Visiting a Local Joyful Place

Visit the Library - Often!

   The library is a great place to take grandchildren when providing childcare. The visits are easy, inexpensive, and offer a fresh supply of books for the home stack. They provide an opportunity for adults and children to meet others with similar interests. 

    Libraries are providing so much more than books. Check out the mailer sent to your home or library information board.  Librarians more than ever are pairing reading with art, music, games, Lego engineering, reading to pets, science, math, economics, technology, contests, writing, storytelling, puppets, toys, and imaginary play. 

A Bit of Prep

   As with any activity, families can prepare children for good behavior and practice t before visiting.  A library is a place to walk and use an indoor voice because others are thinking and reading. It is a joyful place to explore, be friendly, share toys with others, and greet librarians. Build it up as one of the most wonderful treasures in the community.  It is, if you want children to be good readers and successful. 

Take a Tour -- Notice Displays and Artwork

  Take a short tour of the library. Notice displays. Introduce children to the library toys in the children’s section and play with them together. Then take a peek at books you want to encourage.  Librarians will help you find sections of your favorite books. 

  Large storybooks and other fiction books are made up and organized by the author’s last name. They have beautiful illustrations that are important to point out and discuss while reading. 

  Nonfiction books are factual and are arranged by numbers on their spines. Ask librarians to help find a topic and browse the shelves.  Preschool children may like to look at the pictures of nonfiction books while adults explain what they are seeing. 

Learn and Enjoy...

Children often want to take out a favorite book repeatedly like an old familiar blanket. They often pretend to “read” these books to adults because they have them memorized. This behavior is one of the first signs that you are raising a reader.

Transition to Home

  Leaving may be the tough part. About 20 minutes before departing start a transition time. Some adults point to a clock’s minute hand to show the leaving time even though children can’t read it yet.

 “Number one in a little while, it is time to put toys away so we can find them again.” When finished, state, “Number two we will check out our books.  “Number three we will have Mac and cheese at home, and blueberries, your favorite.” Here adults are helping make a transition from one great activity to another.  If transition is difficult for a time, no worries, this has been seen and personally experienced before by many others. 

photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’

website: Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube

Breakfast is Good Anytime

Make It Breakfast Anytime! Children Help, Too.

Breakfast is the meal of choice for any time of day.  Children like the texture of the foods and families like the nutritional value. Children can easily help with these meals of pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, fruit and yogurt smoothies or breakfast sandwiches.

Microwaved Eggs

Help children learn how to cook eggs. A microwaved egg takes only a minute. As children grow they may choose an egg instead of junk food after school. 

  Start by helping young children spray cooking oil on the inside bottom of a microwave safe bowl about the same size as the toast, bagel or tortilla. Show them how to crack an egg into a bowl, mix it up with a fork, and add a little salt. Cover the bowl with a microwave safe dish to keep it moist. 

Microwave eggs - Large or Small Dishes

Cook in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Turn the egg over and place in the microwave for about another 20 seconds.  Since microwave power and cook times may vary by a few seconds, families may need to do this several times to get the time exactly right. 

  Show children how to use a hot pad holder to remove the dish. Eventually they will be old enough to do this themselves and remember the safety rules. Now heat up some toast or other breads and place the egg on them with sprinkled cheese, their favorite meat, or veggie for a sandwich.

   If breakfast is being served as lunch or dinner, add a side dish of berries, favorite vegetables like raw carrots, microwaved frozen corn or peas. 

   As children grow older and more experienced they can make this morning meal any time. Microwaved eggs have a gentle texture children like and keep their nutritional value when cooked, as long as the egg is not overcooked. It should be fluffy. Teens can spice it up with salsa. 

Add Meats, Fruit to Breakfast Sandwiches, Anytime!

Many Nutrients

  According to the USDA, although a yolk has more fat and cholesterol than an egg white, when children eat a whole egg they are getting a large amount of protein plus calcium, magnesium iron, phosphorus, salt, zinc, copper, many other essential minerals and vitamins A, B12, B6 E, D, and others. 

  The method above is safe and nutritious as long as children receive help to avoid scalding from hot dishes until they are mature enough to use the microwave alone.

  According to the USDA,”new research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption eggs does not affect a person’s lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it.” Check with your physician, however. 

photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’

website:  Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube

Giving Kids Sense of Place

Take a Walk: Give Children a Sense of Place

As the weather improves, families find it easier to get outside to give children a sense of place. Most children no longer have the experience of playing freely outside in the neighborhood. They interact with impersonal places like stores or with technology and virtual environments instead of their natural environment.  National Geographic reports researchers found that 70 per cent of Mothers played outside every day as children; now only 31 per cent of their children play outside every day in their neighborhood.
What is Sense of Place?
  According to geographers, a sense of place is understanding what makes a place special and unique.  It grows from identifying oneself with a particular piece of land.  It is a feeling of home, belonging, and attachment. It is the feeling when after being away one returns to the smell of trees, beautiful sunsets, sounds of wildlife or street sounds and realizing this is home. “I remember!”
  According to researchers Pamela Brillante and Sue Mankiw it is important to imprint children’s sense of place in the real world during an age of virtual reality video games. Children need to get back on track.
Real, not Virtual World
 Children do not develop this sense of belonging by themselves. They need adults to guide them. Families can take children outside for even a thirty-minute walk and make a difference.
  Walk somewhere—the library or around the block. Notice the trees.  Touch the different barks.

Use Your Senses: Smells, Touch, Read the Signs

  Smell the flowers and look at the sidewalks.  Are there anthills?  Are animals making sounds? Point out human and animal houses in the neighborhood.  Is there a fallen tree they want to climb? How deep is this mud puddle?
  Stop and talk to neighbors working in their yards.  Read signs.  Stop, look, listen, touch, smell, collect, and take pictures.  Give children the words they will later use to explain the experience.
  Take a walk downtown. Is there a bakery or coffee shop to visit? Describe what busy people are doing.  Are they delivering goods?  Are they helpers like police officers and fire personnel?
   Walk on a country road or visit a park. Check out plants growing.  Climb some hills or fallen trees. Children can use the ideas to draw pictures with labels when they get home.
  Children’s awareness of relationships between people in their environment and how the children fit in

Create Awareness of Surroundings 

is crucial. They will remember certain places based on sensory information and the words adults use. It is a sense of contentednessand belonging. These children see themselves as more capable social beings and ready for school. (YI-Fu Tuan) Good books include “The Listening Walk” by Paul Showers,“Alphabet City” by Stephen T. Johnson, “Around the Pond:Who’s Been Here “and “In the Woods: Who’s Been Here?”by Lindsey George, and “Sam and Dave Dig a Hole” by Mac Barnett. 
photos: Fran Darling:  fdarling photos
More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’
website: Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube