Teaching Healthy Eating

If getting your child to eat vegetables and fruits has become a battle. Get them involved in choosing healthy food by create a collage of nutritious fruits and veggies. This will help them learn about new foods while embracing their inner artist.

What you'll need

* Magazines, preferably cooking and food publications
* Cardboard or poster board
* Scissors
* Glue or a glue stick


How it works

Ask your child what healthy foods they likes to eat, and look through the magazines together to find pictures of those vegetables, fruit, or grains. Encourage them to pick out items that they are less enthusiastic about and explain why those are good to include in their diet as well.

Help your child to cut out the images and glue them on the poster board arranging items by color. Then hang their masterpiece on the fridge as an easy reminder of what foods are best to eat, or head out to your local farmers market and have your child pick out foods they want to try that are on their poster.

The Key to Active Kids

Last month, the Goddard School launched its “Get Active” initiative to keep youngsters moving. Michelle Obama recently announced “Let’s Move,” a national campaign to combat childhood obesity through fitness and nutritional programs. Placing children on the right path to living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential, and that is why Goddard initiated its “Get Active” campaign. The classroom, 360- plus Goddard Schools nationwide take great strides to get preschoolers, toddlers and infants up and moving. Here are some ways you can keep them moving at home.

1. Focus on fun. You don't have to call it "exercise," just consider it an activity. Find out which physical activities your child likes and encourage those.

2. Be a model of fitness. It's much easier to motivate kids to be active, if you lead an active lifestyle. Let them see you exercising. It will likely inspire them to do the same.

3 Encourage walking or biking whenever possible. Make the choice to walk to local stores, libraries or other places.

4. Get the whole family in on the fun. Have a funny dance party. Make up funny dance moves to entertain and exercise the family. Choose family activities that involve a lot of walking, the zoo, miniature golf or even the mall.

5. Limit TV and computer time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than "two hours of daily media exposure" for children ages two and older.

6. Clean up around the house. Make chores a game by singing, making funny faces or make it competition to see who can get chores done first. On a hot day, a car wash can make exercise a cool fun activity.

7. Go to the playground. A local park or playground offers exercise, exploration and fresh air.

8. Promote physical activity every chance you get. Give your child a jump-rope, hula-hoop, roller skates or a bike for their next birthday.

Any change that promotes activity now can have a lifelong effect on exercise habits that will keeps them active and healthy for life.


Source: http://www.pbs.org

Developmental Milestones 5-6 Year Olds

As we conclude our series on developmental milestones, this week we will talk about milestones for 5 and 6 year olds. You will notice as your child begins school they have developed enough independence and understanding to enable them to cope away from home. Keep in mind each child will gain independence at different rates. Here are some millstones to expect:

Wants to please friends

More likely to agree to rules

Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative

Can count 10 or more objects

Better understands the concept of time

Recalls part of a story

Uses future tense

Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer

May be able to skip

Prints some letters

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s development, please contact your pediatrician or for more information please visit the American Academy Pediatrics website.

Sources: www.growachild.org

Summer Camp at the Goddard School

I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year to start to make plans for your child’s summer camps. On Saturday March 13^th form 11am to 1 pm, stop in and check out our summer program. Just for stopping by you can get discounts for attending our open house.

Beyond summer camp: Goddard’s summer program blends fun, adventure and learning for your child's best summer yet.

Delight your child with our unique FLEX Learning Program™ summer program activities, where play and educational opportunities abound!

Most summer camps for kids offer plenty of play. But how many prepare your child for school while creating joyful, lasting summer memories? The Goddard School® goes far beyond just summer camp fun. Our summer program combines songs, stories, exploration, physical activities and learning adventures in a safe, nurturing environment. Science and Nature, Arts and Crafts, Manners, Computers and Technology, Literature and Language, Music and Movement, Sports and Games, Cooking and Drama are brought to life. Tour The Goddard Summer Program now.

• Amazing Animals: March into summer with an animal parade, an arctic adventure, and farm and forest visits.

• Hooray for the USA: Your child will travel across the great United States.

•Leap Into Literature: Seven children's book authors are featured, with each 'chapter' exploring several books in fun new ways.

• Let's Go Exploring: From the bright lights of the big city to sandy beaches, your child investigates all sorts of phenomena.

• Mysterious Minds: Our adventures in science start with a "Blast-off to Summer."

• Passport Around the World: World travels include Italy, Israel, Australia, Mexico, the South Pole, South Africa and India.

• The Great Outdoors: We provides an authentic "summer camp" experience.

• Time Travel Your child takes a trip through time with stops in various periods.

Click here to see Goddard's Summer Program

Chores Toddlers Can Do

Earlier this week we talked about motivating your toddler to help with cleaning up around the house. Many parents wonder what types of chores their toddler can handle and what is too much for them. Toddlers are at a stage of development where they can start to learn how to pick up after themselves and are very eager to do so. Below are a few ideas for age appropriate chores:
Folding clothes
You can ask your preschooler to fold his/her clothes or even some towels. Since their clothes are so tiny anyway, they’re perfect for little hands to fold. They can even help to put some of their clothes in drawers that are low to the ground.

Cleaning the bathroom tub
What kid doesn’t want to play with water, give your child a sponge or a rag with no cleaning chemicals on it and let them run it around the sink.

Wiping the tables:
Wet a paper towel or sponge and have them wipe a paper towel over the table to clean up any messes made during the meal.

Sweeping
You toddler may not be able to sweep the entire room, but they can sweep up a small area. A small broom or a swiffer work well with little hands.
Imagine the self confidence your toddler will gain over time by helping out around the house. Your setting a great foundation and teaching long lasting habits to guide them as they get older.

Getting the Little Ones To Pitch In Around the House

One of the most common complaints from parents with toddlers is that their toddlers don’t clean up, because of their curious minds and nonstop energy they are into everything. By the end of the day your house looks like 50 kids had a play date instead of just one. However, there is some good news, toddlers can learn at an early age to pick up after themselves and even have a little fun while doing it. The earlier you start cleaning up and helping around the house habits the easier it will become as your little one gets older.

One of the most important habits is to have a routine for clean up. Try giving them a 5 minute warning that clean up time is coming. Next, is having a verbal cue to let your child know that it is clean up time. A favorite one used by teachers is the clean up song, you can make up one on your own or use the old time favorite. Singing will help pass the time while your child is picking everything up and putting it away. Now to make things easier for your child you need to be organized, it makes it much more fun when your little one knows where everything goes. One of the best ways to do this is to purchase some inexpensive bins and label them, take a picture of the toy that belongs in the bin and place it on the outside so all your child has to do is to match the toy to the picture. If you have older children also place a card with the name of the toy written on it, this will help with their reading skills.

Remember to keep a positive attitude. Your little one may not get all the toys back where they should go but they did clean up, so offer them positive encouragement for even the littlest effort. Your toddler will be so pleased with their accomplishment.

Developmental Milestones: Age 4

From calm and cool to a firecracker of energy. Expect energy, bossiness, belligerence, and sometimes bad behavior from your four-year-old. This behavior is laying the foundation for the world of kindergarten. Usually the time that birthday number five arrives, the calm makes a return and a new sense of self-confidence begins to blossom.

Here are some milestones to look for in your four-year-old

•Stands on one foot for ten seconds or longer

•Hops, somersaults

•Swings, climbs

•Copies triangle and other geometric patterns

•Draws person with body

•Prints some letters

•Uses fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table knife

•Speaks sentences of more than five words

•Says name and address

•Can count ten or more objects

•Correctly names at least four colors

•Better understands the concept of time

•Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food, appliances)

•More likely to agree to rules

•Shows more independence and may even visit a next-door neighbor by herself

•Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative

Remember these are only guidelines and if you have any concerns about your child’s development contact your family doctor.



Sources: http://parenting.ivillage.com

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu