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Kindergarden

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in RESOURCES

The Time for Outdoor Activities with the Family is ApproachingFeatured

July 2, 2024
147

Playing and being outside in nature is good for children’s health and wellbeing on many levels. In schools and child care centers they work with different schedules, but they all have time for outdoor activities where children play and share different activities. Taking them out can help with motor development and physical health in general. Exploring nature is a way to encourage children’s curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Spending time outdoors can also help children reduce their stress and increase their concentration.

These are some ideas of outdoor games to try, depending on your child’s age:

Outdoor play ideas for children ages 2 to 5

Pop bubbles and take out the ball.

Blow bubbles and challenge kids to chase and catch them or pop them. Who can make the biggest bubble? Who can blow a double bubble?

A fun activity for toddlers is to fill a bucket with water and some dish detergent. Give the child a whisk to stir the bubbles and explore their properties. Playing ball is another great way to get kids this age involved outdoors. Sit on the grass facing each other and roll a ball back and forth.

This not only develops motor planning and balance skills, but also helps teach social turn-taking and observing the body language of others.

5 tips for children to have fun and be safe

1. Keep children close

Be sure to watch carefully (either yourself or another adult) so that younger children don’t wander away or go up alone to the swings or play near the street.

2. Use safety measures around pools and hot tubs

Drowning is the leading cause of death among children under 4 years of age. Provide constant tactile supervision around pools, hot tubs, ponds and other bodies of water.

3. Setup the home playground safely

Anchor large home playground equipment deeply and securely to prevent wobbling. Install swings at least 6 feet from walls and fences. Look for openings in play structures, such as gaps in cargo nets, which should be less than 3 1 ½ inches (9cm) or more than 9 inches wide (23cm). This can prevent a small child’s head from getting trapped and prevent children from falling.

4. Avoid mowing the grass while children play

Electric lawnmowers can throw sticks, stones, and other objects with enough force to cause serious damage.

5. Help prevent insect bites

Avoid brightly colored clothing, as well as scented soaps and lotions, which may attract bees and wasps. Empty water from pools, bird baths, and other structures where stinging insects may breed. Long sleeves, pants, and hats can also protect against ticks in tall grass, bushes or wooded areas. When using insect repellent, consider one with 10% to 30% DEET. however, do not use DEET on children younger than 2 months and make sure the parent authorizes these repellents or sunscreens.

Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care

in SPOTLIGHT

BIOGRAPHY: Estrellita Alaffa

April 21, 2024
257

My name is Estrellita Alaffa, I was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, on February 19th, 1982. I graduated with a technical degree in business administration, I worked in Mexico as a secretary in a law firm for three years, then I got married and emigrated to the United States in 2003.

I am a mother of four children, two of them have autism and although it has not been easy, my resilience has helped me reinvent myself as a mother and at the same time work wise. In 2012, I took a course to obtain my CNA license in the state of Texas and worked for almost four years in a nursing home, where I put into practice all the ove, patience and empathy that my children taught me as they grew up.

But at the same time, my children’s needs were requiring more and more of my time, so I decided to leave my job and dedicate full time to my children.

In 2018, we emigrated again to the state of Wisconsin, looking for new opportunities and although I was home for several years, I always had the desire to do something else besides that.

So in 2020, I joined the group of health leaders as a volunteer, from the Sixteenth Street Clinic, where I participated as a health promoter and received training in community advocacy. This great experience was a great tool to develop me professionally, because in 2023, i started working with UW-Madison Extension, as a bilingual nutrition educator, and at the end of this same year i was nominated to be part of the board of directors at the Sixteenth Street Clinic and for me it is and honor to be part of this board of directors.

Therefore, every day I strengthen my commitment to my family and my community, my resilience drives me to cultivate myself as an individual, I live to be useful in the lives of the people who know me and I feel the moral commitment to serve and intercede for those voices that are not heard.

Although being a mother of two autistic children has not been easy, since there are many challenges that we face every day, there are also many gratifying moments that we experience every day and that is the most important thing.

What we enjoy the most as a family is doing outdoor activities. I am pleased to see their smiles, their innocence and the unconditional love of each one of my children.

in ACTIVITIES, RESOURCES

Plan and implement: Lesson plan and activities plans

April 21, 2024
245

Among the primary responsibilities of early childhood educators is the responsibility to plan and implement intentional and developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote social and emotional development, physical development and health, cognitive development, and general learning skills of each of the children that attends.

It’s important to plan activities based on the ages of the children and the objective we want to achieve. The study plans and teaching methods are built from each child’s resources by connecting their experiences in school or educational environment with their home or community environment.

What is a lesson plan?

A lesson plan for toddlers is a teacher-structured document that describes the sequence of activities and learning experiences designed to teach a specific concept to children at an early age, usually ages 3 to 5. These plans are designed to be interactive, fun and adapted to the needs and development levels of young children. Here are some key elements you could include in a lesson plan for toddlers:

Lesson objective: Clearly defines what children should learn at the end of the lesson

Materials: List all the materials needed for the lesson, such as books, toys, art supplies, etc.

Introduction: Include a starter activity to capture children’s attention and prepare them for the lesson topic

Development: Divide the lesson into sequential steps or activities that help children understand the concept. Use interactive and hands-on methods, as children learn best through experience.

Evaluation: Include strategies to assess children’s understanding, such as questions, observations, and follow up activities.

Adaptations: Consider possible adaptations to meet the different needs and learning styles of the children in the group.

Time: Set a time estimate for each activity to ensure the lesson fits into the available time frame.

Closure: Conclude the lesson effectively, summarizing what children have learned and provide opportunities to ask questions or make comments.

It is important to remember that young children have limited attention spans, so lessons should be short, stimulating and full of variety to keep their interest. Additionally, flexibility is key, as you may need to adjust the lesson based on the children’s responses and level of engagement during the teaching process.

A lesson plan can be done weekly with a single topic or with different topics weekly. For children between 3 years old it can include gross motor activities, fine motor activities, art projects, crafts, sensory activities, outdoor activities, learning and experimentation games.

Example of a lesson plan for a week:

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