Fun and Learning: Lasagna Gardening

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Fall is a great time to get out and garden with your kids and grandkids even if there is a little snow. It is not too late to make new successful garden plot with good soil. Children will hardly be able to wait until spring to start planting.

  Patricia Lanza has an easy way to make new garden beds and start the process for growing beautiful, healthy plants: Lasagna Gardening! Families can start late into the fall even though there is snow since there is no tilling, digging or weeding involved. Children will be layering newspaper, cardboard and other biodegradables right on top of the grass patch you want to turn into your new bed. These materials breakdown and also eventually provide food for worms, essential to making healthy nutrient-rich soil.

  Start by talking and thinking with children, making a list as you go. What do you need for plants to grow besides good soil: sun, water, and warm temperatures. Where do you have all these things in your yard? How big is this space? How much do you want to plant? Will you have room? Talk about favorite vegetables and flowers. Think about their colors and plants sizes. Will these plants grow in your area?

  Now plan and gather materials for the layers. To get good soil composition, you need some dry brown materials (carbon) and some fresher green materials (nitrogen). Do you have old of newspaper or cardboard with no colored or glossy pages? What about leaves, hay, other garden waste or grass clippings, peat moss, pine needles, saw dust, wood ashes? You can also work in other kitchen compost: coffee grounds, eggshells, and tea bags. Do not use pet waste.

  When you have gathered all the materials you found, it’s time to create your layers. Wet down layers of old newspaper and lay out over the area you chose for your garden, 5 or more sheets thick. Layer one is leaves, peat moss or other dry brown organic material on top of the newspaper. Then spread a thin layer of green or compost materials. Repeat this process until you build 5” to 12” of layers. This will give enough depth to allow room for the roots of your new plants to grow.

  Finally, water until spongy. You can cover with plastic and a few rocks.

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 In the spring, the layers will have settled and be ready to plant when the ground has thawed and danger of frost has passed. In a future article we will talk about painting stones, and borders to place in your spring garden. Kids love painting and making colorful garden containers, a good wintertime activity.

  Particia Lanza has many more garden preparation tips on her web page and book called “Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!” or find Patricia's How To site: http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

Photos: 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

Taking Good Care of Family Teeth

American homes are now loaded with Halloween candy and pounds of sugar, an important link with bacteria in tooth decay. Did you know that an estimated 51.7 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness?  However, most tooth decay is easily preventable according to the American Dental Association research and reports.

  There are a few major trends that are creating more tooth decay. There are many gummy items for purchase, such as gummy vitamins and gummy snacks for children.  Gummy equals sticky. Sticky things that contain sugar get stuck on your teeth and combine with sugar for tooth decay!

  Americans are also a population on the go.  Some families take sugary drinks and juices to sip on all day long. Sipping all day long or chewing on gummy snacks sets up anyone for tooth decay. If family members, especially children, are not able to brush their teeth after meals because they are at work or school, their teeth will be bathing in decay -causing acids created by the bacteria in the mouth.  These acid attacks last for about 20 minutes. If the acid attacks are frequent throughout the day, tooth decay can occur.

Good Teeth Health Choices

  Making good food and drink choices can help reduce family tooth decay. Stay away from food that can stick to your teeth, such as gummy snacks, caramel, or sugary candy. If you can’t brush your teeth after you eat, drink water in between meals and/or chew on sugarless gum. Pack water and ice cubes thermos for children to sip.

   According to the ADA, chewing on sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris. It neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel. Of course, chewing sugarless gum is not a replacement for daily tooth brushing, flossing, or regular dental checkups. 

Visit the Dentist

  Dentists encourage children as young as one year old to visit the dental office.  By doing this, families establish a “Dental Home” and help children be more familiar with the dental staff. 

  Besides limiting the amount of candy stash children eat, what else can families do? Here are helpful tooth tips for a healthier smile:

·  Brush after meals and before bedtime.  If you can only brush once a day, make sure it is before you go to sleep.

·  Use a soft toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once a day. 

·  If you don’t have access to a toothbrush during the day, drink water and chew sugarless gum.

·  Visit your dentist regularly!  Twice a year is best to prevent any problems before they become severe.

·  If adults take care of their smile, (grand) children will too. 

   Make a tooth-brushing chart.  Children can help decorate the calendar-like chart. They can earn a star or a sticker when they brush their teeth and inspected by an adult. At the end of the week, they can earn a prize, such as going to a movie or watching a movie at home while staying up a little later. Thank you to guest writer Rebecca Maino, R.D.H. 

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

Learning Letter Sounds, and Listening

An important reading readiness skill that gets less attention than reading out loud to children is letter sound identification.

B says "b" like in boat

   Besides knowing the names of the letters in the alphabet (A,B,C), children need to know the sounds individual letters make such as B says “b”, like in bat, and H says “h”, like in home. Families can help reinforce skills at home by being aware and making little games at home, waiting, and traveling. 
Letter Sounds Before Names 
The ability to hear separate letter sounds in a word is necessary for decoding (sounding out) when reading or spelling. Struggling readers often cannot hear all of the sounds in words, like when we say “cat”. Children may not distinguish the C as “k”, the A as “a” as in apple and the T as “t” as in tip.
Once children can hear the difference between sounds, they can pair the sounds with the visual letter. This is a stepping-stone to early reading development in young children.      
I Spy, I Hear 
 What else can families do to help children develop these readiness literacy skills? I Spy-I Hear is a game to help develop critical listening skills in beginning readers.

   Start by finding objects that begin with a sound you want to practice. Make a guessing game out of locating the object, a toy dog, for example. Give oral clues like, “I spy something that has the first sound, “d.” Youngsters might guess doll, do

nut, or dog. Praise them for each correct sound. “You are right, doll begins with “d.” Then have them name another object you both can see.  “Yes, dog, dog begins with “d.” Repeat this with four or five other sounds. Beginning consonant letter sounds need to be recognized first.

I spy something that has the first sound "b"

Next, ask questions like, "What is the first sound you hear in ball? They should answer, "I hear “b.” If they answer the letter name instead, say, “Yes, that is the letter name.” Hold your hand to your ear and ask, “What sound do you hear?”  When they understand, have children tell you another object that begins with the same sound. They should say, “Bat has the same first sound as ball."
  As they successfully progress try putting three objects together that begin with the same sound. Ask your children to say the first sound that begins all the objects. They might answer, "bat, ball and button all have the same first sound, “b."
  Try having two like sounds and one different. Can your children tell you which one does not start with the same sound (bat, ball, car)? Are they able to determine which one does not belong? If a child is strong at this, move on to separating sounds in words they can sound out like bat, cat, mat, or sat. -- More is coming soon.

Photos: fdarling fotos, Fran Darling

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

How to Make Fall Fun Last Longer

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Families can make Halloween last a little longer when they do a few activities with fancy gourds.

Grandma Dee purchased gourds with her grandchildren and they discussed the many different shapes and sizes. What animals could these gourds become? Some had long necks like swans.  A few were small round gourds perfect for hedgehogs, porcupines, little pigs, owls, and small turtles with play dough feet. Long necked gourds could be swans and geese.  They hammered small nails into the round gourds and pushed toothpicks into holes for hedgehogs and porcupines.

Painting Gourds

Completely painted gourds must go through a special drying process or paint will bubble and peel and the gourd will mold. To paint only a face or design, wash them first with soap and water. Rub the skin with full strength vinegar or mild bleach, and allow to dry thoroughly under a warm light.  As a precaution place the gourds in a plastic bag over night. In the morning check for moisture in the bag.  If there is none, it is fine to paint. If there is moisture, place the gourds under a light again. If you’re in a hurry, dried gourds are available at craft stores and are easy to paint.

   Grandma and the grandkids only wanted them to last for two weeks. While the gourds dried they discussed different facial expressions that could be painted on the pumpkins and gourds. They looked in the mirror and made faces. Then to practice they drew the expressions on paper.

Some of the grandchildren decided to use marker or paint to make fancy designs of triangles, swirls, curls, and squiggles with faces.

  Older children may want to press on gold thumbtacks and upholstery tacks or use strong quick drying glue to add colorful gems available in craft departments. After painting, older children can teach younger ones a finger play.

5 Little Pumpkins Fingerplay

5 Little pumpkins sitting on a gate (Hold up 5 fingers).

The 1st one said "Oh my! It's getting late!" (Hold up 1 finger. Then point at a clock.)

The 2nd one said, "It's very windy out here!" (Hold up 2 fingers and move like the wind.)

The 3rd one said "But we don't care!" (Hold up 3 fingers as you do when saying I don't know.)

The 4th one said, "Let's run and run and run." (Place 4 fingers on floor and move as though they are running.)

The 5th one said "Let's have some fun." (Wave 5 fingers and arms in air as though dancing!)

WOOOOOSH went the wind. (Make a loud woosh sound.)

OUT went the lights. (Clap hand very loudly when you say OUT.)

5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight. (Make a rolling motion.)

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