The 10 Rs for Your Child's Super Successful Summer

How can your children stay on a routine and retain what they learned in school AND be excited about it? Here are some simple ideas for a Super Successful Summer:

1.  RULES:  KISS (Keep It Simple Silly). Work with your children to decide on rules and have them sign the contract. For example - Every Day:

• 30 minutes of schoolwork
• Finish Chores 
• An hour of physical play
• Be Kind

2.  READ: Every day read - books, ipads, magazines, rules of games. Relevancy leads to reading. Play Scavenger Hunt Games. Take trips to the library. Let your child see your love and enjoyment of reading.

3.  wRITING - the fastest becoming lost "art." Help your child make To Do lists and cross off accomplishments. They can help with grocery lists to see writing has meaning. Help your child make a book - which can become a treasure, keepsake or gift. This helps with creativity and learning to read. You can keep it simple and just staple some pages together or poke holes and bind pages with yarn. They can illustrate it or you can paste their favorite photos. You may need to write their words. You could print the words large enough so that your child can trace over the words. Ownership leads to reading desire and enthusiasm.

4. aRITHIMETIC: Play Games. Make Math Fun and Relevant! Patterns and math concepts are everywhere leading to better reading and thinking skills.

5. RESPECT: Children who learn to respect others will be much happier and more successful in life.

6. RESPONSIBILITY Teach responsibility at an early age to help them (and you) through further years of development. Have a chore binder book or sticker chart. Use symbols beside words if your child isn't reading yet.

7. REWARDS: Children love a marble rewards jar - which teaches math as well as learning to earn something they want. Ask your child what they would like to earn. You may be humbled by their answer. When my daughter was in kindergarten, she told her teacher that her favorite thing to do with her mom was to play with the dollhouse.

8. RANDOM ACTS of KINDNESS: Teach the reward of giving. Helping neighbors, or taking them a plate of homemade cookies, can form lasting relationships and give a child a sense of community and belonging to a neighborhood. See RAK free ideas and printables.

Like Mama - Like Daughter

9. RELEASE STRESS - INCREASE STRENGTH: Children need to play outside. When I grew up, we did not have mobile phones, ipads, computers or even color television. My parents had five children and we were encouraged to play outside most of the time. Through outdoor play, I learned:

• How to communicate, share, socialize, follow game rules, and problem-solve
• Develop fine and large muscles
• Use my imagination to develop new games using whatever we had (rocks, marbles, balls, cans, sticks, chalk)
• Connect with my neighbors experiencing a sense of belonging

10. ROUTINE: Children crave routine and stability. Put PJs on, brush teeth, and then please snuggle and read a book every night possible with your children. Simple Comprehension Questions will help them retain information and will give you a glimpse into their imaginative thinking. Children will remember this special bonding time always - and you will to. They are little only a short time.



 

REMEMBER ~ 

Time is the most important

thing to spend on a child. 

Related Posts: 

ARK - Acts of Random Kindness

• Kindergarten Readiness: Enroll or Wait
• Caught Being Good!
• Top 10 Ways to Keep Kids Creative
• Why Craft? Why Art?
• Acts of Random Kindness - FREE Printables
• How to De-Stress Young Children while Traveling
• Discipline: Combat Duty or Common Sense Tactics
• Screen Time or Sensory Time
• The ABCs of Thrifty Teaching Tools

   
Would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? See Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. Moms of Preschoolers - let a mom and a teacher help save your sanity, one project at a time, including the child development explanations and age appropriate activities in The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both are bestsellers and also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. The ebooks are only $3.99.

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Christmas Countdown with Books

I stole this idea and I don’t even know who to thank. Yes, being naughty at Christmas time is not a good idea. But someone, somewhere out there in cyberspace – perhaps living closer to the North Pole, found this idea on Pinterest, wrote about it, and I stole borrowed it. I confess: My name is Susan and I am a blogaholic. I have no idea where to look for it because I love to blog hop. Could be worse, right?

Going in my favor (Santa, are you reading this?) is that I love to read! So here is the “original” idea: Wrap up 25 children’s Christmas books and unwrap one a night and read it together as a family. Here’s my spin:  If you can’t find 25 Christmas books at the used books store or garage sales, especially with snow already blanketing some areas, then wrap up any children’s books – used, new, different genre; it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you are reading books with your children every night.

If you are really pressed for time, and can’t even fathom wrapping 25 more things, just put a Countdown Till Christmas stash of books in a basket and pat yourself on the back for teaching math: 25, 24, 23… Counting backwards helps children learn subtraction. If you’re out of bows, perhaps you could put Post-it-Notes with numbers on the books. I opted for not wrapping the books, but wrote numbers on the backs of the bows going 1 through 25. Children can put the bows in numerical order—backwards or forwards. Whatever works, as long as you’re reading.

Martha Stewart won't be calling me for photo advice. We didn't even get the wood painted for the train track (oh no!). But that is on my list to do after Christmas. As well as shop on my favorite day of discounts, Dec. 26th. I bet I can find many children's books greatly reduced. I'll wrap them with scraps of wrapping paper (going green) and my basket will be ready for next year.

SNUGGLING, CUDDLING, AND READING PROMOTE:

• Bonding, security, consistency, stability, routine, self-esteem
• Literacy - a love of reading
• Helping children learn about their world through nature and science books
• The 3 Rs: Rhyming, Rhythm, and Repetition to enhance reading skills 

MY NEW YEAR’S CHALLENGE TO YOU

I have a simple challenge and it does not involve weighing yourself. Make a New Year’s Resolution to read at least one book a month—just for yourself. It is fun to pin, blog hop, surf, tweet, text, stumble around upon, connect with Facebook, and join in the increasing number of cyberspace adventures (myself included), but please let your children see you enjoying good books. Something about anything can be learned from reading. I wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS as you COUNTDOWN TILL CHRISTMAS WITH BOOKS!  

You might be interested in my books: The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. and Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. Both have been number 1 Bestsellers on Amazon and make great parent or teacher gifts.

Stuffing a Thankful Turkey - Tradition

I cheated and used a glue gun to assemble my Thankful Turkey. Katie’s children made a much cooler turkey on Mommy with Selective Memory.

But Katie and I have the same challenge: For you and your family to stuff your turkey with thankful notes. Help your children write or draw pictures to express gratitude. Then read the notes on Thanksgiving Day and establish a family tradition.

Katie and I share another challenge: Read a book a month for yourself! Yes, it is so much fun to blog (myself included), hop, pin, tweet, text, surf, and connect with wonderful, inspirational people via the Internet. But are you reading books? Do your children see your love of reading? 

It is all right to read ebooks but show your children that printed words are actually a book. I read much more now that I own a Kindle because it is so light and convenient. I slip it in my purse and have a virtual library. Many books are free or inexpensive when purchased in the ebook format and no trips are necessary to the bookstore or library. Although I definitely encourage you to visit your library! They offer so many wonderful programs for children. Many libraries are now offering ebooks to borrow.

Books in the printed form are best when children are young because they learn through sensory integration or using their five senses. They love to touch, pull, pop-up and maniuplate books. Turning pages is also a good fine motor skill. But if your ebook reader is the only book handy - then by all means share and enjoy it with your child. They will love the bonding experience, learn vocabulary, and be better able to express themselves.

Snuggling and Reading Books Every Night to a Child Promote:

• Security, consistency, stability, routine, self-esteem
• Literacy - a love of reading
• Learning about their world
• 3 Rs: Rhyming, Rhythm, and Repetition to enhance reading skills  

Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane

Children will love having this book read to them with animation and expression. There are many sound words that can be emphasized: Ch-ch-i-i-ip-pp!, Squawk! Caw! Caw! The book has beautiful illustrations of nature, teaches about chipmunks preparing for winter, and what they eat. It is a Smithsonian's Backyard Scholastic book available in hardback and softcover, both new and used on Amazon. 

“My proudest teaching accomplishment was helping children learn to read. It is priceless to see a child’s eyes light up when they realize they are truly reading on their own. The gift of reading continues throughout a lifetime. Something about everything can be learned through reading. It is inspiring to know of people who were denied an education, but given the opportunity, learned to read in their senior years. The desire is phenomenal and is not quenched unless achieved.”

For a glimpse into Kindergarten see my book. Would you like inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Mommy with Selective Memory and I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both no. 1 bestsellers on Amazon.

Some women have a weakness for shoes…
I can go barefoot if necessary.
I have a weakness for books. ~Oprah Winfrey

Cure a Kinder Teacher's Pet Peeve

What is your five-year-old’s favorite word? Their name! Help them learn to print it with only the first letter capitalized. This is recommended by first grade teachers to kinder teachers because that is how they will need to print it in first.  You will also be helping in the reading process by emphasizing the lower case letters - as print is mostly lower case.

Many experts recommend teaching print in all caps first because the upper case letters are easier to form and many lower case letters have a similar form. This does make sense. But perhaps an exception can be made for a child's first name so they won't have to relearn it. 

How Parents Can Help 

Children of this age are tactile learners meaning they like to touch and feel to explore their world or use their five senses and movement. Here are some ways to help your child learn to print their name:

• Form letters with pretzels, M&Ms, cheerios, marbles, rocks, pasta, buttons, or whatever they like. Encourage your child to move their fingers over the letters. Make it fun and use lots of praise.
• Lightly print your child’s name and have them trace it in “rainbow” colors or using different crayon colors over the letters. Or make dots forming the letters and let them connect the dots. Children love markers, especially scented (buy washable).
• Put shaving cream on a surface. Help your child trace their name in the mixture. They will love to help you clean away those crayons marks and germs which the shaving cream dissolves.
• Make playdough and let your child roll out the play dough into worm or snake shapes. Then help them form the letters for their first name and run their fingers over the letters. Feel the stress release as you roll play dough snakes. Take deep breaths and enjoy being a child again.

My Favorite No-Fail Playdough Recipe

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

2 cups water

2 tablespoons cooking oil

4 teaspoons cream of tartar (spice section)

Mix and heat until ingredients form a ball. For different colors, divide into sections and add drops of food coloring then knead. Children also enjoy scents such as peppermint, orange extract or vanilla. This recipe can be halved but will last if kept in a tightly sealed baggie or covered container (the less air the longer the playdough will last).

No Cook Playdough

2 cups self-rising flour (may need to add more to desired consistency)

2 tablespoons Alum or Cream of Tartar

1/2 cup salt

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Up to 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Mix, knead, and store in a sealed baggie or covered container.

Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone

is the free expression of what is in the child's soul. ~ Fredrich Froebel

Would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? Do you need inexpensive ideas, activities, and games to teach your child through play? Perhaps I can help save your sanity, one project at a time, with The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both are bestsellers and also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. Ebooks are only $3.99.

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The Journeys of TX Bear

At the beginning of each school year, I placed a stuffed bear on a tall cabinet. This was beloved TX Bear. He wore a red neckerchief.

I told the children that this special bear was watching the children to decide whose home he wanted to visit. This caused quite a stir. The week’s Super Star would be able to take TX Bear home along with his journal. The student was to draw a picture of what he and TX Bear liked to do. They were also encouraged to write about it with the help of their parents. When they brought the journal and bear back to school, I would proudly show the child’s drawing and read what the parent, or child, had written.

The children loved being Super Star but I think they loved taking TX Bear home even more. I put TX Bear in a bag with crayons and a notebook and off he went with the Super Star. I lost many crayons, neckerchiefs, a few bears, and several notebooks, but it was worth it. When a notebook was full, I put it in the classroom library. It was a favorite book for the children to admire and try to read or to find their page of memories.

TX Bear was taken to the park, swung in backyards, jumped on trampolines, slept in bunk beds and taken to grandparents. Occasionally, a parent concerned about germs would give TX Bear a bath in the washing machine. Good idea.

I bought yards of bandana material that was decorated with horses on sale and cut neckerchiefs for TX Bear. I made neckerchiefs for each child when we studied our great state of Texas. I didn’t bother sewing around the edges due to lack of time. Besides, stringy neckerchiefs are cooler. I let the children take the neckerchiefs home. They were thrilled because every child in Texas dreams of horses. 

My book has many funny, yet true, stories I encountered while teaching:  Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. The Happy Mommy Handbook will help save your sanity, one project at a time. Both have been number 1 bestsellers on Amazon.

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