How to Spend More Quality Time with Your Child

You lead a busy life when you have a toddler, and the hectic, noisy days can seem to go on and on. However, while the days with your babies or toddlers can seem long, the years will fly by! How can you make sure that you’re spending enough quality time with your children?

Harley A. Rotbart M.D., from Parents Magazine, writes, “Every day brings new growth, new milestones, and new wonderment, but the challenges of juggling our adult lives often prevent us from fully appreciating the delicate nuances of childhood.”

Rotbart recommends these ideas to optimize the time you spend with your kids:

• Practice parenting meditation: When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s easy to switch into auto pilot with your kids. To try to stay in the moment with your kids, focus on really seeing them, hearing them, understanding them, and really take a minute to be amazed by the little one you’ve created.
• Take pajama walks: The hour before bedtime can be chaotic, especially with young children. To help them calm down, weather permitting, take a walk in your pajamas! Not only will it give your kids time to decompress, it will also give you time alone with them that might otherwise be spent in front of the TV.
• Don’t drive everywhere: If you’re able, try to go to the park, or a friend’s house by foot. Walking with your kids is a great way to get exercise, and spend some quality time together.
• Have a special treat day: Create traditions like having ice-cream sundaes after dinner on Friday nights, or a movie night once per week where you have popcorn. 

The key to all of these tips is to focus on turning every minute you spend with your children during a busy day into a memorable moment, rather than worrying about how much time you can spend each day with them.

At Little Angels, we spend a lot of time promoting friendship, creativity, imagination, and exploring nature. At our preschool in Ann Arbor, we know that every minute your child is learning and growing is important! To learn more about our teaching approach and curriculum, schedule a tour of our facility! Visit our website to learn more.

Fun Activities to do in the Snow

Enjoying another Michigan winter? Around here, snow and cold is a way of life. When the temperatures aren’t bitter cold, and the sidewalks are shoveled, it’s time to play!

There are so many great ways to enjoy the outdoors even in cold weather, and Parents.com has come up with some great activities to make sure you and your child are getting outside for fresh air every day.

Remember: bundle up! Exposed skin in temperatures 20 degrees or below is susceptible to frostbite! Make sure to layer your kids’ clothing. Avoid cotton, as it tends to hold moisture. Keep their body heat up by properly covering their little feet, hands, and heads.

Next up: fun in the snow!

1. Cool snow critters: take a break from the everyday snowman, and try making animal sculptures out of snow! Long caterpillars will come to life when you use sticks for antennas and pine cones for eyes.
2. Ice maker: when the temperature drops below freezing, you can blow bubbles with your child and watch them freeze on the end of the wand.
3. Tic tac snow: Draw a grid in the snow and use crisscrossed sticks and pine cones as game pieces.
4. For the birds: String cranberries, popcorn, and cereal onto fishing line and decorate the trees. Watch as the birds come for a snack!
5. Build a fort: You can use sand buckets, loaf pans, and even cut-up empty milk cartons to form the shape of a snow castle!

At Little Angels Preschool & Daycare, we go outside every day (except in the bitter cold, when we utilize the large play space in our building)! At our preschool in Ann Arbor, we’re always trying out fun new games that allow the children to use their imagination.

To find out more about our nature-inspired curriculum, schedule a tour today! You’ll meet our team and see our one of a kind outdoor play area. In addition, make sure to check out our friends at Hike It Baby Ann Arbor, a parent group in the Ann Arbor area focused on getting families outdoors together in a supportive and safe environment.