed animals/friends. It is important to validate any emotions and be realistic about the move. However, most of your focus should be positive to help your child to become as excited as possible.

It is important to remember that transitions are challenging for the majority of children and adults. If they sense stress from others about the situation, it will make it harder for them. Prepare the best you can, then approach it with confidence and excitement, even if you are anxious. Keep in mind that children have an amazing ability to adapt. Before long, things will be “back” to a new normal!

Get Kids Excited 2 Eat Veggies!

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When it comes to our kids and health, the more veggies the better, right? Right. For this very purpose, we recently shared a free download “Hippo Eats Fruits and Veggies,” designed for your family’s use in encouraging fruit and veggie intake throughout the day. Now that planting season is around the corner, we wanted to provide you with some additional tips on getting your child excited about veggies:

? Let your children grow their own vegetables. Get them as involved as possible, such as holding a “planting party” where you discuss the various veggies to be planted, go through the process, explain the importance of watering and weeding in order for them to grow, and let them try out every step. Your children will see, smell and feel the growing process from start to finish and get excited about eating the vegetables.

? Celebrate your harvest with “picking parties” and include your child in creating festive meals with their veggies as the star of the show.

? Allow your children to explore and taste the veggies when they are freshest and best tasting–as soon as you pick them.  By keeping the entire gardening experience a positive one, they will be eager to try them!

Amanda and Sarah 

Easter Fun: Squeeze an Egg & Walking on Eggs

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What’s a fun family celebration without a few laughs? This Easter, organize some games everyone can play together. Here are two activities my family tested out in advance of our big Sunday get-together with extended family:

? Squeeze an Egg: We’re willing to bet the kids would love to see the big strong adults (especially daddies and uncles!) not be able to break an egg by squeezing it in the palm of their hand. (Note, the egg may break if it meets another material while you squeeze, such as a ring!)

At first the babies weren't quite convinced about our "fun" activity...

but they quickly became excited and joined in with laughter!

? Walking on Eggs: The saying “walking on eggshells” is ironic considering you can actually do so on whole eggs without breaking them! My family tried this out recently. We simply placed two cartons of eggs on the floor (top of carton open), inspected the eggs to make sure they were all intact, and ensured they were all with the pointy-side up. We took off our socks and shoes and first we guided our baby B. over them, then our four-year-old L.–the eggs held strong! Next came Mommy and then Daddy, and for the grand finale and ultimate test, came Daddy with L. on his shoulders! The egg stayed perfectly intact!


 


Visuals: A Vital Tool for Teaching Children with Autism

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As an educator of young children with special needs and having experienced Autism within my extended family, I’ve used visual supports both in the classroom and in homes with great success. Excited 2 Learn was created to share the benefit of visual supports for all children. We provide resources that reduce excess language, which can overwhelm children with Autism, while helping them learn everyday tasks. The following are a few tips to keep in mind, whether trying to teach educational concepts or establish smooth daily routines such as getting ready in the morning:

? Prevent power struggles during daily routines by emphasizing working as a team toward a single goal

? Encourage independence by breaking down tasks into manageable steps

? Provide hands-on visual displays, thereby reducing the need for extensive language that can often create confusion and frustration

? Provide a reference point to assist memory

? Promote satisfaction and rewards associated with task completion 

? Set clear expectations before introducing tasks and concepts.

It can be challenging for parents to incorporate the above tips—especially when paired with the potential frustration of an in-the-moment struggle. If you’re looking for one tactic to focus on, try incorporating simple visual aids in teaching/guiding, as that is a critical component to transform routine concepts and tasks into playful accomplishments. You can create your own visuals and hands-on tools by drawing pictures, making charts or taking photographs that correspond to the task at hand—the key is consistency and keeping it fun and manageable for everyone involved! If you’re looking for resources to assist you, here are a few of our charts that have been particularly helpful to families raising children with Autism:

Hippo’s Morning Routine So much to do, so little time—a common morning challenge for families! This chart helps set clear expectations for your child, providing a positive start to each day. It’s designed with natural rewards and consequences for following—or not following—a given morning routine. You could think of Hippo’s Morning Routine as a “check-list” of all the activities associated with getting ready in the morning.

I Can Calm Down! Chart On a daily basis, children experience a variety of emotions—naturally feeling frustrated, anxious or angry when things don’t go their way. This chart was designed to empower children to realize when they’re getting worked up, label the feeling, and use calming strategies. These strategies help develop life-long coping skills and emotional intelligence.

Customizable Reward Chart Assists you in focusing on your child’s socially appropriate behaviors—as opposed to unacceptable or boundary-testing actions. The Reward Chart’s visual system enables children to focus on good behavior while learning new skills, having fun and feeling proud of the choices they make.

Stop & Go Sign Teaching your child the meaning of “stop” and “go” in context is a great way to help him/her understand limits. This durable double-sided “Stop & Go Sign” visually signals whether your child is allowed to open a door or must stop/stay out.

I hope these tips serve as an effective resource for you and your family.  I welcome any feedback, ideas or suggestions you may have based on your own experience and hope to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter!  For more information on helpful visual aids, tips and information visit excited2learn.com.