Tag: gross motor skills

Categories
5-6 yrs (kindergarten) 6-8 yrs (primary) Activities Birth-36 months (infant/toddler) PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)

National I Love My Feet Day: August 17

Grade Levels: PreK through  Primary  Grades

Age Levels: 

  • Birth-36 months (infant/toddler)
  • PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)
  • 5-6 yrs (kindergarten)
  • 6-8 yrs (primary)

NATIONAL I LOVE MY FEET DAY HISTORY

Have you ever thought about how important feet are? For many of us, feet enable us to balance, walk, dance, and play sports among other things. In fact, feet are so amazing that some people can use their feet as well as others use their hands. For example, artist Sheri Caldwell lost the use of her arms at age 6, due to polio, and at age 10 learned how to paint with her feet and is now a professional artist. There is even an international organization that is dedicated to artists who paint with either their mouth and/or their feet!

Carolyn D. Jenkins realized just how important  feet are and submitted a proposal to give them a day of celebration, care, and pampering. In 2015, the National Register of the Calendar of Days approved August 17th as Annual National I Love My Feet Day

What tools and materials do I need?

  • Tempera Paints
  • Paper (butcher paper preferred but any thick paper can work)
  • Markers
  • Bucket of water
  • Towels or rag for cleanup
  • Large paint brush or rag for applying paint to feet

* This could get messy so you may want to either  lay out some newspaper or do this activity outside and dress your child in clothes that can get dirty. 

What should I do? 

  1. Brainstorm with your child all the things they appreciate about their feet and what they can do.
  2. Write down key ideas that your child shares with you.
  3. Help your child to paint the bottom of their feet with the tempera paints.
  4. Instruct your child to walk on/paint the paper with their feet.
  5. Dialogue: As you are enjoying this activity with your child, engage them in conversation by asking them questions such as: 1) What do your feet feel like?, 2) What colors do you see?, 3) Is this difficult, why or why not?

For another way to do this activity see: Painting with Feet by Meredith at Homegrown Friends Studio.

Tags: 

  • Art
  • Gross motor skills
  • Parent-led activity

Developer:

Beth Powers

Credit: 

Creative Commons License

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Credit: ConnectionSpot.org on 08/17/2021 

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Categories
11-14 yrs (middle school) 14-18 yrs (high school) 5-6 yrs (kindergarten) 6-8 yrs (primary) 9-11 yrs (elementary) PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)

Celebrating Pride month

What is Pride Month?

Although there are many days throughout the year that commemorate LGBTQIA people and events, many Pride celebrations, parades, and marches take place in June. This marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. According to Britannica Kids, these riots involved a series of confrontations between gay rights activists and police officers near the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York City in June and July 1969. These riots evolved to an international movement. 

LGBTQIA: How to Talk to Kids

Melinda Lejman, an author, and parent, shares helpful tips and resources on how to talk to about LGBT with your kids for the website Lies About Parenting including:

  1. Don’t assume what your kids know and what they don’t know
  2. Be blunt, your kids can handle it
  3. Be on the Lookout for Reinforcing Stereotypes (and fix them!)
  4. Start Reading
  5. Get involved in your LGBTQ community

Why is it important to discuss LgbtiA with your children?

Issues surrounding gender and gender equity have received great attention in the media and in our society. Children may be curious or concerned about what they hear. It is important for kids to be able to talk with you about anything that they need to in a way that they can make sense of their world. Moreover, Russel Hobby writer for the Guardian assures us that “teaching children about LGBT issues is not brainwashing – it equips them for life.”

How to celebrate pride with your kids

Katie McCarthy, a working mother, explains how she and her husband have made a tradition of attending Pride yearly with their children in her piece titled “Tips for Celebrating Pride with Kids.” 

Bryanne Salazar describes 20 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month for Mom.com. Some of these include: 1) be an activist and an ally, 2) learn about LGBTQ history, 3) attend a virtual or in person pride event, 4) donate, 5) volunteer, 6) fly a rainbow flag, 8) support LGBTQ businesses, 9) use inclusive language, 10) learn about the issues. 

Huffpost shares 13 Craft Ideas to Help Kids Celebrate Pride.

Videos & resources

Blues Clues Pride Parade (PreK-Kindergarten Age Level)

LGBT+ Pride song for kids | Hopster (PreK-Kindergarten Age Level)

Grade Levels: 

  • PreK through High School

Age Levels: 

  • PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)
  • 5-6 yrs (kindergarten)
  • 6-8 yrs (primary)
  • 9-11 yrs (elementary)
  • 11-14 yrs (middle school)
  • 14-18 yrs (high school)

Tags: 

  • Current events
  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills
  • Health and wellness
  • Science
  • Social-emotional learning

Developer:

Beth Powers

Credit: 

Creative Commons License

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Credit: ConnectionSpot.org on 05/26/2021

Celebrating-Pride-MonthDownload
Categories
11-14 yrs (middle school) 14-18 yrs (high school) 5-6 yrs (kindergarten) 6-8 yrs (primary) 9-11 yrs (elementary) Family Resources PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)

Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

What is AAPI Heritage month? 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month – a celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans which was established in 1978. AAPI is a rather broad term that includes all of the Asian Continent and Pacific Islands (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia). 

Why Is It Important?

Not only is this month of celebration important due to the significant contributions of AAPI’s but also due to the hate crimes against AAPI’s in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

engage your family in AAPI Heritage this yeaR & EVERY YEAR.

  1. Visit the  Asian Pacific Heritage website. There you can learn more about Asian Pacific Heritage.
  2. Watch: Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with PBS Kids (You may need to subscribe to this).
  3. Watch Read Alouds: AAPI Read Alouds
  4. Consider the 8 Ways to Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month including:
  1. Get out a Globe, or use Google Earth, and explore Asia and the Pacific Islands
  2. Explore AAPI Heritage Sites
  3. See Children’s Books that feature Asian Authors, Artists, and Characters: 9 Books to Asian American Pacific Islander Month; 20 Books for Young Readers To Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month & Year-Round; Celebrating Asian Pacific American History and Culture; and Asian Americans.
  4. Explore AAPI museums and exhibits: a) Asian Art Museum From Home; and Smithsonian Art Museum From Home
  5. Try a variety of healthy AAPI recipes with your kids
  6. Get creative by exploring AAPI art and music with your children 

Grade Levels: 

  • PreK through High School

Age Levels: 

  • PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)
  • 5-6 yrs (kindergarten)
  • 6-8 yrs (primary)
  • 9-11 yrs (elementary)
  • 11-14 yrs (middle school)
  • 14-18 yrs (high school)

Tags: 

  • Current events
  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills
  • Health and wellness
  • Science
  • Social-emotional learning

Developer:

Beth Powers

Credit: 

Creative Commons License

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Credit: ConnectionSpot.org on 05/26/2021

Celebrating-AAPI-MonthDownload
Categories
11-14 yrs (middle school) 14-18 yrs (high school) 5-6 yrs (kindergarten) 6-8 yrs (primary) 9-11 yrs (elementary) PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)

Earth Day is Everyone’s Day

April 22nd is an important day for the planet. This is the day that people all over the world focus on the importance of protecting our planet. Earth Day is a reminder to all of us that we have a responsibility to take care of our precious home and ensure a safe and clean living environment for today and in the future.

Earth Day originated in the United States in 1970 as a way to promote environmental awareness. It has grown every year since then and officially went global in 1990. Today, Earth Day is a worldwide movement that involves more than 1 billion people in 192 countries. 

Earth Day is everyone’s day because everyone lives on Earth.
Every single person in every corner of the world depends on this planet and the resources it provides. We need every individual to understand the challenges and to be empowered to support our Earth home through collective actions that result in positive change. 

engage your family in Earth Day this yeaR & EVERY YEAR.

  1. Visit the EarthDay.org web site. There you can learn more about global efforts to improve our planet. Be sure to check out their Take Action link for suggestions on what you can do at home to help. 
  2. Watch the This is Why We Celebrate Earth Day video (grades 3-12) or the Let’s Celebrate Earth Day video (Pre-K-3rd) for a quick overview of this important event and to get inspired to celebrate Earth Day. 
  3. Pick up trash. Turn a family outing to a local park or a neighborhood walk into a clean-up activity. Show your children how to safely gather trash and discard it properly. 
  4. Examine your home recycling efforts. Teach children what items can be recycled and how to sort and discard them appropriately. Delegate recycling jobs to children and teens who are old enough to take on these responsibilities. 
  5. Do crafts with your children using recycled materials. See Imagine it. Make It!, Recycled Robots, and Let’s Invent for starters. 
  6. Focus on water conservation. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical family of four in the United States uses about 400 gallons of water in ONE day! Learn more about ways to save water at the EPA’s WaterSense for Kids site. 
  7. Teach your children how they can save energy at home by turning off lights and devices when not in use. Discuss the benefits of turning down the thermostat in winter and wearing an extra layer instead. 
  8. Read a book with your children that focuses on nature or environmental issues. For young children, there are lots of read-aloud books available online such as Earth Day Every Day by Lisa Bullard and We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. 
  9. Explore programs offered by state parks or nature-focused organizations in your area. Many communities have free or low-cost programs to promote environmental awareness and appreciation. Try searching environmental education programs near me on the web. 
  10. Promote an appreciation for living things and the wonders of our planet by spending time outdoors with your children – young and old. Take a nature hike. Observe insects, trees, or flowers closely. Track how many types of birds you can find together. Start a rock collection. Plant a garden or flower pot. Go on a picnic. Simply enjoy nature!

Grade Levels: 

  • PreK through High School

Age Levels: 

  • PreK 3-5 yrs (preschool)
  • 5-6 yrs (kindergarten)
  • 6-8 yrs (primary)
  • 9-11 yrs (elementary)
  • 11-14 yrs (middle school)
  • 14-18 yrs (high school)

Tags: 

  • Current events
  • Environment
  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills
  • Health and wellness
  • Science
  • Social-emotional learning

Developer:

Sharon Brusic

Credit: 

Creative Commons License

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Credit: ConnectionSpot.org on 04/20/2021

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