Title: Grab your hat and read with the Cat in the Hat on Monday, March 3, 2014,
On March 3rd, in honor of Dr. Seuss’s 110th Birthday, we celebrate the 17th annual Read Across America Day. The Seussical celebration kicks off a week of reading across the nation. LifeSpan School and Day Care is no different. This entire week, we celebrate not only Dr. Seuss, but enhancing literacy in young minds. Although this week is very special and near and dear to our hearts, we cannot forget to encourage literacy EVERY DAY!
Literacy and reading is an important stepping stone in the development of a young mind. Here at LifeSpan, we encourage literacy in many different and creative ways. Whether it be a simple read aloud, or a Dr. Seuss Sing a-long; we use these tools to broaden the horizon in the young minds we care for.. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Family’ Category
Grab your hat and read with the Cat in the Hat on Monday, March 3, 2014
Wednesday, March 5th, 2014Grandparents raising their grandchildren
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014Here at LifeSpan we have noticed an increase in the numbers of extended family members, namely grandparents, who are raising their grandchildren. Many grandparents are stepping in to raise their grandchildren because their parents are not able to do so. In fact, the U.S. Census of 2000 found that over 2.4 million grandparents have responsibility for their grandchildren, in Pennsylvania, about 79,000 grandparents are raising their grandchildren. Some 60 percent of grandparents served as caregivers to their grandchildren over a ten-year period, and of that group, a whopping 70 percent offered care for two years or more, according to a new study from the University of Chicago based on a National Institute on Aging survey of more than 13,000 people age 50 and older. Many are serving as part- time babysitters or caregivers to help reduce the financial cost of child care while others have taken on more primary caregiver roles. We hope to assist you in managing it as best you can. It can present some unique challenges and we have gathered some resources here to guide you through this time. (more…)
22 Fire Safety Tips for Christmas
Wednesday, December 4th, 2013Nobody wishes for a house fire for Christmas, but it is easy to let the spirit of the season distract us from fire safety practices. Now is the time to brush up on the small things that can keep our families safe during the holidays.
If you have children, or expect children to visit for the holidays, get down at toddler level and you may be surprised at the hidden hazards in your home. A little time and attention at the outset can save a world of regret later.
22 Fire Safety Tips for Christmas
Your Christmas Tree
1. If you desire a real Christmas tree, choose a fresh one and don’t let it dry out — check the water level every day.
2. Do not hang on to your tree after it becomes dry and needles begin to fall out, this is considered kindle…. (more…)
Why Is It Important to Read to Your Child?
Wednesday, October 30th, 2013
Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are, The Cat in the Hat, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus are very popular books that children seem to love! They are lots of fun to read and have bright, creative pictures. Reading even 15 minutes each day to your child will benefit him or her in so many ways. Reading helps a child to begin to speak by hearing words being read to them. This will also help a child to expand his or her vocabulary as they are getting older and to read and speak fluently. Showing a child that books are fun and that it is important to read may help a child to value reading and also feel the importance of reading. Reading helps with a child’s imagination. Sometimes the story may run through someone’s mind like a movie. This may also happen to a child. Additionally, a child at a young age who observes someone reading to them will see and experience how to properly hold a book and turn the pages in a book. These are only a few examples of how reading at least 15 minutes a day to your child will help benefit them!
Please visit: www.readaloud.org
Check out this great new resource provided to Pennsylvania families.
Tuesday, September 10th, 2013Guiding your child’s learning and growth from the start – the Early Learning GPS
- · What do you do if your baby won’t stop crying?
- · Is TV good for toddlers?
- · I like my child’s preschool teacher, but is that enough to make sure he’s ready for kindergarten?
With young children, questions like these can come up every day. You want what’s best for your child, and you want to prepare them for kindergarten, but may not know what you need to know or even where to start.
Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children’s Early Learning GPS can help. GPS stands for Guiding Parents Smoothly – helping families set the right course for their children’s success in kindergarten and beyond. It’s great for anyone who has a young child in their life- grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors. You can get started at www.papromiseforchildren.com.
So how does it work? You answer up to 10 questions about your baby, toddler or preschooler. After you answer a question, you receive helpful tips and links to reliable resources. You can also complete a short worksheet with ways you want to use these tips in your daily life. The questions address the most important things you should know and can do to help your young child learn and grow. (more…)
Ways to Be Organized for the New School Year?
Monday, August 26th, 2013
What are Some Ways to Be Organized for the New School Year?
School has either started or will be starting within the next week or two. The beginning of a new school year is full of excitement and is the perfect chance to create a routine and be organized. It may be helpful to have different colored folders and dividers for each school subject, so that way information regarding a particular subject can all be found in one place. Keeping supplies organized is important as well. Organizing pencils, erasers, crayons, etc. will help with being prepared for assignments and completing class work and homework. Another way to stay organized is to arrange a specific area or desk at home. This organized area can help provide a positive atmosphere to complete homework. Setting up a schedule may be helpful. If you feel as though you are rushing in the morning, then organizing your school bag, getting lunch ready, and setting out your outfit the night before may be very helpful and make the morning less stressful!
Fun End of Summer Ideas
Monday, July 29th, 2013It is the end of July, which means that there is about one more month until school starts. There are many fun end of summer activities and games to do with your child. It is a good time to have a backyard campout. Set up tents outback and make s’mores! Another idea is to go for a bike ride together and have a picnic at the park. Bake cookies and turn them into ice cream sandwiches, take a trip to the beach and collect seashells, and playing at the playground are all fun end of summer activities to do with your child before he or she goes back to school.
Ways to Help the Environment Throughout the Year
Monday, April 29th, 2013Earth Day was on Monday, April 22nd and it is a day to support protecting our environment. On this day, there are many events that take place worldwide. It is so important to remember that not only on Earth day, but throughout the whole year that there are great things for you and your child to do in order to help our planet Earth. The children can learn about and help with the three R’s- reduce, reuse, and recycle. Another fun activity to do with your child is plant flowers, trees, and start a vegetable garden. If you would be traveling somewhere close, then walking, running, or riding a bike with your child will help the environment. Spending time picking up litter that is on the ground or in the ocean will help the environment as well as help protect the animals. It is so important to remember that even just the smallest action can help the environment as well as the animals living in the environment. The website below has fun games for kids from Earth Day.
Glue Ear Can Mimic Dyslexia
Wednesday, April 10th, 2013Glue Ear:
What is ‘glue ear’? This is a common condition in childhood. The tube can become obstructed by adenoids at the back of the nose, the air cannot enter the middle ear, and the cavity fills with fluid. The eardrum becomes dark looking. As time goes on the fluid becomes thicker until it has the consistency of thick glue. Often the only sign is deafness and children’s schooling may suffer and behavior may deteriorate.
Dyslexia:
Dyslexia is typically characterized by ‘an unusual balance of skills’. Dyslexia is a syndrome: a collection of associated characteristics that vary in degree and from person to person. These characteristics encompass not only distinctive clusters of problems but sometimes also distinctive talents. The syndrome of dyslexia is now widely recognized as being a specific learning disability of neurological origin that does not imply low intelligence or poor educational potential, and which is independent of race and social background. Dyslexia may overlap with related conditions such as dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder (with or without hyperactivity) and dysphasia. In childhood, its effects can be mis-attributed to emotional or behavioral disorder. By adulthood, many dyslexics will have developed sophisticated compensating strategies that may mask their difficulties. (more…)
Did You Know the Benefits of Water Play for Children?
Monday, March 25th, 2013A lot of children enjoy water play, especially outside during the warmer months of the year! There are so many great benefits from water play. Water play helps a child with gross motor skills. During water play, the children may be running through sprinklers or filling buckets up with water and pouring the water out. Water play also helps with academic learning as well. As far as science, the children are able to learn about floating and sinking and seeing that different objects can sink and float. In math, children are able to learn about measuring a certain amount of water into a bucket, more and less by filling one bucket with more water and one bucket with less water. Water play also encourages creativity. The children are able to pretend and use their imagination, while playing with the water. Water play is a lot of fun and has so many wonderful developmental benefits for your child! I found this information as well as more information and more benefits of water play can be found at the following website:
http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=374
