Tag Archives: Family

Tips for addressing throwing behavior

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Let’s be honest: isn’t it annoying when cute little babies or toddlers start throwing stuff? And you can’t even reason with them!

throwing

Here are five reasons why babies or toddlers might exhibit throwing behaviors, and what you can do about it.

Reason #1: Developmental stage.
From about 9-12 months, it’s totally developmentally appropriate for babies to throw things in order to see what happens when they land. This is a normal part of their cognitive development. They are learning about cause and effect and are often fascinated by the sounds different objects make when they fall. However, 9-12 months is also about the time babies start to test limits, and they often do this by throwing food or utensils during feeding time.

What you can do about it:
Label and describe to your baby what’s happening when he or she tosses that baby spoon on the kitchen floor. Talk about the quality of the sound (loud, quiet, etc.). Describe the mess it made (gooey, sticky, oatmeal or spaghetti sauce all over the floor, etc.). Describe where it went (under the high chair, next to your chair, etc.). Explain what you’re going to do with the spoon now that it’s on the floor (rinse it off, get a new spoon because this one is dirty, etc.). Set limits if the throwing is becoming a problem (such as, “If you throw the spoon one more time, we’re going to be all done.”), and offer them other toys that are fun, noisy, and okay to throw instead (such as rattle balls). All of this will help them start to understand more about cause/effect, which is a huge pre-requisite for higher level problem solving skills needed in the toddler years.

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Reason #2: Seeking sensory input.
Some little ones who are past the 9-12 month cause/effect phase will still throw because they’re seeking a lot of “heavy” input into their joints and muscles (you know it when you see it). One way they can accomplish this is by throwing stuff. Blocks, toy trucks, dolls, you name it. If they can pick it up, they’ll throw it. Watch out…and duck.

What you can do about it:
Offer them a replacement item. Instead of chucking puzzle pieces or shoes, how about beanbags, balls, or stuffed animals? This will provide similar sensory input in a safer way. Direct their throwing by encouraging them to throw toward a target of some sort, such as into a laundry basket or cardboard box. You can easily make weighted stuffed animals for throwing by ripping the seam, inserting a reinforced bag of sand or rice, and then stitching back up. Not cool with them throwing things, period? Encourage them toward other activities that provide “heavy work” to the shoulder/elbow/wrist joints such as safely crawling up and down surfaces of various heights (steps, short slides, pillows, etc.), hanging on bars, pushing things around the house (heavy diaper box, laundry basket, etc.), or walking like a bear. Make a game out of it when you can so it’s both fun and functional.

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Reason #3: Communicating that they’re “all done”.
The most logical way for babies to get rid of something they’re finished with is to toss it, right? Makes sense. Most babies don’t begin handing items to adults in order to indicate they’re finished until about 18 months (but some can learn sooner with the strategies listed below).

What you can do about it:
A) Be physically present with the child and tune in to their cues that indicate they are all done before they get to the point of throwing. Does their eating slow down? Do they start playing with their food? Do they start to drink more slowly out of their bottle or cup? Do they look around the room and show less interest in their toy just before they throw it? This requires you to be physically present with the child so you can intervene just before they begin their pitching practice. As you see them nearing their throwing threshold, you can either ask them or tell them that they’re all done (“Oh, are you all done?” or “You look like you’re all done.”). Then reach out your hand (or stop their hand from throwing), get the item from them, and thank them for it.

B) Teach them the baby sign for “all done”. It basically looks like they are shaking both of their hands at the same time (click here for video). This gives them a more functional and mature communication tool to be able to use in times like this. Teach it to any other caregivers as well so they can be aware of what the baby means when they sign it, rather than just thinking baby is being funny and then they miss the cue and all of a sudden baby starts throwing stuff.

Here’s a sample:
Baby: Slows down eating at end of meal, starts to play with spoon in high chair and motions to throw it
Mom: Stops baby’s hand. “Oh, are you all done?” (Models baby sign for “all done” while saying it)
Baby: Signs “all done”
Mom: “Okay, give the spoon to Mommy.”
Baby: Slightly moves hand toward Mom
Mom: Takes spoon and says, “Thank you! All done.”

You can do this with spoons, food, toys, and more. If you practice this interaction on a regular basis, your little one will start to understand the routine (remember cause/effect from earlier?) and should begin to initiate the sign or words for “all done” without needing to be prompted by an adult.

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Reason #4: Communicating that they’re frustrated.
This can be especially true when they’re playing with their toys. Baby’s first year is typically littered with toys that are pretty straight forward — you shake it, it makes noise; you push it, it lights up. But toys for the late baby/early toddler years are not quite so simple. Shape sorter, blocks, and basic puzzles are great for their development…not so good for their frustration, though. The common response? Throw it.

What you can do about it:
A) Again, be physically present with the child and tune in to learn what their pre-throwing cues are. How long do they struggle with a toy before they toss it? One attempt? Several attempts? Don’t jump in right away. Let them struggle and problem solve. Give them a chance to try. But don’t let them get to the point of throwing. Once they are close to that threshold, then you can jump in and either ask them if they need help or tell them that they do (“Oh, do you need help?” or “It looks like you need help.”). Then help them figure out whatever it is they’re trying to do and give them a chance to contribute to the problem solving process, such as letting them do the final push into the shape sorter or the final slide over of the puzzle piece to fit it in the slot.

B) Teach them the baby sign for “help”. Most kids I know must be taught to ask for help, and it comes back to giving them the appropriate, mature communication tools to be able to do so. To do the baby sign for “help”, simply flip one palm up toward the ceiling, place your other hand on top of it in a thumbs-up position, and raise both hands up a few inches. (Click here for video.) Younger kiddos may do any variation of this because it’s a little tricky, so you just want to focus on establishing a consistent, functional gesture to indicate that they need help.

Here’s a sample:
Baby: Starts to fuss while playing with toy and appears to be frustrated
Dad: “Do you need help?” (Models baby sign for “help” while saying it)
Baby: Establishes eye contact with Dad. Doesn’t yet know how to sign “help”, so Dad takes babies hands and helps her do it.
Dad: “Okay, Daddy helps.” Assists baby with toy/activity, allows her to finish the last step, and then cheers.

Again, teach this sign to all other caregivers so they can be on the same page and will be able to read the child’s cue prior to extreme frustration and throwing. Baby will develop an understanding of this routine over time and you should see a decrease in throwing behavior as a result. I’ve seen a lot of little ones stop throwing things simply because someone took the time to teach them how to ask for help.

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Reason #5: Seeking attention.
Babies learn in the first several months of life that their actions can influence the behavior of others. This is such a basic yet vitally important social skill. Additionally, kids often develop the desire to become the center of attention around 12-18 months of age. Some do it by being silly or performing a new skill. Others do it by throwing. As it turns out, this age often happens to coincide with the arrival of a new sibling or some sort of life change like a family move or transition to daycare or school. It’s not uncommon for kids’ behavior to deteriorate for a little while with big changes like these, particularly a new sibling. So now you’ve got a double whammy. There, I warned you.

What you can do about it:
A) Ignore the throwing behavior, but only as long as it’s safe to do so. If the child gets attention (whether positive or negative) when they throw, or they like the way you respond when they throw (a funny face, funny noise, etc.), they will keep doing it. So ignore it. I know, this is hard. But it’s often effective. Of course, if their throwing risks injury to a person or property, then you can’t just ignore it. That’s where you have to step in and be the parent (or other authority), and use your best judgment about the situation.

B) Provide plenty of positive attention when they are doing things you consider to be “good”. Maybe they are playing appropriately with their toys or doing a good job of helping clean up. Be sure to tell them you notice that! If they are old enough to understand “token systems”, consider involving them in a star chart or marble jar so you can catch them being good and give them a tangible way of understanding when they have done something good. Then they can work toward some sort of reward that you choose or at least that you agree with (a certain movie, play date with a friend, etc.). If they feel they are receiving adequate attention from you because of the positive things they are doing and being reinforced for, then the throwing-as-a-means-of-getting-attention should cease.

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As with most things in real life, there is rarely one “right” answer to addressing throwing behavior because the root causes of the behavior are often intermingled. For example, the child may be all done with their food or toy, but they are also seeking sensory input and attention. This means you’ll have to use your best judgment in order to problem solve how to best address their throwing behavior. If the behavior persists despite your very best efforts or seems extremely defiant, go ahead and mention it to their pediatrician at the next visit. He or she may be able to provide you with some helpful insights.

I hope you can use these suggestions as tools in your toolbox as you endeavor to train up your own (or someone else’s) child to the best of your ability!

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How to Bring “Big Body Play” Into a Kid’s School Day {Guest Post}

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Ring around the Rosies

MamaOT is pleased to welcome its newest guest blogger, Jarrod Green. Jarrod is an early childhood development and behavior specialist, and he’s all about understanding how play and sensory-motor experiences impact kids’ learning, behavior, and overall development. He’s getting ready to speak at the 2012 conference for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) this November, so I’m very honored that he is here to share some of his insights with us!

. . . . .

Many teachers and parents think of outside time as a chance for kids to “burn off some energy” or “get their wiggles out.” But those phrases overlook the benefits children get from active, energetic play.

“Big body play”- play that involves actively and energetically using your whole body – isn’t just something you let kids do so they can concentrate on learning afterwards. Big body play is a treasure-trove of learning experiences in and of itself.

In big body play, children learn to…

  • control their bodies, their senses, and their feelings;
  • cooperate with peers, and take responsibility for themselves;
  • recover from physical (and emotional) bumps and scrapes; and
  • stretch their brains by taking risks and trying new things.

It’s easy to talk about “burning off energy”: after active play children tend to be calmer and better-regulated for awhile. But “burn off energy” is a negative phrase, because it implies that physical energy is a bad thing that needs to be disposed of.

Instead, think for a moment about food. All kids need to eat. Some kids need to eat a lot, some only eat a little. Some kids like lots of different foods, some only like a few. Some do better when they snack through the day, some eat just a few big meals. But nobody can do good work when they’re hungry, and if you don’t get enough food (or the food that’s right for your body) you’ll be grumpy and fidgety and distracted. The same is true of big body play. Kids may have different needs in terms of quantity and type and frequency of active play, but all kids need SOME active play. Finding the right big body play “diet” will help each child be healthy, happy, and self-regulated.

Some children are naturally inclined to run and climb, and don’t need input from adults. But many children benefit from access to a wide variety of options for big body play (so that they can choose what fits them) and the support of an involved adult (so they can feel comfortable taking risks).

Here are some creative big body play activities that an adult can play with groups of children or individuals:

1. Crash Mat. One of the all-time biggest hits. Fold up a tumbling mat and stand it on end. One at a time children run as fast as they can and slam their bodies into the mat, knocking it to the ground with a terrific bang! To add some variation, you can call out body parts (“Hit it with your head!”) or styles (“Run backwards!”).
*Pro-tip: 4 and 5 year olds may be able to stand in line; younger children may just need a clearly-defined area to stand in. A second adult can help regulate the kids who are waiting, if the group is large. The group will ALWAYS be large.

2. Tiger Stripe Races. For a game that takes less effort for the adult, grab one black marker and one orange one (washable, please), and find yourself a nice open place to sit. Any child who runs all the way around, say, the whole climbing structure gets a stripe on their arm. (Roaring is optional.) Occasional calls of “Faster, tigers!” will keep everyone moving. Some kids will do so many laps, there’ll be no more room on their arms!
*Pro-tip: It’s easiest to give a black and orange stripe simultaneously by just holding both markers side-by-side. It’s easiest to give the stripes at all if kids are wearing short sleeves.

3. Tickle Tree. “I am the tickle tree! If you come near, I will tickle you, with my tickling leaves, and my tickling branches!” Kids will gigglingly zoom by as you reach your waving arms to tickle. It’s like tag, but you don’t have to run! And it’s a great one for self-regulation: if children don’t want to be tickled, they just don’t come within arm’s reach.
*Pro-tip: Choose your spot strategically. If you plant yourself (pun intended) in an open space, kids will just gather in a ring around you, which is no fun. Choose a narrow passage somewhere, with just enough clearance for kids to scoot by out of your reach. They’ll run by every time.

4. Rope Games. The classic, of course, is Tug-o-War. You can get a bunch of children on each side, but it works surprisingly well to have a teacher on one side and all the kids on the other. Calling something like, “Don’t you pull me to the fence! I’m gonna pull you all to the slide!” will help them stay organized. Younger children (2’s and 3’s) have a hard time pulling in the same direction as each other, so for them it works well to tie one end somewhere solid. You hold the other end, and the kids hang on in the middle and pull every which-way. I like to shake the rope while shouting, “You kids you! You give me back my rope!” Be careful not to let the rope get too close to the ground—any kids who get on top can get flipped off it. Ropes can also be used to climb up slides, to haul heavy things (see below), and to construct ad hoc swings.
*Pro-tip: A long, cotton-fiber rope is the most versatile and comfortable to use with children. Synthetic-fiber climbing ropes are excellent, but expensive. Hemp-fiber ropes are a good sensory experience, but difficult to tie knots in. Don’t use cheap plastic ropes from the hardware store; they can injure hands.

5. Newspaper Crash. You know how the superhero The Hulk just smashes straight through walls? You can give kids that sense of power too! Two adults hold a sheet of newspaper tight like a wall, and kids take turns running straight through it! It’s a little scary the first time or two, but soon they realize it feels AMAZING. Of course, at the end of the game you’ll have accumulated a huge pile of torn up paper. Give the kids one minute to make newspaper balls, and then everyone gets to throw them at each other! Finally, bring out a trash-can and have everyone play newspaper basketball until you’re all cleaned up.
*Pro-tip: You’ll go through newspaper faster than you can believe. Lay all the sheets out flat before you begin, and start with a pile that strikes you as absurdly large.

6. “Hard Labor.” It surprises many people, but children love to work. Really! The trick is, the work has to be actually hard, and it has to actually be helpful. The easiest way is to give them heavy things to carry. Have the kids carry all the books you own outside for a “reading picnic,” then carry them all back in when you’re done. Have them fill buckets of water and carry them around to water all the trees and bushes. Have them carry gallons of milk from the car to the kitchen. Have them move large rocks or tree-stumps or tires to a new configuration on the playground. Once I asked the five-year-olds to move an adult-sized punching bag from one classroom to another; it took six of them fifteen minutes, but man did they feel good when they were done!
*Pro-tip: Success here relies on the children’s perception of the usefulness of their work. Don’t try to fool them with fake jobs—it’ll backfire! Find opportunities for genuine help, and then show them genuine gratitude.

7. Ring Around the Rosie. There’s nothing wrong with the classics! This one involves surprisingly sophisticated coordination: walking sideways, holding hands, matching timing with other children. But the falling down and the camaraderie are so fun that everyone stays motivated.
*Pro-tip: Do you know the second half? “The cows are in the meadow/Eating buttercups/Ashes, ashes/We all jump UP!”

8. Steamroller. Have all the kids lay down on their tummies side-by-side, as close together as they can. Then help the child on the end roll sideways right over the top of everyone else, smooshing them all underneath. Repeat with each child down the line. This is a great one for kids who want that physical touch with other children, but lack the social skills to pull it off (think of that child who is always hugging kids who don’t want to be hugged).
*Pro-tip: None! It’s as easy as it sounds!

9. Go Away Come Back! A child is sitting in your lap. “Go away, you!” you say. They stand up and take a step away. You pull them back to your lap, shouting, “No, come back, come back!” Repeat until you’re sick of it. This game is, needless to say, hilarious.
*Pro-tip: This is a great game for children to learn the intricacies of social interactions and irony in verbal communication. To help, make sure you are explicit about when you are and are not playing. Use an exaggerated voice when the game is going on, and give a clear “One more time and then we’re stopping” before you finish.

10. Jiggles. Have a child stand facing you, hold them with one hand under each armpit, and jiggle them forward and back as fast as you can. Start with brief, gentle jiggles, and ask if you should jiggle harder or longer—kids will tell you exactly what the right level is for them.
*Pro-tip: This works best at about three years old. With younger children you have to be more careful of injuring them; older children are too big to jiggle without wearing yourself out!

11. The Knock-Down Mat. For advanced players only! “This is the knock-down mat! If you come on the mat, I will knock you down!” Pretty self-explanatory. Don’t worry, you’re not body-slamming kids. You’ll naturally modulate it for each child—some you can bump pretty hard; others you’ll almost hold their torso and lay them down—depending on their needs. It’s a great activity for self-regulation—if they don’t want to be knocked down, they simply step off the mat. But some really DO want to be knocked down, and will come back over and over.
*Pro-tip: Make it clear that this is not wrestling—the grown-up is the only one knocking people down. Also, you probably want to limit the number of kids who can play at a time, until you get comfortable regulating their falls.

Good preschool teachers know that outside time isn’t recess, and it isn’t a time for teachers to stop attending to children. Use creative big body play as an opportunity for learning and interaction, and you and the children will both get the most out of it!

. . . . .

Jarrod Green is a child development and behavior specialist who consults with parents and teachers of young children in the Philadelphia area. He taught preschool for many years, most recently as head teacher in a 2′s and 3′s classroom at Temple Sinai Preschool in Oakland, CA.

In his spare time, Jarrod enjoys cooking exciting foods, training his dog to do silly things, and hosting raucous sing-a-longs with his piano and guitar and ukulele. For more about his professional practice, check out http://jarrodgreen.net

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Five No-Mess Arts and Crafts for Kids

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arts and crafts for kids

This weekend I decided to take my little one with me on some errands and, like any curious parent/therapist, I found myself wandering through the arts and crafts aisle at Target. I find that, if nothing else, these meanderings are a good way for me to stay informed of all the latest products out there on the market. As I slowly scanned this entertaining aisle, I was so excited to see that good ol’ Crayola is doing its best to get babies and toddlers in on some arts and crafts fun…without the mess!

Check it out:

arts and crafts stampers

1. Self-Inking Washable Stampers: No stamp pad. No ink on the face. Just an easy-to-hold cute little character that leaves its footprints wherever those little hands take them.

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arts and crafts markers

2. No-Mess Marker and Paper: Young toddler wants to color on the couch, floor, and walls? No problem! These magical markers only work on the special paper included in the kit. Wow.

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arts and crafts finger paint

3. No-Mess Fingerpaint: Say, what?!?! Like the no-mess markers, this magic goop is specially designed to only work on the special paper. Double wow.

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arts and crafts coloring

4. Washable Musical Rub-Art: Kind of like a MagnaDoodle, with a toddler twist. And there’s music so, hey, that’s always exciting.

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arts and crafts toddler bath crayons

5. Washable Bath Crayons and Canvas: Maybe you’ve seen Crayola’s big kid bath crayons that color directly on the bath tub wall (and sometimes stain the grout), but have you seen this? It comes with a canvas that just sticks to the wall so little ones can color on the canvas during bath time and then wipe it clean.

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Needless to say, I just HAD to get one of these fun no-mess arts and crafts supplies so I could try it with my 13-month-old baby boy and then, of course, report back here to the blog to let you know how it worked.

If you have already liked MamaOT on Facebook, then you probably already know which arts and crafts product I snagged because I posted a picture of it on Saturday. But if you missed the picture or haven’t yet liked MamaOT on Facebook (what are you waiting for?!), be sure to subscribe to the blog or stop by tomorrow to find out what we did and how it went!

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Get up and dance with your baby!

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Have you ever found yourself wondering what the heck to do with a baby who can’t roll, can’t scoot, can’t sit up, or can’t crawl? Um, yeah, pretty sure we all have. Well, you’re in luck, because here’s an idea…

DANCE WITH YOUR BABY!

I don’t care if you feel silly or not, your baby will more than likely LOVE it and I bet it will put you in a pretty good mood, too. Find your favorite groove – be it Funky Town or Wheels on the Bus – and get to work as your baby’s favorite dance partner. My favorite place for baby-bopping tunes is Pandora…try stations such as “Raffi” or “Veggie Tales”.

Dancing with your baby is great because it:

  • gets baby off the floor and into your arms
  • allows baby to experience lots of fun movement and stimulation (such as bouncing up and down or rolling and flying in your arms) before being able to move independently
  • prepares baby for the big task of learning how to roll
  • exposes baby (and you!) to different kinds of music and rhythm

To dance with your baby, all you have to do is turn on that music, find a position that suits baby’s age and comfort, and start bopping around. Dance and sway and sing for 30 seconds or so and then…FREEZE!…for a few seconds to give baby’s body (actually the inner ear) a chance to process all that movement and sort of “reset” for the next round. Dancing with too consistent a rhythm and no freeze breaks can cause your little one to sort of “tune out” the movement and lull them into lala land. Since that’s not the goal of this activity, we want to break things up to keep baby alert and engaged!

Be sure to switch up positions when you dance with your baby so they can experience all different kinds of movement.

You can hold baby facing out.

Facing out

You can hold baby sideways.

Side hold

Or you can roll baby down and make him fly!

Flying baby

Make things really fun and dance with baby in front of a mirror or even during a play date with other dancing babies!

I hope you get a chance to dance with your baby every day and as you bounce and laugh and cuddle, just remember that this stage won’t last forever, so do your best to make the most of these sweet and silly times!

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22 Questions to Always Ask a Potential Babysitter {Guest Post}

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I am pleased to welcome Hannah Munson as MamaOT’s newest guest blogger! Because we parents need a break from our kids every once in a while, it’s important to have a good babysitter or two (or three!) lined up. So today Hannah is going to share some of the most important questions to ask a potential babysitter in order to make the best decision about who will watch the munchkin(s) when you need some kid-free time.

. . . . . 

Female Teenager

Hiring a new babysitter can be a daunting task, and since you’re going to be leaving your child with a potential stranger, you definitely don’t want to hire the wrong person! Since there are hundreds of babysitters lurking in your area waiting for a job, you may soon find that you have a handful of applicants in front of you that want to watch your children. Before you hire one, though, it’s important to know how you can choose the best one to put your mind at rest.

To help make the process easier, you need to act like the boss and treat this like a business. By asking the right questions, you’re bound to find the right candidate. With that being said, here are 22 questions to ask a potential babysitter:

#1 What are your hours? How often are you going to be available? It’s always best to find a babysitter that is going to be open to all hours.  That way, if you need them in an emergency, they will be readily available.

#2 How many kids are you comfortable with watching?  How many have you watched in the past? If you have more than three kids, it’s best to find someone that has worked with the amount of kids that you have.

#3 Aside from babysitting, are you comfortable with doing anything else such as cleaning, making dinner and picking them up? The more chores the babysitter is able to do, the less stressed you can be when you get home for the day.

#4 Why should I hire you?  Let me know about your qualifications. Try to hire a babysitter that has CPR training and extensive babysitting experience.

#5 Will you be able to give me with at least three references? Follow up with these references if you can, and always know how these references are related to them.

#6 Are you comfortable with letting me do a background check? Potential babysitters that say no can raise red flags.

#7 Do you have any children? This is a huge plus if they already have children of any age.

#8 What annoys you? Listen to this answer closely, and don’t let them say, “Nothing!”

#9 How would you discipline a child? If they can’t come with an answer, let them know what kind of discipline you believe in.

#10 Explain a difficult situation you have been in before, and how you dealt with it. Every babysitter has been in a difficult situation before, so don’t let them say they haven’t been in one.

#11 Do you like being around pets? Only ask this question if you have household pets of any kind.

#12 How are you going to get here? It’s best to hire someone who has reliable transportation.  If they are under the age of 16, ask them if the person taking them to your house is reliable.

#13 How are we looking long term? If this is going to be a babysitting job that lasts longer than six months, be sure to know what they can do for you in the future.

#14 What are your favorite activities? We know that children love to keep busy, so ask what kind of activities they will do to keep your children entertained.

#15 Are you comfortable with putting children to bed? Parents know how strict a bed time can be.  If your babysitter has to put them in bed, make sure that they are comfortable with it.

#16 Have you ever dealt with an emergency? Remember, if they don’t have transportation, it’s important that they know who to contact.

#17 How are you doing in school?  What classes are you taking? Ask these questions for those who are in school.  Good grades can show a lot of responsibility.

#18 Tell me a bit about the jobs you have had in the past. If they don’t have any experience, it’s up to you if you want to hire them.  One perk is that rookie babysitters can cost less than the professionals.

#19 Do you have any health problems? Ask them about their allergies or about any other health problems to make sure that they are healthy enough to work with your children.

#20 How do you babysit? Try to get an inside look at how they will babysit your children daily.

#21 What will you do if my children won’t get along with you? It’s always great to throw a curve ball in the mix to see how they will react.

#22 How much do you want to be paid? Ask them up front how much they want to paid.  Just make sure that it’s in a reasonable range.

. . . . .

Hannah Munson is the co-founder of the website HowMuchIsIt.org, the ultimate cost helping resource that provides the cost on just about anything. Aside from working on this website, Hannah enjoys playing with her 2-year old son, scrapbooking, walking, biking, reading and enjoying time with her friends and family.

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11 Benefits of Playing with Bubbles

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bubble forming

Bubbles are one of my absolute favorite things to use when playing with kids, especially those virtually indestructible Gymboree bubbles I mentioned yesterday (read post here). And since I recently began a new job in a new city where I have to start up a new relationship with every single kiddo on my caseload, I’ve been using bubbles with almost all of them on the first day because, let me tell you, it is a fantastic way to break the ice!

Not only is bubble play an easy way to have fun with a new little friend, it’s also a fun way to work on a host of developmental skills, such as:

  • Fine motor skills. Kids have the opportunity to practice pinching the skinny wand, coordinating two hands to hold the bottle and dip, holding the blower with a pencil-like grasp, opening and closing the bottle, and using hands in different ways to pop the bubbles (poke with index finger, “squeeze” to grab bubbles with the whole hand, use two hands to clap the bubbles).
  • Visual tracking skills. Follow where the bubbles go. Some are fast and some are slow. And some will even glow!
  • Hand/eye coordination. It takes serious practice to link up what the eyes and hands are doing in order to accurately dip and blow with a wand.
  • Sensory processing skills. Bubbles are wet. and slimy. and sticky. They feel funny. And the physical act of blowing can be a very effective sensory-based way to help children “organize”, calm, and focus their bodies.
  • Oral motor skills. Obviously. Blowing bubbles is good exercise for little mouths, but it can hard work! Bubble blowers (like the tube-shaped ones) are easier than bubble wands, and kids won’t inhale bubble solution if they decide to suck instead of blow out. Skinnier tube blowers are typically easier than fat ones. And blowing at bubbles that have already been blown and are sitting on the end of the wand can also be easier than straight-up blowing through the wand.
  • Social and communication skills. Kids can ask or sign for “more” and establish eye contact when doing so. And if playing in a group, they can practice taking turns and keeping personal space between their bodies so they don’t bump into or knock each other over.
  • Gross motor skills. What an easy way to get kids to reach way up high, stand on their tippie toes, squat, jump, run, stomp, and kick.
  • Following directions. You can give them directions on how to pop the bubbles with each turn (clap them, poke them, squeeze them, jump on them, etc.) either one at a time or by telling them a popping sequence (first poke, then squeeze, then clap). Or they can follow the directions to a turn-taking sequence (first Johnny pops, then Caitlin, then Danny). The possibilities for directions are endless.
  • Identifying body parts. Pop with your finger, your elbow, your knee, or your nose!
  • Speech skills. I’m not a speech therapist, but I know that /b/ and /p/ (those formed in the front of the mouth with the lips) are early speech sounds that are naturally used during bubble play. A few examples include “Bubbles!” “Bye-bye bubbles!” and “Pop!”
  • Language and cognitive skills. You can teach toddlers and preschoolers how to understand and describe where the bubbles are and what they’re doing by pointing things out when they happen. “The bubbles are going up (or down)” “They’re going fast (or slow).” “There’s a bubble in front of (or behind) you.” “I see one next to you.” “There’s one above (or below) your head.” “It’s to your right (or left).” “That’s a really big (or little) bubble.” “Go pop the biggest (or smallest) bubble!”

Babies often love to watch others blow bubbles and think they’re so interesting, and bigger kids love to play with them in all kinds of creative ways. So grab your bubbles and get ready for some beneficial fun, fun, fun!

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5 great places to find activity ideas for kids

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arts and craftsOver the course of the past two weeks I have featured five different blogs and websites that I have found to be really helpful when it comes to finding activities to do with kids. Because each site was featured one-by-one, I wanted to be sure to put all five of them together in one post so that you could have them all in once place. Cool? Okay.

So on Monday I featured No Time for Flash Cards (www.notimeforflashcards.com), a blog run by a mom/teacher that is filled with TONS of wonderful activity ideas for babies to preschoolers that are both educational and fun. Read post here.

Then on Tuesday it was all about Productive Parenting (www.productiveparenting.com), a website run by education professionals that features more productive play activities for than you can imagine for kids birth to almost-five and, the best part is, you can sign up to have them email you a “productive parenting activity of the day” for as many days of the week as you want! Read post here.

Wednesday we dove into Growing a Jeweled Rose (www.growingajeweledrose.com), a blog run by a mom who is slightly totally obsessed with engaging her young girls in messy play (the messier the better!) and sharing how they learn and have fun while playing with things that are slimy, goopy, sticky, and downright muddy. Yes, this one is even good for babies! Read post here.

Thursday brought an introduction to hands on : as we grow (www.handsonaswegrow.com), a blog run by a mom whose mission is to not only be the best “hands on” mom she can be, but to also share activity ideas in order to help other parents learn how to be more hands on with their kids, too. Amazing mission. Read post here.

And in the following week I rounded things up with a shout out to good ol’ Pinterest (www.pinterest.com), a crazy amazing website that not only helps you organize “pinboards” of all the ideas you find on the world wide web, but also allows you to follow boards of other people’s ideas and…oh yeah…it has the potential to take over your life! But, really, it’s a great resource. Maybe the best one of them all. Read post here.

Have you had a chance to check any of these sites out?

As you can see, each website offers lots of great activity ideas while placing their own unique spin on things. Don’t get overwhelmed, or feel like you have to stay up-to-date with every single one of them. Just check them out, see which one is the best fit for you, and remember to HAVE FUN!

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Activity Ideas for Kids: “hands on : as we grow”

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This week on MamaOT we’ve been featuring various websites and blogs that will give you a creative boost when it comes to coming up with activities to do with the kids in your life. Monday featured “No Time for Flash Cards“, Tuesday was all about “Productive Parenting“, and Wednesday focused on messy play ideas from “Growing a Jeweled Rose“.

Today I am excited to share with you a blog called hands on : as we grow: hands on kids activities for hands on moms. It can be found at www.handsonaswegrow.com.

Hands on : as we grow is run by a stay-at-home mom named Jamie, and she blogs about the activities she does with her two boys (age 2 and age 4). This is a really interactive blog featuring activities that can be searched by the following categories:

My absolute favorite part of hands on : as we grow is Jamie’s challenge to both herself and other parents to learn how to be a “hands on” parent. You absolutely MUST read her post about “How to become hands on with your kids” (click here). It is inspiring, to say the least. She addresses ten hurdles that get in the way of being a hands on parent (like “I’m not crafty” or “I don’t have any of the stuff”) and goes through them one by one to help you get over your fears, insecurities, and excuses about spending quality, hands on time with your kids (and, yes, Pinterest is one of those ways to overcome) — and she does it without an ounce of arrogance or judgment.

Not only does Jamie of hands on : as we grow encourage parents to spend quality hands on time with their kids, she has also issued a challenge called “30 Days to Hands on Play”. As part of this challenge, she asks parents to join her in spending 15 minutes of uninterrupted hands on time with their kids for 30 days straight. And each day, she provides a new idea for how you can spend that time. She also asks parents to do some self-reflection and come up with a simple mission statement about how they want to become more hands on with their kids. It could be as easy as saying, “I want to play with my kids once a day without any distractions for 15 minutes,” or, “I want to learn how to actually enjoy spending time with my kids.” Sounds simple but as a parent, I know, that can be quite a stretch for many of us. Click here to read her introduction to the 30-Day Challenge.

I really can’t say enough good things about hands on : as we grow. I absolutely love Jamie’s heart behind what she does and I would recommend this blog to any parent or caregiver in a heartbeat. If you’re interested in checking out this blog but don’t know where to start, I’d recommend heading over to her “my favorites” page, where she shares a list of some of her fave hands on : as we grow posts (which includes posts related to the 30-Day Challenge). Find her favorites page by clicking here.

I really, REALLY hope you check out hands on : as we grow. To be honest, I haven’t known about this blog for very long and, already, I have been inspired to become more engaged with my baby and avoid interruptions in the precious moments I have with him. I hope it will inspire you, too.

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Activity Ideas for Kids: “Growing a Jeweled Rose”

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If you’ve been following MamaOT this week, then you know we’re working on expanding your kids’ play repertoire by featuring different websites that focus exclusively on fun and educational activities for kids. Monday featured “No Time for Flash Cards” (read post here), Tuesday was all about “Productive Parenting” (read post here), and today we will show you the ropes on how to have fun getting MESSY!

You have absolutely got to check out this blog called Growing a Jeweled Rose: Learning and Loving Through Messy Play, which can be found at www.growingajeweledrose.com.

Growing a Jeweled Rose (GAJR for short) is written by a mom named Crystal who has two girls named “Jewel” and “Rosie” (hence her cleverly titled blog), and she primarily writes about how she and her kids explore and learn through sensory play, which often includes getting really, ridiculously, unbelievably messy! Crystal is the queen of messy play and she also rules the school when it comes to glow-in-the dark fun, especially during bath and water play.

Messy play is a very important part of childhood but I find that many parents are either afraid to let their kids get messy (understandably) or they are okay with it but they just don’t know where to start. I give Crystal major props for having the courage not only to allow her girls to engage in full-body mud baths (oh yes she does!), but also to share her ideas, experiences, and awesome pictures of how to do it all. Additionally, I am in love with the fact that she hosts messy play dates for her kids and their friends!!

Here are some of my favorites from Growing a Jeweled Rose (click on title for link):

I am seriously thinking about starting to host messy play dates myself and if you and I live in the same town…watch out…things are about to get messy.

Head on over to Growing a Jeweled Rose and join in on the goopy, muddy, slimy, messy fun!

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Activity Ideas for Kids: “Productive Parenting”

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This week on MamaOT we are focusing on expanding your activity repertoire so you can stock up on great ideas for how to play with the kids in your life!

Yesterday I introduced you all to a great kids’ activity blog called No Time for Flash Cards: Learning and Play for Babies, Toddlers, and Kids, which can be found at www.notimeforflashcards.com.

Today I want to introduce you to another site filled with hundreds and maybe even THOUSANDS of educational activity ideas for you do with your minis. It’s called Productive Parenting and can be found at www.productiveparenting.com.

Productive Parenting is a website (not a blog) filled with activity suggestions that have been submitted by professionals with Masters’ Degrees in Education, so you know they are developmentally appropriate activities that are, indeed, productive. You can search activities based on:

  • AGE — early/middle/late infant, early/middle/late one-year-old, early/middle/late two-year old, early/middle/late three-year-old, early/middle/late four-year-old
  • CATEGORY — daily living skills, exploring our world, fun with numbers, language/pre-reading, science adventures, sensory experiences
  • SKILLS LEARNED – attention span, balance, bilateral coordination, body awareness, cause and effect, classifying, concept development, coordination, counting concepts, creative expression, creative movement, emotional development, eye foot coordination, eye hand coordination, fine motor, grasp and release, gross motor, imagination, language development, listening, lower body strength, matching, object permanence, patterning, pre-writing, problem solving, rhythm exploration, role play, self concept, sensory development, sequencing, size and shape discrimination, smelling discrimination, social development, sorting, sound discrimination, spatial awareness, tactile stimulation, trust, upper body strength, visual development, visual discrimination, visual stimulation, visual tracking, vocabulary enrichment

Whew!

The unique thing about this website is that you can sign up to have them email you a “productive parenting” activity as many days of the week as you’d like, so you can start off your day with a bit more inspiration than that over-sized cup of coffee can give you. Very cool!

I do have two words of caution about using this website:

  1. Though all of the activities are educationally sound, I’ve found many can come across as “drill-like” (something that yesterday’s website really tries to avoid). While you shouldn’t drill your eleven-month-old on whether the stuffed bear is sitting “on top”, “next to”, or “under” the chair (a suggestion I received in my inbox the other day), those are certainly good concepts to incorporate into and emphasize in your everyday interactions with your sponge-like baby. My advice: keep the activity suggestions in the back of your mind and don’t take them so literally that you end up making learning un-fun for your little one.
  2. In the “pre-writing” skill area, there is an activity for middle one-year-olds called “Holding Crayons”. In it, they recommend giving the child thick crayons and then encouraging them to scribble while using a pincer grasp (pinching with thumb and index finger while resting crayon on middle finger). First of all, DON’T PUT THICK CRAYONS IN LITTLE HANDS! Thick crayons prevent little hands from developing the small muscles in the hands necessary for strong writing and fine motor skills. Secondly, DON’T MAKE A ONE-YEAR-OLD HOLD A CRAYON WITH A PINCER GRASP. It’s fine — actually, it’s expected — for a one-year-old to hold a crayon with a fisted grasp. Click here for an easy-to-understand image of the progression of handwriting grasp. Give kids regular crayons, trianglular crayons, or short crayons/crayons that have been broken in half (click here to read why).

Overall, Productive Parenting is a really helpful website for anyone looking for an easily accessible list of educational activities for kids under age five. It’s a great resource to help you find some favorite activities, and the fact that they can email you ideas on a daily basis is a huge plus. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Check back tomorrow to learn about a great kids’ activity blog that’s all about getting MESSY!!

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