Beat the summer blues

Kids should enjoy their summer, but often they waste a lot of time claiming they are bored.

Here are a few places that offer free or low cost programs:

1. The library has their own summer reading program. Kids of any age can participate and be rewarded for their efforts. The library is also a source of free activities: book clubs, art classes, visits from groups in the area. This is a great way to spend a few hours every week to escape the heat.
2. Local cinema. Most movie theaters once a week - usually pretty early in the A.M. - offer a free or reduced cost kids movie. The kids snack packs are usually at a reduced cost as well.
3. Park. A great way to get a bit of sun and some exercise before the day gets too hot. This is a great morning or late afternoon activity. If you go in the morning, bring you lunch for a picnic.
4. Story time. Chain books stores - like Barnes and Noble - has story time at least once a week for various ages. A lot of these stores hold a story night for a wider age range if you can not make the day performances or have kids of varying ages.
5. Art time at home. Have some crayons, colored paper, scissors and a printer? You can print out art projects, coloring sheets and get ideas of additional are projects online.

Another tip: keep a steady schedule. Have you day planned so in the morning you can tell your kids what is going on. This not only give them an idea of how their day will be, but gives them something to look forward to.

I am the mom of 4 wonderful kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Looking at them, you know I have had many years working with and enriching the lives of children. I have an Associates (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Management, and a Bachelors in Early childhood Development and Education with a concentration in Child Psychology. I have almost 20 years in the Early Childhood field, and loving every minute of it! You can visit my site here

Letter of the week activities Monday, May 31: Letter P

Pp
"P" week
1. Eat a piece of fruit.
2. Put your pants and socks on all by yourself.
3. Paint or draw a pretty picture for your parents.
4. Count all the purple and pink things in your bedroom.
5. Say "please" and "thank you." Use your best manners, and try to be polite.
6. Count the pennies in mommy's purse. (Ask for permission first.)
7. Do a puzzle with your parents.
8. With help, pour yourself a glass of juice or milk.

Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, May 24: Letter O

Oo 
"O" week 
1. Open and close your mouth. 
2. Draw one picture for mom.
3. Put your socks on your feet.
4. Use an orange crayon to write ten O's
5. What does an orange taste like?
6. Climb over two pillows.
7. Go outside and play.
8. Hop on one foot.
9. How old are you?
10. What are opposite words for: on, hot, up, day, slow, left and happy.

Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, May 17: Letter N

Nn
"N" week
1. Put the napkins on your table for dinner.
2. Count the nickels in Daddy's pocket.
3. Practice saying your phone number.
4. Look at the night sky. What do you see?
5. Jump nine times.
6. Print as many numbers that you know.
7. Write your name.
8. Look at the newspaper with Mom or Dad.
9. Name nine farm animals.
10. Be nice to your friends.


Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, May 10: Letter M

Mm
"M" week
1. Look up at the sky. Do you see a full moon?
2. Tell Mommy/Daddy you love her/him.
3. Count how many coins in mommy's purse.
4. Move like a monkey.
5. Make a funny face in the mirror.
6. March to your favorite music.
7. Drink your milk, please.
8. Moooooooo like a cow.
9. Dance the macarena with Mommy.
10. Act like a monster, but only for a few minutes. :)
11. Cut out some pictures from an old magazine.
12. Squeak like a mouse.
13. Write the word, Mom

Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, May 3: Letter L

Ll
"L" week
1. Listen to a story.
2. Hop on your left foot.
3. Look up in the sky. How many stars in the sky?
4. Draw ten long lines.
5. Tell your family that you love them.
6. Make yourself large and make yourself small.
7. Help sort the laundry.
8. Write the letters of the alphabet that you know.
9. Send a "love letter" to your grandma or grandpa. (Children draw a picture and send it in the mail.)
10. Look at the leaves on the trees. What color are they

Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, April 26: Letter K

Kk
"K" week
1. Read a book about kittens.
2. Play kickball outside.
3. Watch mom or dad cook in the kitchen.
4. Make a colorful kite with a paper bag.
5. What is the name of baby kangaroos?
6. Use Kleenex when you sneeze.
7. How many keys in mom's purse?
8. Kiss your Mom/Dad.
9. Be a king, and wear a crown.

Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, April 19: Letter J

Jj
"J" week. 
1. Find a calendar and count all the days in January.
2. Jump up and down ten times.
3. Tell someone in your family a joke.
4. Jump like a rabbit.
5. What flavor Jell-O do you like?
6. Wear jewelry at home.
7. Count all of the jars in your refrigerator. Have someone help you.
8. Do ten jumping jacks.
9. Jog in place for one minute.



Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, April 12: Letter I

Ii
"I" Week
Get pictures of things that start with “I.” Have your child color and name the objects.

Have your child name things around the house that start with the letter “I.”



Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, April 5: Letter H

Hh
Hi Kids, It's "H" week!
1. Tell mom what makes you happy.
2. How many pennies make ten cents?
3. Draw your house. Practice your address with someone.
4. Hop ten times on one foot.
5. Cut out a square and then a triangle. Put them together to make a house.
6. Gallop like a horse.
7. Hoot like an owl.
8. Pretend it's Halloween. What costume will you wear?
9. Hug a friend.
10.How many stars are in the sky



Becka

Letter of the week activities Monday, March 29: Letter G

Gg
It's "G" week.
1. Roll like a grape.
2. Wear green on Wednesday.
3. Give someone you love a big hug.
4. Play a game with mom or dad.
5. Move like a grasshopper.
6. Talk about the things you can grow in a garden.
7. Count the green things you see in nature.
8. Go to the grocery store.
9. Gallop around your backyard or in a park.
10. Make someone giggle.

Becka

Infantino SlingRider Baby Slings

Product Recalls: Infantino SlingRider Baby Slings1 Million+ recalled Infantino, LLC, of San Diego, CA, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), have recalled their SlingRider & Wendy Bellissimo infant slings. The slings should not be used for children younger than four months of age due to a risk of suffocation.  These slings were sold from January 2003 through March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies "R" Us, BJ's Wholesale, various baby and children's stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30. Consumers should stop using these slings  immediately and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product, with a choice of a Wrap & Tie infant carrier, a 2-in-1 Shopping Cart Cover or a 3-in-1 Grow & Play Activity Gym. A Jittery Pals Rattle will also be provided. Click here for more information.

I am the mom of 4 wonderful kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Looking at them, you know I have had many years working with and enriching the lives of children. I have an Associates (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Management, and a Bachelors in Early childhood Development and Education with a concentration in Child Psychology. I have almost 20 years in the Early Childhood field, and loving every minute of it! You can visit my site here

Letter of the week activities Monday, March 22: Letter F

Ff
I'm thinking of Flowers! It must be "F" week.
1. Tell a funny story to your mom.
2. Draw a picture of your family.
3. Jump up and down fourteen times.
4. Count forward, as far as you can go.
5. Hop like a frog.
6. Read your favorite story with someone in your family.
7. Help fix dinner or lunch.
8. Eat one of your favorite foods.
9. Fly like a bird.
10. Draw five triangles

Becka

My blog is Carbon Neutral!

I came across post and thought is was a GREAT idea!

Here’s how you can participate!

Just write a short blog post about our programme “My blog is carbon neutral” and include one of the buttons below on your site (ideally in the sidebar). Send the link to your blog to CO2-neutral@kaufda.de and we plant a tree for you, neutralizing the carbon dioxide emissions of your blog. The trees will be planted in the spring of 2010 by the Arbor Day Foundation. For more information about how and where the trees are planted, see the NEWS section.
Just a few easy steps to make it green:

1. Write a blog post about the initiative + insert your favorite button
2. E-mail the link to your post to CO2-neutral@kaufda.de
3. We plant a tree for your blog in Plumas’!

Note: We plant a tree for each domain. Please copy the html-code and paste it in your blog. Make sure the carbon-neutral button works, the html-code must not be changed. Use the carbon-neutral-white button for a white background or the carbon-neutral-transparent button for different colored backgrounds. If you need help, please contact CO2-neutral@kaufda.de. We are looking forward to planting your tree!

This is such a great and important idea! It is great that, for every post you make, they plant a tree! I have seen SO many trees mindlessly cut down and then the space has either sat there for years, or buildings have been built, but not used, buildings that have been halted and just standing there unfinished, or spaces abandoned.

I want my blog carbon neutral and want to see MORE trees!!


I am the mom of 4 wonderful kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Looking at them, you know I have had many years working with and enriching the lives of children. I have an Associates (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Management, and a Bachelors in Early childhood Development and Education with a concentration in Child Psychology. I have almost 20 years in the Early Childhood field, and loving every minute of it! You can visit my site here

Letter of the week activities Monday, March 15: Letter E

Ee

On to the letter "Ee!"

1. Walk and dance like an elephant.

2. Jump up and down eleven times.

3. Eat eight grapes or strawberries.

4. Go outside. What do you hear with your ears?

5. Cut out pictures of eyes and ears from old magazines.

6. Try to touch your elbow to your ear.

7. Use your eyes. What things do you see on the way to school?

8. Empty your glass of milk. (Drink it.)

9. Do some exercises.

10. Let a bowl of water evaporate.

Becka