AppleTree Articles

You can encourage positive eating habits by involving children in the cooking process.

Having trouble getting your child to eat a balanced meal?  Cooking with children allows them to feel a sense of ownership over the meal.  Often this will encourage them to eat the meal - even the veggies or other parts they may normally avoid!

Children can be picky when it comes to food but they are also curious and enjoy doing things that they see adults do.  For example, they feel empowered and important when they are assigned helpful roles in the family.

Children often like to help with many household tasks.  Cooking is a great task to allow them to help with.  They learn many valuable lessons about measurement, weight, volume, color, texture, taste, and the classification of foods.

When cooking with children it is important to assign them simple tasks that do not involve harmful objects, such as the use of the stove, oven, or a knife.  However, they can be a part of the process and take some ownership over the meal by doing things like rinsing vegetables, snapping beans, counting potatoes, stirring mixtures, or ripping lettuce.  This also gives them hands-on exposure to some of the foods that they often object to eating.  Repeated exposure to healthy foods is important for young children in order to eventually gain an appreciation for them.

Here is one quick and simple meal that not only can children help you prepare, but they will also appreciate due to the "mini" size.

Finicky eaters might be willing to try a mini meatloaf designed just for them.  You can make mini-loaves or form them into simple shapes on a baking sheet rather than in a single loaf.  Puree vegetables and mix into the meatloaf to add more nutrition to your child's meal.  Serve the mini meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a fruit salad.

F.A.C.T.
Family Awareness Campaign to Teach

Better Hearing and Speech

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month.  Most children hear and listen to sounds from birth and learn to talk by imitating the sounds around them and the voices of their parents and caregivers.  But that's not true for all children.  In fact, some children are born deaf or hard-of-hearing.  More lose their hearing later during childhood and will need to learn speech and language differently, so it's important to detect deafness or hearing loss as early as possible.  For this reason, universal newborn hearing screening programs currently operate in all U.S. states.  As a result, babies almost always have their hearing tested before they even leave the hospital.

Is it important to have my baby's hearing screened early?
The most important time for a child to learn language is the first 3 years.  The earlier you know about a child's hearing loss, the sooner you can make sure your child benefits from strategies that will help him or her learn to successfully communicate.

How can I recognize hearing loss later in childhood?
Even though screening tests are designed to detect hearing loss as early as possible, some children may not develop hearing loss until later in childhood.  This means that, even if your baby has passed the hearing screening, you should still continue to make sure that he or she is hearing well.

Your child may have an underlining communication problem if he or she:
- Began talking later than expected
- Is performing below the expectations of the classroom
- Is having difficulty learning to read
- Cannot seem to express his/her thoughts and ideas
- Has problems understanding others and following directions
- Doesn't pick up on social cues
- Says "Huh?" or "What?" and needs things repeated often
- Does not consistently respond to sounds

Tips for protecting your child's ears
- Avoid loud, noisy areas/activities.  Ex: lawn mowers, fireworks, loud music (No sounds above 85 decibels.)
- Wear earplugs, earmuffs, or other hearing protection devices when involved in a loud activity.
- Be alert to hazardous noise in the environment.  Ex: sirens, heavy machinery
- Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own.

This month provides opportunities to raise awareness about communication disorders and to promote treatment that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems with speaking, understanding, or hearing.

- Information from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Family: Strengthening the Bond
Just like with any relationship, a positive relationship between the parent and child requires work and effort to make it strong and successful.  Maintaining close relationships in a family requires open communication to ensure everyone stays connected.
Simple Ways to Enhance Bonds in Your Family
Let your child help you and work together as a family.  Take advantage of little moments where you can let your child be your "special helper" and work together as a family.  Easy tasks help your child feel validated and valuable.  Having them make simple decisions like what outfit you should wear to work lets them know you value their opinion.
Make special rituals and routines.  For children, reading a favorite bedtime story or having a special traditional routine or ritual gives them something to look forward to and lets them count on special quality time with you daily or weekly.  An example of a routine you can have as a family: Friday Movie Nights - get some special movie treats together and cuddle on the couch as a family to watch a child-friendly movie.
Play together as much as possible.  Your child will be thrilled to have you down at their level and interacting with them when you schedule in play time.  It may involve playing dolls, participating in a tea party, playing a board game, or coloring and drawing together.  Keep in mind that children love to see a parent's "silly side."
Be sure that dinner time is family time.  Eating together provides quality time as a family.  Dinner time allows parents and child to connect after a day at work (for the parents) and school or child care (for the children).  This opportunity allows parents to show interest in their child's day and allows for one parent to fill the other in on what the child did that day (if only one parent picks up the child from school or child care).
Consider having a "date" with your child.  Parents are known to schedule "date nights" where the child is left with a family member or babysitter while the parents go out for dinner.  Dates with your children can be great way to provide one-on-one time.  Take your child to the playground, to see a movie, or some other activity, just the two of you.  It provides undivided attention, lets each child shine, and proves that they are a priority in your life.

The simplest way to strengthen your family... Say "I love you."
Tell your child (and spouse) that you love him or her every day - no matter their age.  Even on a "difficult" day or when you've had a fight, it's important to express your love as a member of your family.

Excerpted from 10 Tips to Strengthen Families: Build/Maintain a Positive Parent-Child Relationship written by Robin McClure for About.com Child Care

A message from AppleTree Christian Learning Centers
This is the fourth and final installment of 4 posts regarding the weekly themes of the Month of the Young Children.

Preschoolers love to sing, make music, and move to the beat.  They feel competent when they learn a new song, powerful when they pound a drum or shake a tambourine, and proud when they invent a new dance.

Young children explore music through play.  They make discoveries through trial and error - "If I hate the tambourine lightly, it makes a soft sound.  If I hit it hard, it makes a loud one."  They listen to the musical beat and dance along with it.  They make up new words or add choruses to familiar songs.  They ask you to sing with them or, in some cases, ask you to let them perform a solo.

As children explorer and enjoy music, they can develop skills in other learning areas at the same time.  Teachers and families can relate music to subjects as diverse as math, literacy, and social studies.

Play with music and connect it to learning
Play music made for children.  Many musicians write or sing about topics of interest to preschoolers.  Their lyrics and melodies are catchy and easy to learn.  The children's room at most libraries offers CDs.  You can download free songs from Web sites (for example, freekidsmusic.com) and purchase CDs at the dollar store or from remainder bins at music and book stores.
Develop literacy skills through rhymes.  When children listen to, repeat, and create rhymes, they learn to match the sounds of language.  And what could better inspire rhyming than playful children's songs?  As you listen together, repeat the rhyming words and encourage your child to do the same.  Take turns making up your own rhyming verses.
Sample music from around the world.  Play classical, salsa, jazz, and folk.  Chat about the music you like: "I really like the jazz - it helps me relax."  Ask questions:  "I hear horns.  What instruments do you hear?"
Listen for details.  Ask your child to focus on the sounds of different instruments, the rhythm of the music, and the words of new songs.  This will help your child learn to be a good listener in school.
Make and play instruments.  To make a simple shaker, put dried beans between two paper plates, then staple the plates together.  Find rhythm sticks outdoors.  Use pan lids as cymbals, and march around the house.  Try a slow march first, then a faster one.
Expand vocabulary  As you listen to music together, introduce and talk about new words like rhythm and note.  Listen for new words in song lyrics and talk about what they mean.
Recognize and repeat patterns.  Children can develop their math skills while listening to music.  Take turns copying patterns in your favorite music and then create your own.  Start with five or fewer beats before moving on to longer patterns.

A request:  Please tell us about your family's favorite musicians or styles of music.  If possible, lend us your child's favorite symphonic or child-friendly CDs so they can share them with the class.  We will take good care of them.

Excerpted from a Message in a Backpack, from Teaching Young Children magazine, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

A message from AppleTree Christian Learning Centers.
This is the third installment of 4 posts regarding the themes of the Month of the Young Child.

Preschoolers can meet and exceed expected development in social and emotional, cognitive, language and literacy, and physical milestones through constructive pretend play.  Pretend play can help children overcome fears, learn about problem-solving skills, be introduced to vocabulary, and master small motor skills - all while helping children meet learning standards.

How Children Learn "Real Life" Through Play
Role play.  Children learn how to imitate different characters or roles through role play.  This can include what a doctor does during a routine check-up, how a firefighter tames flames, and how to be a mommy or daddy.  Depending on the character they are playing, they can learn how to portray certain character traits and personalities.
Battling fears.  Giving children the opportunity to portray someone that they are afraid of (such as a doctor or dentist) can give them the opportunity to replace he fear that they feel with a sense of control.
Cooperation.  Children that pretend play in a situation with multiple characters can  learn about cooperating, compromising, sharing, and communicating as they work together.
Math and science.  Portraying a bank teller or grocery store cashier can give children the opportunity to learn about the purpose of money, what happens during a transaction, and concepts related to adding and subtracting.
Thinking skills and imagination.  In pretend play, children are using their memories or imagination to either reenact a situation they have already experienced or learned about (memory) or using experience and concepts they have learned to create a new situation (imagination).
Vocabulary development.  Stethoscope, grocery scanner, cash register, and blueprints are jut a few of the vocabulary words that children may learn and use while playing as a doctor, grocery store clerk, cashier, or construction worker.
Early writing skills.  Receptionists may take down messages, waiters and waitresses take down orders, and patients may sign-in at a doctor or dentist office.  These are all opportunities for your emerging write to practice their skills during pretend play.
Small motor development.  Washing dishes, putting on shoes, using an arm-cuff to take blood pressure, dialing a phone, and writing are all ways children can build small motor skills by portraying a certain job or character.

excerpted from Teaching Young Children, Vol. 1, No. 1, published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), November 2007.

A message from AppleTree Christian Learning Centers.
This is the second installment of 4 posts regarding the themes of the Month of the Young Child.

Preschoolers need to understand what a stranger is and how they should respond should someone they don't know approach them.  Parents can prepare their child to be able to handle themselves in a situation by role playing.

Teaching "stranger danger" will help your child practice safety if he or she is ever approached by a stranger.  Child safety involves more than telling your preschooler "Don't talk to strangers."  You should also role play the rules for staying safe.

Books About Strangers
You can also read books about the subject of stranger danger to your preschooler.  Illustrations in the books will reinforce the book's message, so be sure to share the pictures and check for understanding.
- Stranger Danger: The Reluctantly Written but Absolutely Necessary Book for Today's Boys and Girls - Patricia Stirnkorb, Journey Stone Creations, 2005, 32 pages hardcover
- The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers - Stan & Jan Berenstain, Random House Books for Young Readers, 1985, 32 pages paperback

Talk to Your Preschooler about Strangers
What is a stranger?  A stranger is someone you do not know.  A stranger can be someone that tries to be nice to you, but you still don't know who they are.
Should I go with a stranger?  No.  You should never go with a stranger.  Besides strangers, you should never go with anyone, even if you know them (neighbor, cousin, friend, or relative) unless your parent or caregiver has said it's okay to go.
What if the stranger has a dog or cat?  No.
What if the stranger needs help?  No.  A stranger should ask an adult for help (not a child that doesn't know them).
What if you think you know the person but you're not sure?  If you're not sure, the person is still a stranger.

The 9 Simple Rules
1. Grownups who need help should ask another grownup (not a child).
2. You may talk to another person if I am with you and tell you it is okay.  Otherwise, don't tell someone you don't know your name or where you live.
3. Stay while I can see you in public, especially in a park or a big store.
4. If we get separated in a store, ask a store clerk for help.  Police officers or security guards can also help.
5. Do not leave with someone you don't know.
6. If a stranger gets too close, back away or run for assistance.  You can yell "I don't know you" so others know you don't know them.
7. Do not take anything from a stranger, especially candy, an animal, money, or a ride in a vehicle.
8. If you feel scared, leave the area and find someone who will help you.
9. Know how and when to call 9-1-1.  Trust the person who answers and answer the questions they ask.  They will help you.

Information from Teaching Children about Stranger Danger, published by Healthy-Start.com, and Tips for Teaching Preschool Stranger Danger, written by LuAnn Schindler (Life123.com/parenting).


This is the first installment of 4 posts regarding the themes of the Month of the Young Child.

Celebrate young children and families!

Celebrate with AppleTree in April as we honor young children and families.  Each April in Michigan is recognizes as the Month of the Young Child.  We look forward to this month each year and to the different ways that we can advocate and campaign for young children.  This year our focus weeks are as follows:

Week 1 Keep Kids Safe: Stranger Danger
Week 2 Play: Where Learning Begins
Week 3 Music at Home: Connect it to Learning
Week 4 Families: Strengthening the Bond

Look for a different flyer each week that has fun and exciting ideas and information to help you support each of our focus topics at home.  These will be available at the front desk.

The purple ribbon campaign is also a part of the Month of the Young Child and we will have purple ribbons available for parents and visitors.  We ask that you place one on your lapel, bag, purse, or other area to show your support.

AppleTree Christian Learning Center promotes early childhood literacy and emergent readers.

At AppleTree, we love to help you create a life-long reader in your child.  Most children that attend AppleTree are pre-reading or emergent readers.  Children start to understand the basic concepts of reading and print before attending Kindergarten.

Important steps that children master at AppleTree include being able to recognize both upper- and lowercase letters as well as what sounds the letters make.

Sight words (high frequency words) and rhyming can be found in books designed for emergent readers.  These books also include pictures that support the text, patterns and repetition, and concepts that young children are familiar with.

Some ideas for you to help your emergent reader:
- Consider making a word bank with high frequency words (I, the, me) written on index cards and post them in your child's room or on the fridge.
- Have patience with reading the same bedtime book over and over again.  This gives your child the feeling of being a "reader."  Although this can originally be due to memorizing the text, eventually the memorizing builds into an understanding of print.
- Print letters onto index cards and cut them out.  Write a complete word on an index card and have your child complete the "puzzle" to spell the word with the letter pieces.  You can even place magnets on the backs so that your child can do this on a fridge or a small cookie sheet while riding in the car.
- Use the letter pieces from the above activity and make a few more to create a game for your child to match the upper- and lowercase versions of the letters together.
- Read every day with your child.  Let your child see you reading for enjoyment as often as possible.  This modeling is imperative to show your child that reading is important to you and should be to them as well.

Happy Birthday to you, Dr. Seuss! 


Today is March 2 and would have been his 108th birthday! 

Most of our centers are doing something a little special to celebrate this day - including having the children make their very own Cat in the Hat hats and taking the kids on a parade through the center. 

We wanted to share in the fun of celebrating, too, so throughout the rest of the month, we will be featuring Dr. Seuss books as our Book Recommendations.

It's a very special month because it's National Reading Month.  We will be sharing some items throughout the month on the website, on the Facebook pages, and at the centers regarding early literacy and emerging readers to celebrate throughout the month. 

Be on the lookout for the first Dr. Seuss book on the Book Recommendations page on Monday, March 5!

Picture is from drseuss.org

One aspect of children's wellness that is often overlooked is oral health care.  In February we will celebrate National Children's Dental Health Month at AppleTree.

Developing good habits at an early age and schedule regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.  Here are some quick tips for a good start to proper oral care:

* Brush your teeth at least twice a day with an ADA-accepted flouride toothpaste.
* Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if bristles are frayed.
* Always start brushing with the rear teeth - the ones your child bites with, which have crevices that can trap food particles.  Also, make sure that they understand that the inside surface of the teeth is just as important as the outside ones.
* Don't forget to tell them to brush right from the gum line - healthy gums are just as important as healthy teeth.
* Help children with flossing until they are about 10 or 11 - and even then supervision will be necessary to help ensure proper technique.
* If they don't like brushing, try cleaning your teeth at the same time - doing things together will get them inspired.
* The first trip to the dentist should happen as soon as that first tooth appears or by the first birthday.  Your child's dentist visits (around 6 months) should really just be to make sure everything is growing and developing the way it should.

The two minutes your children spend brushing each morning and night represents some of the most important preventative care you can give them.  For more information on children's dental health, visit the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's website at www.aapd.org.  For information on dental insurance assistance and other health care program assistance eligibility, visit www.michigan.gov.

Keeping kids healthy is a full-time job!  One aspect of children's wellness that is often overlooked is oral health care.  In February at AppleTree we will celebrate National Children's Dental Health Month.  You may even see a special guest visit our preschool classrooms to talk with the children about good oral health care and about visiting the dentist, as we often invite local dentists and/or hygienists to our program.  Our teachers will also be talking with the children about proper brushing, flossing, and practicing good overall oral health habits.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children seeing a dentist by no later than their first birthday.  For more information on children's dental health, visit the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's website at www.aapd.org.  For information on dental insurance assistance and other health care program assistance eligibility, visit www.michigan.gov.

Available in February at AppleTree locations are Family Awareness Campaign to Teach (F.A.C.T.) cards about National Children's Dental Health Month as well as a dental-themed coloring page featuring one of our AppleTree Woodland Friends.

AppleTree's unique character education program.

Most parents find it challenging to raise children whom are not only honest, responsible, and friendly, but who also know how to exercise self-control and patience.  These are difficult but necessary values to instill in children.

At AppleTree, we hope to help by modeling and encouraging the development of these values in children.  We have designed a fun and rewarding character education program, C.O.R.E., which utilizes our special AppleTree Woodland Friends.  The goal of our character education program is to prepare children to become morally responsible, self-disciplined citizens.  Problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution are important parts of developing moral character.  These skills are crucial in children's early school years, when making friends and learning go hand in hand!  C.O.R.E. has the specific goal of teaching children about appropriate and responsible:






When preschool children are encouraged to model positive character traits they excel even greater upon reaching kindergarten.  These traits are the foundation on which all students need to begin in order to be socially-responsible citizens.  We have developed our character education program so that it will not only enhance our students' learning by pairing each character with a core subject area, but also to help them to develop social skills that will carry over into their adult years.

Meet three of our C.O.R.E. characters below:


Visit our C.O.R.E. Character Education page for more information.

Michigan's TQRIS

On September 26, 2011 the State of Michigan announced a new Tiered Quality Rating Improvement System (TQRIS) for all regulated centers and providers in Michigan.  The rating system began in October 2011 and will place providers into levels based upon their completion of certain steps and programs.  There are five tiers, with a level five rating being the highest.

"We are excited to participate in this program and we are pleased that Michigan is taking steps to ensure the quality of the care and early education that the children in this state receive," said Shelly Odell, Director of Operations for AppleTree Christian Learning Centers, Inc.  "We are certain that all AppleTree locations will be tier five rated program and look forward to adding more value to our already exemplary programming."

At AppleTree, the correlation between a quality preschool experience and continued school success is appreciated; the program is designed to help children make a smooth transition from preschool to Kindergarten.  AppleTree offers a quality early education option for working parents.

AppleTree Program Components

2011 Golden Apple Awards

AppleTree's Quality Assurance Program & 2011 Golden Apple Winners!

The quality of care and education that we provide each child is AppleTree Christian Learning Center's first and foremost concern.  Our state child care licensing agency oversees state requirements for child care centers, however, AppleTree centers have additional requirements to fulfill.

In order to ensure our standards are being met, AppleTree has developed a quality assurance program.  This program ensures our standards are being met in regards to policy, conduct, safety, sanitation, curriculum, and educational practice and programs.  An AppleTree Christian Learning Center quality assurance representative makes quarterly visits (January, April, July, and October) to each AppleTree location in order to ensure that all locations are meeting or exceeding standards.  If the average score for the four quarters is a 92% or better, the center is awarded with a Golden Apple Award in January.  This prestigious award is also recognized on the AppleTree website.

This is a great accomplishment and we are pleased to announce that the winners of this award for 2011 are:

East Lansing Grandville Kentwood Rockford Walker

Beginning in January 2012, the Quality Assurance Assessment will include many of the items of the new Michigan Tiered Quality Rating Improvement System's Program Assessment.  (Look for more information on this new rating system on this blog next week!)  This will help us align our program with those expectations and continue to monitor our quality of our programs even more closely.

We began the Quality Assurance Program/Golden Apple Award in 2008.  Every year since then we have raised the bar and this year will not be an exception.  We believe in this program and know it is one of the reasons for AppleTree's success in serving the needs of the families in our communities.

Congratulations to our 2011 Golden Apple winners!

LL

Welcome to our new website! 

We are so excited about the new things that our website has to offer - new pages, new information, new pictures, and, mostly importantly, new resources for parents!

This is our brand new AppleTree Articles area.  Here you will find articles about parenting and child-related topics that are available in the Parent Press (AppleTree Christian Learning Centers, Inc.'s quarterly newsletter), on our Family Awareness Campaign to Teach (F.A.C.T.) cards (available from the front desk at all of our locations), or from AppleTree's Corporate office. 

The information we post here will be targeted to the age groups that we provide care and education for at AppleTree (6 weeks old to 12 years old) and may be about health, making friends, education, or other important child-related topics.

We hope you can find the information and/or advice useful.  You may find other helpful information in our For Parents area.

Sincerely,

AppleTree Christian Learning Centers
www.appletreekids.cc
www.facebook.com/AppleTreeKids

LL

We want to provide you with some simple reminders for safe bath time fun!

 

Take advantage of National Bath Safety Month this year by evaluating your bathroom and making sure that you have taken as many safety precautions as possible.  Taking proactive steps to ensure bath safety will help ensure a safer, healthier environment for you and those you love.

 

1. Hot Water - Set the hot water temperature lower than 115 degrees Fahrenheit if there are babies, toddlers, or children in the house.  Always test the water before putting a child into the tub. 

2. Cleaning Supplies - Keep all cleaning supplies out of reach of children or in locked cabinets.

3. Slippery Surfaces - Plan non-skid mats, strips, or carpet on bathroom surfaces that could get wet and cause slips and falls.

4. Water - Never leave young children in the bath or shower unattended.  If you must leave the room, wrap them in a towel and take them with you, even if it's just for a minute.  A baby bath seat is never a substitution for adult supervision.  Never leave children around any container of water.

5. Toilets - Toilet seat locks can be purchases for a minimal fee and will help ensure that your child doesn't accidentally flush your cell phone, or worse, fall head first into the water.

6. Poison - In the event of possible poisoning, know what to do.  Obtain "phone stickers" with the Poison Control hotline phone number.

 

It only takes a few seconds for someone to become injured or drown in a bathroom-related accident.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports, on average, 370 people of all ages suffer bathtub- or shower-related injuries each day in the United States.  Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional deaths of children aged 4 years and younger.

 

Please remember to take proactive steps and advantage of National Bath Safety Month to protect yourself and your family.