- Page 2 of 9 -

April 25, 2019April 26, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth hands-on learning, Parent, toddlers

Tips for Potty Training

I remember being afraid of potty training once I became pregnant, even though I was a little prepared. My previous job allowed me the pleasure of working with seasoned career women who were mothers. They often reminisced about their potty training days. Through those conversations, I was prepared for pee and poop accidents at home, in public, and in the bed. It seemed that this is something most parents go through.

As a Mental Health Therapist and Social Worker, I worked intensely with a girl diagnosed with Autism, from the of ages 2-4. My job was to help her adjust socially in the classroom with other kids. I would go to her preschool and spend 4 hours observing and playing with her and other kids. I, along with her parents and teachers, also helped to potty train her.

Now that I am a mom, I have the experience of potty training my son, Cory, as well. I want to share with you what I have learned in the process. My big take away is RELAX- they will learn.

What is the normal age for potty training?

The normal age for potty training varies. My daycare provider told me the appropriate age is 2-years-old. However, did you know that in the 1940’s, the average age was 18 months?

I started introducing my son to potty training at 21 months. The book, Oh Crap Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki, says it is easiest to start between the ages of twenty and thirty months. The way I introduced my son was sitting him on the Elmo potty when I thought he would need to urinate.

What are the signs that your toddler is ready to potty train?

According to Huggies Pull-Ups, there are six signs for potty training readiness:

Pulling at a wet or dirty diaper
Hiding to pee or poop
Interest in other’s use of the potty, or copying their behavior
Awakening dry from a nap
Telling you that they are about to go, are going, or have gone in their diaper.

What is the best way to potty train?

According to BabyCenter.com, the best way to potty train is as follows…

Let your child watch and learn
Buy the right equipment
Help your child get comfortable with the potty
Motivate with cool or fashionable underwear
Set up a training schedule
Set aside naked time
Celebrate victories
Keep trying
Bring fun into the process
Ditch the Diapers

Below is how we incorporated the points above in our potty training process.

Observation

This can begin before you officially start potty training. Have you ever been out shopping or in the airport with your baby/toddler, and you need to use the public bathroom? Parents usually have their child in the bathroom stall with them and this gives the child a chance to observe you.

Once my son was around 20 months and aware of the difference between boys and girls, I would put a large towel around me while using the bathroom. This way, he was able to see me use the bathroom but not see my lady parts. In a public place, I wouldn’t have a towel so I would use my shirt, hunch over, or rest my forearms on my thighs as a cover.

Cory also observed my husband, Don, use the bathroom. Don would pick Cory up after work everyday from daycare and have him use the restroom at home. It was during these times, my son realized that girls and boys urinate differently.

Tools

Child-Size Potty

Arm yourself and child with the right equipment when potty training. We used the Elmo potty for two reasons. Three Elmo potties were given to us as gifts during our baby shower and Cory loved this Sesame Street character, Elmo. When he saw the potty, he was excited to sit on it and loved the flushing sound it made.

This potty is great because it is the perfect size for kids and it encourages them to lean forward slightly with their feet on the ground when it is time to poop. An adult size toilet can be intimating for kids because it is big and some kids are afraid they will fall in.

Please use the potty that is best for you and your child.

Insert or Adapter Seat for Toilet

You may also purchase a more portable-friendly potty seat like the Travel Portable Useable Toilets Seats. We used these but my son liked the Cozy Green Seat better. Even though it is big, I put it in my baby book bag and carried it with me in public.

The adapter seats are great to use when you are out in public. It should fit on the toilet securely and be comfortable for your child to sit on. We used the Cozy Green Seat around the house and while out in public. It is a little large but it provided the best experience for my son. I have also seen the Baby Boy Potty Training product that many parents find helpful. I have never used it because it was available after my son was potty trained.

Step Stool

Step stool is needed so your child can get on and off the adult toilet. This also assists your child when they have to wash their hands. Typically, at the beginning of potty training, they are short and their little hands will not reach the sink. Your child can also put their feet on the stool while using the adult toilet in order to stabilize themselves.

Books

Books are great to use when potty training your child. They help aid your child in understanding what other kids do while going through the process. Read books to your child while they are on the potty. You may also give them books so they can independently look at the pictures. We also read books during naps and before bed time at night and talked about what the character was doing. We compared the character’s actions to my son during the potty training process.

Examples of books are…

Examples of Cartoons are:

Fun with Potty Training

One way I made potty time fun for Cory was to pretend the toilet was a person. I know this may seem gross but it worked. When we first started potty training, Cory was introduced to Mr. Toilet. Mr. Toilet does not eat food like boys, girls, mommies and daddies. He drinks pee and eats poop. If Mr. Toilet does not drink or eat then he will be sad.

This gave my son a connection to the toilet. He was concerned when Mr. Toilet did not eat or drink but when he did, my son was excited.

Mr. Toilet may not work for you, however, come up with your own stories. Create it so your child will have a connection with the potty.

Set a Schedule

Most children do well with schedules because they know what is coming next. This logic applies to potty training as well. Before establishing my own schedule, I talked to my daycare about providing consistency for Cory. We also coordinated together when he would transition from pull-ups to underwear.

A great potty schedule to follow is have the child use the bathroom before and after breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Other times were before and after he woke up from nap and sleeping for the night. Cory has never wet the bed and this is because he uses the bathroom beforehand daily.

Semantics and Be Clear

One detail I have noticed about many toddlers is that they take what you say literally. For example, if you tell a toddler it is raining cats and dogs, and this is the first time they have heard this, they may look in the sky for cats and dogs. I made sure to tell Cory exactly what I needed him to do during potty training. Instead of telling him to “Pull your pants down,” I would ask him to “Push your pants down.”

Another example is instead of telling a child to “flush the toilet,” tell them to push the handle down on the toilet until they see the water go down. This only needs to happen as the child is learning. Once the child knows what to do, you can simply instruct them to flush the toilet.

Give Your Child Time to be Naked

Letting your child go naked or semi naked is a great way to introduce them to the potty. You don’t have to do this but I freed up a Friday and Saturday to accomplish this. During this time, it was cold outside so he didn’t go completely naked. He had on a shirt and my old socks, with the foot section cut off, on his legs to keep them warm. Another option is to use baby leg warmers to prevent their legs from getting cold.

We played with his toys and I had his Elmo potty beside us while playing. I watched for signs that he had to go to the bathroom like squeezing his legs together and then I put him on the potty. Sometimes we got to the potty in time and sometimes we didn’t. I knew I would do a lot of cleaning that day but I was prepared for it.

There was a benefit to doing this because he learned that pee and poop go in the Elmo potty. However, the only drawback is he had to go back to daycare on Monday, which caused him to lose some of his skills. He would not be able walk around naked at daycare.

I think if you are a stay-at-home mom, this method may work better for you. If not, as least you can do it once your child is home in the evening.

Patience

Patience is the most important part of potty training. Most parents should know before doing it, that there will be accidents.

Children are learning so many different skills while potty training from gross motor skills to language. It is sometimes hard for us adults to learn one thing at time let alone multiple. Because of this fact, some kids will experience regression. For three days your child may be dry, and then the next two days, they have accidents back to back. Stay calm and have a system in place.

If there was an accident at home, then we would soak his clothes in a bucket with water and detergent. If there was an accident in public, which this rarely happened, then I had disposal diaper bags, where the wet clothes would go. The next step would be to wash your child off and put on dry clothes.

Bring Extra Clothes Always

Even though I have conquered the potty training days, I still take extra clothes with me everywhere we go. You never know when there will be an accidental spill while eating at a restaurant. Bringing extra clothes is extremely important while potty training, even if your child is in Pull-ups. Being prepared helps to bring your stress level down and allows you to be calm for your child.

Don’t compare your child to other children

One of my biggest take aways is not to compare your child to other kids. Sometimes, when we find out another child is fully potty trained, it makes us as parents feel uneasy. We then transfer these feelings to our kids through anger and frustrations when they have accidents.

It makes the child feel nervous when they have an accident which is essentially a mistake. When we learn something new, we have to make mistakes because that is an indication that our brains are stretching. Once your child’s brain makes internal connections that pee and poop go in the potty, then they will be potty trained.

But it is ok to talk to other parents

I remember debating whether to send my son to daycare with underwear instead of pull-ups. I wasn’t sure so I asked my friend who was potty training her son simultaneously. It was helpful to talk to her because our sons were showing similar signs of potty readiness. From that conversation, I decided it was ok to send the underwear. It is ok to talk to other parents but don’t put extra pressure on your child if they are behind another kid. Just know that when your child shows similar signs to the children ahead of them, then you can adjust your approach.

Being around older children

My son went to a daycare where he was the youngest. He constantly observed older children going in the bathroom. He was conscious of what they were doing because he observed my husband and I use the bathroom. One day he said he is going to the bathroom like one of the older kids in the daycare.

If your child has older siblings then that is an advantage because big sisters and brothers can lead by example. If there are no older siblings, then parents leading by example will do just fine. Also reading the books mentioned in this article helps because the characters in the stories can be great role models for your child.

How boys are different and what to do

Boys usually start potty training by sitting on the toilet to urinate; however, they eventually learn to stand up. I wasn’t sure how to teach this to my son so my husband was a big help. My husband picks my son up from daycare and brings him home. Once they take off their jackets and shoes, they would go to the bathroom. I could hear my husband downstairs showing and instructing my son on what to do.

If there is no husband or close male figure available, don’t worry, I personally know plenty of moms who potty trained their boys on their own.

Teach boys how to put toilet seat down now

One aspect of potty training that most people don’t talk about is teaching boys to put the toilet seat down. My husband always puts the seat down and has encouraged me, through his interactions with my son, to teach him as well. It makes it so much easier for the women and girls in the household. Don’t forget this part, boys can do it!

Accidents in bed

Although my son never peed in the bed, I was still prepared. The first night he slept in his underwear, I put bed wetting pads on the mattress. I remember being so nervous that night waking up every two hours to check if the bed was wet. The thought of my son sleeping in wet clothes all night made me feel uneasy.

I also had spare sheets ready to put on the bed in case of a bed wetting accident. The best way to ensure your child will be dry in the morning is to have them use the bathroom just before going to bed. Also, do not let them drink anything at least 2 hours before bedtime.

My Overall Experience

Potty training was a good experience once I accepted that there would be accidents and that my child needed to take time to learn this new skill. Having a schedule and plan of action in case of any mishaps was helpful was well. My son was fully potty trained around 30 months. He did a great job going through the process and so will your children!

Happy Training!

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, Brain Power, Critical Thinking, family activity, manners

4 Games/Activities that Teach Kids Manners

Many parents are successful at teaching their children manners through modeling the behavior or reminding kids to use them. This post brings a fun, hands-on approach to teaching manners. The games/activities below can be a supplement to what you are already teaching your children at home. These are great group activities to play with young kids. I hope you find these helpful!

Let’s get started!

Please and Thank You Game

The following game will teach your child when to say Please and Thank you.

Materials Needed:

3 Stuffed Animals or 3 Action Figures
Tape
Paper
Scissors

Explain to your child that Please should be used with any request such as…
- When your child wants a drink
- They should say “May I PLEASE have a drink?”
- If the child is very young then they can say “Drink, please.”
Explain to your child that Thank you is used when they receive an item, favor, or an act of kindness.
- For example, children should use it when someone gives them a drink, a gift, or when they have visited someone’s home.
Start the activity by having your child gather their stuffed animals and action figures.
Cut 3 rectangles out of the paper.
Write the word, Doing, on one rectangle and then tape it on the front of one stuffed animal or action figure.
- The Doing toy’s job is to role play the scenarios with your child.
Write the word, Thank you, on one rectangle and then tape it on the front of one stuffed animal or action figure.
- The Thank you toy’s job is to say Thank you in the scenario if needed.
Write the word, Please, on one rectangle and then tape it on the front of one stuffed animal or action figure.
- The Please toy’s job is to say Please in the scenario if needed.
Create four scenarios where the child will have to role play and identify when to use Thank you or Please like the examples below…
- The Doing Toy just shared his snack with your child. (Answer – say Thank you)
- The Doing Toy would like a banana. What should the toy say? (Answer – May I please have a banana?) (Another option is Banana please).
- Your child spilled the Legos on the floor and the Doing Toy helped your child clean up. (Answer – say Thank you)
- The Doing toy wants to play at the playground. What should the toy say? (Answer – Can you take me to the playground, please?)
Role play the scenarios above (or scenarios you have created) one at a time with the toys and your child.
Below is an example of how the role play should be played. Let use the first scenario as an example..
- The child and Doing toy should role play the following scenario – The Doing Toy just shared his snack with your child.
- Now the child should decide if the Thank you toy or Please toy is needed.
- In this scenario, the child should get the Thank you toy to say Thank you to the Doing toy.
- If your child is confused about whether to use the Thank you toy or Please toy help them to determine the correct answer.
Repeat steps 9-10 with the scenarios given in number 8. You may also create your own scenarios.

Super V!

This activity gives kids a reminder to cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze.

Material Needed:

The child’s arm

Explain to your child that it is important to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze to prevent the spread of germs.
Germs can cause others to get sick.
The best way to stop the spread of germs is to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue.
If you don’t have time to get a tissue, then use SUPER V!!!
SUPER V is when you cough and sneeze into the inner crease of your elbow.
When do you this, your arm forms the letter V.
Pretend that you are sneezing or coughing and model to your child how to cover their mouth.
- As you model how to cover your mouth, say SUPER V like it is a superhero!
Have your child practice saying and doing the SUPER V mouth cover position.
Every time your child really coughs or sneeze, say SUPER V!
If your child is not into superheroes then create something else like the PRINCESS SHIELD to help them remember to cover their mouths.

Excuse Me Game

This game will teach your child when it is appropriate to say Excuse Me.

Materials Needed:

Something that makes a loud noise like a bell, drum, whistle, or kazoo
Child’s stuffed animals, action figures, or other toys

Explain to your child that Excuse Me should be used in the following situations…
- To get another person’s attention
- When you need to get around someone and they are in your pathway.
- When you have bumped into someone or accidentally stepped on their foot.
- During an acceptable interruption
  - For example, if mom is talking to someone and the young child needs to go to the bathroom.
- When you burp or pass gas
After explaining step 1, role play the situations with your child (using yourself and child as the actors for practice).
Next get your child’s toys.
Give your child a loud noise maker of your choice such as a bell, drum, whistle, or kazoo.
Use the child’s toys to role play each scenario in number 1 and scenarios where Excuse Me is not needed such as…
- You give your child a snack.
- Your child wants to go outside and play.
After role playing each scenario with the toys, give the child two choices in which to respond…
- If saying Excuse Me is an appropriate response to the scenario, then the child should use their noise maker and next say Excuse Me.
- Is Excuse Me is NOT the appropriate response to the scenario, then the child can say NO!
For example, you role play that one action figure burps and your child has a drum.
- The child should play the drum and then say Excuse Me.
Keep playing the game with various scenarios.

No Interruptions Game

This activity uses the concept of Shaping to teach kids to be patient while parents are talking to others in person or on the phone. Shaping is a technique many counselors use to teach kids new behaviors or skills. It allows you to build a desired behavior in children using small steps. Once the child has mastered a step, then move to the next one.

Materials:

One of the child’s stuffed animal, action figure, or other toy
Timer
Pretend or toy telephone

Explain to your child that interruption is when they talk while someone else is talking.
Interrupting is considered rude unless it is an acceptable interruption such as…
- You have to go to the bathroom
- You or someone is hurt.
Some kids interrupt their parents for attention or they think the conversation topic with the other adult is boring.
Start the No Interruptions Game by getting your child’s toy and the telephone.
Tell your child they can’t talk to you until the timer goes off.
- If this is a struggle for them, suggest ideas to keep them busy like counting, playing with a toy, or just listening.
Set the timer to 20 seconds.
Pretend you are on the phone while the timer is going.
After the times goes off, tell your child they can talk.
If your child does NOT interrupt you within the 20 second period, then next time increase the time to 30 seconds and so on.
Do this until you get to a desired time like 5 minutes.
If your child talks to you before the timer goes off, then try the activity again with the timer set to a lesser time like 10 seconds and work from there.

I hope you find these activities helpful!

Happy Learning!

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth family activity, hands-on learning, Kids

My Toddler Needs Glasses! What Do I Do?

The following is a guest post from my dear friend, Danielle Jerz. She is an attorney, wife, and a mom of two children, ages four and 1.

This post is a great guide on how to introduce our kids to new experiences in a fun and engaging way!

Does my child really need glasses?

My 3-year-old, DJ, needed glasses. He’d failed an eye test (common tests for toddlers include retinoscopy or Spot Vision Testing Camera) at his 12-month appointment, and a pediatric ophthalmologist suggested we check again 2 years later to see if his eye issues would self-correct.

By 3, DJ was playing t-ball and soccer, he did not hold books too closely, he did not frequently rub his eyes, and he enjoyed learning in preschool. He never complained of difficulty seeing or of headaches, and he passed his visual acuity eye chart test.

So, when we returned to the pediatric ophthalmologist shortly after his 3rd birthday, it came as a surprise to us that his vision issues had not, in fact, improved and that he needed glasses. His doctor told us that if he wore eyewear now, he might not need to in the future. So, we decided to give it a try.

Our Concerns

Neither my husband nor I wear glasses, so we were entirely clueless about where to start. As a parent, a million thoughts went through my head: Will he wear the glasses? What will be the consequences if he refuses? Will he be embarrassed? Would he understand why he needed glasses? Will he be teased? The last question was of real concern since most of us know how upsetting childhood taunts can be.

So, I started researching where many people start these days – GOOGLE. While there was plenty of information out there about children wearing glasses, most of what I could find was geared towards older, school-age children. But my child was a toddler or a young preschooler, with challenges and needs quite different than a child 3 or 4 times his age (a 9- or 12-year-old).

How I Got my 3-Year-Old to Wear Glasses

I explained to DJ why he needed glasses. He seemed to understand, but when I asked him if glasses were cool, he matter-of-factly replied “no.” So, I slowly started to set the stage for DJ and his new glasses. Before he was even fitted for glasses, I tried to point out every adult friend, relative, stranger, cartoon character, or person in a television commercial who was wearing glasses.

I would turn to DJ and enthusiastically say look: Aunt Angela is wearing glasses. Doesn’t she look cool? Or, look at the little boy on television with glasses. I think his glasses look so sharp. Or, (your cousin) McKenzi wears glasses, do you think they look really nice? And slowly but surely, his adamant “no’s!” became emphatic “yeah’s!” Glasses were cool!

My husband and I even ordered costume glasses to wear around the house, so they wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary. We wouldn’t announce that we were going to wear them. We would just put them on and wait to see if DJ even noticed. Surprisingly, he may have only asked about mom’s and dad’s “glasses” on one or 2 occasions.

How We Found the Glasses

Because we knew next to nothing about purchasing eyewear, we decided to find an eyeglass store that carried a large variety of toddler-sized glasses. I didn’t know this at the time, but most eyeglass stores that you may find in a mall or big box retailer don’t carry preschool size glasses. You really need to go to a specialty retailer, so we chose My Eye Doctor.

I knew I wanted something for DJ that would survive all the fun things that boisterous 3-year-old boys do, so I researched brands with light, flexible, and kid-friendly frames. I also wanted durable frames because I had a feeling DJ’s one-year old little sister might get ahold of them a time or 2, and I didn’t want her to accidently break them.

At our appointment, the sales associate showed us some of the popular children’s glasses. I told DJ that he could pick out the color, but I would pick out the frame. I figured he might not be equipped to tell what styles fit well with his slender face, prominent chin, and large brown eyes, but he could have the freedom to pick the color since he would be the one wearing them every day.

Perfect Match

DJ tried on and rejected several that I liked, but it was surprisingly easily to reach an agreement on color and shape. His Zoobug glasses came in a delightful blue – DJ’s favorite color. They have polycarbonate lenses and a scratch resistant coating and because they are a single rubber piece with no joints or parts to break, they are flexible enough to withstand all manner of contortions attempted by DJ’s little sister.

The glasses came with a detachable headband and sliding earlocks to help them stay on. He could have chosen both, one, or none of them to use. DJ uses the earlocks that fit snuggly behind his ears and prevent the glasses from slipping forward.

Informing the School

I talked to DJ’s preschool teacher, Ms. Sherry, and informed her that he would start wearing glasses. I explained that we would have him wear them only at home for 2 or 3 days and then he would wear them to school.

Ms. Sherry is a great teacher and was very receptive. She stated that she would help him keep his glasses clean and remind him to put them on if he took them off. She also liked my ideas about introducing the glasses to the class.

Time to Party

When speaking with Ms. Sherry, I’d thought, what would be a good way to “show off” DJ’s glasses and answer any questions other students might naturally have about why he was wearing them. I know! We would have a GLASSES PARTY. The day DJ started wearing his glasses, I showed up to the preschool, glasses in hand, and armed with books about glasses, cupcakes topped with a little pair of glasses (who doesn’t love cupcakes??), and a pair of glasses for everyone!

We read Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg and Philomena’s New Glasses by Brenna Maloney. To provide everyone with a fun pair of glasses, I’d simply gone to the closest dollar store and purchased enough sunglasses for each of DJ’s classmates and popped out the dark lenses. Voila! An affordable pair of glasses for every child!

Success!

Much to my delight, the party was a big hit. The children were thrilled to wear their glasses. One of DJ’s classmates, Kyser, asked me if I’d brought him a case for his glasses so he could put them away. I apologized and told him that I had not, but to ask his parents. Sure enough, that evening, Kyser asked his parents for a glasses case and not only that, he wore the glasses to school the next day and for the next several weeks.

In fact, Ms. Sherry, DJ’s teacher, reported that several of the children wore their party glasses (and still do) for several days after the party, and some even asked their parents if they could get real glasses (sorry parents!) because it was so cool.

I realized that all my worry about teasing was just that – my own. I came to realize that my concerns were for naught and at that age group (3-4), glasses were cool! They love to read books and are curious to hear stories about new and different things and what makes everyone special and unique.

Our Life Now

DJ is now 4 years old and dutifully wears his glasses daily. At preschool, he takes them off when it’s time for recess and nap but otherwise wears them without protest. In fact, not long after he started wearing them, my husband realized he’d forgotten them at home after taking DJ to preschool. DJ immediately had a bit of a fit (“I can’t SEEEE!”) until Dad explained that he would go home to get the glasses, and all was well.

Now his glasses are a part of his daily routine. He gets to school, puts his belongings away, washes his hands, and puts on his glasses. Like clockwork! We ask him about his glasses occasionally just to make sure they are still fitting and working for him. Santa even brought him a special case with his favorite superhero on it – Batman!

Try these Steps for (Almost) Painlessly Getting your Toddler or Preschooler to wear glasses:

Prepare your preschooler for wearing glasses. Explain why they need glasses. Don’t assume that they won’t understand.
Don’t share or show your concerns, fears, or insecurities with your toddler. I’ve learned from this experience that you may be worried for no reason. Even if you got glasses as an older, school-aged child, your toddler will likely have a different experience than you did.
Introduce them to fictional characters who wear glasses. There is children’s programming featuring characters wearing glasses or that have episodes about getting glasses. For example…
- One of the main characters on the show “Little Einsteins,” Leo, wears glasses.
- Arthur from the self-titled cartoon wears glasses.
- In an episode of “Sid the Science Kid” (season 1, episode 13), Sid explores his sense of vision by trying on his grandma’s glasses.
- Clark Kent (AKA Superman) wears glasses.
Read books such as:
Talk about glasses and how they can help people see more clearly and how we can appreciate other’s differences.
Research brands such as Tomato Glasses, Zoobug, and Solo Bambini for the look, affordability, and durability you think is best for your toddler/preschooler.
Allow your toddler/preschooler to be involved in the process of selecting his/her glasses.
- Does he/she have a favorite color? Toddler glasses often have multiple color options for frames, so ask if the styles you are considering come in different frame colors.
- Let them pick out a case with a favorite character on it. Their glasses are special, so they deserve a special holder.
  - We found DJ’s case on Amazon.
  - Or take the (usually plain and simple) case provided by the eyewear retailer and decorate it!
  - Allow your toddler/preschooler to color it with permanent markers or stickers to make it his/her own.
Lay some ground rules:
- At the beginning, expecting your toddler to wear his/her glasses all day right away may be an unreasonable expectation and lead to needless tantrums and a battle of wills.
- In fact, your child may become averse to wearing the glasses at all! DJ’s ophthalmologist told us that often, toddlers refuse to wear them, and parents put the glasses away and try again in a year or 2.
- Of course, that is always an option, but I think there are other ways to get them to wear their cool specs! I believe that until your toddler/preschooler is accustomed to them, you should set up reasonable expectations of where, when, and how oftenthey should wear their glasses.
- Questions to ask yourself?
  - Do you want your child to wear the glasses at home only? While at preschool or daycare? Only on the weekends? When they are permitted screen time?
- This trial period doesn’t have to last weeks or months.
- Slowly incorporate more time and encourage them to wear their glasses more often.

You May Surprised

You might be pleasantly surprised to find that your toddler/preschooler is very receptive to your slow and steady encouragement to wear their glasses more often, or they may even ask you to wear them more frequently once they see how beneficial they are! DJ wore his glasses at home only during screen time and marveled at how his favorite cartoon character, Blaze from “Blaze and the Monster Machines,” looked. He did that for 3 days and then wore them to school with no complaints!

April 4, 2019June 7, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, Financial Literacy, game, Kids, life skills

4 Simple Financial Literacy Games/Activities for Kids

April is financial literacy month. I wanted to start the month off by giving you fun and simple financial literacy activities to do with young children.

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad said when you are an adult your report card is your credit score. This is one reason why teaching kids financial literacy is so important. Once a child becomes an adult, handling money becomes inevitable. So, let’s strive to build an early foundation for our children!

Let’s get started with our activities!

Money Recognition

The value of money and how to count it is a basic skill every child should learn. The activities below will teach money recognition in a fun way.

The first step in money recognition is for kids to hold and interact with money.
Have your child put money in a piggy bank.
Another activity is for the child to sort money by pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, etc.
- Help your child learn the difference in colors and sizes.
After your child has mastered this, then teach them the monetary value of each coin by doing the following.
- Repeat step 3 by having the child sort coins, then make a COLORFUL SIGNS with the value of money.
- Create a sign for each coin and place it near each type of coin. The signs should read the following…
  - Pennies = 1¢
  - Nickels = 5¢
  - Dimes = 10¢
  - Quarters = 25¢
Review the values frequently.
Read books about the value of money such as…
- Money Math by David Adler
- Here is a list of 100 Books about Money
Watch the value of money videos on YouTube.
- The Money Song by Jack Hartmann
- Counting Coins Song for Kids by Math Songs by Numerock
Then move on to the next activity, Ice Cream Store.

Ice Cream Store

This is a great activity to reinforce the value of money. It also introduces your child to entrepreneurship.

Create ice cream by using the following suggestions.
- Make ice cream with Playdoh. An example is shown in the picture below.
- You may also put various colored balls in cups to make pretend play ice cream.
- Another option is to purchase an ice cream set like the Melissa & Doug Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter.
Create price tags and put them on the ice cream.
Get pretend play money and give to the customer.
- We used a toy cash register
Have your child play the ice cream store owner.
As the customer, start by giving your child the correct amount of money for the ice cream.
Once they become more advanced, give them more than enough money and help them determine the correct change to give you.
This is also a great activity to teach your child about kindness and customer service.

My son giving me change after my ice cream purchase.

Monopoly

Introduce your child to investing in real estate with this game. Use this game to teach your child financial literacy vocabulary such as Assets, Liabilities, and Transaction.

If you have a young child, start off with Monopoly Junior.
- There are various versions of this game. The tips below can be used with most versions.
Read the directions on how to play the game.
Play the game with your child until they start to understand the concept and do the steps below.
View the video below to learn how to teach your child the words, Assets, Liabilities, and Transactions by playing Monopoly.

Saving

This activity teaches kids how to work towards something they want or would like to purchase in the future.

Explain to your child that saving money means putting money aside.
Most kids like to save for something they want in the future.
Is there a toy your child has been begging you for?
Use this as an opportunity to teach them about saving.
You may create a project around the house that allows them to earn money.
It doesn’t have to be money, you many use a behavior chart so kids can earn awards at the end of the week.
We use the Melissa & Doug Chore Chart.
- If my son completes his chores at the end of the week, then he earns a privilege of his choice like going for a fun outing or watching television.

Financial Literacy can be taught to children in a fun way on any level.

Have fun with these activities!

March 28, 2019March 28, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, cooking, life skills, math

Fun In Teaching Young Kids Real World Math

Life Skills is something that many parents teach their children. It helps them navigate through the real world. Incorporating math in life skill lessons is important because it helps people, including children, to describe how the world works.

For example, a child knows that if he/she has one cookie and their sibling has two cookies then there is a difference. If a child has played with a toy for 5 minutes and another child played with it for 15 minutes, they can feel the discrepancy.

In the examples above, children are using mathematics on deciding how they should feel about certain situations. As adults, let’s encourage and foster their learning by building on their knowledge of using everyday math.

These activities below will show you how to do it in a fun way with your children!

Let Get started!

Everyday Math at the Grocery Store

Take your child with you to the grocery store.
Have the child pick a food item they would like to pay for.
- It could be their favorite food to eat such as apple sauce.
Give the child more than enough money to pay for the item they choose.
- Account for taxes
- If the apple sauce costs $2.00, give them $4.00.
Ensure the child gets the correct change back.
Explain to the child that food costs money.
The extra money added on to the prices is for taxes which helps pay for schools, roads, and parks.
Explain how you got the money by going to work, starting a business, etc.
Repeat this activity and incorporate more food items.
- Once your child is able, have them calculate their change.
- They can also calculate how much money is needed to pay for the item.

Everyday Math in the Kitchen

Find a recipe, such as brownies or cookies, that uses measurements such as teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups (or any measurement you use for cooking).
Have measuring spoons and cups available to represent the teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces and cups.
Have the recipe and ingredients available.
Make the baked goods with the child.
Discuss the difference between 1/2 and a full cup (use the equivalencies below to help with the explanation).
- Put a 1/2 cup of flour in 1 cup to show that it only fills up 1/2 the cup.
Explain the difference between tablespoons and teaspoons (use the equivalencies below to help with the explanation).
- Put 3 teaspoons of flour in 1 tablespoon to show that 1 tablespoon is 3 times 1 teaspoon.
Compare other measurements based on the chart below.

Equivalencies chart

1 tablespoon (tbsp.) = 3 teaspoons (tsp.) = 1/2 fluid ounce (fl.oz.) = 1/16 cup
1 cup = 8 fl.oz.
1 pint (pt.) = 2 cups = 16 fl. oz.
1 quart (qt.) = 2 pt. = 4 cups = 32 fl. oz.
1 pound (lb.) = 16 ounces (oz.)

Everyday Math While You Take a Trip

Has your child ever asked you “Are we there yet” while taking a trip? Use everyday math to answer this question.

There are two ways to do this. One way is with time.

Let’s say your family takes a trip that will last one hour (60 minutes) to get to your destination.
Just before leaving for your trip, show your child the time.
- Let’s say you are leaving at 4:00pm.
Tell your child, you will get to your destination when the 4 turns into a 5, which is 5:00pm.
Check in with your child every 10 minutes and do a countdown.
- For example, at 4:10pm tell your child you have 50 minutes to go.
- At 4:20pm tell your child you have 40 minutes to go.
- You can also do this every 15 or 20 minutes if you like.
This helps to decrease the constant asking of “Are we there yet?”
If you stop to use the restroom, explain to your child that this will add time on to the trip.

Another Way to do this is with Landmarks

Let’s say you are driving on the Interstate and you are on Exit 1 but your destination is near Exit 20.
Tell your child when you get to Exit 20, you will be at your destination.
Pinpoint every 2 or 5 exits until you reach the end of your trip.
Have your child identify the Exit Numbers.
- For example, ask your child to tell you when you have reached Exit 4 and then Exit 6.
- You have just created an important task for your child.
- They are helping you navigate and they can sense how long the trip will be.
- This is also helping with number recognition!

Everyday Math while at Home

Introduce your child to Mortgage or Rent Payment with this activity.

Explain to your child that your house or apartment costs money.
People who live in an apartment pay Rent to the owner of the building called the Landlord.
People who own their home, usually get a loan from the bank and pay the bank back with Interest.
You can skip steps 2 and 3 if you think this is too advanced for your child.
Your child is going to pay you rent at the first of each month with play money for their bedroom or any other room in your home.
If you want to get technical, calculate how much your child’s room is worth with the formula below.
- Get a percentage of your child’s room by dividing your child’s room square footage by the apartment or home’s square footage.
- For example, if your home is 1,200 square feet and your child’s bedroom is 200 square feet, then their bedroom takes up 16 percent of the home.
- Now calculate how much of the rent your child’s room represents.
- If your mortgage is $1600 a month, then your child’s rent would be $256 (which is 16% of $1600.
If you don’t want to get too technical, then come up with a simple figure, like $100, that your child can pay you each month for rent.
You can even have them earn play money daily by doing the following…
- Pay them a certain amount each day for cleaning up or following the rules.
- This money can be used to pay their rent.

I hope you and your child enjoy these simple activities!

A great resource for similar activities is The Everything Everyday Math Book: From Tipping To Taxes, All the Real-World, Everyday Math Skills You Need by Christopher Monahan

Happy Learning!

March 21, 2019March 25, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, art, hands-on learning, reading, Writing

DIY Puffy Paint for Beginning Readers and Writers

My son, like most young kids, loves to do activities that are hands-on. We have tackled a number of building activities from playing with Legos and Magnetic Tiles to Bristol Blocks.

When I realized that we had the opportunity to make our own 3-D paint, I became excited. However, my son had to sign off on the project. When he saw that we could make our own paint from scratch, he was all for it.

I like this activity because we had all the ingredients in the kitchen. Also, it was a great opportunity to practice writing and incorporate literacy in a fun way!

So let’s talk about our exciting scientific art experiment!

How to use this project to increase your child’s reading and writing skills

The project below will provide a fun and educational hands-on experience for kids. It is called the 3-D Puffy Paint Project and can encourage children to practice writing letters and numbers. This activity can be used to create stories and during pretend play. Additionally, constantly squeezing the paint out the bottle is a great hand strengthener to prepare kids for writing.

My son created a story while doing this project. The story was about a monster who played with friends. The monster started playing with one friend and then as time went on, the amount of friends grew exponentially. By the end of the story, the monster played with over 100 friends. We learned the words exponentially, introduce and exhausted, while doing this activity.

I exposed my son to new words by retelling the story. After my son told me the story, I said the following…

Me: So you are telling me that this story is about a monster who played with one friend at the playground. Then he kept meeting more and more friends as the day went on. This means his friends grew exponentially from 1 to over 100. Right?

My Son: Right

Me: As they were playing, he became very tired or exhausted. So how did he meet all those friends?

My Son: He went up to friends and said, “My name is Monster, do you want to play?”

Me: Oh, so the monster introduced himself to the new friends, and then asked them to play.

My son: “Yes, Yes, that’s right!”

Quick Tip: Use the new vocabulary as you are casually talking to your little one so they will internalize the information.

Another way to make this project literacy based is to have your child read the directions on this post while making the puffy paint. Encourage your child to sound out or say words that they know if they are beginning to read. If they can’t read yet, help them to use the pictures in this post to show how to make the paint. Your child will be reading because they are interpreting meaning. Additionally, read the instructions to them while following along with your finger so they see that words are needed in order to make the paint.

Now Let’s Make Paint that is 3-D!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Flour (30 ml)
2 Tablespoons Salt (30 ml)
2 Tablespoons Water (30 ml)
Small Bowl
Food Coloring
Squeeze Bottle
Cereal-box cardboard

Method:

Mix flour, salt, and water in the bowl.

Measuring the flour, salt, and water with a measuring spoon.

Mixing flour, salt, and water in a bowl.

Add two drops of food coloring.

Pour mixture into the squeeze bottle.
Make a few colors by following the first three steps.
Squirt lines, curves, dots, and PICTURES on the cardboard.

My son is having fun with the puffy paint.

My son is narrating and illustrating a story about a Monster playing with friends.

Make this a fun literary activity by doing the following…

Paint or draw a picture and create a story about the image.
Have the child practice writing their name.
Have the child practice writing their letters or numbers.
Make a wake up puppet and decorate it with puffy paint.
- Once the paint dries, read a story using the puppet.

Have Fun Learning and Painting!

March 14, 2019March 26, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, art, Science, Writing

Make Writing Fun for Kids with Household Ingredients

Writing letters and numbers is a skill that many parents and teachers ensure their children possess. My son wrote his first letter, A, at 21 months. He revealed it to me through abstract artwork that left me in shock.

This made me realize that the artwork he created previously such as finger painting art and scribbling, set a precedent for his writing skills.

Now he is four-years-old and his writing has improved tremendously. However, I like to find ways to make writing appealing and fun for him. One way to do this is through making our household, when possible, our writing canvas. This means writing in the tub with bath time crayons or writing on our screen door with window markers.

Today I will show you how we used household ingredients to write and create art. The project is called Pan Frescoes. Frescoes is painting with watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling.

In this project, we make our wet plaster with cornstarch and water! Instead of painting on a wall or ceiling, we will do it in a pan. You may also choose to do this outside on concrete. Just remember to rinse it with a water hose when done.

Let’s Get Started!

Materials:

Method:

Mix together the cornstarch and water with your hands in the tray.

The mixture will resemble glue or slime.

Give your child time to play with the mixture.

After your child has played with the mixture, have them flattened it out in the tray.
Let the mixture sit for 5 or 10 minutes before you begin painting on it.
While the mixture is sitting, get the plate and food coloring.
Have your child put drops of food coloring on a plate or in individual cups.

My son putting food coloring drops on a plate.

Use the paintbrushes to write letters and numbers or to create art.
Watch the video below of my son creating art.

Let’s have more fun! Here is the science behind why this works.

The cornstarch and water mixture acts more like a solid than a liquid.
The food coloring, which is a water-based pigment, is absorbed into the cornstarch mixture.
The food coloring doesn’t travel far since the cornstarch mixture is so thick.
This is why you can do artwork on the mixture.

March 7, 2019July 8, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, art, Writing

Teach your Child to Write Through Play

I am a big proponent of parents interacting and playing with their children. This is the secret of how I taught my son to write at two-years-old.

The method, In-depth learning, is what I used to teach him how to read and write.
Before I give you the details, let’s answer some basic questions first.

How do I encourage my child to write?

One good way to encourage your child to write is to make it fun and purposeful for kids. Build a writing activity around your child’s interest. For example, if your child likes cars then have them construct letters in sand or mud with their toy vehicles. You can also create a road with tape in the form of letters. Then have your child follow the path with the cars. If you have a child that likes dolls or stuffed animals, then help them do a role play as a teacher teaching their dolls how to write.

Below are 5 more ways to encourage kids to write…

Get a pen pal for your child to write to frequently.
Help the child write a story about a topic of their choice.
Have the child write with their favorite toy (explained above).
Encourage the child to write with their fingers through finger paint or making letters in sand.
Writing well wishes to family members…
- Creating and drawing Birthday, Christmas, or Get Well Cards to Family and Friends.

The book is available on Amazon! Click the image above to access the link.

Not Sure Yet? Then Complete the Form at the Bottom of this Post to Read the First Chapter and Half of the Second Chapter for Free!

How do I teach my child to write his name?

My son learned to write his name at the age of two. He first learned by seeing me write his name repeatedly during long car rides, church services, outside with sidewalk chalk and at the bottom of his art projects. He loved to trace his name with crayons after I wrote it. After seeing it done multiple times, I let him independently write the first letter of his name, then the second letter and so on.

When should a child start writing?

Children first learn to write once they have the strength to hold a crayon and scribble which is around 15 months. According to Zerotothree.org there are five stages of writing. The first stage, at 15 months – 2.5 years old, is when the child is doing random scribbling. Controlled scribbling is the second stage at 2 to 3 years old, when the child makes circles and vertical, curved, and horizontal lines. The third stage is lines and patterns, at 2.5 to 3.5 years old. Drawing pictures of objects or people is the fourth stage. In the fifth stage, children are using letters and numbers to write on their own.

My son’s brain starting processing the concept of writing around 13 months when he repeatedly observed me writing the alphabet and numbers. He was not able to physically write yet, but his brain recorded the loops, lines, and curves I made when I wrote. He wrote his first letter, A, at 21 months.

So, how did you teach your son to write at two-years- old?

There were many forms of playful methods used to teach my son to write. We still use some of the same methods and more to improve this writing skills. Below is what we did.

Play-Doh

Play-Doh is a favorite toy in our household. I used it to mold the alphabet before my son could talk. Constantly observing how letters are formed trained his brain to understand how they are MADE. Once he started talking, he would identify a letter and it was my job to make the letters. He gained a taste of leadership because he had control of what letter I wrote. Eventually, he combined the two skills and was able to identify the letter and shape them simultaneously with Play-Doh.

Form letters with various toys and objects

Play-Doh needed its own category because we used it frequently. However, we formed letters and numbers with other toys. We collected rocks and used them to shape letters and numbers in order. Legos and Magnetic Tiles were used to build the alphabet and create silly stories. The numbers we constructed using Gears were created by widgets, connectors and interlocking bases and were accessorized by the colorful gears and crank. We formed letters and numbers with poms and made them disappear by blowing on them.

My son played at a Legos table and created the numbers 1 – 10.

Writing in different settings

In order to keep my son’s attention during road trips, church services or appointments, I would write letters and familiar words like his name and favorite animals. I also drew various shapes so eventually he would connect them to the construction of letters and numbers. For example, the letter A is part triangle with a line in the middle and O is an oval.

He observed me writing with various colors on the doodle pad, outside with sidewalk chalk, on the window with window markers, on notebook paper, on craft paper taped to the wall and floor. While I was writing, he would scribble and make abstract art. Then one day, he wrote the letter A!

We were driving to an Amusement Park and my son wrote “So Fun” on his Doodle Pad because he was excited!

Observing the alphabet and letters in nature and the outside world

There are many objects in our world that have similar shapes to letters and numbers. One time we walked outside and saw three small sticks that were shaped like the letter P. The poles holding the swing set up at the playground looks like the letter A. The legs of a portable table in our home is shaped like a X. The ability to identify letters and numbers in nature gives the brain a plan of action needed to form them.

How do you teach a child to hold a pencil correctly?

My daycare provider helped me with this tremendously. She had my son write and draw with broken crayons because it encourages the correct grasp. After she told me this, I researched and found this article on why this is true. Mama OT says this naturally encourages them to “pinch” the crayon between their thumb and index finger, moving them into a more mature and skilled grasp pattern. The reason is simple — it’s hard to use a cylindrical or digital pronate grasp on a short crayon.

Broken crayons encourages children to pinch it between their thumb and index finger. As a result, he now holds the writing utensil correctly.

Another method is to use the alligator trick. Tell your child to hold their dominant hand like an alligator’s mouth. Have the child open and close the alligator’s mouth like they want to eat something. Then help the child hold the pencil like their hand or alligator mouth is closed on the pencil. The last step is to have your child bend their fingers a bit to grab the pencil.

Put it all together

My son was able to write independently at two-years-old. He loves writing his own thank you notes and birthday cards to family and friends. We are still improving his writing skills through play and fun activities. We have found that opportunities to write are endless and with this fun journey we will continue to move forward.

My son writing a note to his Uncle Linsey saying “I love you.”

My son writing and drawing with window markers.

Happy Writing!

February 28, 2019February 28, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, Brain Power, read aloud, reading

Make Reading Fun for Kids with DIY Book Hook

One day while my three-year-old son played independently with toy cars, I was reading a book that contained over 400 pages. When I reached the end of a chapter, I inserted my bookmark to maintain my place.

My son saw the bookmark and asked me what it was. I told him that bookmarks tell me what section of the book I read previously. It is a timesaver because it prevents me from flipping through the book to find where I stopped reading.

He was amazed that this rectangular-shaped piece of paper could do so much. This was during the time we started reading books like Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White which is a chapter book.

Watch the Video below to Learn How to Accelerate Young Readers’ Skills with Art

We read other books in the past that needed a bookmark like 5-minute Bible Stories retold by Mary Batchelor and Penny Boshoff. This book has a compilation of Bible stories for children. For some reason, we didn’t use a bookmark after reading the book. I just flipped through the pages and tried to remember the last story we read. This was not a good use of time.

Once my son became curious about my bookmark, I decided we should make our own. I am not an artsy person and needed some help in making one that would appeal to him. The book, Easy Art Fun! Do-It-Yourself Crafts for Beginning Readers by Jill Hauser, saved the day.

This book showed us how to make a SIMPLE bookmark or book hook that looks like my son. We had a great time creating them! They are used daily after reading time. My son often tells me we should make more bookmarks.

This a great project to do with the child who won’t sit for an entire book. Try reading part of a book and save your place with their look alike book hook.

So Let’s Get Started with Creating!

How to Make the Book Hooks

Materials:

Markers
Colored Paper or Card Stock Paper
Child Safety Scissors

Method:

Help your child draw themselves on colored paper with markers.
- Draw the arms so that they are hanging low.

I gave him a face, hair, socks, and pants.

Color the drawing.
Cut out the drawing.

Cut the arms with slits

Hook your drawing to the top of a page.
Close the book and hold your place.

Have more fun with this activity by making a variety of book hooks like…

Animals
Superheros
Letters
Numbers
Cars
Dolls
Anything you want

Have fun Creating!

February 21, 2019February 26, 2019 simplyoutrageousyouth Accelerated Fun Learning, art, reading

Accelerate Young Readers’ Skills with this Art Project

Art and Literacy

I love projects that inspire kids to be creative and to use their imagination. Art is the number one activity that requires kids to think outside the box and it encourages them to be themselves.

Art is also a great way to make reading fun and appealing to young kids. Children are naturally drawn to art so why not use it to learn other subjects such as reading and literacy? Reading is about interpreting meaning. We love it when kids make something and can interpret their masterpieces to others.

Learn how my three-year-old son has the ability to read on a 3rd grade level. Go to the bottom of this post to access the First Chapter of the ebook, Teach Your Toddler to Read Through Play: A Detailed Account with over 130 Games/Activities, Tips, and Resources for FREE!

How to use this project to increase your child’s reading skills

The craft below will provide a fun and educational hands-on experience for kids. It is called The Wake-Up Puppet and can be used while reading a book, pretend play, or whatever else you can imagine. The puppet can be asleep and awake.

My son and I made two puppets and used them while we read numerous books. When it was my turn to read a page, my son’s puppet was sleeping. While my son read, he put his hand in the puppet so it was awake with open eyes.

We also used the puppet in a pretend play scenario with his PJ Masks action figures. Romeo, a villain, put my puppet to sleep with a magic potion. It was my son’s job, as Catboy (a character from PJ Masks), to get my puppet to wake up. He accomplished this by playing his toy drums loudly. We learned the words, snooze and drowsy while doing this activity.

Another way to make this project literacy based is to have your child read the directions while making the puppet. Encourage your child to sound out or say words that they know. If they can’t read yet, help them to use the pictures in this post to show how to make the puppet. Remember, your child will be reading because they are interpreting meaning. Additionally read the instructions to them while following along with your finger so they observe that words are needed in order to make the puppet.

So Let’s Get Started!

Wake-Up Puppet

Materials:

Child Safety Scissors
Colored Paper
Glue
Paper lunch bag
Markers or crayons

Method:

Cut and paste closed-eye almond shapes from colored paper.
Paste the eye shapes on the bag. (View the picture below)

Cut and paste open-eye circular shapes from colored paper.
Paste them under the bag flap.

Cut a heart-shaped or circular nose from the colored paper.
Paste it on the bag.

Cut a C-shaped mouth from the colored paper.
Paste it on the bag.
Decorate the puppet with markers and crayons.
Put your hand inside the bag.
Close your hand for closed eyes.
Open your hand for open eyes.

Remember make this a fun literacy activity by doing the following…

Hold the puppet while you are reading to your child.
Make another puppet so you and your child can hold them while reading to each other.
Do a puppet show about a story you have previously read and change the ending.
Create your own story and make puppets of various characters.
Do pretend play with the puppet.