Early Intervention at Lil' Flippers Gym Summer Activity

Davis Early Intervention kiddos, parents, siblings and staff had a great time at Lil' Flippers Gym for the Summer Community Activity!  A BIG Thank You to Brittanie Flint for her time and expertise and willingness to work with us to provide this activity.

Brittanie offers a variety of classes to help your child develop motor skills, listening skills and how to have fun while being active.  She even offers a Special Needs Class for children between the ages of 4 months and 3 years who have disabilities.  These classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00 am.  You can stop by the office to schedule a free trial class if you are interested in checking it out.  The address is 1246 W. Flint Meadow, Suite 102 in Kaysville.  The phone number is 801 593-8484.

Here is some proof of the great time we all had at Lil' Flippers!

Learning Through Play

This post contains valuable information about helping your child learn through play. It is taken from a blog by Cari Ebert, a Speech/Language pathologist.  I hope you enjoy it!

The Benefits of Play

Play is essential for healthy brain development

Play is the medium through which children learn

Play sparks creativity and curiosity

Play is natural

Play is critical for expanding cognitive, language, social, emotional and motor skills

Play is a dynamic process

Play experiences provide learning opportunities

Play helps children gain a better understanding of the world around them

Through play, children learn how to learn

Play enhances problem solving skills

Play is motivated by pleasure

Through play, children discover, interact, absorb, experience, create, explore and learn

Play allows children the opportunity to practice new skills

Play facilitates productive and appropriate social interactions with peers and adults

Play enhances a child’s ability to concentrate

Play helps children learn to deal with frustration

Play fosters independence

Play offers children a variety of opportunities for testing boundaries and taking risks

Play provides children with opportunities to make choices and exercise control over their actions

Play provides sensory-rich experiences

Play fosters self-esteem

Play is fun!

 Set them free!  Let them play!

www.learning-through-play.com

General Play Guidelines and Early Intervention

Be creative and think outside the box

Don’t rely on “educational toys” to obtain and maintain a young child’s attention

Be a sensitive play partner

Follow the child’s lead

Understand that play is a dynamic process that changes and evolves as the child develops

Play is crucial for brain growth and child development

Joy is a choice

The more the toy does, the less the child does

Emotions drive a child’s attention

Play fosters natural learning and curiosity

Play is a reflection of development

Effective interaction with a child is more about the relationship than about the toy

Children learn best through play that is relevant and meaningful to their life

How to Teach Literacy to Infants and Toddlers

It is amazing what kids pick up.  I always hoped my kiddos would pick up on the good stuff and not the bad stuff in their environment (and I really hoped they could tell the difference somehow!).  Here are some tips to help your little ones learn about literacy starting way before they will learn to read.

• Play with your baby and use some games and nursery rhymes.
• Talk with and respond to a child when dressing, feeding, playing and resting.
• Use a variety of techniques, methods, and routines that encourage literacy, like songs, fingerplays, stories, books, conversations and art activities.
• Speak to and with children often and expose them to a variety of vocabulary words.
• Supply objects and articles for individual and group interactions.
• Repeat exposures to stimulating environments so children become familiar with graphic forms and written symbols.
• Write and read in the presence of children and supply large crayons and paper for toddlers to scribble, scrawl, or mark.
• Read to children.  Learning to read easily is positively correlated with being read to frequently.  Read to infants and toddlers in one-on-one pairings or in very small groups.  This helps them develop eye focus and listening skills, and it stimulates imagination, language skills, and sensory awareness.  When talking and reading, use simple language and eye contact and respond to their cues and vocalizations.  Promote reading techniques that encourage physical closeness, positive involvement, and enjoyable times together, and provide appropriate books for adults to read to children. 
• Recognize that children learn at different rates and many factors impact this process.

Helping Your Child Learn

Everyday experiences are great opportunities for learning.  You can teach about shapes by cutting cheese into triangles and squares, or about textures as you play outside and feel the grass, rocks, and, if you can stand it, dirt and mud.  You don't need to buy expensive toys.  Often, what children like best are household items such as pots and pans, wooden spoons, and plastic containers.

Children also learn about making friends and getting along with others as you take a walk and talk with neighbors.  They learn self-control when they have to wait their turn to go down the slide at the playground.  They build self-confidence when they're able to feed themselves.

TV plays a limited role in learning.  Although children may learn some concepts from educational programming, and enjoy watching these shows, research tells us that children learn best from interactive, hands-on experiences - touching, feeling, manipulating, problem-solving - with people they care about.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for children under 2.  If you do choose to allow your child to watch, here are some suggested guidelines.

• Watch with your child.  Make TV watching an interactive experience.  Dance and sing together.  "Extend the learning" by talking about what he's viewing and connecting it to the real world.  If the show deals with the theme of sharing, point out how this comes up for your child in his daily life.  If he's learning about colors, talk about the different color houses you see as you take a walk.
• Don't use TV/video to put your child to sleep.  This makes it hard for him to learn to fall asleep on his own.  Instead, establish a bedtime routine that includes soothing activities such as reading and singing softly to him before you put him down.
• Limit viewing time.  A 30- to 60-minute-a-day limit for any "screen time" (meaning time spent in front of a TV or computer screen) is reasonable for 2- to 3-year-olds.

You matter.  What you do makes a difference.  You teach your child self-control when you remain calm in stressful situations, such as being stuck in traffic.  Your child learns about responsibility when you pick up the litter you see on the playground.  You model helping others when, together, you take care of the neighbor's cats.  Children learn manners and respect for others when they see you thank the grocery store clerk.  They learn about trust when you keep your word.

Your beliefs and values shape what you teach your child.  Ultimately, what you teach your child reflects the values that are most important to you and your family.  For example, one parent may not like her child playing with his food, while another may see this as an acceptable way to explore and learn about different textures.  A family's beliefs and values can have a particularly strong influence on attitudes about potty training, sleep practices, the degree of independence parents encourage in their child, and how children are taught to express their emotions.  Being aware of your values and how they influence your parenting will help you make good choices as your child grows.

Ready . . . Set . . . Summer!

Here are several community events to get your summer off to a good start!

June 2 - 8 enjoy free soft serve ice cream cones at Burger King!

June 2 - Free Family Fun (the first Monday of every month) at Station Park in the Village.  Look for the party by the fountain.  The theme for June is Princesses and Pirates Play.  Bring your camera, there will be princesses and pirates everywhere!

June 6th and 20th - Clearfield Center Street Cinema at 7:00 pm
June 7th and 21st - Clearfield Center Street Cinema at 4:00 pm

June 7 - Bountiful Pond Cops and Kids Free Fishing Day.  No license required.  Lunch provided.  Free fishing from 10:00 am to noon.

June 7 - National Trails Day.  Hit the trails in honor of National Trails Day.  Kaysville Parks and Rec. will be hosting a trail walk from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on the Rail Trail/Webb Crossing at Flint Street and Webb Lane.

June 14 - Arts and Music in the Park at Kaysville's Heritage Park.  The events begin at 6:00 am with Zumba in the park and the day ends with the movie "Frozen" beginning at dusk.  Lots of events and activities throughout the day for all ages.

June 23 - 28 - Syracuse Heritage Days at Founders Park.

Join Kaysville Parks and Recreation to promote a healthy community by walking 100 miles this summer in celebration of Davis High's 100 years.  

If you know of any other activities, please share!