On January 27^th, children had the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character, participate in a book swap, and then take their "new" books home in their recycled book holder that they had worked on earlier in the week, during the Dressed Up Book Swap.   We received wonderful pictures of children and Providers dressed up as cowboys, princesses, pirates, construction workers, explorers, trains, bumblebees, and many others.  Happy reading!

Smiles were brought to the faces of many seniors on February 14^th when they opened very special Valentine's cards made by Wee Watch children.  These cards were made with recycled red, white and pink materials, and were extra special because each one contained some fun information about the child that created it.  This cross generational activity provided many benefits for both the children and seniors.

March 21^st - 25^th - Together Wee Can: Go Green with "Crazy Cuisine Challenge and Food Drive"

During the week of March 21-25, Providers and children will be part of two fun food related activities.  The "Crazy Cuisine Challenge" will require the creation of 5 unusual but healthy lunches that meet Canada's Food Guide.   The other part of this event is decorating a large cardboard box with pictures of healthy foods that will be used to collect donations for a local food bank.  Both of these activities provide great opportunities to teach children about making healthy food choices and helping others.

April 21^{st -}  Together Wee Can: Go Green with the "Twice is Nice" Nature Show

*This year, Earth Day falls on the same day as Good Friday.  Therefore, Provider's will hold their "Twice is Nice" Nature Show on Thursday April 21^st.

To celebrate Earth Day, children and Providers will collect items from a "nature walk".  These items, along with any other recycled materials, will be brought together to create a beautiful piece of art.  On April 21^st parents and friends will have an opportunity to view their child's entry in the "Twice is Nice" Nature Show at the end of the day.  Watch out Picasso!

WEE EXPLORERS

Toddlers are usually very active physically, and want to do things for themselves.  They experience all sorts of impulses, but do not yet have complete control of their gross motor skills.  Tantrums are common, so patience is important to help them master an emerging skill. 

By the age of two, toddlers can run fairly well without tripping too often and negotiate stairs holding on to a railing with one hand, putting both feet on each step before going on to the next one.  Kicking and throwing a ball is being mastered, as well as being able to balance their weight on one foot for a few seconds.  By three years of age children walk with good posture and without watching their feet.  Other accomplishments include walking backwards, running with enough control to stop or change directions suddenly, hop with both feet, and walk upstairs with alternating feet but still walk down putting both feet on each step.  Two to three year olds may still have difficulty catching a ball because they hold their arms out in front of their bodies no matter what direction the ball comes from.

WEE BUILDERS

From about three years of age, your child will be ready to make good use of playground equipment that is designed to use their large muscles vigorously and develop gross motor skills. Supervise closely when they are climbing as they may be prone to accidents because of their adventurous nature. Children at this age love to run, jump and climb, and can learn to pedal a tricycle (make sure they wear a helmet).  Other accomplishments include throwing a ball overhead, walking on a line, using a slide independently, and jumping over a six inch high object and landing on both feet together.

WEE LEARNERS

At age 4, children are growing quickly and getting stronger. Gross motor skills used in walking, running, jumping and throwing a ball, continue to improve as children gain better coordination.  Activities and sports that can pull all of these skills together (hopscotch, soccer, Simon says, t-ball) will allow a child to use and strengthen current and emerging skills.  Other new-found fun skills include doing somersaults, walking up and down stairs independently with alternating feet, walking backwards with toe-heel steps, bouncing and catching a ball, and may even start skipping.

Children at this age have gained an increased degree of self-consciousness about their motor activities that leads to feelings of pride when they are successful at mastering a new skill.  Although, feelings of inadequacy when they think they have failed can also be a challenge.  Their new concern with success may be a temptation to try daring activities beyond their abilities, and therefore may need extra supervision especially on playground equipment.

 

Simon Says

Choose someone to be "Simon".  Simon starts by saying "Simon says" and then finishes the sentence with an instruction for a movement (jump on one foot, do 3 jumping jacks, etc.)  The other must do what Simon tells them.  If Simon doesn't start the instructions off with "Simon says" , anyone who still followed the instructions would be "out".

 

WEE EXPERTS

During ages 5 to 6, children continue to refine their gross motor skills. They're running even faster and can start to ride bicycles with training wheels for added stability. In addition, they can step sideways. Children of this age begin mastering new forms of physical play such as the jungle gym, and begin to use the see-saw, slide, and swing on their own.  They often start jumping rope, skating, hitting balls with bats, and so on.  

Many children of this age enjoy learning to play organized sports such as soccer, basketball, t-ball or swimming. In addition, 5 to 6 year olds often like to participate in physical extracurricular activities such as karate, gymnastics, or dance.

It can be tricky to motivate children to be active when sedentary activities (such as surfing the Internet, texting friends, watching TV shows and movies, and playing video games) compete for their time. However, it's important to find a balance so that children are doing both and getting the gross motor benefits of regular exercise.  Keeping children active is one of the most beneficial things that you can do for them.  Not only does it keep them healthy now, but it also sets a good example for when they are adults and are making their own decisions about physical activity. Make sure they experience the physical benefits of being active early so that they continue throughout the rest of their lives. 

Soccer Baseball

This game is played the same as baseball, except using a ball that can be kicked instead of a bat and baseball.  A ball is rolled toward the "kicker".  The kicker kicks the ball and then tries to run around the bases and get back to where he started before getting touched by the other team that now has the ball.  This game can be modified to space and number of players.   Instead of having bases, have one spot the kicker must run to, and then back to the starting point.

sources: www.answers.com, www.ldonline.org, www.babycenter.com

With the warmer weather just around the corner, children will be anxious to get to the neighbourhood playground.  Outdoor play is an important part of a child's physical, social, and emotional development.

Adults can help prevent playground accidents by taking some precautions, ensuring that there is adult supervision at all times, and making sure that the equipment is appropriate to the child's age and maturity level.

The surface of the playground is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries.  It should be soft enough and thick enough to soften the impact if a child should fall.  Here are a few things to consider:

·         Concrete, asphalt, and blacktop are unsafe.  Grass, soil, and packed-earth are also

        unsafe as weather and wear can reduce their cushioning capacities.

·         The playground surface should be free of standing water and debris such as rocks, tree

        stumps, tree roots, etc. that could cause a child to trip.

·         There should be no dangerous materials like broken glass or twisted metal.

·          Ideal ground surfaces are wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, shredded rubber and

        rubber mats.

·         The cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet past the edge of the equipment.

Playground equipment should be designed for 3 different age groups: 

·         infants and toddlers under the age of 2

·         2 - 5 year olds (preschoolers)

·         5 - 12 year olds (school-age kids)

Play areas for young children should be clearly separated from the play area of the older children. Younger children should not play on equipment designed for older children because the equipment size and proportion won't be right for smaller children and can lead to injury.  Smaller equipment and spaces can cause problems for bigger children.

As much as safe playground equipment and adult supervision are important, children must learn how to be safe and responsible while playing at the playground.

Here are some general playground rules for children:

·         Never push others while on playground equipment.

·         Use equipment properly - slide feet first, don't climb on the outside of guard rails, no

        standing or kneeling on swings, etc.

·         Leave bikes, backpacks, and bags away from the equipment and the area where they are

       playing so that no one trips over them.

·         Equipment should not be used if it is wet because moisture can cause surfaces to

       become slippery.

·         Stay a safe distance away from other children on swings - never run or walk in front/back of

        moving swings.

·         Check that the bottom of the slide is clear before sliding down.  When they reach the

        bottom they should get off and move to the side.

·         Take one step at a time and hold on to the handrail when climbing the ladder to the top of

        a slide.  Do not run up the slide to get to the top.