Home with kids during Covid-19

Former TLC Mom Miara

My name is Miara and I am a 27-year-old mother of two girls. I like to read, draw, do crafts with my kids, and just plain have fun.

This is Nieomi. She is 7 years old. She is a second grader full of creativity, sarcasm, and love. Her favorite color is blue. If you can't tell by the picture, Nieomi loves to cook. When she isn’t playing sports or reading a book, we love to bug hunt and play outside together!

This is Marcy. She is 2 years old. She is definitely in her “terrible twos” and into everything. She loves elephants and hats. If you couldn’t tell she also loves boxes. Marcy is full of energy and never stops moving.

Toddler Fun
If you have an empty box you can give your child crayons and let them get creative. Marcy loves to color in her boxes.

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Blog Post #15, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday July 13th

Welcome to week number 15! Another week and more activities to do. I feel like I’m always on the run and that’s okay. I am still learning to balance life. Most of the activities I do don’t take long at all. I understand the struggle of having kids and limited opportunities to socialize. My goal is to offer you some quick and easy crafts that help you bond with your child and let creativity blossom. I use everyday household items as much as possible so we don’t need to break the bank as they say!

This Week’s Activities:

Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeders

This is a great way to recycle those toilet tissue and paper towel rolls! You can make a bigger feeder our of a paper towel roll. We used toilet paper rolls because that’s what we had on hand :) We had a lot of fun with this one! You will need a toilet paper roll, creamy peanut butter, birdseed, two sticks, some cord or string, a plate or something to put the seed on, a spoon, and some scissors.
1. Gather all materials and set on a level surface
2. Cut a small hole near the bottom of the tube. Next cut another small hole directly across from the first hole.
3. Make a second set of holes slightly higher in the tube. These will be used for the sticks.
4. You will also need two holes cut near the top of the tube directly across from each other.
5. Use the spoon to spread creamy peanut butter all over the top of the tube all the way down near where you made the holes.
6. Put the seeds on the plate or whatever you have chosen to hold them. Help your child roll the tube in the birdseed.
7. Add the sticks to the holes at the bottom of the tube.
8. Cut off some cord or string and tie each end to one of the holes at the top of the tube. Enjoy your bird feeder!

Pickle Jar Piggy Bank

This activity was so much fun! You don’t have to use a pickle jar, any jar you have available work! Please note that a few items will be labeled for parental use only because of how they are being used. For this activity you will need a jar (preferably clear plastic if possible, non toxic paints, a paintbrush, something to put your paints on, a cup of water to rinse the brush between colors, Scissors *Parental Use Only* (optional: You only need scissors if you are poking or cutting a small slit in the cover for the change), Nail File *Parental Use Only* (Only if you cut a hole in the top of the lid for change to get file down any sharp edges), and a newspaper
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Lay the newspaper over your work area.
3. Set the jar on the newspaper and take the lid off the jar. Set the lid on the newspaper as well.
4. Get paints ready. Have that cup of water on hand for color changes! Let your child paint the jar and the lid as they wish!
5. Let the jar and lid dry.
6. If desired use the scissors to add the coin hole to the lid. Then use the nail file to file down any sharp or rough edges. Enjoy your new piggy bank!

Toddler Fun

This week I included a picture of our calm down drawing time! Our family practices relaxing activities throughout the day to teach emotional regulation. This is especially useful before bedtime :). Some of the calm down activities we do are journaling, drawing, reading a story, yoga, and breathing exercises.

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu

Writing is Like Riding a Bike
Helping your child with writing is like helping them ride a bike. How can that be? What is the connection? When given a writing assignment to children, the task can seem daunting and overwhelming. They simply don’t know how or where to begin. They feel stressed and will just resist the whole task. This leaves them and whoever is helping them very frustrated. We all know this feeling and we can understand how our children feel as we have also felt that way at times when what we are asked to do seems overwhelming.
Here is how we can help and here is how it is like learning to ride a bike. The strategy is called scaffolding the learning. Just like when your children are learning to ride a bike, you hold on and support them as they develop their balance. You hold on, then let go. You keep doing this until they can feel the balance and when they do, there they go, steady and on their own. Well, writing is similar in this way. Whatever they are asked to write about, you simply support by saying, “Tell me what you want to say.” Then you write it for them. Have them reread their words and ask them to tell you more. You then can either continue to support them by writing what they tell you or you can say, “Why don’t you write that on your own. I am here to help you if you are not sure of what you want to write.” In this way, you have scaffold their writing by helping them and then when they can, asking them to do it on their own. Like riding a bike, there may be times when they are not ready to continue on their own and that is okay until they gain confidence. But be sure to always ask them to read over what you have written for them. At this point it is important for them to experience seeing their thoughts in print. Reading over what you have written helps with both improving reading as well as helping them with the skill of putting their thoughts in print.

Wrap Up:
I’m still in shock that we are already halfway through the year. I am truly blessed to be able to share my thought and ideas with my readers. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #14, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday July 6, 2020

Welcome to week number 14! This week we enjoyed some great learning activities! Nieomi is very into bugs, so why not do some life cycle activities? I hope everyone has enjoyed some fun and sun this week.

This Week’s Activities:

Ladybug Life Cycle
This is an activity that you use your fingers for painting. Nieomi loves to get messy so she was super excited. For this activity you’ll need a small dot of white/brown/orange/red paint, a green piece of paper, a pencil, a paper plate or something to put the paint on, a marker, and scissors.
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Have your child draw a medium size leaf on the green sheet of paper with the pencil.
3. Cut the leaf out with the scissors.
4. Put a dot of each paint onto the plate or other item you have chosen to put the paint on. Have your child put their pointer finger into the white paint and then put a few white dots at the top of the leaf. Rinse off the paint from that finger and dry it.
5. Now dip the same finger in the brown and put two dots touching in a few place on the right side of the leaf. Rinse off the paint from that finger and dry it.
6. Next, dip that same finger in the orange and make one oval shape at the bottom of the leaf. Rinse off the paint from that finger and dry it.
7. Next, dip the pointer finger in the red and make a few red dots on the left side of the leaf. Rinse off the paint from that finger and dry it. Let art dry.
8. Now use the marker to add two rows of 3 dots to the orange oval and add some spots to the red dots which are the lady bugs. Label your creation as shown in the picture!

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

One of Nieomi’s favorite bugs is the butterfly. We love to sit outside and watch them as we spend time together and talk. This craft is super simple and fun! You will need a paper plate, crayons or whatever colorful writing utensils you want, a pen, and some sort of straight edge like a ruler (If you don’t have a ruler you can use a book or box).
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Have your child color just the outer ring of the plate
3. Use the straight edge on the middle to make a line horizontal and vertical using the pen. You should have four parts in the middle now.
4. Start with the top left and have you child draw a leaf with a few dots on it for eggs. Label this section eggs.
5. Next have your child draw a caterpillar in the top right section. Then label it caterpillar
6. Have your child draw a chrysalis or their interpretation of one in the bottom right section. You may need to explain this one. Label this section chrysalis
7. Have your child draw a butterfly in the bottom left section. Label this section butterfly.
8. Enjoy your project!

Balloon Experiment!

This experiment shows the reaction between vinegar and baking soda and how the two combined release gas. Both kids really enjoyed this experiment. This is safe and fun! All you need is 3 empty water bottles, 3 balloons, baking soda, white vinegar, and food coloring.
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface.
2. Fill the bottles about 1/4th full with vinegar. You don’t need much. Add a different color food coloring to each bottle.
3. Hold the balloons open one by one and put about two teaspoons of baking soda in each.
4. Carefully attach the opening of the balloon to the top of the water bottle. Don’t tip the balloon up yet. Repeat for each bottle.
5. If you feel comfortable, let your child tip the balloon up and help them shake the baking soda out. The balloon will start to inflate. Repeat for each water bottle. Please not if you accidentally add too much vinegar or baking soda don’t panic just bring the water bottle to the sink in case it starts to leak.
6. Have fun!

Imagination Time!
I put out children’s scissors, markers and crayons. Then I gave Nieomi a paper plate. She looked at me and asked “what are we doing?” I simply replied, “you choose and I’ll follow.” I let her take the lead and show me her creativity. The sparks flew all over the place! This is what Nieomi came up with! These are Nieomi’s Halloween edition Pacman! What will your little ones do?

Toddler Fun

This week we did pasta art! We have been slowly adding some messy crafts to help Marcy get more comfortable with mess. She did a great job with this craft! This craft helps kids show their creativity and can help with texture as well if you have a variety of pasta for them to work with. All you need is Elmer’s glue or any kind of non-toxic glue, a newspaper, a plate or something to set the pasta on, and a paper. Just add some glue to the paper or put some on a separate plate for your child to dip the noodles in, put some noodles on a plate and let the toddler create their own masterpiece!

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu
Being fluent in your reading means you do not have to stop to “sound out” every word and thereby interfering with meaning. One way to help a struggling reader is to find a book that is not too hard, but one that is on the level of where your child is….one that has some words that he or she would recognize. Sit with the child and have he/she read with you. Say to the child, “Read with me”, then point to the words as you read and have your child follow along with you. Tell your child when he/she wants to take over and read, he/she can do that. What is important here is when he/she comes to a word that is difficult or unrecognizable, you just say the difficult word and you continue to read with your child following along as you read. Say to the child, “When you want to take over for me, you can do that”. If the child follows you the entire time that is fine too. Just having him/her follow you will be helpful as he/she will both become familiar with sounds and words and practice being fluent when reading. Now the story will have meaning, it will inspire interest, and the child will not feel that he/she can’t master the act of finding meaning in the printed words. This is called paired partner reading. You support the child as he/she follows along with you until he/she begins to feel more confident to try reading on his/her own. Another important aspect to developing fluency is having your child reread what you have already read. That will help your child to recognize words, reinforce letter sound connections and he/she will gain confidence when reading independently.
Being fluent when you read is critical to gaining meaning and it may also motivate your child to want to read more.

Wrap Up:
I hope everyone is able to get some sunshine and have plenty of family time this week! I love doing these blogs. I hope everyone enjoys the activities as much as I enjoy sharing them! Please leave me a comment and I will respond. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #13, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday June 29, 2020

Welcome to week number 13! I blinked and here we are approaching the 4th of July already. Our family is planning more outdoor activities in the future, but Mother Nature has not been cooperative lately. We have been in a mix of rainy days and days way too hot. I hope last weeks indoor games were a huge hit!

This Weeks Activities:

Handprint Fireworks
This activity was simple! Nieomi and I had so much fun and now we have a beautiful creation! All you need is red/white/blue paint, a paintbrush, and a piece of paper or canvas.
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Paint your child’s hand with paint (any color is fine) and have them make a handprint on the paper or canvas.
3. Use the other paint to make lines shooting away from the handprint. We added some white to our handprint as well!
4. Enjoy your new creation!

Fourth of July!
This is a great way to spark your child’s creativity! I gave Nieomi some paint and a paintbrush and asked her what the Fourth of July meant to her. What does she think of? She was so excited. We had some great bonding time over this one! This is her creation.

Journaling
This is a great way to bond! If you set some time aside you can create a space where your child feels comfortable and is able to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Nieomi and I recently joined a journaling group together and it has been an amazing experience so far! Here’s Nieomi’s interpretation if happy :)

Make Your Own Paint!
1. Pour white flour, water, and salt in a bowl. Pour 1 cup, or 8 fluid ounces (240 ml) of warm water into a large mixing bowl. Add 12 ounces (340 g) each of white flour and table salt. Mix the ingredients into a smooth liquid.

This creates a quick-drying, non-toxic paint safe for children of any age.
Adjust the amount of each ingredient you use to create more or less paint. Keep the ingredients in the same ratio.

2. Divide the paint into separate containers. Distribute the paint evenly among a few small bowls or squeeze bottles. Re-sealable plastic bags also work well with this kind of paint.

With a zippered plastic bag, you can cut a corner later to let out a steady drip of paint. This eliminates overturned paint containers and reduces messes.

3. Pour 2 drops of food coloring into the paint. Choose a paint color, then squeeze 2 or 3 drops of food coloring into the paint. Give yourself a color palette by mixing a different color into each container. You can add more drops as needed if the paint’s color isn’t dark enough.

If you can’t find a specific food coloring, mix drops of other colors. For example, try adding 3 drops of red and 1 drop of blue to make purple.

4. Stir the paint to mix in the food coloring. If your paint is in open containers, stir it with a spoon or another utensil. For bottles or bags, close the container and shake or squeeze it. Keep doing this until the paint becomes a consistent color.

If you are using resealable bags, leave the bag open slightly so that excess air can escape. Be careful to avoid squeezing the paint out of the opening.

5. Add more water to thin the paint. Paint made using a flour mixture may seem pretty thick at first. To thin the paint, gradually pour more water into the container. Mix the ingredients together until the paint is exactly how you want it.

Since the paint is non-toxic, you can safely touch it with your fingers as well as pour it from the container.
This paint tends to be a little thicker than traditional store-bought paints, so it isn’t quite as easy to spread.

6. Use the paint on paper and refrigerate excess. The best paper to use is watercolor paper from an art supply store. The paper is made of wood pulp or cotton and may hold up better than regular printer paper. You can also try similar flat surfaces such as cardboard, cardstock, or canvases. Store excess paint in a closed container in the refrigerator.

The paint should be safe to use for about 2 weeks. However, it may harden over time.
Recipe from: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-Paint#:~:text=To%20make%20your%20own%20paint%2C%20mix%201%20cup%20of%20warm,until%20it's%20a%20solid%20color.

Toddler Fun

This week I wanted to talk about food fun! This is a great way to introduce foods in a fun exciting way to toddlers. In our house we refer to this as a variety plate. Marcy loves getting her variety plate and we get to have some learning time as well. I let Marcy know what is on her variety play as well as talk about the picture that I made for her! So for this plate I would say “Marcy I brought you some carrots, orange/red peppers and some fruit loops.” Then I would talk to her about the food looking like a smiley face. You can use this method to teach feelings, shapes, etc. or just plain have fun and make something goofy. I hope your little ones love this as much as mine does!

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu

Fluency, the Neglected Reading Skill
Reading and understanding what we read is, of course, the measure of a good reader. In order to make meaning, you have to recognize words, string them together in a sentence and then process mentally to understand the message embedded in the printed words that form the sentence. That process demands that you recognize letters, their sounds, and how that forms a word. If you have to stop at every word to “sound it out”, or try to recall that word from memory, your reading will be labored and slow not to mention tedious and unrewarding. That work to identify a word will keep you from gaining meaning and soon you will be frustrated and push the book away…not interested….too hard, “Who needs this anyway” will be the response. It would be no wonder that a child or an adult would not be motivated to read at all.

Wrap Up:
I can’t believe another week has come and gone. I hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy the holiday weekend! Happy Fourth of July! Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #12, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday June 22, 2020

Welcome to week number 12! Where did the time go this year? I cannot believe we are almost in July. It has been very hot lately, so this week I focused on activities that can be done outside or inside, wherever is the most comfortable for you and your kids. We made some great games out of simple everyday items that I hope you enjoy while staying cool!

This Week’s Activities:

Indoor Ringtoss
This activity is fun for the whole family! All you need is a square piece of cardboard, a paper towel tube, 8 paper plates, markers/crayons/or colored pencils and glue or tape.
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Decorate the tube and cardboard square with whatever coloring materials you have (markers/crayons/colored pencils)
3. Glue the paper towel tube to the middle of the cardboard.
4. Let the glue dry
5. Take the 8 paper plates and color the outside ring of the plate with the markers/crayons/colored pencils you have chosen.
6. Cut out the middle of the plates.
7. Enjoy your new ringtoss game!

Indoor Hopscotch
It has been too hot lately! Here is a simple indoor activity to keep the little ones engaged if for a few minutes. You will need cardboard (9 equal squares/rectangles and 1 half circle), something to write with and/or decorate the cardboard, tape (optional), scissors, a beanbag or other object to safely toss, and if needed something to make the game no slip for wooden floors.
1. Lay all materials on a flat surface
2. Cut out the 9 equal squares and the 1 semicircle if this was not done already
3. Write the numbers 1 through 9 on each of the squares/rectangles, one number on each one. Write the number 10 on the half circle.
4. Tape the squares together or set them up like a hopscotch board as shown below. If you are playing this game on a wooden floor, add something to the bottom of the board so it will not slip.
5. Have fun playing your new game!

Craft Bag
Craft bags are a great idea for children! Just take a bag and put some random craft materials in it that are appropriate for your child’s age and stage of development. This lets kids use their imagination and get creative. They may need some glue or tape and some help with assembly :). When they are done, ask them to tell you about their creation.

Traveling Water!
This cool experiment takes some time so I would suggest setting it up in advance. When it works, the water transfers from one cup to another and the two colors mix. Please note this does not always happen. As you will see in my results, the red didn’t mix with the blue. For this experiment you will need 8 plastic clear cups, food coloring (red, blue, yellow, and green), and 6 pieces of paper towel folded the long way and water. First fill 4 of the cups about 3/4 full of water and add a couple drops of one color food coloring to each. Next put the cups in a line as shown below (water cup, empty cup, water cup, empty cup…). The last step is to use paper towels to create a bridge to the empty cups as sown below. Ask your kids what they think is going to happen. Let the experiment sit and watch! Were your kids’ predictions right?

Toddler Fun

This week we made Marcy a simple learning toy that she loved. We used it to teach colors, get her thinking, and using her fine motor skills :). All you need is an egg carton, scissors, pencil, cue-tips, markers and something to hold the cue-tips (optional).
1. Poke a hole in each egg compartment with the scissors and then use the pencil to make the holes slightly bigger.
2. Color each tip with a different color and let dry
3. Have fun with your new toy!
To keep your child engaged, talk to them about colors. I pointed to a hole in the carton and asked Marcy if she could put a blue cue-tip in this hole. If she picked the wrong color, I said something like, “Nice try, try again!” Most importantly, have fun.

Literacy with Sue susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu

Where is the magic?
The time to read together can also help to develop literacy skills in order to help children become independent readers when they get to school. That is where the magic happens! When a child discovers that those letters are words that name something they know, they begin to understand how we find meaning in that printed word. For example, when the word dog is seen in print and they connect it to the dog in real life, then the magic happens! They recognize that words name things and people and those things and people when put together create a story. That is when children become readers.
That is why reading with a child is so important. It helps to establish that connection between the spoken word and the printed word. To help with this connection as you read with your child you can point to the word and say “That word is dog, now can you say dog?” Having the child point to the word as they identify a word helps to establish a one to one connection between spoken word and the printed word. But remember to continue reading so the story can be enjoyed.

Wrap Up:
Right now we live in a very different world and we will make it through. I hope that everyone is finding new ways to cope and thrive in this time of craziness. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #11, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday June 15, 2020

Welcome to week number 11! I am so excited about this week. I added a couple of experiments to spice things up! For the experiments please use caution and always supervise the children helping. I hope everyone was able to get out in the sunshine for a few minutes this week!

This Week’s Activities:

Coffee Filter Butterflies

This activity is fun for all ages! The younger ones will need more supervision and help. For this craft, you need coffee filters, markers, a newspaper, a pipe cleaner for each filter used, a little bit of water in a cup or bowl, and a paintbrush.
1. Gather all materials and set on a flat level surface
2. Lay newspaper down and set the coffee filter(s) on top.
3. Color the coffee filters with the markers.
4. Use the water and paintbrush to paint water over the areas colored with marker. The colors should look like tie dye now.

5. Let the coffee filter(s) dry. Take the Pipe cleaner and bend it in two halves. Now scrunch the dry coffee filter and put it in the middle of the pipe cleaner and twist the top to keep the coffee filter scrunched. Now bend the two ends above the twisted piece into the antennae of the butterfly.

Shaving Cream Art
Nieomi and I had a lot of fun with this one. Please note it can be messy. All you need is 4 cups, 4 popsicle sticks, food coloring, newspaper, shaving cream, and white paper.
1. Lay all materials on a flat service
2. Put some shaving cream into each cup and add 2 or 3 drops of different color food coloring.
3. Use one popsicle stick for each color. Mix the shaving cream and food coloring. See picture below

4. Set the white paper on the newspaper. Use the popsicle sticks to paint a picture with the shaving cream! See our creations below!

Shaving Cream Rain Cloud
This is such a fun experiment! The water represents the air, the shaving cream represents the clouds and the food coloring represents the saturation of the clouds. The more the cloud is saturated, the harder it is for it to hold the liquid inside. You need a clear container of some sort, shaving cream, and food coloring. Fill the clear container with water ¾ full. Make a small shaving cream cloud by adding shaving cream to the top of the water. Add 3 or 4 drops of each food color in different areas of the cloud to start and then wait a few minutes. Please note that the reaction will not happen straight away. If nothing happens, add a drop to each area and wait a few more minutes. If you add too much at the beginning, there will be a huge gust of color and it will not have the rain effect as shown below. Have fun!

Bubble Experiment
We really loved doing this experiment. Please note - an adult should do this experiment. The effect is amazing and helps show kids reactions. This can also be very calming to watch. You will need a clear container (we used a mason jar), water, food coloring (preferably blue or green), an Alka-Seltzer tablet (cut in 4 pieces) and vegetable oil. Fill the container 3/4 with vegetable oil, then fill the other 1/4 with water. Add 6 to 7 drops of food coloring. It should resemble the picture below on the left. Add one of the four pieces of the Alka-Seltzer tablet to the jar and it should resemble the picture on the right. As I said before only the adult should be handling the materials for this experiment. After the reaction starts to slow, add another piece to keep it going. I hope this is as calming for you as it was for us!

Toddler Fun

This week we made Marcy a sensory bin! These bins help children create, imagine, and explore. You can make sensory bins using water, sand and other items from nature that your child is interested in exploring. We used rice, pom poms, a popsicle stick, a few sun catchers Nieomi painted, and some gems. All you need to make one of these bins is a container (any size) and random various materials that aren’t choking hazards!

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu

The Magic of Becoming a Reader
One of the most important ways to help children become readers is to read with them. To have a child sit with mom, dad, grandmother, or any family member or friend can have huge benefits. Not the least of which is the experience of quiet time to snuggle with an adult as the book is read. This closeness is valuable for so many reasons. The closeness of being together while reading a story offers a comfort and a sense of security that is important for the emotional health and well-being of the child. It might provide the support that a child needs to feel comforted especially in this very challenging, and what may seem, very frightening time for children. To find a comfortable place to sit and read or to write is very important and can be so helpful for a child’s emotional health.

Wrap Up:
I am looking forward to our lives starting to open up again little by little. I know this has been stressful and hectic. I hope my blog has brought some comfort and relief to my readers. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #10, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday June 8, 2020

Welcome to week number 10! Last week was very rough and trying for my family. We all have struggles and I wanted to use this as a teachable moment for my readers. Sometimes in life, we hit a crossroad. It can seem like you are standing still forever. When this happens, it is okay to stop, think, and feel things out. To help my family, we took extra time for ourselves. I drank tea, ate some comfort food and even sat in silence. I hope everyone was able to take time for some self-care, as it is of the utmost importance. I have included extra crafts in this blog to lighten things up and hope that you and your children enjoy doing them!

This Week’s Activities:

Rain Maker

This activity is simple and creative! The material you will need are an empty Pringle can, paint or something to cover the outside (any kind of paper and tape or glue), things to decorate, rice or beans for the inside.

1. Put everything on a flat level surface.
2. Paint or cover the outside of the Pringle can.
3. Add decorations to the outside (if desired) with tape or glue
4. Add rice or beans to the inside of the cans and tape or glue cover on the can! Want to learn more about rainmakers?! Check out this website
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/rainstick/
Recycled Project!
This is so easy; all you need is some recycled materials! We used McDonald’s containers a box, paper, crayons, glue, scissors and Popsicle sticks. We hope this inspires you! Other great ideas for materials to use are sticks, leaves, rocks, scraps of paper, plastic cups, etc. Just have fun!

Crayon Rain Project!

This activity lit up Nieomi’s eyes. She was so inspired. She wanted to leave the crayons at the top as clouds! All you need for this is a canvas, a marker or writing utensil, extra paper, scissors, broken or extra crayons (paper removed), tape and a hair dryer.
1. Lay all the items on a flat surface
2. Draw a picture with your chosen writing utensil
3. Cut the extra paper to fit over the pictures. Put a piece of tape to hold the paper over the drawing.
4. Line the top of the canvas or paper with crayons and tape the tops to hold the crayons in place.
5. The adult in charge of the hair dryer should blow hot air onto the crayons only for no longer than 20- 30 seconds. After turning off the blow dryer, slowly pick up the canvas to let the wax run down. Lay back down when finished. Let dry. Enjoy your beautiful creation!

Toddler Fun

Shaving Cream can be a great way to get your toddlers creativity going as well as teach them about texture! This activity stimulates the sense of touch, which some toddlers like and some do not. Marcy does not like getting dirty, sticky, slimy, etc. and this was a challenge for her. Luckily, her big sister showed her that it is okay and she opened up to it. If your child does not like the feel of shaving cream, then you can always give them some tools to play with it. Some ideas include Popsicle sticks, plastic cups and straws.

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu
Finding books that are of interest and appropriate for each age level can be found of course in our libraries. The internet is also great resource to find books to listen to or buy. For example, you can google books for a seven year old and you will find lists of books and often summaries of what they are about. There is a site called Storyline Online where children can listen to stories being read. Sometimes if you find a story for your child to listen to, it would help if you can sit with them and hear the story so you can develop those language skills. For example, you might ask “Tell me how that girl felt when her friend said goodbye to her”. Some of these stories have important lessons for social issues or problems that your child might encounter. There are many books now that tell stories about problems that children are facing. For example, there are stories about children who are dealing with bullying or stories about friendship. It is such a good way to talk about things that may be bothering children. Developing understanding of others and problem solving are so often part of children’s books. It is a good way to talk about difficult issues.
Just remember reading and hearing stories should be a fun experience. I hope you find this helpful and I am happy to answer any questions that you might have as you support your children’s experiences with reading and writing.

Wrap Up:
This week has been chaotic and full of surprises. I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Please leave me a comment and I will respond. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #9, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday May 25th

Welcome to week number 9! The sunshine has decided to finally greet us! I am super excited to get out and just play with my girls! There are so many things to do outside. These activities can range from reading to art to playing sports and so much more.

This Weeks Activities:
Marbling
This activity is fairly simple and we had so much fun! All You need is paint, paper and a fork!
1. Put everything on a flat level surface.
2. Take four different color paints and place them as shown below on the paper anywhere!

3. Use the fork in a swirling motion.

4. Repeat in different spots with the same or different color paints as many times as you want! Below is Nieomi’s creation.

Finger Paint Fun!
Nieomi asked to finger paint this week. I usually discuss with her what she would like paint and what colors she would like to use. I was really happy when she turned to me and felt comfortable enough to say I just want to be myself and create today. Finger painting gives children the chance to experience touch. Some kids like it and some kids don’t. Nieomi loves it and Marcy freaked out when she tried it. I encourage finger painting especially for younger ones as it can be very soothing and it helps spark their creativity! Here is Nieomi’s creation!

Don’t have finger paints at home? Try this fun recipe from https://extremecouponingmom.ca/homemade-toddler-finger-paint/

Ingredients:
·       4 cups water
·       1 cup cornstarch
·       6 tbs granulated white sugar
·       1 tsp salt
·       Wilton icing color gels
·       Containers
Directions:

In a medium-sized sauce pan add all your ingredients and whisk until combined.
Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until your mixture thickens.
Turn off your stove and remove from the heat.
Separate into your containers, one container for each color you would like to make.
Using a toothpick add a very small blob of the icing color gel and using a spoon stir until the color is fully mixed in.
Let stand until cool before use or closing lid to store.

Toddler Fun

Marcy and I spent some time this week talking about emotions and making faces to resemble them. This helps her start to recognize emotions and what they mean! Repetition and making it fun is key!

Literacy with Sue

susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu
Experiences with books should be fun. For primary age children that is, from pre-k to second grade, picture books are an important first step to begin the reading experiences at home. “Reading” the pictures with children can help develop language. Asking the children to tell you about what they see in the picture helps to develop vocabulary as they name what they see. Connect the word to the picture.
Using picture/early reader books with children is an important way of developing language skills. Reading picture books with your child is important. For example, have the children look at pictures to tell what they see in the picture. As you read, stop and ask questions. Talking about what is happening in the story is an important way to help develop language. Ask questions about what they see in each picture as they hear you read the story. Ask what do you think is happening here? Or what do you think will happen next? These simple questions help develop language. If the child is able to read, have them read the text and if they have a problem with a word simply provide the word and then have them continue. It is important not to interfere with the interest of the story by teaching them the word. Let them experience the story and that will translate that reading is fun.
Zoos Victoria Website
This week I found a very nice zoo website! They do offer some live zoo cams if you click on the animals at home picture on the first page. I found a section that is called zookeeper talks as well! I learned many things watching these videos! Please check this out. https://www.zoo.org.au/

Wrap Up:
Mother Nature sure has done some funny things recently, but I welcome the sunshine and nice weather! I look forward to the week ahead. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #8, Home with Kids during COVID-19 Week of Monday May 18, 2020

Welcome to week number 8! This week has been full of love and laughter for the girls and me. Although our current situation is still not ideal, it is improving with the weather and by watching the seeds that we planted indoors starting to sprout. I am pleased to announce a new section to my blog called Literacy with Sue. You can read about Sue’s background in this blog, and in the future blogs she will share ideas to support developing reading and writing skills. Thank you Sue!

This Weeks Activities:

Paper Bag Book
Still have a lot of paper bags? No problem! All you need for this craft is 3 paper bags, a stapler, and some things to decorate with! This is a great way to be creative and bond together.

1. Flatten the bags and lay them all the same way as shown below.

2. Fold the paper in half and staple them together as shown below. You only need 2 staples.

3. Let your children decorate the pages! Nieomi used a variety of household scraps to make a story where you get to imagine what is happening. Here is a glimpse of her creation!

Paint Fun!
Nieomi and I did some painting to bond this week. We talked about different ways to make designs. This allowed us to be closer together and we both learned some new things. For this project all you need is paper, paint and paintbrushes. Here’s what Nieomi came up with!

Be Outside!
I can’t stress it enough how important outside is. We spend time in nature as much as possible. Nieomi goes outside to do some of her schoolwork. Even just a little sun boosts our mood. Sometimes we even step outside into the sun for a few minutes and then go back in.

Toddler Fun

I had so much fun taking Marcy outside and talking with her about colors and objects around her! The more I talk with her the more she learns and it makes it easier for her brain to grasp words!

Literacy with Sue
susan.elliott@quinnipiac.edu

I have been an educator all my life. Most of my teaching has been in Connecticut where I taught for 39 years. I taught first grade for many years and that began my interest in how children learn to read and write. To me it was fascinating as children would arrive in September unable to read and in a few months would be able to decipher words on a page. The same with writing. I watched them progress from one word to sentences as they learned to express their thinking in writing. I was intrigued by the process of how that happened and I loved every minute of watching them develop in all areas of literacy. From there I went on to get a degree in reading and became the coordinator of language arts curriculum in the district in Connecticut where I taught. In that role, I became a teacher of teachers helping them to implement reading and
writing programs that catered to the developmental needs of their children. While my focus was on primary children, I also worked with upper grade children and their teachers.
During that time, I felt what was as important as working with children and teachers was working with parents. I wanted to help parents understand and appreciate the powerful influence they have on their children’s literacy development. The workshops I planned for them provided interactive experiences in which they would practice how to help their children develop optimum reading and writing skills.
I am pleased and honored that Miara has invited me to contribute to her blog. It is my hope that I can in some way provide insights for parents who are hoping to help their children with reading and writing.
In each blog entry, I will hope to give strategies for developing reading and writing skills both at the primary level as well as for upper grade readers and writers. If there are specific issues or questions the readers of the blog have, I will be happy to help with those.
Kids Read 2 Kids Website
This site has three readers, the youngest being 14 years old. They each have their own style and shows kids they can do whatever they dream of! This site is very helpful and fun https://kidsread2kids.com/

Wrap Up:
I hope everyone is finding ways to cope. Remember to stop and smell the flowers! Please leave me a comment and I will respond. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time.

Blog Post #7, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday May 11th

Welcome to week number 7! I hope you had a great week! We took this week to do little things that make us happy. The little things are what matter in the end after all. The more time we added for ourselves into the day, the happier we seemed to be. Even a little action or gesture can make your whole day less stressful.

This Week’s Activities:

Outside Play
This week I focused on going outside more. This was a great way to burn off some energy, get some sun and enjoy nature. We all needed some fresh air!
Game 1 Tag
We went out and played a great game of tag together. You don't have to play for long, but I found that getting active started to lift my mood!

Game 2 Wiffle Ball
This is a great game to play as a family. You really only need two people if you get creative!
1. Get a bat and ball of some kind.
2. Set up something to act as the 4 bases within the space you have.
3. Set something up as a strike zone (We use a lawn chair)
4. We played with the traditional rules of three outs per half inning. If you have only two or three people playing, relax the rules to what you want (one or two outs per half inning). Go as many innings as you like.
5. You may want to set rules based on the size of your yard for what would be a single (1 base), double (2 bases), triple (3 bases), and where a home run (4 bases) would be.
6. Outs are when the ball is caught in the air after being hit or by tagging the runner or the base they are headed to with the ball.
Most importantly, have fun while exercising with your kids!

Explore
Nature is beautiful. We took a walk and talked about what we saw. Not only did it get us out of the house, but it also provided us with some bonding time! We talked about colors with Marcy. Nieomi helped explain some of the animals we saw. We also soaked up some sunshine. Then we looked in the woods a little and tried to find new things, such as nests or buds. We learn something new everyday, so why not learn something new in nature and get some sunshine!

Art
Nieomi and I decided to go with something simple, fun, and creative this week. We chose to trace her hands and make sections using a ruler. Check it out!

Materials needed:
1. White Paper
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Black Marker (Permanent works best)
4. Ruler
5. Pencil

Instructions:
1. Lay the white paper on a flat surface. Trace your child's hands or have them trace their hands with a pencil.
2. Trace the hand outlines with the black marker.

3. Use a ruler and add lines to the picture as shown below

4. Let your child color each section a different color. Enjoy their newest work of art :) Here is what Nieomi made!

Toddler Fun

We love to read in our home! Books help toddlers develop their vocabulary and imagination! Nieomi loves reading to Marcy and teaching her all about the story. Above is Nieomi Reading to Marcy and talking about the pictures with her.

Science Bob Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Science Bob website. I think this website provides some fun experiments for kids of any age. I was going through the experiments and most of them use common items found in your home. I plan to make the ice cream one with my children! These activities are simple and easy. Please check this out!
https://sciencebob.com/category/experiments/

Wrap-Up:
This week has boosted our family’s bond. We enjoyed the little moments and felt uplifted as we played outdoors and explored nature. I hope you get outdoors too and feel positive as you see signs of new growth all around. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by commenting on the blog or by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #6, Home with Kids during COVID-19 Week of Monday May 4, 2020

Welcome to week number 6! We did some dancing this week to melt away the strain of our current situation. Putting on some music and doing silly dances and movements really helped. Sometimes it is really hard to keep up with the little ones! They keep going and I need to take a small break :). Sometimes, I step away and sip some tea or sit for a few minutes. Then I get back up and join back in. This has been such a great but tiring week for us. I hope your week has been full of hope and love!

This Week’s Activities
Air Dry Clay
This activity was so much fun! We had a blast doing this! We made bigger objects that are still drying.
Homemade Air-Dry Modelling Clay {aka baking soda clay}
· 2 cups of baking soda
· 1 cup of cornstarch
· 1 1/4 cups of water
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat. Stir the mixture almost constantly, until it thickens and becomes the consistency of whipped mashed potatoes. Let cool and then knead until smooth and no longer sticky. Make what you want, then set to dry. Once dry, paint! https://mamapapabubba.com/2016/02/16/homemade-air-dry-modelling-clay-aka-baking-soda-clay/

Jellyfish Paper Bags
Do you have extra paper bags around the house? Do you pick up meals from a school for your kids? Look no further! You can put those bags to good use in many ways. This week we made jellyfish paper bags. This activity is super easy, needs minimal materials and is loads of fun!
Materials needed:
1. Paper Bag(s)
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Scissors
4. Googly eyes/ pom poms(Optional)
5. Glue or Tape

Instructions:
1. Lay bag(s) flat as shown below.

2. Have your child color the bags in any way they would like.

3. Add the googly eyes to the top and cut the open side of the bag in strips as shown below.

Nieomi and I did this craft together! Can you tell whose is whose?

Flower Vase for Mom
Nieomi and I laughed and had a great time making this craft. This is a really good way to help inspire creativity as it is up to the child to come up with the exact design. She was so excited. She did tell me I'm not supposed to see what she makes me for Mother's Day though :)
Materials needed
1. Papers (2 pieces)
2. Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils, etc.
3. Scissors
4. Glue Stick or Tape

Instructions
1. Lay one paper on a flat surface
2. Help your child trace their hands and have them color in the hand prints
3. Cut out their hand prints
4. Lay the second paper on a flat surface
5. Ask your child to draw a vase, then lines for the flower stems.
6. Use the glue or tape to attach the hand prints to the stems
7. Have your child write Happy Mother's Day and the year
8. Enjoy your new memory!

Toddler Fun
Marcy is very expressive, which helps her build character and shows her personality! Dress up and pretend play are two examples of how she enjoys expressing herself, and both lead to great conversations. By giving Marcy many opportunities to express who she is, I am helping her build self-confidence and a positive sense of self.

Switch Zoo Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Switch Zoo website. I think this website provides some fun and useful tools for kids 6 and up. This website has some fun games that teach you about different biomes, habitats and animals in general. I played the Build a Biome game and I learned some new information as well! You pick a biome and then you have to pick the correct information as you go. This website is easy to navigate and so much fun! https://switchzoo.com/

Wrap-Up
This week has been about learning to love simple moments in life. We enjoy sharing our experiences with all of you and hope it provides some normality during this chaotic shift. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #5, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 27, 2020

Welcome back for week 5! This week Nieomi asked if we could each color the positive message that goes with our blog. I honestly think she out-shined me this week! I couldn’t be happier with the time we spent coloring these together. We talked about the phrase on the page and Nieomi share her thoughts about her color scheme. This activity brightened our mood because it promoted a family discussion and we got a sense of accomplishment once the picture is completed! We could all use extra positivity as well as creativity to keep us on a sane path!

Activities

Cooking Banana Bread
Nieomi and I spent some quality time making banana bread this week! We used the following recipe from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe-1969572

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
3. Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4.In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

5.Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
6.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

Box Fort!
The kids and I took some time to design and put together a box fort! This activity kept us busy for hours and then the kids kept on adding even after I was done. This allowed us some bonding time as well as for them to show their creativity and their imagination! There are so many ways to make a box fort. Make it your own. All you need is a box but it helps to have several boxes. If you want to stack and cut boxes, you may need some tape like we used. After the fort is how you want it, it’s time to decorate! We used stickers, crayons, colored pencils and even markers.

Our final touch was to add lights to the inside! Marcy and Nieomi had so much fun. They drew and colored together as well as took turns with the drawing utensils. They had some sister bonding. The blue light was for their dance party and then they turned it off and used the battery operated tea lights to make shadow puppets. A flashlight might also be fun to use. This activity helped my sanity and the kids loved it too :)

Toddler Fun
A great activity for toddlers is to have a conversation with them about what they are doing. Marcy is 2 and loves to talk as well as move.

In looking at this picture, a conversation starter would be to ask Marcy what she is holding. Then if she can’t say it or doesn't remember, I would tell her what the object is. In this case, I would tell Marcy she is holding a green soccer ball and then I’d ask her what she was going to do with it, or where she was going with it. With younger children, you can name and describe their favorite items to them. I used to do this all the time with Marcy and this activity has helped her improve her vocabulary and increase her knowledge.

History for Kids Website
This week I checked out a website filled with events and places that you can learn about from history! If your kids love to learn about what past events, this site makes it fun. There are different subjects and each one offers additional articles you can read to learn more. This site is easy to navigate and it provides a ton of information that can spark an interesting family discussion. https://www.historyforkids.net/

Wrap-Up
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy! We are staying positive by spending more time together as a family. We are staying sane by taking small moments to remind ourselves we matter. For us these moments come in different forms. I drink some tea. Nieomi draws or plays with toys. Marcy watches something or plays with toys. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #4, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 20, 2020

Here we are at week 4! The walls seem to be closing in sometimes. This week I tried some yoga to melt the stress away. Even 10 minutes can brighten your mood! When I do Yoga, I feel refreshed and calm. Sometimes, I only have a couple minutes to breathe and just doing a couple yoga poses helps to take some of the edge off. I searched free yoga classes on YouTube. Our family has been a little more moody this week. When we add new activities or change up certain routines, I find that our moods improve. Little positive changes will help us all get through this.

This Weeks Activities

Nature walk
We love being outside! The outside helps improve our mood; it gets us out of the house for a little bit, and gives us a chance to make happy memories. If you have any sort of woods near you, try it! We made a list of objects to find along the way that consisted of a stick, a rock, a leaf, moss, a bug, animal tracks, and something unique. Adding something unique to the list of things to find provided Nioemi with the chance to express herself. When she chose an acorn, I asked her why she chose that, which lead to an engaging conversation. As for Marcy, she had fun just walking with us. This was a great opportunity to talk about colors and nature with her as well!

Art
This week’s quick art project was leaf rubbing! This is super easy and super fun! This is also a great way to talk to kids about colors and it lets them show you who they are. Nieomi chose to use only blue because that is her favorite color. It’s great to encourage the use of many colors.

Materials Needed:
1. Crayons with wrappers peeled off
2. White Paper
3. Leaves (as many as you want!)

Instructions:
1. Gather leaves
2. Put the leaves, white paper and crayons onto a hard level surface
3. Put a leaf under the white paper
4. Place the crayon sideways on the paper where the leaf is as shown below.

5. Rub the crayon up and down over the paper where the leaf is located
6. Enjoy your art piece!

Bonus Art!
I really encourage my kids to be outside when possible. This activity was one of our personal favorites! We made nature art to spark creativity. I took Nieomi outside with a bag and let her collect nature items and then we made a picture! I hope you enjoy this just as much as we did.

Materials Needed:
1. Any kind of paper!
2. Something to hold the items that your child chooses
3. Glue

Instructions:
1. Collect some nature items from outside
2. Bring the items inside to the designated craft area. You will need a flat surface. Put paper here as well.
3. Ask your child about what kind of picture they would like to create.
4. Have them put the glue where they would like to put an object.
5. Have fun and watch the art come to life!

This is what Nieomi came up with!

Toddler Fun
Marcy may be 2, but I am still constantly playing simple games like peek-a-boo with her! This helps her develop gross motor skills as well as helps her social development!

Science Kids Website
I was looking for other interesting ideas to do with Nieomi and Marcy when I stumbled upon a wonderful website. I think it may be geared more towards a child Nieomi's age though. There are so many great activities and learning opportunities available at this site! They have learning games, fact sheets, projects, quizzes and so much more! I learned some new information too. The website is also really simple and easy to use. The best part is it is free! https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/nature.html

Wrap-Up
This week we spent a lot of time outside, while still maintaining social distancing from others. I found that when we went outside we all felt like we had more energy and our moods were lifted. I encourage anyone who can, to get outside in the sun and just get some fresh air! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #3, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 13th

It’s week three of the stay-at-home order yet it feels like it has been a lot longer. This week the kids and I felt the need to connect with people and because socialization is a big part of school, I included virtual connections as part of our daily activities. Staying connected while physically separated helped us feel supported and reminded us of how important it is to nurture our relationships with others. Please make it a point to stay connected, especially to loved ones and friends. Together we can get through this!

This Weeks Activities:
Socialization
Staying socially connected while physically distancing is important for you and your children. Email and texting is good, and these suggestions give you a few more options.
1. Give someone a call! Friends or family, it doesn’t matter! Let them know you are still there.
2. Video Chat (Skype, Duo, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger video, etc). This is a great way to have face to face communication while maintaining the recommended social distancing.
3. Everyone could use some humor. Send a postcard with a lighthearted message or picture to someone who you want to cheer-up. It’s fun, it’s fast and effective.
4. Mail a letter! Are you super bored? Write to a loved one. Tell them how you are feeling and maybe include something special. You could send them a card, a recipe, or even something homemade.

With the three of us at home, we practiced self-care in order to get through the day. Here are a few things we have been doing to stay sane.

1. Take small breaks throughout the day for some peace of mind. For me this includes enjoying that cup of tea or coffee and for the kids it is a quiet solitary activity like doing a puzzle or drawing.
2. Our daily routine includes self-nurturing. We eat 3 meals a day and stay on a schedule that includes healthy snacks between meals and some outdoors time. At the end of the day, I love my hot shower and the girls enjoy their tubby time.
3. Utilize community resources. TLC offers free support that I’ve used in the past and they are so helpful! http://www.tlcfamilyrc.org/
4. We have been spring-cleaning and moving our furniture around. It has given us a change of scenery that has less clutter! Re-organize and get creative.

Bug Hunting
This week, I took Nieomi and Marcy bug hunting. They had so much fun and they got some sunshine. We don’t have a very big area of woods where we are, but there are plenty of bugs normally. You can make this a learning experience by talking about the bugs or even just nature in general!

Art
This week Nieomi drew some pretty awesome objects! These are really fun and creative. She drew her favorite pair of shoes, traced her feet, and invented her own future car! These are activities are simple and activate kids creativity.

Toddler Fun

This week we made a cereal box game using simple household materials! This game can help teach your little one many lessons including colors, shapes, and numbers while also improving their gross motor skills. The object of the game is to feed the penguin the correct fish. Once you make the fish, add colors and shapes. Then ask your child for the fish with the blue triangle. If your child picks the right fish, they feed it to the penguin by putting it into the penguin’s mouth. If the child picks the wrong fish, ask them to try again.

Materials Needed

Cereal box
Construction paper or white paper
Crayons or colored pencils
Scissors
Glue or tape

Instructions
1. Cut a Rectangular hole in the middle of the cereal box.
2. Draw an oval to look like the penguin’s belly on a piece of construction paper as shown below

3. Color the area around the oval shape black.
4. Line up the paper to the mouth of the cereal box and cut the rectangle. Tip- use a pencil, trace on the paper, and then cut it out.
5. Put glue on the paper and line it back up to the box or tape the paper to the box. Color a second piece of paper or glue another piece of construction paper to the back of the cereal box. Color a third piece of paper or cut a few strips of construction paper to fit the sides of the box.
6. Add eyes! We used googly eyes but you can also draw them on or maybe even use something different.
7. Let box dry if glued
8. Fold a piece of paper and draw this basic house outline for the beak near the folded edge as show below. Then cut it out!

9. Color the beak orange or use any color you would like! If you used construction paper you are ready for the next step.
10. Line the beak up with the mouth rectangular hole. Trace a rectangle to match the mouth hole. Cut out the mouth hole. Finally glue or tape the beak over the mouth. Let the glue dry if needed.
11. Make the fish! Just draw one fish, fold some pages in half and cut them all at once.

12. Draw the objects with the colors of your choice on the fish. Add a face to the fish! You are now ready to play the game and have fun!

Virtual Field Trip of the Week
This week’s virtual field trip was to the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. If you want an absolutely breath taking experience, you should check this out.
This interactive map let you travel around and has a 360 camera for each area! Each place you travel to has a different bit of information on the side panel to tell you some interesting facts. Check it out: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news-features/son-doong-cave/2/#s=pano60

PBS Kids
I found this article about Covid-19 on PBS Kids and I found it helpful. This article is about how to de-stress during this pandemic. Please take a moment to read it if you get a chance.
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-you-and-your-kids-can-de-stress-during-coronavirus

A Special Note
We hope you had an amazing Easter. If you don't celebrate Easter then we hope you had a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. It wasn't the same, but we made the most of it and we hope you did too!!

Wrap-Up
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy. Please reach out if you need someone, now is the time to support one another! We hope your week is full of strength and productivity. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #2, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday, April 6th

Welcome back! Thank you for joining me for another week of blogging. I hope you have been taking a few moments for yourself when possible. We all need a moment to breathe. When I need to calm down, I draw, read, and may even do some coloring like in the photo above. I took time for me and practice self-care and hope that you do too!

This Week’s Activities
Feelings
The feelings thermometer helps me and my kids be aware of how we are feeling and our level of readiness to start school for the day. Making one is simple, or you can print out the below picture.

I used it as a guide to ask the following questions.

1.On the feeling thermometer, show me how are you feeling?
A feelings thermometer has a scale of 0 to 5. 0 means your body is calm and in control. 5 is when your child is experiencing emotions where they cannot control their bodies. This could be over excited, sad, or angry. When a child is at a 5, they will not be able to hear what you are saying because their body is not calm enough. Let them cool off until they are below a 3 and then try asking the next question.

2.What feeling are you having?
This question allows the child to express how they are feeling. If they are having trouble, help them put words to the feelings. Use pictures if needed. If they are feeling calm and in control, they are ready to learn and you can put the thermometer away. If not, go on to questions 3 & 4.

3.When did this feeling start or what happened to make you feel this way?
Let them talk about where their feeling came from and validate their emotions.

4.What can we do to get to calm and in control?
This question helps develop problem solving and helps children identify ways to move from being reactive (out of control) to responsive (ready to learn).

Art
This week Nieomi and I added water colors to our black and white pictures to make them stand out.
Materials Needed
Black marker (Sharpie or any permanent marker works best)
Pencil
Small white poster board or any white piece of paper
Paints (Water colors work the best, but you can use any paint)
Something to put the paints on if not using water colors
Newspaper or something to set the drawing on to paint it.

Instructions
1. Draw a picture of your choice with pencil. Try to keep it simple.
2. Trace the picture drawn in black marker.
3. Set up the painting station.
4. Paint rectangles or squares straight across the top of the paper in tiny rows until you reach the bottom of the paper.
5. Enjoy their masterpiece :)

Toddler Activity
This week Marcy and I went over shapes. We made a fun shape sheet and talked about it as a family. It’s so easy and it works great! No need to spend money. All you need is a piece of a paper and a writing utensil. Divide the paper into 8 parts and put a shape inside each one. You can choose to label them to help teach some letters. This is simple, fast, easy, and a ton of fun.

If there are other children in the house, include them too! Nieomi loves to help Marcy learn and to help me teach!

Virtual Field Trip of the Week
This week we decided to visit the San Diego Zoo. This site is amazing. You can view some live cams of the animals, in the videos tab, for free! You can also learn about the different animals in the animals tab. This website features an activities tab. There are activities for kids of all ages! Check it out: https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos

Calm at home review
Calm is a website with free meditation and other helpful activities. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Try this as a family to manage emotions and bond at the same time. https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath?utm_source=lifecycle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=difficult_times_subs_031720

Reading Time
There are some great options for you to be with your kids and enjoy books together while others read to you! With libraries closed, this is a great option. For Story Time from Space, Josh Gad --the voice of Olaf in Frozen, and more read aloud options go to http://www.tlcfamilyrc.org/online-resource-information.html

Wrap-Up
It has been a roller coaster ride this week. Try to find the good in every moment, especially when you are struggling. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my next blog, please email Liz Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

Blog Post #1, Home with Kids during COVID-19 3/31/20
Introduction
Within the span of a few weeks, we all went from our normal day-to-day lives, to being concerned and/or fearful of what comes next. While waiting for life to return to normal and are physically distancing ourselves, we should try to remain socially connected. I had been involved in a playgroup with my youngest child, but that is no longer an option. This blog is my new connection to the community. In it, I share activities that I’m doing with my kids to keep us active and sane. I hope that it gives you some ideas, makes you smile, and reminds you that we are in this together.

This week’s activities
Art
My daughter Nieomi and I made a Secondary color chart on poster board. Poster board is relatively cheap, comes in a variety of colors, and available at most stores with a craft section. If you can’t get, or don’t have, poster board, get creative! Use the side of a box, printer paper (you can tape or glue it together if you need a bigger surface area), or maybe even some old fabric!

Materials Needed:
- Paints, markers, crayons, or colored pencils
(Blue, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Orange, and Black)
- Material to do the project on like poster board, paper, etc.
- A plate and paintbrushes (if using paint) for colors.

Instructions:
1. On a level surface, place the craft materials

2. Put some of the black paint on the plate and paint the words “Secondary Colors” on the top of the chosen material you are working with (i.e. Poster board, printer paper, etc.). If you are using something other than paint, then just simply write the words instead. Add the plus and minus signs as shown below

3. If using paint, let the paint dry for one (1) hour.

4. In the meantime, you can go over primary and secondary colors.
Primary: Blue, Red, and Yellow
Secondary: Green, Purple, and Orange

5. You can do this part in many different ways. I chose to paint my child's hands and let her put the colors in the correct spots. If you are using crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc you can trace their hand instead of painting their hand.

Keep it interesting
You can keep your child engaged by simply interacting with them. Ask questions and have fun! Before you put anything in any spot on the project ask these questions:
1. Which two primary colors make green?
2. Which two primary colors make purple?
3. Which two primary colors make orange?

Virtual Field Trip
Many places are offering free virtual tours and live videos. Our trip of the week was to the Georgia Aquarium. At this website, you can learn about the animals and see live videos. This can be very calming and soothing as well as educational. These feeds are in real time so it is as though you are right there at the aquarium! This is great for kids of all ages as you can talk about what is going on or just watch what is happening.
Link: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager/

Scholastic.com
This week I am reviewing Scholastics new learn at home system. This resource is great for students, Pre-K through 9th Grade. My daughter's teacher is using this as part of her school week! The website allows you to choose the grade for your child. For younger children they offer two storybooks a day plus a video and activity. They listen to a narrator read the first book and they can choose to read or listen to a narrator for the second book. There are questions and key words to help keep the child engaged. Everything is mapped out and simple on this site. I would highly recommend checking it out!

For my daughter, Nieomi, day one was about spiders. She learned so much and loved the video that goes a long with this lesson. The activity was to invent a new type of spider. Below is what she came up with.
Link: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Read-Aloud
Every week I want to include a couple of storybook readings. This week I have chosen, Friends, by Catherine Thimmesh and, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff.
Related links to check out:
Read aloud from Outer Space https://storytimefromspace.com/library/
Josh Gad, Voice of Olaf, Reading stories: https://indyschild.com/josh-gad-olaf-reads-books/

Wrap-up
I'm so happy to be doing this blog and be part of our wonderful community! I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you did please look for my new blog post every Monday afternoon. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@TLCFamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!

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At TLC Family Resource Center we support and strengthen all families, children, and youth in Sullivan and Lower Grafton counties with a wide
range of free programs, support groups, education, and events.

Media Contact: info@tlcfamilyrc.org

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PO Box 1098
Claremont, NH 03743
603-542-1848 | Fax: 603-542-1846
Center for Recovery: 603-287-7127