It’s springtime! The weather is getting warmer, the sun is out, and it’s the perfect time to get out and play! Although playtime is typically associated with children, play is incredibly important for adults and children. Play aids in child development and contributes to the social and emotional well-being of people of all ages. However, despite all these benefits, playtime has seen a significant reduction in recent years. The 21st Century has brought plenty of new achievements and exciting inventions, however, the expansion of electronics and smartphones has greatly reduced free play in our children’s lives. In fact, much of […]
Tag: kids
Goal Setting in the New Year
It’s the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. It’s time for new year resolutions, vision boards, and planning for the upcoming year. The start of the new year is the perfect time to assess what’s working and/or not working in order to make plans for improvement. It’s also a great opportunity to teach kids about goal-setting and the importance of working hard to achieve their goals. Goals are important because they provide a measurable guide for improvement. Well-set goals allow people to focus their energies and make decisions with intention as they strive to meet their goals. Additionally, […]
Stopping the End of Summer Blues
Summertime is ending and it’s time to think about going back to school, which can cause a lot of mixed emotions. The stress and anxiety people feel at this time can happen for a variety of reasons. Teachers and childcare workers may worry about setting classroom expectations and dealing with a new classroom dynamic. Parents may worry about scheduling and transportation. Children worry about doing homework, getting lost, being separated from their parents, and not knowing the other kids in their class. Regardless, going back to school is a change, and with change comes uncertainty. Here are some tips for […]
6 Tips for Choosing the Best Activities for Your Kids
Engaging in extracurricular activities such as sports, music, and/or clubs has been shown to provide social, mental, and physical benefits for children. Not only that, it can help provide structure, teach time management skills, and allow your child to learn new skills. That said, it can be difficult to find the right activity, and it can also be difficult to find the right balance between structured activities and free, playtime. Here are some tips to help you and your children find the activities that best suit your needs. Make Sure Your Child Is Ready From younger and younger ages, it […]
Making Perfect Attendance a Reality and Not a Dream
There are a lot of mixed feelings at the beginning of the school year. Some kids are excited and love going to school to see their friends and meet their new teachers. However, more anxious and socially reserved kids would much rather stay in the safety of their homes. Most kids will fall somewhere in the middle of this range of extremes, but regardless going back to school is an adjustment that takes time. However, it’s not just our kids who can feel stressed at this time of year. Teachers and childcare workers have new classroom dynamics to work […]
It’s Time to Get Moving!
April is National Move More Month, a monthly observance created by the American Heart Association to remind us all of the importance of being active. Over time, Americans have developed a more sedentary lifestyle, which has lead to a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, memory problems, and an overall shorter lifespan. Move More Month is a great reminder that physical activity is essential for living a long and happy life. As the weather continues to get warmer, now is the perfect time to reevaluate activity schedules in order to ensure that we’re all hitting our fitness […]
Getting Your Little Ones Ready to Write
February always makes me think of Valentine’s day. Valentine’s Day is often associated with lots of hearts and chocolates, but when I think of the holiday I recall spending hours writing up my Valentines to deliver to my classmates’ special, heart-shaped boxes. At younger ages, this was an arduous task with lots of erasing and struggling to spell names correctly. However, as the years progressed it became more enjoyable and is one of my treasured memories. Every year this holiday tradition continues, and kids of all ages like to participate in sending out their Valentines. But what age is appropriate […]
Supporting Children’s Mental Health
As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close here are some thoughts on how to support younger children’s mental wellness. It can be easy to think of mental health issues being the purview of teenagers and over-worked adults, but these challenges can face a person of any age. Children may feel intense stress or anxiety about what is going on in the world, their school, or at home. But they do not have the tools and vocabulary of teenagers or adults to articulate what they’re feeling. Starting the conversation on mental health early can help set up your child […]
Enjoying the Summer Scorchers
“We’re in for another scorcher!” has become an all too frequent refrain this summer. With global temperatures on the rise and heat waves cascading across North America, the risks of heat exposure are also increasing severely. Is it even possible to enjoy those precious few months of summer? How can your children stay safe in extreme temperatures? Is there anything you can do about it? Right now, 2020 takes the cake for the hottest year ever recorded, but phew! 2021 seems to be doing its best to give 2020 a run for its money! Despite the blazing sun and scorching […]