Theme for the Week - Summer
Summer! While the official calendar start to Summer isn't until June 21st, after Memorial Day weekend, we all consider Summer to be here. This week, we'll sing camp songs, make fun summer crafts, learn some great summer snack ideas and much more! We found a link for finding a summer reading list for your child - check it out! Don't forget to check out my new book for your little ones called Rattle, Rattle Click-Clack, available on Amazon. Have a great week and a safe summer!
Now that you may have other kids at home with you during the day, you can have them help out with this week's activities. Make a great list of fun things to do each day for the entire summer! You may need to modify for your child's abilities and we bet you'll have fun too! We have done this as a family every summer. We make a poster and hang it in the kitchen so we can check off the activtiies as we do them. Some are small like go to the park or picnic in the back yard, some are bigger like go to the nearby aquarium and some are much bigger like a road trip or airplane trip somewhere. We don't ever get through the entire list but it helps us find things to do as a family.
Letter of the Week: S for Summer. Point out things that start with "S" - sun, soup, shoes. Show your toddler a picture of both a capital S and a lower case s. Draw an S on paper and let him/her trace over it, or use your child's finger to draw it in the sandbox or dirt. Use bath tub or refrigerator letters to show him/her this letter as well.
Number of the Week: 1 - When you show your child anything say "1 shoe" (or whatever you are counting). Write the number 1 on paper or show your toddler a flash card. Show your child 1 thing at a time and count them - "one". If nothing else, hearing the number is good for him/her.
Songs of the Week: Children's Rhymes and Songs - Here are some songs and other stories and rhymes that are in the public domain for you to sing to your kiddoes. Check our Storytime podcasts for more of these.
Story of the Week: Great Books To Read To Infants & Toddlers- This list comes from the National Association For The Education of Young Children. You can check this list and then see if they have them at the library. When I need books from my local library, I search the catalog on-line and placed holds on all the books I want. In a couple of days, they are ready to pick up. Instead of trying to browse the shelves with a busy toddler, I pick them up, check them out and I'm on my way. Here's a link to public libraries in the United States if you'd like to see if your local branch is here.
Snack of the Week: Healthy Summertime Snacks - From Super Healthy Kids. These sound so delicious - mostly made with fruit. Remember to make sure you give what it appropriate for your child. One of my kids' favorite snacks was peanut butter and honey on toast. It was one of the first snacks they could make themselves when they got a little older.
Spanish Words of the Week: Summer - el verano, June - junio, sun - el sol, to swim - nadar.
Do It Myself: Find the Sun/Moon - Make sure you give your child sunglasses when you are showing him or her the sun. Many times during the day, the moon is also visible.
Activity of the Week: Summer Crafts - from Happiness of Homemade. Here is a website with a whole bunch of great craft ideas! Remember, you'll want to modify to your toddler's ability. you will absolutely have to help with these but many are made from things you probably already have at home.
Yoga Pose: Sun Salutation- Here is a great video showing this series of yoga poses. PS - Our kids always liked the Yoga Kids series if you'd like more ideas for doing yoga with your toddler.
Sign Language Sign of the Week: Summer, Swimming Pool, Hot (a very important sign). If your toddler is still learning how to talk, sign language can be a great way for him/her to communicate. And as they get older, they'll pick up signs faster and it can be more of a fun thing versus a way to communicate.
Remember to give your toddler/preschooler a hug and tell him/her you love them. Hope you have a wonderful week!
