Do your children enjoy jokes and riddles?

Jokes, riddles, puzzles and brainteasers are great ways to help develop better thinking skills.  They force children to think “outside of the box” and help them develop ways to better solve and understand problems.

One fun way to add riddles into the daily routine, is to put a riddle in your child’s lunchbox.  This allows your child to mull over an answer to the riddle throughout the day.  Sometimes children are quick to say, “I don’t know” without giving it much thought.  If they read it at lunch and have to wait until the end of the day for the answer, they may spend a little more time thinking about a logical answer.

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Do your children enjoy sleeping in during the summer months?  I know mine have been great sleepers.

Yes during the summer bedtime has a tendency to get pushed back a little later than usual.  However for the most part my husband and I try to get our children to bed by 8:30 pm.  We both realize the importance of sleep for children.  Not only for their growth and development but also for their mood the following day.

I found an article that discussed how insufficient sleep plays a role in the classroom.  I was surprised to find that the brains’ of  children who are sleep deprived do not absorb and process as much information as well-rested children.

For more information on this topic follow this link: Sleep and Performance at School

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Who knew that not all children like to drink water?  As a person who loves water, I assumed everyone did.  My son is also a big water drinker so I assumed my daughter would to the same.  Of course I was wrong.

She loves her milk and her apple juice.  When we first tried giving her water she would just scream at it.  Now that she is older and wiser (age 3) she is slowly giving it a chance.  Last week at a birthday party they had little bottles of water for the kids.  SCORE!!!  She thought this was the best and drank the entire bottle.  Who knew I just had to find the right bottle or cup to put it in.

Check out this article regarding water and its importance in the classroom.

How much water should your child drink each day?

Tip of the Day:

Monitor your child’s beverage intake for a day.

A child ages 1-3 needs about four cups of beverages each day.

A child ages 4-8 needs about 5 cups of beverages each day.

With the hot summer months approaching, make sure your children are drinking milk, 100% fruit juice and water.  Try to avoid giving them sugar-sweetened beverages.  Even juice should be in moderation.

Buy your child his/her own water bottle.

This way it is more fun and they can simply refill it throughout the day.

For many of us with young children having a routine helps us make it through the day.  It creates order, predictability and above all SANITY!  However it is important not be too rigid with the routine.  Change is good for young minds.

Brain research shows that the brain performs many functions simultaneously. Therefore learning is enhanced by a rich environment with a variety of stimuli. Translation:  change things around from time to time and offer a variety of activities.

Tip of the Day:

Take the time to change the learning environment.  I suggest doing these at night before you go to bed.  Often times the morning can be crazy and you will not remember to do it.

1.  Set out a puzzle. Place it on the floor or play table that your child will see when he/she wakes up.  You will find that they will be curious about why it is out and most often take the time to do it.

2.  Change the toys.  Kids usually fall into the routine of playing with the same toys, because they are out and convenient.  Go in the closet and pull out a few toys that have not been played with in a while.  You will see that it is like the reuniting of a long lost friend.

3.  Buy placemats.  You can often find placemats for kids very reasonable.  They can vary from numbers and letters to the planets and the periodic table.  Instead of turning on cartoons during breakfast, have them interact with the placemats.

4.  Set out paper, crayons and stickers.  A simple coloring or sticker project is great for brain development and fine motor skills.

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!