Articles from May 2010

If you are a parent or a teacher you know that helping a child to develop the skills to get along with others and to behave in ways that are socially acceptable are as critical to a child’s  development and future success as is academic achievement. Yet, helping a child develop life skills can sometimes be more of a challenge than helping them academically.

This bi-monthly blog is meant to be an exchange of ideas and methods for helping young children develop life skills. Please ask questions and share suggestions that might be helpful to others by responding to this blog topic.

Our first topic area…Demonstrating caring behavior towards  family members, friends, and classmates.

1. How do we encourage this behavior?
2. How do we reward it ?
3. How do we intervene when our child or our student behaves in an uncaring manner?

Please respond to the blog directly or by email to info@candostreet.com. Exchange ideas, questions and suggestions will be posted in future blogs.

Teacher resources for K-12 can be found at www.teachhub.com

Preschool resources can be found at www.everythingpreschool.com

FamilyEducation.com is a good source of rainy day activities for preschoolers.

Amazingmoms.com has many interesting crafts projects for preschoolers.

A wide variety of craft ideas, games, recipes and activities for children from 3-7 years can be found on www.theideabox.com.

For craft projects that are easy and inexpensive to make check out www.create-kids-crafts.com.

The death of a pet is difficult for most families, but it is especially difficult for young children who do not, as yet, understand the concept of death. Most young children will frequently ask when the pet is coming back, as if it were just away for awhile. The following books can help with explaining to pre-school children and early elementary school children what happened to the family pet:

“When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death” Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (1998)

“Lifetimes” Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen (1983)

Moving can also be difficult for a young child who has just started school and made friends.  A book by Cynthia MacGregor, “Why Do We Have to Move?: Helping Your Child Adjust With Love and Illustrations,” may be the help you need to explain the whys of moving.

Looking for the latest information on technology, toys and more for children?  Visit Children’s Technology Review at www.childrenstech.com.

If  you want to know the best web sites for  children, visit the American Library Association’s web site at www.ala.org/greatsites.

Lovetoknowkids.com – good source of articles about preschoolers and games for this age group.

Other Sites that may be of interest:

K-8 educational technology resources, commentary, lesson ideas  www.ncs-tech.org/

Healthful meals and nutrition education are available to all children www.schoolnutrition.org

education newspaper www.edweek.org – source for what is happening in education

Want to support a cause (children, arts, animals, community, health and more) but not sure of which one? Check out  www.causecast.org

Coming to “Can Do” Street in the Next Few Months:

• Once Upon A Time - Grandpa John narrates story time in the Club House
• Club House Activities – More games, programs, coloring and activity sheets
• E-mail Cards -  A variety of all occasion cards will be available free to members

Blog Additions:

• Answering the Tough Questions – Links to articles, written by professionals, suggesting how to explain life situations such as a pet’s death, a parent going into the army, and the serious illness of a relative to a young child.

• Parent /Teacher Exchange – Sharing the how to’s of helping children make good choices at home, in school and in the community. parents and teachers are encouraged to write in with questions/answers to topics such as sharing, fussy eaters, playing well with others, being fair, being respectful,  telling the truth and any others areas of child behavior that are of concern.