delays in posts

Dear readers,

I have recently moved to a new state and am working on getting settled in a new home and job. Please excuse my lack of recent posts - I hope to resume a regular posting schedule soon. Thanks, as always, for reading.

Walking with Toddlers

Toddlers are amazed by the smallest details in everyday life. Many people have commented on how hard it is to take a walk with a toddler sometimes because of how many stops they make along the way to investigate things. A stroller does help if you are trying to get to the park or the grocery store and often times toddlers do enjoy seeing the world zoom by, but set aside time just to walk with your toddler. You are welcome to plan a route if it helps with safety, but try to let the experience of investigating the world guide your walk. Some toddlers may only make it past a neighboring house or two. I recommend taking a small basket with you on your walk and if you are able in your neighborhood, let your toddler collect the leaves or rocks that she finds interesting. After your walk you can sort through your items and talk about their size, shape, color, and name. A wonderful art activity is to create a collage with your child's finds by pasting the grasses and leaves to a piece of paper. Enjoy!

Drive-in Movies

Change and transition are soon to be very prevalent in my life, so to make sure I am still able to commit to this blog I will be forgoing the three posts a week format and only posting once a week. Thanks for your understanding and I hope that you will continue to find the information useful.

Movie theaters can be a stressful and often impossible adventure for families with young children. An hour and a half is a very long time to expect a little one to sit much less be completely quiet. A great, unknown and almost forgotten alternative is the drive-in movie theater. While these theaters from the past are scarce, if you are lucky enough to have a nicely run one nearby, I highly recommend giving the experience a chance. Often, you can either sit in your car or bring lawn chairs, a blanket, and a portable radio to watch the movie while sitting in front of your car. You can bring small puzzles or other toys if your child loses interest in the film and there is usually enough space around the field to throw a ball, a frisbee, or just let your child run around for a bit. Most drive-in movies offer a double feature, so you can dress your child in their pj's and let them sleep through the second film or simply leave after the first one. Visit the drive-ins website to see if there is a drive-in theater near you.

A Belated Friday Notable - Boon

Boon is an innovative company focused on creating simple yet practical products for your baby and toddler. You have likely come across some of their products in Target or Babies R'Us, but I definitely think their own product descriptions and background on their company merits a visit to Boon's website. Also worth a mention, 10% of Boon's profits are donated to children's charities. Enjoy!
www.booninc.com

Midweek Creations - Ice Cube Popsicles

This is a simple treat to make and is perfect for this hot July heat. This is also a great activity that allows your child to apply the skills he learned during a practical life water pouring activity. Enjoy!

What you'll need:

fruit juice
Popsicle sticks
ice cube trays
tin foil
freezer
small cup

Set out an ice cube tray and fill up a small cup with fruit juice. Start by showing your child how to fill up one section of an ice cube tray at a time by carefully pouring the juice then let him try. Once all the compartments are filled, cover the entire tray with tin foil and then poke one popsicle stick through the foil in each little compartment. Place the prepared tray in the freezer for about 3 hours. When the juice has completely frozen, peel off the the foil and enjoy.

Montessori Mondays - Rotating Materials

One of the defining characteristics of any Montessori environment, whether designed for many children or one in a small room at home, is that everything is carefully prepared - from the small chairs and shelves to the selection of materials. At home, one thing you can do to keep your child's interest in their materials and toys verses throwing them in a bin and forgetting about them after a day is to select just a few toys or Montessori materials to have out on trays or shelves at once and then store the rest in a closet to rotate out when your child begins to lose interest in the current toys. This will make choices for what to work with less overwhelming for your child and when it is time to rotate them you can have your child help select new works to have on the shelves.

Friday Notables - Recycling Calendars

About this time of year you can find old calendars on clearance for only a couple of dollars or less. Many of these have real life pictures of animals or places. My suggestion is to buy them on clearance if you come across them and then purchase an inexpensive binder and document protective sheets. By cutting the calendar pictures into an 8" x 11" paper size you can easily create a new picture book for your toddler.

Midweek Creations - Watermelon Craft

Watermelon's are the perfect summer snack and chances are you have thrown out a number of rinds in the past few weeks. This craft helps recycle those and creates a temporary eco-friendly bird feeder.

What you'll need:
watermelon
bird seed
thin rope
ice pick

Cut your watermelon into fourths and scoop the flesh out to set aside for a treat later. Use an ice pick to drill two little holes on both ends of the rind. String the rope through the holes so that you will be able to hang it on a tree branch. Have your toddler help scoop some of the bird seed into the "bowl" of the rind and hang the bird feeder from a tree branch that your child will be able to see easily.

Montessori Mondays - Celebrating in Montessori Fashion

Here are a few tips to remember wherever you find yourself celebrating the 4th of July with your toddler. Have a wonderful holiday!

• Remember to have either a blanket or a child sized lawn chair for your toddler wherever you go - if their feet touch the ground they are likely to be more comfortable and happy
• If you are going to a public place to watch the fireworks be sure to spend some time talking through what to expect and what is and is not okay
• If possible, try and plan to have a small area where your toddler can run and play without disturbing others' ability to view the fireworks
• If your toddler doesn't like the fireworks and becomes really upset or frightened, don't try and make them sit through 30 minutes of it and go to an area where you can help them calm down and talk through their emotions
• Be sure to take time to simply enjoy celebrating with your little one!

Friday Notables - Toddler Friendly Fireworks

4th of July can be a wonderful celebration to share with your toddler, but you may want to change your selection of fireworks so that it doesn't end in frightened tears. Below are some recommended selections that generally don't make as much noise as others, but be sure to talk to the fireworks attendant when you purchase these about different options. Always be sure to be a safe distance away from any fireworks and although you can follow the Montessori philosophy by having your child help pick the fireworks out and maybe bring them out in a box, please don't have your child lighting the fireworks.


Some toddler friendly fireworks:
small fountains
glow worms
roman candles
wheels

Midweek Creations - Fireworks Painting

This is a simple paint craft perfect for any celebration involving fireworks. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
black construction paper
pastel colored paint
old kitchen scrubber
glitter and glue (optional)

Pour a small amount of paint into a shallow container. Help your child dip the rough bristled end of your kitchen scrubber into the paint and then make a few quick strokes on the black construction paper to make a firework burst. Once the paint dries, you can cover the painted areas with a little bit of glue and have your child help sprinkle some glitter on top to give the fireworks some extra shine.

Montessori Mondays - Transitions

Transitions are tough for everyone, but especially for young children because often they have no control or foresight of what event will be coming next. Yet transitions are everywhere and some are just plain unavoidable. Here are a few tips to make transitions less of a main event and easier for your little one to process. If you have any tips of your own, please feel free to leave a comment for other readers.

• if you have a regular schedule throughout the week such as snack, outside time, lunch, nap, snack you can create a picture sequence book of your child doing these activities and then look at them before the day starts in the morning so you child knows exactly what will be coming next and a change in activities will be less of a surprise
  
• in addition to a sequence book it is important to give your child some verbal "warning" before a transition; most toddlers don't understand the concept of time as we do so instead of saying "1 more minute" you can say "once I get done putting these dishes away it will be time to pick up your materials and get ready to go to school"
• it is important to try and plan out transitions as much as possible, especially if they are regular happenings, so that big transitions become an activity in and of themselves for your toddler
  
• if the transition is out of your control, for example waiting for food to be served at a restaurant, have a few small, consistent back-up activities planned ahead of time - crayons and paper, i spy activities, small fingerplays - just remember to give your child a cue again so that once the food does arrive he will know it is time to stop the activity and eat

Friday Notables - Cookie's Week

Cookie's Week by Cindy Ward is one of those perfect books for toddlers. The text is short, has a simple repetitive pattern, and features a very cute and mischievous cat.
The book follows a little black and white kitten named Cookie over the course of a week who simply can't seem to stay out of trouble, for example "On Monday, Cookie fell in the toilet." which is then followed by the result of Cookie's actions, "There was water everywhere." Tomie dePaola does a beautiful job illustrating the moment right before Cookie gets into trouble and the following mess and disorder that ensues. Although you rarely get to see a full illustration of cookie (often it is a tail or a paw), dePaola's pictures capture the curiosity and resulting surprise of a little cat. Chances are after a few read-throughs, your toddler will be able to begin predicting what will happen next to Cookie and may start adding their own commentary to Cookie's mishaps such as "a mess!" or "Oh no!"

Midweek Creations - Texture Boards

Texture boards are a great extension for a basic skill like coloring for many toddlers who have really begun to show control over direction and pressure when using the crayons. I recommend creating this project while out of the reach of children because it does use hot glue which could cause burns. Enjoy!

What You'll Need:
8 x 11 or larger piece of cardboard (I like to use the large rectangles from a recycled cereal box)
Hot glue gun and hot glue

Very simply, create a pattern on the cardboard with the hot glue. Feel free to get creative with your design although geometric shapes do tend to work best and allow you the opportunity to talk about different shapes. Once the hot glue has cooled the board is ready to introduce to your toddler. You may have to help them place their paper over the texture board the first few times and show them that a design will now come through their artwork.

Montessori Mondays - Real Life Pictures

Within a Montessori environment is an active pursuit to keep materials and objects as real as possible thus most materials are made of wood or stainless steel and children use water, paper, rice, and beans for practical life work. Another big, but sometimes overlooked, goal for Montessori environments is to provide as many real-life pictures or real looking illustrations of people, animals, and objects. The idea behind real life pictures is to ground a child in reality and introduce symbolism at a very basic level. To clarify, Montessori was not opposed to imagination and creativity, but believed that children first need to be able to have a clear grasp on what reality is to create a solid paradigm for learning about the world before creating their own variations on the world. Real life pictures are one of the most basic forms of symbolism that many of us take for granted, but small children are naturally drawn to real life or real looking pictures. When reading a book with toddlers, one that shows real life pictures of animals almost never needs text. The children are absorbed in the image. However, many books with cartoon illustrations that show animals out of proportion or color are often more driven by the text and, in my experience, tend to be less popular. This is not to say eliminate all illustrations and art from your child's world, but instead provide real life pictures for everyday learning and introduce art in activities such as "matching like images."

Montessori Mondays - The Perfect at Home Shelves

Earlier this week I posted about creating a special section for your child to keep his own cleaning supplies and many of you may want to also begin displaying your child's toys and materials on small shelves like you would find in a Montessori environment. Unfortunately, shelves specifically designed for children can be expensive or time consuming to make. A great solution to this problem are wooden shoe shelves that you can find in many stores today. They are the perfect size for young children and since many are small can stand alone, be placed together, and can be easily moved when needed for cleaning. I would recommend finding some with more rounded corners just in case your child tumbles towards the shelves at some point, but there are many cost effective varieties suited to almost any decor.

Midweek Creations - Father's Day Hammer

If your child's dad has his own workshop in the back of the garage, here is a great gift even small toddlers can make that will last a long time. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:

• a hammer with a wooden handle
• paint and paintbrush
• sealant spray

Allow your child to paint the hammer's handle however she likes. Just be very observant as the metal part of the hammer is sometimes sharp. Once the paint dries, spray the handle with a sealant spray that you should be able to find at a craft store to help preserve your child's artwork.

Montessori Mondays - Cleaning as part of Practical Life

An important part of Montessori practical life work is to provide an opportunity for children to learn to care for their materials and environment. Around the age of one this need to care for and take ownership of a space surfaces, especially if your young child sees you cleaning and caring for things on a daily basis. While you don't want to give your child access to all the same cleaning chemicals and materials you use, you may want to set up his own little cabinet, shelf, or space in the closet for items that he can use to help clean. As you are setting up this separate space for him, it is important to talk about why some chemicals and cleaning supplies are only for adults to use. Here are a few suggestions of items that you may want to include in your child's cleaning space:

• small dustpan with broom
• small spray bottle and clean cloth for cleaning windows
• baby wipes for helping you wipe down their materials
• dusting cloth
• small towels (washcloths are the perfect size for small hangs) for wiping up spills (I like the idea of color coding these, for example: blue towels for wiping spills on tables and brown towels for wiping up floor spills)
• small laundry basket for placing dirty towels in
• small pair of gloves (if you often clean with gloves, chances are your toddler will want his own pair too)

Friday Notables - Nuby Nibbler

Today's Friday Notable is a product known as the Nuby Nibbler. This is a great alternative to your traditional plastic teething rings as it allows you to place pieces of frozen or cold fruit in a small net that helps assure that your child won't choke on the fruit and yet be able to use even the back gums to gnaw on the fruit. While some reviews say the net is difficult to clean after use, many recommend this over similar products that use a net as it is removable and replaceable nets can also be purchased. The Nuby Nibbler can also be used to begin to introduce solid foods to a young toddler transitioning from baby food. Best of all it is BPA free. Check out the product more by clicking here. Have a great weekend.

Midweek Creations - Butterfly Hands

This week's creation is a fun and simply piece of art that will be fun for your child to explore with. As with many art projects I post on here, there are lots of opportunities for variation. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:
Popsicle stick
construction paper
crayons and/or paint
stickers (0ptional)
tape
scissors

Let your child decorate his piece of construction paper with the crayons and/or paint. After the child is done and the paper is dry fold it in half and trace one of your child's hands with the palm right next to the folded edge of the paper. Cut out the tracing being sure not to cut through the folded edge near the palm. Open the cutout to reveal a butterfly and let your child decorate it a little more with stickers. Once done, tape the center fold of the butterfly onto one end of a popsicle stick and show your child how to move the popsicle stick up and down to make the butterfly fly.

Montessori Mondays - The Subject of Praise

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I apologize for not posting at all last week as we were just beginning summer school and I wanted to devote my time to that.

There is a huge amount of research and parenting resources on the subject of praise and punishment. Today, I want to share how the Montessori method approaches appropriate and inappropriate actions. If these ideas strike a cord with you, either positively or negatively, I encourage you to do some of your own research into the Montessori method as well as other approaches to education. Enjoy!

Very simply put, within the Montessori method external praise and punishment is kept to a minimum and wanted behaviors and actions are modeled and then acknowledged simply and quietly while unwanted behaviors and actions are quietly acknowledged and then redirected.

To delve into that idea more deeply take a look at these points.

• When Maria Montessori was initially forming her ideas through observation she noticed children learned best through an intrinsic reward system of being able to seek out training and time to work on activities that they choose themselves and were interested in. She believed external rewards should be minimal, taking the form of a nonverbal quiet cue such as a smile, to allow the intrinsic reward of meaningful work remain prominent. This is why many Montessori works are self corrective and allow children to discover solutions by themselves rather than receiving an external evaluation from an adult. This is also why adults in a Montessori environment often assume the role of a guide rather than a traditional teacher.
• It is important not to reward unsuitable behavior with direct attention, but any behavior that could cause harm or disruption to a child or other child should be addressed. If a child is being disruptive, you should gently and quietly try to distract and redirect the child to a more suitable activity. A vital part of this approach is to help the child identify the feelings that may have lead to him carrying out the unsuitable behavior. If distracting and redirecting do not work initially, then you can try gluing, or keeping the child close by, until the child calms down enough to talk and find a more suitable behavior.
• Lastly, our attitude should always be positive, patient, and supportive of independence, whether in looking for ways to redirect unsuitable behavior or letting a child make his own choice and solve the problems of that choice on his own. The tone in our body language and words should always be in quiet, calm support of this attitude and we should always model the behavior we want to see in a child. If we do make a mistake or become upset, it is also important to acknowledge our behavior and the reasons behind that behavior to a child just as we would help him work through unsuitable actions.

Friday Notables - How are You Peeling?

This week's Friday Notable, How are You Peeling?, is an amazing book created by sculptor Saxton Freymann and author Joost Elffers. The text itself follows a fairly standard script about different kinds of emotions, but what sets this book apart is the amazing and beautiful pictures of fruit and veggie sculptures created by Freymann. Each piece of food is given a face filled with emotion and character and then set in front of a bold, single color background. The result is a very clear and attention grabbing depiction of the physical expressions that accompany emotions. Once you have read the book a few times and your child is familiar with the pictures and text, try sitting in front a mirror with the book and see if you can both mimic the faces in the pages. If your child is very curious about the art itself, there is a brief note in the beginning of the book describing Freymann's work. I suggest reading that with your child as well and then going into your kitchen to see if you can find any funny shaped fruit to sculpt into something amazing. Especially for toddlers who are just learning how to label their emotions this is a fun and yet clear way to begin introducing the language of emotions. Enjoy!

Midweek Creations - Stickers!

Toddlers love stickers and introducing them into art time is a great way to use stickers without your child connecting them to a reward based behavior system. While there are lots of wonderful stickers out there, the best (and often least expensive) stickers are the label and nametag blank stickers found in the office supply isle. By purchasing these your child can paint, color, and use glue and a bag of glitter to create their very own stickers. Also, unlike many of the fancy stickers designed to give to children office supply labels don't have an outline of sticker around them making it easier for your child to peel their newly created sticker from the slightly larger wax paper backing.

Montessori Mondays - The Summer Months

Many schools are finishing up the year in the next few weeks and if you choose to keep your child at home for the summer break you may be wondering what/if you should do any education at home. Just having finished a series of posts breaking down Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways To Help a Montessori Child, my first suggestion would be her last, "Enjoy life together." If you do have the luxury of spending some time with your child, seize it! There are lots of work books you can find in bookstores to prepare your child for the upcoming school year, but these warm months are perfect for you and your child to discover nature and grow a strong relationship with each other as well as with the community in your area at large. Being in a classroom environment has begun to teach your child social skills with others in his age group, but if you take a trip out to the park, volunteer at a food bank, or go to the zoo your child will learn how to interact with older children as well as adults that they don't come into contact everyday. The summer months are also great for toddlers to just run, climb, and jump to their heart's content honing those gross motor skills all the while.
My second suggestion is to carry some shell of your child's routine at school into his daily time at home - meaning try to keep meals and naps regular. As far as works, I would talk to your child's teacher about any interests or materials that your child is drawn to, especially simple, practical life activities that your child can do at home. If you child can talk, ask him what he enjoys at school and then see if it is possible to find similar materials to fulfill that sensitive period in your child's learning. Otherwise, let learning be an impromptu experience guided by daily activities with your child. If you find something that you really want to show and share with your child, go for it because your enthusiasm will likely rub off, but don't force an activity that at that moment you nor your child is curious about.
Lastly, I would recommend, if you have some moments, to delve further into articles and research out there about the Montessori method and what to expect in the upcoming school year if your child will be transitioning to a primary classroom. This way, you will be able to talk with your child over the summer about the new environment and expectations that he will have when school starts again. If he will be returning to the same school, be sure to also mention the familiar faces he will see. If you don't know where to start, browse through some of my past Monday and Friday posts for some resources about Montessori and talk to your child's teacher.

Friday Notables - Healthy Lunch Maker

Today's Friday Notable comes from Parenting.com. While browsing Parenting's countless articles and tips for parents and parents to be I stumbled upon this very visual lunch calculator that is perfect if you want to have your child begin to grasp the idea of nutrition. Right away, I will say there are much more complex and varied meal calculators available online, but this one is kid friendly. The images for each item are prominent and clear so your child should be able to point to a picture or say its name so you can click and add it to his virtual lunch. At first your child may want to add lots of juice, cheese, milk, and cookies just because he sees the images, but this gives you a perfect opportunity to talk about the nutritional values that come with the food we eat when the lunch maker totals the numbers for your child's choices. After you have created a great virtual lunch, your child can help pack that lunch for the next day using the pictures as a step by step visual of what you need. The calculator is designed for ages 3 to 11, but choosing age 3 gives choices that would likely be available to toddlers. The calculator is also limited to creating sandwiches along with choosing a drink and snack, but there are lots of choices as far as meats, breads, veggies, and condiments that allow you to create many variations on a healthy lunch. This is definitely a tool worth checking out at least once, for yourself if nothing else, to see what kind of nutrition your child is getting from his lunch. Click the link to visit Parenting's lunch maker and have a great weekend.

Midweek Creations - Ice Cube Painting

Summer crafts and activities are here. This is a fun, new way for your little toddler to experience painting and comes chalk full of opportunities to learn about solids and liquids, the sensation of cold, and color mixing. Try not to prompt too many conversations during the activity as it is initially a very engrossing experience. Instead, let their remarks and questions lead the learning moments in true Montessori fashion. There are lots of variations you can add to this activity as far as colors and "paint" options. I recommend using kool-aid or jello packets to make the colored ice as they will be safe if your child tries to eat their ice cube. I also like using paper dixie cups to make the ice cubes because they are easier for your child to manipulate if you want to have them help mix multiple colored ice cubes for water. Enjoy!
What you'll need:
paper dixie cups (or ice cube tray)
small pitcher of water
one or two different colored kool-aid packets (primary colors are best for the toddlers if you want to focus on color mixing)
spoon
small meatloaf pan
white construction paper cut in half
freezer
Have your child fill several dixie cups half full with water. Pour a small amount of kool-aid into each cup and stir until dissolved. Put the cups in the freezer until they are solid (usually about 3-4 hours). When you are ready to paint, take one of the paper halves and put it in the bottom of the meatloaf pan. Take one of the frozen dixie cups and unpeel the paper from the newly formed ice cube. Place it in the middle of meatloaf pan and show your child how to tilt the pan so that the ice will slide and paint the paper as it melts. Switch or add a different colored ice cube after some time. Once your child is finished, let their new artwork dry and have them help wash the meatloaf pan.

Montessori Mondays - 91 to 101 of 101

We finally made it to the end of Barbara Hackers 101 Way to Help a Montessori Child. Enjoy the last few of her wonderful tips.

91. Tell them what you value in them. Let them hear you express what you value in others.

92. Always tell the truth.

93. Go to the beach and play in the sand.

94. Ride the bus; take a train -- at least once.

95. Watch a sunrise. Watch a sunset.

96. Share appropriate "news" from the newspaper: new dinosaur was discovered; a baby elephant born at the zoo; a child honored for bravery; the weather forecast.

97. Evaluate your child's hairstyle. Is it neat and not a distraction or is it always in the child's eyes, falling out of headbands, etc.?

98. Let your child help wash the car and learn vocabulary of the parts of the car. With this and other tasks take time to focus on the process for the child more than the end product.

99. Talk about right, left, straight, turn, north, south, east, west, in a natural way so your child develops a sense of direction and means to talk about it.

100. Place a small pitcher of water or juice on a low refrigerator shelf and a glass in a low place so your child can be independent in getting a drink.

101. Enjoy life together!

Friday Notables - Bumblebee at Apple Tree Lane

This week's Friday notable corresponds with the midweek creation for this week. Bumblebee at Apple Tree Lane by Laura Gates Galvin is a beautifully illustrated book that goes into great detail about the life of a queen bumblebee and this is a book that will grow with your child. A young toddler will be fascinated with the realistic images of bumblebees and flowers and will be able to absorb more of the facts about the bumblebees as they enter elementary school. One review of the book says this book even contains relevant information for middle school science studies on the world of insects. Since this book only comes in paperback, stress the importance of care when reading this book.

Midweek Creations - Egg Carton Bumblebee

Summer weather is well on its way this year and all the flying and crawling creatures are out in full swing. Many children are fascinated by bumblebees, but may not yet understand their importance in the growth of plants and flowers and the possible danger of being stung. I highly recommend checking out some books in the library - if there are no toddler bumblebee books look in the nonfiction children's section and just be extra careful so there are no torn pages. Once you have poured over the pages of your book, try this craft. There may be more dots than stripes on the bumble bee in the end, but it is more about the process and experience of creating for younger toddlers than the finished result. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
black and yellow paint
paintbrush
wax paper
crayons
glue
egg carton
scissors
marker

Cut out 2 adjoining indentions in the egg carton holder and let your child paint them with yellow paint. Set aside the cartons to dry and trace your child's feet with wax paper and cut out the tracings. Have your child color the remaining pieces of wax paper with black or brown crayons. Once the yellow paint has dried, show your child how to paint stripes on the egg cartons with the black paint. You can then cut out two small, long rectangles out of the leftover colored wax paper and have your child help roll them into small cylinders for the antenna. Once everything is dry, glue the feet in the middle for wings, the 2 cylinders on the head as antenna, and draw two eyes on the front of the carton.

Montessori Mondays - 81 to 90 of 101

Here is the next section of Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways To Help a Montessori Child. Like before, I have put the main part of each point in bold. Enjoy!

81. Teach your child his/her birthday.

82. Read the notes that are sent home from school.

83. Alert the teacher to anything that may be affecting your child -- lack of sleep, exposure to a flight, moving, relative visiting in home, parent out of town, etc.

84. Provide a place to just dig. Allow your child to get totally dirty sometimes without inhibitions.

85. Refrain from offering material awards or even excessive praise. Let the experience of accomplishment be its own reward.

86. Don't speak for your child to others. Give the space for the child to speak for himself/herself, and if he/she doesn't it's okay.

87. Apologize to your child when you've made a mistake.

88. Understand what Montessori meant by sensitive periods. Know when your child is in one and utilize it.

89. Learn to wait. Some things people want to give their children or do with them are more appropriate at a later age. Be patient, the optimal time will come. Stay focused on where they are right now.

90. Play ball together: moms and dads, boys and girls.

Belated Friday Notable - Top Mommy Blogs

Although I missed yesterday's post, I still wanted to offer a recommendation for a great place to start if you are looking for other blogs to follow. Topmommyblogs.com is a free blog directory and presents the highest ranking blogs voted on by readers and visitors in a very clean, concise format. In other words, the site isn't overpowered by lots of sponsor advertisements and the top ranking sites are listed in numerical order with a picture, brief description, number of votes and visits, as well as what category the blogs belong too. The category list is long, but not overwhelming, including topics of adoption, home schooling, politics, religion and spirituality, contests and giveaways, and eco-friendly. If you click on a category, the site will adjust the rankings to those sites just in your category. Another minor perk, if you do decide to check out a blog it is opened in a new tab or window, taking away the hassle of always hitting the back button to go back to the rankings. Click here to check out the site and have a great weekend!

Midweek Creations - Textured Mother's Day Card

Today's midweek creation is a card for mom that is great for talking about textures. Later you can sit down with your child and trace the raised letters "m" "o" "m" preparing them for reading and writing later on. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
Heavy construction paper
rice, small beans, or small shaped pasta (elbow or small shell pasta works best)
glue
plastic bag (optional)

Write out "mom" with glue on a piece of construction paper folded in half. You can also draw a heart around the word if you would like. Choose a few beans, rice, or pasta and show your child how to carefully place them over the glue. Once your child begins to engage in the activity let them take over the work staying close just in case they need help. Once done, let the card dry and then write a message inside. Another nice touch to add is cover your child's hand in a small amount of glue and place it on the inside of the card. Put the card inside a bag of rice (you can have your child help you scoop some rice into the bag) and have your child shake it gently. After the inside dries, you will have a nice, raised image of your child's hand - a perfect signature for little hands that can't write just yet.

Montessori Mondays - 71 to 80 of 101

Here is the next section of Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways To Help a Montessori Child. Enjoy!

71. Help them become aware of sounds in words. Play games: what starts with "mmmm?" "what ends with 't'?"

72. Organize the child's things in appropriate containers and on low shelves.

73. Aid the child in absorbing a sense of beauty: expose him/her to flowers, woods, and natural materials, and avoid plastic.

74. Help your child start a collection of something interesting.

75. Talk about the colors (don't forget shades), textures, and shapes you see around you.

76. Provide art materials paper, appropriate aprons, and mats to define the work space. Provide tools for cleaning up.

77. Evaluate each of your child's toys. Does it help him/her learn something? Does the child use it? Does it "work," and are all pieces present? Is it safe?

78. Refrain from doing for a child what he/she can do for himself/herself.

79. Provide opportunities for physical activity -- running, hopping, skipping, climbing. Teach them how. Go to a playground if necessary.

80. Teach children how to be still and make "silence." Do it together. Children love to be in a meditative space if given toe opportunity.

Friday Notables - Feathers for Lunch

This week's Friday Notable is Feathers for Lunch: a book by Lois Ehlert that was one of my personal favorites as a child. The story is very simple and features a cat who has a little trouble trying to get a bird for lunch. The illustrations are wonderful featuring 12 different species of birds, all life size, and 10 varieties of plants. In addition to the rhyming text, Ehlert has also given us a common "song" or "call" of each bird that introduces your child to the wide array of bird sounds that exist in real life taking you beyond the common "chirp chirp" many stories or songs use for young children. The cat also goes beyond "meow" and asserts his presence on every page by the "Jingle, jingle" of his bell even if the birds or the reader cannot see him. At the back of the book, Ehlert gives the reader more information about where one can see the birds and what they eat. This really is the perfect book to read before and after putting out a bird feeder or making bird seed treats. Enjoy!

Midweek Creations - Cardboard Kaleidoscopes

This is a great craft for toddlers and creates a tool that allows them to explore their world in a different colors. I recommend using paper towel rolls cut in half rather than toilet paper rolls since they are less likely to come into contact with fecal germs.

What you'll need:
paper towel roll cut in half
saran wrap
paint and paintbrushes
scissors
rubber band

Let your child paint their paper towel roll with a paintbrush or put a couple of dots of paint in a large tray or piece of paper and show them how to roll the cylinder in the paint. Once they are done, set aside the roll to dry. Cut the saran wrap in a square large enough to fit over one end of the paper towel roll and fold over about 1/4 of the side. Let your child paint the saran wrap. Be sure to watch closely during this part as the saran wrap could potentially cause suffocation if your child were to cover their mouth with it. (Another alternative to saran wrap is leftover scraps of lighting gels used in the theatre or the thin transparent plastic used to cover school reports) Let the painted saran wrap dry as well. Once everything is dry, cover one end of the roll with the saran wrap and secure it tightly by wrapping a rubber band around the end.

Montessori Mondays - 61 to 70 of 101

Once again, every Monday I have been breaking down Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways To Help a Montessori Child into more manageable and meaningful chunks. This week, I have added my own comments in italics and parentheses. Enjoy!

61. Help children maintain a calendar, becoming familiar with days and months, or counting down to special events. Talk about it regularly.

62. Get a pet and guide your child to take responsibility for its care. [If you live in an apartment or a family member has allergies, consider getting a fish. Plants are also a great option for teaching care of others - just be sure to check out a plants toxicity before purchasing it]

63. Refrain from replacing everything that gets broken. Help children to learn the value of money, and, the consequences of actions.

64. Take a nighttime walk -- listen to sounds, observe the moon, smell the air.

65. Take a rain walk. Wear coats and boots to be protected, but then fully enjoy the rain.

66. Allow your Primary - aged child to use his/her whole body and mind for active doing. Save computers for the Elementary years and later when they become a useful tool of the conscious mind.

67. If you must travel without your child, leave notes behind for him/her to open each day you are gone.

68. Expose your child to all sorts of music.

69. Talk about art, visit statue gardens, and make short visits to museums and look at a couple of pictures. Make it meaningful and enjoyable. Don't overdue.

70. Help them learn to sort: the laundry, silverware, etc.

Friday Notables - Researching the "whys?"

There are bunnies, Easter eggs, and candy everywhere this time of year and although your toddler may not be asking many "why" questions now it may still be good to brush up on some basics about how we celebrate this holiday. The history channel does a pretty good job of checking their facts, so I would recommend using their articles as a jumping point if you do want to begin a discussion of what a holiday like Easter means, whatever religious beliefs you hold. Below is a link for an article all about Easter symbols, but I would also recommend checking out their short videos and browsing around the entire site - who knows, you may spark a love for history between you and your child. Have a wonderful holiday!

www.history.com

Midweek Creations - Handprint Lilies

This is another great handprint craft for this Easter/Spring season. Familyfun.go.com does a wonderful job outlining this craft so I'll just provide a link to their site. A nice modification to this craft is to have your child use water colors on his paper before tracing his hand. Enjoy!

craft can be found at familyfun.go.com

Montessori Mondays - 51 to 60 of 101

This is part VI of Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child into small sections. Enjoy!

51. Help your child to have positive connections with people of diverse ethnicities, language, and beliefs.

52. Laugh a lot. Play with words. Tell jokes. Help your child to develop a sense of humor.

53. Share your profession or occupation with your child. Have him/her visit at work and have some appreciation of work done in the world.

54. See that your child learns to swim -- the younger the better.

55. Have a globe or atlas in the house, and whenever names of places come up locate them with the child.

56. Make sure your child has the tools he/she needs -- child size broom, mop, dust pan, whisk broom, duster, etc., to help maintain the cleanliness of the household.
57. Learn to say, "No," without anger, and with firmness and conviction. Not everything children want is appropriate.

58. Arrange environments and options so that you end up saying yes more than no.

59. Refrain from laughing at your child.

60. Alert children to upcoming events so they can mentally prepare, e.g., "In ten minutes, it will be time for bed."

Friday Notables - Global Babies

Global Babies published by Charlesbridge is a beautiful picture book that shows 12 different babies from around the world. I think this book is great by itself or read by a large map of the world, if you have one. Even though a map of something as massive as the earth is a very abstract idea for a toddler, most of them are fascinated by maps. Pairing a map with the book will help toddlers begin to associate the names of the countries where the babies are from to the shapes on a map. Another great thing about this book, should you choose to buy it, is that part of the proceeds are donated to The Global Fund for Children which "supports innovative community based organizations that serve the world's most vulnerable children and youth." You can learn more about the program at www.globalfundforchildren.org. Have a wonderful weekend!

Midweek Creations - Bunny Handprint

This week's craft is perfect for an Easter card or as a memory keepsake that you can share with your child years later. Enjoy!

All you need is paint, paper, and a pen.

Paint one of your child's hands and place it horizontally on the paper with all the fingers together. Paint the same hand and place it over the fingers of the first handprint keeping the first two and last two fingers together to form ears. Add a tail to your handprint bunny by using one finger print at the back of the first handprint. After the paint has dried, trace a bunny outline around the print and add a face.

Montessori Mondays - 41 to 50 of 101

For the past few Mondays, I have been breaking down Barbara Hacker's 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child into small sections. This is Part V and like before, I have put the main parts of each point in bold. Enjoy!

41. Whenever you go somewhere with your child, prepare him/her for what is going to happen and what will be expected of him/her at the store, restaurant, doctor's office, etc.

42. Express appreciation to your child and others and help your child do the same. Send thank you notes for gifts. Young children can dictate or send a picture. Older children can write their own. What is key is learning the importance of expressing appreciation.

43. Help your child to learn to like healthful foods. Never force a child to eat something he/she does not like, but also don't offer unlimited alternatives! Make trying new things fun. Talk about foods and how they look or describe the taste. Introduce the word "savor" and teach how to do it. Engage children in food preparation.

44. When food shopping, talk to your child about what you see -- from kumquats to lobsters. Talk about where food items come from. Talk about the people who help us by growing, picking, transporting, and displaying food.

45. Provide your child with appropriate sized furniture: his/her own table and chair to work at; perhaps a rocker in the living room to be with you; a bed that can easily be made by a child; a stool for climbing up to sink or counter.

46. While driving, point things out and discuss -- construction work, interesting buildings, vehicles, bridges, animals.

47. Teach the language of courtesy. Don't let your child interrupt. Teach how to wait after saying, "Excuse me, please."

48. Analyze any annoying behavior of your child and teach from the positive. For example: door slamming -- teach how to close a door; running in the house -- teach how to walk; runny nose --teach how to use a tissue.

49. Spend quality time with people of different ages.

50. Teach your child about your religion and make them feel a part of it.

Temporary Hiatus

Hello everyone! I will be taking a week long hiatus from blogging as it is our spring break at the school where I teach and I will be visiting family and getting some dental work done. I hope you have a wonderful week and will have an opportunity to spend some quality time with family as well, especially those little ones, even if only for a moment. As always, thanks for reading and I will resume posting next Monday.

Friday Notables - Orange Carrot Muffins

I usually reserve recipes for midweek creation posts, but I got so excited about this find that I had to share it right away. Many of the toddlers in my classroom either won't eat baby carrots when we have them for snack. This easy muffin recipe is a great way to get some of those healthy benefits out of carrots and introduce them into your kitchen at an early age. I also think this a great recipe to have your child help you with in the kitchen and if they see carrots being included in a yummy snack they may be more likely to try them plain later on. I discovered this recipe at bbcgoodfood.com and am re-posting it here because all the measurements are given in metric. I have also modified the recipe some - taking out a little bit of butter, using tangerines instead of oranges (the juice is a little sweeter and the size is perfect for little hands if you want to teach them how to juice fresh fruit), and using baby carrots (already peeled and a little bit more tender). Check out the original recipe here.

Orange Carrot Muffins
1/4 cup butter, melted
5-6 tangerines, zested and juiced
1 egg, beaten
3/8 cup baby carrots, shredded
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 12 hole muffin pan by using cupcake liners or spraying the holes with a cooking spray. Combine the zest from the tangerines with the sugar in a bowl and let sit for five minutes while you juice the tangerines and shred the carrots. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients with the zest and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and the shredded carrots. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Midweek Creations - Child's Choice

Many of you may already do this and for some this may be a novel idea, but I think one of the best way to create with your child is often allow them to direct the creations. I mentioned before providing an array of different painting tools for your child to explore with, but I think on a day to day basis you should plan for your child to choose art. This means not sitting down at a prescribed time, but getting out some paint, crayons, paper, glue, etc. in the morning and seeing what your child chooses to do. A great option, if you have room, is to set up an art shelf or corner where the materials are always available. This is great way for you to also observe your child and see what activities you do want to have planned for art for those times when you want to integrate art into other works or story times. Also, be prepared for your child to ask for something that you may not have laid out, such as a bag of glitter so that they can shake their newly created work in and decorate it, and either have them help you retrieve or prepare it or have other choices available.

Montessori Mondays - 31 to 40 of 101

This is Part IV of looking at 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child by Barbara Hacker. Like before, I have put the main parts of each point in bold and added some of my own commentary in parentheses and italics. Enjoy!

31. Tell and re-tell family based stories. For example, "On the day you were born..."

32. Look at family pictures together. Help your child be aware of his/her extended family, names, and relationships. (in addition to getting out your treasured family photo album, I think a wonderful idea is to create a small photo album for your child that he can get out and look at whenever he wants too - for those children not yet reading or at the stages of being able to read soon, label each picture with mommy, daddy, grandma, etc. so that your child will be familiar with how those words look)

33. Construct your child's biography, the story of his/her life. A notebook is ideal so that it can be added each year. Sharing one's story can become a much loved ritual. It can be shared with the child's class at birthday time.

34. Assist your child to be aware of his/her feelings, to have vocabulary for emotions and be able to express them.

35. Play games together. Through much repetition children learn to take turns, to win and lose.

36. Together, do things to help others. For example, take food to an invalid neighbor, contribute blankets to a homeless shelter, give toys to those who have none, etc.

37. Speak the language of the virtues. Talk about patience, cooperativeness, courage, integrity, cheerfulness, helpfulness, kindness, etc. and point out those virtues when you see them demonstrated. (practice the virtues yourself as well and you will teach by doing)

38. Refrain from giving your child too much "stuff." If there is already too much, give some away or store and rotate.

39. Memorize poetry and teach it to your child and recite together.

40. Put up a bird feeder. Let your child have responsibility for filling it. Together learn to be good watchers and learn about the birds you see.

Friday Notables - Nursery University

There has been a story circulating the news recently of a mother suing her child's preschool because it did not prepare her child sufficiently for entrance into Harvard. For the majority of people living in smaller cities this news story is hard to believe and we take this woman for a crazy person. Recently though, Marc H. Simon and Matthew Makar directed a really insightful documentary entitled Nursery University on how exhausting and crazy the competition for admission into top preschools is in New York City. I think anyone who has a small child just entering preschool or who works at a daycare or private preschool should see this film. It is entertaining and unbelievable at the same time and will likely stir conversations on parenting and education. Probably the easiest way to view the film is to use Netflix's watch instantly feature. Enjoy!

Midweek Creations - Homemade Bubbles

As the weather warms up, stores are bringing out their summer items like swim suits, sunscreen, outdoor toys, and bubbles. Here is a fun and easy way to make your own homemade bubbles that work just as well as the store bought kind. Your child will love being able to help measure out the "ingredients" and stir them together. You can even use pipe cleaners as your bubble wands if you twist a small circle at the end or a clothes hanger to make really big bubbles.

What you'll need:
3 cups of water
1 cup of liquid dish soap
2/3 cup of corn syrup

Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir them together until well mixed.

Montessori Mondays - 21 to 30 of 101

This is Part III of looking at 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child by Barbara Hacker. Like before, I have put the main parts of each point in bold.. Enjoy!

21. Assign regular household tasks that need to be done to maintain the household to your child as age appropriate. (Perhaps setting silverware and napkins on the table, sorting, recycling, dusting, watering, plants, etc.)

22. Attend school parent education functions.

23. Arrange time for both parents to attend parent-teacher conferences. Speak together in preparation for the conference and write down questions to ask.

24. Talk to your child clearly without talking down. Communicate with respect and give the child the gift of language, new words and expressions.

25. When talking to your child, physically get on his/her level, be still, and make eye contact.

26. Sing! Voice quality does not matter. Sing together regularly. Build a repertoire of family favorites.

27. Refrain from over-structuring your child's time with formal classes and activities. Leave time to "just be," to play, explore, create.

28. Teach your child safety precautions. (Deal with matches, plugs, chemicals, stairs, the street, how to dial 911, etc.)

29. Teach your child his/her address, phone number, and parents' names.

30. Count! Utilize natural opportunities that arise.

Friday Notables - KidsGardening!

This is a great time of year to introduce your child to the wonders of nature and caring for plants and flowers. A perfect one stop resource for any family interested in starting a little garden is kidsgardening.org. This is an article and activity rich website created by the national gardening association. I would highly recommend checking out the classroom projects link in addition to the family room as many of the activities are perfect for expanding your gardening experience into a learning moment and can be easily modified. Visit by clicking here: www.kidsgardening.org

Midweek Creations - Rainbow streamers

St. Patrick's day is tomorrow and what better way to celebrate than with a craft. Toddlers love to tear tissue paper and after finishing their streamers will probably want to dance around with them. Why not introduce them to some wonderful celtic music at the end of this project and of course don't forget to wear green.

What you'll need:

small paper plate
tissue paper in various colors
tape
crayons (black and gold)

First, let your toddler decorate his plate with black and gold crayons. This will become his pot of gold. Once your toddler is done with that, show him how to tear tissue paper into long strips (if they aren't perfect or end up as tiny pieces don't worry; let your toddler do this for the experience and you can tear some long strips while sitting next to them). After you have several strips of tissue paper, fold the paper plate in half and tape them on the inside of one of the open ends taping the entire plate shut into a half circle after you are done. Enjoy!

Montessori Mondays - 11-20 of 101

Part II in the continuation of breaking down 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child by Barbara Hacker. Like last week, I have put the main parts of each point in bold and on a few I will be adding some of my own tips; those are in parentheses and italics. Enjoy!

11. Read together daily. With younger children stick to books with realistic themes. (Try to include lots of books with real life pictures vs. illustrations as well - most toddlers are drawn to those)

12. See that your child gets to school on time. (As a teacher, I am a big advocate of this one - it is so hard for a young child to find his/her place in their environment if everything is already in full swing; it can also disrupt the concentration and focus of those children already there as they want to be able to greet their friends)

13. Allow sufficient time for your child to dress himself/herself.

14. Allow your child to collaborate with food preparation and encourage your Extended Day child to take at least some responsibility for preparing his or her own lunch.

15. If possible allow your child a plot of land or at least a flower pot in which to experience growing things. (with spring fast approaching this is a great time to begin introducing your toddler to the responsibility of caring for growing things and instill a love for investigating nature)

16. Take walks together at the child's pace, pausing to notice things and talk about them.

17. Help your child be in a calm and prepared mood to begin school rather than over stimulated and carrying toys or food. (especially if other toddlers are already at school, having toys or food in hand when your toddler walks in the door puts them in the mind of the defensive with the thought of "mine, mine, mine"; without that distraction your child can focus on the transition of coming to school and will able to say goodbye and deal with those emotions a little better)

18. Eliminate or strictly limit TV watching and replace with activity oriented things which involve the child rather than his/her being a passive observer. When the child does watch TV, watch it with him/her and discuss what is being seen.

19. From the earliest age give your child the responsibility to pick up after himself/herself, i.e., return toys to their place, put dirty clothes in laundry basket, clear dishes to appropriate place, clean off sink after use, etc. This necessitates preparing the environment so children know where things go.

20. Hug regularly but don't impose affection. Recognize the difference.

Friday Notables - Scholastic.com

Scholastic is probably best known for their book clubs and book fairs they do at schools. I would highly recommend checking out their website, though, as they are a great resource for anyone looking to become a part of the literacy campaign and they have some wonderful activities for children from 0-13. Stop by their website and check it out. www.scholastic.com

Midweek Creations - Easy Kites for Windy Weather

I have fond memories of flying kites during elementary school and while toddlers love to see them being flown, it may be difficult and frustrating for them to begin flying a kite being so young. A great alternative is to get a kite for yourself so they can begin to see how to fly one (and maybe help you hold it once you get it in the air) and then pick up a few balloons and some string to make a kite for your child. You can either fill the balloon up with helium or not (you can challenge older toddlers to make their balloon fly when they run with it) and have your child decorate it with some markers. Be sure to give them a loop for their wrist when tying the string and give them plenty of room and time outside to explore their new found kite.

Montessori Mondays - 10 of 101

Across the board there is one list that is consistently posted on websites or given as a handout to parents who are researching Montessori education: 101 Ways to Help a Montessori Child by Barbara Hacker. While it is an outstanding list, taking all 101 at once, for me at least, can be a little counterproductive. Unless you have a highlighter, after about #25 the suggestions begin to blur together and you end up with a "well that was nice" feeling and a "I'll have to try that" when in truth you may have trouble even recalling the tips. So, for the next few weeks, I will be posting 10 of the 101 ways at a time with the hopes that it will make the list a little more effective and encourage you to really focus on one or two of the suggestions. I have put the main parts of each point in bold and on a few I will be adding some of my own tips; those are in parentheses and italics. Enjoy!

1. Read about Montessori education and philosophy and how it applies to your child. (In addition to this blog, check out montessorimom.com and Montessori:The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Lillard)
2. Subscribe to the The Michael Olaf Catalog. This wonderful publication is a clear introduction to Montessori for parents as well as a source book of ideal toys, materials, books, etc. for the home. (www.michaelolaf.com)
3. Take the time to stand back and observe your child carefully and note the characteristics he/she is displaying.
4. Analyze your child's wardrobe and build a wardrobe aimed at freedom of movement, independence, and freedom from distraction.
5. Make sure your child gets sufficient sleep.
6. Make going to bed and getting up a calm and pleasant ritual.
7. Teach grace and courtesy in the home. Model it. Use courtesy with your child and help your child demonstrate it.
8. Refrain from physical punishment and learn ways of positive discipline.
9. Have a special shelf where your child's books are kept and replaced after careful use.
10. Make regular trips to the public library, and become familiar with the librarians and how the library works and enjoy books together. Borrow books and help your child learn the responsibility for caring for them and returning them.
    

Friday Notables - Llama Llama Misses Mama

The llama llama books are popular among many young children these days, but I have found that Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney is a great book for young toddlers who are attending or are about to attend school or day care. The book deals with separation anxiety in that first day of going somewhere new which is something that every child and parent will experience. This book helps put some of those feelings of being sad and scarred that mama won't come back into a beautiful picture book. I really like that the book tells the little llama and the readers that it is okay to miss your mama rather than just moving from being sad to enjoying school. At the end of course, mama comes back for little llama. Although some of the text can be a little long for young toddlers, they do love the repetitive and rhyming nature of llama llama and mama llama. It is also a great book to introduce emotions to your toddler because they can clearly see a change from sad to happy in the illustrations. Definitely a book worth reading once or twice. Have a great weekend!

Midweek Creations - Recycled Paintbrushes

One way to make an ordinary activity like painting into a memorable moment of discovery is to reinvent the paintbrush. Children love dipping ends of cardboard tubes into paint and making circles or circles inside of squares with yogurt containers. Get creative one day and have your child look through your recyclables to find new things to paint with and begin a conversation about recycling. It's a great way to get your child's imagination going and create some neat art as well.

Montessori Mondays - Eating Time

Everyone knows babies and toddlers are messy eaters right? Sometimes it is because they haven't quite mastered the use of utensils or dumping food on the table is their way of letting you know that they are finished eating. One important thing to remember that food at this age is very much a sensory experience. A lot of times children who are able to use spoons will dip their hands in their yogurt or pasta halfway through to get that extra sense of touch. Textures of foods are also a big reason why sometimes toddlers love a food one day and then won't touch it for weeks. Here are a few tips for making eating time an enjoyable learning experience for both you and your toddler.

• Try to provide a mix of familiar and new foods in a meal often throughout the week - for a particular picky eater try preparing a familiar food in a different way - mashed vs. boiled potatoes or baked french fries, also give new foods several chances by serving them over the course of several meals before throwing it out the window
  
• Encourage your toddler to feed themselves by providing them with finger foods at first - I recommend always placing small utensils in their eating area so if they want to try using a spoon or fork by themselves they have the opportunity to initiate that learning experience and likely will ask for help the first few times
• Let your toddler initiate their own conversations at the table - eating is a full sensory experience for your child and especially in those first few minutes you may notice he always becomes very quiet and focused on eating - its important to let him have that experience and become attuned to the experience of eating and when he is ready to engage with you he will
• Set up a regular clean up routine - even if the food you served for that meal isn't particularly messy, set up a regular routine of putting dishes away, throwing away trash, going to the sink to wash hands and to a mirror at the toddler's level to wipe his face - this should help immensely when your child is covered from head to toe with spaghetti and you don't want him running away to the living room immediately

Friday Notables - Wheels on the Bus

With every new group of toddlers, whether it is those that I have worked with in a dance studio or in a Montessori environment, one thing during music time remains consistent and that is everyone loves "Wheels on the Bus." Here are a few notes on what I think makes this song so attractive and hopefully you can use it to identify other songs you may want to teach your child.

• A double dose of repetition - there is the overarching "______ on the bus" and "all through the town" that frames the repetition of who/what is on the bus and their action - this makes the song easy to learn and remember
  
• Short verses - the verses are quick and move onto a new action each time holding a toddler's short attention span
• Simple actions - younger toddlers may not be able to sing yet, but they love being able to move to the music, in a way these movements are a child's way of signing the song
  

The song also helps a child learn sequence of events - most toddlers that I work with learn very quickly that the wheels go "round and round" at the beginning, after the babies go "wah, wah, wah" the mommies go "shhh, shhh, shhh" and at the end the horn goes "beep, beep, beep." Now this may not be how every version of "Wheels on the Bus" is ordered, but whatever version you use, stick with it for awhile to help your child develop that idea of sequence. The great thing about this song is that when your child gets a little older, you can begin to increase the complexity of the song by adding more verses and encourage your child's creativity by having him help write some verses of his own.

Midweek Creations - Gone Fishing

Children love magnets and any opportunity to explore with them. Today's craft is great for art exploration and becomes a treasured activity that your child will grow and learn with in those first few years.

What You'll Need:
paper clips
short pole
string
hot glue
scissors
glue
contact paper
construction paper - primary colors (for 1/4 sheet fish - 1 of each color, for 1/2 sheet fish - 2 of each color)
paint, crayons, markers (optional)

Create your own fish template. Feel free to make it as simple or elaborate as you would like, but design it to take 1/4 or 1/2 of a page. If you would like, let your child decorate the construction paper with crayons, markers, or paint. Once done, use your template to trace the fish onto the construction paper (note - if your child decorated the paper be sure to flip your outline either once (1/2 page) or twice (1/4 page) so that when you glue the two sides together both will be decorated). Your toddler may want to help with this as well. Cut out all the fish and match them up to create two blue, two red, and two yellow fish. Put a paper clip in the middle of each and glue the two sides together. Next, do an at home lamination by covering the fish on both sides with contact paper and trimming it close to the edge. To make the fishing pole, hot glue a string to a small magnet and tie/hot glue the other end of the string to one end of the pole.

Montessori Mondays - Setting Up the Eating Area

Toddlers love being able to help with daily activities and a great opportunity to give them a role in their day is preparing their eating area. This can be as simple or complex as you would like to make it, but will likely aid in easing transitions from one activity to that of eating and create a cherished routine. Some ideas for setting up the eating area include:

• a placemat - this can be purchased or homemade with some contact paper, a placemat that shows outlines for utensils, bowls or plates, and a cup will help your child learn how to set their own table
• a vase with flowers - flower arranging is a cherished activity for Montessori children in the primary classroom, but why not introduce it to your toddlers now, you'll need a small vase, 1-3 flowers (children also love grasses or wildflowers), a little pitcher with some water - they can show off their water pouring skills and practice their hand eye coordination while trying to slide those flowers in the vase
  
• wiping down the table before eating - toddlers are very eager to help care for their environment; if they can't help with the food preparation give them a gentle cloth to clean the table with while they are waiting

• setting up serving utensils - if you are going to have the table set "family style" with serving spoons or tongs, let your child help place them in the bowls

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful President's Day!!!

Friday Notables - FamilyEducation.com

There are lots of parenting websites out there and it is hard to figure out which ones offer the best advice. One thing I love about FamilyEducation.com is that you can subscribe to their email newsletters that are generally sent out bi-weekly that will give you updates on themed and timely articles, activities, and printables for just your child's age group. You can give this update a quick scan and either delete if it nothing seems to pop out or click on what you want to check out. Simple, helpful, and it doesn't require a lot of research or time out of its users. To subscribe to the email updates click here.

Midweek Creations - Another Toddler Smoothie

Here is another great toddler smoothie recipe. This particular smoothie is designed for teething toddlers so it doesn't have as much protein or veggies in it. It does pack a lot of vitamin C for growing healthy, strong, teeth, though, and provides a nice cool snack that won't require a lot of chewing. If you would like to add some veggies, I would recommend adding a little bit of shredded carrot to taste. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
3/4 diced cantaloupe
1/2 cup frozen diced unpeeled plums
1/3 cup frozen pitted cherries

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Montessori Mondays - Where Toddlers Eat

One of the biggest part of a growing toddler's day is food including what, where, and how he or she eats. All toddlers are different in their preferences and will likely have favorite foods. Toddlers will often have days when they will love one food and then not want to touch it the next. Just like any other activity, though, it is our roll as parents or caregivers to guide them towards being as independent during their eating times. A key factor in guiding your toddler towards self care is creating a consistent place for them to eat with some basic rules around it. I love the idea of having a child sized table and chair in the home for your toddler, but this can be tough for parents who also want to begin the routine of having a family meal every night and not sit in tiny chairs after a long day of work. I also like having a low coffee table serve as a meal table during the first couple of years so that your child gets the feel of a family table and sitting on the floor or on some beautiful cushions is often more appealing to families than little chairs. High chairs allow toddlers to join you at a regular table, but be sure that once meal time is over you don't leave them in the chair for long periods of time. You want to use high chairs to help your child feel included not restricted or restrained. Next week, we will talk about setting up the eating area for toddlers. Have a great Valentine's day!

Friday Notables - Artistic Options

There is a little artist in almost every toddler and sometimes those little artists get a moment of inspiration and begin painting or coloring on everything in sight. Fortunately, there are now solutions that allow your toddler to get swept away in the act of creation and give you some peace of mind.

Crayola's Color Wonder markers only color on special paper. This is a great product if your toddler sometimes misses the paper she is trying to color on and most parents rate it as a top product. Some of the negatives are it only works on one type of paper which can get expensive, they have an oily smell, and the markers don't color quite as bright as regular markers. They also produce Color Wonder paints that still get good reviews, but do not seem as popular as the markers. Check them out at crayola.com.

Another great product worth checking out is chalkboard paint. You can use it to paint any wall or area just like regular paint, but it will clean with a swipe of an eraser. I think this would be a great addition to any kids room and doesn't take up space in a room like an easel. For more information visit benjaminmoore.com.

Thanks for reading!

Midweek Creations - Stained Glass Heart

There are lots of fun crafts surrounding Valentine's day. Here is a simple, less mess idea for creating a beautiful Valentine perfect for grandparents.

What You'll Need:

Red construction paper
Red, pink, purple tissue paper
small container
Clear contact paper
scissors
glue

First, cut out a heart outline from your red construction paper. These will be your "frame" for the stained glass and will let you know exactly how much contact paper you will need to get out. Feel free to make the frame as large or as small as you would like. Next, show your toddler how to tear the tissue paper into small pieces and put them in the small container (I recommend a little basket). Toddlers love the feel and sound of tissue paper when it is crinkled and this is likely to be their favorite step in the activity. While your toddler is preparing the tissue paper, cut two squares slightly larger than your heart frame. When the tissue paper is ready, take the backing off of the contact paper and show your toddler how to "glue" pieces of tissue paper to the contact paper. Once your toddler is done, place the second piece of contact paper over the decorated one sealing in the art. Glue your heart frame over the finished tissue stained glass and once the glue is dry, trim the edges of the contact paper for a perfect stained glass valentine. Enjoy!

Montessori Mondays - Beginning Potty Training

Potty or toilet training is an exciting step for most toddlers. It is another milestone in their development and an activity they have complete control over which is perfect for their new found independence. It can be a tough few days, weeks, months for a parent though and unfortunately there is no one, catch-all rule to potty training. There really is one perfect approach, though, and that is to assume the role of the guide and help, rather than dictate, your child with the process.

Most children are ready to begin potty training when they are between 18-20 months old. In the beginning, it is important to help your child label the sensations associated with going - whether you can note it while she is going in the toilet or in her diaper. Make sure you use simple, straightforward, and consistent language with your child - meaning if your child goes to school or daycare let your caregiver know what words you use (is it poop, poo, etc.). Then, guide him through the steps (flushing, wiping, and washing) that should always follow using the toilet, whether she actually went or not. Some children may be unsure about flushing so work on guiding them towards that step if they are cautious. It may also be helpful to set up an initial routine of trying to use the potty maybe every 30 minutes. This can help your toddler greatly as they can sometimes get distracted from listening to their bodies when working on an activity or with friends. It is important not to force your child on the potty though and if they simply do not want to go give them the option to try again in 5 minutes.

Consistency in your language and routines will really lay the foundation for your potty training. It is up to both you and your child to decide specifics like underwear vs. pull-ups or what kind of potty chair you want to use. Happy potty training!

Montessori Mondays - Montessori Vs.

I want to share this wonderful list that we provide new and prospective parents at our school. I think for most people it offers a more concrete look at the Montessori method because it puts it in context of the educational system that is familiar to almost everyone. I should note that this comparison was provided by InfoDisc. Div of Software Holdings, 1000 Words & Pictures CD ROM. Enjoy!
Montessori Method vs. Traditional Method

1. Emphasis on cognitive and social development vs. emphasis on social development
2. Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom vs. Teacher is center of classroom as "controller"
3. Environment and method encourage self discipline vs. Teacher is primary enforcer of discipline
4. Mainly individual instruction vs. Group and individual instruction
5. Grouping encourages children to teach and help each other vs. Most teaching is done by the teacher
6. Mixed age grouping vs. Same age grouping
7. Child chooses own work vs. Curriculum is structured for the child
8. Child discovers own concepts from self teaching materials vs. Child is guided to concepts by the teacher
9. Child works as long as he wishes on chosen project vs. Child is generally allotted specific time for work
10. Child sets own learning pace vs. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm
11. Child spots own errors from feedback of material vs. If work is corrected, errors are pointed out by the teacher
12. Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success vs. Learning is reinforced externally by repetition and rewards
13. Multi-sensory material for physical exploration vs. fewer materials for sensory development
14. Organized program for learning care of self and environment vs. Less emphasis on self-care instruction
15. Child can work where he chooses, move around and talk at will (yet not disturb the work of others); group work is voluntary vs. child usually assigned own chair: encouraged to participate, sit still and listen during group sessions
16. Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process vs. Voluntary parent involvement

Friday Notables - Peas in a Pod, Snack in a Snap

Any parent or caregiver with a toddler knows how important it is to carry snack foods with you throughout the day and while I love the go to cheerios sometimes you can find yourself searching for something a little different. Making sure snacks are healthy is also a big factor, which is why I was so excited when about a year ago we discovered snap pea crisps. They are usually sun dried and/or baked and look like a chip in the shape and color of a pea pod. And although they basically taste like a chip puff, these crisps retain a lot of the vitamins, fiber, and veggie protein that you would find in a serving of peas. Even better, they are great for toddlers still getting teeth in because they soften easily and almost dissolve in your child's mouth. There are a few brands out there so I recommend checking your local grocer's health food isle for them. Thanks for reading!