WINTER BREAK ACTIVITIES AT HOME WITH YOUNG KIDS

Hope you enjoyed the holidays this season. It is always a special time to celebrate with family, friends and children, no matter which holiday you choose to celebrate. It is always a joyous time and a welcome break from the hectic life during the rest of the year.

 However, if you have kids, you know that the winter break can sometimes feel long and drawn out if you don't have any vacation plans or set up schedule. Once the actual holidays have passed, children are still on winter break here in the U.S.A., and you may be wondering how you can entertain your young children, these last few days, while they are still at home from school, especially the younger ones.

If you are running out of ideas on what to do with your little ones at home, here are some fun ideas for you to try with them.  If you little ones are in daycare/preschool, they will be familiar with some of these activities.

Here are 7 engaging activities:

1. Winter Wonderland Sensory Bin - In keeping with the winter theme, try to create a sensory bin filled with items like cotton balls (snow), small plastic animals, and winter-themed toys. This is a great way for kids to explore and play while improving their sensory skills.

2. Ice Painting - I am sure you have tried regular painting with your kids, but have you ever tried "ice painting?"  It is really simple. You freeze trays of water, mixed with food coloring to create colorful ice cubes. As the kids use the colored ice to paint on paper, they’ll enjoy a unique and tactile art experience.

3. Storytime in a Fort - Help them build a cozy fort using blankets and cushions and host a story time session inside. Choose winter-themed books and let the kids snuggle up as you read aloud. This can be done at any time, but if you work outside the home, perhaps you can use it as a motivational tool to get them excited for bedtime.

4. Nature Walk - Take a nature walk to explore the winter landscape. Encourage the kids to collect pinecones, twigs, and leaves, which they can later use for crafts or decorations at home. If you don't have a place to take a nature walk, maybe you can take a walk around the block or even at a local park. Collect some rocks to paint at a later time. You can play games on your walk, like "I spy" or counting how many trees or different little creatures you see on your walk (ie: squirrels, lizards, bugs etc..) You can also have them practice their colors and or numbers by implementing the questions, as you "spy" different items.

5. Snow Science Experiment - If you have access to snow, conduct simple science experiments, like melting snow with warm water or observing how snowflakes fall. If not, you can simulate snow with baking soda and water for a fun indoor experiment!

6. Holiday Movie Marathon - This is one of the easiest go-to activities. Set up a cozy movie day with winter-themed films or family favorites. Prepare some popcorn and hot cocoa for a perfect movie-watching experience. Or bake some cookies before movie time.  Have them pretend they are at the theater, and they can prepare the snacks for "movie night" of they are old enough.

7. Winter-Themed Bingo - This is a fun activity when the kids are old enough to know how to play Bingo.  You can create bingo cards with winter-themed pictures (snowflakes, mittens, sleds, etc.). Play a fun game of bingo with small prizes for the winners.

We hope these ideas inspire some wonderful winter break activities for you and the little ones or for anytime you are home with the kids and need fun activity ideas!

(Sponsored by Creative Learning Place)  

10 FUN IDEAS FOR TODDLERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR'S EVE

New Year’s Eve is a special time for families to come together and celebrate the upcoming year. While the festivities can be exciting, it’s essential to plan activities that are enjoyable and age-appropriate for toddlers and young children. 

Here are 10 fun ideas to help your little ones ring in the New Year with joy and laughter!

1. DIY Party Hats
Get the creative juices flowing by making colorful party hats. Provide construction paper, stickers, markers, and other craft supplies. Let the kids decorate their hats and wear them during the celebration.

2. New Year’s Eve Countdown Jars
Create a countdown jar with small treats or toys. Fill a jar or container with 12 items, one for each hour leading up to midnight (or a more toddler-friendly time). As the clock ticks down, let the kids open a new item every hour. This adds excitement without keeping them up too late! This is also a great idea for any other special occasion.

3. Dance Party
Host a family dance party! Create a playlist of fun and upbeat songs and encourage your little ones to show off their best dance moves. Consider adding some glow sticks or disco lights to make it feel like a real celebration.

 4. Craft a New Year’s Resolution Tree
Set up a small branch or tree as a focal point for the evening. Provide colored paper leaves where children can write or draw their hopes for the new year. Help them express their wishes and hang the leaves on the tree for all to see.

5. Sensory Play Stations
Set up sensory play stations (at home) with different themed activities. For example, you could have a glitter sensory bin, a "snow" table with cotton balls, or a sound station with instruments. Allowing children to explore textures and sounds can keep them engaged throughout the evening.

6. Family Photo Booth
Create a DIY photo booth with props and costumes. Use items like hats, sunglasses, and boas to dress up for silly photos. Capture these memories with your cell phone or polaroid camera, as a fun way to commemorate the event.

7. Fireworks Craft
Instead of actual fireworks, create art using fireworks-themed crafts. You can use paint splatter techniques or toilet paper rolls dipped in paint to create fireworks designs on paper. This allows kids to have fun with the idea of fireworks without the noise.

8. Balloon Drop
Prepare a balloon drop to welcome the new year! Fill a large bag or net with balloons and hang it from the ceiling. At your chosen “midnight,” release the balloons for a colorful and cheerful surprise.

9. Storytime Celebration
Gather your little ones for a cozy story time session featuring New Year-themed books or any book that your family loves. Choose stories about celebrations, friendships, and hopes for the future. This can be a calming activity amidst all the excitement.

10. Celebration Snacks
Make the evening special with festive snacks. Let the kids help prepare bite-sized treats, like fruit skewers, mini sandwiches, custom candy or decorated cookies. Encourage them to assist in choosing toppings or arranging the food on platters.

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With these ten creative ideas, you can create a magical New Year’s Eve celebration for your toddlers and young children. It’s all about making joyful memories together while managing the excitement of welcoming a new year and sharing with others to spread kindness!

Cheers to fun, laughter, love and good health in the year ahead!

7 TIPS TO SURVIVE TAKING YOUR CHILD TO WORK FOR A DAY

 

Below are 7 tips from guest blogger, Kristen, from Travel Karma on how to survive taking your child to work for one day:

1. Prepare your child for the office environment the day before

The day prior and then again in the morning before arriving at the office explain to your child that they will have a fun day with lots of surprises at your workplace, but that lots of grown-ups work there and they will need to be quiet and stay at your desk for the day; wandering around or making any loud noises are not allowed.

2. Prepare your boss and colleagues

Ask your boss for permission before bringing your child, and assuming they say yes give your colleagues a heads up that you will need to bring your child to the office for the day. You may be surprised to find that someone will be happy to keep an eye on your child at their desk for part of the day.

3. Bring lots of snacks

Pack lots of separate snacks that you can dole out over the course of the day include some healthy fruit, cheese, crackers, veggies and one or two treats that they may not usually get at home. 

  4. Bring an activity pack such as the Travel Karma "Are We There Yet," jumbo pack.

   

This pack has lots of activities for kids packed into separate kits so your child can be kept entertained for longer playing the contents of each kit for an extended time. The pack includes board games, a coloring and activity book and many craft activities. It’s perfect for kids who are stuck in one place for a long time and was originally designed for using on long haul flights. Find the kits online at www.travelkarma.com

5. Take your child out to lunch for a change of scenery and some time to connect one on one

Taking your child to a restaurant close to the office will be a real treat for your child and will be a good chance to talk about how the day is going so far. You will have a unique opportunity to connect with your child and talk to them about your job, how you work with others, what happens in an office, and create a special memory for your child. My father used to take me to the office when I was a child and I really enjoyed having lunch with him on these special days.

6. Don’t feel guilty about using technology

Bring the tablet with some games and apps uploaded, this can be used later in the day if the child is getting tired or bored with sitting in one place it can be brought out as a reward to keep them going a little longer. 

7. Bribery can work wonders

Tell your child at the beginning of the day if they are very good all day they can have a treat on the way home. I took my daughter to the ice cream parlor close to the office on the way home and she loved it. I commented on how well behaved she was all day and she said ‘’Yes Mamma, I really wanted an ice cream at the end of the day, so I was very good!”.

Extra Pics from our day in the office

  

GUEST BLOGGER BIO:

Kristen, a mom, a teacher, and former expat, who taught in India for 6 years, is now a corporate education professional.  She started her own business; travel activity kits for kids. You can visit here website at: Travel Karma.

 

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT

Guest Blogger:  Manish Vakil

Playtime: How Your Child’s Activity Improves Development

Physical activity offers a waterfall of benefits, both for our bodies and our minds. But today, people are becoming more and more immobile — that goes for adults as well as children.

There’s good news, though: We’re beginning to recognize that this immobility (and its consequences) are an issue.

All sorts of programs are popping up, initiatives aimed at getting our children moving and combating obesity:

The American Heart Association and the National Football League have partnered on the Play 60 Challenge, which encourages young people to engage in physical activity at least an hour a day.

In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama founded the Let’s Move! program, which is fighting against the rise of childhood obesity — an epidemic whose rates have tripled in the past 30 years. 

The United States Center for Disease Control is sharing the stories of young people who have successfully improved their diets, increased exercise and lost weight.

These programs are a fantastic step in the right direction. But how early is too early for your young child to get active?

It’s Never Too Soon To Be Active

Older children join soccer teams and other organized activities. But your child needs to be active, even if he or she is too young to participate in sports.

A study of the relationship between physical activity and comprehensive health in early childhood indicates the benefits of physical activity are sweeping, even for children between 0 and 4 years old. They enjoy enhanced and accelerated:

• Motor Skills: Active children under the age of 4 have shown advanced skills related to body control, grasping, balance and hand-eye coordination.
• Social Skills: Preschool students who participate in dance and similar activities show gains in “social competence and externalizing behavior,” and their teachers describe them as “more outgoing and less socially withdrawn.”
• Cognitive Skills: Physical activity even in the first year of life has been shown to increase language development and early communication, including “facial expression, sounds, vocalizations and babble.”

And, of course, there are known health benefits to physical activity throughout childhood, including heart health and even cancer prevention.

How to Get Your Young Child Active

A collection of scientific studies shows that young children find physical activity most enjoyable when there’s no competition involved. That’s perfect when your child is too young for organized sports and classes.

So, instead of promoting competition, encourage your child to explore many different physical activities. Always support your child’s active play, and cut loose yourself — let him or her know that you’re having fun, too.

For children through 4 years of age, seek out play environments that are safe but that also allow children to make decisions for themselves and to take reasonable risks. All of this will help your child maximize his or her playtime and help achieve the greatest benefit from physical activity.


Discover an Indoor Play Area Near You

Across the United States, indoor play areas are opening (and thriving) as parents look for spaces where their young children can safely play. These indoor play areas are great when it’s too cold outside, great when it’s too hot outside, and great when you just need a space to let your toddler or young child romp safely and constructively for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

Take advantage of these indoor play areas as safe spaces where your young child can unlock the benefits of physical activity: improved motor skills, social skills, cognitive skills and more. And let children explore freely, make their own decisions, and take the safe, measured risks that are so important to development.

Not all indoor play areas are created equal, though. The best have studied how to promote development in young children, and their play areas are actually carefully constructed spaces that include a sort of play curriculum.

What Are You Waiting For?

Parents need to play, too. When you need to unplug and relax, there’s no better place to do so than alongside your child at a local indoor play area. Help your child take important developmental steps and forget about the world for a while when you find one of these safe, active spaces near you.

SUMMER ACTIVITY BOOKS

Are you running out of things to do for summer? Want to keep your kids busy (as well as their minds?) Prevent summer learning loss with the award-winning, best-selling Summer Bridge Activities® 

Check out the Summer Bridge activity books for all ages!   

Here are a few links to other books for various age groups:


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5 SUPER FUN GARDENING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN

Gardening is fun, rewarding and it creates a sense of accomplishment in the children. The children will feel accomplished when the plants grow to maturity under their care. Furthermore, being involved in gardening activities enables the children to learn about nature, recycling and also it instills a sense of responsibility in them. So instead of just swimming and lazing around in summer and spring, encourage your little ones to take up gardening and see their hard work pay off. This article will highlight five super fun gardening activities for children.

Have a Potato Farm

You can encourage the children to plant potatoes in their small garden at the backyard or even in containers. A good salad or a meal is not complete without fresh baby potatoes. And am very sure your kids love chips, right? Well, you can have homemade chips for everyone! Potatoes are easy to grow and don't need lots of care and attention. All you need is a vegetable patch or even a large container. You can even recycle that baby bath or sink that you are not using anymore. Before planting the potatoes, make sure you go fairly deep and also have drainage holes in the bottom if you are using containers, to get rid of excess water that can rot the plants.

Create Herb Garden

Growing herbs is fun and easy. It requires low maintenance and a little patience as herbs grow fairly fast and are the most versatile plants. Some herbs like cress and rocket start to sprout in as little as two days! I am sure your children will be thrilled by this. They will love harvesting the herbs and bring them to the kitchen to be included in their meals. Please note that herbs need plenty of sunlight and good quality soil. So make sure you choose a sunny spot and quality soil for your project. One of the herbs, mints, is a favorite of many. This is because it grows very fast, spreads evenly and it tastes yummy and smells good. You can add it in drinks or even use its cuttings as air fresheners in bedrooms and bathrooms. You can even plant herbs indoors, but facing the windows.

Plant Green Vegetable Garden

Greens are the easiest crops to plant as they can grow both indoors and outdoors. All you need to get started is a sunny spot, seeds, pots, and soil. In order to enrich the soil, you can use organic materials like compost, shredded leaves, and even animal manure. You can grow greens such as lettuce, kale, mustard and even spinach, which are great for salad. Growing greens not only provides fresh, nutritious vegetables, but also can be an educative venture as the children learn more about the different types of vegetables and their nutritional value. The upside of this is that your children will get to eat vegetables well without a fight, as they had grown them.

Build a Maze

Children love to play in a maze as it brings a sense of mystery and is also fun. You can capitalize on this by helping them build a maze using sunflower plant. Sunflower is beautiful and is tall enough for this fun activity, but you can also use corn plant or wildflower. Sunflowers have cheerful blooms and they come in different sizes. They also come in a varied range of colors like white, yellow, orange and even red. You can engage your children in designing the maze, selecting the maze location and in planting the sunflower. The plant needs plenty of sunlight to thrive, so make sure you select a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Sunflower seeds are a birds' favorite and its kernels are used to make oil.

Create a Worm Farm

Most children love to play with worms and getting their hands dirty; therefore, they will be thrilled to have their own worm farm. Worms create tunnels through the earth and this helps the plants to get access to water and nutrients. Furthermore, these slimy creatures convert wastes into compost, hence enriching the soil. Therefore, having them around is not a bad idea at all. Having a worm farm will create an avenue for the children to learn more about them and also can help convert your kitchen waste into compost manure for your vegetable garden.

In conclusion, these are just but few gardening activities for children. Ignite that idea in them, let them learn to grow their own food and have fun while on it.

WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE BORED

It's summer time and if you do not have your kids signed up for summer camp, you can be guaranteed to hear, "I'm bored," several hundred times a day. Today's kids are so hooked on electronics it is hard to get them to focus on anything else.  Here are a few ideas to kick-start some fun during the day, especially on rainy, indoor days!  

Let them use their imagination and have fun the "old school" way.  Let them play outside and play hide & seek or run around with the sprinklers on. Play slip & slide or a good old fashion game of four-square or hop-scotch.  How about Red Rover?  Does anyone remember that game? There are a lot of fun things your kids can do, it's just a matter of taking the time to steer them in the right direction. 

 

 SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Things to Do ( Especially on Rainy Days)

1. Build a fort
2. Play wiffle ball
3. Create a play and act it out
4. Do a puzzle
5. Camp outdoors
6. Blow bubbles
7. Rent a movie from the library
8. Wash cars
9.  Write a story (imagination)
10. Play restaurant
11. Bake something
12. Play dress up
13. Play a board game
14. Climb trees
15. Have a scavenger hunt
16. Write a name poem
17. Make something with arts & crafts
18. Play Simon Says
19. Write to your grandparents/cousins etc...
20. Have a photo shoot
21. Play four-square
22. Build a bird house
23. Have a lemonade stand
24. Play Pictionary
25. Learn a new board game