Fairview Family Resource Centre

Fairview Family Resource Centre/ Parent ‘n Tot
3524 Dutch Village Rd.
Halifax, N.S. B3N2S1
Phone:(902) 443-9569
Fax:(902)431-2000
Fairview Family Resource Centre

Activities

Pre-School Discipline: Positive Reinforcement

“Studies show that toddler discipline using positive reinforcement works far better than punishment.  Rather than focusing only on those things that irritate us and becoming habitual scolders, catch your kids doing something right and reward them for it.” Copyright 2002-2008 Parenting Toddlers.com Join us on Dec.11 from 10:00 am -11:30 am to continue discussions and share experiences on the topic of pre-school discipline. Hope to see you there.    
As the New Year approaches and we begin to reflect on our resolutions consider the following;
TAKE TIME FOR TEN THINGS
1. Take time to Work- it is the price of success.
2.  Take time to Think- it is the source of power.
3. Take time to Play- it is the secret of youth
4. Take time to Read-it is the foundation of knowledge.
5. Take time to Worship- it is the highway of reverence and washes the dust of earth from our eyes.
6. Take time to Help and Enjoy Friends- it is the source of happiness. 
7. Take time to Love-it is the one sacrament of Life.
8. Take time to Dream- it hitches the soul to the stars.
9. Take time to Laugh –it is the singing that helps life’s load
10. Take time to Plan-it is the secret of being able to have time for the first nine things

Taken from:

Maritime Candle lighters Childhood Cancer Association; Celebrity Series CookBook

 

Snow-globe:

 

 

 

 

 

Tips on helping your child have a successful school year.

As parents we all want to do everything possible to help our children do well in school. Besides ensuring
their basic human needs such as food, housing and love, what else can you do to support your child’s learning?
Research indicates that children do better in school when parents set reasonable expectations for their children’s
achievement and stay actively engaged in their learning. Here are a few ways you can stay involved and informed:

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does your child have a quiet place where he or she can study, work on assignments or perhaps just read a book?

This place should be comfortable and free from distractions, though some children actually work best when a little activity surrounds them. Decide with your child what works best for him or her.

Most children benefit from a break right after school before beginning homework and others prefer to divide study times into before and after supper sessions.

Choose with your child the best place and time to study. Whatever the case, the time should be consistent and a household expectation.

2. Are the right tools readily available?

Make sure that pencils, pens, calculators, etc., are available near or at the designated homework spot.

Nutrition is important and a child fueled on too much fat and sugar may have as much difficulty focusing as one who is hungry. Consider providing healthy, nutritious, snacks when your child returns home from school and, likewise, make sure your child eats well at school.

Taken from; www.hrsb.ns.ca

 

 

Here are some helpful tips to consider when purchasing fresh fruits;

Apples:
If you can dent it with your finger don’t buy it.

Berries:
If the box is damp and stained buy another one.
Dampness or staining cab can mean that the bottoms of the berries are decaying.

Cherries:
Buy them ripe and avoid sticky ones.

Melons/cantaloupe and Honeydew:
Look for dull, velvety skin. Check the top, a sunken, smoothie skin means they were picked ripe.

Peaches:
A distinct peachy aroma and slightly soft fruit is what you are looking for. Buy peaches as you eat them, ripe or nearly ripe. Once off the tree they will not ripen.

Plums:
Thick plums, thick, plump and slightly soft with perfect skins. Buy them ripe.

Rhubarb:
Choose firm, crisp stalks and chop off the leaves

Watermelon:
It’s best when the surface is smooth with a dull sheen and the underside is a creamy yellow. Its ends should yield slightly when you press them. The  final test?  Slap it! A dull, flat sound means an under ripe watermelon. A hollow noise tells you it’s past its best.

Now that you are an expert at choosing fruit here are a few quick and nutritious snacks to try!

 

Fruit Shake
Blend yogurt, milk, watermelon, apple, banana, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pears and 1 teaspoon of vanilla on high speed. You may substitute ice cream for the yogurt. Delicious!

 

Fruit Kebob
This is a quick and delicious snack that kids love to help prepare;

What you need: strawberries, grapes, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew or any of your favorites.

What to do: Place the pieces of fruit on a wooden or metal skewer. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Painted Stones

Here is a fun craft that you can do with both preschoolers and school aged children;

What you need:

• Smooth flat stones
• Acrylic paints
• Felt markers
• Paint brushes
• Jar of water

What you do:

1. Clean and dry off the stones.
2. Mix the paints and pour into paper cups or muffin pans.
3. Have your child paint the rocks in sequence- while the paint on one stone is drying, apply to the next stone. Continue until all stones are colored and dry.
4. Add lines and other designs with the pens. Use the water in the jar to wipe off mistakes and clean brushes.
5. Painted stones can be used as paper weights or ornaments.

 

 

Fruit Salsa

Here is an easy and delicious dessert that you and your child can make together.

Ingredients:

Directions

Makes 8 servings
Taken from: http://kidsinthe kitchen.ajli.org

 

 

“The Popsicle” Uh-oh. Brain Freeze!

Here is a brief history of one of children’s favorite summer treats.

The year was 1905. Frank Epperson was 11 years old. He hadn't planned on becoming an inventor; it just happened. Frank had mixed himself a glass of soda pop from powered mix (that’s how you did it in those days!), set it down on the back porch, and forgot about it.That night the temperature dropped below freezing. The next day, Frank found that his glass of soda pop had frozen solid, with the stir stick standing straight up. He grabbed the stick, pulled the frozen pop out of the glass, and voila! Frank had discovered a tasty new treat! At first, he called it the Epperson Icicle. Good idea, bad name. Then he called it the “Eppsicle” and people loved it. A few years later he changed the name again: His children kept asking for “Pop’s  ’sicle”, so he called it…Popsicle.

 

 

 

 

Books in the Home

Tips that will help to encourage your child to read at home;

• Let him/her see you reading
• Share books together
• Point out the print that is all around your community. Look at the street signs, business signs, billboards etc…
• Make scrapbooks from photos or old magazines
• Make cooking and meal preparation a family affair.
• Go to the library
• Have a special comfy corner in your home that has a selection of reading and writing materials.

 

 

 

Toddler’s Listening and Talking Skills

Here are a few suggestions to help your child develop their listening and talking skills;

• talk to him/her when he/she talks to you
• tell him/her the names for things, actions, feelings 
• turn off the TV and radio and let him/her
•  enjoy quiet play, singing and talking  
• repeat what he/she says or say the “right” word  
•   if he/she is pointing or babbling
• make eye contact on his/her level
• talk, sing, recite rhymes, and play with him/her
• for the older toddler, as about number, size and shape of things he/she shows you
  

Taken from: You and Your Toddler
                       A Readiness to Learn Series

 

 

 

Here are a few helpful home cleaning tips!

• All-purpose cleaner can be made from a vinegar-and-salt mixture or from 4 tablespoons baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water.
• Drain cleaner. Try a plunger first, though not after using any commercial drain opener. To open clogs, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down drain, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and cover the drain

 

 

Homework’s Hidden Lessons

 

 

Did you know doing homework helps your child learn! Here are some skills your child may acquire from doing homework;

1. Be Responsible: Responsible people are people you can depend on to do what they say they will do. Doing homework is a responsibility that belongs to children, not parents.
   
   
2. Stand on Their Own Feet: Homework is often the first important task children are asked to do outside
   the home. When children see that they can do it on their own, homework can help them become more independent.
   
   
3. Keep Trying: Homework helps children learn to keep trying in spite of
   difficulties and to finish the job they start out to do. Parents can help and support children, but children
   need the chance to face up to difficulties and to learn that they can overcome them through their own efforts.
   
   
4. Manage Time: Learning to do a job well and finish it within a given amount of time is a useful skill.
   Children learn to manage their time, not waste it.
   
   
5. Act on Their Own: Homework gives children the opportunity to work on their own, to set goals and
   meet them.
   
   
6. Depend on Themselves: Homework gives children the chance to learn that they have the ability to do
   things.
   

All of these things will help increase: SELF-ESTEEM

 

 

 

Why read to your child?

 

Your child will...:

 

Tips to encourage your child to read!

 

Reading with your baby...

 

Reading

To read is to empower
To empower is to write
To write is to influence
To influence is to change
To change is to live.
By; Jane Evershed

 

 

Safety on the Move

In a short time, your baby will be “on the move” as he or she masters the ability to walk. Now more than ever you must take every precaution and make every effort to child- proof your home. Here are just a couple of helpful hints:

1. Be sure that patio and other external doors are locked to prevent baby from roaming outside.
2. A baby is intrigued with drawers and cabinets. He or she will reach for medicines, cleaning products, knives and scissors. Make sure these items are stored in a secure place and out of baby’s reach.
3. Keep the handles of pots and pans turned inward on your stove, table, and countertops. This prevents baby from pulling down on them and receiving injuries.
4. Slightly open windows should have a device to prevent baby from opening them any further.

from:
A Year of Fun, Just for Babies
by: Theodosia Sideropoulos Spewock 

 

 

 

Here are some suggestions from Canada’s Food Guide to keep in mind when preparing daily family meals;

• Eat the recommended amount and type of food each day.
• Eat at east one dark green and one orange vegetable each day.
• Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
• Have vegetables and fruit more often than juices.
• Make at least half of your grain

      products whole grain each day.

• Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt.
• Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day.
• Select lower fat milk alternatives.
• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often.
• Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week.
• Satisfy your thirst with water.
• Limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat, and sugar or salt.

Taken from; www.healthcanada.gc.ca/food

 

 

Watermelon fruit salad basket

What You Need:

1. 1 Medium size watermelon
2. 1 cantaloupe
3. 1 Honeydew melon
4. 2 lbs Seedless green or red grapes

What to Do:

1. To make the watermelon basket, wash the outer rind with cool water. Slice off one end of the melon, removing about a quarter of it. Scoop out the flesh of the watermelon and put aside for later. Decorate the rind bowl by using the tip of a vegetable peeler or lemon zester to inscribe a star pattern on the outer surface.
   
2. Cut the cantaloupe in half and spoon the seeds from the center of each. Use a melon-baller to remove the cantaloupe flesh from one half. Use the second half to make melon stars. Set this half on its side and cut it into 1inch slices. Lay the slices on a cutting board and use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the melon. Repeat the entire process with the honeydew melon.
   
3. Remove the seeds from the scooped out watermelon and cut additional stars out of it. Wash the grapes and remove them from their stems.
   
4. Fill the watermelon basket with the melon balls, stars and grapes.
    If you have any bamboo skewers, you can use the leftover fruit to make fruit kabobs. delicious, nutritious that’s easy to make;
   
   

Here are a few suggestions for quick healthy
snacks during those long summer days!

• White or chocolate milk    
• Yogurt
• Apples
• Carrot and celery sticks
• Other fruit and vegetables
• Cheese
• Nuts and seeds

By: Debbie

 

 

Yogurt Pops

Here is a delicious healthy snack to help you cool down on a hot day
(Parental supervision suggested.)

What you Need:

1. 1 cup plain yogurt
2. 1 banana
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla
4. 1 cup of fruit juice or fruit chunks
5. Small  cups
6. Popsicle stick/spoon
7. Blender

What to Do:

1. Blend yogurt, banana, vanilla and fruit juice or fruit chunks in a blender.
   
2. Pour the mixture into small paper cups and place in freezer.
   
3. When the mixture is half frozen, place a plastic spoon or a popsicle stick in each cup

To Serve:

Turn cups upside down and run warm water over them until the pops slip out.
This recipe makes 4 to 5 servings.

 

 

Crazy Corn Starch Goo:

This is a fun craft for parents and children to do together;
(Parental supervision suggested) Corn starch has a bizarre
consistency when mixed with water. Let go of it and it runs
away as a fluid, but pick it up and play with it and it will be
hard like a rock.

What you will need:

• Corn starch
• Water
• Washable or disposal covering for table
• Cups and bowls
• Few drops of food coloring

What to do:

from: Fun with Kids

 

 

Carrot Balls:

What you need

What to do:

 

 

Jurassic Hats:

Here is a fun craft to do with your school-age child(ren).

What You Need:

Construction paper, scissors, ruler, stapler, markers, tape or glue.

What to do:

1. Cut out four 4-inch long rectangular legs with pointed feet, an 11-inch-long tail that measures 4 inches across the top and tapers to a point, and a 9-inch-long head and attached neck that resembles a giant finger.
2. Cut out a 5-by-28-inch brow band, fit around your child’s head, and staple together the overlapping edges.
3. Have the kids tape or glue the legs and tail to the brow band.
4. Use the edge of a ruler to curl the top of the dinosaur’s neck so that the face points down.
5. Glue on googly eyes and draw on nostrils and a mouth.
6. Tape or glue the base of the neck to the inner brow band.
7. Now you have your dinosaur hat

 

 

 

Playground Safety Tips

Hey Kids! To Play Safe Remember…

 

• Zip up your jacket.
  
• Remove drawstrings on your hood, hat and jacket.
  
• Wear a neck warmer instead of a scarf
  
• Ropes and skipping ropes should not be tied to swings and slide

 

 

Playground fun should be closely supervised! Always check for broken or unsafe playground equipment.
Children should be taught to play safely and use playground equipment appropriate to their physical
development.

 

 

Swimming Rule

Whether in a pool, a lake, or the ocean, many of the same basic rules apply;

 

• Teach your child never to swim alone.
  
• Always have school-aged children supervised by a life guard or other adult when they swim. The adult needs to know how to swim and how to perform CPR.
  
• Don’t let kids push or jump on top of someone else in or near water. Walk, don’t run, near pools or docks.
  
• Your child should never dive into water unless permitted by an adult who knows how deep the water is.
  
• Going down the pool slide head first is a no-no.
  
• At the first sign of thunder and lightening, everyone should leave the water.
  
• Warn your kids not to pretend to be drowning and call for help.
  

from: Family Education