Taveling With Bebe, Part 1: We’re Going To Ireland!

February 4, 2013March 25, 20166 Comments

Ireland Jons Camera - 0121

I thought this title of “Traveling With Bebe” would be quite fitting for our newest adventure. Next week, we’ll be traveling with our “bebe” (6 month old Jacob) to Ireland! Jon has to travel to Cork in southern Ireland for work and Jacob and I are going to tag along with him on his trip. There are actually some practical reasons why I’m going with him on this trip (more on that later), but it’s also pretty awesome that I’ll get a little mid-winter vacation and that we’ll be there for Valentine’s Day! We’ll just be there for a week, so it will be a quick trip.

Luckily for baby Jacob, he’s still nursing–and we don’t have to buy him his own plane ticket–so he gets to come along with us. Unfortunately for 2-year old David (and fortunately for us–can you imagine flying for 16 hours with a TWO year old?!), he’ll be staying state-side with his grandparents.

We’ve already done quite a bit of traveling with the boys. David rode on his first plane when he was about 9 months old, and I’ve already flown solo with Jacob down to Phoenix. Of the times that we’ve taken the boys on planes, about half of those times have been me by myself, and the other half I’ve had at least one helper. Even though we do have lots of travel experience, we’ve never done a trip quite like this. It will be a very long day of travel (especially by baby standards) and will involve a time change of 8 hours (hello, jet lag!). Plus, we’ll be traveling internationally so there are a few extra precautions that need to be made on that front. Overall, though, it should be a fun little experience for all of us.

There’s a lot to think about when you’re traveling with little people, so I thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned along the way to make things run a bit smoother. First and foremost, just acknowledge that you’re not the one running the show–so don’t get too upset when things don’t work out perfectly. Kids will scream, babies will cry, and things will likely get a bit messy. Just go with the flow, have an adult beverage on the plane, and know that it will all be over in a matter of hours 🙂

This week I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of traveling with the under-two set. Check back tomorrow for my tips on organizing and packing, then later in the week for how we actually get through the airport and our flight.

I’m actually a bit nervous about taking baby on such a long flight, so I’d love to hear about your travel experiences. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any proven travel tips or great stories from your travels with kids!

*Author’s Note* Click here to read about what we did while we were in Cork, Ireland!

DIY Apple Stamp Valentines

February 1, 2013May 3, 20132 Comments

Today is February 1st and, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to make some cards for our loved ones. I much prefer home-made cards to store-bought because they’re more meaningful, they’re fun to make, and they cost less than the off-the-shelf variety. I got my idea for this year’s apple stamp Valentines out of a magazine. For the life of me, I can’t remember which magazine it was and, since I just purged and recycled all of my back-issues a few weeks ago, the world may never know. So, to whichever magazine I borrowed this idea from, thank you!

Apple Stamp Valentines

First, cut an apple in half and trim the bottom to a point so that it looks like a heart. Put some red paint on a plate (we used finger paint because I already had it and it doesn’t stain clothes).

Dip your apple into the paint and stamp it onto paper (I had pre-folded cardstock into small cards for our project). You don’t need a lot of paint on your apple in order for it to stamp properly. Pull the apple stamp straight up off the paper so you don’t smudge your heart shape.

Let your stamped paper dry completely.

After the paint is dry, you can use makers to add a stem, leaves and seeds to your apple hearts. I also added some little sayings to my cards. The sentiments I used were: “You’re the apple of my eye!”, “Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. -Mother Teresa”, and “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. -Galatians 5:22-23″.

I have several blank envelopes from a stationery set that I’ll use to mail out our cards. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Shape-Swat Game

January 29, 2013May 13, 2013Leave a comment

When I was teaching first grade I used to play “the fly swatter game” with my students. It’s a great game that you can use to teach and reinforce basically any concept that you want your kids to learn. It’s a lot of fun, takes very little prep time or materials, and can be played for as short or as long a time as you have. You can adapt this game to work with kids as young as 2, but it’s also a lot of fun for older kids (I could even see playing a version of this game with high schoolers!).

To play, all you need is a fly swatter and some cards with your “learning concept” of the moment. For my 2 year old, I decided to focus on shapes and colors, but you could really use anything you want your kids to learn (see variations at the end of this post). My friend Krista told me about a website called mrprintables.com that has lots of fun, high quality free printables. I found some neat shape templates on the website and printed them off.

Then I just cut out the shapes for my “cards”.
*Note* If you want to be able to reuse your cards, glue your shapes onto cardstock or construction paper for some added durability.

I used blue painter’s tape to tape the shapes up on the wall. Then I gave my little guy his flyswatter and showed him how to swat the shapes on the wall gently (which, in little boy speak, apparently means to strike repeatedly with all your force) .

When it was time to play, I started by saying a shape for him to find: “Find a triangle.” or “Find a square.” and he’d try to swat it. Then we played with colors: “Find a blue shape.” and “Find a yellow shape.”. Then we got really fancy. “Find a green square.”, “Find a round, red shape.” “Find something the same color as the sun.”

The fun thing about this game is that you can really make up whatever questions you want to to keep things interesting. When David would answer incorrectly or have trouble finding what I was asking for, I used it as a teachable moment to show him the correct answer and explain why it was correct. David was having so much fun playing that I doubt he even knew he was learning. Plus, he got to run around the room and hit Mommy’s wall on purpose–every little boys dream come true.

Here are a few variations of the game if you want to play at home with your little ones:

If you have 2 or more kids, have a race. Have both kids start at a designated spot with their fly swatters behind their backs. Then call out a card for them to find and have them race to see who can find it first.
Hide the cards around the room (but still make them visible without having to move anything) instead of just putting them on the wall. Make your kid run around to find the correct one.
Play with animal cards- say an animal’s name or sound and kids have to find the correct picture
Play with number cards- say a number or “what comes next: 1,2, __?” and kids have to find the numeral. For older kids, have them find the sum or solution to a math equation (3+2+? , 6-1+?, 3×2=?)
Play with letter cards- say a letter’s name or the sound it makes and kids have to find the correct letter. For older kids, you can use letter cards for spelling (find the last letter in the word “chair”).
Play with sight words (for ages 4 and up): put a different sight word on each card
Play with feelings (as long as you don’t hurt any–hehe!)- do a Google search for people making different faces (happy, sad, surprised, etc.) and print them off for your cards. Have your little one find the different emotions.

The possibilities are endless. Have fun playing with learning!

7 Healthy Habits For Families

January 26, 2013January 27, 20132 Comments

One of our favorite family past times: the monthly Seattle Adventure Run

A couple of weeks ago at Stroller Strides we were talking about healthy habits that we are trying to implement in our lives. There were so many great ideas, that I thought I’d write a post to share some of them with all of you.

1. Set the example for your kids: I’m really fortunate in this arena because my parents are some of the healthiest, most motivating and inspirational people I know. They have always set a wonderful example of healthy living for me and my sisters. Case in point: My mom got attacked by a dog last summer while she was out running. She broke her shoulder and had to get multiple surgeries on her arm. Three months later she was running a half marathon–with her arm in a sling for all 13.1 miles. Smiling and chatting with other runners the whole way. My dad’s favorite past-times include boogie boarding (yes, he still dons a wetsuit and goes out in the frigid Northwest Pacific Ocean), skim boarding and downhill skiing. They work hard, play hard, and eat well. I learned a lot of healthy habits from my parents, and I hope I can pass those along to my kids–kind of a “pay it forward” for our health.

2. Be Active With Your Kids: My boys are only 2 and 6 months now, so a lot of being active with me involves them riding along in the stroller while I run or walk or exercise. I secretly want to be like “Greenlake Mom”. If you’ve ever been to Seattle’s Greenlake, you know who I’m talking about. She’s the one out there running in the pouring rain with her double jogging stroller in one hand and the dog leash in the other hand while her 5 year old zips ahead on his bike. As the boys get older, I’m looking forward to spending time practicing sports with them, going for family bike rides, hiking, rock climbing, skating–whatever will get us moving and having fun together.

3. Keep bad food out of your house: If you know that you’re tempted to sneak a bite of ice cream every time you open the freezer, it’s probably best to just NOT keep ice cream in your freezer. We have lots of opportunities outside of our homes to eat unhealthy food (parties, dinners out, a quick snack from the vending machine when you’re out and about), so make your home a safe-haven.

4. Keep good food in your house: Replace those food traps with healthy options that you actually like eating. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a huge sweet tooth. I will literally sit down and eat a whole chocolate cake if I’m left un-checked. Seriously. Instead, I fill my fridge and pantry with healthy sweets: yogurt, fresh fruit, berries, raisins and fruit leather and even a bag of chocolate chips (I can eat a few chocolate chips for a chocolate craving and it will usually tide me over so I don’t feel like I need to go and bake myself a cake). That way when the craving hits, I can usually find a healthier option that will satisfy me.

5. Prepare your meals and eat as a family: I consider dinner time to be almost a sacred event. Even when Jon is crazy-busy with work, he makes an effort to be home and at the dinner table by 6:00 every single day. I cook almost all of the food we eat and I even have my toddler “help” in the kitchen. The whole family eats together, talks together, and gets to share a few moments of peace in our otherwise busy lives. Many days, this is the only time that everyone is awake and present in one place at the same time–I wouldn’t give up family meals for anything!

6. Get enough sleep: This is for you and for your little ones. Set a bedtime and come up with a bedtime routine that you do to unwind every single night. 6 AM always comes way too early, so do what you can to make it less terrible!

7. Limit screen time: Everyone knows that watching too much T.V. or playing too many video games or spending too much time surfing the internet isn’t a great idea. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against any screen time for children under age 2. The importance of limiting screen time basically sets you up for a healthier lifestyle in two ways: (1) you aren’t sitting around watching T.V. all day and (2) you’ll have more time to be up doing other things.

The earlier you start incorporating healthy habits in to your life, the earlier your kids can start learning with you. And, if you’re lucky, maybe your kids will even teach you a thing or two!

Now excuse me while I go watch The Biggest Loser with a brownie and a bowl of Doritos.

20 Things I Do That I Never Thought I Would Do (Now That I’m A Mom)

January 25, 2013April 24, 20138 Comments

Motherhood has changed me, for better or worse! A lot has changed in my life since becoming a mom. For instance, before becoming a mom I never thought I would:

photograph poop.
share photos of poop with my friends and family.
eat Mac and Cheese for lunch 5 straight days in a row.
get dressed in the morning–almost EVERY morning–by changing out of black yoga pants (my P.J’s) into black yoga pants (my “outfit”).
count a solo trip to the grocery store as “me time”.
choose a restaurant based on the following criteria: noise level (the louder the better), food selection (chicken nuggets must be on the menu), and whether the high chairs have properly functioning restraint devices.
own 57 balls (and counting…).
actually look forward to dentist visits (one of the only times I get to be by myself, lay in a *relatively* comfy chair and zone out for an hour).
get poop or spit-up on my clothes and debate whether it’s really worth changing my outfit.
spend my few-and-far-between date nights talking about the very children I left just a moment ago.
enjoy folding laundry–sometimes (baby clothes are so cute!).
use plastic party cups to scoop poop out of the tub (in another life those held a nice, cold adult beverage).
schedule my showers like I used to schedule hair appointments–phone calls and calendar entries required.
get a song stuck in my head only to realize it’s the made-up tune played by the baby bouncer or the jumperoo.
forget to shut the bathroom door when guests are in my house.
let the dog lick of the baby’s face after a meal.
wake up to the baby’s cries, get dressed for the day and walk out of my room only to realize that it’s 3 AM
flash an innocent bystander when the baby suddenly rips the nursing cover off of his face.
know every. single. word. in the “Birthday Party” episode of Blue’s Clues.

And, finally–

20. love two tiny people with a love so big that I would give my very life for them.

Potty Training Bootcamp!

January 22, 2013March 12, 2013Leave a comment

TMI warning: bodily functions will be discussed in this post. If you are not a parent accustomed to daily conversations including the words “pee”, “poop” and “potty” you may want to stop reading now.

Last weekend we embarked on a new adventure as parents: potty training our first child! I’ve actually been wanting to start potty training David for a few months now but the timing just hasn’t been right with events and life changes happening in our family. At 27 months old, David is definitely ready for the potty, though. So, we decided to move forward with the potty and we’ll just deal with life as it happens.

We decided to do our own version of the 3-day potty training method, or as I fondly refer to it, potty training bootcamp. I didn’t ever read the official book on the 3-day method, but I got the gist of it from friends and from what I could find online. Basically, you stay home for 3 days and don’t leave the house. You give your toddler copious amounts of liquid so they have to pee a lot and you run them to the bathroom every few minutes to see if they can get anything in the toilet.

The idea is that after this intensive introduction to the potty, your toddler will start to understand how everything works. Then, for 3 months the trainee goes bare-bottomed at home and only wears loose pants out in public (no pull-ups or undies yet–they still feel too much like a diaper). Accidents are to be expected for awhile, but the kid should basically be staying dry by the end of the 3 month training period and you can make a big deal about going to a store to pick out some fancy new big kid underwear.

David actually took to the potty pretty well right from the get-go. Over Christmas we spent a lot of time with his “big cousin” Noah (who David idolizes and, consequently, who uses the potty like a champ). In fact, the first thing David said when we sat him on the potty was, “just like Noah pees!”.

We had a few “misses” on the first day, and 5 “successes” (plus a poop in the tub–which David has NEVER done before–so I’m not sure if that counts as a miss or a success. Obviously he missed the target, but I count poop in the tub vs. on my couch a bit of a success…). On day 2, he had 2 “misses” back-to-back, then a success, then a poop on the floor of the bathroom after he got off the toilet because he “didn’t have to go yet”, followed by 3 more successes. On day 3 we started with 2 back-to-back “misses” and then a few successes, and then a couple more misses–day 3 was actually not as successful for D as day 1!

I was fortunate to have Jon home all weekend to help out (I don’t know how I would have done it alone, especially while taking care of Jacob!). Then, on Monday, my sister came up because she had the day off for MLK day (I didn’t plan this, but it worked out pretty great having a holiday weekend for the potty training).

Today is my first day going solo. We went to Stroller Strides this morning (our first time leaving the house since operation potty training began on Saturday). David had an accident on the floor of the gym right before class began, but we rushed to the toilet and he finished the deed in there. He also had another successful pee in the toilet before we left to drive home. Then, when we got home, he got his first #2 in the toilet! He’s definitely still learning, but I know that he’ll get it with enough time and patience.

If you’re ready to start your own potty training bootcamp with your toddler, you’ll need a few things to make everything run smoothly. Here are a few things helpful items you may want to have on hand:

Sanitation: Cleaning supplies for the misses (they will happen).

Entertainment: A nice selection of reading material for all the time you’ll be spending on the potty waiting for something to happen. I got this whole bag of books from our library, including several potty-themed classics such as “Everyone Poops”, “Even Firemen Go To The Potty” and (David’s favorite) “Where’s The Poop?”.

Fashion: Some nice comfy clothes for wearing around the house. I love these leg warmers from Baby Legs since he has to be bare-bottomed for the next 3 months in the dead of winter. I decided not to have David model the outfit because he is bare-bottomed and this is a rated-G blog.

Sustenance: This weekend we let David have as much juice as he wanted so we could get lots of practice peeing (a very special treat since he usually only gets milk or water). We kept a water bottle in the bathroom so he could sip as he sat on the potty–it seemed to get things flowing a bit better than just sitting and waiting for the urge.

Reward: We decided to get David a special reward for poop in the potty. He loves balls and he loves candy–so I figured this was the perfect reward. He’ll get one chocolate ball for every poop he gets in the toilet.

Just in case: I’m a bit nervous about how things will go once we leave the house, so I’m going to lay puppy training pads down in his car seat and stroller for awhile. It seems like it will be easier to toss one of these guys out than take apart his car seat to wash it if an accident should occur.

The non-material necessity: Patience. This is what our bathroom looked like after day 2 (can you tell David enjoys the toilet paper?). Potty training is a big deal and it will take awhile for everything to click. For now, I’m aiming for learning, not perfection!

*Update After 6 Weeks Of Potty Training*
We’ve officially been potty training for a month and a half now. David still goes bare-bottomed at home but, after a few eventful outings, I’ve started putting him in Pull-Ups when we leave the house for “just in case”. He does great using the potty when we’re at home (in fact, he’s only had 1 accident in the last 2 weeks) but he still doesn’t tell me when he needs to go if we’re out in public (and if he does tell me, it’s because he’s already peed in his pants). For a little peace of mind (for me) I decided that the Pull-Ups were necessary (I do feel a bit like I’m cheating, but I also have a 7 month old baby so I’m giving myself a little grace here. It’s already stressful enough leaving the house without worrying about possibly having to stop in the middle of the grocery store, leave a full cart of groceries, run to the bathroom, change David’s clothes, and finish the trip with even an ounce of sanity.).

Since David is so good about going using the potty at home now, I’ve learned that if my trips out of the house are less than 3 hours he’ll usually hold it until we get home anyway so he can use the potty he’s familiar with. He doesn’t like having “accidents” and he is proud of himself for learning to use the potty. He definitely prefers his little potty that’s on the ground to the potty seat on the big toilet–mostly because he can get on it without any assistance (even with a step-stool he can’t quite reach high enough to sit on the big potty by himself).

He’s also great about getting poops in the potty. After the initial day where he pooped in the tub, he figured out the whole #2 thing really quickly. We have not had a single #2 accident since that first week!

The next challenge will be at the end of our 3-month “bare-bottom time” when we move on to big boy undies. For now though, I’m confident that he’ll be ready for the transition when it comes.

DIY “Cloud Dough” For Kids

January 21, 2013April 24, 2013Leave a comment

I found a recipe for “cloud dough” on Pinterest a few weeks ago and had been wanting to make it for David. Since we’ve been hanging out at home all weekend potty training, I thought it would be the perfect novel activity to help pass the time.

This afternoon while David was napping I whipped up a batch of the cloud dough. Basically, you just mix together 8 cups of flour with 1 cup of baby oil (I actually ended up using about 1 1/4 cup baby oil to get the consistency I was looking for, which was about 3/4 of the bottle). I just used the cheapest flour I could find in bulk and a generic brand of baby oil, for a grand total of $2.00 for all “ingredients”. I mixed my cloud dough with my hands in this old Lego Duplos bin that I’d been hanging on to for such a use as this (it’s nice and sturdy and has a good lid that snaps into place so I can use it to store my cloud dough after playing).

When David woke up from his nap I told him that I’d made him a special surprise–and he loved it! We laid out a quilt on the floor and put some large baking sheets on top for our play surface. Then we used plastic cups to make towers (kind of like sand castles) and our hands to form balls. The cloud dough feels really neat–soft and moldable. It also smells really great because of the baby oil. It does not, however, taste very good (just ask David). David played for a good 45 minutes before he was ready to move on to a new activity–pretty good for a 2 year old who usually gives things about 2 minutes before his attention wears out!

This worked alright as an indoor activity, but we did get pretty “dusty” and everyone ended up needing to change their clothes after play time. Since it’s just made of flour and baby oil, though, I’m sure it will clean up pretty easily. It would be great to make this stuff in the summer and just go wild outside in the yard. You could probably even have “cloud dough” fights instead of snow ball fights!

How To Make Your Own Baby Rice Cereal

January 19, 2013April 24, 20132 Comments

We’re hanging out at home all weekend potty training our “big boy” so I thought I’d use the opportunity to make a bunch of baby food for our “little boy”. I like to make and freeze a few batches of baby food at a time so I’m not having to make small batches every day.

As I’ve mentioned before, I like making my own baby food. It’s cheaper than buying it in the store, it’s healthy (I only make exactly what I want my baby eating–not preservatives or extra additives), and it’s really is pretty easy to do.

Today I made brown rice cereal. This is a good first food for babies who are new to solids, and it can be mixed with any other baby food to give it more texture and a thicker consistency. If you’re so inclined, you can follow my little tutorial on how to make your own baby rice cereal!

1. Start with a milling blade (basically a flat blade) for your blender. I have a Baby Bullet with different types of blades that you can attach to the blender, but you could really use any blender that has a similar blade.

2. Add 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice to the blender (or, apparently, the smiley face cup)

3. Blend the rice until it is a fine powder (about 30 seconds)

4. Add the milled brown rice and 4 cups of water to a pot.

5. Cover the pot until it boils. Once it hits a boil, turn down the heat to low and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes.

6. Test the consistency of your rice cereal. If you want it thinner, you can add more water or breast milk. Be careful, though. On my last batch I added too much extra liquid and it made the rice cereal so runny that it wouldn’t stay on a spoon.

6. Once the ideal consistency is achieved, pour the rice cereal into storage cups. I like transferring the cereal to a large Pyrex with a pour spout for this part–it makes it a lot easier to pour the cereal into the small containers.

7. Feed the baby his yummy rice cereal!

8. Freeze or refrigerate the leftover cereal. Frozen baby food can last up to 6 months in your freezer. When you’re ready to eat the frozen rice cereal, just take out 1 or 2 portions the day before and defrost them in your fridge. The rice cereal will keep for about 3 days in your fridge.

I was able to make about 20 portions of brown rice cereal today. Since Jacob is just starting on solids, this will last us 2-3 weeks if he has 1 portion per day. At a cost of about 50 cents to make this whole batch of rice cereal, that makes for some cheap eats!

School Skills For Babies and Toddlers, Part 5: Social and Emotional Skills

January 18, 2013May 13, 20132 Comments

This will be my last post in this little series about school skills for babies and toddlers. Social and emotional skills often get overlooked when people are thinking about what it takes for kids to be successful in school. As a former classroom teacher, however, I can assure you that these are some of the most important skills a child needs to develop in order to thrive (both in school and in the larger society that awaits them after graduation). Being able to cooperate, work with others, obey an authority figure, and follow the rules (at least most of the time) will go a long way in getting your child through school in one happy piece.

Social Skills
People are social creatures. And, since babies are just little people, they are born as social creatures. Children need to learn how to get along with others from a young age because, let’s face it, they’ll never be alone. There will be many situations that your child will be in where they will need to use good social skills: sharing with a sibling, playing with a friend, or completing a project with a school mate. Here are a few things you can start doing with your budding socialite now!

Socializing baby- Introduce your baby to others and include him in your conversations. Baby will feel included and start to learn how to behave in social situations.
Practice playing with others- Young children don’t really play together, and they are psychologically not yet able to share. So don’t put that expectation on them. What you can do, however, is give them opportunities to practice playing (some day they will actually care that there’s another child there who wants to play with them). Have play dates with other kids who are about the same age (for young children, keep play dates small—1 or 2 friends at a time–so they don’t get overwhelmed) and let them each do their own thing while occupying the same space. If nothing else, they’ll learn that the world does not solely consist of them nor does it solely exist for them.
Solving Problems- Your toddler will throw a tantrum (“But MOM, I wanted to cut the dog’s hair with those scissors! How DARE you take them away!”). If your toddler is like mine, he will throw a tantrum every 15 minutes or so. This is good–it gives us lots of opportunities to practice problem solving. After he calms down from the tantrum, have him help you solve the problem (“Sorry, scissors are for grown ups. Let’s get a brush for the dog instead. Would you like to help brush her fur?”). Get those problem solving skills down solid now–you don’t want to get “that call” from your kid’s principal about the fist fight on the playground!
Obeying- Learning to obey authority figures (you, Grandpa, a preschool teacher) is an absolute necessity. Sometimes when I find David is not obeying particularly well we’ll sing a little song: (to the tune of “Farmer and the Dell”) “O is for obey. O is for obey. Obey is doing what you’re asked, right away.” It’s a little cue for him to listen up and obey (and he knows by now that discipline is coming next if he doesn’t). When I start singing he usually will stop what he’s doing and sing with me–a good sag-way into diverting his attention to some other activity, thus forgetting about the need to disobey in the previous activity.
Following Directions- This goes along with obeying. Play “Simon Says”, “Red Light, Green Light” or “Mother May I?” to practice. Cook together and follow the directions in the recipe. Tell your baby how you are following directions: “When I’m driving I put on my seat belt and always drive the speed limit because that’s the law.” (You’re welcome, officer.)
Teach them how to use manners: Say please, thank you, excuse me, and sorry. Even babies can learn how to say these words with sign language. As soon as your little one starts doing “bad things” on purpose, have them apologize. Then, say “I forgive you” and move on. As the parent, you can also demonstrate apologizing to your little one when YOU’VE done a “bad thing” (“I’m sorry I yelled. Sometimes Mommy gets frustrated when you don’t obey. Will you forgive me?”). If your child has wronged another, have them apologize to them (I even make David apologize to the baby. He’ll give Jacob a hug and a kiss, and then Jacob usually tries to eat his face. I love it!).
Role Playing Social Situations- Does your child get nervous every time they meet a new person? Does he like to hit to get what he wants? Does she scream to get your attention? Whatever your kid does that drives you nuts, practice it. Do a role reversal and pretend that you’re the kid and he’s the daddy–and throw a little temper tantrum for him (he’ll LOVE this!). Then show him the right way to get dad’s attention. Switch roles, and let him show you how to do things right and wrong. Or, before you go out for a play date, “play” play date at home. Practice how you might say hello to your friend, how you will ask to play with a toy, how you will help clean up, etc.
Have them help- Even toddlers can help with simple chores like putting away their toys, sorting laundry, and washing things (this is David’s favorite job! I give him a damp paper towel and he’ll spend the better part of an hour cleaning my cupboards, the walls, the floor, his toys. It’s fantastic.). This gives kids a sense of ownership and shows them that they can (and should) contribute.

Emotional Skills
Here are some ways you can help your baby or toddler get in touch with their feelings. Awwww, baby kisses!

Acknowledge and name emotions- Tell your child what the emotions are that they are feeling in a given situation. When your child is kicking and screaming because you have to leave the park, tell him that you know he’s frustrated by leaving something he enjoys. When your baby is giggling at your silly faces, tell her that you enjoy making her happy. Let your little ones know that it’s okay to feel _____ (mad, sad, shy, etc.).
Sing a song-We sing our own version of “If You’re Happy and you Know It” using lots of different emotions. Each verse has an emotion and an action (or a face) that goes with that emotion: If you’re happy and you know it, then you smile; If you’re sad and you know it, cry big tears; If you’re mad and you know it, make a frown; If you’re excited and you know it, jump up and down; If you’re scared and you know it, hide your eyes….and on and on until I can’t think of anything else to sing about.
Showing empathy-Help your child to notice how others are feeling: “Your brother is crying. He’s sad right now, but he’ll feel better soon. Let’s give him a hug to help him cheer up.”
Find emotions in books- Most children’s books have characters who express pretty obvious emotions. As you’re reading, ask your child (or tell your baby) how the puppy or the princess or the dinosaur is feeling right now.

So, that’s it! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my little series on school skills this week as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. You’re well on your way to having one savvy little student! Feel free to leave a comment with ways that you like to incorporate learning into your days–I’d love to get some new ideas!

School Skills For Babies and Toddlers, Part 4: Science

January 17, 2013May 13, 2013Leave a comment

Babies and toddlers are natural explorers and experimenters. Everything in their world is new to them and requires further investigation. Science, then, comes quite naturally to young children. Here are some ways I help guide my kids in their scientific discoveries!

Make Observations

Note properties of objects in your baby’s world: the size, shape, color, feel, smell, taste (when appropriate. Which, for a baby, happens to be all the time) and sound it makes. For instance, when you’re feeding ducks at the duck pond you can say, “See the duck in the pond? It’s a small brown duck. It makes a quacking sound. Feel a feather. It’s soft and shiny.”
Compare objects and their properties- Which slide in the park is bigger? Which snack tastes saltier, the cracker or the grape? What shape is the cover of the book we just read? Which is softer, your blanket or the baby wipes case?
When you’re at the park, on a walk, or even in your living room just stop and make observations. What sounds can you hear (a bird, an airplane, the dishwasher)? How does it feel (warm, hot, cold)? What can you smell (a flower, fresh-cut grass, dinner cooking in the oven)?
Play peek-a-boo: your baby will be observing you like crazy!
Describe your food: “See this grape. It’s green and round like an oval. It’s smooth and shiny. Let’s taste it. Yum! It’s sweet and juicy, even a bit tart.”
Point out “same” and “different”: “See these two toys? They are both the same because they’re both blue and can fit in my hand. They’re different because this one bounces and this one makes a rattling sound when I shake it.”
Turn off all the lights when it’s getting dark out and play with flashlights. See if your little one can find objects with his light. Or, you hold the light and shine it over the floor–have your little one chase the light (toddlers really are a lot like puppies!)

Explore Cause and Effect

Build a block tower (or soup can tower) and knock it down. Then build it back up and knock it down again. Repeat.
Play “Sink or Float”- Get a tub of water (or play in the bath tub). One by one, drop objects into the water to see if they sink or float. For your older toddler, you can have them make a prediction of sink or float before you put the object in the water
When your child does something naughty (what, YOUR little angel be naughty?) explain–in not too many words–the effect of their actions. When you hit, it hurts. When you throw your food, it makes a mess. When you scream that high-pitched whiny scream at the top of your lungs from the back seat of the car, it makes Mommy veer off the road. Then let your little rebel help make restitution for their “effects” (here’s a rag to clean up the mashed bananas in the carpet, Sweetie).
Note what happens when you blow air into a balloon. If your baby doesn’t startle too easily, let them see what happens when you KEEP blowing into the balloon (POP!).

Experiment and Investigate

Kids naturally want to explore their surroundings. Set up safe boundaries to allow your child to explore on their own or with your guidance. And don’t worry if your toddler gets dirty–they can always take a bath!

Cook with your kids
Play in the dirt, a sand box, or a mud puddle
Make predictions- What do you think will happen if we put this cup of yogurt in the freezer during your nap? (Then eat the frozen yogurt for a snack when he wakes up!)
Make a “sensory box”- fill a plastic bin with sand, dry rice or beans (*Note* small beans can be a choking hazard for the little guys, so use your discretion here). Put some small cups, spoons, or even excavator toys in the bin for digging around.
If your baby wants to see what it feels like to smear pureed carrots through her hair, let her give it a go. If your toddler wants to help dress himself in mismatched boots and backward sweat pants, let him. Young children learn by doing, even if it’s something we’d rather they not be doing. As long as they’re safe, there’s no harm in letting them experiment.
Put baby in a backpack and go for a good ‘ol nature walk. Point out the plants, animals, sights, and sounds around you.
Explore static- Rub a balloon on your hair and watch it stand up
Explore friction- Rub your baby with her towel to warm up after a bath

Weather and Temperature

Talk about the weather when you look outside in the morning, are driving in the car, or are playing in the park. Play meteorologist for your baby and name the weather: sunny, cloudy, foggy, snowy, rainy (or, if you’re from Seattle, you can use the fancy rain words: drizzly, showers, downpour, sprinkles, misty, monsoon).
Talk about day and night, morning and afternoon- note how it gets dark and night and light during the day. The sun (or, in Seattle, the light clouds) come out in the day and the moon comes out at night.
Notice temperature changes- it’s warm inside and cold outside (at least where I’m from. If you’re lucky, you live in a place where it’s cool inside and hot outside. Can you tell it’s winter in Seattle right now?)

Know Your Body

Sing and “play” “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”–point out the body parts on your baby as you sing or have your toddler point them out on himself.
Lay your baby on her back and gently touch a body part and say what it is. Repeat 3-4 times before moving on to another body part: “Where is your chin? There’s your chin! There’s your chin! There’s your chin!”
Use proper names when talking about your child’s body parts. You might feel weird saying the proper name instead of some other cutesy word, but it’s important for kids to learn the correct vocabulary.
Read body books- As you’re reading, have your child find the body parts that are in the book. One of my favorites is “Here Are My Hands” by Bill Martin Jr.

Have fun exploring with your baby–you will probably both learn a lot in the process!

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Category: Kids and Parenting