Early Childhood
- How to Make Lacing Cards
- My 5 Favorite Suite Articles
- Healthier Menu Selections for Kids
- Back-to-School Bedtime Routines
- Preparing to Go to Kindergarten
- Simple July 4th Dessert for Kids
- Is Your Child Being Bullied?
- Bike Helmet Safety
- Swimming pool safety
- Quick Playroom Organization Tips
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Learning to make lacing cards is a fun way to offset the expense of buying learning materials for your preschooler.
One way to offset the expense of buying learning materials for your preschooler is by making your own lacing cards. Creating lacing cards are a fun way to improve your child's small motor skills, and hand-eye-coordination.
What you Will Need to Make Lacing Cards for Your Preschooler:
Note: Laminating is suggested to prolong the life of the lacing cards.
What you Will Need to Make Lacing Cards for Your Preschooler:
- Card stock (can be found at any office supply store)
- Patterns (can be found in pattern books or Internet searches)
- Scissors
- Hole Puncher
- Shoe String
- Trace the pattern of your choice on the card stock or you can use your printer to run copies.
- Cut out the traced pattern with scissors.
- Use your hole puncher to punch holes around the edges of your card stock pattern.
- Children can use the shoestrings to lace the cards.
Note: Laminating is suggested to prolong the life of the lacing cards.
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
I have selected five of my favorite Suite 101 articles and put them on this list.
I’ve written quite a few articles on Suite 101--and I've enjoyed doing every last one of them. But I must say, out of all the article selections, I do have five that I absolutely love. Check out my top Five Suite 101 article picks (written by yours truly) in no particular order.
When Kids are Being Bullied. Often bullying is not taken seriously, and children who are victims feel left to fend for themselves. This article highlights the effects being bullied can have on your kids, and helps you find ways to teach them how to cope.
6 Ways to Raise Readers. Reading has been an important part of my life every since I was a child, and I have proudly passed my love of books on to my children. I wrote this article to reiterate to parents the importance of raising kids that value reading.
How to Send Children Back-to-School Green. This article is simply a fun way to show how you can extend your eco-friendly lifestyle into your child’s educational environment.
Dividing Children’s Playrooms. After I turned my den into a playroom for my children, I took the things that I learned from my years of working with youngsters, and figured out a way to arrange it to help maximize my kids' learning experiences.
Teaching Children Tolerance. This article is a must read for all parents, as it emphasizes the importance of teaching our kids to respect and value the differences of others.
If you want to find out what these articles are all about, and why I chose them--take a peek and see for yourself!
When Kids are Being Bullied. Often bullying is not taken seriously, and children who are victims feel left to fend for themselves. This article highlights the effects being bullied can have on your kids, and helps you find ways to teach them how to cope.
6 Ways to Raise Readers. Reading has been an important part of my life every since I was a child, and I have proudly passed my love of books on to my children. I wrote this article to reiterate to parents the importance of raising kids that value reading.
How to Send Children Back-to-School Green. This article is simply a fun way to show how you can extend your eco-friendly lifestyle into your child’s educational environment.
Dividing Children’s Playrooms. After I turned my den into a playroom for my children, I took the things that I learned from my years of working with youngsters, and figured out a way to arrange it to help maximize my kids' learning experiences.
Teaching Children Tolerance. This article is a must read for all parents, as it emphasizes the importance of teaching our kids to respect and value the differences of others.
If you want to find out what these articles are all about, and why I chose them--take a peek and see for yourself!
Healthier Menu Selections for Kids
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Feeding your kids fast food is not the best option. So for times when dining out is necessary, it's important to make healthier menu choices for your children.
I’m notorious for swinging by the nearest drive-through to grab dinner for my children at least twice a week. I know it’s not the healthiest option, but hey, it’s the price we pay for living life at record speed. Actually, it’s not as bad as it sounds because I’ve learned to make healthier menu selections for my kids whenever we eat out.
Fast food chains know that health sales--and more of them are getting on board by offering healthier menu selections for families concerned about what their children consume. I have found that most restaurants are very accommodating when I request healthier meal options for my children.
I often substitute the fries in my kids’ meals for fruit, a baked potato, or a bowl of steamed veggies; their soft drinks are always replaced with milk or juice; and I forgo the fried chicken, and request grilled instead.
Just because you take your family to fast food restaurants a couple of times a week doesn’t mean you have to order the most fattening items on the menu, as there are healthier options available. So if you must resort to feeding your tykes fast food, find ways to make smart choices.
Fast food chains know that health sales--and more of them are getting on board by offering healthier menu selections for families concerned about what their children consume. I have found that most restaurants are very accommodating when I request healthier meal options for my children.
I often substitute the fries in my kids’ meals for fruit, a baked potato, or a bowl of steamed veggies; their soft drinks are always replaced with milk or juice; and I forgo the fried chicken, and request grilled instead.
Just because you take your family to fast food restaurants a couple of times a week doesn’t mean you have to order the most fattening items on the menu, as there are healthier options available. So if you must resort to feeding your tykes fast food, find ways to make smart choices.
Back-to-School Bedtime Routines
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Tips to help you establish a healthy bedtime routine for your kindergartner-to-be
If your children are going to school for the first time, and aren’t accustomed to being away from home for extended periods, it’s important that you start preparing them for the long days ahead by helping them get enough sleep.
Being sleep deprived will only make your child's transition to school more difficult. So if you don’t have a regular sleep schedule established for your kindergartner-to-be, it’s time to get serious about putting one in place. Listed below are a few tips to help you get your child’s back-to-school bedtime routine started.
If you’re curious about the effects that not getting enough sleep may have on your child, read “Sleep Deprivation in Children.”
Being sleep deprived will only make your child's transition to school more difficult. So if you don’t have a regular sleep schedule established for your kindergartner-to-be, it’s time to get serious about putting one in place. Listed below are a few tips to help you get your child’s back-to-school bedtime routine started.
- Don’t let your children engage in high energy activities prior to bedtime.
- Shorten your child's daily nap.
- If you want to establish a bedtime of 8:00 p.m., you should have your child in bed by 7:00 p.m., as it may take a while for him to fall asleep.
- Children sleep better when they are clean and relaxed, so letting them take a warm bath prior to bedtime should help them nod off.
- Choose one of your child’s favorite stories, and read it to him.
- Make sure the temperature in your child’s bedroom is comfortable.
- If your tyke has a hard time sleeping, it’s okay to give him one soft comfort toy, but don’t let him sweet talk you into filling his bed with a bunch of playthings.
If you’re curious about the effects that not getting enough sleep may have on your child, read “Sleep Deprivation in Children.”
Preparing to Go to Kindergarten
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
When children prepare to go to kindergarten, parents often wonder if they’re ready to make the transition successfully.
It seemed like just yesterday you were changing smelly diapers, and scrubbing spit-up off your favorite shirt -- now your baby is all grown up, and preparing to go to kindergarten.
There may be a million questions looming in the back of your mind about your child’s readiness to make the transition to “big kid school.“ Don’t worry, you’re not alone, as there are parents everywhere struggling with anxieties about their kids’ ability to make the transition to kindergarten successfully.
If you’re a parent with concerns about your child’s readiness for kindergarten, you should take the time to read “From Preschool to Kindergarten,” and “Kindergarten Readiness.”
There may be a million questions looming in the back of your mind about your child’s readiness to make the transition to “big kid school.“ Don’t worry, you’re not alone, as there are parents everywhere struggling with anxieties about their kids’ ability to make the transition to kindergarten successfully.
If you’re a parent with concerns about your child’s readiness for kindergarten, you should take the time to read “From Preschool to Kindergarten,” and “Kindergarten Readiness.”
Simple July 4th Dessert for Kids
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Your children will enjoy preparing this easy red, white, and blueberry shortcake to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Help your children bring in the Fourth of July with a delicious bang by letting them prepare this amazing, no-bake, red, white, and blueberry shortcake dessert.
Items Needed:
This delicious red, white, and blueberry shortcake dessert is not only fun for your kids to make, it’s also delicious.
Happy Fourth of July!
Items Needed:
- pound cake
- fresh blueberries
- fresh strawberry slices
- whipped cream
- individual clear plastic cups (one per child)
- Crumble the pound cake into an individual plastic cup until it's half full.
- Add a layer of blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream.
This delicious red, white, and blueberry shortcake dessert is not only fun for your kids to make, it’s also delicious.
Happy Fourth of July!
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
When children are being bullied, the warning signs often go unnoticed. Learn how to recognize if your child has become the victim of a bully.
Popular television shows often make light of school bullies doing things to hurt or humiliate their victims. For a child who has to deal with being bullied each day, it’s no laughing matter -- it’s traumatic, and it can take a toll on his mental well-being.
When parents find out that their child is being bullied at school, their reactions may differ. Some parents may be livid, and ready to give the bully a taste of his own medicine. Others might say to their child, “Toughen up,” and cart him off to school to get stuffed in a locker.
Because your child may be embarrassed, he probably won’t tell you that he’s being bullied – you may have to figure it out on your own. A child who is being bullied may exhibit some of the following signs:
When parents find out that their child is being bullied at school, their reactions may differ. Some parents may be livid, and ready to give the bully a taste of his own medicine. Others might say to their child, “Toughen up,” and cart him off to school to get stuffed in a locker.
Because your child may be embarrassed, he probably won’t tell you that he’s being bullied – you may have to figure it out on your own. A child who is being bullied may exhibit some of the following signs:
- being withdrawn
- afraid to go to school
- loss of appetite
- trouble sleeping
- change in grades
- moody (depressed, sad, etc.)
- frequent headaches
- nightmares
- bedwetting
- low self-esteem
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Requiring children to wear helmets when they ride bikes drastically reduces their risk of sustaining serious head injuries from the impact of falls.
According to Safe Kids USA, “Nearly 28 million children ages 5 to 14 ride bikes, and the popularity of scooters, skates, skateboards and other wheeled sports has skyrocketed. Each year thousands of these kids are disabled or die as a result of a wheel-related brain injury.” One of the simplest ways to minimize the occurrence of these head injuries is to make sure your children wear helmets each time they ride bikes. Listed below are a few safety tips to follow when using bike helmets.
- Provide children with properly fitted bike helmets that meet the standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
- Never allow your children wear other headgear under their bike helmets.
- Always secure the straps on a bike helmet properly.
- Always position a bike helmet level on a child’s head. If it’s too far back, it leaves the forehead vulnerable to injury.
- Never allow kids to wear bike helmets backwards.
- Never allow your child use a second-hand bike helmet. The safety of it may have been compromised from previous misuse or damage.
- Never use a bike helmet after it has sustained an impact from an accident.
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Practice pool safety to prevent accidents from occurring while children are swimming.
Swimming pools and hot weather seem synonymous--but if proper safety precautions are not taken--a cool dip in the pool can turn deadly.
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death in children--and according to National Safe Kids USA, as many as 20 percent of near-drowning survivors suffer severe, permanent neurological disability. Learn how to protect your child from drowning with these tips.
For more tips on keeping your children safe read Backyard Safety for Kids, How to Keep Kids Safe at the Park and Protecting Kids from the Sun.
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death in children--and according to National Safe Kids USA, as many as 20 percent of near-drowning survivors suffer severe, permanent neurological disability. Learn how to protect your child from drowning with these tips.
- Avoid letting children run, jump, ride bikes, skate, or partake in any type horseplay around the pool area.
- Don’t let children dive into the swimming pools.
- Never leave your child unsupervised in or near a pool--even if they know how to swim.
- Since children under the age of five are more likely to drown in swimming pools, adults should remain within arms-reach of them at all times.
- A self-closing, self-latching gate should surround the perimeter of the pool. The gate should be frequently checked for holes, weak-spots, and wear and tear on the lock.
- Pool covers should not be used as a substitute for gates.
- Don’t get distracted by doing things like talking on the telephone or reading magazines while your kids are in the pool.
- Learn how to perform CPR.
- Keep a phone in the swimming pool area just in case of an emergency.
- Provide constant adult supervision.
For more tips on keeping your children safe read Backyard Safety for Kids, How to Keep Kids Safe at the Park and Protecting Kids from the Sun.
Quick Playroom Organization Tips
Posted by
Charlina Stewart
Charlina Stewart
Quick tips to banish the mess and organize your kids' playroom.
If you're tired of stepping on legos every time you venture into your kids' playroom, these quick tips will help you banish the clutter and get organized.
Throw Away and Donate
Go through all of your kids’ playthings and donate the toys they no longer play with to a local charity. If toys are broken or have missing parts, simply throw them away.
Install Wall Hooks
Wall Hooks can be used to hang kids’ dramatic play items such as dress-up clothes, purses and hats. Hooks should be installed low enough for children to reach their playthings without the help of adults.
Use Plastic Bins and labels
Plastic bins are an inexpensive way to store small toys such as pegs, crayons, sorting materials and hot wheels. Labeling the bins will make retrieval and cleanup a breeze for your kiddos.
If children aren’t able to read, you can take pictures of the items and attach them to the appropriate bin. The labeled plastic containers can be stored on a low shelf so children can easily access them.
After following these tips, your kids will have a newly organized playroom that they'll enjoy.
If your children don’t have a playroom, read these fun articles to learn how to create one:
Throw Away and Donate
Go through all of your kids’ playthings and donate the toys they no longer play with to a local charity. If toys are broken or have missing parts, simply throw them away.
Install Wall Hooks
Wall Hooks can be used to hang kids’ dramatic play items such as dress-up clothes, purses and hats. Hooks should be installed low enough for children to reach their playthings without the help of adults.
Use Plastic Bins and labels
Plastic bins are an inexpensive way to store small toys such as pegs, crayons, sorting materials and hot wheels. Labeling the bins will make retrieval and cleanup a breeze for your kiddos.
If children aren’t able to read, you can take pictures of the items and attach them to the appropriate bin. The labeled plastic containers can be stored on a low shelf so children can easily access them.
After following these tips, your kids will have a newly organized playroom that they'll enjoy.
If your children don’t have a playroom, read these fun articles to learn how to create one:
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