tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48833552527337481642024-03-05T04:46:37.947-05:00Ms. Amy's Blog @Child Central StationAmy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.comBlogger531125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-61666410346167008062021-08-31T01:19:00.006-04:002021-08-31T01:39:45.646-04:00My friend died<p style="text-align: center;"> I learned a hell of a lot from Dan Hodgins. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHV61Vr_iwSXWxpOVW_zyg9bbKtfyGjFpyOoVfG07CCo7KWrtbf55nbqRQrWvJEDkRY-UMo4z0ZyHnZoTeL9S2LnVfF8Xt4k3MnkjblPQ4DnhOUr_vhICtE-00YItciI-veqhXhCwT3sx/s1139/megan+dan+amy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1139" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHV61Vr_iwSXWxpOVW_zyg9bbKtfyGjFpyOoVfG07CCo7KWrtbf55nbqRQrWvJEDkRY-UMo4z0ZyHnZoTeL9S2LnVfF8Xt4k3MnkjblPQ4DnhOUr_vhICtE-00YItciI-veqhXhCwT3sx/s320/megan+dan+amy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He was mentor, a friend, and a "bone shaker" for many of us in the field of Early Childhood Education. He was and will always be a champion for children, and protector of childhood. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have so many great memories of time spent with him, it just doesn't seem like we had enough time. Dan died this past Saturday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Interestingly enough, Dan and I talked about death quite a bit. It is one of those topics that isn't talked about all that much in our field, but is super important. All living things eat, all living things poop, and all living things die. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dan and I recorded a podcast for awhile called "Shaking Bones." Dan was always shaking bones, even before I met him. To say I was honored to be asked to be his co-host would be putting it lightly. I loved recording with him. He was never afraid to touch on topics that were a bit edgy, or issues that sometimes weren't talked about much at all. We even talked about death during one of the episodes. (<a href="https://playvolutionhq.com/podcast-archive/?tx_post_tag=shakin-bones" target="_blank">You can find all of our archived episodes over at playvolution hq</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We shared a number of resources and ways to talk about death with children, and well, aren't we all children or as Dan would say "former children?" I prefer to be a "blown up" not quite ready to be grown up ;). So, one of the ways to help children and ourselves through the process of grief is to share the memories.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On one of his trips for Play Day here in Marquette, we held a session at the children's museum. This was Dan's favorite slide. It is an intestine, and there is a fart button at the bottom. He really liked the fart button. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then, there was that one time when we were in Maryland at the first ever PEP Rally, and we sang "George Washington Bridge." Dan was never afraid to sing, and sometimes his singing was more like yelling. When you work with young children you've just got to sing! I remember Dan telling me that his favorite thing to do at IKEA was to sing in all of the bathrooms/showers. The last few times we have been there, my husband Allan and I did just that. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend trying it. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was so lucky to have been able to bring Dan to the U.P. a couple of times for Play Day. He sure loved to come and visit, the fall colors were always something he looked forward to. But he much prefered the warmer weather in Florida. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After I met Dan, he was persistent in convincing me to make my way to Good Stuff for Kids in Roseville, California. I made it there in 2014 and I sure did learn a lot of "good stuff" and made some life long friends, I found my play tribe there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't have any pictures of the first time I met Dan, but I will never forget it. I was sitting in the back row at a training with my friend Carol. I had never heard of Dan Hodgins, but I had to get my training hours in. So, there I was in one of the back rows, thinking I was going to just coast through the day to get those hours in. I was talking to my friend Carol when she glanced up and saw a picture that Dan was showing, and she said... "Isn't that your backyard?" And it was... Dan was talking about outdoor classrooms and had found some photos from my blog. Carol stood up, pointed down at me and said "That's Amy's backyard!" and well, a number of photos in his presentation were from my yard. The standing joke with every slide was "Is this yours too?" He had me jump in to share a bit about my yard that day, and he convinced me to start "taking my show on the road." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was one time where I was presenting at the MiAEYC conference (thanks to his nudging) where they put me in a tiny room. Dan told everyone in his session to come and listen to me. Needless to say, the room and hallway were packed and I ended up projecting in the hallway so everyone could see and hear. He told me that he knew I was going to need a bigger room! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>We worked on a lot of projects together. I loved presenting with Dan at Play Day. I loved sharing our activities and photos with him. (Many of the photos in his second book are from our program). Last time he was here, he talked a lot about retirement and "passing the torch along." He was always nudging me to write more, and to speak more. (Did you know I started on 3 books.... they still need a lot of work, and someday maybe I will finish them). I enjoyed the nudging, but juggling my priorities at home has always come first. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I sure am going to miss Dan sharing things that made people think and offering ways for children to feel powerful....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am going to miss his laughter, and sheer love of life and adventure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know he was really worried about what is going to happen to childhood and play, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also now that he touched so many lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The power of the relationships he fostered, the seeds he planted.... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know that no one person can or should carry that torch he kept trying to pass, but together.... together we can be so much more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ex0vDCbw6IXGBctYyK1n95ojHvQdgrSE-jwlt__d3Tnc-UkD5P_l2blwLmznNjYpytGRvk6q45LAzLwPCQqKebD5jKOMfq4WVFlWNNa1WOtKpLv_jNvKQHcy0YVTt42iBhNofaleZ2Ud/s960/pirate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ex0vDCbw6IXGBctYyK1n95ojHvQdgrSE-jwlt__d3Tnc-UkD5P_l2blwLmznNjYpytGRvk6q45LAzLwPCQqKebD5jKOMfq4WVFlWNNa1WOtKpLv_jNvKQHcy0YVTt42iBhNofaleZ2Ud/s320/pirate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rest in play my friend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You are deeply missed, but never forgotten. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-53360143553697499792021-08-29T21:42:00.002-04:002021-08-29T22:08:24.383-04:00Making Mixed Ages Work: <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTBu0CYWGBSvQhJMuPxkn2od3QdFgcoC6Rth8ods8L6hjsMKCsyipkRxBIzlr5l5BZg3loPVZHk1i1a6k9TiBmYZ6D3H4GOG8aHVL-ktGUvU4U3cZCQQniDWsKJwX1DJrEYBnUabrA_s6/s2048/20180905_095542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTBu0CYWGBSvQhJMuPxkn2od3QdFgcoC6Rth8ods8L6hjsMKCsyipkRxBIzlr5l5BZg3loPVZHk1i1a6k9TiBmYZ6D3H4GOG8aHVL-ktGUvU4U3cZCQQniDWsKJwX1DJrEYBnUabrA_s6/s320/20180905_095542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I get a lot of comments and questions in regard to our program. Often people have a hard time understanding how to work with so many different ages and levels of development. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you manage your time with the daily needs of the younger children</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the learning needs of the older children?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you do to keep older children from being "bored"?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you make sure that you are meeting the needs of each child?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you structure the day?</span></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c0828d94-7fff-f852-f8f9-fbd5bee91792"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> First, age is a number. Children, especially young children develop at different paces. The range of ages at which children accomplish certain developmental milestones can be HUGE! So, just because you work with a specific age group does not mean that you don't have to deal with some of these same issues. If we can let go of the age expectations and respect children for who they are and where they are developmentally, it will make juggling those differences much easier. One of my favorite quotes that I'm not sure where it originated is : "The only place we segregate people by age is school." </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Providing children an opportunity to learn and grow with a multitude of ages is more natural and allows those children to benefit more from each other. Giving older children the opportunity to interact with infants helps them along their developmentally path of gaining empathy. </span><a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2010-12-10/living/babies.combating.bullying_1_indigo-anti-bullying-program-students-beam?_s=PM:LIVING" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #142ece; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Check out this article on CNN)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Older children also have the opportunity to be role models for younger children, and can reach greater levels of mastery when they become the "teachers." Younger children have an opportunity to be exposed to activities and to try things that the older children initiate. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Providing a variety of different materials for a similar activity is a great way to allow various ages and levels of development to participate. Younger children may not be able to squeeze the spray bottles, but they can dump the paint and/or use the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">paint brushes. </span><a href="http://www.childcentralstation.com/2011/06/fizzing-sidewalk-paint.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #142ece; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(This is the fizzing sidewalk paint!)</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQavgPn65eUclOxmeinIf_Tk8LFhJC_K05GftnL5ihj8RDPsJC7SQJBt8A_nocSyKNdIppLnj-EJkyz_K8P0Ui-Zgqf_YdfblAgtBuFP5GGo_sizpqF2eBGOxTraM_boRhQlERW93zbwym/s320/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQavgPn65eUclOxmeinIf_Tk8LFhJC_K05GftnL5ihj8RDPsJC7SQJBt8A_nocSyKNdIppLnj-EJkyz_K8P0Ui-Zgqf_YdfblAgtBuFP5GGo_sizpqF2eBGOxTraM_boRhQlERW93zbwym/s0/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I run a play-based, emergent curriculum which really helps cater to a variety of ages and developmental levels. My job is to create an environment for learning and I don't really see myself as a teacher or educator, but more as a "facilitator." When the environment is well thought out and prepared, my role in the child's learning is minimized. They gain the independence and confidence to take charge of their own explorations, and ultimately their own learning. My job is to provide the resources and to keep children safe. Thus, the "structure" of our day is highly variable. We have consistent meal and snack times, but the activities of the day are often child driven and thus cannot be planned well in advance. When children show an interest in a topic, it is my job to research and to provide additional materials in the environment in order to encourage deeper investigation. I often find myself asking questions like, "What do you need?" "Where do you think we could find out?" "Is there anything else?" AND, I really try hard not to say "no" but to find a safe way to continue activities and exploration. This comes into play when older children would like to try things that may not be safe for younger children. Sometimes it takes some creativity to adapt activities for younger children. (The infants may have a different type of paint or sensory material than the older children). Sometimes, activities can also be done by older children while younger ones are napping. We also tend to have a wide array of activity going on simultaneously. The more independent you can make your children, the easier it will be do juggle all of those ages and stages. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemIQpUWpG7BK6-CUsbD4wIixI3Aw_AbwyBfuyzWns-e2X9RPIrZyZ1b-GDVxM3OSlOg1sDrXQAO3rSf8O-4-dqgaPdbRUqmipnYnWF1skswEPaPXIl7EQkbdSyaf7KCyeWkD_nM1ALaUu/s320/154171413805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemIQpUWpG7BK6-CUsbD4wIixI3Aw_AbwyBfuyzWns-e2X9RPIrZyZ1b-GDVxM3OSlOg1sDrXQAO3rSf8O-4-dqgaPdbRUqmipnYnWF1skswEPaPXIl7EQkbdSyaf7KCyeWkD_nM1ALaUu/s0/154171413805.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Another big tip I have for you if the range you are working with is too large, is ASK for help! I am very fortunate to have a great partner in play-Mr. Allan. If you don't have an assistant, there are a number of things you can do. First, you could encourage more parent involvement. Second, if you live near a university, college, or high school that has an early childhood program, you could look into having student volunteers or interns as a part of your program. Third, "baby helper" is a great job that you can rotate among the older children. This job allows the older child an opportunity to connect with the infants by singing songs, "reading" or telling stories, and talking to the younger children. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A good friend of mine once told me, "boredom is a choice." I love to follow that philosophy, and I encourage children to make the choice to be active. Again, asking questions like "what do you need?" help them to realize that you are there to help them with resources, and a well stocked classroom of open ended materials helps them make engaging choices. Older children are the ones who will typically tell you that they are bored. Engaging in meaningful conversations with them, and providing materials for their continued exploration is key to keeping them active and learning. If you are not successful in doing so, perhaps your program is no longer the best fit for that child.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #142ece; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnkz_ug3unMbaglLs_Dvm9DQtDOF8GWEbsWxAiWECfqOgFQ7KN6zco7PWGI8_8425Oy1NJKr8coljr01PCnjdH9Ur7wIKapVwFnHao1xTcdJXcd3qvdnNJL_rFfj1N11dq21TA-4hNf5d/s320/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnkz_ug3unMbaglLs_Dvm9DQtDOF8GWEbsWxAiWECfqOgFQ7KN6zco7PWGI8_8425Oy1NJKr8coljr01PCnjdH9Ur7wIKapVwFnHao1xTcdJXcd3qvdnNJL_rFfj1N11dq21TA-4hNf5d/s0/hands.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When we go on field trips, which we do quite often we have a buddy system. The older children are not allowed to be buddies with each other, they must assist a younger child in our adventures. I always walk behind the children. That way, I can help to make sure that all of the children are safe and an older child in the lead can help give us direction. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Regardless of how varied your ages are, you are still going to be concerned about meeting the individual needs of each child. A few things that I do are to take some time to talk with each child each day. I NEVER require children to participate in any activity. I invite them to participate, and then allow them to make decisions as to where they would like to play and explore. We don't gather in a circle for "circle time" Children can choose wherever they would like to sit, or stand, or play during our story time or song time. We often have our group time, planning time, etc during our meals. It is a great time to share stories and make decisions and everyone is gathered together. Adding resources based upon children's interests and requests allows you to juggle those individual differences. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I'm going to take a few minutes to answer some of the more common questions I am asked about integrating such a wide range of ages in our classroom.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you do with the infants?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The majority of questions I receive in regard to mixed ages has to do with caring for infants at the same time as older children. Yes, infants do have some additional needs that you don't have with older children. However, having infants together with older children provides a wonderful reciprocal learning opportunity. Older children are constantly modeling and scaffolding for the younger ones. Younger infants and toddlers provide ample opportunities for modeling empathy and treating others with respect. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Logistically, What does this look like in our classroom?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We run an emergent play-based classroom. This means that we are very child centered. The children take the lead, and we support them through resources, conversation, and reflection. Our materials are set out at child level with any material that would be a choking hazard or require additional close supervision to be placed on higher shelves. We have real- honest and open conversations about our concerns with materials.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Ms. Amy, Can we play with the dollhouse stuff?" </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92Dslh1tJu2wYxNS-fpeavMOXFsrlPIrjv-raG3R7Pxdr_-wtU6wWtewVVifyE0jrfGfBNCkglSLCIzROdjINz2pzXMH7nbZxGnV1VvkMzN0nV8GkcgOzBaK6D_q145tjnbNt2ZLIiq8B/s2048/dollhouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92Dslh1tJu2wYxNS-fpeavMOXFsrlPIrjv-raG3R7Pxdr_-wtU6wWtewVVifyE0jrfGfBNCkglSLCIzROdjINz2pzXMH7nbZxGnV1VvkMzN0nV8GkcgOzBaK6D_q145tjnbNt2ZLIiq8B/s320/dollhouse.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I'm a little bit worried about all of the small pieces with the babies here today.... </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">How could we make that work?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> By sharing my concerns with the older children and asking them to be the problem solvers, I am not imposing rules..... I am inviting them to be active participants and to solve problems to come up with agreeable solutions. Sometimes the ideas the children come up with are brilliant......</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sometimes, it means that I engage the younger children in a different activity. Sometimes it means that the small pieces are only played with at a table or on a higher level than the younger children. Sometimes it means that I play too, sitting with the infants to make sure that they don't put any pieces in their mouths. Sometimes it means waiting until the infant(s) take a nap. Whatever the solution, the children own it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I also try to promote as much independence as early as possible. This means that mobile infants are on the floor and mobile. I don't tend to use things like exersaucers, swings, or bouncers inside. We do have a few chairs for sitting in, and I use the high chair seats on the floor. (The ones that you would normal strap onto a regular chair). By having the chairs at the child's level, they can crawl up to them. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When older children are building with blocks and don't want the younger children to knock their creations down, I ask them to use their words. "Tell them you don't want them to touch your tower." It usually doesn't work very well as very young infants are quite egocentric and if they want to do something, they continually try to do it. So, I usually position myself on the floor near the structure and keep little ones from knocking the tower down, reminding them, "I think I heard M.. say that she doesn't want you to touch her tower. We need to find something else to do. I can build a tower for you to knock down or you can find something else to play with" I proceed to engage the younger children in something similar and keep them from the older children's creations. Most of the time this works out well, and sooner rather than later they start to understand to respect the space and explorations of others.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TBIDYyziGychiv2wtYeuNY4pUR7ldbgDL3HH8UiTPpZBWPyBqWgYGWenxbn8Z4crHjmA9ek-LJ0OHihwK6-cNJkS35yVPKiTt9L0lSRXJmGVt_Ea8z4cWnxkmZKACH81MkZntV4CJHlC/s320/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TBIDYyziGychiv2wtYeuNY4pUR7ldbgDL3HH8UiTPpZBWPyBqWgYGWenxbn8Z4crHjmA9ek-LJ0OHihwK6-cNJkS35yVPKiTt9L0lSRXJmGVt_Ea8z4cWnxkmZKACH81MkZntV4CJHlC/s0/002.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Working with mixed ages can prove to be a challenge, but the benefits far outweigh those challenges! Sometimes it just requires a little bit of creativity and planning to make sure that you are able to meet all of the individual needs and support the investigations of all of the children.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">Originally Published by Amy Ahola: </span><a href="http://www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2011/11/caring-for-mixed-ages" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: normal;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2011/11/caring-for-mixed-ages</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><a href="http://www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2013/01/more-on-mixed-aged-classrooms-how-do.html" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: normal;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2013/01/more-on-mixed-aged-classrooms-how-do.html</span></a></span></p></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-8424787751367020552021-03-17T16:45:00.000-04:002021-03-17T16:45:04.582-04:00"You Put Your Competitors on Your Website??"<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThPffPYbMUVB0TUbYdmncJy30MgmS8jONqgfugZ8VkSZ-6yQiwC4DR-2H0igHiI21jTSA13RKj8vJxP_1QleQqEc5y25kdnYS2b-Q-phSfkFxNA49mjGv_JucOnyne5ojEempGOc2z25c/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1287" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThPffPYbMUVB0TUbYdmncJy30MgmS8jONqgfugZ8VkSZ-6yQiwC4DR-2H0igHiI21jTSA13RKj8vJxP_1QleQqEc5y25kdnYS2b-Q-phSfkFxNA49mjGv_JucOnyne5ojEempGOc2z25c/" width="320" /></a></div><br />As you know, we are a home based childcare program. Allan and I have been working together from home for the last almost 16 years. We are a licensed group home caring for up to 12 children at any given time. We consider ourselves a play based, child centered program and we are always learning, always questioning, always growing. We have built up a pretty solid reputation. We have clients who have been with us for over a decade, and we take great pride in our business and the long term relationships we hold with our families. We are not a center, we are not a school, and we do not strive to be. We provide care in our home, but we are child care professionals. We do our best to make our space a space for the children, a place where they know they belong, a place they know that they can come to and drive their own learning, curiosity, and whims. A place where it is okay to just be whatever, whoever... A place that supports children's development and recognizes the needs of the whole child. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJoM2k07PcCSJnOjhHNXn8BGlKcB2wpc16QYxQDdeH4uAYu9kUOb44dYRCeO9BRRWl0FaRAPyI7mYMOZQwf912xrt636FjgD4QQCws0JMoxzh-yoEIdmKMtVB-J-xTJc9xJ_IIGMP4OzL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1202" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJoM2k07PcCSJnOjhHNXn8BGlKcB2wpc16QYxQDdeH4uAYu9kUOb44dYRCeO9BRRWl0FaRAPyI7mYMOZQwf912xrt636FjgD4QQCws0JMoxzh-yoEIdmKMtVB-J-xTJc9xJ_IIGMP4OzL/" width="180" /></a></div><br />I still get really frustrated when people think that just because a childcare program is in a home, it isn't a "real" job or a quality program. If you haven't figured it out yet, This is our REAL job, and some days being with children is more real than any experience out there. Just because we choose to operate out of our home does not mean that our program is just "babysitting" or that we don't run a "real" business. </div><div><br /></div><div>Last week or the week before, Mr Allan took a call from a potential new client. To be honest with you the past month has been a blur so it may have even been a bit longer ago. Part of that conversation still runs through my head, and I'm sure the dad on the other end was not intentionally sending this message, but I want to share part of it with you. </div><div><br /></div><div>"You have a website?, Aren't you in a home?" Yes. We are in a home, but we are a business and we do have a website. I know his intentions were good, but the utter sense of shock in his voice that we would have a website was discouraging. Yes, we have a website. We have a contract, we have policies and procedures. We are intentional about what we do. Most licensed home providers are. Not everyone has a website, but the majority of licensed providers I know are childcare professionals. It takes a special kind of person, family to open up their home to strangers who become family and to work with children and families over the long haul. Those people, people like us, find their calling in this profession. We often work very long hours and for low profit margins, but we love what we do. We continue to strive to be better than we were before and to do the very best we can for children. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMp-MRVZfgXRIfBBCft9tBY9L5ZBjyR373kT5IMcCoYwb-73H3n7XYPoFkuNDSc31h4lcI_6OBUJYrfsPOUGAaSpDc58QF33ARChGc1bsAPoZ_facAJ2gklAvodbNhBGv_psb51qHfFeV/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1951" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMp-MRVZfgXRIfBBCft9tBY9L5ZBjyR373kT5IMcCoYwb-73H3n7XYPoFkuNDSc31h4lcI_6OBUJYrfsPOUGAaSpDc58QF33ARChGc1bsAPoZ_facAJ2gklAvodbNhBGv_psb51qHfFeV/" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I know it may seem petty on my end to be hung up on a comment as minor as "You have a website??", but these kinds of minor comments stick with you over time. I can't tell you, because I have lost count, how many times people have asked me what my plan is after the daycare, what I plan to do for my "real job." I haven't heard it as much in more recent years, but for anyone wondering or thinking of asking, childcare is my real job. Additionally, our program isnt "just a home, or surprisingly a home based program" We are a home based childcare. We've never been "just" or "only" anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other piece I want to share with you is, "yes, we put our competitors on our website." I know this may seem shocking to some, as it was to the potential new client the other week, but we don't see fellow childcare providers as our competition. We know that there is a childcare crisis. We know that not every family is going to feel that the climate and culture of our program is the best fit for them. We truly believe as Bev Bos said, "Together We're Better." So if we can't help your family meet your needs, I know that someone out there might be able to. Parenting is hard, finding the right fit for your child and family is important. If we aren't that fit or aren't able to help you, I'm happy to add a simple link on our website to help you find someone who will. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-37153064579924910442019-05-14T14:31:00.002-04:002019-05-14T19:20:13.983-04:00It Wasn't Peek-A-Boo, Respecting Infants at Play<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week, a colleague of mine asked, "What does a child-led, play based program look like for infants and toddlers?" For many, it is really easy to see how to follow a child's lead with older children. It is easy when children can communicate with you, when they can tell you what they are doing or want to do, but how to do you embrace a child-led, play philosophy with our youngest learners?<br />
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As a home based childcare program with mixed ages, I have the wonderful opportunity of learning, growing, and playing with children of all ages. In our program we support a play based program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school aged children, pre-teens, teenagers, and sometimes even adults! Regardless of age, supporting play boils down to relationships and trusting the player.<br />
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For infants, this means providing a lot of materials that support child development and what we know about children at this age and stage of development. For infants it means getting rid of the "containers" and allowing them the ability to trust their bodies. Placing them on the floor or ground where they can work on building their gross motor skills is crucial. Additionally, you will want to make sure to have an adequate amount of materials readily available at their level. </div>
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It also means that you need to be a close, careful observer. Before young children verbally communicate, you can read body language. Facial expressions are crucial to understanding what a child may want/need. Children generally will develop an understanding of language (receptive language) prior to expressive language. Having a strong relationship with the child and watching and listening to their cues will assist you in understanding what the child wants/needs. </div>
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Young children need to have a variety of materials available to do the things that young children do.</div>
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They need things to fill,</div>
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things to dump,</div>
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things to climb,</div>
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things to hit,</div>
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things to grab,</div>
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things to push,</div>
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things to pull,</div>
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things to bite,</div>
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places to be alone,</div>
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places to be next to each other. </div>
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Young children need you to support their play, but not interfere with it. Sometimes you will hear this referred to as an invisible support. This means that you pay attention. You look to see what additional materials may be needed.... If you all of a sudden have an influx of infants and toddlers, you may need more of the same materials as those children are solitary players or parallel players. It also means that you may need to step in to help children problem solve. However, keep in mind that if you really trust children, you will see that they generally find a way to work things out. I try not to interfere unless I am concerned about harm to self, others, or materials. (This does not mean that I do not sometimes play with children. I wait for the child to invite me into the play, and I follow their lead.)</div>
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<i>The children in this photo spent quite a bit of time playing independently in the same space. There was the "classic" give and take of materials. I often see it as part of the game, they take turns giving and taking things from each other. I've seen a lot of adults jump in when they see a young child take something from another, wanting the child to "give it back." Obviously if the children need help facilitating this I am all for jumping in to help them express what they want/need. However, 9 times out of 10, I have observed that this give and take is merely part of the game. It is part of the interaction and learning of how to play and be together. (You may notice that when an adult does interject and ask a child to give something back, often times, no one actually wants the item anymore.)</i></div>
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You may have noticed the majority of photos in this post are of a young child playing with a receiving blanket. She spent quite a bit of time lifting the blanket, lowering it, straightening it out, and lifting it again. At first glance, it may have looked like peek-a-boo. However, instead of intruding on the play and making the assumption that she wanted to play peek-a-boo, I sat back and observed. She did not look over to me at any time as she played. She did not have a visible change in facial expression when the blanket was lowered. I trusted that she knew what she needed to do. I watched quietly and took some photos. Was she exploring the air movement when the blanket moved? Was it about the difference in light? Was she trying to set the blanket just right? Was it about up and down? Could it have been something else??? There are so many things she might have been up to, but really it was her play, she owns that... It may have just been fun... and that's okay too! We will never know what was really going on, but I know for sure that it wasn't peek-a-boo. Now, if I had intruded, it would no longer have been play. I'm sure she would have smiled and followed my lead, but it would not have been what she was really trying to do. </div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-2984720049482976552019-05-07T20:21:00.002-04:002019-05-08T08:45:49.729-04:00Is It Play? What is Play?? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBU_fHrZwSJHMHReH5uA5BzKK9EM8BgzNhNi55q3Fxqkwt6_0ov8If9-nP6eRf3hUUSonf9PZJvPCeMTauNsRiFFJn3cuTEA3TLmkk7bFN1LfCIfZ9RugGW1oQHAn5Bnt_q5yALtHz5t69/s1600/Dan+and+Amy+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="359" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBU_fHrZwSJHMHReH5uA5BzKK9EM8BgzNhNi55q3Fxqkwt6_0ov8If9-nP6eRf3hUUSonf9PZJvPCeMTauNsRiFFJn3cuTEA3TLmkk7bFN1LfCIfZ9RugGW1oQHAn5Bnt_q5yALtHz5t69/s320/Dan+and+Amy+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dan Hodgins, a good friend and colleague posted a great question over on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/invitationstolearning/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARCZrNJyYyPG3q4mQWD1t9tzhOSO61C8zMgQHWqk0tqktZ4F6NUEoVUa4Z4qIKIprg5dBfgEs2ZOAQi1&hc_ref=ARQmfW7cQD60hf65vmN-EwOCMIwy27vjL_peGjF6CEScwfQ0gUQ14WpqDUYBle62qwc&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARDtFQ6L7mb6BBUwNVKjmSSzvRfNZrET8AocKm5gJrodWIPOU_93khLQeWE19JKpyIb_y4tCjPM1-plv4CD4Uvb67z8GWubJ6ATgqrB_esnMYoLVFSEuUIpnH38ij9wBXHoaXWv_65oMipZNvHMMGLS4ZAbtpCGtuuekUGD__ZB2LyuqHiNxibbAU5lcTt6cqLJM4SZQq3PhZzicSNeM1pda1D-NB49qAB_lEYIfMHJzC4IFkVMfwsa0iScTnM_Ilra-YjiPB-wQJQR693qHdpemjx0i3uqMIF1J-2Z-iuwsaTbJazU3cXc35ru5C9AFq29gqwpmJrpPuJUd8NTpeA" target="_blank">Invitations to Learning Facebook</a> page today. The question simply stated was, If we plan for it, is it Play??? I invite you to visit the page and get in on that discussion.<br />
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Dan is one of my favorite ECE people, not because we agree on everything, but because we don't always. We also tend to make each other think. After answering his question today and some dialogue with a few other ECE professionals, I have decided to share a few thoughts that were originally published in the Child Central Station Provider's Play Day Book. (This isn't a book you can order, it is just a collection of handouts that changes every year and is given to each attendee of the Play Day).<br />
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So here is section 1. During Play Day, we took a lot of time to discuss this in small groups.<br />
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Why Choose Play? A Journey to Play<br />
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We are living in a time where “play” is almost a 4-letter word. Some advocates have indicated their concern in regard to the possible extinction of childhood, the extinction of play. Why is this? The research continues to support play as the best way for young children to learn, and yet….. practices do not always match our words or intent. The value of play although repeatedly proven, has been diminished. People continually challenge and question the validity play has an children are given fewer and fewer opportunities to play. Why do we have such a hard time allowing and trusting children to learn through play? Why do we continue to add things and call it play when really it is not?<br />
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Before we go too far, let’s take some time and reflect…… on PLAY… spend a few minutes jotting down some thoughts and ideas to the following prompts….. Keep in mind there are no right or wrong answers. This is purely for self reflection, contemplation, and group discussion. <br />
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What is play? How would you define it?<br />
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It can be hard to define play, perhaps think of some tenants or characteristics of play. What makes play, play?<br />
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And perhaps… What makes something NOT be play? <br />
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Is play something definite? or is there a continuum of play? <br />
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What about playful learning? What does playful learning look like?<br />
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Would you describe your program as a play based program? Why or why not?<br />
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What do you see as your biggest challenge in regard to play? <br />
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Defining Play. <br />
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I think part of the reason that we have such a difficult time with the term play is that it means so many different things to different people. Is play the opposite of work? Can play and work co-exist? Is learning play? Can play and learning co-exist? Are they one in the same? Does ALL play have purpose? Play has value, and the research shows time and time again that play is important and the best way for children to learn. I do think that some practitioners and systems have also taken advantage of this research and have perverted play, trying to sell things off as being play that truly are not.<br />
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So, for a moment… Let’s get on the same page. Let’s look at how we define play.<br />
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Dictionary.com defines play “To exercise or employ oneself in diversion, amusement, or recreation” or “to do something in sport that is not to be taken seriously” I wonder, a diversion from what? and really? Are you serious? not to be taken seriously? No wonder why play is on the extinction list… the dictionary does not give play any justice….. Play is not a diversion, play needs to be taken seriously…. and fortunately for us, there are researchers who have spent a lot of time looking at a better definition and proving time and time again that play is important, that play has value, and we need to start paying more attention and embracing the benefits of play. <br />
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Dr Peter Gray says that play has 5 main characteristics:<br />
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(1) Play is self-chosen and self-directed<br />
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(2) Play is activity in which means are more valued than ends<br />
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(3) Play has structure, or rules, which are not dictated by physical necessity but emanate from the minds of the players<br />
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(4) Play is imaginative, non-literal, mentally removed in some way from “real” or “serious” life<br />
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and (5) Play involves an active, alert, but non-stressed frame of mind.<br />
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(Psychology Today, November 19, 2008).<br />
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So, according to this… anytime YOU the teacher determine the activity or come up with the project or plan… It is not truly play. Again… Play needs to be self chosen and self directed. To get the full benefits, the child needs to drive their own explorations and learning. Play is a process! We need to trust that process and we need to remember and to trust that young children are capable! <br />
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Dr Peter Gray also indicated that play is not black and white, that there is a continuum of play. Meaning that activities and pieces of our lives can be partially play and partially not at the same time. <br />
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How do you feel about play? Does this set of criteria work for you???<br />
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What do others have to say about play? <br />
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<a href="http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/">Teacher Tom</a>, (Tom Hobson) describes play as one of his students proclaimed, Play is…. “What I do when no one tells me what to do.” <br />
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“Play is the highest form of research” -Albert Einstein<br />
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“Play is the answer to how anything new comes about” - Jean Piaget<br />
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“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson<br />
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“Play is often talked about like it is a relief from serious learning, but for children play is serious learning” - Fred Rogers<br />
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“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” - Joseph Chilton Pierce<br />
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“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than you can in a year of conversation” - Plato<br />
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“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing” George Bernard Shaw<br />
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“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul” -Friedrich Froebel <br />
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“Play is not frivolous, It is not a luxury. It is not something to fit in after completing all of the important stuff. Play is the important stuff. Play is a drive, a need, a brain building must do.” <a href="https://www.explorationsearlylearning.com/" target="_blank">Jeff A Johnson</a> & <a href="http://playcountsdenitadinger.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Denita Dinger</a><br />
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“Play is a signal that nature’s wisdom is being enacted” Jane Goodall<br />
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“Those who play rarely become brittle in the face of stress or lose the healing capacity of humor” <a href="http://www.nifplay.org/institute/about-us/" target="_blank">Dr Stuart Brown</a><br />
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More questions to ponder…...<br />
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So… What exactly is play? Can anyone besides the player really determine if it is true play?<br />
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How can we support children and encourage more opportunities for play?<br />
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Why is there a dichotomy between play and academics? If play is the best way to learn isn’t play academic? </div>
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This is a question I deal with all of the time, and I think the biggest difference between what many folks define as a play based program and an academic based program boils down to one characteristic of play. In a true play based program children have a lot of power and control over their time, explorations and environment, they as the players have the opportunity to choose and design their own learning. The more child-centered a program is and the more opportunities children have to drive their own explorations, the truer it is to play. Where things start to get muddy is when adults start to attempt to control the learning by providing “fun”, “cute” activities for the children to meet an adult goal or drive. Remember, that just because something is fun does not mean that it is play! (on a side note, this is why the term playful learning drives me nuts… All play is learning, but when an adult has their own agenda and is pushing academics or ideas it is no longer play and in many cases the children do not learn the subject matter as it is not real or relevant to them.)<br />
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Originally published by Amy Ahola DBA Central Station 2016 (c) All Rights Reserved.</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-30093616159879239812019-05-04T00:45:00.001-04:002019-05-04T00:45:17.798-04:00Pass Me the Yogurt Cups! A few thoughts on Loose Parts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A few years back, I attended an amazing professional development conference. Like all opportunities to learn and grow, I found myself among many like minded people. One of the beautiful things about diversifying the training I attend is that I am exposed to a variety of programs and points of view. During this particular session, I found myself questioning my practice and wondering if what the presenters were sharing really fit with my point of view and practice.<br />
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Are you familiar with the idea of loose parts? If not, there are plenty of resources out there for you to explore. The basic premise is that children don't need to have toys that have a single purpose. The idea is that you can provide them with a variety of odds and ends where they can be creative and use them for a multitude of different uses.<br />
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You'll find some practitioners who promote the loose parts theory who can give you a recipe... or a plan for exactly what to use and add. They may tell you to make sure that you store them in baskets and that everything needs to be "aesthetically pleasing". I urge you to question that... I have spent a lot of time reflecting on this. What is aesthetically pleasing to adults may not be as inviting to young children. And, for us, sometimes baskets are just not practical. I use some baskets in our program, but seriously, they are not always practical. Do you know how quickly baskets can be destroyed... and not because children are being especially destructive, but because most baskets are not made to withstand the use that young children put them through.<br />
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A couple of statements from that workshop run through my mind daily. They told us to go home and throw out the yogurt cups. It's a good thing that I'm not very good at being a blind follower. In fact, I urge you to collect some yogurt cups. The plastic yogurt cups are used daily in our program. Not only are they a favorite loose part for many of the children, they make sense in our program. They are economically a sound investment. They are also being reused as opposed to being recycled or thrown away. Did I mention that the children love them? They fill them, they dump them, they pretend they are cups. They stack them, they knock them down. They send them flying with the catapult... They are used in so many different ways.<br />
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I also want to you to consider this... It is a thought that has continually been running through my mind. I don't think loose parts really have to do with the actual parts. Think about it, I mean yes you can be given a list of things to put into your classroom to use and you can come up with some of your own things... but is it really about the stuff?? or is the idea really more about a mindset? Are there only certain things that can be considered loose parts???<br />
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Here is my take. I think the theory of loose parts is a mindset. I think that anything can be a loose part when the classroom culture supports it. If children are given the freedom to use equipment and are trusted to explore how they see fit, I don't think the "stuff" really matters. I have seen children use toy cars as money. I have also seen children use just about anything they can find to build structures and piles with. Once, while I was visiting and consulting at a program I was puzzled as to why they had a parking structure/ramp/garage for the children in almost every classroom. It seemed to take up a lot of space and not have much in terms of play value. However, the program supported children and the culture allowed for that piece of equipment to be used in so many different ways! Had I not spent time observing the children there, I may have recommended getting rid of the structure. If given the freedom and the option to imagine, children will turn anything into that which they need.<br />
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Do you use loose parts in your classroom? </div>
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What are your favorite loose parts? </div>
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Do you think it is a set of materials or a mindset? </div>
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I'd love to hear your take on loose parts in the classroom! </div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-76394821702982239342019-04-19T14:54:00.000-04:002019-04-19T14:54:09.075-04:00Santa's Dead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"LOOK! It's Santa!" I exclaimed in my best impression of elf as I noticed a child putting on a Santa suit.<br />
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"I'm not SANTA! I'm -------"<br />
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"Oh, I thought you were Santa."<br />
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"No, Santa's dead. I guess I have to deliver the presents now" (with a deep sigh)<br />
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"Santa's dead?? What happened?"<br />
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"Yeah, Santa's dead. It's a long story"<br />
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and.. just like that he skipped off to play. Clearly the story was too long to tell, and he had other things that were more important to do than to share it with me. <br />
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Many programs are looking at the calendar and providing materials and lesson plans revolving around spring and Easter. We tend not to look too closely at the calendar and instead follow the lead of the children. We have many holiday related materials available to the children, but they are available year round. On any given day of the year you will most likely find a child dressed up as Santa (in fact, one the children has dressed as Santa every day for about the last 2 years.) Children also regularly trick or treat and play hide and seek with plastic Easter eggs. We don't rotate most of our supplies, because as adults, who are we to say what will be needed when. </div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-36656358520910754972019-04-18T13:18:00.000-04:002019-04-18T15:06:04.539-04:00The Tattling Tattle Monster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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PLEASE STOP.</div>
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Stop disrespecting a child's cry for help by making them talk to a wall, a phone where no one is there, a stuffed animal... or a crazy made up tattle monster. </div>
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When your spouse or your best friend comes to you to talk with you about a problem, do you send them to the wall or ask them to talk to a phone where no one is there? Of course not! When we value a relationship we seek connection, we listen, we respond, we help. So, why in the world are we hanging children who come to us for help out to dry? </div>
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Why do some adults think that it is okay to do to children?</div>
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Young children tattle. Children who feel powerless or lack the social/emotional skills to navigate a situation tattle. Children who are used to the adults in their lives solving all of their problems tattle. </div>
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What message are we sending young people when we ask them to tell their problems to the wall? To me it certain looks like "I don't care what you have to say" and it sends the message that we are not here to help and support that child. What happens when we do that for all of the little things and then a child has a really big thing they need to discuss with and need help with? Are they going to come to you? Probably not. </div>
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And... on the other hand, what message are we sending when a child comes to you and you are the one who solves the problem, you tell the children what to do? Of course you are going to have a TON of tattling, because children don't trust themselves to solve their problems. They rely on you to do it for them!<br>
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If you really want to limit the amount of tattling, give the children support and the skills to feel empowered and to work out those social situations. Tattling, like any other form of behavior is a child's way of communicating a need. Sometimes children communicate in ways that really get on our nerves... tattling, whining, acting out.... you name it... but really... they are just trying to communicate, connect and have their needs met..... So let's help them.</div>
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"Ms. Amy, Suzy took the cars out!"</div>
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"It sounds like you need to talk to Suzy, do you need my help?"</div>
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When a child approaches you with the problem, remind them who they need to talk to. Sometimes I will ask them, "who do you need to talk to?" or I will as stated above, use the child's name. Sometimes the child will say yes that they need my help, sometimes they will just march over to talk to the other child. In either case, I tend to move closer to the children so that I can be there to support if needed. Sometimes children will say yes that they need my help, and in those cases I will often give them some options as to how I may help them? Like: Do you need me to stand by you while you talk to Suzy? Do you need help figuring out what you want to say to Suzy? or What can I do to help?</div>
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I try to teach young children to be assertive. I help them with "I statements" and I validate their feelings. </div>
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"Suzy, I don't want you to take the cars out!"</div>
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"But I want to play with the cars"</div>
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In this case.... the child just did not want someone to play with the cars, and Suzy wanted to play. The cars were on the shelf all morning until Suzy took them out. I stood by while she talked to Suzy. Sometimes I need to help the children hear each other. Saying things like "I heard Suzy say..... " or did you hear what she said? </div>
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Sometimes the child who is tattling will not get the result that they want, and in those instances I try to validate their feelings. </div>
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"You really wanted the cars to stay put away."</div>
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In many cases, when doing this, the child opens up with their reasoning or more of their thought process and then you can help them decide what they are going to do next. </div>
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"I didn't want all these cars out because now there is no room for my blocks!!!!" and there it is.. the root of the issue for this child.... They needed space to play with the blocks. Would I have found that out if I sent her to talk to the wall or the tattle monster? Would she have gained practice in talking with other children and working to find a solution? </div>
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"Let's see if we can find another place to play with the blocks. Where do you think might work?"</div>
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Children who are given the time, the skills (through modelling), and the opportunities to practice social skills do not tattle, because they are empowered to work it out. </div>
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Now please, throw away those tattle monsters.... stop sending children to talk to walls.... or on phones where no one listens. </div>
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Be present and answer their cries for help, so that they will gain the skills needed to work through their problems and the amount of tattling you have in your classroom/program will decrease. </div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-50350104944905415352017-11-06T15:53:00.000-05:002017-11-06T15:53:07.036-05:00Pardon Our Dust... Under Construction!!! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The blog has moved back to blogger... and under construction.<br />
<br />In the mean time, if you need to reach us, please email amyahola@hotmail.com<br />
<br />
Thanks!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-83162402645888162472016-10-20T14:38:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:12:02.153-05:00"Made in Chinamimus"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We try very hard to pay attention to the interests of the children in our care. One of the children has been very interested in dinosaurs. He loves to read dinosaur books and to play with the toy dinosaurs that we have.<br />
I am not, nor do I claim to be a dinosaur expert. Although, with all of the hype about dinos at various points in my early childhood career, I know a bit about some of them. I do know, that many companies who make the dinosaurs often label them with the name on their stomachs or undersides.<br />
Today, one of the children ran up to me....<br />
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"What kind of dinosaur is this?"<br />
"I don't know, let me look to see. Hmmmn... It doesn't say" and I handed the toy back to the child. His prompt response was,<br />
"It is right here!" pointing to the letters on the dinosaur. I looked again and smiled.<br />
"That's not the dinosaur's name. It says MADE IN CHINA."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8dNy-x21jZY-lc3Fjkkz_pfIJCG7fjp9AtKLyTb3jkbeuQ8kVttDEBGMFnTGkrADywt3m4PGvOm2nLImGrd3Q-_ixAqWknGebhWhFoi9fFRrvySSkb_5_rFgiV2hZDtqkhajTDKYbiOE/s1600/chinamimumus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8dNy-x21jZY-lc3Fjkkz_pfIJCG7fjp9AtKLyTb3jkbeuQ8kVttDEBGMFnTGkrADywt3m4PGvOm2nLImGrd3Q-_ixAqWknGebhWhFoi9fFRrvySSkb_5_rFgiV2hZDtqkhajTDKYbiOE/s1600/chinamimumus3.jpg" /></a></div>
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With quick wit, and a smile..... He replied:<br />
"It's a Made in Chinamimus"<br />
And there you have it.... the name seems to be sticking, and the adventures of the Made in Chinamimus continue.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-79061109385892496812016-05-27T14:36:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:21:05.509-05:00Weekly Lesson Plans? Shakin Bones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3H21OuWKEWS6Fzg7pKDljaN6lYXUZlMAD-Cdwutlvz1QNVYW3KyebVbDsptwBTXUXek7GoWiSeLLJUS7Ws8M46xtVZhgq5kg47FK8z7yn2ZnBaAoCcozNpfWiNJydx1UoesdV4tQEjET/s1600/shakin-bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3H21OuWKEWS6Fzg7pKDljaN6lYXUZlMAD-Cdwutlvz1QNVYW3KyebVbDsptwBTXUXek7GoWiSeLLJUS7Ws8M46xtVZhgq5kg47FK8z7yn2ZnBaAoCcozNpfWiNJydx1UoesdV4tQEjET/s320/shakin-bones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The research is out there.... If learning is not real and relevant to the child, it is pruned... almost immediately. <strong><em> </em></strong><br />
This means that efforts to drive children's learning with predetermined themes and teacher/societal driven ideas is futile. Our brains don't keep that information... so keeping weekly lesson plans or hooking onto monthly themes and teacher driven lessons is pointless and in most cases not developmentally appropriate.<br />
You can hear more about this from Dan Hodgins and I in the 7th episode of the Shakin' Bones podcast.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="180" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/destination/id/345263/height/360/width/640/theme/standard-mini/autoplay/no/autonext/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/thumbnail/yes/no-cache/true/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" width="320"></iframe><br />
Dan and I are not saying that planning goes completely out the window. What we are saying is that planning needs to happen daily, and careful observation of the learning that is taking place and conversations with the children will yield more developmentally appropriate planning and encourage classrooms to thrive based upon the needs of the children right now.</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-26357569915388493382016-05-25T14:34:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:15:50.420-05:00A Fresh Coat of Paint Outside- Update Music Area and Sand and Water Wall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Every spring, out outdoor space needs to be evaluated. After the winter, many of our learning spaces need a bit of maintenance. Sometimes this is in the form of sanding or repairing... and sometimes they just need a little sprucing up with a fresh coat of paint!<br />
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Some of the spaces in our outdoor classroom need regular upkeep do to the effects of the weather. The children are happy to jump in and assist with giving everything a fresh look with a coat of paint!<br />
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If you are looking for the instructions or more information about our outdoor space and the various elements there, you may be interested in these posts:<br />
<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/05/a-sand-and-water-wall.html" rel="noopener" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">A Sand and Water Wall</a><br />
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2012/03/more-music-in-the-yard.html">Making Music in the Yard</a> (This is one of many posts on our outdoor music area)</div>
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Our outdoor music area has evolved a bit from <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/04/xylophones-and-outdoor-music-originally-posted-may-2010.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the beginning</a>. The posts from our banging post station started to rot, so the post was removed and we attached some of the items to our fence instead. As nice as the post was, the fence works just as well and provides a more open space for running and jumping! Our tire drum has had a variety of different drum heads, but the one most durable and currently in use is made of treated plywood.</div>
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Our sand and water wall hasn't changed much since our original installation. The only thing we changed was to use 2x2 supports instead of the thinner garden stakes. The original didn't rot or break, we just wanted something a little but more sturdy.</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-42669588142110303162016-05-20T14:30:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:21:39.894-05:00"I'm Sorry!" The Get Out of Jail Free Card - Shakin' Bones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
BUT, I SAID I WAS SORRY!!" after yelling this at me, she dashed off. Moments before, she pushed a child over and I was helping that child speak with her. Was she sorry??? Of course not. Maybe she was sorry she got caught... but she definitely wasn't sorry that she knocked over the other child. She was too busy and too egocentric (which is clearly understandable and developmentally appropriate at 2 1/2 years old). She did learn quickly though... that if you say you're sorry then it is okay.... but really it is not okay. But, for her saying sorry was like a "get out of jail free card."<br />
I have heard a lot of different people talk about the importance of teaching young children empathy. Although I highly agree that empathy is important and is something we strive to assist in developing. I find it highly discouraging that the idea is out there that empathy can be taught. In my experience and observation, empathy is a characteristic that is developed over time and comes about after having experienced and witnessed empathy from others.<br />
Simply defined, empathy is the ability to understand and feel the emotions/perspective of another. What we know from research and child development is that young children are egocentric. Simply defined this means thinking of oneself without regard of others. Piaget noted that children generally are not able to see or understand the perspective of another until between the ages of 7-12. (Although there are many adults who sometimes seem to still have problems with this). So, is it really developmentally appropriate to expect young children to say that they are sorry or to expect them to understand the perspective of another?<br />
So..... what do we do when a child is knocked over then?<br />
First, I wait and observe. Sometimes I do nothing, because I trust that children are capable, and that they can solve their own problems. If it is clear that they need my help, I move in closer. I talk with the child who was pushed. If they are hurt or have hurt feelings, I may say "I'm sorry you are hurt. How can I help?" Often my presence is enough. Sometimes it is a hug, and most often the child wants me to help them talk to the other child. Typically the conversation goes like this...<br />
Child who was pushed: "I don't like it when you push me. That hurt!"<br />
Sometimes that is all. Sometimes if the other child continues to push, I need to remind them... "I heard her say she doesn't want to be pushed. Maybe you can ask and see if someone else wants to be pushed." Most of time, around here it is pretty easy to find a pushing partner, but if no one else wants to be pushed and this child has a clear need/desire to push, it is my job to help provide things that can be pushed.<br />
Dan Hodgins and I talk more about this in the 6th episode of the Shakin' Bones podcast. (If you click on more episodes and choose episode #6 you can listen to our discussion).<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="180" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/destination/id/345263/height/360/width/640/theme/standard-mini/autoplay/no/autonext/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/thumbnail/yes/no-cache/true/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" width="320"></iframe><br /></div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-72855343371099151152016-05-01T14:23:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:18:35.215-05:00And... So We Evolve.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have been on the road a lot lately. Most often, I am either flying or the passenger in the van. (Mr Allan prefers to drive rather than be a passenger). When we travel for work, I am usually presenting and we have an opportunity to meet with and learn from other early childhood professionals. I know a lot of people have moved toward online versions of training and some people only attend conferences close to home, but I have found the greatest value to my professional development in traveling outside of my local area.<br />
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Coming from a smaller area, local trainings tend to consist of the same people. Even if a different trainer is brought in, the audience tends to be similar. As a trainer, I know that even though the trainer coming in can be an important piece of the puzzle, the opportunity to meet and network with other early childhood professionals far outweighs anything I have to "teach." (I honestly prefer to consider myself a facilitator rather than a teacher, but that is a whole different topic!) Having time to really connect with others in the field, to share ideas, and ask each other questions is invaluable.<br />
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Attending an amazing training and connecting with others gives me a chance to question my practices. Yes, I said question my practices. I believe that when you stop questioning your practices, if you truly think you are doing it all and you are no longer wondering if you are doing what is best for children, you need to get out of the field! This journey with children is not static, the world continues to change, and when we stop questioning, when we stop learning and working to do things just a little bit better, our programs suffer, and our children are far too valuable to let that happen.<br />
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Spending time with other professionals not only allows me to question my practice, but finding similar people and programs is also validating. It helps "give you permission" (for lack of a better phrase) to keep doing what you know is best for young children even with the outside pressures to push practices that are not developmentally appropriate.<br />
I love gaining different perspectives and really having an opportunity to learn and grow. I love knowing that I have found my tribe and that I will continue to learn, to grow, and to change. I love to watch the change happen all around me, and I know that all of these connections and small changes at up, and this is truly how we all evolve....</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-37292008423396846872016-04-29T14:19:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:25:10.081-05:00Everyone Wants to Be a Superhero- Shakin Bones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Swinging on your belly! Flying like superman!</div>
Everyone wants to be a superhero! Here, at Child Central Station we embrace super hero play, and we define it broadly:<br />
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Any powerful play where children pretend to be someone or something else.</div>
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Heroes are everywhere, not just on the big screen or from television shows. Moms and dads are prime examples of powerful heroes and many of the children engage in playing house and taking care of the babies. Additionally, children often dress up and pretend to be doctors or fire fighters. These heroes are prevalent in our program as well, as children are often doing their best to "save the day!"<br />
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Some of the powerful make believe play also revolves around "bad guys" and "super villians" and most often "monsters" and "witches." Children work through their world via play, so it only makes sense that they also bring the "bad guys" into the picture. It gives them an opportunity to work out social situations and deal with the dichotomy of good and evil.<br />
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Dan Hodgins and I, discuss super hero play in episode 5 of the Shakin' Bones Podcast. If you have not listened to it yet and would like to, Here it is! (Click on Episodes and choose episode #5 Superheroes. Please note this episode has some interference, but the sound quality does get better with later episodes!)<br />
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I had such a difficult time chosing which photos to share with you in this post. Super hero play happens on a daily basis! Here are a few shots highlighting a couple of our favorite kinds of props!<br />
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Hooded bath towels make fantastic capes. I know some people worry about chocking with capes, especially with younger children and these hooded towels eliminate that fear/risk. They come in all kinds of varieties. Sometimes the children use them as the character they are intended to be, and sometimes they are just capes!<br />
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Pool noodles are awesome! In addition to being great swords, they also make great "ropes" as seen in this photo. HOLD ON TIGHT! I'll save you!<br />
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These capes pictured above were found at our Dollar Tree. They are awesome. Super simple, attach with velcro and we have an abundance of them so that that everyone can be a superhero!<br />
How do you promote super hero play in your program? I'd love to hear from you!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-82152808918353046532016-04-25T14:16:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:27:43.672-05:00"Loppers!" - Using Real Tools<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We have been on a journey to provide more real experiences for children. More opportunities to do real work. More access and use of real tools. Lately, one of the tools of choice have been loppers!<br />
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The children have spent hours chopping up the various Christmas trees we "planted" in the play area this winter. The trees have been used as loose parts and made a small forest for the children to play in. Now that the snow has melted and the trees have begun to brown, some of the children have decided that it is time to chop them up.<br />
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I love to watch their facial expressions while they work. The looks of determination as they struggle to push the handles together and the triumph of a successful chop.<br />
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For some children, a turn with the loppers takes a very long time and for others, the activity is short lived. We don't force "sharing" here, so a child can take as long as a turn as they would like before allowing the next child who waits to have a turn. This time around, I heard a lot of children saying... "Wow, they are taking a really long turn. I am going to to take a really long turn too." They would come close enough to see what was going on and wait to see if it was almost their turn to try them out and run off to find something else to do while they waited.<br />
Do the children in your program use loppers? If you're interested in purchasing some, these are the ones we have (affiliate link):<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Inch-Bypass-Lopper-91466949J/dp/B000BX1IB6/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1461555744&sr=8-2&keywords=loppers+and+pruners&linkCode=li2&tag=chilcentstat-20&linkId=97982e8fe0e75a69e61e36146e810e21" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img border="0" class="aligncenter" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000BX1IB6&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=chilcentstat-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=chilcentstat-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B000BX1IB6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
I'd love to hear more about your children's experiences with real tools! Leave me a comment or find me on Facebook!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-25531549303837206852016-04-22T14:14:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:30:00.685-05:00Can Your Child Wipe Their Own Butt? Kindergarten Readiness: Shakin' Bones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Why are we spending so much time focusing on Kindergarten Readiness? Why are we rushing childhood and trying to get children ready for the "next" instead of being present and accepting children where they are? Why are we not trusting play when the research clearly states young children learn and thrive through play?<br />
I guess I can understand to a point, parents want the best for their children and they want them to be successful. However, I am really concerned in regard to the focus on "readiness" and the push down of academics that keeps happening for young children. The research keeps reiterating that children learn through play, and that earlier pushes for academics have long term negative consequences, yet we continue to have unrealistic academic expectations for young children. (<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201505/early-academic-training-produces-long-term-harm">There is an article in Psychology Today that discusses the harmful effects of early academics you can access by clicking here).</a> The system is broken, but you have a choice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppuxVme-VwYJRONu5gJErV-F1WTZqdcHBmLGyKG67_uyKueLTTDwRxhJPIZYmqdv2BrNu3H4mv_Qk3Pcppao6BxbSwVWIVTFIMeAm95dPYb64h-fTDjy1ssAxt5ung0FL4m6TN_TcjiJw/s1600/wipebutt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppuxVme-VwYJRONu5gJErV-F1WTZqdcHBmLGyKG67_uyKueLTTDwRxhJPIZYmqdv2BrNu3H4mv_Qk3Pcppao6BxbSwVWIVTFIMeAm95dPYb64h-fTDjy1ssAxt5ung0FL4m6TN_TcjiJw/s1600/wipebutt1.jpg" /></a></div>
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"Show and Tell" in my kindergarten class.</div>
Michael Leeman from the Roseville Community Preschool talks about re-framing our question. Rather than asking "Is my child ready for kindergarten?" we could ask "Is my child done with this preschool?" In many countries children are not placed into a formal education setting until they are seven years of age. Did you know that kindergarten is not mandatory in many states? This means that you have a choice, if you don't feel like a setting is appropriate for your child you do not have to settle. There are many options including opting to wait a year before enrolling your child. There are additional options with private schools, charter schools, homeschool or to enroll in public school at home. (Regulations and options vary from state to state).<br />
I think the most important things I can do to help children is to truly trust them, and to truly embrace and know that play is what the young children in my program need to thrive. Through play all is possible. Children are developing a strong sense of self, they are working out problems and developing their social skills. They are developing a love of learning and gaining personal power. It is not so much "what" they are learning, but most importantly they are investigating how to learn. By facilitating an environment where children can play, I am not only helping them to be "ready" for school, but ultimately giving them an opportunity to thrive throughout life.<br />
Dan Hodgins and I discussed this very topic in the fourth episode of The Shakin' Bones podcast. If you have not listened to it yet and would like to, Here it is! (Click on Episodes and choose episode #4 Kindergarten Readiness. Please note this episode has some interference, but the sound quality does get better with later episodes!)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="180" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/destination/id/345263/height/360/width/640/theme/standard-mini/autoplay/no/autonext/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/thumbnail/yes/no-cache/true/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" width="320"></iframe><br />
The bottom line (pun intended) is that the most important skills you can work on with your child prior to kindergarten are life skills. Things like self-care and developing a strong sense of self are important for starting school and basic human survival! These skills are not only helpful for your child, but also make the job of a kindergarten teacher with a larger number of students much easier!<br />
Do you have any thoughts on Kindergarten Readiness??? I would love to hear from you!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-1639664714690330962016-04-20T14:11:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:34:05.556-05:00"A House of Sticks"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The snow appears to have vacated the yard. (At least for the time being!) The children were quite excited to find the pile of Sticks that was covered by the snow and have been spending time making a house of sticks! <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/13010263_10101355648122497_1585146618_o.jpg"><br /> </a><br />
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The story of the 3 little pigs has been popular for quite some time. It has been a daily request, often multiple times a day, so upon discovering our giant pile of sticks it made perfect sense that the children "piggies" decided to build their house of sticks.<br />
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The children found it easy to push some of the sticks into the dirt. At other times they dug holes and then buried the bottom of the sticks.<br />
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It has been an ongoing project for a couple of days. I am not sure what the next step will be, or if the house is now complete. We will have to wait and see!<br />
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Oh, and I almost forgot!! All of that digging in the dirt lead to some worm discoveries too!!!<br />
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-64337935748168693212016-04-15T14:10:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:37:59.087-05:00"Ma'am Your Monkey's Dead!" Shakin' Bones: Death<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<blockquote>
"Five little monkeys jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Momma called the doctor, and the doctor said.... Ma'am your monkey's dead!"</blockquote>
The children were singing five little monkeys a few weeks back and one of them decided to create their own version. The new lyrics were finished with some giggles, and sparked a matter of fact conversation. Many of the children in our program have experienced a death in their family (grandparent or great grandparent) or a death of a pet in the last year. Death is one of those topics that can be hard to talk about, but like all things, children tend to work through those tough topics with play! During this particular conversation, the children stopped playing and had a serious talk. One child said... "Well, maybe the monkey broke his hip like my Nana." Another child chimed in with "maybe the monkey was just really, really sick." Children are very observant, they know more than we often give them credit for. Death is a part of life, and is a topic that can be difficult to talk about, but the more natural we approach the topic, the more children understand.<br />
Dan Hodgins and I talked about death in the third episode of The Shakin' Bones podcast. If you have not listened to it yet and would like to, Here it is! (Click on Episodes and choose episode #3 Death).<br />
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Some of the ways that the children work through death here is by playing dead. The children are often pretending to die and other children often assist in their burials. In the wintertime, they bury each other in the snow. In the summer, our large sandbox is often home to numerous funerals. Dan mentioned in the podcast, we often set up dramatic play areas for the children, and having a funeral parlor or cemetery may be just as important as setting up a grocery store. Children work through their feelings and practice rituals through play. We don't have specific areas set up for dramatic play here at Child Central Station; the children define and create their own spaces while playing. Through their play, the children also take on care taking roles, as they pretend to be doctors and nurses. It is almost a daily occurrence for the children to pretend to be sick or dying.<br />
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Please remember that when talking about death with young children that they are very egocentric and concrete learners. When they ask questions or are faced with the death of a loved one or pet, be direct. Use the term death, or died. When you say things like passed away or we have even heard in some cases "sleeping" it is confusing to the children. Also, talking about death in terms of what people can and cannot do. Someone who is dead cannot eat, they cannot sleep, they cannot poop... normal activities that are typical for children. Often times, children are most concerned about death in terms of "am I going to die?" One of the things Dan mentions in the podcast is teaching children to learn to feel/listen to their own heart beat. It gives them immediate reassurance that they are not going to die right now.<br />
Every child, every person deals with grief and loss differently and on their own timelines. Children may just need to know that you are there for them and need a lap to sit on. Feelings are often difficult to express, and not all children have the words to describe how they are feeling all of the time. Children who are experiencing a loss may have some behavior changes.<br />
There are a number of great books out there that you can make a regular part of your child's library. Here are the ones we discussed during the podcast. (Books are best BEFORE a death happens and help lay a foundation for later discussion.) Please note these are affiliate links:<br />
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Do the children in your program pretend to be dead or dying? Do you have any great resources for children and families? I would love to hear about them !</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-72056272764400384092016-04-06T14:06:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:40:12.355-05:00Mud Paint House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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You're probably confused as to how I have a post with all kinds of snow and then days later have a post with mud... and grass... and then have a post with more snow... Well, welcome to Upper Michigan! This time of year can be super unpredictable with the weather. This year in particular we had an early thaw.. and much of the sandbox and grass has been showing! However.. that doesn't stop the snowflakes from falling! Each morning/day is a new surprise as we are uncertain what mother nature has in store! The other day, it was "warm" (in the mid to upper 40s Farenheit), with a chilly breeze, but we had a lovely patch of mud on the hill!<br />
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As you can see, there are various patches of mud among the various patches of snow :). This was a lovely patch of mud for oozing between your fingers, but it was still a little chilly on your fingers... So most of the children decided to explore it with their mittens. It wasn't long before some of the children decided that our plastic tree house needed to be painted....<br />
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The children carried mud back and forth from the puddle to the house. Most of them using their mittens as paintbrushes... They worked to cover the house both inside and out with a a fresh coat of "paint."<br />
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There was a lot of team work and cooperation happening. The house was just big enough for most of the children to have some space to work. Almost all of the children opted to use their mittens/gloves as paint brushes, but for those who did not... they carried small scoops of mud over to the house and just dumped the mud right on the side and watched it ooze right on down :).<br />
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The children worked on this task for much of the afternoon, having to stop primarily because it was time to go home. The next day.....<br />
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They came to find that the house was STILL painted! There was so much excitement over the fact that the mud which was now dry and hardened into dirt was still on the house. <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2016/04/why-we-are-not-cleaning-up.html">(We adults knew better than to clean it!</a>) Painting on the second day was a bit more challenging as it was a colder day and patches of mud were harder (but not impossible) to find....<br />
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The third day of painting was much warmer and sunnier again! The children continued on their mission of painting the house.<br />
This week, there has not been much going on with the treehouse.. mother nature has been as unpredictably predictable as ever... It has been raining! I wonder what will come next? Will the children be as interested in continuing the mud paint when they have to start all over? Are they even still interested in painting with the mud? I wonder if a adding some other kinds of brushes to the space would be appropriate? (or am I making this more complicated than it needs to be?... Maybe I need to let them explore on their own and wait for them to ask for what they need......)<br />
Have your children been painting with mud? It was interesting to see that as soon as I posted a photo from one of the days on my Facebook page.. another provider shared a photo of a child who opted to paint with mud in her program the very same day!<br />
I'd love to hear about your mudpaint adventures!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-59878358327426882442016-04-04T13:58:00.000-04:002017-11-06T23:43:50.343-05:00Mining for Gems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It is no secret that we like to spend a lot of time outside. This winter the children have really enjoyed painting the snow. I know I have shared <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/03/let-me-count-the-ways-you-can-paint-the-snow.html">numerous posts in the past in regard to the various ways that we like to paint this snow</a>. This year paint seemed to be requested far more frequently and the paint of choice has been watered down tempera. The beauty of this paint versus some of the other choices we have used in the past is how vivid it is, and how long the snow holds the color, even when it is covered up by inches of fresh snow!<br />
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The children found the "gems" by accident after a fresh snowfall..... We have lots of shovels in various sizes and a small "yooper scoop." After one child stumbled across a colored chunk of hardened snow, the "gem rush" was on. Where could we find more gems? How did they get there? Why were some big, and some small? and How did we get so many different colored gems in the yard?<br />
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Without any prompting... there were claims to various sections of the yard.<br />
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"You dig there! I'll dig here! Hey... that's my spot to dig!"</div>
And of course, children found various places to hide or save their loot as well... One of the children was more enthusiastic about the hunt than most of the others and after awhile, they deemed all of the gems to belong to her. As gems were excavated, they were promptly delivered and stored near <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2012/02/our-mud-piesnow-cake-kitchen.html">our mudpie/snow cake kitchen. </a><br />
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The children used the gems as treasures and they were closely guarded. After a few days, the gems were used as props for all kinds of different things... They made the perfect wintertime loose part!<br />
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Do your children like to paint the snow? Have they ever dug up their art as "gems" days later? I'd love to hear about your experiences with snow painting too! Leave me a comment here or hop on over and find me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Facebook!</a></div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-36767735796179122292016-04-01T13:48:00.000-04:002017-11-07T13:32:27.501-05:00Why We are NOT Cleaning Up!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Real play is messy. Children NEED to find all of the "stuff" they want/need for their play. They need to move(transport) stuff and the only timeline they follow is their own. The photos posted of immaculate, clean classrooms are not "real"... they don't capture the true essence of what childhood play is. Because let's face it. .. real play is messy.<br />
When children are truly engaged and have delved deep into play, the very last thing on their minds is how tidy the room looks. Our perspective of beauty and mess can be very different from that of a child. Our space often looks like a tornado came through with clear evidence and remnants of play. Random piles of favorite things stashed and mountains of "play piles" or residue abounds.<br />
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The truly important work of children is play and discovery, not tidy and clean up. Clean Up time is not the most important time of day. It can often be the most challenging time of day for teachers. It becomes a power struggle, and a serious source of frustration. Children are not always done and we are asking them to stop and to completely change their world of play, and why?<br />
A lot of the time we don't clean up. We have very few transitions in our day, but when we do, sometimes the children are just not done. So, we leave whatever they were playing and give them the opportunity to come back to it. If we really truly value children's play, and we really truly respect their investigations we allow them to come back and to pick-up or revisit right where they left off. When children can pick up where they left things, they can delve even deeper and develop more complex play. If we are constantly cleaning up and having to start over, the children may only scratch the surface in their play, especially if they do not have a long enough period of time. I like to think about it this way... As an adult when you are working on something, let's say writing a letter. If you start it and do not have enough time to finish it in on sitting, you don't scrap the whole thing and start over. You save what you have done and you come back to it. So, why do we expect children to clean up and start all over again?<br />
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Young children may not be developmentally ready to clean up. They are really good at dumping and taking things out, but putting things away is a different task, and requires a different skill set. The expectations we have for them may not be appropriate.<br />
So, clearly there are times when it is necessary to clean up. How do we handle that here? Well, sometimes we ask the children to help. We know that some children will and some children generally don't. (and that is okay!) Most of the time, the adults do the cleaning. Generally when I start to clean up, a few children will opt to help me. On very rare occasions everyone will help. Sometimes we just bulldoze the mess out of the way and I deal with it later. If there is a plan and an amazing idea/learning opportunity that is being proposed and we need the space, the plan takes priority over the mess!<br />
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A pile we "bulldozed" to the side to make room for more play.</div>
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Unfortunately, we have a limited amount of space, which means that the children nap where we play. This means that the area needs to be cleaned prior to naps. Most often, the cleaning happens primarily by an adult while the children are eating lunch. (In our program we have 2 adults and up to 12 children on any given day. One adult assists with lunch while the other cleans and sets up for nap). When there are amazing structures, forts, or other pieces of play the children are highly engaged with, we try to take photos and sometimes even move them or sleep around them. Otherwise out of necessity, the remnants of play are returned to the shelves.<br />
Dan Hodgins and I discussed this very topic in the second episode of The Shakin' Bones podcast. If you have not listened to it yet and would like to, Here it is! (Click on Episodes and choose episode #2 Clean Up).<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="180" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/destination/id/345263/height/360/width/640/theme/standard-mini/autoplay/no/autonext/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/thumbnail/yes/no-cache/true/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" width="320"></iframe><br />
How do you handle clean-up? Where do you find the balance between clean up and play/exploration? I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to comment below or hop on over to my Facebook page and join the conversation.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-49042239762742939082016-03-30T13:45:00.000-04:002017-11-07T13:36:22.509-05:00Mud Angels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOEkREbFizkQptfdklLzy0DolphZekWvl64hS3kWK3xQDK0Wa_3rpMPtK36xamO757iv0hE5nhJphh2QzHIBjGLPVpUboMjf247GUK8mbZJOkxnIkcSu63Qi9w8OyQmWuCMdczqGgFiRo/s1600/mudangels1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOEkREbFizkQptfdklLzy0DolphZekWvl64hS3kWK3xQDK0Wa_3rpMPtK36xamO757iv0hE5nhJphh2QzHIBjGLPVpUboMjf247GUK8mbZJOkxnIkcSu63Qi9w8OyQmWuCMdczqGgFiRo/s1600/mudangels1.jpg" /></a></div>
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A couple of weeks ago, we had a spring thaw. Most of the snow in the yard melted and the children we excited to find the sand and the mud again! Although, there was a bit of grieving happening for the snow as well. Change is always hard, and with the change of the seasons comes a change in play. When the snow is gone, we can no longer sled down the hill...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk6Cqp8Y1XPvN39fs31g-qoBrPyZbRjj2y_FyDciYvLjVRhJQQBLCR0WKLnVY0SHJXLc8DapCcMmhziGbDIU7XveFH70-1f02mxDaDu7z6vnvaHV6dfKV5qCVURAwmNunJ9jH6HM3Cb_X/s1600/mudangels2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk6Cqp8Y1XPvN39fs31g-qoBrPyZbRjj2y_FyDciYvLjVRhJQQBLCR0WKLnVY0SHJXLc8DapCcMmhziGbDIU7XveFH70-1f02mxDaDu7z6vnvaHV6dfKV5qCVURAwmNunJ9jH6HM3Cb_X/s1600/mudangels2.jpg" /></a></div>
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We can no longer jump off the snowbanks........<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EyHJKsuSWIdD3p-X0vdivV2kIjXM-6ZSyjSgsOnK4hhPxa5BcfvQpsgn11Qf3EUsL8xaH-n6JTUGEbvOGmbQBBKrvq2KWumwcc6pYsD6OtHeUG8PySdhKOOFQaQeY8Jf1m_M3lRZbDtg/s1600/mudangels3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EyHJKsuSWIdD3p-X0vdivV2kIjXM-6ZSyjSgsOnK4hhPxa5BcfvQpsgn11Qf3EUsL8xaH-n6JTUGEbvOGmbQBBKrvq2KWumwcc6pYsD6OtHeUG8PySdhKOOFQaQeY8Jf1m_M3lRZbDtg/s1600/mudangels3.jpg" /></a></div>
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We can no longer make snowmen, or push the snow around.....<br />
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We can no longer paint the snow.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_cM2W74TrPFQzh2pFaf-J7tEjgx0hqhbzoNJfILcqRrbmaLYQ55InkStDVCkyQGNpXH8TqssBVJigy8-uwVd3ggajNAshsjNF9oqIbCHNYALQoyBUaDnc0ySYU3sk5zXe0phpEATr4dx/s1600/mudangels5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_cM2W74TrPFQzh2pFaf-J7tEjgx0hqhbzoNJfILcqRrbmaLYQ55InkStDVCkyQGNpXH8TqssBVJigy8-uwVd3ggajNAshsjNF9oqIbCHNYALQoyBUaDnc0ySYU3sk5zXe0phpEATr4dx/s1600/mudangels5.jpg" /></a></div>
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And, when we can no longer make snow angels, well.... sand or mud angels will just have to do!<br />
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Along with the disappearance of the snow, comes the marvelous spring mud! So, our grief does not last long as we gear up for running, dashing, sliding, and jumping through the puddles!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7IEIdjeOslNbBCsU2lwTNFRQy6fE8l9xwc_PpD9BEhgmSmI0PoRR2vySwGMTY6MV4IPrV_rriBIYHmcHi1mxy5X7D4_W5lfvfUL9nFPkLbC33vM5oVkgJhQLtcjXVMAkTV4tGl88qofO/s1600/mudangels7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7IEIdjeOslNbBCsU2lwTNFRQy6fE8l9xwc_PpD9BEhgmSmI0PoRR2vySwGMTY6MV4IPrV_rriBIYHmcHi1mxy5X7D4_W5lfvfUL9nFPkLbC33vM5oVkgJhQLtcjXVMAkTV4tGl88qofO/s1600/mudangels7.jpg" /></a></div>
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And... around here in Upper Michigan... the first "spring thaw" is usually just a tease anyway as we usually find ourselves with a few more winter storms before the snow is really truly gone for the year!<br />
How is the weather in your area? How are your children playing outside??? I'd love to hear from you!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-56390175444230823722016-03-28T13:44:00.000-04:002017-11-07T13:41:55.678-05:00Bringing the Snow Inside<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The calendar may state that it is spring, but here in northern Upper Michigan, it is still snowing! We had a a few nice days with a "spring-like" feel, and a thaw, but then it started snowing again :). Our winters tend to be long, but we do what we can to get out and enjoy them! If you have been a long time follower of the blog, I'm sure you remember many of the previous posts sharing some of our outdoor fun! Here are a couple you might want to check out:<br />
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2014/04/luge-the-2014-edition.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Our Luge: 2014 Edition</a></div>
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2013/02/2013-luge.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">2013 Luge</a></div>
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2013/11/go-outside-and-play.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">GO OUTside and PLAY!</a></div>
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2014/04/colorful-snow-volcanoes.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Colorful Snow Volcanoes!</a></div>
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2012/02/our-mud-piesnow-cake-kitchen.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Our Mud Pie/Snow Cake Kitchen</a></div>
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<a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/03/let-me-count-the-ways-you-can-paint-the-snow.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Let Me Count the Ways.... You Can Paint the Snow!</a></div>
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(a quick search of the blog will yield you even more results if you are interested)</div>
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We love to play with and in the snow, and bringing it inside is just another way to play and investigate this wonderful white stuff! Sometimes we sculpt with the snow when we bring it inside, and we almost always find ways to paint it or add color whether we are inside or out.<br />
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Sometimes we use paintbrushes.... sometimes we use pipettes, turkey basters, straws, ... sometimes we just dump cups.... sometimes we use vinegar and baking soda to make "volcanoes" sometimes we use colored salt.... sometimes we use our hands, sometimes we use spoons or sand toys (shovels and rakes)..... It really depends on the day and what the children decide that they need.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GJ7N4ivGpTzRBk3aodyHKm-nc_XDT-4Z5IElh-ZRXsvMTxv4VUknpZXrjPeIZz6ViYLhtNij9mztyaWT21lCb458tDgtmTz-9caF5MguQDYIclTf4-RJCcazaBQMLFo_iHg_130_XmhW/s1600/snow3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GJ7N4ivGpTzRBk3aodyHKm-nc_XDT-4Z5IElh-ZRXsvMTxv4VUknpZXrjPeIZz6ViYLhtNij9mztyaWT21lCb458tDgtmTz-9caF5MguQDYIclTf4-RJCcazaBQMLFo_iHg_130_XmhW/s1600/snow3.jpg" /></a></div>
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Typically, the color that we use to paint the snow is our <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2016/03/diy-liquid-watercolors-update.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">homemade liquid watercolors</a>. However, sometimes it is <a href="http://childcentralstation.com/2011/01/giant-snow-painting.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">powdered Kool-Aid paint</a>, and when we are close to the end of the gallon jug of tempera paint, I tend to rinse the jug out and use the watered down paint for the snow as well. I know some places use other forms of paint or food coloring as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG1mCLlYlSzQDK-H1K_cuWIRDhBNl7YD0ngHlpHe2tU4H7pD0YgaJdYj-LcD4Og2RW3GGgQoR-vqSEJYHJ8olKKNccZa55TVpIJBJL_MMJ_EvE1ah3L1s8wyXWItrGfaVqMTr2HuEuNEP/s1600/snow4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG1mCLlYlSzQDK-H1K_cuWIRDhBNl7YD0ngHlpHe2tU4H7pD0YgaJdYj-LcD4Og2RW3GGgQoR-vqSEJYHJ8olKKNccZa55TVpIJBJL_MMJ_EvE1ah3L1s8wyXWItrGfaVqMTr2HuEuNEP/s1600/snow4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Most of our exploration inside happens inside of an under the washer tub that we picked up from a local hardware store. You could easily use a cement mixing tub, totes, or your sensory table. I really like the under the washer bins because they are large enough to allow many children to play at one time, and the sides are only a few inches high. This allows all of our children to easily access the materials and join in on the play.<br />
Here is an affiliate link if you are interested in purchasing your own under the washer tub:<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="150" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=chilcentstat-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000PS8J64&asins=B000PS8J64&linkId=K3BGR4QOWDULVGVR&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;" width="300"><br /></iframe><br />
Do you bring the snow inside? What are your children's favorite indoor snow explorations? I'd love to hear from you!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883355252733748164.post-7177185301512322302016-03-25T13:38:00.000-04:002017-11-07T13:43:43.601-05:00Is my Child HyperActive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FoHB9g75zkpqWZiEDuolhRmvzFvL6SK2Qy9TsmouPxD_8ApsCZTzg3YjNshQBubEhggBZjLtYnN1YNihV0L1fQUG_XKkCpG7UTr628lp5S6s51hpCendiVJpgUDC5TGtYvbBOUKkTd6x/s1600/hyperactive3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FoHB9g75zkpqWZiEDuolhRmvzFvL6SK2Qy9TsmouPxD_8ApsCZTzg3YjNshQBubEhggBZjLtYnN1YNihV0L1fQUG_XKkCpG7UTr628lp5S6s51hpCendiVJpgUDC5TGtYvbBOUKkTd6x/s1600/hyperactive3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<blockquote>
I worry a lot about children today. I worry that they have become subjects in experiments they have never consented to. I worry that we are stealing their childhoods. As a society we are continually pushing down curriculum and expectations upon children that are not appropriate and when children do not perform at higher levels we punish them for being children. I have witnessed far too many young children be punished and publicly shamed for doing exactly what young children are supposed to do. The levels and amount of medication prescribed to young children is appalling, and how much do we really know about the side effects of these drugs on children? Why are we so quick to medicate? And, why are we finding alarming rates of anxiety and depression in our young people?</blockquote>
If you have not yet had a chance to listen to any of the podcasts I am co-hosting with Dan Hodgins, the first episode we recorded was on "hyperactivity" and ADHD in young children. I am weeks behind with my goal of sharing a bit more on each topic we discuss with you in a blog post, but better late than never, right??? If you have not had a chance to listen to the podcast, you can find it here:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" height="180" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/destination/id/345263/height/360/width/640/theme/standard-mini/autoplay/no/autonext/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/thumbnail/yes/no-cache/true/" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial;" width="320"></iframe><br />
(Click where it says episodes, scroll down, and choose the one entitled Hyperactivity).<br />
Although I am not a medical doctor or a practicing psychologist, I am very concerned when looking at the statistics for diagnosis and the labeling of children as hyperactive. In the podcast, Dan shared a bit of research from the Mayo Clinic. It was quite disturbing to me to see so many symptoms on the warning list that are really part of "normal" development. Dan indicated that you only need 3 of the behaviors in order to be diagnosed. Some of these behaviors that we discussed are:<br />
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<ol>
<li> Fidgets frequently</li>
<li> Distracted easily</li>
<li> Likes to talk often</li>
<li> Daydreams</li>
<li> Difficulty Sharing</li>
<li>Impulsive</li>
<li>Ignores Rules</li>
</ol>
With some of these warning signs, Dan and I both decided that we both should have been medicated a long time ago! It is concerning to us that children as young as 3 years old are being diagnosed for behaviors that are really pieces of typical development. We are not saying that there are not instances of ADHD out there, but our concern is that children are being labelled and medicated for "normal" types of behavior at a very young age. (The research Dan was using came from <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/dxc-20196181" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the Mayo Clinic and can be found here. </a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLsw3msgGD4IngYU9p3_tuJfRhG4zBnomwmJdYQ2202Cvl8uh0dh2cV8le-JqtQONMZktU8lhngPv3wQCMpfgGu8Ny0WEBb5Wm47Ymjrx4re71MjaRNJ0Uc1f4SvK0eHpMGYBSN5Mm_Wu/s1600/hyperactive2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLsw3msgGD4IngYU9p3_tuJfRhG4zBnomwmJdYQ2202Cvl8uh0dh2cV8le-JqtQONMZktU8lhngPv3wQCMpfgGu8Ny0WEBb5Wm47Ymjrx4re71MjaRNJ0Uc1f4SvK0eHpMGYBSN5Mm_Wu/s1600/hyperactive2.jpg" /></a></div>
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So, the question comes down to, when should I be concerned? First take a deep breath.<br />
Are the expectations being placed upon your child appropriate?<br />
Does your child have ample opportunities to run, jump, swing, spin, stand.... wrestle?<br />
Are they given the freedom and power to make many of their own decisions?<br />
Are they being asked to sit for too long?<br />
Do they have the option to choose activities that are important to them?<br />
Are they being given enough time to explore or are they forced through too many transitions or activities that are not of their own choosing?<br />
Evaluate the children's environment... Is it overstimulating? Is it under stimulating?<br />
Are you asking them to do things that are not age appropriate? (Many adults still have trouble sharing...)<br />
If after you have made adjustments to the child's environment and your own expectations for your child, look towards what your child is eating, how is their nutrition? Are behaviors tied to certain times of day or after eating certain types of food?<br />
When you have evaluated the expectations, environment, and your child's diet and you are still concerned, Then I would recommend seeking further guidance and evaluation.<br />
By no means am I saying that ADHD does not exist (although there are critics who will argue this), but I worry about labelling a child as hyperactive when in reality they are curious, active, and imaginative and being held to expectations well beyond the realm of typical development.<br />
An article from 2012 in Psychogy Today brought out some clear cultural differences between the United States and France and highlighted the low percentage of children in France who have been diagnosed with ADHD. <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-children/201203/why-french-kids-dont-have-adhd" rel="noopener" target="_blank">(The article can be found here.)</a> I was very disturbed by some of the parenting techniques shared, but I think that we could learn a lot by investigating the social context and the environment rather than looking directly at medication. (I know.. I must have said environment at least a dozen times during that podcast!)<br />
So... what does this all mean. Well... like everything, there is a lot of information out there to sift through and ponder. I implore you not to take this matter lightly and to avoid negatively labelling young children as being "hyperactive."<br />
I hope, at the very least my words and conversation with Dan have left you thinking more about this issue. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to leave me a comment or hop on over to my Facebook page and join/start a discussion!</div>
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Don't forget, You can find Child Central Station on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChildCentralStation" target="_blank"> Facebook </a>and <a href="http://pinterest.com/amyaatccs/" target="_blank">Pinterest!</a></div></div>Amy A @ Child Central Stationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846984785038373093noreply@blogger.com0