I remember when I was little and my mom taught me how to ride a bike without
training wheels. Actually, I remember it quite vividly. How can I not? I still
have a few scars on my knees to prove it.

My mom and I [...]]]>
Image by jonny.hunter

I remember when I was little and my mom taught me how to ride a bike without
training wheels. Actually, I remember it quite vividly. How can I not? I still
have a few scars on my knees to prove it.

My mom and I out in our back alley of my childhood home. Her running behind
me while holding me up and then all of a sudden I realize she is no longer hold
me up and I immediately panic and fall over.

I remember the fear I felt when I realized she wasn’t holding me up any longer.
I also remember me yelling at my mom in the most dramatic fashion when I blamed
her for me falling and hurting myself. But, what I remember most importantly
is thee feeling of accomplishment when I was able to ride on my own.

I had decided that there must be another way to teach our children how to ride
a bike without training wheels. I understood that my children needed to learn
balance. That in order to learn balance there must be some falling. But, I wanted
to teach my children how to do this with less injuries. And, I did just that.
How? By teaching my children the first few days how to ride bike on the grass.

On the grass? Yep.

Steps I used to Teach my Kids how to Ride Bike without Pain

• I didn’t start them too early – They had to understand
  a bit of balance. They trained hard on Training wheels for some time. We also
  made sure to raise the training wheels every so often as they got use to them.
  By the time we removed them from our children’s bikes they were at the highest
  level possible and the kids were no longer relying on them for balance as
  much.

• Started on the Grass - The first few days of training was
  spent on the grass. This way they were learn balance, but their falls would
  be much less painful… macadam hurts.

• Slight Decline on Grass – My background seemed to be the
  perfect spot for the kids to learn how to ride bike. There was a very slight
  decline in the yard which gave them a little momentum without making them
  go to fast.

• They Need to Know How to Brake – Before the training wheels
  come off the kids need to know how to brake. I practiced a long time with
  my children on breaking…. way before the training wheels come off. And,
  this is necessary. When the training wheels come off you will find that your
  kids will be concentrating so hard on balancing that they will occasionally
  forget the things they already learned. You don’t want them to have to worry
  about learning balancing and breaking at once.

• Don’t expect too much – I went into this event know there
  would be some falls, some laughter and probably even some tears. And, that
  is exactly what happened. The day will have his challenges, but you will find
  more than that there will be ample rewards too.

• Celebrate Even the Littlest of Things – This project is
  a true challenge for the kids. Not only is it difficult to learn, but it can
  be a bit scary for the kids. So, celebrate even the tiniest of advances. If
  they stayed up for 20 seconds celebrate it. Be a cheerleader for your child.

• Inspect the Bike before Training -Make sure all the bolts
  are tightened and the chains are greased. This way the bike rides as smoothly
  as possible. Nothing will cause your child to be super scared of riding their
  bike than to have them fall due to a bolt coming loose. Do not skip this step!!

• Tell them what you are doing through Every Step – I made
  sure to tell my children exactly what I was doing every step of the way. Don’t
  let go without your child knowing that was going to happen. My mom did that
  to me and the minute I saw she wasn’t holding me anymore…. I’d fall due
  to panic. Let your child know what you are doing right before you do it.

• Reminder Child to Always Look Straight Ahead – This might
  seem obvious to us, but to a child it is not. You will find that your child
  will be tempted to look at their feet while they are pedaling or to look back
  to see if you are still holding them. Constantly remind your child to look
  straight ahead. Not only is this important so they don’t hit into anything,
  but this will help your child keep the bike balanced as well.

• Hold your Child Correctly – When you are holding your child
  up and running behind them you will be tempted to hold them on the back of
  the seat and handle bars. But, your child will not be able to learn balancing
  well this way and it will be impossible for the child to learn how to steer
  as well. Make sure to hold your child up by holding the back of the bike seat
  and their shoulder or sweatshirt.

• Dress your Child Well – Make sure that your child doesn’t
  wear anything that you don’t mind getting grass stained or torn. Plus, you
  want the less skin showing as possible. Long pant and a Sweat shirt work great.
  This way if they fall they will be less apt to get cuts and scrapes and be
  frightened to get back on.

Also, if you do not have a nice area of grass suitable for teaching your child
to ride a bike and must do it on macadam please make sure to have elbow and
knee pads. Plus, it is imperative that you don’t skip out on the helmet even
if you are riding on the grass. Any fall can cause head injury without the proper
protective gear.

October
just might be the most fun month there is as far as fall preschool themes go.
It’s early enough in the year that there are still plenty of outdoor activities
that can be done with preschoolers. It’s also early enough in the year
that you’re not suffering the stress [...]]]>

October
just might be the most fun month there is as far as fall preschool themes go.
It’s early enough in the year that there are still plenty of outdoor activities
that can be done with preschoolers. It’s also early enough in the year
that you’re not suffering the stress of the upcoming winter holidays so
you can relax some and really enjoy creative lessons with your kid(s). But it’s
a busy month with a lot of fun kid-oriented activities (mostly centering on
Halloween) so there are plenty of different things that you can incorporate
into the day to keep things fun and interesting.

Halloween
is the big October theme that you’ll probably spend a lot of
lessons focusing on. There are many fun things that you can do with this theme.
Art projects galore spring from Halloween. Witches’ hats and pirate swords
can be made from construction paper. Counting and coloring activities can be
done with pumpkins and goblins. Halloween songs are almost countless in number.
But there are also plenty of lesser-known things that you can teach kids using
this theme. For example, even though your kids are going to be eating lots of
candy during this time, you can teach them about the importance
of nutrition. This is where moderation comes in and kids can learn
that it’s okay to indulge sometimes but not to go overboard. Similarly,
haunted houses and scary Halloween themes can be used to teach kids about good
fear vs. bad fear. Think outside of the costume box when you’re
coming up with Halloween theme activities this October.

October may be a
great month for holiday themes but that’s not all that’s going on
in October. In most places, the weather is changing dramatically with leaves
turning colors and falling off of the trees. This makes October
a terrific month for lessons about the weather, nature and seasons.
This is good for science lessons and can be incorporated into art activities
as well. If it’s warm enough to get outside with the kids, you can have
them do observations about the changing weather. Fall animal themes
are also great in October. For example, squirrels may still be seen
out and about which is great for lessons about how animals store food and how
some hibernate in the winter. This even lends itself well to lessons about how
our own bodies change in the winter.

As you can see,
October is a fun month that allows for many different preschool themes. Like
all other months, these themes are great for art, reading, writing and singing
activities. However, they are also great for teaching social studies and science
lessons. See what October lessons you can find out there and
then expand on them with your own creativity to make October a fun and
educational month for the kids.

Technorati Tags:preschool fall themes, october, seasons, themes, preschool, kids, children, activities

Fall is a great month
to take your preschooler on a hike.
Hikes are great because of the obvious physical exercise that they give to your
child. They are also a terrific way to teach kids about nature. Kids can learn
to interact appropriately with the plants and animals that [...]]]>

Fall is a great month
to take your preschooler on a hike.
Hikes are great because of the obvious physical exercise that they give to your
child. They are also a terrific way to teach kids about nature. Kids can learn
to interact appropriately with the plants and animals that live in your area
and can gain an appreciation for the world around them. Hikes can also be used
for many different lessons including teaching the skill of observation, learning
about the culture of people who once lived in the area where you are hiking
and starting to understand about the weather and terrain. Plus, taking
your preschooler on a hike is a great bonding experience.

In addition to learning about
their own bodies and the importance of physical fitness, kids can learn about
the world around them through hiking. When you take your preschooler on a hike,
you’re likely to run into a number of animals out in the wilderness. You
can teach your children about the birds, rodents and wildlife that you may see
on the hike. Additionally, you and your preschooler can study the plant life
in the area to learn more about that kind of nature. This will not only be a
great science education for your preschooler but will also teach him or her
to interact kindly with the earth. Hiking is a great time to teach your
kids about the environment. And of course fall is a great time for
other hiking lessons since the area is changing so much.

You can explore these changes
(such as the new colors the leaves) with your preschooler during a hike. Learning
to be observant is one of the key tools needed for studying science.
You can also use this experience as a springboard for other lessons. Watch the
weather changes. Do some research yourself about the native people who used
to live in the area so that you can teach your child about this. Study the terrain
and talk about the geology of the area. Kids love to collect rocks and leaves
to take home for art projects. Make a diorama about your hike to reinforce the
lessons that were learned. Alternatively, take a camera along with you when
you and your preschooler go hiking. Kids’ cameras give great motor skills
and encourage your children’s creativity.

And of course you’ll
be able to take pictures on the hike to capture the memories that you are making
while you are out there. Even if you aren’t actively using the
hike to teach your child specific lessons, you will be creating a special experience
between the two of you that will last a lifetime. Many great conversations
happen on hikes. This may be something that you can use to continue to build
and grow your relationship with your children over time.

Technorati Tags:hiking with kids, children, physical education, preschool, hiking

September is rapidly
coming to a close but that doesn’t mean that it’s too late to incorporate
some great September themes into your preschool lesson plans.
September is a fun month because it’s all about going back to school,
meeting new people and getting ready for the holidays ahead. That [...]]]>

September is rapidly
coming to a close but that doesn’t mean that it’s too late to incorporate
some great September themes into your preschool lesson plans.
September is a fun month because it’s all about going back to school,
meeting new people and getting ready for the holidays ahead. That makes September
a terrific month for transitional themes that allow you to really explore some
creative lessons. You can begin teaching fall themes during the month of September
but you can also use themes that aren’t related to any particular season
so it’s still an in-between kind of month.

September
is a great month for all kinds of outdoor activities. It’s usually
not too cold in most places to really get out and enjoy the weather. Take the
kids outside for lots of physical education. Go on field trips and treasure
hunts. Have the kids start noticing what is changing in the area, such as the
changing leaves as well as subtler changes in the weather. September is a great
month for taking the time to help kids notice what’s going on in the world
around them.

Of course, there
are plenty of indoor activities that are great for September as well. Did you
know that September is classical music month? This makes it
a terrific month to incorporate music themes into your children’s
days. Classical music CD’s and DVD’s for kids can be used
during rest times. During more active times, children can learn to make this
kind of music themselves. They’ll have fun doing it, build up their motor
skills and probably even experience a boost in self-esteem from the praise they’ll
get for performing for family and friends. You can incorporate short
lessons about the history of classical music to supplement this type of theme.

Interestingly, September
is also National Chicken Month. This is terrific because September
is a great time to teach kids a lot of lessons about nutrition.
This can sometimes be difficult to do in the months that follow since we all
make exceptions to our dietary rules for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the Winter
Holidays. But in September, we can eat relatively healthy. Teaching
kids about the health benefits of chicken compared to red meat and
of free-range or organic chicken as compared to other chicken can be part of
the chicken theme for September. Of course, coloring activities and cooking
activities will go well with these. Even physical education can be worked in;
a group of preschoolers can play chicken, chicken, turkey instead of
duck, duck, goose.

September may be
more than halfway over but there is still time to incorporate new September
themes into your preschooler’s day. And of course, some of these
themes can easily spill over into next month which means that all your planning
will actually be done in advance!

Technorati Tags:preschool themes, fall, september, lesson plans

Are
you homeschooling your preschooler? Or perhaps your child simply isn’t
challenged enough in her preschool class and you’d like to make your own
lesson plans to supplement what’s being learned at school? Whatever the
case, making your own preschool lesson plans can be a great
way to [...]]]>

Are
you homeschooling your preschooler? Or perhaps your child simply isn’t
challenged enough in her preschool class and you’d like to make your own
lesson plans to supplement what’s being learned at school? Whatever the
case, making your own preschool lesson plans can be a great
way to give your child an education that incorporates all of the things that
it’s important to you that she learns. It can sound a little intimidating
at first. After all, you aren’t a teacher so how would you know how to
make your own preschool lesson plans, right? But making your own lesson
plans really isn’t that difficult at all.

Next, you should
brainstorm a second list about all of the things that your child is
interested in or engaged by. Does she have a favorite color? Does she
love animals? Are pop-up books her favorite way to pass the time? Make an extensive
list of all the things that she loves so that you can incorporate these into
the lesson plans. This will help your child be more actively interested in her
own lessons which will make your lesson plans more successful. Don’t forget
to think about the activities that she enjoys as well. If your child loves to
sing, you will want to incorporate songs and singing games into your preschool
lessons. Having all of this information in front of you on paper will make it
easier to make your lesson plans.

Once you know what
you want to teach and what types of activities and topics will be of the most
interest to your child, you need to learn how to make some basic lesson
plans. The best way to do this is to get samples of plans that are
already out there. You can go online to websites for homeschooling and for preschool
teachers and find lessons there or you can go to a bookstore or teaching supply
store and pick up a book or two of lessons. Use these as the basis for making
your own lesson plans. Change them to incorporate the lessons that you want
to be sure to teach your child and the things which interest her most. For ongoing
creative ideas, consider signing up to receive a daily lesson plan idea from
the New
York Times Learning Network. These lesson plans should be the starting
point from which you use your own creative ideas to make your lesson plans.

Technorati Tags:preschool lesson plans, education, learning, homeschool

It’s no secret that
kids these days aren’t getting as much exercise as they could. After all,
a few decades ago kids had to get up and get out in order to be entertained
(since books and the few TV shows available could only go so far). But today,
our [...]]]>

It’s no secret that
kids these days aren’t getting as much exercise as they could. After all,
a few decades ago kids had to get up and get out in order to be entertained
(since books and the few TV shows available could only go so far). But today,
our kids are more likely to sit around for entertainment via the television,
video games, computers, and other indoor activities. This, of course, translates
into a whole lot of unhealthy kids who simply aren’t moving as much as
they ought to be. Which means that it’s important for parents to start
actively thinking about how to incorporate physical education into the every
day lives of their children.

Here are some physical
education ideas for your kids to get you started:

• Classes
  – One of the easiest ways to get your kids started on doing regular
  physical activity is to put them on a schedule and one of the best ways to
  do that is to sign them up for some sort of class. It doesn’t matter
  what it is as long as it gets them moving and is something they like to do
  and will want to attend. Here are some ideas:
  • Dance class –
    It’s good for both boys and girls and can be anything from ballet
    to modern, as long as they like it.
  • Gymnastics or tumbling
    class – A good gymnastics foundation will help limber up your kids
    and make them better at physical activity in general.
  • Karate or some other
    form of martial arts that you approve of – This can give them a
    sense of discipline and responsibility as well as physical activity.
• Teams
  – Another great way to get your kids interested in physical education
  is to let them join a sports team. Teams teach your kids about all kinds of
  things in addition to the activity itself, things like sharing and (of course)
  teamwork, that they can use for the rest of their lives. Plus, most team sports
  are seasonal so if your kids don’t end up liking one, they can wrap
  it up and move on. Popular choices include baseball, basketball, football,
  and soccer.
• Solo
  sports
  – Of course, some kids don’t do so well in teams. And some kids
  just happens to like sports that are solo. If that’s your child’s
  inclination, go ahead and encourage it. Sign them up for a sports program
  that will let them hone their skills in things like tennis, horseback riding,
  swimming, or running track. Even things like indoor rock climbing might be
  an option as your kids get a little older.
• Stay
  at home – Classes and teams cost some money and that might
  not be in line with what you had in mind for getting your kids into enjoying
  some regular physical activity. That’s fine, you can get the exercise
  done at home as well, even incorporating it into your daily routine at no
  cost.
  • Indoors – You
    can get your kids doing things indoors that increase their activity, such
    as dancing to their favorite music. Depending on the space that you have
    for them, they might also be able to jump rope or hula-hoop inside. And
    believe it or not, if you pick the right video games, these can even give
    your kids exercise (games that let them dance on pads or game systems
    like the Wii that encourage actual physical activity are what you’d
    want to look into).
  • Outdoors – Get
    the kids outdoors and they’ll be naturally inclined to get some
    activity. Go to the pool. Let them run through the sprinklers. Get a neighborhood
    group together once a week to play tag. Get out there and play some catch.
    Almost all activities that kids get into outdoors are free activities
    that’ll get them moving.

You already know
that it’s important to your children’s health that they become more
physically active. And the reality is that it probably wouldn’t hurt you
to get in some more activity either. By incorporating fun physical activities
into your daily routine, you can get in that exercise in a way that’s
fun and easy. And if you do it at home, it doesn’t even have to cost anything.

Technorati Tags:physical education, gym, kids, children, preschool, fitness, health

We all remember
the joy of summer vacation. It was when we went on trips, enjoyed some leisure
time with friends and family and otherwise got to have a little bit of a break
from the daily grind of our many years of formal education. But as an adult,
you [...]]]>

We all remember
the joy of summer vacation. It was when we went on trips, enjoyed some leisure
time with friends and family and otherwise got to have a little bit of a break
from the daily grind of our many years of formal education. But as an adult,
you know that a lot of learning can get lost in those months if you let it.
Learning should be an ongoing activity that your child does each day of his
life … but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up the joys of
summer vacation altogether. Instead, engage in fun educational activities with
your kids during the summer to keep their minds sharp even as they enjoy their
seasonal adventures.

Perhaps you want to have a more relaxed schedule with your kids during the summer. If so, take the chance to incorporate learning into your every day fun activities. For example, if you like to spend time outside in the kiddie pool with your kids, engage in games and songs centered around the pool that teach your kids skills while they play. Make dioramas from items collected on daily walks. Practice reading while you eat popsicles outside. Make every activity one in which you are engaged with your child and helping him learn.

Summer Activities Chitika | Owna

Make downtime a time for learning. There’s a lot of downtime in the summer, when you’re all too hot to do a whole lot of anything. That’s okay. But make sure that you’re using that time on positive educational activities. For example, instead of letting your kids watch TV shows, put on educational videos for them. Or instead of going out to buy ice cream cones, get a kit and make ice cream at home. Use your time wisely with your kids. After all, these summer vacations are going to be something that they treasure for the rest of their lives.

Parachute Fun! Chitika | Owna

Technorati Tags: summer, preschool, activities, fun, kids, children, child, education, learning, outside

There was a time when parents
didn’t worry about their preschoolers getting enough exercise. After all,
kids that age are a bundle of energy that don’t ever seem to stop being
in motion so they naturally get all of the exercise that they need, right? Wrong.
It was probably always [...]]]>

There was a time when parents
didn’t worry about their preschoolers getting enough exercise. After all,
kids that age are a bundle of energy that don’t ever seem to stop being
in motion so they naturally get all of the exercise that they need, right? Wrong.
It was probably always true that kids needed more exercise they were naturally
getting but it’s even truer today, when technology has created more sedentary
activities for children as young as toddler age.

Television, video games,
computers … these are tools that, when used correctly, can help improve
your child’s life. They can give him or her new skills, be used for educational
purposes and appropriately entertain your child at certain periods throughout
the day. But these tools come with a price (or several, but we’ll focus
on one) and that price is lack of exercise. With more sedentary options available,
young children are exercising less. We’ve all heard that obesity is increasing
and we know the risks that come along with that. Don’t let your child
become a victim early on; make sure that he or she has a daily routine which
incorporates regular fitness.

Luckily, it’s not too
difficult to get kids to exercise. Fitness is fun at their age. They like to
be out, running around, playing games like tag and taking risks on the monkey
bars. Find out which activities interest your child the most and make sure that
you make them a regular part of the day. For some families, this could simply
mean a certain amount of outdoor / playground time each day. For other families,
a more structured activity like a tumbling class or a preschool sport may make
more sense. Fitness for kids just means getting them moving so do whatever is
right for you and your kids.

And when we say “you
and your kids”, that’s precisely what we mean. If you want your
kids to understand the importance of fitness, you really need to make sure that
you practice what your preach. Get out there and play ball with your kids or
take a class that lets you and your children engage in fitness activities together.
By modeling good exercise behaviors, you’ll show your children that fitness
can stay fun at all ages. And by enjoying their fitness time with them, you’ll
make it that much more fun … for both of you!

Technorati Tags: kids+fitness, children’s+fitness, exercise, kids+exercise, children’s+health, preschoolers, activities, family+health