Articles from July 2010

Hi, I’m Diane Hopkins. Not only do I play the role of a nurse on “Can Do” Street, I am a nurse!

In the interactive program, Germs, I  speak to the “Can Do” Kids about what germs are and how to avoid them so they don’t get sick. When your child plays the program he or she gets to make decisions for the “Can Do” Kids, helping them avoid germs and practice good personal hygiene such as hand washing and covering their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze.

In Food is Fuel I speak about food being the fuel that runs our bodies and gives us the energy to do well in school and  in recreational and sports activities. Your child will have the opportunity, while playing the program, to make decisions about what foods are good meal foods and snack foods.

Both programs reinforce what your child is learning at home and in school.

Like most teachers, I give my children a list of books they need to read over the summer before school starts in September. Some children are great about starting on the list at the beginning of summer, while others wait until the last week before school starts and panic about all they have to read in such a short period of time. Here are some suggestions  for making reading assignments something your child will want to do:

• Make the trips to the library a special event, if possible just the two of you. A stop on the way home for an inexpensive treat and more time alone with mom
• Give your child the opportunity to report to you and other interested family members like  grandparents on each book after he or she finishes it.
• Organize a classmates book club that meets over the summer to discuss the books.

Strength training at home using household items

As a coach, sometimes I have to educate new members of the team who are hesitant to lift weights as part of their strength training.  They are afraid that lifting weights will stunt their growth or make them so horribly muscle-bound that they will lose flexibility.

Both concerns are unfounded and simply not true. Research strongly suggests that resistance training for youth is beneficial, and that most children who stick with a well-supervised weight lifting program can safely increase their strength.[1]

Now, one major obstacle to a consistent strength training program is access to weights. None of my athletes have a weight set at home, and few can afford the monthly fees public gyms charge. (more…)

A new game…My Mouse Can Color went live on “Can Do” Street on July 1st. The game allows kids to use their mouse to color characters and scenes from the programs on “Can Do” Street. My Mouse Can Color is a great game for practicing eye hand coordination. Additional scenes for the game will be added in August and September.

In addition to the games on “Can Do” Street, there are 12 interactive programs that stress decision making for safety, sharing, friendship, nutrition, appropriate behavior, good eating habits and personal hygiene. Downloads include coloring sheets and activity sheets that reinforce the program decision making content. For teachers and parents there are activity guides ( lesson plans) for use with the programs. All “Can Do” Street games and programs are SmartBoard Compatible.