Creation Stations 4 kids

Making the transition from product to process focused art By Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed of Teach Preschool

2012-02-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Debbie Clement recently wrote a terrific article on the topic of Product versus Process art where she creatively and clearly clarifies the difference between the two approaches and then goes on to describe the value of process-focused art in the preschool classroom...

The transition to move from product-focused to process-focused art isn't an easy task for many, if not most, teachers in the preschool classroom and there are many reasons why. Let's take a look at those reasons and see what can be done to help smooth the transition from product-focused to process-focused art...

A lack of experience with process-focused art

For those who lack experience with process-focused art, it can seem overwhelming and non-productive at first. To provide quality process-focused art experiences for young children, you have to start at the beginning and invite the children to simply explore the materials you provide. As the children are given the freedom and time to explore the materials, their skills and abilities to constructively manage and creatively use those materials will build over time.

You also have to understand where your children are developmentally so you can plan processes that they will want to try. In order to keep young children engaged in the process, you have to come up with ideas that are age appropriate, inviting, and interesting. Coming up with successful process-focused art experiences takes commitment, effort, time, and lots of trial and error along the way.

The inability to justify the process

Another reason teachers struggle with transitioning from product to process-focused art is the inability to justify the process. Trying to explain to parents why most of the artwork coming home looks like one big blob after another can be difficult. One tip that will help with this is to start with the planning phase. When planning an art activity, answer the question; "what will the children do?" instead of "what will the children make?" This will help you focus on the process and then talk about the process with others.

The next time an adult walks in the classroom and says, "What did the children make today?" You will be prepared to say, "The children figured out that..." or "We are making great progress on..." or "We explored the use of..." Describing the process will naturally lead to a discussion on what the children learned or gained from the process and keeps the conversations open ended and focused on growth and development. Answering the question with "We made a tree today" pretty much wraps up any real potential for an exciting conversation about growth and development...

The internal struggle

Another part of transitioning is recognizing and managing the internal struggle to control the art experience. Perhaps you like the artwork on your wall to look a certain way. Perhaps you have certain expectations about how the children should use the materials you set out. Perhaps you love something you saw on Pinterest so much that you want to reproduce the exact same artwork.

In order to transition from product to process-focused art, you have to start by reflecting on your own attitudes about the role of art in your classroom. Is the art experience in your classroom about what you need or is it about what the children need? Is the art experience in your classroom about what you love or is it about what the children love? Is the art experience in your classroom guided by what you find easy to clean up and manage or is it guided by what will keep the children engaged, challenged, and interested....

My personal experience in the transition to process-focused art

Implementing process-focused art has been a fairly new experience for me this school year and I learn something new every day. There are days when I don't get it exactly right, but my students are so processed-oriented now that they quickly remind me of what really matters to them.

I have watched my students go from sampling the materials to embracing the materials. I have watched my students go from using too much glue on everything to self-regulating the amount of glue they need to complete a process. I have watched my students go from mixing every color of paint on the table to selectively mixing the colors to produce a desired result.

We have higher level conversations about about our artwork than I have ever had or even thought of having before in a preschool classroom. One of my students said it best last week while we were exploring a new kind of easel painting. She said, "Wow, we are like real artists" and as I watched them paint, I had to agree - they were truly were like real artists.

If you would like to see more about what our classroom is exploring, I invite you to join me over at Teach Preschool.

By the way, I highly recommend these plastic bottles (pictured below) for painting with your students. I have been using them all year long and absolutely love them. I purchased mine from Walmart in the kitchen utensil isle....

Marble painting with preschoolers by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. on January 23, 2012

2012-01-25T10:12:00.000-08:00

As you might have guessed, we have been exploring marbles and you just can’t explore marbles without including a little marble painting in your planning…

Every time I introduce marble painting to a group of preschoolers, I change the process a bit. I adjust the process based on the age of the children, the size or kind of box we will use, the kind of paint we use, how many children will paint at one time, and anything else I think will need adjusted to make the process fun and age appropriate for the children in my class…

For my PreK class, I let them squeeze out some tempera paint on a sheet of paper and then they were good to go. You will notice in the photo above that I also set out some plastic wrap. We would have wrapped the box with the plastic wrap if needed to help keep the marbles from falling out of the box but we decided it wasn’t needed. By adding the plastic wrap, the children can still see inside the box while they roll the marbles through the paint with out worrying about the marbles falling out…

But since these children were older, they were able to manage the marbles and the box without needing to add the plastic wrap. It was actually good eye-hand coordination and a little practice in multi-tasking for them to tilt the box, keep an eye on the marbles so they don’t fall out of the box, and direct the marbles through the paint all at the same time…

Once the marbles get a little too much paint on them, it is a good idea to rinse some of the paint off in between each child’s turn. This helps keep the marbles rolling through the paint better. Otherwise, the marbles can get all goopy and not roll very well at all…

Some of the children had a little trouble getting the coordination of moving the large box from side to side. If they preferred, they could have a partner hold one end of the box to help them tilt the box back and forth. Working with a partner is also a challenge because the children have to tilt the box the same way at the same time – not an easy thing to do…

Regardless of the challenges involved in marble painting, the children stayed engaged in the process. Simplifying the process does not always make the project more fun – those little challenges along the way can actually be an important part of the process…

Our marble painting turned out bright, colorful, and beautiful…

All that paint, movement, concentration, and freedom in the process and almost no mess – now how do you like that?

Can you see the name hidden behind all that paint?

STAGES OF BLOCK PLAY

2012-01-12T18:43:00.000-08:00

Stage 1- Tote and Carry
Blocks are carried around to feel their smoothness, their weight
and to hear what kid of sounds they make when they fall. Children
like to fill containers, dump them out, and refill them. (2-3
yrs.)

Stage 2 - Building Begins
Children lay the blocks on the floor in rows, either horizontally
or vertically with much repetition. Children may play alone or
near other children, but rarely in a cooperative way (3yrs.)

Stage 3 - Trial and Error Bridging
Two blocks with a space between them, connected by a third
block. Children learn to bridge by trial and error. (3-4 yrs.)

Stage 4 - Enclosures:
Blocks are placed in such a way that they enclose a space.
Bridging and enclosing are among the earliest “technical” building
problems that children learn to solve. As children work at
building enclosures, they learn the spatial concept of inside and
outside. (4 yrs.)

Stage 5 - Representational Building
At this stage, 4 and 5 year olds add dramatic play to their block
building. They name their structures which relate to a function.
Before this, children may also have named they structures but
the names were not necessarily related to the function of the
building.

Stage 6—Building Sociodramas
By age 5, group cooperative play is common. Children decide
beforehand what they want to build, and they may reproduce
structures that are familiar to them. Children may ask to leave
their structure standing and may play with it again.

Source: Hirsch, Elisabeth (1984) The Block Book.
Washington, D.C.: NAEYC

Is my Child Kindergarten Ready? By: D. McGuire

2012-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, who's the mother of a 5 year old, recently asked me, "How do you know when your child is ready for kindergarten?" I have to say this is a valid question, and every parent of a young child wants and deserves an answer. However, it's not a simple answer. In fact, it has taken me several weeks to respond to this question because initially, I needed time to really think about my response, and then I became busy with the holidays and my daughters first birthday. Please forgive me for such a delayed response!

In my mind, there are three factors to consider when enrolling your child in Kindergarten. The first two, your child and the school's teaching philosophy, should not come as a surprise. No one knows your child better than you (the parent), so you should have a good idea of how long your child can sit and listen, what letters and numbers he/she recognizes, and if your child is introvert or extrovert with other children and adults. Girls tend to adjust to a school setting more easily than boys such as sitting at a desk, raising their hands to speak, and walking in a line, but that is not always the case. If you're worried your child will struggle with these tasks, you have options which I will address.

There is also ample research on the different learning styles of boys versus girls. A boy’s optimal teaching environment includes cooler temperatures, large spaces for moving, and loud voices. Girls, on the other hand, perform better in warmer rooms and less noise. Does this mean boys always need to be separate from girls? Not always, but there are special circumstances. If your male child is very active and would truly benefit from an environment for boys, you might want to check out schools that separate sexes. Once again, girls adapt better to the typical classroom environment, so there is a good chance your daughter will perform well in a developmentally appropriate school.

Also, most schools are very vocal about their philosophy because they don't want the school’s expectations to come as a surprise. Believe it or not, teachers and administrators want school to be a positive experience for children. When students struggle, everyone struggles including teachers, so checkout your child's future school website and talk to several parents of currently enrolled students. I believe parents can give an accurate view of a school's classroom environment and expectations, but make sure you get multiple opinions from trustworthy adults. For example, one school might say they are a hands-on/center based school compared to another school that focuses mainly on academics. However, when you take the school tour and see young children sitting at individual desks filling out worksheets and not engaged in centers, then you know the school is not adhering to their philosophy. Personally, I believe children learn the most in environments that encourage lifelong learners through play and hands-on activities. For more information, please checkout: http://www.det.nt.gov.au and http://www.playbasedlearning.com.au/.

The third factor to your child’s success in kindergarten is the teacher, and normally, parents are not notified of their child’s teacher until a few days before the new school year. I am a former early childhood educator, so I hope I don’t upset too many of my former teacher colleagues. Nevertheless, a teacher can make or break a child’s success in the classroom. I have to say, most kindergarten teachers are very patient, kind, and loving with young children. Early childhood teachers are usually well aware of the school district’s expectations and how hard they can push a young child before the point of frustration. However, some teachers are under-educated in early childhood development, short-tempered, or tired of unachievable expectations from districts and no longer have the patience to work with active young children. These are the type of teachers parents need to avoid!

How do you steer clear of this situation? Talk to other parents and ask for the names of well respected teachers. Then, write your school a letter requesting the kindergarten teacher you feel best matches your child’s needs. Even though many schools say they don’t take requests, most schools will take them into consideration. This also gives the parent peace of mind knowing his/her voice was at least heard. Parents can also request their child not to be placed in a classroom with another specific child, which is always better than requesting your child to be placed in a classroom with his/her friend.

Finally, it is up to the parents to decide if their child is ready for kindergarten. Most parents have a gut feeling telling them how their child will preform in kindergarten based on their child's personality, school environment, and possible teachers. I suggest weighing the pros and cons to make the best decision. I’m also leaving all my future parents of kindergarteners with a list of recommended kindergarten skills to help ease their minds. I believe these skills will boost young children's success in school, but please don’t feel your child needs to have full mastery in order to start kindergarten. They’re just recommendations from a former public school kindergartener teacher.

1. Writes first name. (All capital letters is fine)

2. Can tell you last name.

3. Can cut with scissors, tear tape, and put caps on markers.

4. Begins to hold a pencil firmly. Sometimes holds pencil loosely.

5. Recognizes 10-15 capital letters of the alphabet.

6. Knows the sounds of 5-10 letters.

7. Recognizes numbers 1-10.

8. Tells a story with a beginning and end to students and/or teacher.

9. Can listen to a short story without losing his/her attention.

10. Runs, hops, and skips. Climbs, slides, and rolls.

11. Can share or take a turn. (Some of the time)

12. Has an imagination. Imagination is seen through play, drawing, or building, and can take place in or outdoors.

13. Takes care of most restroom needs on own. Ex. Wiping, flushing, and washing hands.

14. Can dress him/ herself. (Most of the time)

15. Drinks out of a cup.

16. Good table habits. (Most of the time)

17. Can clean up and put things back where they belong!

Photographer mom is proud of her post-preg body Posted by Kia@Mom365 on February 15, 2011 at 12:30pm

2011-12-29T10:17:00.001-08:00

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Our admiration has to go out to mommy blogger Erin over at Starving Artist Ink, who published some strikingly honest and beautiful pictures of her post-pregnancy body in a post simply titled "the shape of a mother."

Strong mom-baby relationships may protect against later obesity Posted by The Baby News on December 28, 2011 at 11:30am

2011-12-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's probably happened to you at least a few times in your life: You're stressed or sad or lonely, and to help yourself feel better, you head to the kitchen and grab another bowl of ice cream/candy bar/bag of chips. It's called self-soothing, and starting during late childhood, it's something some of us do a lot. People who habitually self-soothe with food risk ending up obese.

A longterm study to be published in the January issue of Pediatrics links adolescent obesity with the relationships moms form with their toddlers. The study followed almost a thousand kids, checking in with them when they were 15, 24 and 36 months old, and then again when they turned 15. During the first 3 years, researchers studied the interactions between the toddlers and their mothers, focusing on how secure the children were that their moms were there for them during times of stress and how sensitive their moms were to their feelings; then they looked at their notes to see if there was any connection between the quality of the mom-toddler relationships and the adolescents' weight.

The results: Children who were least secure and had the least responsive mothers during their toddler years were more than two times likely to be obese at age 15. The reason: According to lead study author Sarah Anderson, a toddler whose mother doesn't or can't help her children handle stress is more likely to learn to use food as a way of self-soothing. Quoted in a news release, Anderson said:

Sensitive parenting increases the likelihood that a child will have a secure pattern of attachment and develop a healthy response to stress. A well-regulated stress response could in turn influence how well children sleep and whether they eat in response to emotional distress -- just two factors that affect the likelihood for obesity.

We're guessing that as moms, our own patterns of self-soothing probably influence our children's, too. And the more stressed we are, the harder it is to respond to our babies' stress.

How do you control your stress?

Ribbon weaving and painting in preschool by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. on December 18, 2011 in Centers,Creative Art,Ribbon Painting,Ribbon Weaving an

2011-12-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I shared how we made ribbon trees in our prek class but we have also been exploring ribbons with our threes too. This doesn’t have to be a holiday activity. In fact, these ideas are great ways to use up some of that left over ribbon from the holidays…

I set out these dish or sink mats (from the Dollar Store) along with several skeins of ribbon at one table for a little ribbon weaving and tying…

The key to making this fun, is letting the children choose ribbon to cut and weave rather than having the ribbon already cut up…

Some of the children preferred to weave the ribbon in and out of the holes…

And some of the children preferred to tie knots with the ribbon…

Very open ended process that invites great use of fine motor skills!

We also explored a little ribbon painting!

We set out some colorful paint, scissors, and different colors of ribbon for the children to paint with. The children cut a length of ribbon, dipped it in the paint, and dragged it across the paper any way they wish…

We covered the entire table with paper and let the children freely paint with the ribbon anywhere they wanted. When the paint dried, we cut up the large ribbon painted paper into individual squares for each child to take home…

The children enjoyed ribbon painting together…

Order Deborah's Children's CD today!

www.teachpreschool.org

Contact Deborah for permission to sell, post, publish, or distribute all or any part of this article!

Is it Okay to Lie About Santa? by Laura Lewis Brown

2011-12-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

As parents, we know that Santa doesn’t exist, but does that mean sharing this myth with our children is really lying? If Santa is not part of your family’s tradition or culture, then there is no need to even consider encouraging that belief in your child. But if you are struggling over whether or not to tell Santa’s story, you may take comfort in the notion that it doesn’t really harm children to imagine.

Santa Claus Is One of Many Myths
“Kids up to four, five, six, seven live in what we call fantasy life magic years,” says Dr. Benjamin Siegel, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Boston University School of Medicine. “They are influenced by what they see and hear around them. They get very excited about characters in their life that have special meaning for them.” Those characters include superheroes, monsters, animals and even Santa.

While there are many ways to encourage your children to be good, the story of Santa is just one of them. Siegel points out that Santa, for most families, is a jolly man with helpers who brings presents to children who are good. Sure, there are tales of coal in the stockings of naughty children, but it would be hard to find a child who actually received that on Christmas morning.

What parents should assess is the values they are trying to impart and whether this myth encourages those morals. “Every culture has a fairy tale or myth that belongs to its historical identity,” Siegel says. “If the myths are good and talk about sharing and helping your neighbor, then that’s really nice.”

It’s Tradition
For many families, the excitement of leaving cookies for Santa, watching through the window for his sleigh at night, waking up early to open presents and sharing all that goes into believing in Santa Claus are special and unique to their given family. That tradition is why many parents share the story of Santa–because that’s what they learned growing up.

Caroline Jorgensen, a mother of two boys who blogs at Morningsidemom.com, introduced Santa to her sons because it was natural to do so, even if it felt wrong at times.

“It never seemed like an option not to tell my kids that there was a Santa,” she says. “But, once I did, I was surprised to find myself feeling bad about it. I was lying to my child. There he was looking up at me, expecting me to explain the world to him, and I was telling him that a fat man in a red suit who snuck into our house once a year was as real as the green grass outside. To top it off, my firstborn was scared of Santa for a few years.”

As her son outgrew his fear of the man in the red suit, Jorgensen realized why parents tell their children about Saint Nick in the first place: magic. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? Presents of every kind appearing under the tree,” she says. “Adults don't get that kind of magic. How wonderful that they can have that.”

Santa Isn’t Just One Story
If you decide that Santa Claus is going to be part of your family’s Christmas tradition, there are many ways to tell his story. You may be surprised to find a myriad of Santa books waiting to be read at the local library.

There are books about environmentally conscious Santas and about animals, even dinosaurs that dress as Santa. There are Santa tales featuring popular characters like Corduroy and Curious George. Many parents may stick to the traditional “The Night Before Christmas,” which now comes in many variations. You can also check out illustrated children’s Bibles to provide a religious perspective, or find a book on the history of Saint Nicholas.

There is no right or wrong way to tell the Santa story. “Some holiday books are touching and poignant, others are fun and frivolous. It depends on the child,” says Marisa Conner, Youth Services Coordinator for the Baltimore County Public Libraries. “We find that for families it’s a very personal thing. A lot of parents want to pass on what they believed as a child, what they were excited about.” Whatever book you choose, the point is to encourage your child to dream.

“As an educator and as a person, I find that fantasy books do engage the imagination,” Conner says. “Children learn at some point what’s make-believe and not. That’s the fun of life. It makes us see different personalities.”

When They Find Out
Parents worry that they will have to break the news to their children and shatter their whole vision of Christmas. However, many children come to this realization on their own around age seven or eight, Siegel says. And when they do, they are basically unscathed. Siegel cites a study that revealed that children who learned the truth may have been upset, but not nearly as upset as the parents.

“Most kids do fine when they learn a myth is not real,” he says. “Sometimes parents feel very badly because they want their kids to continue to believe in Santa Claus. Maybe parents like the myth because it makes them feel good, or because kids get disappointed in them when they find out the truth. Kids realize that parents aren’t so powerful, but that happens in adolescence anyway.”

Jorgensen admits dreading the day her sons will find out. “When I thought about my sons not believing the other day, I suddenly felt sad. When they don't believe, then it changes Christmas for me too, doesn't it? Completely. I lose the magic too.” However, Jorgensen also realizes that providing the Christmas magic involves a lot of work, and it will be nice to have a break from sneaking around late at night to have everything in place for children with big expectations.

Talking Through the Disappointment
Whether your kids find out on their own, from an older child on the playground, or from you, there are ways to handle the disappointment.

If they are upset that you lied, acknowledge their disappointment and ask about their feelings, Siegel recommends. You can explain that Santa is a myth that your family has chosen to share. “Santa Claus is part of Christmas and we believe in Christmas,” you can tell them. Siegel recommends comparing the experience to the tooth fairy or Easter bunny, and encourage children to remember the fun and excitement that made the event special.

Children should also have the opportunity to define what Santa Claus means to them. They may surprise parents when they reveal that they knew all along, but still had fun playing along with the game.

Until their children catch on, parents may just want to enjoy the magical world of Santa that they have helped to create. Sure, Santa may not really exist, but believing in him for a few years can be tremendously fun, even for parents.

Activities for 1 Year Olds September 11, 2011 By Rachel

2011-12-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Our tots love to explore their surroundings. Through our weekly play activities link-party, It’s Playtime, and from roving the internet we have found lots of activities to help stimulate and engage our toddlers. If you have any suggested activities, please feel free to submit them in the weekly link-up or leave a link in the comments.

Here are our favorite toddler activities:

Sensory Activities
Discovery Toys
Baby Toys
Craft Ideas for Toddlers

Sensory Activities:

A lump of clay and household items or toys can keep a toddler entertained for hours! You and your tot can go on a texture hunt, make a book of different textures to explore (via Bloesum Kids), use the lid to a box to create a sensory version of hide-n-seek with family photos (via Inspiration Surrounds), enjoy a washrag maze (via Lilla A), or match textures as you feel them inside balloons (via Tutus and Turtles).

Discovery Toys:

Toys don’t have to be fancy for kids to enjoy them! Some of my infants favorites are created with items found around the house. We made I-Spy shaking bottles, Imagination Tree added glitter to her oil and water bottles, over at Pre-school Play they have a smorgesboard of bottle ideas including one where they added marbles to shampoo, Southern Thomas added colorful items to plain water to create a collection of visual effects and Cluck, Cluck Sew made a bottle-free discovery bag for her kids to play with.

Baby Toys:

One of our most popular DIY creations is our toddler clipping toy – sure to entertain! But there are other ways you can create toys from everyday objects! Counting Coconuts made blocks from tree branches, mix pipe-cleaners and a sifter and you have toddler poking fun (via The Imagination Tree), an old cereal tub or a large tin can when decorated becomes a drum (via No Time for Flashcards) and help your tot practice fine motor skills with pom-poms and a tupperware tub (via Engaging Toddler Activities).

Craft Ideas for Toddlers:

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Finger paint with edible paints. A Bunch of Keys made finger paint from condensed milk and The Imagination Tree made paint from flour and food coloring. Don’t want to risk the mess? Angelyn’s Life has a great solution. Put the paper and the paint in a bag. Tape it shut and watch your tots squish to their hearts content. Have dried out markers and maybe a tot like mine who likes to color on herself? This blogger made watercolors out of her old markers.

Do you have any ideas for baby’s, toddlers, preschoolers, or elementary aged kids? Favorite family crafts or activities? I’d love to feature them – link up to It’s Playtime. I bookmark my favorites for days like today!
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Temper Tantrums: What Your Toddler is Trying to Tell You (and How You Can Help) By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine

2011-12-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

When your toddler is melting down, it's easy to chalk the tantrum up to anger or frustration (and to get angry and frustrated yourself). But a new study that analyzed the sounds that tots make when their pitching a fit shows that there may be more to a tantrum than just a lot of screaming -- and may offer parents a way to cope.

In the study, which was published in the journal "Emotion," scientists recorded the sounds toddlers make during tantrums and discovered that not only does each type of sound (screaming, yelling, crying, whining, and fussing) have its own "distinct acoustic features," there's a definite pattern to the vocalizations as well.

"Screaming and yelling and kicking often go together," study co-author Michael Potegal, an associate professor of pediatric clinical neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, told NPR. "Throwing things and pulling and pushing things tend to go together. Combinations of crying, whining, falling to the floor and seeking comfort -- and these also hang together."

So, what's really going on when a toddler is having a meltdown? "Frustration certainly is a trigger," James A. Green, head of the department of psychology at the University of Connecticut and a co-author of the study, told Yahoo! Shine. "Blocked goals can results in frustration, which leads to anger. Same is true of adults, actually."

But the scientists also discovered that, contrary to popular belief, toddlers aren't just melting down out of anger, they're also feeling sadness at the same time.

"The impression that tantrums have two stages is incorrect," Potegal said. "In fact, the anger and the sadness are more or less simultaneous."

Certain conditions can make it more likely that a toddler will melt down, Green points out. "Fatigue or illness can lower the tolerance for frustration," he points out. "Toddlers, or so the conventional wisdom goes, simply do not have as many cognitive 'tricks' up their sleeves to deal with these situations." (Older kids, however, should be better able to deal with such situations, which is why their angry outbursts are called rages, not tantrums.)

1. Wait it out. If your toddler is having a tantrum, there's little you can do other than wait it out, experts say. "My colleague and collaborator, Mike Potegal, talks about 'standing back' during the periods of most intense anger, and I think he means both physically and emotionally," Green says. "Trying to give more information to a child who has already lost control may not be very helpful."

"Best to scoop up your tyke and take her to a place where she can calm down without being disruptive to others," suggests Michelle Nicholasen, a mother of five and the author of "I Break for Meltdowns: How to Handle the Most Exasperating Behavior of Your 2- to 5-Year-Old." "Is it a drag for the parent? Oh, yes, and tiring, too. But wait out the storm and it will pass."

2. Don't threaten, cajole, or bribe. You might not be able to control the tantrum itself, but you can control how you react to it, Nicholasen points out. "Parents can make tantrums much worse by yelling at their child to stop, or by threatening them," she says.

Instead of asking questions or trying to reason with a 2- or 3-year-old, simply acknowledge that they're upset. "Toddlers who are in the middle of a meltdown are incapable of hearing our message (reasons, reassurance or warnings) until they're sure we understand and respect their message," says Dr. Harvey Karp, author of "The Happiest Toddler on the Block."

3. Offer comfort. Once children have gotten past what Potegal calls "the peaks of anger," they're more willing to be comforted.

4. Find the humor in the situation. Many parents end up just as frustrated and angry as the child during a tantrum, but as Green points out, tantrums are completely normal -- up to a point. "This too shall pass," he says. "Tantrums are normative events in development and usually decline after age 4."

While you're waiting for your tot to get over his or her anger, having a sense of humor can help. "Imagine a grown-up acting like your child, and you will soon have to stifle a smile," Nicholasen says.

5. Don't take it as a personal failure. "As parents, we are much more self-conscious about being judged when our child is misbehaving in public. The things that go through our minds are: Am I raising my child to be a wild animal? Have I not taught him enough manners? My child is acting like a little brat; what am I doing wrong? But even when you do your best, sometimes a collapse will still happen."

Why are quality toys and quality play so important?

2011-12-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

Research tells us that young children need to be actively
engaged in play in order to develop basic learning
skills. This is how they learn about themselves and their
world. We know that quality play promotes close relationships,
language, creativity, physical development,
thinking skills and social skills. This type of creative
play is often challenged in our media centered world, as
children spend more and more time in front of a television
or computer screen.

Many times toys marketed as “educational” offer
little evidence to back their claims. Recently, as a result
of a ruling by the Federal Trade Commission, Disney
agreed to refund consumers for a limited time on the
purchase of their popular baby DVDs . The claim made
for the educational value of the product was determined
to be false advertising. Research done at the University
of Washington found that for every hour spent watching
baby DVDs, infants learned six to eight fewer new
words than babies that never watched. High tech toys
and DVDs can keep young children from interacting
with parents and engaging in creative play—two activities
that promote learning. The American Academy of
Pediatrics recommends no electronic media before age
two. Television and an increasing number of electronic
toys advertised as “interactive” may in fact, be passive
toys, only requiring children to push a button.

Consider the following criteria when choosing quality
toys.
· Is it safe?
· Does it suit the child’s age level and interest?
· Does it allow the child to participate?
· Will it challenge without frustrating?
· Does it have more than one use?
· Is it well-made?
· Will it have long-term interest so that the child can
play with it over a period of years?
· Does it perpetuate sexist or ethnic stereotypes?
· Does it stimulate aggression and violence?

Toys have limited play value when they…
· Can only be used in one way encouraging all children
to play the same way.
· Look exciting but quickly become boring because
they only require children to push a button and
watch what happens.
· Do the play “for” children, instead of encouraging
exploration and mastery.

What's wrong with toys that have a limited play value?
· Lead children to spend more time with TV or other
media, and letting the screen take control of their
play.
· Lure children into watching the TV program or
other media linked to the toy.
· Promote violence and sexualized behavior, which
can lead to aggressive and disrespectful play.
· Separate girls and boys with highly gender-divided
toys.
· Introduce academic concepts at too early an age,
leaving less time for creative play that best prepares
children for academic learning.

Adapted from TRUCE “Play Recommendations” and
“What types of toys support healthy play?”
www.truceteachers.org

More Christmas Poems and Songs for Young Children

2011-12-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas poems and songs for young children, part 2

Quality Toys for Young Children

2011-12-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Toys for 1-year-olds

· Board books with simple illustrations or photographs
of real objects
· Recordings with songs, rhymes, simple stories, and
pictures
· Things to create with—wide non-toxic, washable
markers, crayons, and large paper
· Things to pretend with—toy phones, dolls and
doll beds, baby carriages and strollers, dress-up
accessories (scarves, purses), puppets, stuffed toys,
plastic animals, and plastic and wood “realistic”
vehicles
· Things to build with—cardboard and wood blocks
· Things for using small and large muscles—
puzzles, large pegboards, toys with parts that do
things (dials, switches, knobs, lids), and large and
small balls

Toys for 2-year olds

· Things for solving problems—wood puzzles
(with 4-12 pieces), blocks that snap together, objects
to sort (by size, shape, color, smell), and
things with hooks, buttons, buckles, and snaps
· Things for pretending and building—blocks,
smaller (and sturdy) transportation toys, clothes,
dolls with accessories, puppets, and sand and water
play toys
· Things to create with—large non-toxic, washable
crayons and markers, large paintbrushes and finger
paint, large paper for drawing and painting, colored
construction paper, toddler-sized scissors with
blunt tips, chalkboard and large chalk, and rhythm
instruments
· Picture books with more details than books for
younger children
· Things for using large and small muscles—large
and small balls for kicking and throwing, ride-on
equipment (but probably not tricycles until children
are 3), tunnels, low climbers with soft material underneath,
and pounding and hammering toys

Toys for 3 to 6-year-olds

· Things for solving problems—puzzles (with 12-
20+ pieces), blocks that snap together, collections
and other smaller objects to sort by length, width,
height, shape, color, smell, quantity, and other features,
collections of plastic bottle caps, plastic
bowls and lids, keys, shells, counting bears, small
colored blocks
· Things for pretending and building—many blocks for
building complex structures, transportation toys, construction
sets, child-sized furniture (“apartment” sets,
play food), dress-up clothes, dolls with accessories, puppets
and simple puppet theaters, and sand and water play
toys
· Things to create with—large and small crayons and
markers, large and small paintbrushes and finger paint,
large and small paper for drawing and painting, colored
modeling clay and playdough, modeling tools, paste,
paper and cloth scraps for collage and instruments –
rhythm instruments and keyboards, xylophones, maracas,
and tambourines
· Picture books with even more words and more detailed
pictures than toddler books
· Things for using their large and small muscles—large
and small balls for kicking and throwing/catching, rideon
equipment including tricycles, tunnels, taller climbers
with soft material underneath, wagons and wheelbarrows,
plastic bats and balls, plastic bowling pins, targets
and things to throw at them, and a workbench with a
vise, hammer, nails and saws.

Taken from NAEYC publication “Good Toys for Young
Children”, www.naeyc.org/journal/goodtoys.asp

Musik-Go-Round

Mrs. Vaughan suggests the gift of music for
Christmas. New studio classes begin in
February. For more information see www.musikgo-
round.

Christmas Poems and Songs for Young Children

2011-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas poems and songs for young children

Dyslexia

2011-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

I read a great article in the December 2011 addition of Parents Magazine discussing the early signs of dyslexia. For one, toddlers usually enjoy the repetition of sounds in most nursery rhymes and try to mimic the cadence of the poems, but children with early signs of dyslexia "may not perceive the sound patterns at all."

By five, children use the rhythm and repetition of nursery rhymes to begin reading basic words. (This is why it is so important to expose children to rhyming at an early age.) However, a child with dyslexia "will struggle with associating letters to sounds and especially blending sounds together to make words."

Finally, scientists have determined dyslexia is a brain disorder due to the help from MRIs. Areas of the brain that light up on the scanning device for regular readers are mostly dark for dyslexic readers. But these same readers with dyslexia show activity in other areas of the brain while reading. Meaning dyslexics use different methods in order to read which may make them great problem solvers. Famous dyslexics you might recognize...Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Schwab, and Tom Cruise (not mentioned in the article).

Other important facts:

~Dyslexia runs in the family. "Up to 1/2 of children with a parent or sibling with dyslexia also have it."
~If you are worried your young child might have dyslexia, contact your neighborhood public school. Public schools are required by law to evaluate all children for disabilities!
~If your child is labeled dyslexic, get them in an appropriate education program right away! The sooner the better.

To My Russian Viewers!

2011-11-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that I'm getting several page views from Russia, and I would love to know how I can serve you better. I'd also love to know more about Russia's education for young children and your attraction to my website! Thanks again for your interests!

Proper Restroom Etiquette for Children by: Deborah McGuire

2011-11-27T18:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was asked by a mom if her six year old should be able to wipe herself after using the restroom. My answer was, "all children need to be trained to take care of their basic hygiene needs as soon as they become potty trained." For one, it's good hygiene, and second, your child will not always be in your presence when using the restroom. Therefore, parents must teach their children to wipe themselves in order to not rely on someone else.

For example, during my second year of teaching prekindergarten, I had a male student that would yell for my assistance in the bathroom that connected to the classroom. He continued to yell until I was able to pry myself from a classroom of fifteen students to wipe his bottom. Mind you, this was a completely capable 4 year old that insisted I take care of his hygiene needs.

So, I know your wondering if I wiped his bottom, and the answer is "yes, I helped him the first time." But...I did not leave the restroom before having a heart-to-heart conversation. I told the young student that he would need to wipe his own bottom the next time and that he should begin practicing at home. However, a couple of days later, we ran into the same problem again. However, this time I closed the bathroom door so he would not disturb the entire classroom. I also gave him step by step directions on what to do from outside the bathroom door, and after a few more minutes of protesting, came silence. I assumed the young man took care of his own needs without involving me, and the best part of all... the problem never arose again!

All in all, parents need to teach their children to take care of some basic needs such as feeding themselves, appropriately communicating with others, and properly using the restroom. We cannot expect educators, camp counselors, aides, etc. to take time out of their busy day to wipe the hind ends of capable children.

If you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear them. You may respond to this post or personally email me!

My daughter vs. the doorstop. Too funny!

2011-11-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TEACHER? :) By Jeff Foxworthy

2011-11-21T17:21:00.001-08:00

1. You can hear 25 voices behind you and know exactly who it belongs to.
2. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.
3. You walk into a store and hear the words "It's Ms" _________" and know you have been spotted.
4. You have 25 people that accidentally call you Mom at one time or another.
5. You can eat a multi-course meal in unde...r twenty minutes.
6. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and planning period.
7. You start saving other people's trash, because most likely, you can use that toilet paper tube or plastic butter tub for something in the classroom.
8. You believe the teachers' lounge should be equipped with a margarita machine.
9. You want to slap the next person who says "Must be nice to work 8 to 3 and have summers off."
10. You believe chocolate is a food group.
11. You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
12. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."
13. You feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their behavior when you are out in public.
14. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.
15. You spend more money on school stuff than you do on your own needs.
16. You can't pass the school supply aisle without getting at least five items!
17. You ask your friends if the left hand turn he just made was a "good choice or a bad choice."
18. You find true beauty in a can full of perfectly sharpened pencils
19. You are secretly addicted to hand sanitizer.

Selecting good books for children by: Roxanne Rowley

2011-11-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season draws near, it is time to shop. I hope parents will consider buying a book or two as gifts. Reading to a small child is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It is a perfect way to bond with a child, and a great way to enhance their literacy and language development. Finding quality literature for children is not hard if you keep in mind a few hints.

Is the text of the story engaging?

Are the illustrations colorful?

Will the illustrations keep your child’s attention?

And do the illustrations go along well with the story?

Can the child identify with the characters in the story?

Is it fun to read the book aloud?

Will you be able to read the book over and over again with enthusiasm?

Do the illustrations invite the child to look for details of the story?

Does the story keep your child’s (and your) attention? It is likely that if you find the book boring or lacking so will your child.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Selecting good books for children - Traverse City Early Childhood Parenting | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/early-childhood-parenting-in-traverse-city/selecting-good-books-for-children#ixzz1e0HEJslh

Activities Young Children Can Master

2011-11-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

Independence Building Activities

· Washing hands
· Dressing/undressing
· Managing clothes fasteners
· Assisting with meal preparation (pouring, mixing, scooping)
· Assisting with packing lunch (spreading, pealing, picking,
etc.)
· Open/close food packages (baggies, straws, caps, etc.)
· Feeding self
· Feeding pet
· Setting/clearing table
· Filling/clearing dishwasher
· Washing/drying dishes
· Sweeping (small and large)
· Watering plants
· Sorting anything (laundry, socks, paper, ribbons, utensils,
etc.)

How does sleep affect your child’s brain? by: Rhonda Sampiere

2011-11-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

How Sleep Relates to the Brain

· Studies show that 3 year olds who nap well are
more adaptable. (Adaptability is the single most
important trait for school success.)
· In a study of 5 year olds, persistence or attention
span was the trait most strongly associated with
daytime sleep or nap duration. Those who slept
longer during the day had longer attention spans.
· Studies show napping does not affect duration or
quality of sleep at night.
· MRI studies suggest that a growth hormone is
released during REM sleep (Remember, 95% of
brain development takes place by age five.)
· Researchers also believe that memories are consolidated
during REM sleep

It is important to know that the process of falling
asleep is learned and, in fact, a self-help skill.
(Remember, you can put a child to bed, but he must
put himself to sleep.) Children often wake at the end
of REM sleep cycles. Those who put themselves to
sleep independently will not need help from you when
this happens. Successful bedtime routine meet two
criteria:

· They work for the child. They enable the child to
go to bed calmly and safely and to fall asleep on
his or her own.
· They work for the parent. The don’t make parents
feel trapped or resentful.

Tips for Setting the Stage for Successful Sleep

· Bedtime starts long before children are in bed. In
fact, children are far more ready for bedtime if they
have “winding down” time with some calm relaxing
activities.
· Avoid television and videos
· Eliminate caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime
· Make bedtime the same time each night. Give advance
warning at 15 min. and at 5 minutes.
· Adjust daytime naps to support the bedtime schedule.

Divide day in half. Example: A child waking
at 8 a.m. and going to bed at 7 p.m. would nap at
approximately 1 p.m.

· As evening approaches, the environment should
become quieter and lighting should become dimmer.
· Keep bedtime routines short and sweet—no longer
than 15 minutes (not including bath, of course!)
· Children should sleep in the same sleeping environment
every night, in a room that is cool, quiet and
dark. (without a television)
· Wake children at the same time every morning
(give or take 5-30 minutes.)

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, Weissbluth,
Ballantine 2003
Sleepless in America, Kurcinka, Harper 2006

Brain Insight by: Deborah McNelis

2011-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Isn't it wonderful to know we can easily impact

the healthy brain development of all children?

Hello and Welcome!
It is an extreme pleasure to participate and contribute to this new and wonderful collaborative blog. My passion is to create the awareness and understanding that we can easily impact the healthy and optimal brain development of children.... And the early years are the best time to have a positive influence. The exiting aspect of this new blog is that those of us that understand the importance of the early years can make a real difference when we all share and work together. Huge thanks to Debbie for creating a new way for helping us achieve this goal that our hearts so desire for the benefit of kids!
Deborah McNelis

As I often say to audiences at the beginning of brain presentations, “ I am thrilled that technology allows the study of the brain, like we've never seen before”. When scientific research began demonstrating that a child's early development is largely determined by the daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone, I became extremely excited. I was an early childhood educator at that time and knew the impact of the early years, but having scientific evidence to support the dramatic difference quality early childhood educators and caring parents make was very reinforcing.

The good news is that advances in brain research have demonstrated the enormous importance of the early years in determining a person's future success in learning and in life. It is now known that a child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” means more than just intelligence building. It means the actual structural changes that take place in the brain. The experiences a child has in the early years activate the actual physical connections between brain cells that make the brain grow—in other words, the brain's "wiring." We now understand that school readiness is based on this brain wiring, most of which takes place before age 5. This wiring develops best when provided with:

Nurturing and stimulating environments
Repetition of positive experiences
Nutrition and sleep
Unstructured Play with real objects
Movement activities and time in nature
Direct and interactive language
Routines and consistency
Being read to and exposure to music activities
Positive and caring relationships

Conversely, constant exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition, chaos, little time outdoors, too much television time, unpredictability, and lack of nurturing relationships all lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Brains learn very early how to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results.

This information is critical because approximately 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are not in the care of their parent during the day, including 45% of children under the age of one. Early childhood professionals who are trained and are knowledgeable about early brain development have a dramatic and very positive influence. Dedicated educators and care providers create healthy learning environments and the loving interactions growing minds need when children are away from their parents.

The significance of the early years is still not fully recognized. We need to ensure all settings are environments where children can thrive. Our education system and entire society cannot afford to continue to allow large numbers of children to miss out on the positive experiences they need in infancy and early childhood; the costs in terms of lost potential and increasing rates of emotional and behavioral problems are too high. Brain research show us what children need; our responsibility is to ensure that every child receives it!

Deborah McNelis, MS -Education

Christmas season promotional!

2011-11-03T10:03:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Christmas is a great time to prepare, organize, and purge toys in order to make room for new educational toys, furniture, etc. Therefore, Creation Stations for kids is offering a free playroom consultation this holiday season to families interested in a new playroom or reorganizing their current playroom.

A regular consultation is $50 which means $50 will be discounted from your total playroom purchase. I highly recommend using CS4K to help with your playroom needs because it can be very difficult and time consuming for parents to organize a playroom on their own, especially when the kids are around! Let CS4K take the burden off of your shoulders by sifting through all the unnecessary toys to find the gems and then organize so your children can easily access them.

So you might be wondering, "How will you accomplish this?" Well...

CS4K sets up the following 7 stations in your home: literacy, art, drama, fine motor, library, science, and blocks. Ample research shows that these activities are linked to encouraging exploration, creation, imagination, fine motor skills, and cognitive development in young children. In fact, Parents Magazine recently published an article expressing the need for creativity in children because, “ in a recent IBM poll, 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the single most important trait for leaders of the future” (2011).

So, what are you waiting for? Give CS4K a call!

Preschooler Generosity: Is it Possible?

2011-11-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

By Erin MacPherson, mom of three.

I admit, I had asked the unthinkable—requesting that each of my children part with their hard-earned dollars, dollars saved from birthday presents, allowances and the tooth fairy—to buy a toy for someone else.

After wildfires raged through our hometown of Austin, Texas, destroying more than 1,500 homes in one day, my husband and I decided to help. And, since this disaster hit close to home affecting several of our friends, I really wanted my kids to have a tangible understanding of what it meant to give generously.

So I asked them to donate to the cause. And, as expected, they refused.

"I asked them to each spend time
praying that God would show them
how they could make a difference."

Not ready to give up, I sat them down on the couch and explained. I told them about kids who had nowhere to live and nothing to play with. Then I asked them to each spend time praying that God would show them how they could make a difference. Talk about laying it on thick.

Five minutes later, they came and asked if we could go to Target. They headed straight to the toy aisle where Joey carefully selected a Star Wars toy and Kate selected a pink pony.

I could see the emotions in their eyes as they carefully counted out the bills from their wallets and handed them to the cashier. Trepidation mixed with joy, disappointment mixed with pride, and I knew that a huge lesson had been learned.