“Distraction” gets a bad rap–but it can be a very useful stress reduction and emotional regulation skill. A dictionary definition of “distraction” is “a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.” (From Oxford Language dictionary). But what if that “something else” is a worrying or angry thought? Wouldn’t it be a Read More
Month: May 2022
Physical Play and Self Control
Self-control is an important part of emotional development. It is what allows children to manage their feelings and regulate their behavior. The University of Cambridge did an interesting review of 78 studies that had been conducted between 2007-2017. What they found was that children who had more playtime with their fathers had better self-control, were Read More
Civics and Your Family
Civics can be defined as our roles and responsibilities (and privileges) as citizens. Learning about civics includes: How processes work Our history Identification of problems How we create change. Usually civics refers to government, but it can refer to any group. For children, that group can simply mean preschool and family. You might think of Read More
Tummy Time
Tummy time is physical activity for infants; it is an awake, prone position that is supervised and encouraged by an adult. Tummy time is especially important since the onset of the “back to sleep” campaign. Since infants are now placed in a supine position for sleep they need more awake time in a prone position. Read More
Interactive Reading With Infants and Toddlers
Babies as young as 5 months old may show interest in books. “Interest” at this age means turning pages back and forth and putting the book in the mouth. Think of mouthing a book as a “pre-reading” skill! By the time your baby is about 9 months old they may be sitting in your lap Read More
Cutting With Scissors
Cutting with scissors is a great art project AND a way to develop fine motor skills. Using scissors builds finger strength and dexterity for later writing skills. There is also hand-eye coordination involved. Most children really enjoy cutting with scissors. Not only is it a feeling of power and accomplishment to snip and cut, there Read More