Spring and Summer Allergies and Kids

Is your child sneezing and sniffling during the spring months?

Are you wondering if it’s more than just a cold due to the weather changing?

Is it true that a child under the age of 2 can’t develop allergies?

According to Parents.com, “for a long time, doctors believed that babies under 2 couldn’t develop allergies because their immune systems were not developed enough.” However, we now know that isn’t true! A baby can have an allergic reaction to anything he or she is exposed to on a consistent basis, like dust, mold, pet dander, and even certain foods.

Keep in mind that seasonal allergies (things like pollen or grass) tend to manifest later in life because it takes at least one allergy season for a baby’s immune system to “learn” to be allergic to them.
In babies and toddlers, symptoms of allergies can include:

• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Hives
• Dark circles under the eyes (sometimes called allergic shiners)

If you notice any of these symptoms, or just have an unhappy baby at home during these high pollen seasons, it could be allergies! Talk to your pediatrician and find out if natural or prescription remedies could cure your child’s springtime blues.

After all, enjoying the changing of the seasons is one of the best parts of living in Michigan! Taking the steps necessary to make sure your child can be happy and healthy during the spring and summer will mean a more fun, more adventurous time of the year for your whole family.

To learn more about our illness policy and find out how we can help your child with allergies still enjoy their time at our daycare in Ann Arbor, visit our website! You can also talk to your child’s teacher and Little Angels management if your child needs special attention during allergy season.

Creating a Natural Play Space at Home

Did your parents ever say “fresh air is good for you?”

Well it turns out our parents were right! Creating a natural outdoor play space in your backyard is easy if you have access to natural materials, which most of us do.

According to LetTheChildrenPlay.net, elements to include in your natural outdoor play space should include:

• Water 
• Vegetation 
• Animals
•  Insects 
• Sand 
• Natural Color 
• Places to sit on, in, under, lean against, provide privacy, shade or shelter 
• Different levels, nooks, crannies, places to hide 
• Structures or objects that can be changed, including lots of loose parts 

The outdoors is richer in sensory experiences than are indoor environments. Very young children learn predominately through their sensory and physical experiences, and that learning supports brain development.

Children who have nature experiences demonstrate more advanced cognitive development by improving awareness, reasoning, and observational skills.

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare in Ann Arbor we focus on growing the WHOLE child, not just academically, but also their character and well-being. Studies have shown that being outdoors is great for your child’s intelligence and their character, as well as their physical and mental health.

Little Angels is dedicated to spending much of your child’s day exploring nature. We feel that it’s the best and most effective way for children to learn and grow. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

What Does "Reggio" Mean?

Little Angels Preschool & Daycare in Ann Arbor is  a Reggio inspired learning community! We know that children learn best when they are challenged to think for themselves.

Children must be given the opportunity to the experience of empowerment. These tools allow team work, or a chance to work alone. Children need to develop problem solving skills using past knowledge, trial and error, and logic.

We strongly believe that children learn best through experiences and a balanced program that includes a negotiated curriculum of both teacher-directed and child-initiated activities. Our teachers are co-collaborators with children. They act as guides, mentors, and models, as we observe reflect, and hypothesize.

Our commitment is to foster an open and cooperative relationship between home, school, and community. Little Angels seeks to be responsive to families’ needs. It is our desire to have parents, teachers, and staff work together to build a foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Schedule a Tour of Little Angels Preschool & Daycare Today!

We've been serving the Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township and Saline area for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center.

 Do you know of a parent looking for a quality daycare or preschool in Ann Arbor or the surrounding areas? Please encourage them to contact us to schedule a tour of Little Angels Preschool & Daycare.

Mud Pie Kitchens

Spring is finally here, and as May gets into full swing, lots of rain creates new opportunities for fun and learning outdoors for your toddler. As the seasons change, so does the environment, and so do the types of activities you can do outside with your child.

At Little Angels, we go outside every single day, rain or shine! We value outdoor play as a very important part of a child’s education, and we want to share some fun ways you can incorporate this idea at home, too.

To exercise your child’s imagination and take advantage of spring’s wetter weather, consider making a Mud Pie Kitchen in your backyard!

Outdoor play kitchens are a fun way to use your outdoor space for playtime all year long, and you can find a lot of the materials needed for this space at garage sales. You can also use real pots, pans, pie tins, and cupcake molds that you find second-hand to make the “kitchen” feel more real.

 Use wet sand or dirt and water to have your child get a little dirty and see what they can “cook” for you! Outdoor kitchens are also a great place for picnics and tea parties with friends.

Play stoves are a great addition to these spaces, but small desks or tables and chairs work just as well. This space is all about creativity, so help your toddler decorate the space however he or she wants!


For more outdoor activities and to find out how we use outdoor learning as part of our curriculum at Little Angels, check out other posts on our blog, and visit our website! You can also schedule a tour of our facility to see our outdoor play space.

Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child is an annual event hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) that celebrates young children, early learning, teachers, and families. This year’s event is April 16-20!

NAEYC has nearly 60,000 members and many regional affiliates that work together to “focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families, and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.”

NAEYC plans the event and the themes for each day, and the individual communities find a way to really bring those events to life for the children.

The themed days this year are:

·         Monday, April 16, 2018: Music Monday

·         Tuesday, April 17, 2018: Tasty Tuesday

·         Wednesday, April 18, 2018: Work Together Wednesday

·         Thursday, April 19, 2018: Artsy Thursday

·         Friday, April 20, 2018: Family Friday

As you celebrate this event with your kids, check out these great resources and events in the Ann Arbor area, and also check out the Michigan Association for the Education of young Children:

·        

 Music:

• Sing With Me Baby!
• Music for Little Folks Ann Arbor

 Cooking and Nutrition:

• Let’s Eat (Well!)

 Building Together:

• Five Essentials to Meaningful Play
• Ann Arbor Hands On Museum

 Open Ended Art:

• Supporting the Development of Creativity
• Ann Arbor Art Center

 Engaging and Celebrating Families:

• Turn Any Walk into a Nature Walk 
• Domino’s Petting Farm 
• Gallup Park River Kids (ages 2-6 with a caregiver)

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare, we love to celebrate children and their families, and all the ways that they learn and grow. To find out more about our facility and our teachers, contact us today to schedule a tour!

Simple Ways to Raise Your Child’s Self Esteem

As a parent, having a happy and healthy child is the greatest gift you can be given. A child who feels loved, cared for, and is confident in his or her self-image can grow up to do great things, and have a very successful adult life!

So, how can you give your child the best building blocks for their self-esteem? Raising confident kids can be tricky – you don’t want them to feel like they should have things handed to them, but rather, you probably want them to have the mindset that if they work hard, they can accomplish anything.

At Little Angels, we believe that kids learn by doing. Teaching them to be confident in their own abilities will lead them to feel they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to!

Parents.com came up with a list of do’s and don’ts in order to boost your child’s self-esteem:

•    Do give children choices! Giving your kids choices (within reasonable options that you’ve thought out beforehand) can make them feel empowered. Start small – offer them a choice of breakfast foods, or a choice of two outfits for school. Learning to make simple choices will help prepare your child for more difficult choices in the future.

•    Don’t do everything for your child. Be patient – let your child work things out. It might be easier and less frustrating for you to just dress your child in the morning, but letting your child do it his or herself can help teach new skills.

•    Do let your child know that no one is perfect! Explain that no one expects your child to be perfect, and that it’s okay to make mistakes. Your child likely learns a lot of reactions from watching you, so be careful about how you react to their mistakes or disappointments.

•    Don’t offer insincere praise. Kids are the masters at detecting compliments or praise that are baseless. Praise your kids often, but be specific! For example, instead of telling your child that their artwork is the “greatest in the world”, try, “I really like how you drew the whole family. You even included details like Daddy’s beard!”

•    Do assign age-appropriate household chores. Giving your kids responsibility for tasks like setting the table, walking the dog, and folding laundry can increase their feelings of competency and help boost their problem-solving skills.

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare, we believe in letting kids explore their own boundaries while they learn. We teach kids to solve problems, and to try new things each and every day. To find out more about our teaching philosophy and to schedule a tour of our daycare in Ann Arbor, please contact us today!

Adding A Kid’s Art Gallery To Your Home

Do your kids love to paint, draw, or color? Are they constantly making new works of art for you to hang on the fridge, or put on your desk at work?

Art is a great way for kids to use their imagination and express themselves. When they create a new work of art, what better way to boost their confidence than by showcasing their work in their very own art studio?

Our friends at An Everyday Story created a gallery in their home, and it turned out beautifully! A place to share your child’s art will not only make he or she feel proud, but add a really personal touch to your home decor.

A home art gallery can be a space to observe your child’s growth – you can keep drawings and colored pictures up for months to see how he or she is improving over time, and to keep as keepsakes when he or she gets a little older.

Here are some easy options to create your art gallery:

1. String/yarn and clothespins
2. Picture frames and nails
3. Cork board and thumbtacks
4. GoodHangups (removable and reusable stickers)

String and clothespins is the easiest option. To start, tie a loop at one end of the string or yarn, and use a nail or thumbtack to keep this part in place. Do the same thing at the other end of the string. Once your line is in place, you can pin your child’s works of art to the line with clothespins!

Picture frames and nails are sturdier, but your child probably won’t be able to hang their art on their own, as they could with a clothespin. Picture frames look a little more professional, however, and wooden frames that your child can paint are relatively cheap at the craft store.

Corkboard and thumbtacks also require a little supervision, but can be a good alternative to putting holes in the walls of your home.

Finally, GoodHangups are a brand of reusable, removable stickers that are great for hanging art on the wall! These stickers won’t damage your paint, and can be applied to a variety of surfaces such as brick, concrete, wood, and even textured walls.

To learn more about how we use arts and crafts at Little Angels, visit our website! As the trusted and preferred day care in Ann Arbor, we love using our imaginations with children! Call us today and schedule a tour to learn more.

Taming Your Kids’ Temper Tantrums

If your child is prone to temper tantrums, you know that they can make you feel like you’re close to having a meltdown, too! Young kids – mostly those between ages one and four – haven’t developed the coping skills they need to react calmly to negative situations, which usually results in a temper tantrum.

If you’re having a hard time getting those meltdowns under control, you’re not alone! Plenty of parents struggle to figure out what to do to calm down a child when they’re in the middle of an episode.

Ray Levy, a Dallas-based clinical psychologist says, “for children between one and two, tantrums often stem from trying to communicate a need – more milk, a diaper change, that toy over there – but not having the language skills to do it.”

Levy suggests that tantrums are the result of small children getting frustrated when their parents don’t respond the way they want them to.

So, how can you stop these outbursts from occurring so often? According to Parents.com, there are several ways you can keep these temper tantrums at bay, including:

1. Ignore the child during the tantrum – Researchers suggest that during a tantrum, the emotions in your child are on overdrive, which is why reasoning doesn’t work. Let your child work out his or her frustration, and once the child calms down, then you can talk.
2. Give your child some space – In a controlled environment (where your child won’t hurt him or herself), sometimes it’s best to let your child work out the anger. Teaching them how to vent in a non-destructive way will actually be good for children in the long run.
3. Create a diversion – Keep some books or toys handy in your purse, car, or in different places around the house to use as a distraction when your child starts to get fussy or frustrated.
4. Find out what’s really frustrating them – For kids three years or younger, their vocabulary isn’t enough for them to tell you why they’re upset. Working on communication effectively could be the key to stopping a tantrum.
5. Hugs – This may seem like a no brainer, but when a child is frustrated, sometimes all he or she needs is a big hug to feel more secure. 

For more advice on how to deal with your child when they start to get angry or frustrated, visit our website and see other posts on our blog about behavior! At Little Angels, we do everything we can to make your child feel like he or she is being heard and being taken care of. That’s why parents like you made us the trusted and preferred preschool in Ann Arbor! Call us today to find out more!

Let Your Kids Cook For You!

Now that the holidays are over, it can be a struggle to keep kids entertained. To switch up your routine for playtime at home, and to get their creative juices flowing, put on your chef’s hat and get your child involved at dinnertime!

Our friends at Let The Children Play shared this fun activity they did at their facility, and we think it would work perfectly at home, too!

Obviously supervision is required, but you can find many ways to make it work for your family! If you or your significant other has a birthday coming up, try making a special birthday dinner with your child, or have your child help you make a cake.

Cooking something for you will teach your child how to follow instructions, and they’ll love creating a dish for you with bright colors and different textures!

Of course, there are dishes that are easy to make, and some that are more difficult. Try to pick foods that will allow them to do most of the work. Here are some suggestions:

• Colorful veggie salad – Salads are relatively easy to make. Make sure you’re the one cutting up any large veggies, though! 
• Sandwiches – let your child be creative with ingredients!
• Fruit salad – You can buy fun shaped fruit cutters at your grocery store to make cutting up fruits easier and more fun! 
• Pizza - Use english muffins for the "dough", or even pieces of bread! Find recipes online for stovetop pizzas.

To make this activity more special in warmer months, consider planting a vegetable garden and have your kids help! You can create little signs with your child to stick in the ground that mark each plant, and then use the vegetables you grow to make food throughout the year.

For more information about different activities to try with your child, see our other blog posts! Little Angels is the trusted and preferred preschool in Ann Arbor and we love to play outside and use our imagination.

Water and Music Play Fun For All!

Does your child enjoy music? They’ll LOVE this activity that will teach them all about rhythm, pattern, tempo, pitch and tone! It was created by Alec Duncan, and we found it on ChildsPlayMusic.com.au:
 

Materials

•    Water trough
•    Stainless steel and aluminum bowls – various sizes
•    Stainless steel and aluminum pot lids – various sizes
•    Various strikers (plastic mixing spoons or bamboo or plastic chopsticks work well)
•    Short lengths of garden hose
•    Plastic drink bottles
•    Spray bottle
•    Random lengths of 90mm PVC stormwater pipe
•    A guiro made from 40mm corrugated plastic drain pipe (not the type with slits in it)
•    A shaker made from 40mm PVC pipe with gravel inside
•    A packing tape drum (see here for a video of how to make one for yourself)
•    A plastic canister (or any plastic container or small bucket)
 

Directions

Photo Credit: ChildsPlayMusic.com.au

Allow children to experiment with the sounds each bowl, hose, and pipe make when you dip them in and out of water while tapping on them with chopsticks. Repeat! 

Watch the water and music play video here for a demonstration!
 
This might seem like just a fun playtime activity, but you’re really helping your child to be set up for success. Want your child to be the next Beethoven? The earlier music is taught the earlier your child can fine tune his or her craft! This water and music activity develops both their small and gross motor skills which could help better their mobility. Also, this music activity is a great way for your child to learn math and science skills.
 
Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Make Teaching Letters at Home Easy!

Learning letters can be a challenge for anyone, but it’s almost never impossible. If you believe, you can achieve!

We recommend these great letter activities that you can do at home that were created by Lori, found on a Conversations in Literacy Blog. 

Highlight: Rice Boxes

Photo Credit: Conversations in Literacy Blog

Materials

• Rice
• Big spoon
• Letters
• Letter match-up worksheet

Directions:

Find a letter in the rice and match with the corresponding uppercase or lowercase letter.

This activity will develop the building blocks needed to understand how to read and write. This letter recognition activity helps develop your child’s cognitive senses for memory, reading, and writing.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Saline, Ypsilanti, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced Based Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

3 Essential Tips to Childproof Your Smartphone!

Has your smartphone been broken too many times to count? We know the feeling! With the number of times juice has been spilled and the accidental tumbles your child has had with your phone in hand, it’s amazing it has made it this far! Sometimes we wonder if kids are the top reason your phone needs to be repaired or replaced. 

At our preschool in the Ann Arbor area we understand your

frustration. You want your child to be able to play the educational apps on your phone but at the same time you hope your phone is durable enough that it won’t break. We’ve come up with a few ideas to help you save some money:

• Buy a strong case! Is it waterproof? Scratchproof? Shatterproof? 
• Lock your screen with a passcode or fingerprint for entry.
• Enable parental controls to enforce restrictions.

Do you have other ways to help protect your phone? We’d love to hear from you! Please post your ideas in the comment section below.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Mom’s Health Factors Help Determine Risks For Preterm Labor

Babies are miracles of life, especially premature babies. Thanks to advances in medicine, it’s become ever more likely this day in age, to deliver healthy babies as early as 24 weeks.

Babies who are born premature sometimes face long-term health risks and vulnerabilities. However, it’s important to point out that premature babies aren't always riddled with problems -- a lot of cases turn out to be healthy births that lead to healthy babies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "in 2014, preterm birth affected about 1 of every 10 infants born in the United States." At little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area, feel that it's important to educate the general public on some of the things that can increase your risk for premature labor, if you're not already aware, including:

• Smoking
• Overweight or underweight
• High blood pressure
• Preeclampsia
• Diabetes
• Blood clotting disorders
• Drinking alcohol or using drugs
• Impregnated by vitro fertilization
• Family history

It’s important to know the risk factors so you can help minimize any potential risk and harm to your baby. If you have any further questions about premature labor risks contact your health physician.
 
Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. We have infant, toddler, and preschool programs available. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!