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Keeping Kids Safe: An age-appropriate guide

Children continually pick up new abilities and knowledge during the first five years of life. They can be kept safe from harm by caregivers who are aware of their abilities and how they may hurt themselves.

Keep reading for safety tips based on your child's development.

Mobile Infants

Mobile infants are able to move about and investigate their surroundings more freely as they learn to stand, crawl, cruise, and walk. They start to learn how to reach for things and will suddenly try to climb on, grab, or chew things that used to be out of their reach.

Infants who are mobile are curious and actively learn. They gain knowledge about the items in their environment through the use of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. As kids learn that objects can still exist even when they are hidden, they play to put their new understanding into practice. A mobile infant becomes increasingly interested in cupboards, toy chests, and other things that open and close. They keep an eye on where family members put things and could try to climb up on the furniture or cruise along it to acquire them, which makes supervision even more necessary.

Safety Tip No. 1: Actively supervise

When your baby is moving around, make sure you can always see and reach them.

Create safe spaces by:

Arranging furniture and household items so you can always see your baby

Identifying a safe area for your baby to explore

Making sure that only age-appropriate items are within your baby’s reach, and that all furniture is properly secured or bolted to the wall

Listen. Notice typical as well as unusual noises or silence that could signal distress.

Properly securing or bolting furniture to the wall prevents it from tipping over if infants use it to pull up to stand, cruise, or climb. Active supervision is a way to stay engaged, pay attention, and help mobile infants practice their new skills safely.

Safety Tip No. 2: Choose age-appropriate food

Babies are starting to feed themselves. Serve mashed up and soft food. Food should be prepared in little, easily chewed-and-swallowed chunks (cubes no bigger than 1/4 inch) or thin slices for your kid. Avoid foods that provide a high risk of choking, such as tiny, slippery foods, chewy or sticky dry meals, and rough foods.

Mobile infants are still developing their ability to control their tongue, chew, and swallow. Infants can transfer food from hand to mouth as they get older. Additionally, they become more adept at moving food around in their mouths, although they are still ineffective chewers.

Toddlers

The toddler years are when children build skills in all areas. They begin using their big and small muscles in new ways. They like to go fast and practice running, jumping, kicking, and throwing.  As their mobility increases, so do the safety hazards Toddlers are also learning how to play with other children, but they are not too good at sharing. They depend on trusted adults to teach them how to play with other children. Consistent routines and clear expectations help reduce the risk of challenging behaviors that may result in injuries to other children and adults.

Safety Tip No. 1: Active Supervision Strategies

Toddlers are eager to try new things. They have a hard time waiting and controlling their behavior. Caregivers should use active supervision strategies to anticipate and redirect them when necessary to make sure that their play is safe.

Here are six active supervision strategies:

Set up the environment

Position yourself

Scan and count (where the kids are)

Listen

Anticipate children's behavior

Engage and redirect

Safety Tip No. 2: Show toddlers how to use materials safely

Toddlers begin to use more equipment and materials for projects and play. They learn by watching and will copy the behavior of other children and caregivers. Offer clear rules and demonstrate how to use things.

Preschoolers

Preschoolers are more physically adept and have the courage to constantly try new things thanks to their improved motor abilities. Preschoolers' growing cognitive and language abilities help them identify and avoid risks. They question the rules and you can help them understand the possible consequences of not following the rules. Preschoolers are active learners. Talk with your child about rules and routines to help them to make safe choices. Safety Tip No. 1: Store and lock poisonous products

Preschoolers continue to explore their environment by testing out the unknown and may unwittingly try medication or spill chemicals on their skin. Keep personal belongings out of the reach of children and store poisonous chemicals in a locked cabinet. Talk to your preschooler about why unsafe materials need to be kept out of reach and locked away so they can learn why certain products are unsafe.

Safety Tip No. 2: Teach pedestrian safety techniques

Offer basic instruction in walking on sidewalks and crossing streets, including looking left and right and left again before crossing and holding an adult's hand.

Preschoolers are out more frequently on trips with their families or time at the park or playground. It can be difficult for drivers and cyclists to see them. Preschoolers need to understand pedestrian safety and learn how to follow rules in order to avoid risks that could place them in danger.

Each year, the Philippines brings awareness to keeping children safe by celebrating National Safe Kids Week in the 3rd week of June. We hope these tips will remind you to do a scan of your own homes.

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Ways to Ring in the New Year

These are activities are perfect if you have little ones! Make New Year's Eve eventful and fun for the kids and parents too.

It seems like we can just lump year 2020 and 2021 together and a bit of 2022 with that. We are all hopeful for 2023.

Your new normal may be a little different again this year. If you are looking for ways to make New Year's Eve eventful for your family, scroll down for some ideas!

Make your own countdown

Little ones don't need to wait up until midnight. You can make your own countdown by planning a simple activity every hour to count down to bedtime. Kids will enjoy things like a dance party to their favorite songs or karaoke. Arts and crafts can also keep them busy like cutting out a snowflake.

Start a memory jar

Look back at the year that has passed and recall your favorite memories. Sit down with your family and write down good things that happened, fond memories, and anything positive from 2022. Younger ones can draw their memories and you can transcribe their stories at the back of the drawing. Drop all your papers in a mason jar. You can add happy thoughts as they occur in 2023. You can also open up the jar for some good vibes when tough times come.

Create a family vision board

A vision board is a collection of photos, magazine cutouts, bold text, and inspirational quotes that helps you visualize your goals. It has shown to help you reach your goals faster than just writing or talking about them. This is a great tool for little kids as well. For younger ones, goals can be skill-related such as learning to tie their shoes or writing their names. You can also make a vision board for the whole family such as places you want to visit or something you want to save up for.

Take the party outdoors

You can enjoy the cool weather and earlier nights during this time of the year. Take your kids out for a walk to see the Christmas lights in your area. You may also have the chance to go to a park and see some stars or enjoy the cool breeze somewhere. You can cap off with some hot chocolate and marshmallows at home.

DIY a photo booth

A photo booth can give you lots of memories of your family NYE at home. Set up a backdrop and gather props such as hats, scarves, glasses, and oversized jewelry. Snap as many photos as you can!

Host an NYE party at home

Make some mocktails and cocktails, bar chow, and buy some party hats and noisemakers!

Put a slideshow together

Make movie night your very own home movie. Put a slideshow together of your favorite memories and snaps from the year that passed. Sit down with some popcorn to watch and relieve moments with your family.

Set up a balloon pop game

Fill up one balloon for each hour of the day with confetti and a small treat or a message. Blow up your balloon and stick it to a board or the wall. At the start of the hour, let your kids pop the balloon to receive the surprise inside. It's a great way to countdown!

We look forward to seeing which ideas you will try this year! Share your photos with us on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @playworks.ecc or using the hashtag #PlayWorksForUs

Wishing you all a prosperous 2023!

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Earthquake drills and easing your child's fears.

It's that time of the year when our country experiences extreme weather disturbances ~ your family may get flooded in or have to leave your house in a hurry as a response to a natural disaster or event. Here’s how to get your family prepared for an emergency.

Do earthquake and evacuation drills at home

At Playworks, we have emergency drills every other month. This helps the children to know what to do in case of an emergency. Drills help to ease their fears and worries since they get to play out what to do in a safe setting. Frequent drills also automate the reactions of our teachers and staff so they know what to do in a real emergency.

You can talk to your children and caregivers about what to do in case of an emergency - including how to respond to an earthquake and fire. They also need to know when to evacuate and where to go.

Helpful tips for drills:

Prepare your child before starting the drill by informing him or her that you are going to practice.

You can read books about responding to emergencies.

When evacuating, you can sing songs to ease your child's fears.

Preparing an emergency go bag for your child

After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Your disaster supplies kit should have food and water aside from other basic supplies that you would usually have at home. To help your child, here are some other things you can add to his or her bag:

Non-perishable food that your child would like to eat (canned tuna or chicken, peanut butter, dried fruit, granola). Make sure to avoid salty food such as chips, which would make your child thirsty.

Mess kits with a plate, cup, and utensils. Remember to pack a sippy cup or milk bottle, if your child uses one.

Water

Waterproof flashlight and extra spare batteries

Change of clothing, including socks, underwear, and/or diapers

Small blanket

Wet wipes / antibacterial wipes

Extra face masks

First aid kit

Hygiene kit (with your child's toiletries and toothbrush)

Rain coat

Emergency go bag documents: Laminated identification, pictures of kids with full names and address, how to reach you if you get separated from kids, emergency contacts, driver’s license, passport, etc.

Cash in small denominations

Quiet games (coloring books or puzzle books, deck of cards)

Child’s favorite toys or comfort item (blankie, a stuffed animal)

You can prepare the heavy items into one bag for an adult to carry and put your child's special, personal items in a smaller bag.

You can download this file by clicking on the link.

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Family Goal-Setting with Preschoolers

Goal-setting is a life skill necessary for success and happiness. It’s hard enough for adults so how can we teach children to set realistic goals that they actually follow through?

Make it fun!

Children learn best when they are playing. Joyful experiences increase happy hormones that promote learning. You can make it even more fun by including the whole family in creating shared goals. Working toward a common goal strengthens family connections and encourages cooperation.

Set family goals without it being stuffy and weird.

You can start the conversation at a fun family event, such as after dinner on New Year’s Eve or before dessert on a Friday night. Decide with your spouse when you’ll do it and make it super casual. You can open up with conversation starters such as:

What would like to do better?

What have you always wanted to do but were afraid to try?

What do you enjoy doing more than anything else?

Let your children take the lead.

Let your children tell you what they want to do. For every idea or thought that comes up, repeat it out loud and then write it down. Don’t worry - you may not go with that idea but it will make everyone feel like they were heard and their thoughts valued.

After you have written everything down, you can circle back and decide as a group which ones to go with. This will be a good time to guide your young ones in choosing realistic goals. You can also help them make their goals more specific and doable.

Another way to get the conversation started is by highlighting something you have been wanting to do as a family. You can say, “we’ve been talking about growing a vegetable garden on our balcony, when do you think would be a good time to start it?”

Here are some ideas of family goals:

Eat more veggies

Commit to having a device-free dinner every night

Volunteer together

Spend more time together as a family, like a family date night out, game night, movie night, and so on

Start a family book club

Download the Playworks Family Goal Setting Worksheet.

When you are done, you can encourage your children to decorate it and display it somewhere your family can see it every day for motivation.

Finally, make sure to celebrate small wins so you can feel like you are making progress. This is a great way to help your family reach the finish line!

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Let's Get Ready for a New School Year

We hope these ideas will help you and your child settle into another school year!

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The Brain and Body Benefits from Outdoor Play

Family time outdoors benefits children and you! Children need to play outside for many reasons, from getting fresh air and sunshine to expressing their emotions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (2018) recommends a “prescription for play” starting at age 2 and other health agencies recommend daily, supervised outdoor time for children from birth to age 5 (Kinsner, 2019). Many of the developmental tasks that children must achieve - risk-taking, exploration, development of the small and large muscles, and the absorption of vast amounts of basic knowledge - can be most effectively learned through outdoor play.

Here are some reasons why it is important to carve out time for outdoor play and to find a place appropriate for your child to experience this.

It promotes better sleep.

Great news, tired Mamas! A study of 2- to 5-year-olds showed that children who play outdoors sleep better at night (Deziel 2017).

It provides a great opportunity to take risks.

Kids are all about testing out new and challenging things. Playing outside allows them to run faster, climb higher, jump farther - all under your watch.

It may lead to better learning outcomes once children return to other activities

The Council of School Health (2013) found in their study that after recess, children are more attentive and productive. It must even more important for children in online distance learning.

Are you wondering how to fit in outdoor play?

Do you live in a condo or hardly have any garden? Sometimes you just need to get out the door!

There’s no need for big, open spaces. The garage, your balcony, a small patio, the street in front are all good enough.

Let your child take the lead.

Older kids will come up with their own games.

Younger ones love to help - you can get them to water the plants, weed the garden, wash the garage.

You can add a short walk before dinner.

Enjoy nature all around.

Discuss what you see - the color of the leaves, the texture of the dirt.

Discovering how to learn through observation is important. Children need to touch the natural world to more fully understand it. For a child, everything is new—even the tiniest things are interesting and exciting.

Outdoor play for different ages

Tummy time for infants can be on a blanket or a mat outside

Toddlers can take their first steps on grass, a surface that would be firm enough to support their steps but soft enough for any falls

Older toddlers would delight in blowing bubbles and chasing after them

Preschoolers would enjoy making mud pies with old cooking utensils

School-age children find joy in playing tag

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the best place to interact with others during this time of COVID is outdoors because it is easier to maintain physical distance. We are all suddenly able to find pockets of outdoor spaces and enjoying it despite the tropical heat.

Let’s get playing outside.

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Friendships in a Socially Distanced World

Social relationships are essential during the early years and provide a pattern for creating friendships in later life.  According to a study by Holder and Coleman (2015), positive interactions with other children teach them to manage conflicts and solve problems.  At this stage, they are learning about the concept of give-and-take in relationships, an essential skill they will continue to use as they navigate through life.

Making and keeping friends is not just a popularity contest but is linked to positive well-being.  Paul Schwartz, a professor of psychology and child behavior expert, says that “children with ‘good’ friends have higher self-esteem, act more socially, can cope with life stresses and transitions, and are also less victimized by peers.”  These are traits children need in coping with their VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world.

There is no formula for making friends but there are some ways we can support our children to develop skills that will cultivate meaningful connections with others.  

Ways to develop friendships in online distance learning

In the setting of online distance learning, here are some things parents can do to help their children develop friendships and social connections at a time that we are socially distancing from peers:

Be a role model

As an educator, a parent, or the parent-educator that you are today, you can be a positive role model and show children the right ways to interact with others.  You can:

Model empathy for others

Show your child how to include others in play

Talk and listen to your child

Model the importance of staying connected. Tell them how you are reaching out to friends, show them how you are on your Zoom parties, or how you catch-up with neighbors over the fence or on the streets.

 Encourage friendships that are important to your child

Below the age of 7, friendships are based on physical (same age or gender) or geographical considerations (next-door neighbor).  During the next stage of development (ages 7-9) the idea of reciprocity and awareness of the other child’s feelings begins.  

Schedule time for them to be with friends outside of class.  You can set up a virtual playdate with classmates, friends, or cousins.

In our online Pre-Kindergarten class, the teachers give the children time to play.  The teachers stay on the video call with their cameras off, to allow the children to interact freely.  Our Playworks teachers have noticed that this has helped their students adjust to the online platform. It has enabled the children to foster friendships with their classmates even if they have not physically met.  It has also given them a channel to express their ideas for the other children to hear and understand.  

Host a watch party.  

Choose an age-appropriate show and invite a friend and their family to virtually enjoy the show together with your child and your family. 

Start a book club.  

You may also ask the children to read their favorite books to each other and talk about what they liked in the book they just read.

Communicate the old-fashioned way… write a letter.  

Our Kindergarten students created a shared log of their weekend activities and shared it with each other.  They passed their journal around by sending it through local couriers.

Play online games.  

Whether your child uses a gaming console or arranges a game through a Zoom call, playing games together online still allows kids to communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve.

 Enroll in our online preschool and Kindergarten classes to help your child develop social skills despite being in quarantine.   Our play-based program enables children to maintain a consistent routine, as well as strengthen socio-emotional skills and develop learning.

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Understanding How Your Child Feels Loved

Joyful children learn better and develop well.

When children feel loved, they do their best! In the book The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively, co-author Dr. Gary Chapman says that love is the foundation.  If we can fill our children’s emotional love tanks, we can ensure they will thrive, be happy, and balanced.  Joyful children learn better and develop well.

We can fill our children’s love tanks more effectively when we learn each of their unique love languages.  It is not enough to love your kids, you also need to know how to communicate that love in a way they understand. Just like adults, children express and receive love in the same five ways.  Read on to discover your child’s (and maybe even your own) love language and how to work with it. 

“Chase me!” “Let’s cuddle.”

A hug means “I love you” to most kids, but for ones who thrive on physical touch, this shouts L-O-V-E.

Is this your child?

Always in your space, squeezing in behind you on your chair

Running to climb your leg when you enter the door

Dozes off by playing with your hair or rubbing your elbow

Express your love by…

Asking your child to sit on your lap for storytime

Offer hand massages and eskimo kisses

Wrestling and playing contact sports

Roughhousing

Reach over and squeeze your child’s hand for moments when she needs extra reassurance

Common issues

Spanking is hurtful for all children but Dr. Chapman warns, “it is devastating to one whose primary love language is touch.”  In an article Gail Cornwall for Parents, she shared that studies show that dads tend to pull away physically when their daughters start to develop.  Instead, make a habit of good-morning and good-night hugs, even as kids get older.  

“Can you buy me this?”

Children who feel loved when they receive things aren’t being materialistic.

Is this your child?

Cares about how a gift is wrapped

Remembers who gave him what

Has trouble throwing out things she has been given, even if she hasn’t played with it in months.

Enjoys collecting things - from stones to a series of toys

Express your love by...

Listening to what your child is wanting… a gift can be a simple as a pencil in his favorite color to a flower you picked on your walk.

Gifts are a symbol of your love, you can have a drawer of give-away toys that don’t cost much.

Try leaving an origami creation or a little shell for your child to discover when she goes in to brush her teeth

Stickers and star charts are concrete ways of making your child feel valued.

Create a shelf for “special things” that your child comes home with.  

Make a big deal of gifts received and displaying his artwork

Common issues

Dr. Chapman says, “we have to be careful about overdoing gifts,” children need presents that are age-appropriate and helpful to them - not just things they want. Showering kids with gifts isn’t a way to cop out of parenting; it should be balanced with other love languages as well - especially if you are separated or busy with work.

“Let’s talk”

Loving words matter most to children who listen intently and speak sweetly.

Is this your child?

She offers you sweet feedback and whispers “Mommy, I love you so much.”

Beams whenever you praise him

Express your love by...

Sneaking little notes in his lunch box

Speak to your preschooler at her eye level, stare into her eyes and say “You are so important to me.  I thank God for you.”

Make your child hear you bragging about her or something she did well - research says we believe more of what we overhear than something said directly to us.

Common issues

Insults are particularly cutting to these children.  When you say you love them or praise them for being a good girl or a good boy - it shouldn’t come with any conditions.  “I love you, when…” is damaging for children who thrive on words of affirmation.

“Help me”

Children who speak the language of acts of service appreciate thoughtful gestures and feel loved when you do something for them.  

Is this your child?

He always asks you to do one part of a chore that can be done alone - does he ask you to fluff the pillow while he’s fixing the bed?

Is she always asking you to tie her shoes for her?

Are you feeling like a servant?

Express your love by...

Fancying up your child’s snack, think bento boxes and food art.

Fix a broken toy

Take time to help with homework - sitting with your child to learn a new skill and going through the lessons

Do chores together - be your child’s co-pilot even if she can do it on her own.  

Brush your daughter’s hair

Make your son a drink and bring it to him

Common Issues

It may seem tiresome but Dr. Chapman says you definitely don’t have to jump at every request.  Watch out for expectations and encourage self-reliance and allow your child to do things she can do for herself.  Acts of service can be shown by teaching your child a new skill, patiently going through each step so he can be more capable.  

“Play with me!”

These kids feel most valued when you spend time with them.

Is this your child?

Does she often ask you to watch something or look at her work?

Does your child have a big smile when you are doing something together?

He tries to get your undivided attention

She wants you to watch her while she is playing

Express your love by...

Having date nights or breakfast one-on-one

Make eye contact - take your eyes off your device and turn your body to face your child.

Run errands together with this child, one-on-one

Read or play video games together

Common Issues

Time out or isolation is a severe punishment for your child who enjoys quality time.  Sometimes just your presence and sitting side-by-side with your child is enough.  There is no need to go out of your way to fulfill your child’s love language.

Our love languages are believed to be the same for life but your child’s preference may change from stage to stage.  Dr. Chapman believes that children need to receive love in all the languages, even if they may have a preference.

While it helps build your relationship with your child to know his unique way of giving and receiving love, Dr. Chapman believes it is important to display all the love languages to your child.  Take time to pay attention and observe your child, the way he gives love is the way he wants to receive your love.  

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I am Special, I am ME! Celebrate Your Child’s Uniqueness

Every child is different, unique in their own ways.  Even identical twins don’t share the same fingerprints and you can bet that siblings will have different personalities, preferences, and temperaments.  Each one special in their individuality.

A child’s genotype (genetics) and phenotype (the result of the interaction between the environment and the individual) are what differentiates each one.  While siblings may share the same genes and identical twins may be the same genetically in the womb, each one interacts differently in the environment.   This is why no two children are alike.  

From the moment a child is born, parents interact with him or her in different ways and respond to his or her temperament, likes or dislikes, curiosity, fears, and other traits, which creates a child’s unique personality.  A child’s development is the interaction between nature (genes) and nurture (environment, schooling, parenting).

Here are some ways you can continue to get to know your child and celebrate their uniqueness.  Respecting each child as an individual will help him or her grow and develop into a happy, successful adult.

1. Discover

Observe your child up close and also from afar.  Really take time to look at what your child is doing and listen to what he is saying.  You know the milestones chart you were closely ticking off in the first 6 months? There are detailed ones of that for children even past 5 years old.  Review the chart and note what new skills your child has learned.  Use your observations to make conversation with your child and experience your child’s personality.

2. Engage is child-directed play.

Get in touch with your inner child! Play is fun! It has been shown to reduce stress, anxieties, and promotes good health,  Allow your child to choose what he wants to do, let him make the rules.  Join in and enjoy the time with your child, you are his favorite playmate.

3. Keep an eye out for mistakes and weaknesses

Individuals, even adults, are hardly ever good at everything.  Be patient with the mistakes your child makes and his limitations.  Give him time to figure things out.  Some traits may also be quite positive.  A child who cries easily may be very sensitive.  Your quiet little one may be a good observer.  

Rather than trying to make your child fit into a cut-out that you (or society) has in mind, observe your child without judgment or a pattern.  Use the strengths and interests of your child to develop his weaknesses and skills that he needs.  Does your child love to play with water? He may be a tactile learner.  Layout sand on a shallow tray to develop writing skills, bring play outdoors at an inflatable pool, at the beach, or by a puddle of water.  Bring water toys into the shower or bathtub that can help your child develop concepts in colors, shapes, and even counting.  

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Being Bilingual has Lifelong Benefits

Did you know that learning a second language slows cognitive decline in old age, it increases earning potential in adulthood, and is best started during early childhood?

Students in the Philippines are used to hearing at least 2 languages: Filipino and English, both spoken everywhere they go.  Some are exposed to more languages and possibly even dialects.  Every August, we celebrate Buwan ng Wika or Filipino Heritage month and with this, we would like to share some benefits of bilingualism.

Cognitive:

Bilingual individuals have brains that are active and flexible, especially during that switch between languages.  Research shows that people who speak more than one language have an easier time:

in understanding math concepts and solving word problems 

using logic

focusing, remembering, and making decisions

learning another language

Social-Emotional: 

Bilingual children are able to support stronger ties with their family, community, and culture; key parts of a child’s developing identity.  

Recent research has found that children raised in bilingual households have better self-control, a key indicator of school success.

Learning:

Bilingual children benefit academically in many ways.

Switching between languages develops more flexible approaches to thinking through problems.

Being able to read and think in different languages allows for higher level abstract thinking, an important skill in learning

Thinking in a second language frees people from biases and limited thinking

Lifelong benefits:

Bilingual adults...

have more job opportunities

participate in global communities

learn more about people from other cultures

What’s the most effective way to learn a second language?  

Here are a few tips:

Create a language rich environment such as putting a label on things around your child’s room or your house with both English and the second language, read aloud or sing songs in the second language, and play with words.

Keep on practising.  Regular practice is important to achieve language proficiency and fluency.  It is more effective to develop your child’s listening and reading skills first before learning to speak and write in the second language.  The Philippines’ bilingual environment provides a great opportunity to learn and practice Filipino as a second language.

Be sensitive to your child’s learning journey and empathetic to their challenges.  Provide a positive environment and encourage him in learning a new skill. 

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Tips for Navigating Online Preschool

It’s back to (online) school season and we would like to share with you some tips, ideas, and tools to help you navigate distance learning, especially for your little ones in preschool.

The environment is the 3rd teacher (you are the 1st).

There are already so many distractions in online classes, you want to create a physical space that is uncluttered, with natural lights & elements, and without a lot of colors.

Provide enough space, with minimal clutter.

Make sure your desktop has enough space to hold papers, coloring or writing materials, a gadget, and maybe even a textbook for the older ones.  Put aside unnecessary things.  

Be mindful of clutter on your child’s gadget too! 

If using a laptop or desktop computer, remind your kids to close tabs that they will not be using for class.  For those on a tablet, it would be good to close apps and move games to another screen.  It would also be a good idea to set timers on app and gadget usage. 

Open windows and allow natural light to come in.  

Otherwise, make sure to have bright lighting to keep your little one alert.  Adding plants and choosing natural materials such as wood and non-plastic woven baskets brings the outdoors in for a more soothing and aesthetically pleasing environment. 

Choosing just 1 or 2 colors would reduce visual clutter.  

Children’s spaces do not need to be in loud primary colors.  Think about what’s on display as well and choose artwork that is of the same color palette.  Keep this in mind when pinning things to a bulletin board and choosing wall decorations.

It’s equally important to set-up your mind for the day’s work.

At Playworks, we see the value of mindfulness practices on the emotional wellness of our students - even our 1-year-olds enjoy breathing exercises and meditation.  Yoga and stretching is a regular part of our online sessions that helps our students maintain their focus.

Happy moms = happy families! Carve out time for yourself and put self-care first.  It may mean waking up 30 minutes before everyone or setting an alarm for some quiet time during the day when everyone else is occupied.

Parent Hack #1: Start your day with a check-in

Do a scan of your thoughts, emotions, and body to bring awareness to yourself.  It also helps to begin the day with a check-in of feelings and attitudes for both yourself and your child.  

Parent Hack #2: Screen free time at home

Kids spend an average of 1-hour per day for online classes with some going up to 6 hours.  Prepare activities that they can choose from that don’t involve using a gadget.  Make a list ahead so you can quickly choose an activity.  Some ideas are: 

Storytelling about your family

Conversation starters and sharing about the day’s highs and lows

Look through photo albums

Play board games

Parent Hack #3: Empathy

Everyone is different - be patient and understanding of kids who tend to be overly sensitive.  

For younger ones, check in with them every hour or so to see how they are coping with their online classes.  Teach them to ask questions and call for help when they need it.  Listen to them without judgement and find solutions to their worries.  

Help your child get ready for online classes by talking about what to expect the next day and walking through their routine ahead of time so they know what to look forward to.

Easing In: Forming new habits

Communicate with your child’s teachers.  

Connect with them and share any concerns, feedback, and suggestions.  We are all new to online distance learning and your sharing will help the teachers create a program that is a better-fit for your child.  

Encourage physical activity.  

Movement helps children focus better and studies have shown that children tend to do better in subjects following PE class.  Make time for exercise and make it more fun by working out as a family.  Even simple stretching and yoga are beneficial.

It is difficult for children to stay seated for long periods of time.  If your child needs to move while classes are on-going, let him! Providing a safe place to jump or fidget spinners, slime, stress balls will help lengthen your child’s attention span.

 Tech Needs

There are so many app and learning management softwares (LMS) available to schools and families to help navigate distance learning.  Leaf through your school’s manual to know about these applications.

Most schools use Zoom for live, online sessions.  Here are some things to know and share with your child.

Muting and unmuting - teachers use this feature to help the children focus on the discussion and cut out background noise.  Some children love to talk and hate being placed on mute.  If this is your child, reach out to your child’s teacher so she can make adjustments such as giving him a few minutes before class to chat.  You can also talk to your child about turn taking and listening to others.

Zoom also has a feature to virtually raise hands and react with a clap or a thumbs up.  This helps students participate in the discussion and class activities without having to unmute.  We also teach children to use hand signals to show if they need help, if they can’t hear, or if they concur with a discussion.

The chat box is another way we connect with our students, especially those who tend to be hesitant about talking in a group.  This helps our 4- and 5-year-olds with emergent reading as well.

Another tip for Zoom is knowing how to toggle views.  Using the Speaker View is great for children who are self-conscious or overwhelmed with so many students at one time.  This view allows them to just see the person talking and the rest of the class in smaller thumbnails.  Gallery view is great during activities so children can see what the others are doing, all in one screen.  Make sure your child keeps his video on to encourage participation and minimize wandering off.

Teacher Gabby also shared these tips in an online session with Globe at Home.  You may view the recording on the Playworks Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Playworks.ecc.

[playworksph]

Setting up your Playworks classroom at home

At Playworks, we believe that our environment is the 3rd teacher (with parents as the first teachers).  In the classroom, we have noticed that subtle changes in where we place furniture immediately cuts out behavioral issues.  Well-placed materials draw the child’s attention, promotes independent play, and keeps the child engaged for longer periods of time.  You can easily recreate this at home!

Group your child’s toys and materials together.  

We call these learning centers.  We group like items together, based on how the children would use it.  It makes packing away easier because things are organized and everything has its place. Here are some ideas.

Art and Writing Area

This can be a shelf or a child-sized table that has paper, cardboard, scissors, coloring materials, paint, tape, or glue.  

Blocks Area

This can be a shelf with blocks sets such as LEGO or wooden blocks.  You can have a dollhouse or a train set too.  Add in accessories for block play such as cars, animals, and people figurines. 

Reading Area

A bookshelf can be your Reading Area with soft pillows or a beanbag.  For little ones, we use baskets to display books instead of a shelf.  

Books should be set up with their covers facing front so your child can easily see which book to read.  Curate books as well and rotate based on your child’s current interest.

Manipulatives Area

Collectibles and materials such as puzzles and playdough can be together in what we call the Math & Manipulatives Center.  Collections of bottle caps can be used for counting, colored popsicle sticks can be used for grouping, and buttons can be seriated by size.  Each material should have its own container.

Science Area

The Science area can include a fishbowl or materials for experiments and discoveries.  You can put seeds, sandpaper, a magnifying glass with things to view such as shells and pine cones, or magnets and things to attract.  

You can also add musical instruments here or have a separate shelf for this. Materials for making music including xylophones, toy piano or home-made shakers and castanets.

 Dramatic Play Area

A favorite center for the kids is the Dramatic Play Area.  At home, you can set it up with a mirror and a box of clothes! Kids usually love adult clothes - you can put out some old dresses, dad’s shoes, and maybe an office coat.  They would love to try hats, necklaces, and bags too.  Many of your kids have costume collections that you can set up on a rack for them to pick from.  

House Area

This area can also be the house corner with a kitchen set, some plates, and utensils, a table to share a meal in, and maybe some food toys for cooking.  Don’t discard the boxes from your pantry! You can add these here too.  Children love to pretend with cereal boxes, milk cans, or empty pasta cartons.

Enjoy the time to play and bond with your kids and sit back with a glass of wine while your little ones pack away on their own.  Please share you photos with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/playworks.ecc

[playworksph]

Beyond A,B,C: How to Encourage Your Preschooler to Love Learning

There’s no need for a whole roomful of books or expensive learning toys to encourage your child’s love for learning. It’s a matter of creating a habit and turning learning from a chore to a passion. 

As parents, you perhaps know by now that there are all sorts of toys and materials peddled around that are said to enhance a child’s smarts or help build your child’s love for learning. There are centers that claim to teach children how to read by age 3, there are toys that teach kids how to count when they’re toddlers. Either way, have you ever stopped and asked yourself: Why am I pressuring myself to turn my child into a genius? 

As parents, you want what’s best for your child, and what’s better than pouring your money, time and resources into all these classes and toys is building the best foundation there is for learning: learning how to love the process of learning. 

But how do you teach your child to love learning, if you don’t view learning as a positive thing? Most adults equate learning with studying, and studying for most of us means long hours, grueling tests, and stressful homework. It all starts with a change in perspective. 

Learn to love learning yourself first. 

As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” Encouraging your preschooler to love learning starts with you. Model a “can-do” attitude towards tasks, and resilience when you come across failures. It could be as simple as finishing that 5-minute home exercise routine or laughing when a dish you cooked doesn’t turn out edible and doing better next time. And the next time your child asks you a question you don’t know the answer to, find the answer together—it shows perseverance and a willingness to learn something new. 

Be curious together. 

Shrugging and saying, “I don’t know” when your preschooler asks you something ends your child’s curiosity over a subject. Rather than letting that happen, find the answer together and explain it in ways that they would understand. Children are very literal, so if it’s possible to connect it to things that they already know or are exposed to, or if there’s a way to answer it using their senses, then they would realize that there are different ways of learning. 

Focus on values. 

Some complaints of adults about the traditional school system would be that with more than half of what we learn in school aren’t applicable to the real world. While that might be true, what matters isn’t what you learned, it’s the values and good habits that were built because of being in school. 

Traits such as hard work, perseverance, creativity, honesty, and resilience are what makes a good learner. Teaching your child to stick with a task from start to finish, finding other materials to create something new, or working hard on a project, will teach your preschooler that learning is far from drudgery—it’s a life skill that they’ll be able to use forever. 

[playworksph]

Nurture or Nature? How a Child’s Home Environment Directly Affects Their Growth and Development

The home is where your child first learns what love is, who to trust, and acts as a microcosm of the outside world. The home will affect how they view the world once they’re exposed to it.

Babies are born into this world helpless and look to their caregivers, literally, to survive. Beyond being provided the basic needs—food, clothing, and shelter—a child’s home environment is rapidly absorbed by your child like a sponge. 

Most preschools understand the unbreakable link between a child’s performance and behavior in school with their home situation. Some preschools even take it to the next level and do home visits for each prospective student. Why is the situation at home so important? 

The home is more than simply a roof over a child’s head, or a place to rest. First and foremost, it’s where your child should feel accepted, wanted, and loved. It’s where they feel the most safe and secure, where they can be themselves, and have room to grow. 

In a safe and nurturing home environment, they learn that they can trust or depend on others, and they also figure out how to interact with different types of people. When children grow up in an encouraging, loving, and safe home, it shines out in the way your child will head out into the world with openness, trust, and resilience. 

No matter how you perceive your current home situation may be, there is always room for improvement. Maybe your child craves to spend more quality time with you at home, so perhaps making weekends sacred and specially devoted to them would be a good start. 

Or perhaps tensions between you and your spouse tend to escalate into verbal fights that could be overheard by your children, which is perhaps best settled in a calmer, more loving manner. 

At the end of the day, it’s best to consider what’s at the top of your list when it comes to your child’s growth and development. For example, they might be a centimeter shorter than what is expected for their age, but their emotional growth and development is far more important. 

While you’re making sure that they’re hitting all these milestones, and maybe even learning their ABCs and 123s in the process, growing up to be a kind, loving human being is much more important, and starts in the home. 

Naysayers might come up and say that children need to be exposed to the harsh realities of life, and a nurturing home environment might just churn out an overprotected, too trusting individual who doesn’t know how to be independent. 

But what’s important to note is that when a home environment is stable, safe, and loving, that same environment will also teach children on how to be resilient and adaptable—and those traits will help them live their best life possible. 

[playworksph]

Sticks and Stones: Signs You May Be Emotionally Abusing Your Child (But Don't Even Know It)

The saying goes that “there are no perfect parents, only real ones.” And while the latter is far better, sometimes parents unconsciously treat their children less than how they must be treated. Could you be emotionally abusing your child, without you even knowing it?

According to Child Welfare Information Gateway in the United States, emotional abuse, also known as psychological abuse, is “a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance.” 

What are the signs that you may be emotionally abusing your child?

Parents have the best intentions to raising their children with love, kindness and respect. But no parent is perfect 24/7—everyone has their “down days.” There could be yelling involved, a few hurtful words, or maybe you were the one acting like a child instead of the other way around. 

Whatever happened in your “down day,” it’s best to know right now if your actions are simply something that will be forgotten in an hour, or something that may have lasting effects on your child; something that they could bring well into adulthood.

You constantly blame your child for your own behavior or predicament.  

Sometimes in the heat of the moment, parents lash out on their children and say things that they often regret afterwards. Statements such as, “Look what you made me do!” “You’ve ruined my day!” “It’s your fault I did this!” are hurtful, no matter how true they feel them to be in the moment. And when a child is young or doesn’t have the capacity to fully understand what is happening, they will take your words to heart and think that your bad mood or situation is indeed their fault. 

You put down or scold your child frequently or too harshly. 

Guiding children is part of being a parent; but there is a difference between being able to help them differentiate between right and wrong, and getting angry at them for being children. Think back on times you reprimand your child—was it because of their seemingly “bad” behavior, or simply because they were kids who didn’t know any better? 

More often than not, children aren’t behaving badly; they just lack the skills to do something. Understanding that will help view any missteps of your child as an opportunity to teach and guide, not scold. 

You are hardly present with your child. 

We are currently living in a world where we are being pulled in a hundred different directions; and as a parent, you probably have more on your plate than others. But did you know that the lack of quality time spent with your child—fully, completely present, with no phone or electronics to distract you—could also be detrimental to your child’s emotional well-being? 

Children know and feel if and when you’re a 100% there with them, and they fully appreciate it when it happens. But when you’re physically there, but your mind is wandering off somewhere else, it sends the signal to your child that they’re not worth your undivided attention. 

No sane parent would want to be emotionally abusive towards their own children, and whether or not you were able to connect with some of these points, remember that the starting point of becoming a better parent is acknowledging that there is an issue to address. 

Shining the light on it is the first step, and the next one is to be a more intentional parent—be 100% there when you’re with your child, think before you act, and speak from the heart and filled with love, and you can’t go wrong.

[playworksph]

The Many Forms of Bullying and How to Recognize If Your Child Is Already a Victim

It’s not easy for any parent to find out that their child feels bullied in school. The first step towards stopping the bullying in its tracks is by defining it, and facing it head on.

First off, children and adults alike must be careful to not call every unpleasant incident as bullying. It is rare for children at the preschool age, especially those belonging to schools with low student-to-teacher ratios, to experience bullying. What is thought sometimes as bullying is really mistaken behavior, since the children are still at that age wherein they are learning how to behave with other kids, and how to self-regulate. 

One of the biggest fears of a parent when their child enters school is being bullied. You may wonder if there’s any way to avoid it from happening, from choosing schools with a strict “no bullying” policy, to being very careful over choosing your child’s friends. But unfortunately, no matter how careful parents are when it comes to who their children are exposed to, bullying can still happen. 

The term and different forms of bullying is clearly stated in Philippine Law under Republic Act 10627. It covers elementary and secondary schools and defines bullying as 

“...any severe, or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property.”

It's best to note two important words that differentiate bullying from unpleasant interactions: “severe” and “repeated” create a bullying incident. The word “severe” is a relative one though—what could be a small problem for an adult might seem like the end of the world for a child. 

You can read further about the different types of bullying – physical bullying, cyberbullying, verbal bullying, prejudicial bullying, sexual bullying, and relational aggression -- in this article written by Sherri Gordon and approved by the Wellness Board in the USA: 6 Types of Bullying Every Parent Should Know About.

How do you know if your child is being bullied in school? Here are a few telltale signs:

They avoid going to school.

If your once eager preschoolers or big school kids suddenly needs to be dragged out of bed to attend class, ask them if there’s something bothering them. It might take a while to unearth the real reason, so be patient and ask open ended questions, such as “How is so and so, I haven’t heard about her for a while now.” or “Who do you eat with during lunch?”

They’re withdrawing from interacting with others, including you.  

A change in behavior is always worth looking into, and when your once bubbly and energetic child is starting to withdraw from talking to or spending time with you, then there might be something deeper that he or she is letting on. 

Casually talk to them and ask how they’re doing, and promise that you won’t get angry or upset if they reveal what’s going on with them—sometimes they avoid opening up to adults in fear that they will be reprimanded or punished, so it’s best to set the tone for open, honest communication. 

Their output is below average. 

Kids don’t want to have failing grades, so it’s highly likely that they’re bothered by something that’s affecting their capacity to learn and perform well. Ask your child’s teachers for their observations about your child and how he or she is with their peers.

They say so.

Preschool children more often than not tell the truth, and so if your preschool child says that they’re being bullied, it’s worth asking around about it. If it turns out to be an unfortunate accident, this would be a good opportunity to teach your child what bullying is and isn’t. If it is indeed bullying, it’s also good to address and solve it as soon as you find out. 

Older kids might keep the bullying incidents inside, but they might reveal it in their stories about how their day went, so it’s good to keep the lines of communication open between you and your child, and really listen, empathize, and understand them. 

Bullying is always a stressful, delicate issue that is dealt with by all parents, but at the core of this is teaching children how to be resilient, and overcome such situations.

[playworksph]

Is My Child a Bully? (What to Do When Your Child Is the Bully)

While the first reaction is to deny it or get defensive, it’s best to delve deeper as to why someone is accusing your child of being a bully.

Finding out that your child is being called a bully by another child, parent, or a teacher may be a bitter pill to swallow. It will be hard for you to reconcile how your child, who you probably perceive as a “perfect little angel,” could ever willingly and knowingly hurt another child.

But rather than shutting it down immediately, asking your child to stay away from the accuser, or you yourself playing hide and seek with the parent who gave the bullying accusation-- remember that when there’s smoke, there’s always fire.

Meaning you need to ask yourself, what could have been the basis of such an accusation?

Kids who are of preschool age are known for (generally) telling the truth – they’re not in that age or mindset yet of trying to stay out of trouble by fibbing, so they may have nothing to gain from making stories up about your child. It’s not to say you believe the other child above yours; it will benefit everyone involved to get to the bottom of the accusation.

The term “bullying” shouldn’t be used lightly, and must be differentiated from other actions or words of children. How do you know if it’s bullying?

The Philippines has its own anti-bullying law, called the Republic Act 10627. It covers elementary and secondary schools, meaning it does indeed cover Kindergarten. Under the law:

“Bullying refers to any severe, or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property.”

The law is a good way to figure out whether or not it is bullying or something less harmful, such as playful teasing, a case of hurtful words said by someone with no filter (again, because most children won’t lie!),  not looking at where they were going so someone got hit or tripped over them in the process, or perhaps a child who doesn’t know how to self-regulate, that’s why a punch or bite happened.

All preschools must take such incidents, whether it was bullying or not, seriously, but they are approached and resolved in different ways. If by any chance, your child is indeed a bully, set him or her aside and talk to her. Ask them for their side of the story, and try to understand your child, and verbalize that you do understand the situation.

After which invite a solution – meaning, you don’t just charge in there and demand your child to say sorry. Instead, you and your child come up with a solution together.

Does your child feel the urge to say sorry?

Encourage him or her to do so.

Does your child need a way to self-regulate?

When he or she is upset, teach them to breathe deeply through the “Smell the flower, blow the candle” technique – it’s simply breathing in and out, but in a concrete way that your child will understand.

As your child grows older, you may wonder whether or not they will go back to their bullying ways. As a parent, you are there to guide, nurture and mold them – and when done with love, they will turn out to be the kind human beings that they were meant to become.