Here are a few organization tips that will help your child develop inpendence; self-help skills and much more.  Remember try one at a time, so you do not become overwhelmed as a parent.  Teachers already know this and it is 'tit for tat'.  Hope it's helpful.  Please let me know if you try anything and how it went (good or bad).  If we can start a dialogue you will learn much more.

• label items in a child's space with pictures and words. This helps them with literacy and to identify where things go.
• encourage children to only take out one item at a time and put it back when done.
• place a bulletinboard, cork pieces or whiteboard at your child's height somewhere in their room.  Post their art work here or let them hang what they want up.  When it's full, have your child take off what they want to add new things.  This will make them feel important, build self confidence and allows them to learn to make their own choices about their things.
• have child help clean up all messes showing them how to put things back where they belong. The more you model with their help, the more they will learn and sooner or later they will be able to clean it up alone. Teaches independence, slef-help and organization.
• Give choices often but make sure they are choices you can follow through with. Never give a child a choice that really is not a choice.  Helps with cognitive development.
• Don't make promises or plans that you share with a child unless you are 100% sure you can keep them. If you tell a 3 year old you are going to the park after nap and the weather turns inclimate, so you don't take them to the park. They will watch the rain and when it stops they will expect you to take them and if you don't, they will begin to think you are lying and begin to distrust you. It is very important to follow through with ALL promises you make to a young child. If you are not sure if you can don't share!   This is very important for emotional well-being.
• BE CONSISTENT and follow through- builds trust and moral character.

Simple Supplies for Summer Fun

All parents have heard the words, "I'm bored!"  "There is nothing to do!"  Many times our children make the same complaint because they have not been encouraged to become independent thinkers who can entertain themselves.  We need to remember that it is not always the job of the parent or caregiver to entertain the child 24/7.  Children need to be encouraged and guided to explore and express their creativity and curiosity independently.  Parents can encourage these behaviors with a few simple activities and inexpensive supplies.

First set up an area that your child is allowed to get messy.  It could be an area on a patio, patio, basement, etc.  Then stock it with these simple supplies:  plain  and colored paper;  paper plates; paper cups; paper towels; glue; scissors; paint; markers; crayons, pencils; colored chalk; playdoh; rolling pins; cookie cutters; bubbles; bubble blowers; and other miscellaneous craft items that interest your child.  You may also want to set up an area with old clothes and items for dress-up or housekeeping as well as have puzzles; building blocks; word working materials and other independent activities that your child may be interested in.  Encourage your child to be creative and responsible for their area.  You may need to model the behavior or activities to begin with but eventually your child will be able to learn how to entertain themselves or their friends.  It is important that you allow the child the freedom to explore and express themselves in this area with the understanding that they will be responsible for cleaning up after themselves as well.  If you begin this regiment when the child is very young, you will find that at first you are doing quite a bit of modeling and helping with the clean-up but it is important that you have the child help right from the start.  If you begin to do it all for them, you will not teach them independence but dependence and you will find yourself always picking up after your child.  Be consistent and have the child assist with everything from the start.  Once they learn the routine, you will find that they will be able to clean up alone.  Reinforce this behavior and show pride in independent activities.  You find that this will help your child build initiative and integrity towards all tasks in their lives with some simple modeling and encouragement towards independence.

Once you have accomplished this you will find your child can entertain themselves without at television, computer or gaming system.  They will be independent and confident.

Stages of Development with Pics

 What was that?  Look at the curiosity and she wants to get into everything.  Just wait until she can walk.  She's ready to go . . . Allow children the space and freedom to use their senses to explore their world giving them opportunities to plant the initial seeds and brain wiring for all future learning during these formative years.  Enjoy and have fun with them at this age!  Watch their little minds absorb everything around them. (Infants)

What you want to know what I may be thinking?  Well let's see, I am wondering what you are doing, if I am interested in what you're doing, or whether I want to do something else.  Sometimes adults are just boring and I need to go off and explore on my own but I want to know that you are around to give me positive reinforcement and assurance for security.  I need to know I can trust you and want to know that you are close but I want to do things all by myself.  Sometimes my big sisters don't understand that and they want to invade my space.  I wish they would just leave me alone so I can pick my own blueberries, dress my own dolls, draw my own pictures . . .  I want to do it all by myself!   And you are aware that at this age the world is mine, you are mine, everything is mine and I am not really interested in sharing what is mine.  But that is normal for me, I am a toddler after all!

 Oh yes!  I am a princess and I do like to be in charge of the entire world if you let me.  I like to dance and keep busy at all times.  The world is never dull when I am around.  I like to talk about everything and everything.  Yes, I expect you to be listening and to follow my directions.  I want to be the boss and I like to show everyone what I can do.  Did you know I can do cartwheels?  Hop on one foot?  and much, much more?  I am extremely busy and if you follow me all day long, I promise you will be tired at the end of the day or if not sooner- that is if you can keep up.  Ha !Ha!  See if you can . . . (Preschool)

I like to put things together and build things.  I already know my colors and shapes.  I can play cooperatively with others and I do not always have to be in charge but I still like to be the boss when I can.  I don't like to clean up but I will if you give me the appropriate guidance and show me how you want me to do it.  I am learning how to write letters and draw shapes.  I know many letters of the alphabet and some of their sounds.  I am learning directionality (ldft to right, top to bottom) which is important as I am an emergent reader in pre-k.  I like to follow schedules and routines.  When things are different, I can easily become confused and sometimes irritable but I do adjust.  It's just difficult when I am expecting one thing and it doesn't happen.  Do not make promises to me unless you can follow through and never, never lie to me or I will begin to not trust you.  Use kind words and positive speech and I will understand.  I like to be rewarded and receive positive reinforcement for my accomplishments.  I am willing to learn and like to do things independently, so please do not do things for me.  Let me do them myself!  I am very opinionated at this age and yes I like to talk a lot. (Pre-K)

Toddler Activities

Toddler's love to explore and have an endless curiosity to satisfy.  Here are a few simple things you can do with little to no investment.

1.  Where Did It Go?   Play a simple hide and seek activity with a simple toy or object that the child has an interest in.  Place it in different places and have the toddler look for it.  Ask them to look high, low, under, between . . . and you are helping them learn simple position words that will plant a seed for future learning.  They learn to follow directions, position words, and critical thinking
2.   Peek-a-Boo Animals-  Place a small blanket over the child's favorite stuffed animal or doll and show them how they can play peek-a-boo with their animals like you play with them.  This helps to teach them independence as well as cause and effect.
3.  Bucket Toss-  For this activity you will need a large pot, bucket or bowl and either a soft ball, small stuffed animal or bean bag.  Place the bucket on the floor and have the child toss the ball into the bucket.  While this is happening help the child count, retrieve and try again, identify colors and shapes of the balls/buckets.  You may use one ball or several.  This helps the child with motor skills and colors/shapes/counting.
4.  Music Count- All you need is a wooden spoon/durable surface or plastic bowl for each of you.  Have the child copy your beat.  During this activity you can count, sing, or  sound out syllables of words for older children.  This teaches the child rhythm, counting, eye-hand coordination, language/literacy(songs), following directions.  After the child has mastered following you, let them be the leader and you copy them which helps with their feelling of autonomy.  Modify the counting and rhythm activities by marching, walking, hopping or tip-toe to a beat or counting increasing gross motor development and balance.