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!
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​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.

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​​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.

 

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.
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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!

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.
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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!

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.​

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.  ​

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.
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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!

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!  ​

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!   

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.
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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!

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. ​

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

                                                                   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.

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. 

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. ​

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. 

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
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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!