How to Choose a Summer Camp

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Summer is ripe with adventure, and there is no better way to highlight the season than summer camp. Summer camp can be extremely exciting for kids. It allows them to spend some time away from home to grow and learn, but also to have a fun time. These days, there are summer camps for every price range, specific interest, and summer schedule. There are a few things you may want to keep in mind before getting started on your list of potential prospects for your little one.

Kinds of Camps

The two main types of camps out there differ on their duration. Resident camps are the camps mostly featured in movies and are more often referred to as “sleep-away camp”. Many of these camps offer a variety of programs and activities for children as young as seven and many of them offer features that focus on specific programs or activities. Some are basic and have a little bit of everything, but specialty camps may specialize in a specific sport or other activity with the goal of improving a specific set of skills.

There are also day camps for parents who may be looking for a babysitting or daycare alternative or for kids who are not ready (or simply uninterested) in sleeping away from home on their own. Day camps offer programming for kids as young as four years old and they generally run on the same, or similar, schedule to the average school day with afternoon programs and other activities for kids who wish to stay longer or to accommodate parent work schedules.

Camp Features

Some parents may be concerned or have a preference regarding the types of activities camps offer or what other kinds of perks and features they have. Some camps focus on building academic skills or knowledge in fields like science, music, or religion. Others may focus on sports, the outdoors, and other topics.

Special needs campers should not be discouraged from considering going to camp. There are many camps that can easily accommodate kids with special needs and there are camps that cater only to kids with certain conditions, offering specific programs that can be just as enriching, fulfilling and fun.

Camp is in Session

Depending on your needs as a parent or on your child’s desires (and ability to be away from home), camps also offer various session lengths for you to choose from.

For kids who are comfortable being away from home on their own, longer sessions for sleep-away camps can be fun and exciting, but shorter sessions may be preferable for kids who are not as comfortable or new to the experience. Day camps are generally very flexible when it comes to session length, and their daytime duration depending on when kids can be dropped off and picked up. Most day camps run from the end of the school year to the beginning of the next one.

Session length may also depend on your budget, which is another important factor to consider. Especially since there are plenty of things that can affect how much money you are willing and able to spend.

Camp Costs

Each camp option, duration, specialty, and other options will add to your total at summers end. Depending on the type of camp, session duration, and any other travel costs or expenses, your costs could vary. However most camps will work with you and your budget depending on what you are looking for you child to get out of the experience. Some community centers offer special programs and other options you may want to consider before looking at camp, and make sure you have an idea of what your own summer schedule looks like before you book. Camp costs will vary depending on where your child goes, but many are affordable the more you customize your child’s stay.

 

Questions to Ask Your Child to Boost Reading Comprehension

Posted on | by KD Novelties

When it comes to building reading skills, what better than actually reading? However knowing the words, sounding them out, and reading them aloud is only part of the skill set that reading requires and can it help enhance the experience if done correctly. Being able to read is one thing, but retaining information, making inferences and forming opinions is another important aspect of this activity – especially in regards to academics. It is important that kids are not only able to read, but that they are also able to take something away from the experience as well. This can mean learning new things, but it can also mean connecting with a fictional character on a personal level or being inspired to engage their imaginations and do something new.

There are some ways parents can help kids boost their reading comprehension skills to get them in the habit of thinking actively.

Ask Their Opinion

This is straightforward, but it can help. After story time, whether it is the parent reading to the child or the child reading aloud, asking questions about the book or the chapter that was just read can help a lot. Not only can asking questions help engage their minds, but having a discussion about the story can help boost kids’ memories and encourage them to engage with the material more personally.

Ask them who their favorite character was and why. Ask them why they think the character did what they did in the story, and what they might have done differently if they were in their shoes. You can even ask your child what they think might happen next or what they would write if they were in charge of the next chapter or sequel.

Encourage Them to Keep a Journal

Kids don’t necessarily have to recount their days; kids can write about their lives, the things they read, school, or anything they like. The important thing is that they are writing. Writing is inherently related to reading in nature, and writing can help children better understand written material. Not only that, but writing can help boost communication skills, empathy and emotional understanding.

Give your kids prompts to answer in their journal, whether it is about their day, what happened at school, or what they think about the things they are reading. Ask them engaging questions and see what they come up with.

Have Them Tell You a Story

Sometimes, bedtime includes a story from mom or dad and not from a book. Storytelling in any form can be beneficial, plus it’s a great way to spend time together and form wonderful memories. But next time at bedtime, ask your child to tell you a story instead – and don’t just listen in, be an active audience member. Ask your kids about their characters and the events of the story, ask them why things happen or why a character did something a certain way. These are the same questions you may have asked your children after reading a book, but asking them about their own stories can help to further engage their active sense of reasoning and understanding. These skills will come in handy when kids are reading on their own and once they begin to ask themselves these questions, they will become more active and understanding readers.

Below are some starter questions you may consider asking your child before choosing a book, while reading a book, or when you’re finished reading:

Picking out a book

• Why did you choose this book?

• Did you like the picture on the front? What’s happening in the image?

• What could this book be about?

Before reading the book

• Can you point to the title? or What is this? (pointing to the title)

• What might happen in the story?

• Talk about the different parts of the book (ex. front cover, back cover, title, author, illustrator, etc.)

• If it is an informational book, ask them what they hope to learn and why

While reading

• What has happened so far?

• What might happen next?

•How do you think the story might end?

• What sort of character is….? How would you describe them? Would you be friends with them?

• How would you feel if you had been that character? Has anything like that happened to you? What would you do if this happened to you?

• If reading an information book: Have you learned anything new? What else would you like to know?

At the end of the book

• What was their favorite part? What was the most interesting/exciting part of the book?

• Why did that character do … (give a situation from the story as an example)?

• What happened in the story?

• Who are the main characters in the story?

• What character would you like to be?

• Did you like this book?

Customized Gifts For Parents On a Budget

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Customized gifts are great for children, who delight in seeing their name on their very own toys, books, games, and apparel. This is especially true as names become more unique, as children will view their personalized gifts as truly theirs. This engages them with their gifts, and they will use and value these treasures well into adulthood.

But what does a parent on a budget do? Many people think personalized gifts are out of their price range. It is true that some custom gifts can be very expensive, but most custom gifts are actually quite affordable. In fact, sometimes, a customized gift is more affordable than a generic gift from the store. Certainly, no matter what the cost, a customized gift is special for anyone, but children especially light up when they know something belongs to them.

Here are a few custom gift ideas that can be done on a budget:

Plates & Cutlery

Children will want to finish their meals just to see their names on plates. They will also be more interested in learning to use cutlery if the knives, forks, and spoons have their names on them. Engraving child-sized cutlery is as easy as picking out a font, and can be done fairly inexpensively at your local mall. Plates and bowls are offered by many different retailers in a variety of designs that can fit any budget.

Water Bottles

Summer is hot and we all need to keep hydrated. One way to encourage kids to keep sipping on water throughout the day is with a personalized water bottle. What’s extra-cool about these water bottles, though, is that parents on a really tight budget can make one themselves. Plus, they don’t have to have just the child’s name on it. Favorite superheros or cartoon characters can be featured prominently on a child’s water bottle.

Towels & Apparel

Clothing with a child’s name on it is always fun for a child. They are proud to display their name to everyone they can show, and it strengthens their sense of identity. With summer upon us, towels are a great thing to have personalized as well. Regular embroidered towels in a child’s favorite color are a fun choice, or some creative DIY options can turn your child into a fish or a cape-wearing superhero.

Picture Puzzles & Other Photograph Items

Personalization doesn’t always have to mean having one’s name on something. Taking a cherished photograph and turning it into a puzzle can provide hours of entertainment that builds a child’s skills in critical thinking and problem-solving as well as provides a cherished memory that can last into adulthood. Photographs can also be put on tee-shirts, mugs, hats, and most other items that can be otherwise personalized.

Books, Music, & DVDs

What better way to engage children than making them the stars of their very own stories and songs? Personalized books and DVDs put your child in a pivotal role in the story, keeping their attention by involving them in it. Songs that say children’s names keep their attention, so children sing along and remember the tunes and the lessons in them. A single storybook or song collection can give your child years of entertainment and a lifetime of memories, all for an affordable price.

Customized gifts are special for any occasion and children find them very exciting. Any gift with a child’s name on it is treasured, even when it’s not a toy. With so many affordable options, every child can have a customized gift of their very own, no matter what the budget!