In order for children to reach their maximum growth potential, exercise is essential.  Exercise for kids is recommended for both children and adolescents.  It is suggested that children do at least one hour of physical activity daily.  These activities are good for both cardio as well as muscle strengthening.  There was a time when all children wanted to do was play in the backyard.  However, technology for kids has produced a generation that places physical fitness second to computer games.  In order for children to understand the value of staying physically active,  it has to be modeled to them.  When adults demonstrate the importance of physical education, children will see it as valuable and eventually include it in their daily routine.Activities for Younger Children to stay active.

Physical Fitness Activities for Kids

• Be Creative

  Not every kid is interested in organized sports like volleyball or basketball.  Instead try to find other activities that your child will enjoy.  You may want to try swimming, dance, or martial arts.  Initially it will be experimental but be patient while your child explores a variety of activities to discover what interests them the most.  Whatever activity is chosen make sure that it is enjoyable for your child.  Its important to motivate exercise for kids.  This will set the stage for developing a lifelong habit of physical fitness.

• Make it a Social Event

Take the opportunity invite your child’s friends.  They will love the chance to have some additional play time with their friends.   It will also provide you an opportunity to have additional family time, as well as get to know their friends.

In order for children and adolescents to receive the appropriate amount of physical activity it should be encouraged.   Children can be encouraged to enjoy being physically active in a number of ways.

Methods for Adults to Encourage Kids to Be Active

• Modeling healthy habits,  leading by example

If you have the tendency to sit and watch television every night eating junk food, then your not modeling healthy habits.  So take a look at your habits.  Make sure you are  able  to demonstrate that you exercise.  Children love it when their parents play with them.  Encourage your child by riding your bikes together, or by simply playing a game of catch outside.Sports & Outdoor-Trustfire

• Walking to nearby playground playground or local store.

• Coordinate activities such as relays, dancing that could be done indoors or outdoors.

• Put a limit on non-physical activities such as computers and television.

Encouraging Reluctant Kids to Read Aloud

Encouraging reluctant kids to read can be a challenge.  Learning to read is a process that builds during the early years of a child’s life.  Initially starting with environmental print. Leading up to phonics, then finally applying the phonics skills previously learned to decoding words and becoming independent readers.  Learning to read independently will be pleasurable for some children.  They will be responsive to making corrections without being afraid of making mistakes.  Other children may avoid reading out loud because of the desire to read fluently with few errors.

Although children may be fluent readers they may not necessarily want to read aloud.  As a classroom teacher, I had students who were good readers but they lacked the confidence to read in front of their peers.  Here are a few suggestions for engaging reluctant kids to read aloud.

Tips for Encouraging Reluctant Readers

• Read together with your child.  If they prefer to listen then allow them to read along silently with their finger as you read.

• Allow plenty of time to read a variety of topics that are of interest to your child.

• Read to a different audience.  Have your child read independently to their pet, a doll, or a younger sibling.  I had a third grade student who recently welcomed a new addition to their family.   I suggested that the student read to their newborn sister.  Reading to an audience that is nonjudgmental provides opportunities for that student to enhance their reading skills as well as build confidence. This was an ideal situation.  My student practiced reading fluency and his sister received an early start to reading!

• Often as adults we feel the need to portray our abilities as being perfect.  However, even as adults, we encounter words that may be new to us.  Allow your child to see you looking up words for the correct pronunciation.  This demonstrates to them that making mistakes is a part of learning.

• Consider reading with technology.  If traditional books are not interesting then introduce reading with smart phones, computers, Kindle, or iPad.  Children are attracted to these items.

• Use every opportunity including those activities that may not be relevant as methods for engaging reading.   Some of these things include reading menus, or directions for driving to a specific place or for cooking a special dish.

• Use appropriate books that are challenging but not frustrating.  The best way to determine if the book is appropriate is if the child can read the text independently with 95% accuracy.  If your child is making too many mistakes then that is not an appropriate book.  Not only will that cause frustration but too many mistakes will result in not comprehending the story.

Kids Learn by Playing

We all know how much children love to play games and with their toys.  Kids learn by playing with toys and games.  Not only are toys fun but toys are used for children to learn about themselves and their world.  Having ample opportunities for children to engage in playtime activities is crucial in promoting healthy growth and development in kids.  A variety of skills are developed through play.  Kids learn to solve problems, share, get along with their peers, and they develop fine and gross motor skills.   Developing these skills is effortless because kids learn by playing. Save Up To 50% On Selected Items Now At MelissaAndDoug.com! No Code Needed! Click Here!

Skills Developed through Play

1. Children develop their physical skills gross and fine motor as they play with various objects. Gross motor skills are learned as they run, climb, or balance.  Fine motor skills are developed as children play with small toys. LeapPad2 Wins 2013 Educational Toy of the Year! Save up to $10 and Free Shipping on exclusive bundles. Offer valid now through through April 30th!

2. Children are constantly developing cognitive concepts.  Play teaches them how to solve problems.  Toys like puzzles will teach them how to put things together.  Many toys available to children will also teach them colors, numbers, size, and shapes.  Games such as Memory teach children to enhance their memory skills as well as attention span.

3. Language skills are developed as one child plays with others.  This begins very early in infancy when parents play cooing games with their children.  Later it develops into higher levels of language such as making up stories, playing cooking, or dress up. Find lots of toys and games for kids of all ages from Fisher-Price. Click Here!

4. Social skills are essential.  They are developed through play.  Kids learn to cooperate, negotiate, take turns, and play by the rules.  Early games teach these skills as well as learning the rules of society.

Parents Playing with Kids

• When your children are playing, observe your kids closely.  Know what your child’s favorite activities are and watch to see what they can do or if they have difficultly with certain activities.

• Have fun and join in and play!  Children love to play with their parents.  It also lets them know that your interested.  You can bring in your ideas and thoughts but use this as an opportunity for your child to determine how the playtime should be.
• Allow yourself to be creative.  As adults we often see toys to be used for only one way. However, in a child’s mind a toy might be used in a variety of ways.  If they want to pretend that a pot is a drum then go along with it.  You will be surprised at how many ways one toy can actually be used!

Easter Activities for Kids

Easter Activities for Kids. Easter is upon us once again.  Have fun with these exciting Easter activities for kids. Easter is not only the start to spring but it is also another joyous holiday for children to celebrate and make some crafts.  Easter can be an excellent opportunity to engage in enriching science activities for kids.Gold-Plated Eggs

 ABCmouse.com Review

ABCmouse.com review proves to be interactive.   My review of ABCmouse.com reveals the advantages and disadvantages of reading with computers. Learning how to read is a bundle of fun with ABCmouse.com!   This highly interactive website offers an entire curriculum with reading, writing, math, social studies, art, and music with over 350 lessons and six levels.   Your child will also be able to select books, games songs, animations, puzzles, and printable sheets.  As your child completes each lesson, they are rewarded with tickets.  The levels are designed into categories.

Toddler Time
Preschool 3 and older levels 1 & 2
Preschool-Kindergarten levels 3-4
Kindergarten levels 5-6

ABCmouse.com is intended for preschool to kindergarten.  It is a very colorful site with detailed graphics that is inviting to children.  When you first sign up your child will be directed to the about me section.  This section has six sections.

My Avatar-  The child will select their own clothes, physical features, and pet.

My Favorites- Here the child will keep track of their favorite activities they have completed.

My Lessons- In this area the child will have an opportunity to see which lessons have been completed and which ones they still need before graduating to the next level.

My Email-This is a really neat feature.  It teaches your preschooler how to compose, forward, reply, delete, and print emails.  Although the messages are not sent to a real email address it is a good tool for teaching.

My Files- As children complete certain files such as art, ABCmouse.com will save their selected images for them to print later.

My Tickets- ABCmouse.com  has a ticket reward system for completing each activity.  This is where your child will go when they want to see how many tickets  they have earned.  When I did this with my daughter her eyes lit up with sheer delight!  She was so excited to be earning tickets.

ABCmouse.com offers an extensive three step learning program. Each step has hundreds of activities that enhance your child’s learning.  All of these learning steps can be accessed through the home page of the website.

Step by Step Learning

Step by Step Learning begins when you initially enroll in the program.  At that time the parent selects the level that is appropriate for their child.  If you find that the level is too easy or difficult it can be changed to meet the child’s needs.  Then you proceed by going into the actual classroom and clicking the path on the white board in the classroom.  All of the step by step learning will take place on the white board.  Once that is clicked, then it will open up to a preselected path such as the beach, park, forest, or mountains.  There are five lessons at each level.  When they finish all lessons on their level they will graduate to the next level and get a certificate.  Since children learn through repetition you will find that many activities are repeated to ensure that the child has understood the concept.

Independent Learning

Independent learning activities are any activities that can be explored anywhere on the sight.  They can begin by going into the classroom and clicking on the activity buttons at the top of the page.  Or they can learn about other topics such as animals and mapping.   Another good place for your child to have some independent practice is with the basics section.  Here they practice reading and math skills.  The classroom is designed to have independent learning in all subjects. Just about any item in the classroom will turn into an activity.

Guided Learning

Guided learning is when parents have an opportunity to develop their own lessons tailored for their child’s needs.  This is done by using the Lesson Builder feature on the parent home page.  This is especially helpful when if your child is struggling with a particular concept.  It is also helpful when a concept is introduced  or reinforced.

I found ABCmouse.com to be highly engaging.  This website has a huge variety of lessons that span the entire curriculum.  Any young child is sure to learn from this website.  Although, there are six different levels, you may find that your child may need some assistance with some of the concepts.  Especially, with the sight words, and word families.  Those can be difficult for a preschool student.  Having the opportunity for independent learning is a wonderful idea, however it can be easy for your child to wonder into those activities before they have mastered the concepts.  If this happens I would suggest turning it into a guided learning lesson. Another advantage to the lessons on ABCmouse.com is that every lesson throughout the entire website begins with a book about the topic. I found this to be a big advantage because it reinforces that reading is everywhere.  Additionally, it introduces children to fictional and non-fictional text. Being introducing early will provide children a wealth of vocabulary spanning across all subjects. Overall, ABCmouse.com has a variety learning opportunities for the young child.  It is the perfect place for your child to begin their education so that they are off to a successful beginning to their education.

Yoga for Kids

Yoga for kids has been proven to provide several benefits.  Yoga for kids can assist in eliminating daily pressures placed upon them from school and life.  Yoga benefits children physically by enhancing their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness.  Children are constantly surrounded by stimulus.  Yoga teaches stillness.  It improves their ability to focus and teaches calmness and relaxation.  A variety of chants and rhymes are available to introduce children to yoga.   If you attempt to teach yoga to kids there are a few things that should be kept in mind.  Have some fun while doing some of the poses.  When they are in downward dog pose, engage in their imagination by having them bark like a dog, hiss in the cobra pose like a snake, and meow like a cat in the stretch pose.  Providing opportunities for children to breath like a rabbit, or stand strong like a tree allows them to make the connection with their bodies and their environment.

Yoga for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day Relaxation Story

by Carolyn Clark
www.ImaginationsForKids.com

Imagine that you are lying in a field of grass and
shamrocks.
Let your body relax and get very heavy,
Letting the ground hold you.
Now imagine that it starts to rain.
The raindrops are just the right temperature.
Not too cold, and not too warm.
Imagine that as the raindrops fall on your body,
They help you relax even more.
Feel the raindrops falling on your toes and feet,
And feel them relax.
Now feel the rain on your legs,
And let them relax too.
Feel the rain on your belly.
And feel the rain falling on your arms,
On your hands,
And on your fingertips.
Feel each body part relax.
The rain falls on your head and face.
Each raindrop washes away your fear or
worries.
Feel your whole body relaxed and calm.
The rain slowly stops,
And a colorful rainbow appears in the sky:
Red… orange…yellow…green…blue…indigo…
And purple.
Imagine following the rainbow until it ends.
What do you see?
Green rolling hills?
A pot of gold, shimmering in the sunlight?
Maybe even a Leprechaun, dancing in green?
Now follow the rainbow back to your resting
spot in the grass.
Watch the rainbow until the colors slowly fade
away,
And enjoy how relaxed and calm your body
feels.
©2013 Carolyn Clarke, author of Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kid
www.ImaginationsForKids.com carolyn@suntomoonyoga.com

Every Day Opportunities to Educate Your Preschooler

Using every day opportunities to educate your preschooler is useful. As a parent, you want to teach your child the basic skills they need to survive in this world. Morals, values and manners are a parent’s responsibility – not a school teacher’s. You also want your child to be ready for formal schooling so that when they enter the school system for the first time they are not intimidated, afraid or embarrassed. There are many opportunities, found in everyday activities that can be used to teach your child some basic skills.

Shapes

For school, your child needs to know the basic shapes – circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval and diamond. Find them at home, on the way to the store, in the park, and keep pointing them out until your child starts doing the same.  Try 30 Day Risk-Free Trial Only $14.95

Colors

Children often use colors to help them associate objects with their names. Help them by describing everyday items by their color – the red apple, the gray building, the blue sky etc then let them point out the colors of different things they encounter.

Counting

Count everything and anything with your child. Buttons on a jacket, stones in the pot plant, birds on the telephone wire, windows in the house, apples in the basket – wherever you are, whatever you are doing, there is something that you and your child can count.

Letters and Sounds

There are so many labels, advertisements, billboards and signs to read that your child has millions of opportunities to see and recognize letters every day. Point the letters out, let your child sound them out, and encourage them to find letters wherever they can.

General Knowledge

When your child says ‘There’s a bird in the tree’, explain what it may be doing in the tree – looking after its nest, looking for food, or just resting after flying for a long time. Try to identify the bird and whether it has any distinguishing marks. Do the same with plants, other animals, places and activities. Every explanation you give will be soaked up by your child, and may give rise to more questions. If you can’t answer a question, be honest about it, but find the answer – either in a book at the library, or on the internet.

Adults may have become accustomed to their environment, even bored with it. Children still find the wonder in a bird flying, a flower opening and closing or a butterfly landing on a flower. Feed their curiosity, encourage them to ask questions, and to practice what they have already learned. Preschoolers absorb information at an incredible rate, and the more you give them, the more they will seek. That insatiable seeking should be encouraged, as it is what equips them to continue learning and developing once they are at school.

Resource Box: Liz Allan is the author of <a href=”http://www.worksheetsforpreschool.com/ She has helped hundreds of pre-school children to be better prepared for school and advance throughout their life. Visit www.worksheetsforpreschool.com to give your child a headstart.