A BIRTHDAY TO COUNT ON! | Birthdays are special to little ones especially when they understand they are growing up! Each year, my son looks forward adding candles to our play cake. He is only three now, but already looking forward to when he turns four in December. On his sister’s birthday, he got his play cake out and started counting the candles he would need to match his sister’s age: six. He persisted to find the slices of cake that fit together to make a round cake. Then he counted out the candles: one, two, three, and four. He then realized that he was missing two more candles to make six. Using objects to help with one-to-one correspondence is helpful especially when children can recognize when they are missing items. This exercise creates early addition and subtraction problems through play!

This simple activity can be used with a variety of manipulatives or snacks at home that children can use to count with and compare. You can ask specific questions such as, “Which number is more? Which number is less?” Using objects that your child is interested in can make counting more meaningful.

Children learn the importance of using numbers to identify with their age, amounts, and objects they may be using. While it does not have to be a birthday to practice counting, every day can be a moment to help children to practice Count, Group, and Compare!

–By Airreia Pierce, Basics Blogger

Q&A with Renea Myers, Owner of Culinary U of the Triad

1) How can you make cooking both fun and a tool to build literacy? 

One way to build literacy in the kitchen is to create a tray of different ingredients- it can be a random mix of produce, baking products, whatever you have that is identifiable by sight.  Find simple, large print recipes that include those ingredients.  Point out one of the ingredient words and then encourage the child to say the word, choose it from the ingredient tray and taste (if appropriate). This will help reinforce sight words, food awareness and adventurous tasting. 

2) Do you have ideas for how parents can do “number talk” with kids while in the kitchen since building a foundation for math is so important?  

There are many ways to do kitchen math!  Depending on the age of the child you can read a recipe ingredient- like 3 eggs, 2 cups, 4 ounces, 2 pounds, etc- and have the child help you count, measure or weigh as you cook.  As the child gets older, you can use measuring cups to reinforce basic fractions.  I find the scale experiment really fun for kids as they grow. Encourage them to guess how much an ingredient weighs and then teach them to use a scale to see if they are right. 

3) What about picky eaters – any ideas for how to help parents address this?  

The biggest thing is to take away the pressure and the attention.  Here are some tips:

• Model adventurous tasting.  Parents with a flexible palate are more likely to have flexible kids. The goal is to be a Flexitarian.  
• Help kids understand that we all have favorite foods, foods we are willing to eat but don’t prefer and those “deal breaker” foods we are unwilling to eat.  The goal is to be able to count your deal-breaker foods on one hand.  These should be specific foods, not categories like green vegetables!  Talk about the different preferences of each family member so kids can see that we all have favorites but should try to be flexible.
• At meal times, avoid making separate food for kids except in the case of allergies.  Make sure there is at least one food on the plate you know your child loves.  Place small portions of “stretch” foods on the plate and encourage but don’t insist the child taste it.  Don’t make a big deal if they say no- just move on with the meal and others eating that food.  I have even given away the rejected food to another family member who wanted it!  The next time you make that food, put a small portion on the plate again without drama.  Over time, the child is likely to taste it.  Don’t make a big deal when they do try it!  Positive and negative attention at the dinner table can create future drama.   Just plan your healthy menu, serve the food and let nature take it’s course. Try not to cave in to demands of pickiness. I promise your child will not starve.  

3 STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH BIG EMOTIONS | Eleanor is almost 2 and she’s starting to experience some big toddler feelings. Whenever she’s having a “moment”, Colin and I work hard to keep calm and regulated. If we become flustered or overwhelmed, it only creates more chaos and confusion for Eleanor. It isn’t always easy. Being
a parent is hard and it can be difficult to stay level. We try our best to employ 3 main strategies
to help her work through her emotions.

1. Identify, validate, set the boundary:
First, we help Eleanor identify her emotion and validate it, while keeping a firm boundary.
For example, “I know you feel sad that we have to leave the park. It’s tough to stop
playing, but we have to go home now and get ready for dinner. We’re having tacos
tonight!”

2. Calming bin:
We get out the “calming bin” when Eleanor is having a tough time. It has a couple of her
favorite books (highly recommend Little Monkey Calms Down!), some fidget toys, a
stuffed animal, and a puzzle. The items facilitate conversation around feelings, but they
also serve as calming distractions.

3. Give options:
It seems like many times when Eleanor is frustrated, it’s because she doesn’t feel like
she has any control. When she doesn’t want to do something, we give her two options,
so she feels like she has a vote. For example, “It’s time to get out of the bathtub. I know
it’s hard to get out when you’re having so much fun, but we have to get ready for
bedtime. Which pajamas do you want to wear? Dinosaurs or bunnies?”

These approaches can be challenging – especially when we’re in public and baby sister is
screaming (whew!) – but when we’re successful, they make a big difference in regulating
Eleanor’s emotions and preventing meltdowns. It’s important to us that Eleanor feels heard and
supported. Using these strategies allows us to maximize love and manage stress, which overall
helps us to feel more connected as a family.

By Lizzy Tahsuda

BUILDING HIS IMAGINATION…..THROUGH READING! | Reading time is great bonding time for our family. Titus is at the stage where he likes to pick out his own book to read. We’ve filled up his bookshelves quickly, thanks to his monthly book from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (you can opt in to receive free books here).

We normally have one book we read each night and change it weekly. We’ve gotten creative using different verbal and facial expressions through the characters of each story! His favorite books lately have been Llama Llama Red Pajama and the classic Good Night Moon.

When reading with Titus, we identify colors on pages and describe images and the different representations of characters. We point at pictures on the page and then let him do the same thing. We’ve started keeping books in each room of the house so at any time, we can take a few minutes and read. All of these strategies help us Read and Discuss Stories with Titus and help him build the neural connections he needs to learn to read and start kindergarten well prepared!

We look forward to taking Titus on his first trip to our local library; it will definitely take reading time to a new, fun level!

By Candace and Terry Martin

POINT AND LEARN | Young minds are learning and growing each day as they are experiencing the world around them. Whether it is seeing a butterfly for the first time, or identifying the names of their favorite
transportation vehicles, children are fascinated by what they are learning. No matter what age, the
pointing and talking is valuable to build communication skills. For instance, with babies, pointing can be
used to learn the names of objects in order to support language as receptive learning is
acquired first. As toddlers’ vocabulary expands, they will begin to point on their own and adults can
have a conversation with them about what they see.

My three-year-old son is able to point and has learned to name what he sees. When he was younger, I supported his language by pointing out various objects, images, words, and numbers, and reinforcing the name of what we saw. In the earlier years, he would look and babble, but I know that he was listening. Whether it is a book or a song, it is important to point out and ask questions that will develop vocabulary skills. Even the simplest songs that your children enjoy hearing are providing meaningful repetition that will become a part of their memory for years to come!

One of my son’s favorite songbooks was “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and I would point to the words as I
sang them. Not only was he learning to track the print with his eyes, but he was learning how to
match the words with the sound of the song. I would ask questions such as, “Where is the star?” “What
color is the star?” I would provide the response when he was too young to give an answer, but as he got
older and started pointing on his own, he was able to share. Though the skills of Talk, Sing, and Point
seem simple, they are critical to the development of language skills. So the next time, your little one
grabs a book or wants you to sing a song, be sure to help them point and learn along the way!

–By Airreia Pierce | Visit Airreia’s website | Follow her on Facebook

COUNTING FUN | Lately, Titus has been playing with his blocks, toy cars and dump truck. During playtime, we always play music and we can tell that Titus loves to hear the beat and he quickly catches on to patterns and rhythms. Listening to Gracie’s Corner song, Count to 100, makes counting fun and interactive. We also count as we climb up and down the stairs!

We Group and Compare his blocks by colors and sizes. He does a great job figuring out how to make the blocks fit each other which is helping his problem-solving skills. We make sure to talk to him and use specific positioning language. For example, the blue block is above the purple block. We sort his toy cars by their different types. Then we discuss quantities such as having more cars than trucks or vice versa. This may sound like a lot of work, but we really want Titus to develop a strong foundation to learn math – everyone can be a math person when they start with Count, Group and Compare!

By Candace and Terry Martin

SUPPORTING SLEEP CAN MAXIMIZE LOVE, MANAGE STRESS | Have you ever noticed the difference it makes in how you talk or respond to your child? Frowns, loud voices, long silences, or frequent irritation can cause young children to feel unloved, and rebellious, and sometimes even have behavior challenges. However, when met with warm hugs, big smiles, calming tones, and gentleness, young children can feel unconditionally loved. There are many situations involving children that can be handled differently from the perspective of how parents are responding. Naps and bedtime, for instance, can either be positive or a nightmare!

My three-year-old enjoys daily naps since he was born! While not always easy, I have realized that positive guidance is most helpful in supporting his napping and nighttime routines. First, using a consistent routine, not only helps my son to predict what is next but becomes less stressful for me. Secondly, reading and singing have also been a part of the calming process to prepare for sleep. Sometimes he tries me by wanting to keep reading more books to stay up, but telling him firmly and lovingly why sleep is good for him, prevents me from giving in to a power struggle. I simply remind him, “Your mind and body needs rest to help you grow and relax” all while gently massaging his head and his hands. I smile, use a calm tone, and form the words, “I love you,” as he quietly says “I love you too” before drifting off into dreamland.

I have heard so many stories that are filled with stress on both the parents and children all while preparing for a nap or nighttime. I can confidently say, “Love gently and it will help little one’s sleep.” Perhaps, Llama Llama’s mama was right. She consistently showed love and reassured her little one that she was still there until Llama Llama went to sleep. So, the next time you are preparing your little ones for their nap or going to bed at night, choose positive guidance – this truly will Maximize Love, Manage Stress for your child and strengthen the parent-child bond.

–By Airreia Pierce | Visit Airreia’s website | Follow her on Facebook

LET’S TALK | This month we’ve practiced Talk, Sing and Point in a number of ways.

Titus LOVES the song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. As soon as we start singing he is already clapping his hands. He also enjoys playing peek-a-boo. When playing this, we point out body parts like “touch your head, cover your eyes”.

When picking up Titus from daycare, we ask him how his day was. We describe what we see when driving in the car, name the different foods he has at each meal and at times incorporate sign language.

At 13 months, it’s amazing to watch Titus grow and change daily. Now that he’s very mobile and we are in a new home, he is always discovering new things. He watches us closely as well so we make sure to repeat words and be specific about the actions we are doing.

By Terry and Candace Martin

PLAYFUL MOVES | Children do not need reminders to move, but they do need opportunities to intentionally move through play! My son recently turned three but has developed an interest in basketball. He sees his dad play basketball and often imitates certain moves. Even when his dad is not around, he wants to play basketball! Through these simple replays, he is remembering, imitating, modeling, imagining, and physically moving. His dad has taught him how to hold the ball, bounce, and shoot. Though the basketball goal is higher, he made the connection that he needed to be taller to reach the goal by asking me, “Mommy lift me up.” He also likes to grab his favorite “basketball shoes” he calls them when he plays because he sees his dad wearing them.

Children use these imagination and role-playing skills as they Explore Through Movement and Play.
Often by finding specific activities that your child enjoys, you can follow up with future related activities
that may help to work on similar skills. For example, since I see that he enjoys basketball, even when we
are at home, I like to incorporate other materials to work on using the same skills in movement and play.
One material I have used are socks and a laundry basket. He must run to grab the sock balls and throw
them in the laundry basket. We have also used scrap paper balls and the trash can as well to also
encourage similar movement. The possibilities are endless as long as you find what interests your child
and allow children to have fun while they are moving and playing!

–By Airreia Pierce | Visit Airreia’s website | Follow her on Facebook

LITTLE HELPING HANDS | On December 2, Eleanor became a big sister! While most days she loves baby Claire, she is still getting used to sharing attention. She loves to help with things, so we have found opportunities for her to help with the baby. She will bring Claire blankets, throw away diapers, and turn on the baby swing. She is so proud of herself, and these activities have helped her embrace the big sister role!

She recently has started helping us with laundry, which encourages counting, grouping, and comparing! We sort Eleanor’s clothes from Claire’s and compare the size differences between them. Claire’s clothes are so tiny! Eleanor loves to count socks and we work on matching them in pairs. Who knew a mundane chore could be so fun! Finding these simple, everyday activities to talk about numbers and practice grouping and comparing is an important building block for basic math skills your child will need as they enter school. Learn more about Count, Group and Compare here!

By Lizzy Tahsuda, mom of two

FEELING THE LOVE | As we think of ways we incorporate the basic, Maximize Love, Manage Stress, into our daily life, many things come to mind. Titus turned one last week and the toddler stage is in full force. Here area a few examples of our caregiving strategy:

• He has started walking; so we encourage him to take steps and when he gets frustrated and falls, we cheer him to get back up and try again.
• We cuddle with him and give him hugs & kisses every morning when he wakes up and at night before bed.
• Playtime gives us a chance to unwind and enjoy family time. We also practice sharing during playtime; Titus will pass his toys to us when we ask and after we say thank you, we give it back to him.
• As first time parents, finding a routine is next on our list to check off. We’ve started working on this by getting up at a certain time each morning, having a bath time routine and reading bedtime stories.
• Lastly, when we let Titus try certain foods; his facial expressions will tell us right off if it’s a hit or not. We describe the foods he eats and tell him good job when he tries something new or eats all of his food!

Maximize Love, Manage Stress really is the foundational Basic, providing support for all the other Basics to grow in your caregiving approach.

By Candace and Terry Martin

Photo Credit: Julie H Photography

From ABCs to Reading | Have you ever wondered why a young toddler can begin to identify words in their everyday environment when going to a grocery store or riding in the car? This is because of the importance of
using environmental print to build early emergent reading skills! Early learners learn the value of print
directionality (reading left to right), letter recognition, and the formation and shapes of letters. Through
repetition, these learners are storing in their memory the words that they are learning and using a skill
known as recall and recognition.

One simple activity that can be done at home is creating an environmental print book or wall.
With my two-year-old, I used his closet door to add the letters of the alphabet. Each week, I would
introduce a new environmental word and use an experience with the word to help him make an
association. For example, he loves to eat Cheerios cereal, so we used cheerios in a fine motor activity to
glue cheerios on the initial of his first name. Afterward, he went to his letter wall, and found the
matching first letter of "Cheerios” and placed it under the letter C. You can also choose to add the child’s
name and picture, and other members of the family’s names along with their pictures as well. This letter
wall with environmental print should be personalized just for your child and what is important to him or
her. It makes learning letters and reading fun for young children! Not to mention, this builds their
confidence that they can read!

Putting environmental print on a wall might be a challenge. As an alternative, this activity can easily
be adapted to create a book of print that can be read. You can use a photo album and add the letters of
the alphabet from A to Z. Then begin to find environmental print labels that your child cares about and
add them to the book. This book can be added to their library, and they can begin to read this book on
their own.  This activity is a great starting point for the Basic – Read and Discuss Stories. Being able to talk through the letters children recognize while reading will nurture early emergent reading skills will support better readers in the future!

–By Airreia Pierce | Visit Airreia’s website | Follow her on Facebook

Lights, Language, and Learning – Our family recently went to the Greensboro Science Center’s Winter Wonderlights! Eleanor’s favorite animal to visit at the Science Center are the penguins. She loves to imitate their waddle and thinks it is hilarious when they jump into the water. Since Winter Wonderlights is mostly outside, we didn’t get to see the actual penguins, but Eleanor loved the light-up dancing penguins!

At 18 months, she is talking constantly. Sometimes you can understand her, and sometimes it sounds like gibberish (although she is certain of what she is saying – ha!). While walking around the exhibits, Eleanor proudly pointed to and stated all the things she recognized, like “star” and “tree.” She also learned new things as we pointed them out to her. It’s amazing to watch her brain work as we explain something new. Sometimes she repeats the new word immediately and other times she’ll surprise us days later by seeing the same thing and naming it without being prompted. I can’t wait to participate in more holiday activities this year and share even more with her!

Learn more about the Basic – Talk, Sing, and Point

-Written by Lizzy and Colin Tahsuda

Titus has mastered crawling, pulling up and we believe he will take his first steps anytime now. Being mobile is a new exploration stage; the floor is his best friend and provides us many opportunities to Explore Through Movement and Play.

Titus has always enjoyed music. He has his own playlist that we listen to daily! Titus loves clapping to the beat and making his own noise aka singing! The noise we love to hear the most is his giggles!

He has a music activity board that features sounds of drums, piano and guitar, can switch to three different languages and covers the alphabet and counting. The interactive feature and bright lights encourage Titus to make his own sounds and beats! He has smooth dancing bop!

Titus will be one next month! Not sure how time went by so quickly but we are excited and can’t wait to party, play and dance together!

Learn more about the Basic – Explore Through Movement and Play

by Terry and Candace Martin