Kiddie Academy | Preschool and Childcare in Stafford, VA

Why you should include free games in your child's schedule.

I know I'm not alone when I say that my world has changed a lot in the last few weeks. Walking from my home to the edge of my neighborhood feels like an adventure to the edge of the earth, since my kitchen table has become my office and my home has become my world. (Should I bring my passport?) And one more thing like many of you, I became a teacher and full-time guardian of my children (5-year-old Ben and 2.5-year-old Juliet) - even while working full-time.

My children's teachers and caregivers have always inspired me. They allow me to do what I love to do every day because they nurture, encourage and teach my children in creative and skillful ways. In spite of this, my appreciation for the Corona virus has grown exponentially.

I'm Kiddie Academy's director of content marketing, but I'm also a parent of Kiddie Academy. Ben enrolled at Kiddie Academy this academic year. Although I work as an educational childcare provider, I am not a business teacher. As I clumsily tried to take on this new role as a teacher, it was easy for me to realize that I was not doing enough to help my children continue to learn when we I am at home with him (while I am also trying to do my paycheck). But what I found (and what I hope you will take) is that not all learning is structured and formulaic. When I stood back and watched the activities I was doing with the kids while I was working at the same time, I remembered that free play is very important - and for children to learn through these sudden experiences. Has one million opportunities. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks about free play:

Research on the game is compelling.

There is no shortage of studies, facts and figures about the importance of play for young children, and how time is spent in the game. Even if you have not retained the science behind the importance of free play, you have surely ridiculed Internet memes on the simplicity and simplicity of the idea of our generation of games compared to focused and complex ideas on children's screens. Must have seen Play today.

In a 2018 report, the American Academy of Pediatrics claimed that, among many things, the sport could help young children cope with toxic stress and provide them with the skills they need to learn how to learn. Is. A child's control over the process of play makes play even more effective. And if that's not good news for busy parents - that you have the right to let your kids do it themselves - then I don't know what to do!

Free play remains an important factor in a child's early learning and brain development in early childhood education. Play is the most important activity for a child, and through play the child develops social, emotional and cognitive abilities. A child is able to develop his personality traits during free play.

They will also learn how to communicate with their friends, act or react in different situations, and

respect certain rules. Given the above benefits of free play, and how much children learn and enjoy it, free play should always be balanced with structural activities at home or in the home preschool near me program. -Richard Peterson, Chief Academic Officer, Kiddie Academy of Stafford Educational Child Care

Play loose parts The concept of loose parts play is one of my favorites in early childhood education. It's basically exactly what it sounds like - random, child-safe stuff you collect from around the house and let the kids go crazy!

Joey Turner, vice president of education at Kiddie Academy, says: "Loose parts allow open learning that is not for adults. "What a child makes from loose materials today can be reused and they create something completely different tomorrow. This kind of open play boosts self-confidence - because there is no right or wrong answer. "

You will be amazed at what they make, what they make and design. The next day, my son made a tractor out of diaper boxes, a box of wipes, some colored boxes and a blanket. It takes more creativity than a picture of a tractor on the edge of a box of building blocks. He also makes drum sets from random toys and household items - even though he has a real drum set. Sometimes I think the process of making a drum set is more interesting for him than actually playing it!

Most of the time it's just a matter of observation.

In fact, jumping too fast when your child is engaged in free play can prevent them from learning from mistakes and discovering things on their own. I think of my son playing with his marble run set - building different structures and paths to get through the marble track. At first he did not know how to fit the pieces together and how to create gravity paths to carry the marble along. If I had always built structures for him, he would never have made some impressive marble runs - and would have experienced the thrill of success doing it himself.

Don't try too hard.

The game should be unpretentious, not necessarily scheduled, and certainly not forced. Sports opportunities often present themselves in unexpected situations. The next day, I was pulling grass out of my garden and my kids came to help. We had a great time talking about the plants that were starting to grow again after the winter and pointing us to other details found in nature. I couldn't script this moment if I tried - but it easily happened when I wasn't thinking much.

So cut yourself a little cheaper, stay home - full time working - teacher - parents. You're doing your best, and the kids will be fine.

Should my child learn Spanish?

At the Kiddie Academy of Stafford Educational Child Care, we like to say, "Community starts here." We can also say it in Spanish - "Comunidad comienza aquí" - and it means the same thing.

If you grew up in a home or area where English was the primary language, you may wonder why your child may need to learn Spanish. Well, consider this: over 43 million people (approximately 13% of the population) in the United States speak Spanish as their first language. After Mexico, we are the second largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world, and some estimate that by 2050 we will be the largest.

Childhood is the best time to learn a new language.

In addition to bridging the communication gap, your child may have other developmental benefits from learning Spanish and other languages. "Language acquisition is essential for a child's cognitive and social development," said Richard Peterson, CFE, a member of the Kiddie Academy of Stafford Curriculum Advisory Board.

Patterson said that in preschool near me fees, settings, such as the Kiddie Academy of Stafford® Educational Child Care, "children are learning English as their primary language. But many programs are increasing instruction by introducing another language." We incorporate 'everyday Spanish' naturally into themes, units, and lessons. We use word-related words that are made in Spanish. We have included Spanish in our daily activities so that children learn Spanish Don't look at the language as isolated or foreign, but as a way to enhance and reinforce what they are already learning.

"It's much easier to start learning a new language at an early age than trying to learn at an older age, because the brain is still developing," Peterson noted. "Learning a new language, such as Spanish, helps to develop curiosity and make it more acceptable to learn in other areas. Socially and emotionally, children who learn another language are more empathetic to others. Demonstrate and are particularly receptive to other cultures and experiences.

The benefits of being bilingual The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) also points out the benefits of learning a second language for children. Learning a second language, he says, improves memory, concentration and the ability to do multi-tasks, as well as problem-solving, critical thinking and listening.

Children who are proficient in other languages also show signs of increased creativity and mental flexibility. And being multilingual increases your earning potential during adolescence.

What can you do at home to help your child learn Spanish and / or other languages?

"The good news here is that parents don't have to be bilingual to help their child learn a new language," said Joey Turner, vice president of education at Kiddie Academy of Stafford. She offers the following tips to help you introduce a new language:

Visit the library as a family to find books and read them over and over again. We know that children learn through play and repetition.

Search the internet for nursery rhymes in different languages.

Introduce children to different types of music in different languages.

Learn simple words that children use every day and introduce them. Thoughts for words can be etiquette (please, thank you), counting, color, objects and feelings.

Find cultural events in your community to participate in.

There are many resources available on the Internet for parental use, including nursery rhymes, books, music and videos in different languages. As always, please review all content before sharing it with your child.

Turner said: "Learning new languages can stimulate children's natural curiosity, helping them to understand that everyone is special but also different. This multi-language exhibition promotes cultural sensitivity, tolerance and empathy. , Which helps us all get closer to each other. "

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Preparing Children to Live in a Social Media-Centric World It’s almost impossible for children to grow up these days without having exposure to and experience with social media. The world of social media is a tricky place for anyone, let alone children. Not everything about it is bad. Used properly, it’s a great way to interact with friends and keep up with important information. And though it’s up to parents to decide if and when to let their children join social media platforms, we believe it’s never too soon to start teaching your child the skills they’ll need to have to be responsible users and good stewards of this ever-evolving technology.

Character education is an important part of growing up in a world run by social media. It’s also one of the pillars of our guiding philosophy at Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care. The Character EssentialsSM component of our curriculum encourages us to use each interaction as an opportunity to teach your child important character-building traits.

We asked Sharon Pindell, a Training Project Manager in the Kiddie Academy Education Department, to talk about ways in which Character Essentials can prepare children well in advance for the world they will grow up in – one in which social media is pervasive and necessary. Here’s what she told us: Character Essentials Traits Most Important for Using Social Media: Respect: recognizing and appreciating the rights, beliefs, practices and differences of other people; the way you feel about someone and how you treat them Teach children to be kind to others – including on social media and avoid cyber-bullying. Create a relationship with your child where they are not afraid to come to you if they do something wrong or observe troubling behavior in siblings or friends. That will come in handy when they are of social mediausing age.

Attentiveness: caring for or seeing to the needs of someone or something; being mindful of others’ needs and wants Teach children to pay attention to who may be reaching out to them on social media and to be aware of who they may friend, contact or follow on social media. Encourage children to identify and recognize

their “gut feelings” on issues at a young age, and they will be better prepared to navigate the realm of social media in a responsible way.

Generosity: giving or sharing what you have with others, including your time and attention Social media has many good uses. Show children that we can use social media as a platform to share their time, fundraise, help others or raise awareness for a good cause.

Helpfulness: giving assistance when someone is in need Teach children that we can use social media as a platform to help others; raise awareness when the community or neighbors are in need. Helping with a clothing or food drive, for example.

Thoughtfulness: showing consideration for the needs of other people Teach children to be thoughtful and show consideration for others. If they can understand how to thoughtfully treat others, they’ll be a step ahead in social media commenting in the future.

Creativity: developing and expressing one’s self and ideas in new ways

Teach children to use their creativity. Encourage children to use their talents and ideas in a positive way when they are young and they just may become the next YouTube sensation or positive-vibes influencer.

Acceptance: treating everyone with respect and understanding regardless of differences; understanding how we are alike and different Teach children acceptance at a young age will encourage them to be accepting of others and be advocates for others.

Loyalty: feeling devotion or faithfulness toward family members, friends, country or causes in which one believes Children who are loyal will inherently be loyal to friends online when they get older. It is important to teach children to protect and defend others from harm or hurt online.

Self-Awareness: having a conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives and desires Teach children to understand their own character and how to stay true to themselves. This trait takes a lifetime to work on and will serve your child well not just on social media, but in all settings.

Self-Regulation: using the strategies and skills necessary to control one’s emotions, reactions and behavior in different situations Teach children how to think before they act. Help them develop the ability to control their emotions and they’ll have appropriate willpower when using social media and interacting properly with others online.

Empathy: understanding and caring about how someone else is feeling When children learn empathy at an early age, they will be well-prepared in young adulthood to take an empathetic approach before posting online or be empathetic of others and reach out to their friends to provide support.

Honesty: the act of telling the truth and acting truthfully Teach children to be honest when seeing negativity, and to be honest about yourself and be proud of who you are.

Accountability: being responsible for his or her own actions and behaviors; following rules and expectations; the ability to make good choices Teach children to be accountable for their actions now. When they get older, they’ll be able to apply that skill in knowing that when they post pictures or other things that those posts will never go away.

Children who are accountable will follow the rules and make better choices when posting.

Carefulness: being observant and paying attention It is important for children to be observant and cautious. Once they become social media users, carefulness will help them be aware of falsehoods and understand that things aren’t always what they seem to be.

Dependability: the quality of being trustworthy and reliable Teaching children to be dependable will also carry over to how they act online and understand the cause and effect when letting someone down. It is important that children learn to be dependable so that they can be the responsible social media users of the future.

Positivity: looking at the positive (good) side of things Teach children to be positive so that one day, they will use online platforms for good, charity, community awareness, fundraising, and helping others or to spread joy.

Sharon also reminds us that if you’re a parent, teacher or both, role modeling is important. Kids will take cues for their behavior from how you interact with those around you and use social media.

Here are some books she recommends for getting more information on this subject: Concepts preschoolers could understand. These books could help to spark conversations: “Unplugged,” by Steve Antony (about the fun you can have while being “unplugged”) “The Fabulous Friend Machine,” by Nick Bland “Chicken Clicking,” by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross “Webster’s Manners,” by Hannah Whaley (rules for being polite with technology) “Webster’s Bedtime,” by Hannah Whaley

For older children

“Webster’s Friend,” by Hannah Whaley “The Berenstain Bear’s Computer Trouble,” by Jan and Mike Berenstain “If You give a Mouse an iPhone,” by Ann Droyd “Nerdy Birdy Tweets,” by Aaron Reynolds “Once Upon a time… Online: Happily Ever After is Only a Click Away,” by David Bedford “The Technology Tail,” by Julia Cook “#Goldilocks: A Hashtag Cautionary Tale,” by Jeanne Willis