Promoting Literacy at All Ages
Reading and literacy can have a profound effect on your children’s intelligence and sense of self, from helping to expand their vocabulary, to improving their speech skills, to engaging their creativity. The good news is that you can promote literacy with your child at any age!
Reading Aloud
For your littlest ones, reading independently may not be an option. However, reading aloud has been proven to have a huge impact on the way that your child processes information, develops visual imagery skills, and processes information! Setting aside 30 minutes a day to read aloud to your child, or even playing an audiobook in the car, can help promote literacy even in children under 5-years-old!
Family Reading Time
Many children who grow up to be avid readers spent their childhood with role models who promoted reading. Setting aside some time to read together as a family, whether separately or aloud to your children, helps incorporate literacy as a daily habit rather than homework or a chore!
Open a Library Account
Once your child is old enough, opening a library account and giving them their own library card is a great way to promote literacy! This way, your child can engage with the types of reading they enjoy most, and your family can take daytrips to the local library to pick up their new favorites!
Offer Different Options
Not every child will enjoy reading to the same extent, but offering different options means that you’re sure to find something that peaks your child’s interest! Audiobooks, comics, graphic novels, and magazines are a great way to help promote literacy with your child and cater to their unique learning needs.
Literacy and reading are massively important for your child’s cognitive and language development, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be fun for them! Promoting literacy can also mean finding new and creative ways to engage your child with reading and speaking and learning – find out what works best for you and your family!
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
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Engaging Indoor Summer Activities
While your child’s summer is likely packed with beach days, family vacations, playdates, and picnics, it’s only natural that you also want some time spent at home relaxing! Whether there’s bad weather, you or your child are feeling a little burnt out, or it’s simply too hot outside, here are a few ideas for engaging indoor activities to try with your child this summer:
Arts and Crafts
Getting crafty with your children is always a hit and is a low-key way to spend a summer day indoors. From finger painting, to coloring pages, to Papier Mache – the options are endless! Nearing the end of the summer and want to recap on all the fun adventures you had? Make a collage of pictures and memories from all the activities you did!
Read-a-thon
No matter what age your child is, reading is a prime way to spend a summer day indoors. If they’re old enough to read independently, set aside some time to get a few chapters in, or even take a little field trip to the local public library to pick out a couple new books. If your child isn’t reading quite yet, let them choose a book and spend some time reading aloud to them!
Movie Night
Having a cozy night in with a good movie is the perfect way to have some indoor fun. Pop some popcorn, lay out some snacks, and bring lots of blankets for you and your child to watch their favorite movie!
Indoor Camping
Camping doesn’t have to be an ordeal – try setting up an indoor campsite with a tent (or even a blanket fort) with much less effort or stress! Roast s’mores over the stovetop and cuddle up with sleeping bags and flashlights for the full camping experience.
Sweet Treats
Just because you’re not outside in the hot sun doesn’t mean you can’t cool off with a sweet treat! For example, popsicles are an easy and delicious treat to make with your kids in the summer – use your favorite yogurt, fruit, or juice to make these yummy and healthy snacks. If your child is a little older, summer is a great time to teach them other skills in the kitchen like cooking or baking too!
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
Read MoreSchool to Summer Vacation Transition
For many children, transitioning to summer vacation after 9 months of school or childcare is the best part of their year! However, this transition can be a little difficult at first for parents. Juggling different forms of childcare, setting aside time for family day trips or vacations, and having to adjust your daily life can feel a little overwhelming at times. Here’s a few tips for making the transition to summer vacation as seamless as possible:
Maintain a Routine
While school or childcare might not be your daily routine anymore, there’s always the opportunity to create new routines with your child(ren)! Creating structure with bedtimes, snack times, meals, outside play, etc. can help both you and your little ones get into the flow of summer vacation more easily.
Summer Wishlist
Sometimes one of the most stressful things about summer vacation is the sheer number of things on your to-do list for you and your children! It can be helpful to create a “wish list” with the top 10 things you want to do or accomplish (vacation spots, household projects, road trips, etc.). This can help provide some structure and give yourself ideas of how to organize your summer vacation.
Create Balance
It’s important to always balance summer activities with downtime to just stay home and relax. This isn’t just beneficial to you as a parent, but also to your child! Going to countless activities all day every day can be tiring for anyone, no matter their age, and allowing for some downtime every day can give you and your child some time to recuperate.
Invest in Learning
Just because your child is out of school doesn’t mean they have to stop learning! Doing educational lessons or crafts, visiting museums, or practicing skill sets your child learned during school can help keep them engaged and excited about learning.
Arrange Playdates
While your child is likely excited for summer vacation, they might also be sad about not seeing their friends as frequently as during the school year. Arranging playdates every so often helps your child keep in touch with friends and gives them something to always look forward to!
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
Read MoreFacing Separation Anxiety
Every parent knows the familiar feeling of fear and uncertainty when they drop their child off at childcare for the very first time – Will they be safe? Will they make friends? Will they have fun? Will they miss me? These fears are completely normal and, for the most part, will be resolved once you get into a childcare routine and see how your child thrives! But what about children who have separation anxiety and are having trouble being away from you all day?
Try out a few of these ideas to face separation anxiety:
Start preparing early
Separation anxiety often stems from fear of the unknown or a break in a pre-established routine. Both you and your child might experience this! That’s why it can be helpful to start preparing for childcare early. Get your child (and yourself) in the habit of packing a lunch every day, getting up at a certain time, or even driving by the childcare center. This helps ease the first day nerves a little bit and makes the transition much easier.
Make goodbyes into a “see you later”
As a child, having a parent say goodbye can be frightening at first, and they may not immediately understand that you will be coming back for them later! Try to make your goodbye routine as cheerful as possible to help put your child’s fears at rest. Tell them that you’ll see them later, and maybe even mention your plans for that evening like what you’ll have for dinner or the movie you’ll watch. This provides peace of mind that their time at childcare is temporary, not permanent.
Hype up childcare
Children are surprisingly good at reading their parent’s body language, and they likely will pick up if you are nervous or stressed about dropping them off at childcare! It can be helpful to hype up your child’s childcare routine to give them something to be excited about – talk about the playground they’ll have access to, the fun crafts they’ll do, etc. This can turn those nerves to anticipation and help ease any anxiety they might be facing.
Show interest in their day
It might take several days, or even weeks, to completely move past separation anxiety, so it’s important to have a plan in place to ease this transition as much as possible! Investing in your child’s childcare experience by asking about their day, what they did, how they liked their teachers, etc. can help to establish childcare as a normal part of their routine.
Separation anxiety is normal for every child and parent starting their childcare journey. The good news is that it won’t last forever, and with these handy tips you can help to ensure both you and your little one are as prepared for the childcare experience as possible!
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
Read MoreChildcare Safety Checklist
Choosing a childcare provider might feel a little overwhelming at first. After all, your child will be spending several hours a day here, potentially for several years! It’s only natural for you to want peace of mind that safety is a top priority at your chosen childcare center.
Sanitation
While it might seem self-explanatory, it’s important to ensure that your childcare center utilizes proper and thorough sanitation procedures. This means cleaning toys and utensils after use, having a designated changing table, and making sure all children wash their hands thoroughly throughout the day.
These simple processes can go a long way in making sure your child, and other children at the center, stay safe, clean, and healthy!
First Aid
It’s essential that your childcare providers are trained in CPR and first aid processes. Double check that there are policies in place in case a child starts choking, and that there is a first aid kit readily available for cuts and scrapes. If your child has any medical conditions that require a childcare provider to administer medications during the day, make sure there’s a safe and child-proofed cabinet where this medication can be stored.
Facility
Every childcare facility should be thoroughly childproofed and safe for the little ones being cared for there. This means having protected electrical outlets, dangerous cleaning supplies locked away, and no sharp or potentially dangerous objects in reach of the children. This minimizes the risk of accidents and creates a safe space for children to learn and play.
Emergency Procedures
While it’s unlikely that there will be any real emergencies at your childcare center, it’s important that they have prepared for these scenarios in advance! Tornado and fire drills, as well as lockdown procedures, are essential to ensuring that your child will be safe and cared for no matter what.
Choosing the right childcare center doesn’t have to be scary! Childcare providers are often engaging and passionate about making sure your child is safe and provided for every moment that they’re in their care.
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
Read MoreSafety Tips for Children
As a parent, your child’s safety is your top priority, especially if they’re ever out of your sight! It’s never too early to start teaching your children age-appropriate safety tips as they gradually gain more independence – walking to the bus stop, starting school, going to friends’ houses, etc. Here is a list of a few key safety tips to start chatting about with your children:
Stranger Danger
One of the first, and most important safety tips for children is introducing “stranger danger.” Make sure your child knows who is considered a close friend or family member, and who is considered a stranger. This includes making sure your child knows that, even if someone is friendly toward them, they are still a stranger and they shouldn’t be approaching them or offering them anything!
Bodily Autonomy
It’s never too soon to start teaching your child that they are the boss of their own body! Sometimes this can be as simple as letting them know that they can say, “no” to a hug or high-five if they don’t know someone or are uncomfortable around them. Teaching age-appropriate bodily autonomy helps to develop independence and a better understanding of personal bodily safety.
Establish Trusted Adults
It’s important to establish who is, and is not, a trusted adult with your child. This is typically 3-5 adults who your child knows well, trusts, and is comfortable around. This makes it easier for your child to know who to turn to if they are feeling uncomfortable or unsafe at any point in time.
Asking for Help
Learning how to safely ask for help is key for children at every age. This can include making sure they know what phone numbers to call, who to look for if they are lost, and what to say if someone is making them uncomfortable and they need to seek safety.
These are just a few of many safety tips to start working through with your children. While these can feel like scary or overwhelming lessons, they are critical to keeping your child safe. Practice scenarios with your child to make sure they are comfortable, and don’t be afraid to have frank and honest conversations with them about potential dangers – kids are stronger than you think!
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
Read MoreChildcare Selection Checklist
Dropping your little one off at childcare, whether it’s your first time or your 100th time, can be a little scary. Knowing your child is safe, cared for, and happy can go a long way in making this process as seamless and routine as possible, and it can take a lot of planning and research! Here’s a simple checklist of things to do before selecting the right childcare for you and your family:
Solidify Your Non-Negotiables
Each child, and family, has unique needs and preferences, and that’s completely okay! As a parent you want the absolute best for your child, and you want to guarantee that they’ll be safe and happy throughout the day while you’re at work. Before researching childcare centers, compile a list of your absolute non-negotiables in a childcare center – what are you looking for? What type of setting is ideal? What distance works best for you? Deciding these things early on can help you narrow down your options during the research phase.
Research
Childcare centers can vary greatly from each other – some are faith-based, some include options for numerous age groups, some offer payment plans, etc. The key is finding the right fit for you! Research local childcares that meet your expectations and price point, take recommendations from family and friends, and compile a list of your top choices. It can be useful to rank them as well!
Visit Facilities
Visiting a childcare facility is the best way to get a feel for where your child will be staying, the structure of their day, who they will be working with, etc. During your visit, don’t be shy! Ask questions about policies and procedures, get to know the childcare center workers, and inquire about the curriculum or daily structure. Seeing other children within this space gives you a better idea of how your child may or may not fit in with that particular center.
Choosing the right childcare center doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task – these are people who are passionate about working with little ones and providing top-quality care for your child! With a little planning, researching, and visiting, you can have peace of mind that you’ve chosen the perfect childcare center for your family.
Heaven’s Elect Christian Learning Center is a Non-denominational Christian childcare center fully licensed by the state of Michigan. Our Midland childcare center has been serving the community since 2000. Please contact us at heavenselect.com.
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