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Activities

5 Ways To Improve Your Child’s Fine Motor Skills

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Girl Children Playing With Blocks

Although children develop their motor skills at different rates, it’s still important to encourage them to practice those skills. Motor skills can develop from the following activities:

  • Holding and moving a pencil
  • Cutting with scissors
  • Using belts, snaps, and zippers to get dressed
  • Using eating utensils
  • Opening and closing latches
  • Moving a computer mouse

However, if these skills aren’t developed, then they won’t accomplish key tasks like writing, cutting, tying shoes, and moving things when instructed to do so.

Why Fine Motor Skills?

Children need fine motor skills to function in everyday tasks like getting dressed, eating with silverware, tying their shoes, and doing tasks at school like writing and cutting. And the fine motor skills don’t stop there, since we still need these as adults.

So, if a child can’t do these everyday tasks, it can affect their ability to be self-reliant, self-confidence, and perform well in school.

Here are five activities that you can try out with your child:

1. Doing Puzzles

Having children do puzzles is a great way for them to stimulate the hand muscles to develop the pincer grasp. The pincer grasp skill is needed for a child to pick things up, whether instructed to do so, or done independently.

Although watching or helping your child learn how to complete puzzles can be frustrating at times, especially when they tend to get bored easily, the key here is to keep up with it, so that they can get used to doing it. Have them start with easy puzzles; and once they’ve mastered the easy ones, you can give them more challenging ones. In turn, your child will not only develop their fine motor skills, but also their hand skills and eye coordination.

2. Using Play Dough And Putty

Play dough and putty have always delighted children in many ways than one. First, children can use play dough to squeeze, pinch, stretch, and roll into many shapes. As they play with putty, it stimulates the sensory part of the brain, as well as entices the creative part of your child. Whether your child pulls apart play dough by hand or with scissors, make sure to encourage them to make certain shapes like “worms” or “balls.”

3. Cutting Out Shapes With Scissors

Speaking of scissors, the task of cutting is essential for children, since they need that skill for school and other life tasks. Using scissors improves hand-eye coordination and concentration, and can be beneficial when your child is tasked to cut out certain shapes for a project. Even encouraging them to make paper snowflakes can help them develop fine motor skills. As long as you use age-appropriate scissors, cutting with scissors can be fun for your child.

4. Playing With Water

Observing water can be done safely in a sink or in a bath tub. Have your child fill a cup or medicine syringe with water, and then watch them squirt or pour the water into something else like a bowl. Or, you can use food coloring to teach your child how to mix colors in water.

And for bath time, have your child fill cups with water, and then have them and pour the water out. Or, let them squeeze things like sponges or squeaky rubber toys in the water.

5. Legos And Building Blocks

Legos and blocks are well-known for stacking and building. These activities allow children to push, pull, and move pieces around to create a structure, encouraging endless creativity. As they have fun with Legos and blocks, they’ll be sure to develop more fine motor skills that can help them with tasks like holding a pencil and writing. Also, children can learn about persistence, problem-solving, and having that sense of accomplishing something from playing with blocks.

My Child Still Can’t Pick Up Fine Motor Skills!

If your child is still not picking up on fine motor skills, even as they enter school, talk to a Children’s Occupational Therapist. These specialists may be able to help pre-school kids in developing basic sensory awareness and motor skills, so that they can be efficient for school and self-care.

Conclusion

These five techniques can help your child improve the fine motor skills, as well as help them in the long-run, as they go through school and go about their life. We hope that you and your child will have fun doing these special activities, and have them be the best that they can be.

Author Bio: Steven Ammon is a writer and a professional translator at PhDKingdom.com. A loving father, he loves to teach his children the joys of education and writing.

Activities, Food

Best Low-Cost Baking Recipes

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Baking Recipes

by Dr. Shanthi Thomas

Baking is generally considered an expensive, time-consuming and labour-intensive activity. However, as many people would attest, it is one of the most enjoyable and pleasurable activities known to man. If you don’t agree, just try baking a simple cake one day. The aroma that fills the house is just heavenly, and the cake melts in your mouth. Avid fans of baking should not get disappointed about the high cost of baking; it is possible to bake without ripping a hole in your pocket. Read on to find some low-cost baking recipes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is an easy-to-bake item that is healthy to boot! A perfect snack for a rainy evening!

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Step 1

In a bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together.

  • Step 2

Beat in eggs.

  • Step 3

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

  • Step 4

Stir the second mixture into into butter mixture. Put the dough in the refrigerator for one hour.

  • Step 5

Roll the dough into 1-inch small balls and put on baking sheets. With a fork, flatten each ball, making a crisscross pattern. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 375 degrees F oven or until cookies begin to brown.

Your delicious peanut butter cookies are ready.

Classic Pound Cake

This classic pound cake takes just seven ingredients, all of which are common pantry staples.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 pound butter
  • softened 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Step 1

In a deep bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until it is creamy. The butter will become a lighter yellow color. This is to incorporate air into the butter so the cake will rise. It will take 1 to 7 minutes.

  • Step 2

Add sugar slowly, beating at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. The butter will now turn to a fluffy white.

  • Step 3

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until yellow yolk disappears.

  • Step 4

Add flour to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. It is important to beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. The batter should be smooth and incorporated without lumps.

  • Step 5

Stir in the almond and vanilla extracts.

  • Step 6

Pour into 10-inch tube pan that has been greased and floured

  • Step 7

Bake at a preheated 300° F for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a  wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. After removing from the pan, cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Easy Sugar Cookies

Nothing to beat easy and simple sugar cookies, with or without chocolate mints on top.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.

  • Step 2

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and the butter until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.

  • Step 3

Now, gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place them onto ungreased cookie sheets.

  • Step 4

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven until golden. Remove to cool on wire racks.

Muffins

Here is a simple, chocolate chip muffin recipe, to which you can add fruit, chocolate or nuts.

Ingredients

  • 400g self-raising flour
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 125ml vegetable oil
  • 250ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 100g chocolate chips or dried fruit such as sultanas or dried cherries (optional)

Directions

  • Step 1

Heat oven to 200C/180C. Line the muffin trays with paper muffin cases. In a large bowl beat two medium eggs lightly with an electric mixer for one minute

  • Step 2

Add the vegetable oil and semi-skimmed milk and beat until just combined.

  • Step 3

Add caster sugar and whisk until you have a smooth batter.

  • Step 4

Sift in the self-raising flour and 1 tsp salt then mix until just smooth. Do not over-mix.

  • Step 5

Stir in 100g chocolate chips or dried fruit if using.

  • Step 6

Fill muffin cases till they are two-thirds full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the muffins to cool for a few minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In case you want to make chocolate muffins, swap 100g of the self-raising flour for 100g cocoa powder and 1 tsp baking powder.

Activities

How To Create A Terrarium At Home?

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Terrarium Making

by Dr. Shanthi Thomas

Nothing uplifts the human spirit like nature. If you are an admirer of greenery, but do not have garden space around your house, why not create a mini-garden inside your house? It will be great to look at, and is a sure way to improve indoor air quality. Besides, a terrarium improves the ambience of a house immensely. Building a terrarium is also one of the ways to engage kids during lockdown time. Read on to see how you can make a DIY terrarium at home.

Items you will need

  • An old aquarium that you no longer use, glass jar or bowl.
  • Pebbles (This will give a false drainage layer)
  • Activated charcoal (This will keep the terrarium healthy)
  • Appropriate potting soil (Cactus soil for succulents and cacti, and regular potting soil for other plants)
  • Various small plants (Look for small plants that will not grow too tall. You should select either succulents and cacti or fern and tropical plants because these two sets require different types of soil and amounts of water)
  • Moss (for decoration, and to retain water)
  • Decorative items such as figurines, shiny stones or glass beads (optional)
  • Gloves
  • Scissors

STEP 1: Get the container ready

Clean your vessel thoroughly to clear away any unwanted material stuck to it. If you are using a disinfectant, please make sure that it is organic. At this point, you can plan how you will arrange the plants inside.

STEP 2: Add the drainage layer

Once the container is clean and ready, line the bottom with pebbles. This will create a false drainage layer that will let water settle, instead of flooding the plants.

STEP 3: Add the Activated Charcoal

The charcoal should now be added on top of the pebbles, just enough to cover them. It will improve the air quality of the terrarium, reducing fungi, bacteria and odors. It comes either as small granules or shards; both are fine for our purposes.

STEP 4: Add Soil

It is important to get the right kind of soil for the plants you have selected. Add enough soil at a good depth for the plants to grow roots and flourish.

STEP 5: Plant

Now it is time to plant. For each plant you have selected, if the roots are especially long, they need to be trimmed. Plant each one without touching the sides of the vessel as much as possible.

STEP 6: Add Accessories

After the plants are in, you can add moss, shiny stones, glass beads or figurines, depending on the look that you want the terrarium to have. If you are using a big aquarium for the terrarium, you could even add a waterfall and a small pond inside.

STEP 7: Clean and Water

Clean the sides of the terrarium by wiping it down. Water the plants inside, taking care not to give too much water. Some terrariums are closed, and others are open. You can choose either. Cacti and succulents prefer open terrariums whereas moss and ferns can thrive in the more humid environment of a closed terrarium.

Insider’s Tips

  • If leaves wilt or die, remove them immediately from the terrarium.
  • Do not water the terrarium too often. You should be able to judge if it needs water by looking at the soil. If it looks parched, give some water. If your terrarium has a lid, and if you see water dripping from the top, you have to open the lid to let some evaporate.
  • Indirect sunlight works best for your terrarium. So do not place it in direct sunlight. The glass will trap heat and the plants will get scorched.
  • You can create a nice, authentic-looking background for your terrarium by sticking a forest scene or just dark green paper at the back of the terrarium.
  • When you select plants, look for plants of different colors and sizes.
  • A very good choice of plants for terrarium is herbs like mint and thyme. Other than looking good in your terrarium, they are useful in cooking. They are usually hardy, grow small and often add a good aroma to the house.
  • Popular plants for terrariums and their characteristics are given below.
  1. Swedish Ivy – A very durable plant that can survive with low care
  2. Scottish Moss – Very hardy and good looking
  3. Miniature African violets – This plant will add nice color to your terrarium
  4. Pothos – This plant needs medium light and has nice shaped leaves.
  5. Irish Moss – This plant gives nice ground-cover
  6. Spiderwort – This is very durable and needs little care
  7. Cactus – This plant needs high sunlight and sandy soil
  8. Bird Nest Sansivieria – An extremely hardy plant
Activities

Top 10 Ways To Engage Your Kids During Lockdown

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by Dr. Shanthi Thomas

Top 10 Ways To Engage Your Kids During Lockdown

Children are naturally restless, and drive parents nuts when they have nothing to do. Here we suggest 10 top ways to engage your kids during lockdown time. Each of these activities needs parents to spend a little, but rest assured that it is money well-spent.

1. Bake

Baking is fun for kids of any age as they get to mess with the flour and feel important handling the oven. You can bake cookies, cakes, pies and so on, on any budget. Even though you need to shell out some money to buy the supplies, the results are truly worth it. One item per day should be the target as far as baking is concerned, ideally for brunch.

2. Cook a meal for dinner

It will be a great experience to actually cook dinner for the family, a new one each day. A lot of time will be taken up on browsing and looking for suitable recipes, and getting the supplies necessary. Still more time will be taken up in the preparation of the meal. With all the kids pitching in, this can be a great family bonding experience.

2. Have a picnic

Grab a sheet, get some chips and drinks. You are ready for a picnic ideally outside the house in the yard, or even in the living room if you are living in an apartment and do not have a yard to speak of. Picnics are incredibly attractive to children who feel that it is an adventurous diversion in an otherwise dull and boring time. Get some music going, and you have a full-blown picnic.

3. Get a pet

The benefits of having a pet for children are many. A pet draws out the innate sweetness and caring nature of a child, and taking care of the pet teaches children responsibility. A pet can be a great companion to play with, to alleviate the loneliness of lockdown.

4. Join online contests

There are many online contests in various areas such as short story writing, painting and so on. Many are free, and reward the winners with handsome prizes. A simple google search will reveal contests for children of all ages. It is a great educational way to spend this free time.

4. Plan and organize each day

You may find it surprising, but planning and organizing your days itself is a very fruitful exercise to do with your little ones. Each day, about 30 minutes can be spent planning out the next day, actually writing down what can be done at different times, and finding time for the different activities that one would like to do, such as baking, playing with a pet etc.

5. Do some spring cleaning or organizing

Cleaning and tidying up is definitely a boring chore for most of us, and definitely for children. The key to making it attractive is to limit the time spent on tidying up and cleaning to 15 minutes. You can even set an alarm to let you know when you can stop cleaning. It becomes an attractive chore when the whole family does it in a time-bound manner.

6. Draw and paint

Get a small-sized canvas, easel, brushes and paint. Hardly anyone can refuse an invitation to draw and paint when there is a ready canvas and paint beckoning. An even more attractive prospect is to have the whole family painting one large picture, taking turns to draw and paint.

7.  Learn how to edit videos

With mobile phones becoming ubiquitous, even a kid can take videos, but editing a video takes skill. The lockdown time is perfect for learning video editing, because the results are quite impressive. There are many video editing applications available which are easy to use.

8. Do science experiments

Simple science experiments can be done at home by kids under the supervision of adults. Science experiments provide the perfect mix of education and entertainment at a low cost.

9. Start an indoor mini-garden or terrarium

A terrarium is incredibly satisfying for those who miss greenery and nature. A terrarium is a mini-garden that you can create in a glass container, using plants that can grow indoors. Detailed instructions on how to create a terrarium are available online easily.

10. Basket ball

Of all the games, why do we suggest basketball? Precisely because unlike football, volleyball or even cricket, basketball is a very precise game with the players having high control over the ball, so that it will not go out of control and break your window. Also, all it needs is a basketball hoop and a little space to bounce the ball around.

Activities

4 Incredible Father Day’s Gift Ideas for Kids

Family with kid

For Daddies, there is nothing more meaningful and valuable than receiving a homemade father’s day gift from their kids on their special day. In the same way, children love to make good efforts to make their fathers happy on their day.

You know, father’s day is just around, and we all are locked at our places. We all are going through a difficult time and looking for activities to utilize our time in a good way. Where adults and teens are bored and looking for healthy activities, kids are also missing their good time and healthy activities, and playing areas. So it is the time to train your kids to expose their hidden talents and polish their skills.

So as father’s day falls on the third Sunday in June and we are not allowed to go out shopping and buy something special to make our heroes happy. So here we come up with the ideas that can help your kids not only utilize their time in a good way, but they can craft something fabulous for their dad’s special day.

So below is our list of homemade gifts that can make both kids and dads happy.

1. Create Homemade Father’s Day Card

 Do you think a special day can be complete without a card having some special note on it? We don’t think so, and we are here to celebrate father’s day and make a gift for this day then what else can be more important for a father than receiving a card from his kid.

Father’s day cards are something that kids of all ages can make. Let your kids do some artwork and tell them to write what they feel for their father.

2. Make a Photo Collage

Not a single person exists who does not have his photos. In this digital era, one can easily get photos and use them to make others happy. In the same way, you can use your father’s old photos to make a good collage to surprise him on his day.

If you are a lucky one to have grandpa, then making gifts for grandpa is more fun. Gifts for Grandpa are something that makes both you and him happier. For this, you can use his memorable photos on canvas. And I am sure this will make them excited too.

3. Dress Up a Coffee Mug

To turn your father’s boring morning into the happiest one, you can work on his coffee mug. Dress up his boring coffee mug with a cheeky mustache or something that is more real and near to your dad. For this, you don’t have to spend money as you have everything at your place, including a color kit, paintbrushes, and yes, of course, your father’s coffee mug.

4. Make a Daddy Book

What can be more worth it for a father than reading a book that explains the emotions, feelings, and love of his children for him? For this, you only need some cards, colors, old pictures, a pen, and write about some old memories that your father would love to read.

Activities, Kids Health

Physical Exercise for Kids During COVID-19 Lockdown

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Physical Exercise for Kids

Kids are typically restless and movement-oriented. Any prolonged period of time cooped up in a confined space is equivalent to a death sentence to a normal child. With the advent of the digital revolution, the tendency to move has largely transferred to online games and videos, with increased danger of childhood health issues. With the Lockdown imposed due to COVID-19, what little exercise kids used to get by means of playing at school or doing exercise during Physical Education lessons is non-existent now. Therefore, it is important to understand what physical exercise can be had at home during this Lockdown time, without it becoming another boring chore.

1. Take breaks during online learning

Most schools have moved online during this time, and are conducting classes using platforms such as Google Classroom and apps such as Zoom. Encourage your kids to walk during the time in between lessons, play with a ball or with a pet. At any cost, avoid continuous sitting in one position for a prolonged period of time. It is commendable that some schools still continue their PE lessons online, even asking students to wear PE attire for the duration of the class.

2. Engage in domestic chores

With parents also mostly working from home, it is beneficial to all to have some time devoted to house chores such as cleaning, folding clothes and gardening. The body gets moving once you decide to have a tiny vegetable garden by the side of the kitchen area with your kids. Many young kids love to vacuum their own room, and this is another chore that could be done on a daily basis.

3. Follow an online exercise class

This is an ideal time to take advantage of scores of online classes available, many of which are free and easily found on YouTube. There are exercises suitable for the whole family that can be done together without getting anyone particularly exhausted. One advantage of doing exercise together is increased motivation. Alone, it is more difficult to exercise. For kids, it is enjoyable to see their parents doing the same exercise as themselves.

4. Walk in small spaces

Help your child take advantage of every little chance to walk. It could be fetching a glass of water for each of the parents from the kitchen, for example. Walking the family pet dog even in a small, confined space gives some movement for tiny muscles. With very young kids, walking can be turned into a game for the mother and the child, with each walking from opposing sides of the room and hugging in the middle.

5. Invest in a standing desk

Learning at home during Lockdown time need not be done glued to the chair in front of the computer. You could invest in a standing desk or simply make one up using a high table or a pile of books. The aim is to reduce sedentary sitting time as much as possible. Ideally, every 30 minutes of sedentary sitting time should be interrupted by a brief walk-about or standing and stretching.

6. Physical games indoors

There are many games and game-equipment that can be bought which can be invaluable for an active life indoors for very young kids. A few examples are a mini-trampoline, twister, a balance beam, indoor obstacle course and scavenger hunt. If you would like to go easy on spending, some of these games can use simple household items. For example, an indoor obstacle course can be easily made by rearranging furniture.

7. Active family time

There are many families who decide on a particular time to be active together. It may be a morning Yoga session or evening basketball game. It could even be just getting out of the house in the evening for a walk around. When it is done as a family together, there is greater family bonding, in addition to the much-needed physical activity.

8. Screen shut-down time

In a lot of households, the inactive time is mainly the time spent in front of the television or on the mobile phone, chatting and watching videos or playing online in the case of kids. It is of enormous benefit to physical and psychological health to switch off access to the internet between 5 pm and 7 pm every single day. This will in effect release everyone from the bondage to the screen and give them freedom to move outside, or engage in physical activities indoors. The key to this strategy being successful is that everyone in the family should agree on this, and parents should be consistent in enforcing it.

Activities

Top Activities for Kids in Quarantine Time

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Top Activities for Kids in Quarantine Time

Every crisis has an opportunity inherent in it. So does the compulsory quarantine and home isolation policy during COVID-19. One could see it as curse and go through a hellish time, or see it as a blessing in disguise to spend some quality time with family. For those who choose the latter option, here are some tips that will make your time with kids memorable for years to come. Make no mistake: spending day after day cooped up within four walls is no joke, but with these activities we suggest, it is still doable with joy.

1. Reading

Yes, this is the number one activity that is enjoyable and profitable at the same time. There are many parents who complain that their kids do not like to read. The fact of the matter is that if parents read, children also will read sooner or later. There are many ways to get hold of good books. If your local library is closed, you can still borrow e-books or audio books through online systems that can be downloaded to your smartphone. Moreover there are animated stories and e-books available online for children.

2. Cooking

Most kids love cooking. Home isolation is an ideal time to let kids try out simple recipes for the family, under parental supervision. Baking, with its promise of flavorful aromas filling the house, has special appeal for kids and there are plenty of kid-friendly recipes available. It will be a great family bonding experience if all members of the family get together and create one special dish per day. Besides teaching kids an essential skill for life, cooking together will promote the value of home-cooked food, which may linger even after these troubled times.

3. Family movie nights

Family movie nights are another great way for bonding and fun. With movie theatres out of bounds due to social distancing, your mini-screen provides the nearest experience. This is an ideal time to make sure that you have watched all time classic Family movies. Don’t forget to get your bag of popcorn for the night!

4. Family game time

You never get too old for some board games such as Scrabbles, Monopoly, Game of life or Chinese checkers. Lazy Sunday afternoons are perfect for such games. If not board games, a simple game of cards should provide the family a couple of hours of fun and bonding.

5. School time

In many parts of the world where there is a lock down, schools operate online. However, if you live in a place where online learning is not feasible, do not let your children’s education suffer. You can homeschool your kids, and there are great resources available, tailored for homeschooling. The syllabuses available for homeschooling and their resources are so varied and numerous that no parent will be left wondering whether they are suitably qualified to teach their children or not.

6. Spend time with friends and family online

A home isolation time can prove to be really lonely, and kids will long to be with their friends every single day. Even though it is a poor substitute, video calling is a useful ally at this time. You can choose from different options such as FaceTime, Skype or Zoom. A certain amount of socializing is necessary at this time, to prevent family members sinking into loneliness and depression, out of touch with friends and extended family. What’s more, it gives you the feeling of togetherness in tough times.

7. Cleaning

It may sound very much like the chore it is, but cleaning is definitely one of the activities for your home isolation time. There may be furniture that needs dusting, clothes that need sorting out, and children’s toys that need to be washed. The family can divide the tasks among its members, making sure that they are age-appropriate. Cleaning can be a boring task, but the results are often very satisfying.

8. Gardening

Fortunate families who have an outdoor garden can spruce up their flowering plants and vegetables during this isolation time, tending to them with the extra time at hand. Gardening is a great hobby to cultivate both for adults and children, and your plants bearing flowers or fruits gives you a sense of accomplishment that few other activities do.

9. Journaling

COVID-19 is a major event in the history of the human race as it has resulted in the loss of lives like no other natural disaster has in recent times, and plunged the economies of affected nations into a dark future. We need to have enough sense of history to realize that these are extraordinary times indeed, and are worthy enough to be recorded. Families can record their feelings, uncertainties and simple joys while undergoing quarantine or isolation during COVID-19. Such journaling will keep memories fresh and give an outlet to feelings of frustration that isolations gives rise to. Kids also can take part in journaling by drawing, and writing simple words and sentences.

Activities

The Top Ten Reasons Your Child Should Be Exposed To Theatre

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Children Theatre Program

Children who are exposed to the theatre at a young age, both as members of the audience and as performers up on stage, can have great benefits in their lives because of it. There are important lessons to take from it as well as skills to take you through life at different moments. Even if your focus is on one aspect of the theatre, whether it’s plays, musicals, ballets, or opera, you can gain an appreciation of beautiful art forms and performing arts as a whole. For the parents who aren’t yet sure about taking their kids to the theatre or enrolling them, here are the top 10 reasons why children should be exposed to the theatre and even participate.

1. There are important lessons

Whether you can learn about history, a famous play or even a life lesson, your children are sure to learn some things from being in the theatre. Practicing lines and memorising songs can also help with studying for other subjects.

2. They can relate to the themes

Children can see in shows that they’re not alone in the struggles they might have, whether it’s trying to figure out their identity, what their life goals are, their sexuality, and much more. It’s a powerful experience being able to relate to what’s going on stage.

3. There are job opportunities

According to Rita Goodman, a teacher at BoomEssays, “a job in theatre may be risky, or different, but if your child is happy in that environment, there are actually a lot of different job opportunities in that field.”

4. It’s a great way to take a break from real world issues

We’re not saying children should hide from their problems or avoid them, but they can get quite stressed with school drama and heavy workload. Going to see a play or getting prepared to perform in one is a great way to let go and take your mind off of things. Just stepping into a theatre can make your child feel immediately at home.

5. They will learn to appreciate arts

It’s important for young people to embrace the arts. Being exposed to that environment can make children experience empathy, learn to accept new things in life and differences in people instead of being afraid of them. Plays and musicals can be of all levels of maturity so your kids can grow with the theatre and always find something new to appreciate and to learn from.

6. They will gain important life skills

Exposing your kids to the theatre will give them a lot of valuable skills, like a sense of imagination, a lot of creativity, a love of reading and stories, and much more. They will also learn to work with others and collaborate, get some sense of discipline, and even get a boost of self confidence and comfort with public speaking. All of these skills are extremely valuable in the workplace in future, so there’s no reason not to encourage this activity from a young age.

7. They will take a break from technology

Children these days can become obsessed with their devices and playing games online. That’s why it can be great for them to have an obsession that isn’t related to technology. Make sure if you’re going to a show then they leave their phone at home.

8. It’s great for anyone

Theatre is amazing for kids of all ages, and adults as well. If you have a few kids of different ages, there’s no reason you can’t go to the theatre and all enjoy it.

9. Performing arts are a fun activity

At the end of the day, performing in a play or music is fun. You get to immerse yourself completely in a character and play out any scene that you want – the sky really is the limit.

10. It’s a great community

People in theatre are extremely talented, welcoming and humble, so it’s a great community for your children to be a part of. If they are surrounded by talented, amazing, and humble people, the chances are good they’ll grow up that way themselves.

Activities

Using Exercise To Support Children’s Studies

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Children Exercise

We all know that exercise has immense health benefits, but exercise can also be used to support your child’s learning. Studies have shown that children who undertake regular exercise are more likely to be successful in their studies. So, how can you use exercise to help your child’s learning?

Keeping Active

Playing and engaging in physical activities is essential for children. In an increasingly technology focused world, children are spending greater amounts of time sat looking at screens and engaging with media. However, this can lead to childhood obesity. Engaging in regular exercise will not only help your child’s overall health to improve but will also ensure that they are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges. Regular exercise has also been shown to help children sleep better. Sleep and rest are crucial for children and it directly impacts on their learning; children who are well rested are better prepared to learn.

Confidence Boost

Everyday challenges at school and in life can cause stress and tension. It is important that children are able to develop mental and emotional strength and resilience in order to be able to confront these challenges. One of the key benefits of exercise is that it helps to reduce stress levels. By engaging in some gentle exercise everyday, you can help your child to become less stressed, better equipped to confront challenges and boost not just their confidence, but their studies as well.

Reducing Anxiety

Not only does exercise reduce stress levels, it can also help fight anxiety. One of the benefits of exercise is that it can be relaxing. When you engage in exercise your body releases chemicals in the brain which regulate stress levels. Children can suffer from anxiety for many reasons, including feeling pressure to perform well in their studies. Anxiety can cause additional stress and lead to poor results and performance in children’s learning. By engaging in daily exercise, you can help your child to tame and control their anxiety, as well as provide them with tools that will help to empower them from within.

Developing Resilience and Strength

As well as helping to develop children’s physical strength and endurance, exercise supports them to develop strength and perseverance in other areas of their life, such as in their studies. Spending too much time sat down, be it at school doing work or at home on a screen, can impact negatively on a child’s overall well-being. Not enough exercise and movement can be detrimental to a child’s concentration and does not allow them to use their cognitive abilities to their fullest potential. Daily workouts will help your child to move and enable them to develop flexibility and strength. These are skills which they can transfer into their studies. Having a regular exercise routine will help motivate your child and support them to do well in all aspects of their life, including in their learning and studies.

Developing A Healthier Mindset

A healthy mindset will help boost your child’s confidence and their emotional well-being, which in turn, will help them to be better prepared to learn. Engaging in simple meditation can boost a child’s concentration. Similarly, mindfulness exercises, in combination with a simple daily workout will allow your child to become more aware of their mind and body. Mindfulness techniques will help to teach your child how to control their negative thinking and re-frame it into positive thoughts. Over time, they will be better equipped to control their thoughts and emotions and it will help develop a sense of self-worth. A healthy mindset will help children to develop perseverance and resilience skills, which will aid them in their studies as well.

Exercise provides long-term health benefits. Regular workouts help to ensure that your child stays physically, emotionally and mentally fit. By engaging in exercise, your child’s concentration will improve, they will feel calmer and better equipped to handle life’s stresses. Their confidence and sense of self-worth will improve. The result is that their studies too will be improved, and your child will be better prepared to learn and achieve their full potential.

About the author Michael Dehoyos: Michael Dehoyos works for Academicbrits.com as a business expert. He has contributed to numerous sites and publications and assists companies in their marketing strategy concepts.

Activities

The Perfect Hobby to Pick up During School Break is.. Sewing

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The Perfect Hobby to Pick up During School Break is.. Sewing

Summer brings all kinds of joys with it, like pool parties, trips to the beach, or late-night stories by the camp fire. Kids love summer because of this and because they don’t have to go to school of course.

But they get bored pretty quickly without school, let’s be honest. So, they need an activity that will be fun enough to last them the entire summer break. A hobby that doesn’t get tedious after a while. Like sewing!

Sewing will help them obtain valuable skills, but also keep them entertained and active during their break. Here’s why and how you should teach them to sew this summer.

Why sewing?

They can master it before their break ends

Kids don’t like to stop doing the things they enjoy halfway before they finish. Try to interrupt your kid in the middle of their video game and you’ll see for yourself.

Once their break ends, they’ll have less free time and they won’t get to sew as much. But luckily, they will master all of the basics by then. The learning process will be complete, so they won’t forget how to do something they already know how to do.

In two months of free time that they get, they can even learn how to use a sewing machine like these . With that level of skill, they will be able to sew something for themselves over the weekend even when school starts again.

They will stay indoors during the hottest time of the day

Some summer days can get scorching hot from around the noon to six in the evening. If your kid stays out during this period, they can easily get sunburns or even a heatstroke.

Sewing can keep them entertained inside your air-conditioned house during the hottest time of day. They won’t be mad for staying inside the house because they’ll enjoy learning how to sew. Once the sun gets weaker and the heat dissipates a bit, they can go out again and have fun with their friends again.

A new skill is always appreciated

Kids enjoy competing with each other, everyone knows that. The one kid who’s the most capable one in the group is always the coolest one.

When your child learns how to sew, they will be able to make all kinds stuff for themselves. And when their friends see that and find out your kid created all of it, they’ll consider it as a very cool skill. Your child will become the popular kid in their group and they may even teach their friends how to sew as well.

How to teach your kid sewing?

Make the learning process fun

Sewing is fun on its own, but if you make it even more interesting, your kid will learn it even faster. Turn the activity into a story or a quest. If they want to achieve something in the storyline, they must complete a certain sewing task. Turn sewing into a game and your kid will go crazy over it.

Teach them step by step

Show them how to thread the needle and how to hold it properly first. Then have them create a simple stitch on paper. Once they learn how to stitch straight, let them stitch fabrics together.

After that you can give them their first project. Choose something simple, like a bookmark. Once they’ve mastered that, move on to more complex tasks. After they have become confident in their sewing skills, you can teach them how to use a sewing machine by following the same steps.

If you enjoyed reading the article, let me know in the comments. I hope you’ll have fun while teaching your kid how to sew this summer!