Tag: your child is the star of each story

Brain and Body: Engaging Indoor Activities for Kids

Posted on | by KD Novelties

 

As the weather prepares to switch gears, playing outside will become less and less of an option for kids when it comes to playtime. Keeping kids entertained indoors can be difficult, especially when they are more likely to reach for a mobile device to play a game or ask to watch TV or a movie. Parents can encourage kids to read, write, or be creative, but many of these activities are sedentary. While they may be enriching in other ways, kids still need to find ways to be active even when the weather doesn’t allow it. Here are some engaging indoor activities that get kids moving and keep them entertained.

Mastering Math and the Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses are always fun. They’re mainstays at themed birthday venues and they’re every kids favorite unit in gym class. You can create your own at-home obstacle course using string and household furniture. But to make it more engaging, you can also use – playing cards! Using playing cards or index cards with numbers or functions like plus signs and subtraction signs, will challenge kids to complete certain equations or create a path through the obstacle course that allow them to collect the cards they need to solve the problem. Kids can pretend they are super spies or secret hackers looking for the right code to unlock the secret at the end of the course, or at least earn themselves a snack.

Going Wild

Animal books are great gateways to learning and reading. Animals are diverse and many children like looking at the pictures or learning about where animals live, what they eat etc. You can learn all about animals, whether it be via a book or the internet, but you can also incorporate some stretching into the mix – challenge kids to mimic the animals they’re learning about. Stretching can help muscles but getting into these animal poses can also require some creativity and brain power as well. According to Integrated Learning Strategies Learning Corner, animal poses like a horse trot, worm crawl, or the crab walk, can be great for executive functioning within the brain, regulating emotions, and practicing gross and fine motor skills. Plus, they’re just fun to do!

 

Balloon Ping Pong

Ping-pong indoors can be dangerous, but not if you change up your game equipment. Swap out a ping-pong for a balloon and your ping-pong paddle for a paper plate attached to a popsicle stick. There are plenty of other games that can be made indoor-safe as long as you trade in the traditional tools, especially hard balls that could potentially break household items or hurt others, for soft, plush things instead like pillows, poufs, balloons and other materials. These may be simple, but sports-related activities get kids up and moving but they also help them hone their hand-eye coordination skills, build better interpersonal relationships, and encourage good sportsmanship.

Are You Ready for Back to School?

Posted on | by KD Novelties

It’s already that time of year again. It may feel like school just ended, but before you know it school will be back in session. Depending on where you live, school may start in August or September, but it helps to be prepared no matter what. The summer holiday can simultaneously feel both long and short, but don’t let the first day back to school sneak up on you! Here are a few ways you can make sure you’re prepared for the upcoming school year.

Stock Up on Supplies… Early

There’s nothing like going to the store the day before, or even the day of, the first day of school and finding nothing on your child’s school supply list. Depending on how old your child is and how their school works, some kids receive school supply lists at different times. Usually, elementary schools assign classes the year before and provide children with supply lists and summer reading assignments before the summer even begins. It helps to tackle these lists as soon as possible, especially since many of the things you need will be in short supply the closer it gets to the first day of class.

But not everyone has the luxury of knowing what to get beforehand. Many kids do not receive supply lists until their first day of school, which is more common in middle or high schools. In this case, you can still make sure you’re prepared. Get the basics as soon as possible, or stock up on things like loose-leaf, binders, notebooks, pens, and pencils during the year – especially when you see them on sale. You can always store these go-to items away until they are needed. Items like these will not go to waste, either, even if you’re child doesn’t need them. You can repurpose binders for recipes, notebooks for to-do lists, or you can always donate your excess supplies to those in need.

Plan a Wardrobe

Whether your child still needs help dressing or they are old enough to dress themselves, it helps to have some go-to outfits ready. The first week or so back to school is bound to be hectic, and getting back into that morning routine can be difficult to master at first. Having some outfits planned in advance can at least make getting dressed in the morning much easier and can help save time.

At the end of the summer, take a look at your child’s clothing, even stuff that may be put away for winter. Take an inventory of the things they have, things they need, and things that may need to be replaced. Items like winter coats and boots are cheaper in the summer when many stores are getting rid of the years’ stock with major sales before they launch their official “back to school” deals. Parents can easily score expensive necessities like coats and jackets before they’re ever needed, and they can be put away until the weather changes, too.

For older kids, planning a wardrobe may require some patience. Kids in middle school and high school may be more interested in keeping up with trends and sometimes the latest back-to-school or fall styles aren’t obvious until that time of year comes around. For kids looking to be cool, parents can still stock up on basics early on so they can pick a few choice pieces once the new seasons’ looks debut.

Plan Lunches

Even if school itself is still a few weeks off, it may help to begin thinking about what kind of lunches you can pack for the new school year. Now is the time to try new things and begin making certain things so you can get an idea of what your child will want to eat, as well as how long it takes to prepare, so you can easily add lunch prep to your back-to-school schedule.

Study Spaces

Make sure your child has a place to do homework and get their assignments done. For kids with summer reading assignments and other projects, it helps to have a place for them to do this work where they can easily continue to do homework once school comes around. For kids without summer work, having a space for writing or crafts can help get kids used to working in a particular space and doing a certain kind of activity.

Having a designated space to do schoolwork is also helpful because you don’t want to be scrambling come the first week of school to find a place for your child to get stuff done. It helps if you don’t have to clear off a cluttered table or create a makeshift corner in a room for homework at the last minute, and it may contribute to putting things off early.

Do Your Own Homework

Parents should look into what their child’s upcoming curriculum will look like. This way, parents know what to expect in terms of workload, subject matter, and they can make sure there kids are prepared for anything that may come their way. Look at whether your child will be taking any standardized tests or will need to complete any big projects. If your child struggled with a particular subject the previous year, you may want to consider getting a tutor or taking advantage of summer library programs before school starts up again. It also helps to look into after-school and library programs that will be offered during the school year, too, so you can work in any extra activities your child may need or want to participate in to your s

Kids, Parents and Social Media

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Social media can be a touchy topic these days, but it is also inescapable. Many people use social media primarily for keeping in touch. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram can allow friends and families, especially those that live over great distances, stay in close communication despite living in different parts of the country or the world. Being able to share family photos or more immediate, everyday moments can make it feel like you are a part of your loved ones’ lives despite whatever physical distances separate you, but there are plenty of downsides to social media as well.

Social media can be an addiction for many people, and it can also cause depression and feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth. Many posts on social media are curated to a degree and only highlight positive parts of a person’s life. False ideas about the quality of others’ lives has proven to be detrimental to people of all ages, but young teens most of all.

While parents of children who are younger and may not be old enough to have social media accounts of their own yet, it is still important that parents are aware of their own activities on social media. Parents often share photos and funny stories about their children and others in their family, but it is vital that parents are mindful of what they post. While certain topics or themes may simply be inappropriate for social platforms, it is also important that parents are aware of the impact that their own posts on social media may have on their children when they are older.

Before making a post, think about how it will impact your child in the present and in the future. Some issues may be simple and involve asking yourself a quick question such as “Will this funny photo be worth posting in the long run? Will the likes and laughs outweigh my child’s potential embarrassment that this exists on the internet?” to more serious concerns about sharing too much information regarding not only your children but your friends and family that could be used by people looking to harm them.

It helps to be well-versed in general internet safety. Never overshare. Never reveal personal information or contact info. Be aware of what information these social media sites may share with others and how accessible your profiles are. It helps to comb through your social media accounts and review your security settings. Consider setting your profile to private, sharing information only with those you know and trust. Cut back on social media usage and screen every post or picture you consider putting up on the internet. There are many guidelines available regarding internet safety and knowhow, and for parents with older kids and teens who have their own social media accounts, it helps to share this information with them as well.

Parents need to be just as mindful as their kids when it comes to social media. Stay informed and learn about the security ins and outs of the platforms you use. Being self-aware, mindful, and considerate can help make your experience on the internet much safer and fulfilling while also protecting your children.