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!

13 Tips to Help Your Child Eat Their Veggies at Home & at Their Preschool in Ypsilanti

Children go through phases of what they will or will not eat, this is normal. We know as parents that we want our children to have a diverse palate and nutritious meals.

Our teachers at preschool in Ypsilanti suggest the best thing to do is not force your child to eat veggies, but make it a fun experience!

According to WebMD, a few proven ways to get kids to eat more veggies include:

1. Take your child to a farmers market and have them pick a veggie.
2. Try to offer a selection of different foods for salad night, taco night or pizza night.
3. Make it fun by making faces with cut up veggies.
4. Avoid battling over veggies.
5. Offer new veggies with a familiar one.
6. Don’t give up! Children’s appetites change over time.
7. Make veggie popsicles and smoothies.
8. Take advantage of peer pressure. If their friend is bold enough to try veggies, your child may follow.
9. Try roasting veggies! It helps bring out their natural sweetness.
10. Serve veggies with dip!
11. Have veggies ready to eat as a go-to snack.
12. Set a good example! Make sure your child sees you eat your own veggies. They will be more likely to do the same.
13. Sneak veggies into baked goods.

If you decide to try some of these tips to help your child eat more veggies, we’d like to know if it was successful. Imagine clean plates and no complaints at dinner time! We hope that your child becomes more adventurous in their eating habits, as well as, a better health role model for the future.

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!

6 Reasons to Go to the Library!

Does your child enjoy reading?
 
How often do you take your child to the library?
 
Do you feel like libraries are an important part of learning?
 
Libraries are truly helpful in order to give children the chance to read books they may never have had a chance to read otherwise. Reading develops a child’s imagination and gives them a way to experience adventures without leaving home!
 
“I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” 

― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
 
Make your summer an adventurous one, by taking a trip to your local library to see what it has to offer. Local libraries provide many benefits to young children including:

1. Children’s programs
2. Reading rewards
3. Unlimited supply of free books
4. Story time
5. Expands vocabulary
6. Teaches responsibility
   

If you decide to take your child to the library this summer, we’d like to know if the trip was successful. Libraries can be a great escape from the sweltering heat in the summer, so give it a shot! Reading a book with your child helps them develop their vocabulary skills faster!
 
Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have been serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, 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!

Preschool in Ypsilanti Suggests 7 Ways to Encourage Kids to Read!

Does your child enjoy bedtime stories?
 
Can your child identify certain words, letters, and phrases?
 
Can your child build small sentences?
 
If you answered, “Yes,” to the above questions, that’s great! However, if some of your answers were no, it’s not the end of the world. Every child learns at their own pace. It’s helpful to learn how to read earlier on in life because it can be harder to advance their education without learning the fundamentals first.

According to PBS, there are many things you can do to encourage your preschooler to read including:

1. Build reading into everyday routines.
2. Read and reread your young child’s favorite books every day.
3. Read books with a variety of characters.
4. Enjoy rhyming books together.
5. As you read, point out the important features of a book.
6. As you read, point to each word with your finger.
7. Use stories to introduce your child to new words.

If you decide to try some of these things with your child, we’d like to know how they work for you. Wouldn’t you like to see your child do well in school? By encouraging reading early in life, you’re helping them succeed. 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! We’d love to hear from you!
 
Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have been serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, 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!

Preschool in Ypsilanti Discusses 6 Ways to Deal With Tattling at Home

Is your child a tattletale?
 
Are you worried that your child may not outgrow tattling?
 
Tattling is common in most households, so there’s nothing to fret over. The cause is often sibling rivalry if it’s happening at home, so make sure you give each child the attention they deserve. If you can work through the tattling problem with your child, imagine being able to come home from work to a home that’s relaxed, comfortable, and much less stressed. When you and your children get along well, that dream can become a reality!
 

How to Fix a Tattletale Problem:

According to MetroParent Magazine, there are nine things that can help combat your child’s tattling problem, including:

Photo Credit: Aleksandra Kostina, Flickr

1. Consider the motivation behind the tattling
2. Teach the difference between minor and important telling if someone is in danger
3. Acknowledge your child’s feelings
4. Coach your child on problem-solving skills
5. Be a mediator between the children to help figure out a resolution
6. Play the role of supportive consultant rather than punishing or taking sides
7. Maximize listening skills by taking an interest in what your child has to say
8. Use matter-of-fact phrases like “There are only two grownups in this house, and it’s our responsibility to enforce the rules.”
9. Wait it out! Your child should outgrow tattling eventually

If you come home every day your young child can’t wait to tattle on their older sibling, you’re going to be annoyed and frustrated. So, there’s no harm in trying some of these techniques. They could make a huge difference for your peace of mind!
 
If you decide to try some of these things with your child, we’d like to know how they 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.

Preschool in Ypsilanti Encourages the Importance of Outdoor Play

Does your child like to go outside and play?

Is your child’s development improving happening at a pace you’re happy with?

Does your child appreciate nature and what it has to offer?

There are many benefits to playing outdoors, but some kids don’t take full advantage of them. According to Early Head Start National Resource Center, reasons why children don’t go outside can be attributed to “adult fears about crime and safety; increased use of television, computer games, DVDs, and other digital media; more time spent indoors in structured activities; childcare arrangements with limited free time; and loss of natural habitats.”

Photo Credit: Petr Kratochvil

Does any of this sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many parents struggle to find chances for their children to run free, sometimes because of fear of bumps, bruises, and scrapes. It may be hard to believe, but those bumps, bruises, and scrapes they get in nature, help them develop mentally, physically, and emotionally!

According to the Early Head Start National Resource Center, outside play has many benefits including:

1. Helps improve overall fitness level
2. Builds stronger immune systems
3. Helps absorb Vitamin D for healthy bones and teeth
4. Helps regulate and balance sleep patterns
5. Helps protects against life stresses 
6. Increases creativity and imagination
7. Enhances opportunities to make decisions, solve problems, and collaborate with peers
8. Improves awareness, reasoning, and observation skills
9. Strengthens ability to focus and pay attention
10. Helps children learn about nature, life cycles, and how plants and animals depend on each other for survival

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare in Ypsilanti, we focus on growing the WHOLE child, not just academically, but also their character and well-being. We’re dedicated to helping your child spend much of their day exploring nature. We feel that it’s the best and most effective way for children to learn and grow.

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

The Ultimate Guide to the Right Car Seat for Every Age & Stage

Are you overwhelmed by the abundant selection of car seat choices?

Don’t worry! We have the 411 on car seats!

Whether your child is an infant or toddler, there’s a special car seat made just for them! 

According to Consumer Reports, “about 80 percent of parents and caregivers experience some level of misuse when using seats that include a harness, so it's important to carefully read the owner's manual for both your vehicle and your child's car seat.”

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare in Ypsilanti, we like to ensure the safety of our students and their families. So, we have a few suggestions on how to pick the right car seat for your child including:

Infant Car Seats: (4-25 lbs.) Unless your baby is born before 37 weeks, you’ll buy this car seat when your baby is first born. These car seats have a comfy cushion surrounding every corner to embrace your baby.

Car beds: (born before 37 weeks or have special needs) These car beds are perfect for preemies because they feature a slant, enabling your baby to ride safely lying down. 

Convertible Car Seats: (25-100 lbs.) These car seats grow with your child, so you’ll only have to buy one car seat in your child’s lifetime. However, they are typically not compatible with strollers and can’t be used as a carrier.

 

Booster Car Seats: (30 to 40 lbs., maximum weight 70 to 120 lbs.) The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children ride in safety seats until the age of seven, and if your child is small, it may be wise to keep your baby in one even longer.

We hope this information will help you become more aware of the car seat options at your disposal. At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare Ypsilanti, we’re dedicated to our students’ health and well-being. We want to ensure the safety of our students and their families.

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

5 Tips to Improve Communication with Your Child

Many parents feel that communicating with their child can become a struggle. Something to keep in mind; a child’s brain can keep only four ideas in short-term memory at one time (even less in younger children). With our Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti’s 5 tips to improve communication, you’ll be on the fast track to smoother days with your child!

According to Psychology Today, the four most common methods to avoid in communicating with children are the following:

1. Talking too much
2. Nagging
3. Listening poorly
4. Failing to apologize

Here are a few suggestions to try in your communication with your child:

1. Limit the conversation (short and simple) – this helps them absorb the information better.
2. Allow your child to manage the situation better by loosening the reins (give choices you both would accept).
3. Try turning off your electronic devices when you come home from work.
4. Set an example on how to fess up after making a mistake and learn the proper way to apologize. State the mistake, apologize, and explain how to improve the relationship/situation.
5. Limit tasks – younger children may only retain 2-3 things at a time. Good rule of thumb is one task for every year old for 5 years and younger.

Give these recommendations a try. Your child will be more responsive and you will strengthen your parent-child relationship at the same time.

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!

We hope this information will help you become more aware of your parent-child interactions. At Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti, we are dedicated to our students’ health and well-being.