Children are curious creatures.  Each day they find something new and exciting to learn.  Our job as parents is to give children various activities and experiences that allow them to explore the world around them.

Too often children today can be found watching TV or playing video games.  Now that spring is here, get the kids outside!  Send them on a bug hunt.  Pick dandelions.  Check to see which flowers or trees are blooming.  Let them explore!

Idea of the Day:

Backyard Exploration Project

1.  Take an egg carton and cut it in half.

2.  Use paint or markers to color each spot a different color: green, yellow, brown, red, and orange.  Leave one section with no color.

3.  Send the kids on a backyard (or front yard) exploration.  Tell them they need to find something in the yard that is the color of each of the different sections.

4.  For the section without color, let them put something they found interesting on their hunt.

5.  Once they are finished, look at what each child found and have him/her explain the items.

Has your 3 year old started playing the violin?  Is your 5 year old playing Mozart on the piano?  If not, you may want to sign them up for lessons.

A study the University of California conducted a study of children who received private piano lessons.  They found that after six months children who took piano lessons scored 34% higher on tests of spatial-temporal reasoning.

Musical experiences also improve early language skills.

Tip of the Day:

Expose your children to music.

Sign them up for a music class!  If violin and piano lessons are not in the budget, put on a CD.  Instead of turning on cartoons, turn on music.  Sing and dance with your children.  The more interested and excited you are, the more likely they are to get involved.

I have said this before and I will say it again, “Never underestimate the power of music!”

Last year one of my friends was talking about a vacation she was planning for her family.  At the time she had two kids under the age of 5.  I assumed she would say, “We’re off to Disney.”  Instead she said, “We off to Colonial Williamsburg.”  My initial thought was, “Why are you bringing two kids on a historical vacation?”  After thinking more about it I realized she was doing what more of us need to do.  She is trying to instill a love for history early in life.

For more information, here is a link to one of the many Colonial Williamsburg sites.

Colonial Williamsburg

” America is raising a generation of young people who are by-and-large historically illiterate,” warns Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian David McCullough (taken from an article in Newsweekly)

Generation that is historically illiterate article

Tip of the Day:

Incorporate historical facts into daily activities.

Can your preschooler name the current president?  If not, next time there is a picture of him point it out to your child.

Does your elementary student know the first president of the United States?  If not, take out a $1.00 bill or find a picture of Washington.

It is important to take the time to teach these simple yet important facts.

What do you do when your child should be learning his/her letters, but simply does not care?  You’re right.  You should give up and let the preschool or kindergarten teacher handle it.  WRONG!  Find a new way to teach them.

I found myself in this situation when I realized my daughter did not care to learn her letters in the same way as my son.  My son loved to sit and do letter puzzles or even go through flashcards.  My daughter not so much.  She is my mover and shaker.  So I had to find a way to teach them according to her learning style - movement.

Studies on brain research shows that exercise generates new brain cells.  So by getting my daughter moving, I was able to teach letters and grow brain cells.  How great!

Check out this news story of a physical education teacher that is dramatically improving reading scores in his district.

KSTP News Story

After watching this story, I decided to take this information and adapt it to younger children.

I created the Letter Run.

Tip of the Day:

Create a letter run in your home.

1.  Start by writing 5 letters on notecards and tape them up on walls and doors around the house.

2.  Walk around with your child and name each letter.

3.  After they know where the letters are shout, “Letter Run”.  This time they have to run to a letter and tell you what it is.  The first couple times they may need help.

4.  Throughout the day randoming shout, “Letter Run!” and they will begin to do the letter circuit.  Go around with them and have them tell you all the letters.

My kids think this is great.

Remember:  If they like the activity, continue to do it through the week.  However, do NOT do it every day.  You do not want them to get bored.  Change the letters once they have mastered them.

You can adapt this activity in many ways.  It can be used for shapes, colors, numbers or even spelling words for older children.  Be creative!

What do you do when your child has outgrown Little People and Thomas the Train?  The next step is usually action figures, Barbies and video games.  However it does not have to be this way.  Try to get your child into collecting (preferably not toys).

Coin collecting can be great for kids.  It teaches geography, history and math all at once.  It also teaches patience and attention to detail.

We bought our son a beginning coin collecting book to see if it would be something he would like.  We found out he loves it!  Last week he spent an hour and a half looking through a jar of pennies.  He has taught my husband and I more about coins then we ever knew.

Tip of the Day:

If you need a rainy day activity for your elementary aged child, pull out the change jar.  You will never know if you have a coin collector in the making, unless you try it.  Make it fun and call it a treasure hunt.  Pick and year and see who can find it first.  Kids love a good treasure hunt.

Here is an article and a few links to get you started:

Coin Collecting for Kids

US Mint for Kids