learning in the spirit of wonder and joy

Month: February 2021

Tommy Thumbs

Join me in singing, “Tommy Thumbs.”

Click HERE to sing-a-long with me.

 

Community Resource and Support:

Anita Olson, our Early Childhood Community Consultant is sharing the following below:

Make snack time fun and healthy today by making cereal snack necklaces. All you need is a healthy cereal with holes (Cheerios are perfect) and some kitchen grade string. Set up your little one at the table to thread Cheerios onto the string – they can munch and create necklaces for little snack later on. Easy and fun!

 *If you need some assistance in preparing for your tax return, The Burnaby Neighbourhood House has you covered! For more information and eligibility go click here.

 *March 4th is International Women’s Day – celebrate women achievements together, on line. Registration is required for the festivities; click here to register.

*If you are interested in a free one-on-one consultation about your child’s development, behavior, parenting tips, tricks and education please email or call me, Anita, to set up a virtual appointment.

aolson@fsgv.ca 604-723-9548

Anita Olson (she/her) ECE, BA, MEd

Early Childhood Community Consultant

T 604 525 9144

M 604 723 9548

3rd Floor – 321 Sixth Street, New Westminster BC V3L 3A7

www.fsgv.ca

Magic with Tape!

Here are a few activities to try with TAPE.  I used masking tape with these activities. It’s easy to rip apart and remove from surfaces.

Making roads or tracks: You can make the roads as big or small as you like depending on the size of the toy cars you have. You can make these roads on the floor or even on a table top.  To extend the play, you can make signs for stores, buildings and businesses that are in your community. Additions of animals, rocks, boxes or greenery are other ideas to support the play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tape resist art: Gently tape a pattern, lines, or even letters on paper. Let your child paint over the entire paper.  When it is dry, slowly remove the tape to see what appears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making lines: Tape lines, zig zags or curves for your child to jump from line to line or follow along the curves/zig zags. This is a great activity for gross motor play, balance and coordination skills. These lines can also be used to place “loose parts” such as rocks, pinecones, toy cars, animals, buttons, sticks and lids, just to name a few.

 

 

 

Stick and Remove: Tape down a bunch of toys on a table top, wall or floor. Let your child try and take the tape off and free the toys. This is a great one for young toddlers to practice their fine motor skills.

 

 

 

Free Art: Give your child a roll of tape, paper, toilet paper rolls and other art supplies you may have and see what your child can create.  Tape is a great alternative to glue. It encourages children to take their time to peel and stick and use their imagination to create 3-D art.

 

 

Where’s Jack?

Join me in singing, “Where’s Jack?”

As you sing this with your child, get ready to tickle them after Jack pops out of the box.

For the second round, encourage your child to say, “Please” before tickling them.

Click HERE to sing-a-long with me.

 

Where’s Jack?

Where’s Jack?

Put him in a box.

“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.”

Jack in the box.

Still as a mouse.

Deep down inside.

His little dark house.

Jack in the box.

Resting so still.

Shhhhhh.

Will you come out?

YES, I will!

Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle! (tickle your child)

Repeat the song but this time introduce the importance of saying” Please”

Will you come out? – NOPE.

Will you come out? – NOPE.

Will you come out PLEASE!)

YES, I will!

Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle.

 

Painting on Ice

Invite your child to try painting on ice! Fill a plastic container with water and freeze overnight. Fill with water with at least 2 inches of water so children have time to paint and explore before it fully melts.  I took the ice out of the container and placed it in a tray with a folded paper towel underneath the ice to prevent it from slipping around.

Try painting with regular tempura paint or even food colouring.  Observe the difference between painting with tempura paint and food colouring.  Include different painting tools: paintbrush, sponge brush, toothbrush and an eye dropper for the food colouring.

Watch how the paint pools on the tray as it melts and takes the colour with it. See how the food colouring freezes as soon as it hits the ice. What happens if you add salt? How long will it take for the ice to melt? What new colours can we make? How does the ice feel? There are so many questions when exploring ice. If your child loses interest, leave the activity for a while. Let your child come back later to re-investigate what happens to the ice and paint. What happens if we put the rest of the ice in the sink under running water.

This is a messy exploration but a fun one that supports language development, science, fine motor skills and sensory play.

 

Community Resources & Support:

Here is information on affordable dental options, tooth brushing video and links to Fraser Health website for more dental related inquiries.

If you have questions or need assistance, connect with the Burnaby Public Health unit #604-918-7605 and ask to speak with dental.

UBC Program:  free dental offered for children 12yrs old and under. If interested, please fill out attached medical form (one for each child) and fax the form back to:

Chris Inkster:

Ph: 604-507-5446

Fax: 604-507-4617

Em: chris.inkster@fraserhealth.ca

 

Healthy Kids Program: Families eligible to receive MSP supplementary benefits, may be eligible for the Healthy Kids program.  More information and to apply in link.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/healthy-women-children/child-teen-health/dental-eyeglasses

 

Fraser Health Fluoride Varnish Program:  Families with children 36 months and under and who are not under the regular care of a dentist, may book an appointment for our Fluoride varnish program.  Children will be seen by a hygienist, they will assess child’s teeth to determine if the child requires fluoride.  Dental health information and assistance accessing dental care will be provided.  To book an appointment, families can call 604-476-7087 or their local Public Health unit.

https://www.fraserhealth.ca/Service-Directory/Services/Public-Health-Services/fluoride-varnish-program#.YBg66LqouUk

 

Brushing tips Knee to Knee You Tube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch/NUNmohl4CD8

 

Fraser Health resources:

https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/children-and-youth/dental-health-for-children/affordable-dentistry-options-for-children#.YBH18rqouUl

 

https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/pregnancy-and-baby/life-with-your-toddler-6-24-months/teething-and-toothcare#.YBIEwrqouUk