Great Gifts for Fun and Learning

Regular LEGOs for older children

 When birthdays and holidays come around, grandparents want to give special gifts little ones. While there are many expensive, electronic and mechanical toys available, often the lasting favorite toys are simple and easy to use. Good toys for young children encourage discovery, learning and creativity. They are sturdy and easily handled by little fingers.Here are some gifts recommended by teachers and parents who have seen these toys in use at home and in preschool.

Teacher Recommended Gift Ideas:
All kinds of art/craft supplies like pencils, drawing paper, crayons, washable markers and paints (with supervision), child scissors, glue, colored paper.
Play-dough (store bought or made at home) and little rolling pins, cutters, etc.
  Large plastic connecting pieces like giant Legos, Duplo 

Large LEGOs or Duplos for smaller children

(Regular sized Lego blocks have too many little pieces for very young children.) About age four kids are ready for regular sized Lego pieces.
  Easy wooden puzzles, bath toys, magnetic alphabet letters and number (with supervision) and easy to catch balls for inside and outside. Inflatable beach balls work well inside during cold months.
   Large cardboard building blocks—perfect for stacking and making all sorts of roads, towers, etc. (Search  for Giant Building Block sets by Imagiday, Imagibricks or Melissa Basic Cardboard Blocks.)
  Sandbox and snow toys—plastic pails, shovels, diggers, trucks, etc.,

Easy wooden puzzles

simple to move cars and trucks.
   Baby dolls, simple musical instruments like whistles, drums, horns;  play tools, things for playing dress-up, magnifying glass, piggy banks (Savvy Pig), inside play tent, a snugly blanket, and stuffed animals for imaginary play.
Books Best
  The number one recommendation is BOOKS!  Children need to be read to several times each day if they are to become readers,
  Look for books that introduce the alphabet, colors, shapes other beginning concepts in a creative way like  “Now I Eat My ABCs” by Abrams, “Pets ABC” by Dahl,  “Achoo! Bang! Crash! “By MacDonald, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Martin, “Click, Clack” by Cronin and “Mouse Paint” by Walsh “10 Little Rubber Ducks” by Carle, “Counting Kisses” by Katz, “Shapes” by Crowther, “Too Big, Too Small, Just Right” by Minters,  “I Stink!” by McMullan, “Yes” and other books by Alborough , and “What Will Fat Cat Sit On?” by Thomas, “Llama, Llama” by Dewdney, “Can You Growl Like a Bear?” by Butler, “Sheep in a Jeep” by Shaw and Apple, “Chickens to the Rescue” by Hillelman, “Corduroy” by Freeman, Moon books by Asch, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” and other stories by Eric Carle,  word books by Richard Scarry, “Where’s Spot?” by Hill,  “Go Dog Go!”, “Put Me in the Zoo” and other titles by Seuss.
  Check book lists at your library, the All-Time Best Books for Preschoolers, Top Books for Toddlers at "http://www.parents.com" www.parents.com, or Trelease-on-reading.com.
Sketches: Mark Nowicki
Photo: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
More 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’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Birthday Fun for Young Children

  Birthdays are such exciting days for little ones! Sometimes, this event can be a stressful for adults as they try to arrange special activities and refreshments for the birthday child and friends.

   The first thing to remember is despite cultural pressure young children do not need extensive entertainment, restaurant food, or expensive theme parties to be happy.  Most preschoolers are quite happy with a simple celebration that includes basic refreshments and a chance to play together.

Simple Party

fdarling fotos

  Summertime and early fall offer the best chance for easy parties outdoors.  A simple party at a local park with playground equipment and a handy picnic table is easy to plan. Invite several children and parents from the neighborhood, family or school.  Pay for each child to have a treat from the ice cream truck or bring cupcakes, lemonade and other treats to share.  Adults often appreciate a fruit or vegetable tray instead of birthday cake. Sing “Happy Birthday” and take some photos. During cold or rainy weather, a group visit to the recreation center, library puppet show or children’s museum provides ready-made entertainment.

   Very young children do not usually expect gifts. You can inform parents that gifts are not necessary or that just a birthday balloon would be fun.  Some families set up a used book exchange so that each child brings a wrapped book in good condition.  Every one gets to choose a gift book to take home. Sometimes the birthday child gets to hand out a little bag full of treats and/or trinkets to each visitor to thank them for coming to help celebrate. If there are gifts, remember to start the thank you note habit.

School Party Rules

  Avoid sending private party invitations to school.  Mail them to avoid hurt feelings. If you decide to have a birthday celebration at your child’s school, talk first with the teacher or principal.  Some classes now discourage activity as it disrupts the daily schedule. In addition, a growing number of children have special food allergies or restrictions.  Some schools do not allow homemade treats to be brought into the classroom. While birthday parties at school were once the norm, expectations are changing.

   How can you help your young child know more about their special day? Preschoolers should learn their birthday month and day. One way is to make time visible with a birthday calendar chain.  Plan and work together to cut strips from construction paper. Glue them to form a chain that represents how many days are left until the birthday.  Make a big star with your child’s name on it and attach the chain links.  Hang the chain low enough so that each day a link can be broken off.  Now everyone can count and see how many days are left until the big day.  
Photos: Fran Darling: fdarling fotos; Mark Nowicki

More 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’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.