Shape Matchup Activity!

Want to set your child up for success by teaching him or her all about shapes?
 
Can your child already recognize certain shapes because of everyday items found around your house?
 
Is your child aware of different size objects around your home?
 
We recommend a great activity to practice shapes and sizes by Trish Kuffner, found on FamilyEducation.com:
 
Materials

• Colored construction paper 
• White construction paper 
• Pen or marker 
• Scissors 

Directions

1. Cut basic shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, heart, and so on) out of colored construction paper. 
2. Trace all the shapes onto a piece of white construction paper. 
3. Have your child match the colored shapes to those drawn on the white paper.  

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 great mathematician? The earlier fundamentals are learned, the better your child will perform in school and beyond! This shape matchup activity helps develop your child’s cognitive senses for math concepts from geometry to sorting and patterning.

Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have 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!

Baby Talk or No Baby Talk That is Thee Question!

Yay or nay for baby talk?
 
Do you believe that imitating your babies babbling can be beneficial to your child’s vocabulary growth?
 
Or, do you think that speaking in a regular tone rather than a sing-song voice would be just as beneficial for your child, and that’s why you don’t baby talk?

According to PBS Parents, “Experts call this musical way of talking “parentese” and report there’s a true value to it. Parentese helps parents and caregivers connect to their babies and helps babies develop language skills.” If it can help benefit your child in the long run, why not try speaking baby talk every now and then. It couldn’t hurt!
 
With baby talk every child is exposed to drawn out vowels and exaggerated facial expressions, which allow a baby’s brain to remember the sounds they hear to help better recognize language. Before you know it, your baby will be rolling out sentences and performing in the school play!
 
Has baby talk worked for your children? Why are you for or against baby talk? Let’s start the conversation on our blog in the comment section.

Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have 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!

September Fun Family Events in Washtenaw County!

Are you bored of doing the same old thing every night?
 
Are you looking to do something fun and unique with your family this month?
 

It’s almost fall, so there are some fun events in town sure to get you excited about the upcoming holidays! Our kids experts here at Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have brainstormed a few great ideas for you:
 
To name just a few…

• Visit the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market
• Go see “Close Encounters”: a benefit for The Creature Conservancy
• Attend Downtown Storytime at the Ypsilanti District Library
• Check out Wiard’s Orchards and Country Fair
• Go to the 42nd Anniversary Jamboree: Dawn Farm
• Spend some time at “The Littlest Scientist”: Ann Arbor Hand-On Museum
• Run the Corn Maze at Talladay Farms
• Celebrate at the 7th Annual Harvest Festival: Pittsfield Township Parks and Recreation

All of these events are family friendly, with many events, games, and fun for everyone!
 
For more events in your area visit: Ann Arbor Family.
 
Happy harvest!

6 Ways to Deal with Aggression in Toddlers and Preschoolers

Is your child aggressive toward other toddlers or preschoolers?

Does your child have a history of biting, kicking, or hitting?

What have you done to help solve the problem?

If you’re having a hard time dealing with an aggressive child at home, you’re not alone! Many toddlers display aggressive behavior around two years old mostly because they’re frustrated. Toddlers have a limited vocabulary to express how they’re feeling, which results in frustration. 

Photo Credit: George Hodan

How would you like to get a good report from your child’s teacher every day? You would have less frequent trips to the preschool and daycare in Ypsilanti, and have more YOU time!  

According to Parents Magazine, “if your child has a tendency toward aggressive behavior, it's up to you to help him develop judgment, self-discipline, and the ability to express his or her feelings in appropriate ways. Here are six ways to do that:

1. Set firm consistent limits.
2. Help your child find new ways to deal with their anger. 
3. Instill self-control in your child.
4. Avoid encouraging your child to be tough.
5. Don’t spank as a form of discipline.
6. Control your own temper.”

Give these recommendations a try. It’s important that you portray how your child should behave yourself because, after all, they learn from you! Your child will pick up on your signals. If they continue to struggle, it may be beneficial to speak with a doctor regarding your child’s behavior.

If you decide to try some of these things with your child, we’d like to know how it works for you. In addition, are there any other alternatives that already work for you that you’d like to suggest to other parents? Please let us know in the comments! At Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan and the surrounding areas, we’re dedicated to our students’ health and well-being.

Daycare in Ypsilanti Suggests Ways to Fit Exercise in the Family Routine!

Do you set aside time to exercise as a family?

Is strong health and wellness something you wish to achieve and maintain?

Doing it as a family can be so much fun! 

Many people struggle to find the time to exercise during a full day of tasks. However, if you make it a routine as a family like other things you do on a daily basis, it will be easier to stick to.

We checked the “Let’s Move” campaign created by First Lady Michelle Obama for some great tips for the entire family to get moving, including:

1. Setting goals that everyone can achieve together
2. Scheduling your activity an advance
3. Tracking your progress
4. Staying flexible! If something comes up, reschedule the exercise instead of cancelling
5. Sharing new ideas with neighbors, friends and family and ask them to join in the fun!

We know that starting a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge, but it is so worth it in the end. According to WebMD, “about three out of four children ages 5 to 10 get less than one hour of physical activity daily.” By making a change to include exercise as a family routine, it will help control weight, build lean muscle, reduce fat, promote strong bone, muscle and joint development, and decrease the risk of obesity.

If you already fit exercise into your family’s routine, what are some tips you can offer parents who find it a challenge to fit it in their schedule? We’d love for you to share your thoughts in the comment section!

We hope this information will help you become more aware of the amount of daily exercise your child receives. At our Daycare in Ypsilanti, we’re dedicated to our students’ health and well-being. We want to ensure the safety of our students and their families.

What Every Parent Wants To Know: How Do You Tame Tantrums?

“Mommy I want this. Can I have it?” says the child.

“No darling. We have food at home,” says the Mother.

“BUT I WANT IT! WAHH!” says the flustered child.

Has your child ever had a meltdown in public? What did you do? How did you handle it?

Most of us can say, “I’ve been there!” It can be a frustrating stage in your and your child’s life because everything is just a little bit (or a lot) harder. But, trust us when we say they’ll grow out of it!

Every child is different, but their reactions to how you handle each situation can be the same. No tantrum lasts forever, but it may seem like it will. One important reason that children have tantrums is because they are trying to tell you something but don’t have the vocabulary to communicate their feelings.

According to Parent Magazine, there are ten tantrum fixes that both parenting experts and other moms swear by. They include:

1. Ignore your child – This may sound mean, but emotions are taking over -- overriding the frontal cortex of the brain, the area that makes decisions and judgments. Your child will eventually cool down on his or her own.
2. Know which kind of tantrum your child is having (meltdown, dramatic, public) – This will help you identify which way to respond.
3. Give your child space – This allows your child to get their feelings out, pull themselves together and regain self-control.
4. Create a diversion – This will allow the child to forget about the tantrum they’re having almost instantaneously.
5. Discipline without spanking – This allows you to show your child that there are natural consequences to certain behaviors.
6. Find out what’s frustrating your child – This is when sign language will come in handy! Or you can ask your child to point to something they want.
7. Give your child a firm hug – Hugs make kids feel secure and let them know that you care about them.
8. Offer Food or Rest – If your child’s tantrums usually occur before lunch, before naptime, and in the early evening, they are probably caused by hunger or fatigue.
9. Incentive to behave – The key is to give an incentive to your child before the tantrum happens. That way if you feel one coming on, you can gently remind him or her about the "treat" you discussed.
10. Speak calmly – Keep your cool during a child's tantrum. Otherwise, you may into a power struggle.

We’re sure there are many other ways you can handle your child’s temper tantrums, but these are ways other mothers swear by. We hope these tips will help you and your child communicate better and ease the number of tantrums.

Have you found a technique that gets your child to calm down?  We’d love to hear from you, please share with us in the comments!

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