Practical Family Fun in the Home
Really?? Do I have to read a website about how to have fun at home? The answer to this question is no! However, it's always interesting to know how fun can actually be helping children learn at the same time. So, check out how having fun can help children learn some important skills. By building these skills, children's overall social-emotional wellbeing is being fostered. Children who have greater social-emotional wellbeing have a higher likelihood of succeeding academically in the classroom than those who have lower levels of social-emotional wellbeing - have less relational connections with significant adults or have less emotional regulation skills to keep themselves under control in frustrating situations.
Game-Night
Having a night designated for family time that is positive, fun, and interactive has been shown to increase a number of positive outcomes including:
1. Planning, organizing, sequential thinking, emotion regulation, rule-following, and even self-monitoring (Executive Functioning)
2. Relationship building with family members and/or friends
3. Mathematics
4. Reading
Check out this website for fun game ideas that may be the next big thing in your home.
Play-time with adults
Play between a child and an adult is an invaluable method for helping :
1. Build parent-child relationships
2. Teach children limits of play (i.e., rules for safe play)
3. Expand the play repertoire of the child as adults help children take the next steps in play
4. Learn to share resources and toys
5. Learn good sportsmanship/gamesmanship
Book Reading:
Adult book reading with children or adolescents is known to increase:
1. Parent-child relationships
2. Reading comprehension
3. Reading fluency (smoothness of reading)
4. Overall interest in reading
5. Smoothness of transition to bedtime/nap-time
6. Breadth of vocabulary
For older students who can read independently, adults can read a magazine/newspaper/work-materials while a student is reading their school/personal books to send the message that reading is important for people of all ages. This helps increase daily reading for students who are expected to read each night.
Check out this website article for additional ideas about family fun that promotes learning and why it's important!
Source: Your Therapy Source Inc
Do you struggle to find easy kitchen activities for kids to help out or learn new skills? It can be hard when parents are in such a rush. Let’s face it, sometimes letting them help makes it take way longer than it needs to or leave a huge mess behind. BUT, it is a very important life skill that children need to learn. In addition, many tasks require motor skills, coordination, and muscle strength to complete. Working in the kitchen certainly helps boost healthy child development.
10 Kitchen Activities for Kids
As a parent, remember the easier the tasks are to set up, the easier it is for you and the kids to complete. The more repetitive the daily practice, the greater the benefits of learning the skill.
Here are 10 super simple activities that children can practice daily when helping out in the kitchen at home. These helpful kitchen activities for kids also provide bilateral coordination practice (using both sides of the body at the same time).
Spread soft butter or jelly on bread: one hand holds the knife and one hand holds the bread.
Pouring a drink – one hand holds the pitcher and the other hand stabilizes the cup.
Mixing and Stirring – hold the bowl with one hand and use the other hand to stir with a spoon.
Open and close jars/containers – hold the jar/container with one hand and open the lid with the other hand.
Roll out dough – hold a rolling pin with both hands and roll out pizza, cookie or pie dough.
Gather ingredients on the counter to help have everything ready – follow directions and reach, squat and carry different materials to the counter.
Wash fruit and vegetables – use both hands to gently clean the food. Put a strainer in the sink while they wash it.
Pack up lunch or leftovers – using both hands wrap up the food.
Set the table – carry the plates, silverware and cups to the table.
Wash (and rewash if necessary) any sticky or messy areas of the countertop and table during clean up after meals – use a sponge or cloth that they have to wring out when too wet.
What Skills are Children Working on With These Kitchen Activities for Kids?
When children help out with these kitchen activities for kids they are practicing:
fine motor skills: picking up small objects
gross motor skills: squatting, reaching, and walking
coordination skills: using both sides of the body at the same time
visual perceptual skills: looking and finding materials, eye hand coordination, etc.
motor planning: following the steps of the skills
grading movements: learning how much muscle strength to use to complete a task such as pouring a drink
INDEPENDENCE WITH LIFE SKILLS
Suggestions to Make it Easier for Kids to Help
We all know that sometimes it can be stressful to let kids help out in the kitchen. Parents are always in a rush. When we take a moment to slow down and allow participation in kitchen activities with kids, it a nice bonding experience and your children are learning how to be independent.
Here are a few suggestions to make it easier to let them help out:
provide them with “just right” challenges – you want the activities to be challenging but yet achievable. For example, spreading butter and jelly on toast is easier if you soften the butter. Using a knife for the first time, try starting with softer foods like bananas.
start at a young age – if children are always watching and learning in the kitchen they will observe skills to model as well.
have a positive mindset – there are some days or moments when you might not be in the best mindset to have them help. That is okay! Wait for a time when you have a positive mindset and will enjoy them helping you.
provide pretend play opportunities – sometimes you can’t have your little ones help with certain recipes. Give them a bowl, wooden spoon, flour and water to let them mix up their own pretend food.
teach your children the rules of the kitchen – at the start make sure you teach your children the basic rules regarding the stove, oven, etc.