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Welcome to this month's issue of the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter - A newsletter for those caring for children.
Notable Quote: "If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." -- Rachel Carson
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From child care providers, of course! The following tip is from Denise Cressmen, Family Child Care Provider, of Danville, PA:
Early literacy skills are enhanced when young children can choose their own books, and it's easier if they can see the cover of the book they are choosing. However, book display cases, unlike conventional bookshelves, are bulky in a standard room, and are quite costly as well. Here is an inexpensive and easy method to make your own display case that can be put anywhere you have wall space. Go to your nearest home supply store, and purchase standard vinyl rain gutter and hangers (caps are optional). Attach the hangers to the wall, either in the studs or with molly bolts (to prevent the hangers from being pulled from the wall). Cut the rain gutter to size with kitchen shears, and you have an instant, inexpensive, space-saving book display. You can put them at your child's level, anywhere you have space. Your child can choose his own books and put them back without any trouble. Rotate your child's choices often, and soon he will be reading!
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From child care providers, of course! The following tip is from Cyndi Barningham of Serendipity Child Care in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania:
"One thing that has improved our program and communication with parents is to give them a snack day. They can pick the day of the week to share snack with all of the children. We ask that they consider the theme for the month/week and/or color we are working on to demonstrate that idea to the children. I think they do a great job of helping out and getting assistance from their child!"
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From child care providers, of course! Do you have a great tip or good thing? Send us your best tips in writing and your tip may end up in our newsletter! If your tip is chosen for the newsletter, you will receive a little something from the Better Kid Care Program. Mail tips with your return address, place of work, and the number and ages of those you care for to:
Better Kid Care Program
Tips from Child Care Providers
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
E-mail to: crb16@psu.edu
By Christine Belinda
Spring is a great time to introduce children to the wonders of gardening! Through gardening, we can encourage curiosity and discovery. Children will learn about science and nature when identifying plants. They will learn math skills by counting scoops of dirt. They will be exposed to reading, writing, and drawing through stories, books, and activities such as creating garden journals. Social skills will be supported by working with other children. One of the most important lessons children can learn from gardening is caring for something and nurturing its growth.
Gardening does not have to be overwhelming, nor does it have to be an everyday or every week experience. Where and how you start gardening with children is based on a few ideas:
Tip: Write down the children's ideas on gardening and what they want to learn or what they would like to try and grow
Tip: If children have to wait their turn during a gardening activity, have them draw in garden journals (notebooks or pages stapled together) or have a basket available filled with books on gardening or related themes.
Give them the "tools," dig deep, and watch how their garden grows!
Contact your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office for information on the Master Gardener Program and on gardening with children.
Gardening books for adults working with children: A Child's Garden: Enchanting Spaces for Children and Parents, by Molly Dannenmaier, ISBN# 0684837250, published by Simon and Schuster. A Child's Garden: Introducing Your Child to the Joys of the Garden, by Elizabeth St. Cloud, ISBN#0316609439, published by Little Brown and Company.
By Sheila Milnes
To provide high-quality child care, you need to give yourself some high-quality care! Use this checklist to see how well you take care of yourself. Review your findings for one week. Think about ways you could take better care of yourself.
Place a check next to the things you did to take care of yourself.
This check list was taken from Better Kid Care publication, Caring for Kids Volume 3-2. (Click link to view entire publication)
By Sheila Milnes
Exploring in the backyard gives you a chance to teach children how to learn. They can learn scientific skills like how to observe, how to ask questions, and how to find answers in books and on the computer. This is far more valuable than always having the right answers to give to the children. Take the time to ask the children questions and really listen to their answers. Extend the learning by writing down ideas, drawing, or making rubbings. These are all ways to help children think more about what they are seeing. Observe one spot over time or compare two different places in the backyard to help children learn how to compare. Exploring in the backyard is fun and a great way to turn children ages three through five on to science.
This is a selection from the Better Kid Care Distance Education lesson, Backyard Discoveries. If you would like to read this lesson in its entirety and learn how to make and use a Nature Detective Kit, go to the direct link by simply clicking the title link.
Backyard Discoveries is a one-hour lesson consisting of an educational workbook and assignment questions that are available as a Web-based training. If you are interested in completing this lesson for Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, PA Pathways training hours, complete the registration form. For more information and a complete listing of both Mail-based and Web-based distance education lessons, visit the Distance Education Program.
Great Books to Read with ChildrenReading aloud with children is a wonderful activity. Children of all ages love to be read to. Support the love of reading for children in your care by trying the following books:
The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss, ISBN#0694004928, published by Harper Festival. Follow a young boy's journey of planting a carrot seed. Everyone around him says it won't grow, but will it? Find out by reading this classic story of gardening and positive thinking.
Planting a Rainbow, by Louis Ehlert, ISBN#0152626101, published by Voyager Books. Read about the beauty of color and growth that a mother and child create together every spring. Watch the colors grow as much as the plants grow!
Other stories you may enjoy about gardening are:
A Seed Grows, by Pamela Hickman, ISBN# 155074200, published by Kids Can Press
The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle, ISBN#0689842449, Published by Aladdin Library
Growing Vegetable Soup, by Lois Ehlert, ISBN# 0152325808, published by Voyager Books
Contact your local children's library or your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office to find out about more books on gardening. Reading with children creates lifelong readers. Enjoy your time reading with children!
Join with many other caregivers at live satellite training workshops offered in Pennsylvania and across the states. To participate in these workshops, visit the Satellite Workshop link.
May 27, 2004 (7:00 - 9:00 PM ET)
Dealing with Anger - The Children's and Yours
Everyone gets angry at times. How that anger is handled is the key. Learn ways to help the children and yourself to work through angry times without hurting others.
New Staff Orientation - The New Staff Orientation curriculum is now available to child care centers in Pennsylvania. This curriculum is specifically designed for new staff members in child care centers. Included are a thirty-page workbook and thirty units on seven video tapes. Each video unit has a numbered page in the workbook. The easy-to-understand information is reinforced with activities and assignments. Units are designed to be used during naptime or other small blocks of time as staff/child ratios permit. Meets the Keystone STARS Performance Standards.
Click the link for more information about New Staff Orientation and to preview the materials on your computer.
Better Kid Care Kit - Do you provide care for children in your home? Have you signed up to receive a Better Kid Care Kit yet? Complete our online registration form and receive material in the mail.
Ask the Experts - Do you have a question you would like to ask a child care professional about a child you are caring for, or about something related to caring for children? You can e-mail your questions to betterkidcare@psu.edu and receive an answer by return e-mail from one of our child care professionals.
Additional Child Care Information -- PA Pathways Professional Development for Child Caregivers has information, training, and educational opportunities for child care providers across Pennsylvania. Visit PA Pathways or call toll-free 800-492-5107.
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Look for information on exploring summer with young children and books on the season of summer.