How to Decrease Screen Time (and Remain Sane)

My daughter is a mother of 3 busy little boys.  She has come up with a way to keep them busy and happy and not asking for screen time all day.  She uses a schedule board that the boys are able to work with her to fill in each morning, then they work together to follow the activities on the board.  Here are some of the activities they can choose from (with guidance from my daughter) to put together their schedule each day.

TOYS THAT TEACH

Your child already has the most important toy he or she could want or need – YOU!
Other toys, however, can be very important for helping your child to learn through play.
Here are some things to consider when considering toys for your children.

 IS THE TOY SAFE?  Is it sturdy, with no small pieces to break off?  Will it become a dangerous toy in the wrong hands?

 WILL THE TOY LAST?  We often buy disappointment for children when we give them toys that will break in a couple of days.  All around them, children see that they live in a throw-away world.  Let’s give them some things that will last and upon which they can depend.

DOES THE TOY MEET A DEVELOPMENTAL NEED?  

           PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT--  Toys can aid in the physical development of children by encouraging coordination and the use of both large and small muscles.  Toy suggestions:  balls, toys that fit together, button books; toys to push, pull or climb upon.

           MENTAL DEVELOPMENT  -- Toys can aid in the mental development of children by encouraging reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking.  Toy suggestions:  puzzles; games; blocks.

           LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT – Toys can aid in the language development of children by helping them learn new words, and word sounds, and sentence structure.
Toy suggestions:  Books, videos, alphabet toys.

           SOCIAL (& IMAGINATION) DEVELOPMENT  - Toys can aid in the social development of children, by giving them opportunities to understand how others feel and act.  Toy suggestions:  Dress –up clothes; puppets, tea sets, dollhouses.

           CREATIVITY DEVELOPMENT– Toys can aid in helping your child learn creative expression and to become problem solvers.  Toy suggestions: Open-ended art materials, play dough, dance costumes, musical instruments, blocks.

            DISCOVERY (CURIOSITY) DEVELOPMENT – Toys can lead to discovery and foster experimentation. Toy suggestions:   Magnets, magnifying glasses, color viewers, toys for playing in water, mud or sand.

IS THE TOY APPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE OF THE CHILD?

            THE INFANT (0-1) is busy learning about himself, his body control and the use of his senses.  He responds to touch, sounds and smells.  Toys can provide an infant with the stimuli for motor and sensory development.  An infant needs safe, simple toys that he can master, toys that are easy to hold onto and toys that can be touched, felt and watched.  Toy suggestions:  mobiles, rattles, teethers, squeeze toys, musical toys, baby mirrors, water toys, washable stuffed animals and dolls.   

            THE TODDLER (1-2) has learned about herself and now feels confident in learning about the world.  She is especially interested in learning how to control other people.  The toddler recognizes the existence of others but is still self-centered.  She generally plays alone, even when surrounded by others.  The toddler is busy developing large muscle control and learning to imitate the sounds and actions of others.  She is very adventurous and needs toys that can be safely pushed, pulled, climbed on and taken in and out.  Toy suggestions:  wooden blocks, sandbox with scoops, small cars, trucks and people, large durable trucks to push, water toys, simple dress-up toys, such as hats and scarves, ball, hardcover books, simple wind-up toys, beginning puzzles, stuffed animals and dolls.

            A PRE-THREE (2-3) is concerned with self-expression and the beginnings of socialization.  Toys suggestions:  any of the toys mentioned above, plus small riding toys (not a trike), tabletop easel, creative materials, such as paper, crayons and marking pens, play dough, rhythm instruments, tapes, puzzles, simple storybooks, play phones, a small wagon.

            A PRESCHOOLER (3-5) is still experimenting with the senses, coordination, and self-expression, but now he has more social awareness of others.  Toy suggestions:  any of the previously mentioned toys, plus tricycles, large blocks, balance beams, flannel-boards, magnetic boards, pencils, paint, scissors, paste, collage materials, pounding toys, real tools, nuts and bolts, puppets and a puppet stage, dolls and dollhouses, play centers, sewing cards, puzzles, learning games, magnets, magnifying glasses, storybooks.

DOES THE TOY HELP THE CHILD LEARN TO REASON?  

In looking for toys that help children learn to reason, keep in mind that there are four different kinds of toys for this purpose.  Examine your child’s toys and see what she has at least one toy that fits into each of the four categories below.  Children need a balance of toys from which to learn different skills.

            COORDINATION TOYS – are designed to incorporate practice for a motor task that may be difficult for a child.  They enable a child to become self-sufficient in their day-to-day environment.  Examples:  sewing cards, button frames, interlocking blocks, balls, putting pegs in holes.

            CONSTRUCTION TOYS -  are designed so that the end product is deliberately left undetermined by the materials being used.  Example:  Blocks and shapes.

            RECONSTRUCTION TOYS – are self-correcting materials that can be taken apart and reassembled.  These have degrees of difficulties.  Examples:  stacking toys, puzzles.

            CLASSIFICATION TOYS – are materials that require matching, patterning, and grouping.  They include most games.  Examples:  lotto, dominoes, beads, board games, etc.

IN CONCLUSION – Children learn through play and the use of a variety of toys.  But as I stated in the beginning, nothing can replace interaction with adults, especially parents.

Information in this post came from 

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/learning-station07/toys-that-teach-dec07.shtml.
and was reposted from 5-7-19

Too Much Screen Time May Stunt Toddlers' Brains

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Toddlers who spend loads of time looking at tablets, smartphones or TVs may be changing their brains, and not for the better.

A new study using brain scans showed that the white matter in the brains of children who spent hours in front of screens wasn't developing as fast as it was in the brains of kids who didn't.

It's in the white matter of the brain where language, other literacy skills, and the process of mental control and self-regulation develop, researchers say.

"What we think happens is that the development of these skills really depends on the quality of the experience, such as interaction with people, interaction with the world and playing," explained lead researcher Dr. John Hutton. He is director of the Reading and Literacy Discovery Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

The first five years of life is the critical time when these brain connections are rapidly developing, Hutton explained. "Some types of screen media may provide suboptimal stimulation to reinforce the connection of fibers in the brain and the skills they support, such as early language and literacy skills," he said.

Although TV has been around for decades, Hutton pointed out that the recent explosion of portable screen devices has greatly increased the time kids spend looking at them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 18 months shouldn't be exposed to screens at all. From 18 to 24 months, if parents choose, digital media should include only high-quality programming that the child and parent watch together.

For kids aged 2 to 5, screen time should be limited to 1 hour per day, and parents should watch the programs with their child. Also, parents should have times when screens are turned off, and bedrooms should be media-free.

For the study, Hutton and his colleagues did MRI scans of the brains of 47 kids, aged 3 to 5 years. The children also took tests to evaluate their cognitive ("thinking") skills.

Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire that identified their ScreenQ, which tells how much time their children spend in front of screens, and how closely they follow the AAP recommendations.

The researchers found that the higher the ScreenQ score, the lower the child's ability to rapidly name objects (a measure of mental-processing speed), and the lower their developing literacy skills.

Also, higher ScreenQ scores were tied to delayed white matter development, specifically the process that allows nerve impulses to move more quickly throughout the brain.

Hutton believes that the developing brain needs the stimulation of other people and the real world to rise to its potential.

"Young children really depend on relationships with people, interacting with the world, using all their senses," he said. "The more parents can keep their children off screens in early childhood and let them interact with people in the world, the better."

It's possible that the delayed brain development caused by screens can be made up later, but it's harder for the brain to change the older you get, Hutton added.

Reshma Naidoo, director of cognitive neuroscience at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, said that watching screens is passive and two-dimensional, both of which aren't good for developing brains.

"From my perspective, the biggest problems we are seeing is a lot less social engagement with children," she said. "We're starting to see a lot more children that have these very dysfunctional social patterns, and they're more responsive to media."

Parents need to set the example for their children, Naidoo said. "We need to shift their focus and engage with our children," she added.

Parents who let their children watch screens should use the time to interact with their child rather than making screen time passive, she advised.

"But I strongly recommend limiting the amount of time that you spend in front of those environments," Naidoo said.

The report was published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Sensory Friendly Learning Opportunity

Are you looking for fun, engaging, learning opportunities for you little one?  Does your little one struggle with sensory overload in new, unfamiliar or crowded situations?  Vivint and the Leonardo are working to combat the struggle with Sensory Friendly Mondays!  This is a free event on the first Monday of the month from 3 - 5 pm.

Shutterstock

The Leonardo, Vivint partner to offer ‘sensory-friendly’ day for kids

By KSL.com Staff | Posted - Nov 2nd, 2019 @ 11:32am

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SALT LAKE CITY — It can be difficult to find activities for children with sensory processing differences.

That's why The Leonardo Museum of Creativity and Innovation partnered with Vivint Smart Home to create a monthly event they call Sensory-Friendly Mondays.

For parents looking for a weeknight activity to take their kids to, this free event is held at the museum, 209 E. 500 South, on the first Monday of each month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. It includes “specialized activities for individuals of all abilities and their families,” according to a news release from the museum.

Lights will be turned down, noise reduced, and sensory goodie bags will be given out — which contain noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, maps guides and verbal cue cards.

"We want to make curiosity and innovation accessible to all by providing a monthly event for those with sensory processing differences to have a fun, enjoyable and interactive learning experience," Alexandra Hesse, executive director of The Leonardo Museum, said in the news release.

Creating an inclusive event is what Sensory-Friendly Mondays are all about.

"Kids are able to enjoy an experience they were previously not able to enjoy. The staff is trained to handle kids with different abilities, so parents can feel a little bit more comfortable while they’re here as well," wrote Holly Mero-Bench, director of Vivint Gives Back, Vivint’s philanthropic foundation. "Children with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families are especially important to us. Our goal is to give them greater peace of mind both at home and in the community."

The first event was held on Oct. 7 and the next one is scheduled for Nov. 4.

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Editor's note: The content of this article was taken from a press release sent out by Silicon Slopes. This is not information gathered by a KSL.com reporter.

It's Halloween Time!

Holidays present a challenge with little ones, particularly when the celebration affects the child's schedule.  Parents with children who have sensory concerns or anxiety or delays in speech or . . . I guess we could say all parents . . . want their children to enjoy the holiday just like their peers.  Please consider your child and what they need to be able to enjoy the holiday.  Then consider the other children you see and do what you can to make their holiday experience successful also.

Happy Halloween!

Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA

Join Division of Early Childhood (DEC) flood their inbox campaign by sending an electronic letter to your Congressional leaders through CEC’s Legislative Action Center. Three easy steps and 30 seconds of your time for over 1 million kids. Click here https://www.dec-sped.org/single-post/IDEA, enter your name and address and hit submit! It’s as easy as that!

Join DEC and early childhood advocates from across the nation in asking Congress to invest in early childhood services for young children with developmental delays and disabilities.
In late July, the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act H.R. 4107, was introduced by Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-D), Rodney Davis (IL-R) and Jared Huffman (CA-D) (Press Release of Bill H.R. 4107). This bipartisan bill addresses the significant gap in federal funding for IDEA Part C and 619 Preschool Grant Programs. With 15 co-sponsors, this bill increases authorization levels over 5 years for these crucial programs and would bring us back to per-child peak funding, considering inflation. An identical Senate bill is expected to be introduced this fall.

The IDEA Early Intervention and the Preschool Special Education Programs currently serve over 1.16 million children, about double the number of children served in 1991. Although states and local communities continue to serve more and more children in IDEA early childhood programs, federal funding has not kept pace. Adjusting for inflation, per-child funding for both Preschool Special Education and Early Intervention have decreased from their respective peaks by more than 64%.

We are urging members of Congress to co-sponsor and support the House bill Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA and sponsor or support the Senate bill this fall.
We need everyone’s voice to help get funding for services back to peak levels for over 1 million children. #FundEarlyChildhoodIDEA

Family Stories

We would like to highlight children in our program by posting family stories on our website.  Please send your family story with a picture of your child or your whole family to mzeschke@dsdmail.net then watch for this new addition to our blog and on our website https://www.davis.k12.ut.us/academics/early-childhood/early-interventionspecial-ed-preschool

You can see samples of family stories at kidswhocount.org/stories. Kids Who Count is the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program serving the Nebo School District.

Along with posting pictures and stories on our website, we may use your family story and picture to educate legislators about services provided in early intervention.  We may also use your story to let more families in Davis County know what services are available for the little ones.  By sharing your story and picture with us, you are giving us permission to use them for any of these purposes.  We may even share on our Facebook page (without names or any personally identifiable information).

We appreciate your support for out program and we love working with children and families to build bright futures!  Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives!

Davis EI Face-to-Face Flyers

Posted above are the Davis Early Intervention Face-to-Face flyers for October with concepts and ideas to help you with your child's social-emotional development. See the top right corner of each flyer to find the developmental age range your child fits into and that will be the flyer that will be best for your child for their given developmental age.

Opportunity to Advocate for Early Intervention Funding

There is currently a bill in Washington DC to provide additional funding for Early Intervention Programs and Preschool Special Education Programs nationwide.  Please contact your legislator and ask them to support this bill for the benefit of our littles.

Advocacy at Home

Our members of Congress are back in their home districts for two more weeks. This is a prime time for us to personally reach out and ask for their support for early childhood and IDEA funding.

How you can Advocate at Home

Invite your members of congress to an in-person meeting or attend a town hall- invite them for coffee, to visit your community, school or program, or to meet with you and the children and families you serve. Meeting in person is a great way for members of congress to see firsthand how children and families benefit from additional funding, to make a connection with you as a resource on IDEA and early childhood issues and put a human face to the decisions they are making in DC. 

At the very least, we can all call or email to share our stories.

·         Ask for their commitment to support the early education of young children. 

·         Share how increased funding will benefit those we serve. 

Find your Elected Officials

Visit CEC's Legislative Action Center and enter your zip code under “Find your Elected Officials”.

Prepare

Read up on the issues and the position of your member of Congress. CEC has put together Issue Briefs to make it easy for you to educate yourself and your members of Congress.

Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA

Press Release of Bill H.R. 4107

Full Funding of IDEA Issue Brief

Have your “Ask” ready

Ask your House Representative to support the bipartisan bill H.R. 4107 Funding Early Childhood in IDEA is the Right IDEA, which creates new authorization levels for IDEA Part C and Part B Section 619 (preschool) programs.

Ask your Representative and Senators to support Full Funding of IDEA. The House bill is H.R. 1878 and the Senate bill is S. 866.

Follow-up

Always end on a positive by thanking your member of Congress for their time and efforts. Provide them with your contact information should they have questions.

EI in the Park 

Utah Childcare

What the Research Says on Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep on Their Own

The Facts about Baby Sleep Patterns

Babies don’t have a regular “day-waking, night-sleeping” pattern until they are about 4 months of old. Therefore, it is recommended to wait until your baby is at least 4 months old before you begin any kind of sleep training.

Talk to your child’s health care provider before starting sleep training, especially if your child has any special health care needs.

Parents Need Sleep Too

Parents who do not get good enough sleep for weeks and months are more likely to report they feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Research Looked at Two Methods: Graduated Crying It Out and Bedtime Fading

1.    Graduated Crying It Out is when parents put their baby down for the night and let the baby cry until they fall asleep. Parents check on their baby and wait longer and longer periods before checking in (starting at 2 minutes and gradually moving to 30 minutes). It is recommended parents not pick the baby up or talk to the baby while in their room.

2.    Bedtime Fading is when parents shift their child’s bedtime later by 10-15 minutes so that the child will fall asleep when it is bedtime. Whenever they fall asleep, that becomes their child’s bedtime.

What does the research say…

1.    Both graduated crying it out and bedtime fading helped babies fall asleep faster when compared to the parents that received information about infant sleep in general with no specific strategies.

2.     Moms who did one of these two strategies as compared to those who received general infant sleep information without strategies were less stressed.

3.    When graduated crying it out was used, babies slept more through the night and were less likely to wake during the night.

4.    The bedtime strategy that is picked does not impact the parent-child relationship.

If you would like to read more about this, check out the article on this website

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/2724-helping-babies-learn-to-fall-asleep-on-their-own-what-research-says

Information adapted from the article “Helping Babies Learn to Fall Asleep On Their Own: What Research Says” by Rebecca Parlakian

TOYS THAT TEACH

Your child already has the most important toy he or she could want or need – YOU!
Other toys, however, can be very important for helping your child to learn through play.
Here are some things to consider when considering toys for your children.

 IS THE TOY SAFE?  Is it sturdy, with no small pieces to break off?  Will it become a dangerous toy in the wrong hands?

 WILL THE TOY LAST?  We often buy disappointment for children when we give them toys that will break in a couple of days.  All around them, children see that they live in a throw-away world.  Let’s give them some things that will last and upon which they can depend.

DOES THE TOY MEET A DEVELOPMENTAL NEED?  

           PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT--  Toys can aid in the physical development of children by encouraging coordination and the use of both large and small muscles.  Toy suggestions:  balls, toys that fit together, button books; toys to push, pull or climb upon.

           MENTAL DEVELOPMENT  -- Toys can aid in the mental development of children by encouraging reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking.  Toy suggestions:  puzzles; games; blocks.

           LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT – Toys can aid in the language development of children by helping them learn new words, and word sounds, and sentence structure.
Toy suggestions:  Books, video’s, alphabet toys.

           SOCIAL (& IMAGINATION) DEVELOPMENT  - Toys can aid in the social development of children, by giving them opportunities to understand how others feel and act.  Toy suggestions:  Dress –up clothes; puppets, tea sets, doll houses.

           CREATIVITY DEVELOPMENT– Toys can aid in helping your child learn creative expression and to become problem solvers.  Toy suggestions: Open-ended art materials, play dough, dance costumes, musical instruments, blocks.

            DISCOVERY (CURIOSITY) DEVELOPMENT – Toys can lead to discovery and  foster experimentation. Toy suggestions:   Magnets, magnifying glasses, color viewers, toys for playing in water, mud or sand.

IS THE TOY APPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE OF THE CHILD?

            THE INFANT (0-1) is busy learning about himself, his body control and the use of his senses.  He responds to touch, sounds and smells.  Toys can provide an infant with the stimuli for motor and sensory development.  An infant needs safe, simple toys that he can master, toys that are easy to hold onto and toys that can be touched, felt and watched.  Toy suggestions:  mobiles, rattles, teethers, squeeze toys, musical toys, baby mirrors, water toys, washable stuffed animals and dolls.   

            THE TODDLER (1-2) has learned about herself and  now feels confident in learning about the world.  She is especially interested in learning how to control other people.  The toddler recognizes the existence of others but is still self-centered.  She generally plays alone, even when surrounded by others.  The toddler is busy developing large muscle control and learning to imitate the sounds and actions of others.  She is very adventurous and needs toys that can be safely pushed, pulled, climbed on and taken in and out.  Toy suggestions:  wooden blocks, sand box with scoops, small cars, trucks and people, large durable trucks to push, water toys, simple dress-up toys, such as hats and scarves, ball, hardcover books, simple wind-up toys, beginning puzzles, stuffed animals and dolls.

            A PRE-THREE (2-3) is concerned with self-expression and the beginnings of socialization.  Toys suggestions:  any of the toys mentioned above, plus small riding toys (not a trike), table top easel, creative materials, such as paper, crayons and marking pens, play dough, rhythm instruments, tapes, puzzles, simple storybooks, play phones, a small wagon.

            A PRESCHOOLER (3-5) is still experimenting with the senses, coordination and self-expression, but now he has more social awareness of others.  Toy suggestions:  any of the previously mentioned toys, plus tricycles, large blocks, balance beams, flannel-boards, magnetic boards, pencils, paint, scissors, paste, collage materials, pounding toys, real tools, nuts and bolts, puppets and a puppet stage, dolls and doll houses, play centers, sewing cards, puzzles, learning games, magnets, magnifying glasses, storybooks.

DOES THE TOY HELP THE CHILD LEARN TO REASON?  

In looking for toys that help children learn to reason, keep in mind that there are four different kinds of toys for this purpose.  Examine your child’s toys and see that she has at least one toy that fits into each of the four categories below.  Children need a balance of toys from which to learn different skills.

            COORDINATION TOYS – are designed to incorporate practice for a motor task that may be difficult for a child.  They enable a child to become self-sufficient in their  day-to-day environment.  Examples:  sewing cards, button frames, interlocking blocks, balls, putting pegs in holes.

            CONSTRUCTION TOYS -  are designed so that the end product is deliberately left undetermined by the materials being used.  Example:  Blocks and shapes.

            RECONSTRUCTION TOYS – are self-correcting materials that can be taken apart and reassembled.  These have degrees of difficulties.  Examples:  stacking toys, puzzles.

            CLASSIFICATION TOYS – are materials that require matching, patterning and grouping.  They include most games.  Examples:  lotto, dominoes, beads, board games, etc.

IN CONCLUSION – Children learn through play and the use of a variety of toys.  But as I stated at the beginning, nothing can replace interaction with adults, especially parents.

Information in this post came from 

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/learning-station07/toys-that-teach-dec07.shtml

Medically Complex Children's Waiver - Utah is Taking Applications

Medically Complex Children’s Waiver - Utah

18 hrs · 

Medically Complex Children's Waiver Application Period is now open!

Dear Stakeholders,

The open application period for the Medically Complex Children’s Waiver is here. Applications will be accepted beginning at midnight on May 1 through May 31, 2019.

The application is available at http://health.utah.gov/ltc/mccw/. Applications will be accepted by fax, mail or online.

Please be aware that prioritization of eligible applications will be based on highest medical complexity and critical needs of the family, as identified through the application process. Prioritization will NOT be on a first-come-first serve basis.

If you have any questions, please contact us at:

Email: mccw@utah.gov (Please do not submit Private Health Information via email.)

Phone: (800)662-9651 Option 5