Fickle Feline

Our cat, Stoker (so named after the author of Dracula) loves to sleep with Piper. He is very patient with her, and lets her pull his fur out by the fistfull.
Having survived a year and a half with Jacob, Stoker is not so patient with him, and comes at him in full attack mode. Jacob loves finding the cat, chasing the cat, carrying the cat, and generally creating mahem for the poor beast. Sometimes, Stoker lands a good one in his own defence. This is Jacob showing me his play wounds.

SIGN & SING Week 4

This week in class we learned more about recognizing and responding to your child’s versions of signs. Just as a child’s first attempt to pronounce “water” may sound like “wa-wa,” a first attempt at signing MORE may look as if she is clapping her hands or fists together.

Whenever you see your child moving her hands and you think she may be signing, respond enthusiastically. This will encourage her to use her hands to communicate with you.

Try MORE signing at home this week. Your Family Activity Guide this week explains how to use Conceptual Grouping to learn even more signs.

VILLAGE: Rhythm Of My Day Week 5

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

STOP & GO: In some of this week’s activities we will experience the physical and musical sensation of stopping and going. By participating in activities that move and stop, your baby is developing the awareness of inhibitory control. Inhibitory control is one’s ability to stop his body on a given cue. “Stop” & “go” are reinforced in class with the use of American Sign Language.

BOUNCING GAMES: Bouncing games provide vestibular system stimulation to babies in many forms. These activities increase your baby’s muscle tone as he has to adjust his posture to stay upright while being bounced. At the end of Allee Galloo the surprising lift into the air or fall backwards on the whee! Provides immediate feedback to the vestibular system so that your baby just has to smile or giggle.

VESTIBULAR SYSTEM STIMULATION: It is important to stimulate the vestibular system, the part of the brain that handles balance and the sense of gravity. Stimulation can occur through swinging, twisting, swaying, rocking, etc..

OUR TIME: FIDDLE-DEE-DEE Week 12

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

FINE MOTOR SKILLS: Fine motor skills may be developed through games requiring focus on finger movements. These skills are essential in increasing the child’s ability to turn pages of a book, use a crayon, hold a toothbrush or use a spoon. Look for the Bumblebee Play Pages in your home activity book to further enhance this skill.

NURTURING YOUNG SINGERS: In nurturing young singers, it is important to present songs with a limited range, such as five or six notes, which are generally easier for young children to sing than songs with a larger range. The notes from about the d above middle c to the a above middle c tend to be the easiest singing range for these young singers to access initially.

IMAGINE THAT! Cities Week 11

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

Cooperative play among the children comes into focus this week in the activity Roll That Ball. The children pair up and each pair help “lay a sidewalk” (masking tape strips) upon which they roll a ball back and forth.

With preschoolers’ developing awareness of others’ feelings, they are increasingly able to enjoy cooperative play with another child, such as today’s “sidewalk” ball play game. This is an exciting milestone for your preschooler and the Kindermusik environment is one in which his social development will continue to be nurtured, week after week, through his first years in elementary school!

The face of autism

April is Autism Awareness Month. This video documents the early experiences of one child with Autism. Current statistics suggest that 1 in 166 children receive a diagnosis somewhere on the Autism Spectrum.

Bad Blogger!

Ooh! Can it have possibly been a week since my last entry? I will step it up a bit.

I will post your developmental notes later today!

I Did It!

Can you spot me? I'm near the back, although I did place 30,314th or something...

Many, many thanks to my mom for running alongside me like a Jack Russell Terrier, full of positive energy and enthusiasm. Many thanks, too, to Femie for training with me (almost) every Thursday night. Thanks to all those, especially Granna & Poppa, who looked after Piper on my training nights, and to Mary who took them both while I ran in the afternoon. Thanks to Poppa for looking after Jacob & Piper the big morning of. Maybe next year you can come down and cheer me on. (Now that I know I won't be dying on the sidelines somewhere...)

Never in a million years did I think I would run a 10k. I haven't run more than a 1/2 a block since high school! It has been a wonderful experience. The best part by far, is that I can play tag with Jacob for 45 minutes without loosing my breath or begging him to play a new game. That is what makes all the time away worthwhile. And that is what will keep me running.

When I Get Work Done

Jacob loves the bathtub, and will spend an hour in there if I let him.

It's usually not hard to convince him to take a bath while Piper is taking a nap, so if we're home for one of her naps, I get him in the bath and sit on the floor with my laptop.

Yesterday afternoon I spent an hour at Gleneagles Community Centre cutting 3' lengths of ribbons for my Music Box class while Jacob took a cooking class and Piper slept in the stroller. I got a few strange looks...

It's either that or late at night!

Furry Happy Monsters

Were the muppets this cool when we were kids?

A "No" Brainer...

Did you know that right before a baby figures out how to walk (at about 11 months old), her brain sprouts tons of new neural connections in her prefrontal lobes. Her brain is getting ready for all the exploring she will do on this new level! Shortly after there's a natural pruning that happens which clears away the excess connections that aren't being used. We seem to cringe when we hear that because I think we see potential that won't actualize. But the brain needs to streamline and get better at what we're good at rather than having too many irons in the fire....

But what I've read recently sheds new light on parenting and your baby's potential at this exciting stage of development. The prefrontal lobes is the part of the brain responsible for problem solving and creativity as opposed to the limbic system and the hind brain which take care of emotions and body functions (heart rate, breathing, digestion, aggression, etc). The limbic system is responsible for the decision to send an experience to the prefrontal lobes for thoughtful consideration OR back to the hind brain for fast action and survival. Consider this: How we discipline this toddler sets her up for how her brain will best handle situations that present themselves to her.

The average toddler hears NO!!! or receives a stern look or swat about every 9 minutes of their waking day. Those particular adult reactions to toddler behavior sends the toddler's hind brain into action. The prefrontal lobes do not get enough practice. Those new neural connections aren't being used much.

How can you say NO! without saying no?

Tell the child what TO do.
Get the child’s attention before communicating, touch them on the shoulder or hand...
Say the child’s name.
Use a gesture, move so you get into her visual field.
Show him an object or other visual cue to get him to look at you.
Help them know what TO do.
Using your singing voice calms you and the child.
Use a prompt, hand him a tissue instead of saying “Don’t wipe your nose on your sleeve.”
Use a gesture. Gestures can guide her to appropriate behavior. Point to the coat hookinstead of “Don’t drop your coat on the floor.”
Model what you want
Offer “Let’s do it together.” That can encourage children to do things with more enthusiasm.
Call attention to the “problem”.
Say “Oh, oh” “Oops!” “Look!” Then point to what needs to be done.
Look right at his face and clearly state what you want the child to do.
Take a deep breath..... and exhale.
Save NO! for emergencies! You'll need something strong then.

And parents, take care of yourself because it's a lot easier if you're not exhausted, hungry, stressed out....etc, etc! Your baby NEEDS a happy mom and a happy dad.

Sign & Sing Week 3

Over the past two weeks we have used strategies to make opportunities for signing with your child more effective.

This week, we introduced an Adaptation Strategy. This occurs when you move a toy next to your face so your child can see you making the sign while you hold the toy. Watch your baby’s eyes as she looks back and forth from the object to you. You have created the ideal environment for learning.

Page 10 in your Family Activity Guide gives you more ideas on how to use adaptation strategies even in the quiet times of the day, such as reading a book together. Your child is naturally captivated and relaxed while sitting in your arms, sharing a story—it’s a perfect time to use the signs you have learned from class!

P.S. Only two more classes to go! Keep the learning going all year long! In the coming weeks I’ll let you know more about Kindermusik summer camps starting in May.

VILLAGE: Rhythm Of My Day Week 4

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

LEARNING IS INTEGRATED: Realize that learning is integrated. It’s rare that a child learns just one thing from an activity. Physical coordination, or ‘motor’ skills, are engaged along with language, thinking skills, and social interactions. You can never be sure exactly what a child will learn from a given activity – what she already knows and can do, how others reinforce the child’s actions or ideas, and even the child’s mood.

LULLABIES & BONDING: The singing of lullabies provides optimum bonding opportunities. Mothers throughout the ages have communicated love and warmth to their infant child through the singing of lullabies and songs. These simple activities give the baby a feeling of security and protection. Researchers have found that babies more easily fall asleep when their mothers sing to them. Mothers singing is a signal of safety & protection.

RHYTHMIC COMPLEXITY: Babies are first exposed to rhythm in the womb. She hears her mother’s heartbeat and then, after birth, her own. African and Indian music traditions have brought syncopation and other rhythmic complexities to our ears, weaving these rhythms into current Western culture. Exposing you baby to this variety will develop her abilities to listen and produce these rhythms more easily as she grows.

THE SKILL OF RELAXATION: Unstructured quiet time teaches children to take a moment, watch and just listen rather than always being on the go. You can help you baby learn the skill of relaxation by giving him a cue. During each session the children can learn that when they hear a particular song that it is time to be still, listen, and relax for the duration of the song. Giving your baby tools to help him relax will be essential to his becoming a balanced person.

OUR TIME: FIDDLE-DEE-DEE Week 11

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

HIGH & LOW: The focus of high and low lends itself naturally to exploration through music and movement. The Our Time child, a sensorimotor learner, delights in the many modes of experiencing high and low – moving, being moved, making objects move, singing, speaking, vocalizing, listening, and looking.

AABA FORM: Exposure to songs with clearly defined phrases and simple structures, such as AABA form, helps children develop an awareness of form and pattern in musical language.

LEVELS IN MOVEMENT: As toddlers become competent walkers and runners, most of the locomotor movement they are interested in is done in an upright position. Exploring levels in movement provides an opportunity to explore dancing upright as well as bent or crouched over, providing stimulation to the vestibular system while encouraging creativity in movement and providing an opportunity for linking a label with movement.

AWARENESS OF METER & STEADY BEAT: When attention is focused on the first beat or syllable of each measure, children are encouraged to become aware of larger rhythmic groupings or the meter in music. When attention is focused on the smaller rhythmic subdivisions within each measure, children are encouraged to become aware of steady beat. Awareness of meter and awareness of steady beat are both important musicianship skills.

IMAGINE THAT! Cities Week 9

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

“[T]he successful minds of the future will be those that have learned what it feels like to be in charge of themselves. They will be able to direct their own attention and come up with their own action plans.”*

Through activities such as Three Artists Matching Game and Moving Artists, your child is encouraged to offer her own ideas, to answer open-ended questions, to consider options; in other words, to come up with her own plan. It is through multi-layered activities such as this, always presented so as to be engaging for young children, that Kindermusik continues to spark learning in so many areas of your child’s life.

P.S. Remember to bring your Kindermusik Resonator Bars and Mallets to class next week.

*How to Have Intelligent and Creative Conversations With Your Kids, by Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., p.13.

Family Time: Here, There, & Everywhere Week 11

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING
Vestibular Stimulation: Balance is the ability to take up and maintain a body position against the force of gravity. Simple balance develops early, but becomes more complex as the brain improves its ability to integrate messages from the eyes, inner ear, and muscles in the neck. Movement and the attainment of balance depend upon this connection of messages. Moving activities stimulate the inner ear, also known as vestibular stimulation. Fluid in the inner ear passes over nerve endings, sending messages to the brain about the position of the body in space, and helps the young child counter gravity and control eye movements as well as attain balance.

Movement and Learning: Children learn best with their bodies. By providing a venue for movement, children have a chance to “try out” a variety of expressions. Being sensory learners, children should be encouraged to move, use their imaginations and large and small muscles groups, and be engaged mentally and emotionally. Physical, mental, and emotional developmental qualities of young children are so intertwined and interrelated that when one area is affected, the other two areas are equally affected.

Moms of Multiples Sale Tomorrow!

Saturday, April 14th
9:30 - noon
St David's United Church (West Vancouver)
Taylor Way at #1 Hwy.
Admission $1 (with partial proceeds going to a local charity)

A great chance to pick up some gently used toys, clothing and gear for the babies & children in your life.

Get Cooking!

Cooking with little ones often means big messes, but it's lots of fun too. As a bonus, they are learning all kinds of things:
- COUNTING - 3 eggs
- FRACTIONS - one cup of flour, 1/2 a cup of milk, etc.
- SEQUENCING - first we put in the dry ingredients, then we add the wet, etc.
- FINE MOTOR SKILLS - cracking eggs, not spilling the flour when stirring, etc.
- PATIENCE - you might feel like it's an exercise in patience for you, but 18 minutes to bake a cookie seems like forever!

Jacob (3) cooks us dinner at least once every couple of weeks. His favourite is scrambled eggs & toast, but he regularly makes pancakes, cookies, banana bread, and muffins.

Tomorrow I will have him help me make butternut squash and pear puree for his little sister.

Simple Gifts

This is Jacob on his first real Easter Egg Hunt. Fortunately, the Easter Bunny left the eggs in VERY visible spots. It still took some prompting, but it was exciting!

Happy Easter!

There are no classes on Monday because of the Easter holiday. Enjoy!

Bedtime Rituals

"Bedtime is a monumental moment to a baby or toddler, a time of transition in which parents hold nearly shamanistic power to tame the forces of darkness." - Meg Cox, The Heart of a Family, p.213.

Bedtime provides a time of connection for parents and children. As children grow, it is a time when parents find out what is really going on in their children's lives.

Simple Bedtime Rituals to share with your children:
1. Reading
2. Listening to the nighttime sounds
3. Inventing stories
4. Singing
5. Bedtime checklist (go to the toilet, brush teeth, story, kiss, turn out the light)
6. Back scratches and foot rubs.

Bedtime is a time for children to process their day, and it may take some children longer than others to do this. One little girl, I am told, will lie quietly talking to herself for 2 hours before falling asleep!

SIgn & Sing Week 2

Class was so much fun this week with all the new activities and opportunities for signing with your child. Keep playing and signing together at home. Review your DVD and flashcards in the At Home Materials and look around the house for items we used in class such as a teddy bear, ball, duck, or toy car. Pick an opportune time to engage your child in play with these items and use sign language. Try not to worry about whether your child sees your signs. The goal this week is just to get started signing and become comfortable yourself.

Some phrases you can use include (sign language is commonly represented in print with CAPITAL letters):

“WHAT is that?”
“It’s a BALL.”
“Do you want to PLAY?”
“Do you want me to roll it some MORE?”
“We’re ALL DONE now.”

Take your time and repeat phrases several times. Don’t forget your CLEAN-UP song at the end of playtime. See you in class in 2 weeks!

FAMILY Time: Here, There, & Everywhere Week 9

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

Hearing & Listening: Listening and hearing are very different skills. Most of the senses – sight, taste, smell – involve chemical reactions, but ears work purely mechanically. Hearing is a physical process. Sound waves create vibrations that are transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain. Listening is much more complex, as it includes the mental processes of interpreting and absorbing a message and storing and retrieving information. Hearing is a sense most people are born with, but listening is a learned, mental behaviour.

The Joy of Listening: Children instinctively understand the language of music. Music draws children into its orbit, inviting them to match its pitches, incorporate its lyrics, move to its beat, and explore its emotional and harmonic dimensions. Music’s physical vibrations, organized patterns, engaging rhythms, and subtle variations interact with the mind and body. Children are happy when they are bouncing, dancing, clapping, and singing with someone they trust and love. Even as music delights, it helps mold children’s mental, emotional, social, and physical development – and gives them the enthusiasm and skills they need to begin to teach themselves.

Sign Language for Hearing Children: Children begin trying to decipher the mystery of language from the moment they are born. It takes children 12 to 24 months to begin speaking, yet while they are preparing for this huge leap forward, they already have some of the pieces in place. Signing with hearing children takes advantage of their motor abilities, which develop months earlier than the equivalent skills required for speech. Use signing in everyday interactions to open the door to early communication, facilitated speech, increased intimacy, and long-term learning.

Literacy: When a child points to pictures in a book, she is letting you know that she understand something about symbols – that words and pictures represent things and ideas. A child’s motivation to learn about and use symbols grows as she learns that this is how she can make her needs known and let people know what she is thinking. “Literacy” means so much more than being able to read and write. Literacy is being able to speak, and understand what you read, write, and hear. Children who are “literate” know that sounds, letters, pictures, and ideas go together and have meaning.

OUR TIME: FIDDLE-DEE-DEE Week 9

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

CRESCENDO: Crescendo is the Italian musical term for a gradual increase in volume. It is one of many expressive elements of music and can serve to add intensity, urgency, and excitement to music, regardless of whether the music is sung, played on instruments, or spoken rhythmically.

HIDING & FINDING: Asking a child to hide an object and then find it helps her to discover object permanence. Awareness of object permanence is the realization that even when something (or someone) is hidden and out of sight, it still exists. This is an important understanding for “bound away and back” toddlers adjusting to the experience of being away from their parents.

VILLAGE: Rhythm Of My Day Week 2

FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

SOL-MI: In some of this week’s activities, we will hear and sing the sol-mi pitch interval in music. Some experts believe this is one of the easiest intervals for young children to hear and to imitate. In a major scale the pitches sol and mi are the fifth and third scale degrees and create the interval of a minor third. (Sing Rain, Rain, Go Away, or Toys away, toys away – that’s Sol-Mi!)

AFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: Affective communication between adults and babies can be encouraged through touch, eye contact, vocalization, and listening – all a part of the greeting ritual.

LABELING MOVEMENT: Children can recognize an object and understand movement long before they can use the language to tell you. We can help babies in developing their ability to speak by labeling movement and objects. They will then begin to connect the relationship between the word and the movement or object. After months of babble, your baby will begin to imitate these sounds and speak the words that previously she knew only by sight & sound.

Remember: if you’re holding your baby facing your chest and you move forward, you should label it “backwards”, as that is how your baby is moving.

OBJECT PERMANENCE: When your baby begins to search for a hidden object, this indicates that your baby remembers that the object continues to exist even though it cannot be seen. Object permanence is memory of behaviour and/or things seen but out of sight.

MOVEMENT POSITIONS: Baby-O allows the adult to move baby in a variety of ways such as crossing baby’s arms, lifting baby into the air, folding baby’s legs up to the head and swinging baby. Experiencing these movements and positions helps to develop baby’s vestibular system, muscle tone, and body awareness.