Make Apple sauce

Make your own applesauce.  Have your kids peel the apples first then grate the apples to make applesauce.  Kids love to help, and it is a great upper extremity coordination activity.  Helping make food is a great task for children of all ages. Little children can help stir and pour.  Older children should read the recipes and attempt to follow it.  Kids love to eat what they make, so it is a great way to help picky children expand their food repertoire.

Back To School

It is back to school time and most parents are breathing a sigh of relief. Kids are anxious and excited; some may be scared of what is to come.  Back to school prep included getting supplies and backpacks, and new school clothes and shoes.  Kids are all ready to go- right?  But, let's not forget another important aspect of school prep- getting back into the school sleep routine.  We all know how we feel when we don't get enough sleep, or don't have a good night's sleep.  We tend to be tired, cranky and have difficulty functioning throughout the day.  Our caffeine consumption increases just to get us through the day.  We need to remember that poor, or lack of, sleep also affects our children and we should be working with our kids to ensure that they get the proper amount of sleep for maximal functioning.  It is our jobs as parents.  

So, how much sleep do our children need?  Research varies, but average amounts recommended are:
For children 3-5 years old- 11-13 hours (including a nap if they are still napping)
For children 5-12 years old- 10-11 hours per night.

It is imperative that children get their sleep in order to function at their highest level throughout the school day.  Lack of quality sleep, or lack of enough sleep, can lead to mood disturbances (we have all been on the receiving end of a temper tantrum from a tired child), behavioral problems, and cognitive problems.  All of these can affect school functioning.

So, what do you do to ensure that your child gets enough sleep?  Here are a few suggestions:
1- Maintain a bed time routine and schedule.  Be consistent with this schedule and bed time.  Most children are aware that they are tired, but don't want to go to bed at bedtime.  They will whine and beg for more time before having to go to bed.  Stand firm and the bedtime schedule will become easier.  Children learn when they are able to budge parents so if you are consistent, eventually your child will realize you mean business and bedtime will become easier.
2- Get their bedroom sleep-ready.  Turn down, or off, the lights.  Shut the blinds and decrease or eliminate noise.
3- Have your child start to calm down at least 45 minutes prior to bedtime.  Taking a child from running outside with friends, to bed, is going to prove to be an impossible task.  Calm your child before attempting bed time.
4- Stop all stimulating toys and activities at least 45 minutes prior to bedtime.  By stimulating I am referring to video games and some tv shows.  Older kids can lie in bed to read for a few minutes prior to falling asleep, if that helps.

Once a bedtime routine is set and your child is getting the sleep he/she needs, you should see a marked improvement in his/her moods, behaviors and in his/her school work.  Give it a try.

Water Fun

It's hot outside- so get out the sprinkler and water table and have some fun!  Give the kids squirt guns and have them squeeze the triggers (great hand/finger strengthening and eye-hand coordination).  Put containers into a water table and have them pour water back and forth.  Squirt them with water guns and watch them run (gross motor).  Outside water fun is great fun for everyone.

Looking for something to do with all that bubble wrap?  Paint with it.   Simply apply paint to the bubble wrap and push a piece of paper on top of it, pushing down all over the paper to get the paint on it.  You can use one color, or many different colors to make a picture.  Give it a try!

Rainbow fish art

Here's an easy but super cute and fun one... Color a fish with water based markers, then use a squirt bottle to wet it (that's the fun part), then glue a piece of tin foil on it for a shiny scale!

Try this craft with your kids.  Make a duck using a paper plate and construction paper.  They can either paint or color the body and older kids can draw and cut out the circle head.  Snip the tail to make "feathers".

Summer home work

School is either out, or soon to be out, for kids.  Summer is a fun, relaxing time, meant to recharge everyone's batteries after the long, difficult school year.  It is important for kids, and adults, to take this time to have fun in the sun and socialize with friends and family.  Go to the pool or park; go on vacation to your favorite destination and just RELAX!  Have a great summer, everyone!
That said, we want to remind everyone that, although summer is supposed to be fun and relaxing, kids can loose almost 1/3 of their knowledge over summer break if not properly stimulated.  Older kids need to read every day.  Go to the library and let the kids pick out the books they want to read.  It does not matter if the book is a step below their reading level, as long as they enjoy it and read it.  Children who can not yet read may enjoy going to the library for story time (most offer these). Parents should read to younger children every day.  Preschoolers should be encouraged to practice their coloring and tracing, as well as cutting skills.  Don't be afraid to give a preschooler children's scissors to cut with (under direct supervision, of course).  Like I tell the parents of my preschool clients- I am not aware of any preschooler cutting off a finger with a pair of children's scissors.  Have the preschooler color with chalk on the driveway.  Allow him/her to help when you make dinner.  Older children can do the measuring when making dinner, or, if old enough, maybe they will make the family dinner (with supervision).  And, don't forget the math skills over the summer.

So, while summer is supposed to be a time of fun and relaxation, it is also important to spend a little time each day practicing what they learned this past year, so don't start next school year already behind.
Enjoy your summer!