For work-from-home parents, one of the most challenging things to do is figuring out ways to keep the kids quiet during business calls, conference calls, and virtual meetings. No one said working from home would be a walk in the park, but it can sure be enjoyable even for the kids, especially when parents designate activities that allow them some quiet time and personal exploration.
After spending months keeping her 6-year-old daughter occupied with nature hikes, scavenger hunts and virtual playdates, Julia Devetski was hoping she could finally return to work full time again once the energetic rising first grader was back in the classroom this fall at her school in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage — and after learning that her daughter and her Chicago Public Schools classmates will be doing remote learning at home at least part of the time when the new school year starts in September — Devetski joined the soaring ranks of parents who are counting on “pandemic pods” or “micro-schools” as a solution to their dilemma.
Whether you leave the house or just need a caregiver to keep your children safe while you’re working from home in another room, you’ll need to know how to keep your kids and your babysitter safe during COVID-19.
Are your kids or grandkids looking for things to do this summer? Besides being a fun project, encouraging kids to prepare and/or cook food can be a great opportunity to teach them life skills such as kitchen and food safety, tips about nutrition/health, hygiene, and even math. It can also give kids a sense of value, accomplishment, and maturity as they enjoy the reward of eating the delicious finished product. Over time as their skills improve, they might even be timesavers for you in making food for the family.
Bring out your pots and pans — it’s time to cook and connect with your favorite family members! This week, #CampCaribu presents a menu of ‘Fun With Food’ books and activities for you to try together in a video-call. Each day, Caribu will feature two books: an “Entrée” book that tells a story involving food or cooking; and a “Side Dish” book that shares a specific recipe. Pick one or both to read and inspire your kitchen staff, and prepare some treats together!
Aunts and uncles can also be the adult friend a child needs. For example, a child could be too nervous to talk about their crush in math class or the bully on the playground with their parents. They certainly want to address these issues with someone but may feel their parents will be dismissive or explosive about what’s bothering them. Cue in the “cool uncle” who listens without the judgmental and presumptive attitudes parents could show when addressing touchy topics with their kids. Aunts and uncles may have a more relaxed approach with their nieces and nephews, offering different and more encouraging solutions to a child’s problems. They are more likely to tell their nieces and nephews embarrassing stories about their parents. These and other entertaining exchanges could help solidify a powerful and trusting relationship between aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews for many years.
People often say that practice makes perfect. Research certainly supports this, especially in children. In fact, studies have shown that repetition can be critically important for learning in general—especially for memory and language learning. So while adults can easily pick up new information from a single exposure, when kids ask to watch the same movie they’ve already seen a hundred times or read the same book before bed for the 10th night in a row, it might just be their way of learning the storyline. And although it might be boring or even annoying to do the same thing over and over and over (and over and over) again, this extra practice might be just what children need to learn new things.
Potty training can be one of a parent’s hardest jobs! While some kids catch on quickly, others might take months. Investing the hours needed for toilet training requires patience, kindness, and encouragement. Once your family decides to practice the potty, it’s important to have some positive motivation! To help inspire your little one, take a look at two new books in the Caribu app: Potty Superhero: Get Ready For Big Boy Pants! and Potty Superhero: Get Ready For Big Girl Pants! by Mabel Forsythe.
Looking for ways to keep your little ones active, engaged, and smiling this summer? Take some time to celebrate their superhero selves with homemade costumes, activities, and adventures. With most theme parks closed, festivals cancelled, and Comic-Con moving online, you can use these ideas to spark fun summer days for the superhero kids in your family. Here are seven superhero activities to try from your home.
Young children need to enjoy the process of learning instead of focusing on performance. Educators and parents can emphasize the joys of trying new activities and learning something novel. We need to help children understand that mistakes are a welcome, normal part of learning. This period is also the time to establish a growth mindset—the belief that talents and abilities are developed through effort instead of being innately fixed. Educators should avoid labeling children or making universal statements about their ability. Even compliments such as “You’re so smart” are counterproductive. Instead, emphasize persistence and create safe spaces for learning. Children will learn to love learning if we show enthusiasm over the process rather than fixating on results.