|
 |
|
|
SensoryEdge Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Blog
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Crossing the Midline: Bilateral Coordination
One issue that can develop with young children is an inability to cross the midline. This means that a child will not take their hands or arms across the center of their body. For example, if you are holding something in your left hand and you want to pick something up off your desk that is on your left you generally use your right hand to reach across and pick it up. Children who have trouble crossing their midline will either not reach for it, scream, or if you are lucky they will simply change hands or put the original object down. It is good to encourage children to develop this skill early because it helps them develop the connections between the left & right sides of their brain. To promote this skill get your child to reach for objects just outside their grasp, or have them draw a line vertically down a piece of paper and have them color the left side with their right hand. Improving bilateral coordination also helps with fine motor skills, object tracking, and overall better balance. Using the Rain Stick activity described below, have them hold the paper down while they cut around from one side to the other. You can also put on some music and get them to do a dance as you cross your left hand to the right side of the body and vice versa. Then get them to do it with their feet. For a change of pace, try this with paper streamers. You can also hand them materials in such a way as to get them to exercise this basic but important skill. Make your Own Rain Sticks Children love the sound of rain and splashing in the rain puddles when it is all over. With a Rain Stick they can recreate the sound themselves over and over again! My children made these Rain Sticks in preschool and they adored them. Here is what you will need for each Rain Stick: - One tube from a paper towel
- Strips of cardboard
- 1 piece of sturdy paper (or two if it is easier for your child)
- Tape
- 1/4 cup rice
- 2 Tablespoons of seeds or beans, popcorn, dried peas, or lentils (work best because they are small but heavier than the rice)
Instructions: Using a cereal bowl (or other handy circular object) have your child trace two 4-inch circles on a piece of paper. Once they trace the circles, have them cut the circles out using safety scissors (they might need some assistance with this). Then, have your child lay one paper circle on the table and put a tube on the paper so that the paper is covering one of the tube ends. Hold the tube in place while your child folds up the paper. Have the child hold the paper while you secure the tape. Make sure you tape it well enough so that the filling doesn't escape! The next step is to cut and insert the cardboard strips. First cut them into 1 inch strips. You can use a ruler to draw the lines and then have your child cut them using the safety scissors. Once you have the strips, fold them back and forth like a fan and then put them into the tube one at a time. Make sure each one gets to the bottom before you add the next one. Fill the tube up to the top with cardboard strips and then pour the rice and seeds into the tube. Once filled, you can put the second paper circle on top and tape it up like you did the first one. Don't forget to let your child do as much of the work as he or she can. Finally, decorate your rain stick using paint, markers, and/or stickers. You can also glue little treasures to it like feathers, glitter, confetti, pom poms or anything that your imagination desires. If you think it will be easier for your child, they can decorate the sticks before they are filled or even before you put it together by coloring the tube and paper prior to assembly. Labels: bilateral coordination, crossing the midline, rain sticks
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
A Trip to the Doctor Can be Fun!
 The holiday season is here. Time for new toys, good food, and no school (we actually love school but the kids aren't always aboard with that sentiment)! Unfortunately, the winter holidays also coincide with cold and flu season. Not only are kids home all day anyway. Parents are more likely to take them to the doctor for even minor illnesses because nobody wants a sick child during the holidays. Over the last few years caregivers are also being more cautious due to the chance of contracting a serious flu virus. This means waiting rooms full of children who would rather be playing and stressed out parents who are just SURE their child is coming down with something awful. To make things easier and less hurried for everyone, it is important to have a family friendly waiting room that parents and their kids don't mind spending a little time in. Spruce up your waiting area by: Providing adequate reading materials for the grown ups. Sure, they could bring a book, but when your child is sick it’s easy to forget things. Free reading materials that you can find around town are not enough (most parents have those anyway…they’re free). Find magazines related to children of various ages, gossip magazines, and books of short stories. And remember, dads take their kids to the doctor too, so bring in some reading materials with fishing, car, hunting, or bodybuilding themes. Special magazines for teens may also be appreciated. Toy Link: WESCO Waiting Room FurnitureHave plenty of waiting room toys on hand. Its' best to choose things that kids of all ages can enjoy, like play tables, puzzles, and play cubes. The best toys are those that appeal for children of both sexes and that will not break or run out of batteries with heavy usage. Also, it's not a good idea to try and save money by purchasing second hand goods at your local consignment shop. These stores do not generally promise anything in terms of quality, and you'll likely wind up replacing toys three times as often. Plus, toys that are easily broken may be a hazard to small children. Toy Link: Anatex Waiting Room ToysMake sure the seating is comfortable. Just because you are serious about your business, does not mean your waiting room has to feature uncomfortable beige chairs with metal arms and legs. There are plenty of ultra plush children's seating in bright colors, as well as larger versions for adults and teens. If clients are encouraged to kick back and relax while they wait, they will be much less likely to complain about how long things are taking. It also sets the stage for more relaxed children. If they associate your business with fun and comfort instead of stress, it may be easier to get them to cooperate during certain procedures like shots or taking yucky medicines. Toy Link: Commercial Grade Area Rugs by Joy CarpetsLabels: anatex, commercial-grade-carpets, educo, great-waits, playscapes, waiting-room-furniture, waiting-room-toys, wall-activity-toys
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Fun Uses for Personalized Toys and Accessories
 You know your kids love seeing their names displayed proudly on their favorite things, but there are also lots of fun and practical uses for personalized toys and accessories. Not only will your child feel special and more in control of his own belongings, but you can also use personalization to avoid conflict between children and to enforce non-confrontational discipline strategies. First, the obvious. Personalized toys and other items helps to avoid confusion when multiple children have the same toy. This is true both for school where there are dozens of children sharing the same classroom, and for home for settling disputes over which thing belongs to whom. Let kids pick out their own toys and personalize any of them that may become a source of confusion for kids (and yourself…). That way, the next time there is an argument, you can point to the name on each toy and say "See, this one belongs to you, and this one is your brother's." Problem solved. Toy Alert! SensoryEdge is now featuring the KidKraft line of Personalized Furniture & Toys. Another clever way of using personalized items is to help children with the concept of sharing. It is common for kids to stake their claim on prized possession during play dates. But, as we all know, kids who don’t learn to share are not much fun to play with and you may have a hard time getting parents to bring their children back to your home if their little one leaves in tears after each visit. The solution? Get your child his own personalized toy box. Before any play date, have him put his favorite toys inside the box and then close the lid. Tell him that all toys inside don’t have to be shared because they are in his own special box, with his name right on front. (If you want to get REALLY fancy, you might also have a box labeled "Sharing Toys" or something similar.) Let him know that any toys NOT inside his special box have to be shared with his friends. Most kids will comply knowing that their feelings have been respected and that their favorite things are safely tucked away. You can use this same concept when disciplining children by having a "No No" box, bench, or stool. For boxes, you can personalize it by adding the word "No No" or your child's name. Use them for putting toys, games, and other revoked privileges. Seeing the visual reminder of having his toys taken away is often more effective than putting them away somewhere sight unseen (out of sight, out of mind…just get a lock for the box if there is not one already) Benches, stools, and step stools are handy for variety of reasons; and you can have them personalized for multiple uses. Have one labeled "time out" for obvious reasons. Having a specified place used for punishments only helps to reinforce the concept, and will hopefully encourage kids to avoid being sent there. You can also add your child's name to these items to help instill a sense of belonging. Seeing his or her name prominently placed on chairs, benches, and other items gives them a reminder that their place in the family is permanent and important.
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Monday, October 26, 2009
How To Avoid a Christmas Catastrophe: Batteries!
 You know the scenario all too well. The kids wake up Christmas morning all smiles, anxiously tearing through wrapping paper to find out what each package has in store. They excitedly begin pressing buttons and pulling levers, only to realize where are the batteries? Mom thought Dad was going to get them, and he thought she picked them up last week. The ones in the remote control aren't the right size, and the ones in the junk drawer are, well, junk. No batteries in the entire house, no stores open, and no way to use those new toys. Sound familiar? Don't worry, you can avoid this all-too-common of Christmas woes by following one simple rule: opt for toys that don’t need batteries! It's easier than you think when you stick to the classics. Here are our timeless Christmas faves. (Your kids will love them as much as you did "back in the day" we promise!) Toy kitchens and food: Boys and girls will love cooking up some fun with a toy kitchen with all the accessories. You probably remember serving "dinner" to your parents as a child, and the concept is just as much fun to kids today! Pair it up from toy toasters, pots and pans, and mixers so more kids can play. Kids Art easels, tables, & supplies: Even older kids will love drawing and painting or modeling with clay; and younger kids never grow tired of crayons and markers. Add a kid sized easel, extra paint brushes, and canvas for your older artists and you've got an inexpensive gift idea that your whole family can enjoy. Blocks: Choose from wood blocks to build structures or how about big cardboard blocks for a fort or a great wall? Costumes and dress up props: Your small children will love getting new costumes and dress up clothes as much as your teens love getting real clothes. Find items that fit several sizes at once, and get plenty of props like headgear and scarves it's a gift that will grow with your child. Dolls and accessories: The classic baby doll never goes out of style. Sure, there are models now that cry, wet, and burp on demand; but these extras aren't necessary for your little one to fall in love. Fashion dolls are also still number one, and when you pair them with a new dollhouse… kids can literally spend hours decorating and re-decorating their doll's new home. Labels: christmas-toys, educational-toys, kids-toys
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Classroom Storage: Making Learning Fun
 An organized classroom is a fun and efficient classroom. To maximize daily schedules, teachers need to organize their materials for easier reference so they can separate materials they use everyday from materials periodically. Storage can be exciting. Classroom storage can be a fun way to learn because you can use book displays as libraries and cubbies as mail boxes. Assign students jobs and they naturally become interested in the subject. You can have a cubby assigned to each student so they can have a place to keep their art supplies, assignments, & books. Teachers can also use the cubbies to give the students projects, leave notes or give home work. Its also a fun way for students to learn responsibility in the classroom and for them to get to know their classmates names. Many cubbies, such as the 10 Tray Mobile Storage Unit, come with removable plastic drawers. For students who are still learning to read, each plastic draw can be labeled with a picture of the item that is inside. Students will love being called on to retrieve an item for the teacher or a classmate. Books that are displayed in an orderly and eye catching fashion will not only help the classroom look organized but it will also encourage the students to read. Books are part of the classroom, its common for classrooms to have lot of books for quiet reading or book reports. If you arrange the books in an orderly fashion this will encourage the students to check them out. Cubbies can help teachers showcase books and display books in a manner that will interest the students. The best way to display the books is to place them in an angle that will show the front cover instead of putting them in a line showing just the spines. Students have materials that they need to carry around, portable storage is just the thing for this. Retrievable storage cubbies such as the See, Store and Take-Along Storage Cart, is equipped with lids that have handles. You will find that students like carrying them around and take pride in it. Organizing the classroom using cubbies is fun and easy, it can also be an activity to keep them busy while the teacher is involved with other projects. Also, for super safe storage solutions make sure to check out the tip me not line of school furniture from Wood Designs. Labels: classroom-storage, cubbies, kids-furniture, school-furniture
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Monday, October 19, 2009
Top Five Toy Ideas for Toddlers
 The holidays are right around the corner, and you are probably already thinking about what to get your little ones. If you have older children, they will more than likely have no problem letting you know exactly what they want this Christmas (including size, color, and precisely what aisle of the store it can be found on…). Toddlers, on the other hand, can be a bit more difficult to shop for. Because children between the ages of two and five grow and change so quickly, it can be hard to choose items that will not only be fun for them now, but in the year ahead. As small children learn new things and master new skills, the same ole toys he's playing with now probably won't cut it in a few short months. Luckily, there a few toddler toy options that kids can enjoy now, and in the years to come. Blocks and other stacking toys: Younger toddlers learn fine motor skills and hand eye coordination by stacking a few blocks on top of each other. They also learn the concept of cause and effect as they knock the blocks over again and again. Older toddlers and preschoolers continue to enjoy these toys by building actual structures and playing pretend. They can build houses, bridges, people, castles almost anything they want. The usefulness and play value of most blocks is limited only by your child's imagination. Drawing materials: This can include easels, markers, crayons, paper, finger paints, and anything else kids can use to make their mark. Not only will kids be able to create and use their budding imaginations, but drawing with your child is a great way to introduce color recognition, shape recognition, and early reading and writing skills. By watching you make different shapes and letters, they can more easily learn and follow suit. Climbing toys and indoor playgrounds: These are always a hit with kids from crawling age all the way to upper elementary school (if the unit can accommodate older kids). By climbing and jumping around kids not only master the use of virtually every major muscle group, they also have a lot of fun. Play kitchens and play food toys: There is nothing a child likes more than being just like mom and dad. These toys allow them to prepare meals and care for their "children" just like you do, without all the dangers and mess of your real kitchen. Not only that, but these toys grow with children. Young toddlers find it amusing just to pretend to cook and clean, while older children use these items as props in more sophisticated imaginative play. Sand and water tables: You would be hard pressed to find a child of almost any age who didn’t love to build with sand and splash around in the water. Sand and water tables are great for families with kids of various ages because more than one child can play at once. Smaller kids will love feeling the texture of sand and exploring the water with their hands, while older toddlers and preschoolers love to use play tables in conjunction with other toys in imaginative games. (action figures trekking across the dessert, or submarines diving beneath the ocean). Labels: educational-toys, holiday toy sale, toy-sale
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Value-Added Method of Teaching: Is it the Solution?
Not many dispute the fact that the education system in the United States is flawed. Teaching is a hard job and the pay is not that great. However many blame the powerful teachers unions for allowing poor teachers to keep their job and benefits while younger more eager teachers get put down for thinking of new methods to improve student performance. There is no "right" answer to solve the multitude of issues surrounding education. However the U.S. should not lag behind any other country in education considering the fact that when Americans put their minds to it, we can be among the best in any area. We have the money, we have the resources, we have the best colleges with the brightest minds and think tanks to figure out the issues and advise about best practices. There is no doubt we'll get it right eventually but there will be many battles, bruised egos, and law suits before the majority is happy with pre-k to 12 education. There are two interesting articles in the October 18th Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times from writers Jason Song and Jason Felch. The articles discuss the Value-Added method of teaching. The writers explain that the value added approach attempts to level the playing field by focusing on growth rather than achievement. Using statistics, it tracks students improvement year to year, and uses that progress to estimate the effectiveness of teachers, principals, and schools. The value-added method also challenges the following assumptions: - all teachers are equal
- more money, more learning
- teachers can't overcome a student's background
- class size is key
- bad teachers tend to teach in poor schools
- teacher experience matters
- teacher education matters
- teacher credentials matter
If you're an educator or parent who has an opinion about the value-added method, please read the article and let us know your thoughts. The articles are located at - http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-myths18-2009oct18,0,4278154.story
- and http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teacher-eval18-2009oct18,0,4471467.story
Labels: education, los-angeles-times, value-added-teaching-method
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Have a question? Our phone number is 800 734 8019 Fax 818 716 5376
|
Get an Instant 5% off Coupon emailed to you by joining our Newsletter.
Previous Articles
Syndication
Article Archives |
