Water Play

Water Play is one of the amazing things that we are able to offer our students during the Summer. Not only is it a fun and engaging activity to partake in it is also a learning tool for them! Below are some of the ways that water play helps each child to grow!

Balance and Strength

Though it might look like your child is just splashing around, water play can help improve children’s balance and strength. Playing in water is like playing in a brand new playground where even the simplest activities, like clapping your hands or jumping, are a whole new sensory experience. 

Coordination

Swimming develops muscles and motor skills and helps improve coordination. Kicking movements engage the core, and can help children learn how to coordinate both sides of their body to move through the water. When children swim, dance, throw objects or practice any movement in water they’re developing coordination.

Communication and Social Skills

Water play allows children to explore and interact with each other. New experiences and discovering new things within shared spaces offer a great opportunity for social development. As children play, they will be excited to communicate their discoveries to everyone around them. This is a confidence booster for kids! Because water play typically occurs in a limited space with few supplies, children practice sharing with each other and working together while engaging in play. There are many opportunities for communication development and social growth during water play!

Exploration and Learning

Bodies of water offer endless opportunity for physical experiments and discoveries. Children may have already investigated wood, dirt, sand, rocks, and other dry substances. But what happens when these substances are mixed, sifted or dropped with water? Children also get the opportunity to think about concepts like water displacement and volume as they explore in a body of water. Water supports a variety of life forms like fish and frogs, so water play can lead to new biological adventures as well!

Water play can be a fun summer activity and also allow children the opportunity to practice many valuable skills. But it is important to remember to never let children play in or nearby water unsupervised. Don’t allow children to play with non-CPSC approved toys, and do not trust flotation devices solely to support a child who cannot swim on his or her own.

  Safety Tips  

• Don’t leave your child unattended, even for a second, near water — including bathtubs!
• Have all caregivers become trained in CPR in case of an emergency.
• If you have a pool cover, ensure it is completely removed before swimming and do not allow your child to walk or crawl on it.
• Enforce rules around the pool. Children should not run near the pool or push others underwater.
• Make it clear that some activities, like bike riding, should not be done near the water.
• Flotation devices are not a substitute for supervision. Always stay within an arm’s length from baby.
• Life jackets should always be worn when riding on a boat.
• The AAP says children are not typically ready for formal swim lessons before their first birthday. But remember: swimming lessons are meant to increase a child’s comfort level in the water but do not replace caregiver supervision!

https://pathways.org/blog/splish-splash-the-benefits-of-water-play-for-children/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_r3nBRDxARIsAJljleEluxxPoTxKNEbKdwAzsavmEgtITBlY6WyGcF0B3yaClDYUKFgDAVcaAl2XEALw_wcB

The Importance of Pretend Play

The Importance of Pretend Play:

Imagination-driven play builds your young child's developmental skills.

Young children learn by imagining and doing. Have you ever watched your child pick up a stone and pretend it is a zooming car, or hop a Lego across the table as if it were a person or a bunny? Your child is using an object to represent something else while giving it action and motion. But this pretend play is not as simple as it may seem. The process of pretending builds skills in many essential developmental areas.

• Social and Emotional Skills
  When your child engages in pretend (or dramatic) play, he is actively experimenting with the social and emotional roles of life. Through cooperative play, he learns how to take turns, share responsibility, and creatively problem-solve. When your child pretends to be different characters, he has the experience of "walking in someone else's shoes," which helps teach the important moral development skill of empathy. It is normal for young children to see the world from their own egocentric point of view, but through maturation and cooperative play, your child will begin to understand the feelings of others. He also builds self-esteem when he discovers he can be anything just by pretending!
• Language Skills
  Have you ever listened in as your child engages in imaginary play with his toys or friends? You will probably hear some words and phrases you never thought he knew! In fact, we often hear our own words reflected in the play of children. Kids can do a perfect imitation of mom, dad, and the teacher! Pretend play helps your child understand the power of language. In addition, by pretend playing with others, he learns that words give him the means to reenact a story or organize play. This process helps your child to make the connection between spoken and written language — a skill that will later help him learn to read.
• Thinking Skills
  Pretend play provides your child with a variety of problems to solve. Whether it's two children wanting to play the same role or searching for the just right material to make a roof for the playhouse, your child calls upon important cognitive thinking skills that he will use in every aspect of his life, now and forever.
   
  Does your child enjoy a bit of roughhousing? Great! Some researchers in early brain development believe that this sort of play helps develop the part of the brain (the frontal lobe) that regulates behavior. So instead of worrying that this type of activity will encourage him to act out or become too aggressive, be assured that within a monitored situation, roughhouse play can actually help your child learn the self-regulation skills needed to know how and when this type of play is appropriate.
• Nurturing the Imagination
  Not enough pretend play at your house? Consider creating a prop box or corner filled with objects to spark your preschooler's fantasy world. You might include:
• Large plastic crates, cardboard blocks, or a large, empty box for creating a "home"
• Old clothes, shoes, backpacks, hats
• Old telephones, phone books, magazines
• Cooking utensils, dishes, plastic food containers, table napkins, silk flowers
• Stuffed animals and dolls of all sizes
• Fabric pieces, blankets, or old sheets for making costumes or a fort
• Theme-appropriate materials such as postcards, used plane tickets, foreign coins, and photos for a pretend vacation trip
• Writing materials for taking phone messages, leaving notes, and making shopping lists

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/kids-activities-and-printables/activities-for-kids/arts-and-craft-ideas/importance-pretend-play.html 

Prek 2 Muffins With Mom

Today our Pre K 2 class celebrated Mother's Day with a surprise breakfast bar set up in the classroom! The mothers were so thrilled and excited for the surprise and special thought that went into the gesture!

Summer Safety Tips

Summer is almost here and with the changing of the season comes new weather concerns. Summer is beautiful and full of wonderful moments but here in Tennessee we also need to make sure we're aware of the heat and what it means to have little ones out in the sun! Listed below are some great tips and tricks for keeping your child protected and safe this summer! This information was provided by, "Very Well Family"!

1. Practice Summer Sun Safety for Kids

When it comes to protecting your kids from the sun, sunscreen plays an important role. But sunscreen is just one of the ways to guard against the sun's damaging rays. Because the sun's rays can reflect off of the sand and water or other reflective surfaces, hats, and sunglasses can also play an important role in preventing UV damage.

• Apply sunscreen. It can certainly be challenging to remember to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. But that's exactly what you and your kids should do before heading outside, even on cloudy days (that's because UVA rays can go right through the clouds and still cause damage). Use generous amounts of UVA- and UVB- blocking sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply every two hours or more often after swimming or sweating. Studies have shown that people often underestimate how much sunscreen they should be using, so be sure to follow the directions on the package (about one ounce for the entire body is usually the recommended amount). If your grade-schooler is old enough and wants to apply his own sunscreen, supervise the application and remind him to wash his hands when he's done so that he doesn't accidentally rub sunscreen into his eyes. Finally, avoid using combination sunscreens with insect repellants because when sunscreen is reapplied, it can lead to excessive exposure to the repellant.
• Get some sun-protective clothing. Dress your kids in hats in wide brims and tightly-woven cotton clothing or clothes that have SPF built-in (many kids' clothes, especially swimsuits, have sun protection in them nowadays). Try to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is at its most intense peak, and try to stay in the shade as much as possible.
• Shop for some cool shades. Don't forget your child's eyes when you are out and about. Look for kids' sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. You don't need to spend a lot on kid sunglasses — research has shown that inexpensive sunglasses that are labeled as protective for UVA and UVB are effective in blocking the sun's harmful rays.
• Remember that you can still get a sunburn even if it's cloudy. Sunburns do not happen only on sunny days; up to 80 percent of the sun's UV rayscan penetrate the skin, even on cloudy days, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. 

2. Protect Against Bugs

Bugs are one of those annoyances of summer. But insects such as potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes and bees can also be harmful to kids. To protect your child against bugs:

• Use insect repellents to guard against ticks, which can carry Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes, which can carry the West Nile Virus and other viruses. Many repellents are made with DEET, an effective insecticide that is toxic or even potentially deadly if swallowed. If you do use a product containing DEET, it's crucial not to apply the product to a child's hands or face to avoid possible ingestion; it's also important to wash off the product before bed to prevent overexposure to the chemical. Another effective ingredient found in repellents is picaridin, but DEET is the most effective, and what doctors recommend (at 30 percent DEET concentrations) given the dangers posed by viruses such as West Nile.
• An alternative to DEET-containing repellents are natural insect repellents; however, parents should keep in mind that "natural" doesn't always mean "safe." Talk to your pediatrician about which insect repellent is right for your family.
• Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when going outside, particularly at dusk when mosquitoes are more likely to be present.

• Never leave stagnant pools of water around the house. Pools of water can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
• Avoid using scented soaps or perfumes on your child. And do not allow your child to walk around carrying sweetened beverages, such as fruit juices. These sweet, strong scents can attract bees and wasps and increase your child's risk of being stung.

3. Prevent Dehydration

Whether your child is playing soccer with teammates or running around in the park with some buddies, it's important to keep in mind that frequent water breaks are very important to prevent dehydration. Your child should drink water before exercise and during breaks, which should be about every 15 to 20 minutes. On particularly hot and humid days, it's also a good idea for parents to spray down kids with some water from a spray bottle.

4. Don't Forget Helmets

Your child should wear a helmet whenever she is on anything with wheels, such as a scooter, bicycle, or roller skates. A helmet is the most important device available that can reduce head injury and death from a bicycle crash, according to Safe Kids USA. And be sure to set a good example by always wearing your helmet when riding your bike.

5. Practice Food Safety

Foodborne illnesses increase in the summer because bacteria grow faster in warmer temperatures and humidity. On top of that, more people are eating and preparing food outdoors, at picnics and barbecues, where refrigeration and places to wash hands are not readily available.

To prevent foodborne illnesses:

• Be sure to wash your hands before preparing or serving any food. Make sure your children wash their hands, or at least use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, before eating.
• Never cross-contaminate. Do not allow any raw meat or poultry to come into contact with any other food or plates or utensils.
• Consider the temperature. Use a thermometer and be sure to cook all meat and poultry to the correct temperatures to kill any harmful bacteria. Keep all perishable foods in the refrigerator and do not keep leftovers unrefrigerated for more than one or two hours.

6. Guard Against Drowning

Each year, more than 830 children ages 14 and under die as a result of accidental drowning, and an average of 3,600 children are injured in near-drowning incidents. Between May and August, drowning deaths among kids increase by a whopping 89 percent. If you have a swimming pool or if your child will be near one, it is crucial to put multiple safety measures in place to keep kids safe.

• Put barriers around the pool to restrict access. Use doors with locks and alarms to keep kids out when adults are not present.
• Never leave kids unsupervised. Even if your grade-schooler is a confident and capable swimmer, do not leave the pool area without adult supervision if children are in or near the water.
• Remember that drownings can happen silently. You may not hear splashing or a call for help—a drowning can happen in minutes and may be silent.
• Do not use flotation devices. Inflatable “floaties” and other flotation devices and toys can give kids who cannot swim a false sense of security.
• Learn CPR. You may never need to use it, but knowing CPR for adults and for kids is something that can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.
• Learn about the dangers of secondary drowning, which can happen on dry land, hours after a child inhales water into the lungs.
• Do not assume that a teen or relative will be watching. Talk to them about not using cell phones, texting, or allowing other distractions while supervising kids in the water.

7. Avoid Trampoline Danger

Over 90,000 emergency-room visits were related to trampoline injuries in 2001, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Some trampoline safety tips: Never let more than one child use the trampoline at a time, do not let kids do somersaults, and do not allow kids younger than 6 play on a full-sized trampoline, and move the trampoline away from other structures or play areas.

8. Warn Kids About Hiding in Enclosed Spaces

Teach children to never play hide and seek by crawling inside an enclosed space such as a car trunk, chest, or old cooler or appliance.

9. Use Caution When Doing Yardwork

Never allow children to ride on lawnmowers or to play near motorized lawn equipment. Do not allow children under age 12 to operate push mowers and do not allow children younger than 16 to operate ride-on lawnmowers.

In addition to lawnmowers, be sure to never allow your young child to ride an ATV (all-terrain vehicle). ATVs were responsible for 74 deaths and 37,000 injuries in the U.S. in 2008. The AAP recommends that no child under 16 ride on an ATV.

10. Safeguard Home Playgrounds

If you have a backyard playground or play equipment, make sure the ground beneath the equipment is soft enough. Surfaces made of concrete, asphalt or dirt are too hard and do not absorb enough impact in the event of a fall. Instead, the CPSC recommends using at least 9 inches of mulch or wood chips.

https://www.verywellfamily.com/top-summer-safety-checklist-tips-620524