How to keep my young kids interested in reading all summer.

So my oldest baby is now reading!!  Urgh! Now that we're almost done with Kindergarten and he's reading (Thank You Mrs. Schillhammer!!!)  I'm trying to figure out how to help him not loose this skill he's learned so well in his class.  Besides all the books that we've purchased for him to hopefully do for his math and language skills, now I have to think about books he can actually read. We've put a few in the car for all the many road trips we will hopefully be taking, and we've also started listening to books on CD in the car. We all love this! But I'm thinking that if we can establish a routine that he sits for 20 minutes or so a day and knows that he has to do those things at that time each day it'll be easier to get done.  And I'm thinking we rotate math with reading so he's not overwhelmed.  These are all things we kind of learn as we go with our first child, and becomes easier (I hope) as we get to the next.

So we belong to the Barnes&Noble Kids club. And I get these great emails from them and the last one included a nice article about how to keep them reading throughout the summer. Feel free to check it out for more on this subject.

Here's a bit of what they have to say: During these summer months, it may be helpful to think of yourself not as a backup teacher, but as a supportive coach whose job it is to incorporate reading more fully into your child's life. It's always important to read storybooks to children, but summertime offers a wealth of additional opportunities to introduce them to the world of print.

Getting ready for a vacation is a great time to play memory games, which help children to focus on details, categorize information, and learn to think more systematically-all important reading readiness skills. Here's a game to try: One person begins, "We're going a trip and we're taking our pajamas." The next person adds, "We're going on a trip and we're taking our pajamas and a teddy bear." Keep taking turns, repeating all the previously mentioned items and adding others - until it gets just too silly to continue. Or, you might play an alphabet version of the memory game, starting with "a" for apple, continuing with 'b' for blackberries, and so on.   The full article is online.
When I read this it reminds me of all the great apps I've found for our iPad.  If you use iTunes just do a search for educational apps or math apps. I recently brought my iPad and iPod in to my sons kindergarten class and the kids were doing math flash cards and SO excited about it. The teacher was excited too because it was just another way for them to practice their math. My sons favorite app this week is called "Math Ninja".  It's part game, part math.  He LOVES it! Thanks apple!! And they're all FREE!

If you have any tips or things that have been successful for you please share them. We all have the same goal. Keep our kids learning, happy and enjoying the summer!

Summer learning?

Summer vacation is quickly approaching and me with my first one in school has got me wondering. Will my kindergardener "forget" everything he is learning right now in the 10 weeks he has off? What should I be reviewing with him on a regular basis each week? Is simply having him read to me each day enough?  He's made such progress with his reading and math that I'd hate for him to loose momentum.

Yesterday our school actually sent out a link to a program they recommend called Summer Skills.  It looks like a great idea. Twenty minutes a day, 3 times a week. Seems like a doable option!  In my sons classroom during his Explore Time the teacher puts these worksheets out called Drop In the Bucket. She saw another teacher do and she liked them so she puts them out as an option for the kids to do, and my son LOVES them! They are put out by a company called Frog Publications. And I'm tempted to grab those as well, but I don't want to overload my poor son, it is after all summer vacation right. Then there's always the Kumon Books. My kids LOVE the mazes and the letter books. And now my son is working on the Ryming Words and the a Maze book.  These are great tools we use every week in our house and actually leave out on our arts and crafts table. My 4 year old loves that she has her own workbook just like her brother.  

There are so many options! It can make a parent of a new school aged child go crazy if we think about it too much. If you're interested in what your child should be doing don't hesitate to ask your teacher.
They will direct you to an option that's great for you.

Some of these books can get pricey, but if you keep looking you're sure to find something in your budget. I was at Barnes&Noble the other day. The one here in Vermont has a HUGE learning section! Between workbooks and games it's sure to keep us busy in our house all summer!

Teacher Appreciation Week 2011: 2nd – 6th May

If you appreciate the knowledge you have acquired over the years thanks to your teachers, Teacher Appreciation week which lasts from the 2nd till the 6th May 2011, is the week in which you can show your gratitude. Dedicated to the celebration of your favourite teachers worldwide, it is a week in which you can reward the teacher of your choice with a small gift. These come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the ideas of the students who offer gifts to their teachers. Teacher appreciation week is the perfect time in the year to take a moment to show your appreciation to teachers for all the effort they put in each day to teach and for the education that we receive thanks to them.  Teacher appreciation week 2011 will include lots of fun events and activities and it is a great opportunity to increase interaction between teachers and students. Most schools have their own way of celebrating it, so find out more by asking your professors or local PTA or PTO! I know in our school the parents are organizing a lunch for the teachers and we're each bringing in a home made soup or salad for them to enjoy.  In years past we've brought each teacher a small annual for their garden.  It's up to you, but any acknowledgment is good. And don't forget the music, art and PE teachers. They all have a part in our childs life.

You can read more on Teacher Appreciation Week here.

Bicycle Car Seats

When my children were younger I would take them out with me in the jogger, and then as they got older bike rides sounded like a great idea, and we saw lots of people doing it, we just never really made the plunge to putting that extra seat on the back.  But with Spring here it's got me thinking about it again. My youngest (just turned 4) sees the kids on the back of their parents bikes and wants to do it as well, but I keep trying to explain to her she is just to old at this point. So I've done a little bit of online research on the subject and thought I'd share. After all it is basically a car seat for your bike right! 

The primary determinant of when an infant can join his or her parents on bike rides is the strength of the the child's neck.  Because of the jostling and the additional weight of a helmet (8-10 oz.), this is quite a few months after a baby can first hold their head up.  Note: Some jurisdictions have laws requiring passengers on bicycles to be at least one year old.  And, most jurisdictions have laws requiring children to wear helmet, even when they are riding in a trailer.

Usually by age 12 months parents can start checking with your child's physician to see if they have the neck development to safely go for a bike ride.  Most toddlers' neck and shoulder muscles can tolerate the weight of a helmet and absorb shock from bumps in the road at 1 years old. [We do know that infants in Africa travel by bike.  They are tied tightly to their mothers back, with their heads well supported.]

We know of no comprehensive study on the best method to carry an infant on a bike and remember there are risks associated with all of them..   I saw a nice break down of the risks on this web site International Bicycle Fund. You can see what's right for your family the bike seat or the trailer. And remember they should ALWAYS wear a helmet.




Thank you to the International Bicycle Fund for this great information!

Below is a great quick glance guide of things to think about when using a car seat on the back of a bike. I grabbed this off the Consumer Product Safety Commisions website.