Back to Sleep Campaign Still Going Strong

Review the current facts and research on the benfits of laying infants on their backs in their own empty cribs for safe sleep here.

Thanksgiving 2012 Books and Craft

Books for you to enjoy:
For younger children- The First Thanksgiving by Sarah Treu
                                  Thanksgiving Is... by Gail Gibbons
                                   My First Thanksgiving by Tomie dePaola
                                   Pilgrims by Mary pope Osborne (non-fiction)

For older children- Thanks You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie     Halse Anderson
                             Squanto's Journey by Joseph Bruchac
                             1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace

Craft- Coffee Filter Turkey:
Supplies- coffee filter
markers
card stock or construction paper in brown and yellow
glue
scissors
wiggle eyes (optional)
First, lay one coffee filter flat. See first photo
Second, color the center and edges randomly with water based markers. Photo 2
Third, fold into a pie shape. Photo 3
Fourth, dip the point and edge into water
Fifth, wait until the water has absorbed into the entire filter, mixing the colors.
Sixth, after the filter has completely dried, draw shape of a turkey head and body, legs and beak from construction paper and use glue to adhere. Eyes can be draw and added or use wiggle eyes. Photo 4





Halloween 2012 Books and Craft

Great Books:
Ages 3-5
Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis
Happy Halloween, Mittens by Lola Schaefer
Clifford's Halloween by Norman Bridwell
Halloween Night by Marjorie Dennis Murray
Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Ages 6-8
Violet's Halloween by Georgie Hackford
103 Hilarious Halloween Jokes by Scott Allen
Haunted Halloween by Alex Willis (chapter book)

Bathroom Tissue Pumpkin Craft
You will need:
1 roll of bathroom tissue
orange and green tissue paper
black construction paper
scissors
tape

Directions:

1-Lay the roll of tissue on it's side on several layers of orange tissue paper. Roll in one complete turn to measure how much paper you will need to cover the roll completely. Cut out the piece allowing at least two inches on either side.
2-Cover the roll and tape the ends down. Fold over the sides of the tissue, pressing the edges into the cardboard tube at both ends.
3-Cut several pieces of green tissue in rectangle shape. Choose one end and cut into a point. Twist a few pieces together at the blunt end and tape then into one end of the roll. Leave the pointed end sticking out to form leaves.
4-Cut eyes, mouth and any other features you desire out of black construction paper. Use tape to place on the "pumpkin."
5-Make several with different faces and use them to decorate your mantel, windowsills or table. They are cute, nonbreakable and can be disassembled and put back to bathroom use when the holiday is passed.

September 2012 Product Safety Recalls

Follow this link to see what items have been recalled.

October is Fire Safety Month

Now is the time to discuss fire safety with the kids in your household. Despite the obvious rule of never playing with lighters and matches, fires are started every year by unsupervised kids playing with these items, often with tragic results. Even though adults know these dangerous things should be kept out the reach of children, they often are not, so take time to warn kids about the hazards. Remind them of the dangers of hot items on the stove and in the oven. If  indoor ceramic heaters are used, tell them about the dangers of keeping things too close to them. Candles are so attractive, but they are so very dangerous. Make sure children know never to touch them or put other objects close to them. Along with this, don't forget to review what to do if they see a fire or hear the smoke detector go off, especially at night. Practice the "get low and go" rule by crawling to the door, in order to avoid deadly smoke as well as "stop, drop and roll" if ever their clothes should catch fire. Have a designated meeting place outside in a safe place away from the house and remind them NEVER to reenter the house to retreive any item or pet. Let them practice making a 911 emergency call on a play telephone and show them where it is on your cell phone. Make sure they know their address and ask them to repeat it throughout the year to practice. If possible, have a few neighbors houses designated as places to go to make the 911 calls if no cell phone is available. All these things take only a few minutes of your time, but can make the difference between life and death. 
Here are a few websites for more information and games for kids to play to help them learn fire safety.
Fire Safety for Kids, and the United States Fire Administration.

September Craft and Books

Good September books:

Fall Leaves by Martha Rustad
Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro
Fall Leaves Change Color by Kathleen Weidner
Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins


Falling Leaves Project:
You will need one sandwich size zipper type plastic bag
various colors of construction paper
glue or tape scissors
leaf punch (optional)
Using the picture (bottom of these directions) and your plastic bag as a size guide, cut one strip of brown construction paper two inches wide and the width of the bag as the ground. Glue or tape on the bag.
Cut two one inch strips to be the tree trunks and glue onto each side of the bag. (Make the sides taper a big to give a realistic look).
Cut a 2 inch strip to go across the top of the bag and glue or tape overhanging the very top of the bag by a half inch.
By cutting fall colored construction paper into half inch squares (or using a leaf punch) make lots of pieces and glue them to the brown strip at the top of the bag. Over lap them and mix the colors too! (If the kids are able they can also draw leaves and cut them out).
Add a few more leaves on the "ground" as well as some tufts of grass or animals if desired. Fall themed stickers are helpful here too.
Cut one large square of light blue paper to cover the entire bag and glue or tape that to the BACK of the bag to look like sky.
Fill the bag with more leaves and then close the bag securely.
Tip the bag upside down to get all the leaves to the top. Then turn right side up and give it a shake. Watch all the leaves fall.

August 2012 Product Recalls

Here's the list. Check your purchases!

Are You Making Wise Choices About Fast Food?

If you are like me, you find yourself thinking about drive through meals for the kids when you have tons of errands to run. Well, this article I found will help you make smarter decisions about fast foods.

Time For Breakfast

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day since it fuels your empty body with the necessary energy to get it all going. For kids headed off to a long day at daycare or school, breakfast can mean the difference between learning or inattention. As important as it is, there is little time in the morning for cooking. We often turn to a quick bowl of cereal so here's some criteria for picking out a healthy one. Copy down the numbers and take it with you the next time you shop and see what you can find.

August 2012 Art Activity

I am having fun reading The Happy Hippopotami by Bill Martin Jr. to my grandkids this week. Can you imagine hippos on the beach?



Texture Rubbings

The kids can make a wonderful picture out of texture rubbings. Use lightweight paper, such as copy paper. Cut a standard 8 1/2 x 11 sheet into fourths. Using crayons, lay the paper on any object with an interesting texture and rub away! You can use shades within a color family or choose lots of different colors. Layer each one with a piece of card stock. When you get a few finished, arrange them to make a large picture or wall hanging. Use objects from nature like tree bark, leaves or sea shells. Use kitchen tools such as strainers or slotted spoons. Don't forget to use chairs backs or plates with raised decorations. You will find textures everywhere. Have fun!

All About Insect Bites and Stings

Is summer driving you buggy? All joking aside, insects can cause you and the kids in your life lots of problems. Here is a informative article that gives you the facts about bites, stings, allergic reactions and repellents.

Timeout!

Do you use timeout as a displine tool? Lots of adults do. Here are some things to consider to use it effectively.