May 2009

LifeSong Mother's Morning Out Ministry

KID
BITS Fair share
Show your child how easy
it is to share by pointing out everyday
Among the stacks
The public library is a cool
opportunities: “We can all share the place to be on a hot day. And
elevator if we move to one side.” Ask regular visits will ensure that
her to help you find ways to share. your child enjoys reading
(“Who do you think would like the and learning all summer.
extra tomatoes from our garden”?) Make the most of your
When it’s time to share with a play- library trips with these
mate, remind her that she knows how! ideas.
Did You
Know ?
Tongue twisters are a
great trick for helping
Attend special events.
Find out when story hours
or puppet shows are being
children speak clearly and learn letter
sounds. Give your youngster’s mouth held. They’ll give your
muscles a workout with “She sells youngster practice listening
seashells down by the seashore” or and being part of a group.
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled Some libraries may also offer evening who capture his interest. For instance,
peppers.” Say them together until your family activities like bat watching or try Mercer Mayer’s Web site (www.little
child has memorized them. Then, take stargazing. Try one, and then introduce critter.com), and check out All By Myself.
turns trying to say them fast. your child to nonfiction by borrowing a
Explore new sections. Vary your library
related book like Bats at the Library by
visits by browsing different areas. By
A good year Brian Lies or Zoo in the Sky by Jacque-
summer’s end, your youngster will be
Wrap up the school year by helping line Mitton.
familiar with the whole building. In
your youngster write a thank-you Visit author Web sites. Help your addition to the children’s section, try
note to her teacher. She can make it youngster discover writers he likes. Ask crafts, magazines, audiobooks, and refer-
personal by writing something specific the librarian for suggestions of Web ence. Your child can learn something
she enjoyed: “I liked it when you sites, or find a list at www.authoryellow new in each one. Example: Check out a
read funny poems.” Have her illus- pages.com. Read a few aloud to your craft book, such as Beginner’s Origami
trate her note or enclose a photo of child, and let him pick books by those by Steve and Megumi Biddle, and
herself with the teacher. choose a project to do at home.♥
Build hand–eye coordination
Worth quoting
“We cannot always build the future for Simple outdoor games can help you send your youngster back to school with bet-
our youth, but we can build our youth ter hand-eye coordination for writing, drawing, and using scissors. Try these three:
for the future.” Franklin D. Roosevelt 1. Play catch with increasingly smaller balls (beach ball, soccer ball, softball). Or have
your child throw balls into goals of different sizes (laundry basket, large box).
Just for fun
2. Make a ring toss game. Cut the centers out of paper plates, and let
Police officer: “One of your your youngster toss the rings onto water bottles. Make
elephants has been seen chasing the challenge more difficult by having her take a
a man on a bicycle.” giant step backward after each successful toss.
Zookeeper: 3. Fill two spray bottles with water, and ask
“Nonsense! None your child to draw two circles on the sidewalk
of my elephants with sidewalk chalk. Race to see who can soak
know how to ride a circle first.♥
a bicycle!”
© 2009 Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc.
 May 2009 • Page 2

Budget-friendly how grain is harvested.

outings Note: Call your county

extension office to find a
farm you can visit.
Family fun can fit into any budget.
Here are a few free or low-cost activities: l Visit local sites. If your
town has a waterfront, you
l Watch a live performance. Check
may be able to tour differ-
the newspaper for free outdoor con-
ent kinds of boats and even
certs sponsored by your town or a
a lighthouse. Many towns
local group. During the show, point
have historic homes and
out musical instruments, and encourage
museums. Your local chamber
your child to clap along with the beat.
of commerce can give you information about special events,
l Spend a day on the farm. Your youngster can learn where or check online at www.historichomestour.com.
food comes from by watching a cow being milked or seeing l Visit a nature center to look at plants and wildlife. How
many different-colored flowers, rocks, or birds can your child
ACTIVITY see along a creek or trail?♥
CORNER
Family Q
& Handling
keepsake box A disappointment
Bring family history to life for your
Q: My daughter takes it really hard when her draw-
child by decorating and filling a special
ing doesn’t come out “right” or a friend doesn’t play
box together.
with her at recess. How can I help her handle life’s
First, have your youngster call relatives
ups and downs?
to ask for items they can share, like cop-
ies of family recipes and birth announce- A: Learning to deal with disappointment takes
ments. He might suggest that they send gentle encouragement. First, let your daughter talk
photos of objects they don’t want to give about how she feels. You’ll show that you take her feelings seriously. Then, help her
away, such as a baby’s first pair of shoes. see the bright side: “You used lots of colors and had fun drawing,” or, “Maybe you
When the items arrive, have your and Kayla will play tomorrow. Why don’t you ask her what she wants to do?”
child keep them You can also tell her how you’ve handled disappointment. “When I broke my
together in the arm, I couldn’t play field hockey. But I cheered on my teammates while it healed.”
box. Help Remind your daughter that she can draw lots more pictures, and tomorrow she can
him write play with friends at recess again.♥
the name
of each one
and who contrib-
uted it on an index PAR
TO
ENT Teachable moments
card and add it to the box. He can cover
the lid with construction paper and deco- PARENT When we were
outside the other day,
their body weight. To move really heavy
things, they work as a team.
rate it with markers or crayons.
my son was surprised to see some ants When we told Nathan’s teacher the
Use the project to talk about your
carrying a piece of bread. Nathan asked next morning, she was happy that I’d
family’s heritage. You might have your
how the ants could lift a piece of bread turned his question into a “teachable
youngster describe each item to you,
bigger than they were, and I honestly moment.” She said unplanned events
or you could take turns telling stories
wasn’t sure. sometimes make the best lessons at
about the keepsakes.♥
So we asked our neighbor, school — and at home, too.
OU R P U R P O S E a high school science Now I look for teach-
To provide busy parents with practical ways teacher. She explained able moments all the
to promote school readiness, parent that ants are much time. We’ve discovered
involvement, and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators, stronger than you a bird’s nest, watched
a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc. would think. In popcorn pop, and
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com fact, she said, even read about
www.rfeonline.com they can carry double rainbows.♥
ISSN 1540-5567 10 to 20 times
© 2009 Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc.