|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Water! Water Everywhere!
What one word best sums up summer fun? Water. I bet your favorite memories as a child involved getting wet, running through sprinklers on a sweltering afternoon, water fights in the backyard, wading at the beach, playing on the slip & slide, and skipping rocks across the river. Your kids will relish the same experiences if they share them with you. The real secret to having fun with kids is to be easy going enough to enjoy their company. Be sure to appreciate the little things like their suggestions for other games, their planning other times for play and the compliments that are sure to follow! The memories will be of a parent who made the time to play with them, talk with them and laugh with them. More than anything else children want time with loving, relaxed parents, something they cannot get from a television program, video game, or anyone else in their lives. Water cools kids down but also encourages spontaneous enjoyment. Because water does make kids a little wild, parents have to be aware of safety issues as well as fun. Here are some ideas for a fun time in the water. ? Sprinkler: this is a win- win situation! The kids get cool and the lawn gets watered. ? Hose: adjust the nozzle so it shoots a thin stream of water. Have kids jump over it or limbo under it! ? Water balloons: any game played with a ball will be more fun when you substitute a water balloon but be sure and pick up the bits of balloon afterwards. They can be a danger to toddlers, wildlife or your family pet. Water Piñata Fill a large garbage bag with water, tie with a rope and hoist it over a branch of a tree. Blindfold the child, give him a stick & watch out! Water Music You can make music without expensive instruments. All you need are some glasses (eight for a complete musical scale), some water and a spoon. Fill the glasses with water ? a lot in the first glass, not quite so much in the next, a little less in the next, and so on, until in the last glass there is just a little bit of water. Now tap each glass gently with the spoon. Each one makes a different sound. Add or subtract water until each glass becomes a musical note. With a little practice and "tuning up, you can play a song. Try Happy Birthday or Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Maybe you can make up some songs of your own! Water Fights Nothing is more fun on a hot summer's day than a water fight with buckets. Choose up sides and find a "time out" space for the old grouches (they will want to join when they see how much fun you are having). Invite the neighborhood and then have a watermelon bust afterward. Floating Down the River We are blessed to live in an area with beautiful rivers and streams. The absolute joy of watching nature from an inflatable raft or inner tube while floating is an opportunity to teach your children to appreciate all the earth has to offer us. Be sure everyone is wearing life jackets and then enjoy the day and each other. It is almost impossible to worry when you are splashing in the water. Being a playful Parent means you have to incorporate fun and laughter into your day. Are you are the type who thinks a parent's job is to worry, fret and work, work, work? Trust me, your children would much rather have a happy, smiling, fun loving parent who will interact with them joyfully than any toys from the store. Enjoy the Trip Everyone tells you to enjoy your children, because they grow up so fast. It is true! But the joy of playing is that you have an opportunity to be a child again with them. So grab your bucket and I'll turn on the hose and we will meet in the back yard for a little fun in the water. It doesn't matter if the clothes get wet and the floor gets muddy, because we are busy making memories. ©2005 Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator This article was written by Judy Wright, parent educator and author. Feel free to use it in your newsletter or publication, but please give full credit to the author and mention the contact information of JudyWright@ArtichokePress.com, 406-549-9813. You will find a full listing of books, tapes, newsletters and workshops available on finding the heart of the story in the journey of life by going to www.ArtichokePress.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Public-school Teachers Know Best --- They Send Their Kids To Private Schools A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found that nationwide, public-school teachers are almost twice as likely as other parents to send their children to a private school. The study also found that more than one in five public-school teachers send their kids to private schools. Ten Tips for a Great First Day of School! Many children are jittery on the first day of school. Listed are ways to prepare your child for the big day! Moms - Get More Energy Now Let's be honest! When it comes to parenting, men expecttheir wives or partners to do the lion's share. Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use Without Appearing to be Spying Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still need to keep an eye on them. It is much better to realize that things could change, and anticipate that your teen COULD become a user. Essentially, it is not wise to make assumptions about topics such as drug use. Also, having been a high school teacher afforded me the opportunity to witness peer pressure, and how even good kids could be convinced to try drugs - just to fit in. It is important that you play a proactive role in ensuring that your teenagers and the rest of your family remains drug free. Mutants or Clones? In a single dose of children's television, I was bombarded with themes of mutants, cyborgs, evolving and the digital world. These words intimidated me at first, until I learned what the shows were talking about. I wondered how this prepares children for living in the 21st century. The answer hit me when I came across the saying, "Don't Clone...Mutate." Educational Toys And Childrens Books - A Must For Optimal Childhood Development The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the infant's crib. The baby coos as its tiny arms swing a rattle back and forth. In another room a pre-school youngster is busy assembling the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and upstairs a teen is conquering worlds on a computerized video game. What do all of these activities have in common? They are examples of children playing with educational toys. Mom, Dad and the Big Brother Software for parental control is a useful tool, if applied right. Millions of parents in the USA alone do check their kids' online behavior. In November 2004 a telephone survey made by the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that: Top 20 Items To Pack In A Diaper Bag 1. Diapers (5 -7 is a fairly safe supply) Strategies to Help Boost Your Childs Self Esteem Self esteem in an important quality for all children to have. As parents, you can help to boost your child's self esteem by following the steps below: Help Your Children to Love Reading It is so important to create an environment that promotes the love of reading. Not only is reading necessary for survival in today's world, it is educational, it sparks imagination, it is a stress reliever, provides entertainment and enjoyment, the list goes on. Parenting Your Teenager: Are Sleep Overs with the Opposite Sex OK? Q. Our 17-year-old son wants us to let his girlfriend spend the night at our house in his room. He has two beds since his older brother left for college. He says nothing will happen and lots of his friends' parents allow this. Should we try it and see how it works? Aquini Potty Training Dolls - A Great Tool For Potty Training! Corolle Paul or Emma Drink-and-Wet SET potty dolls How to Prepare for Labor Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman for the day she delivers her first baby, there are some simple suggestions that should help make this amazing experience a little bit easier. Promote Physical Fitness for Your Child If your child is to derive the benefits of physical fitness, then physical activity must be habitual and lifelong. Moving should be as routine as brushing teeth and bathing. But this is only likely to happen if:1. Physical activity is a habit of yours ? and of your family's.2. It's associated with pleasure rather than pain! Who Are Your Kids Talking To Online? Studies have shown that: A Mothers Way Dear Mom Building Your Childs Self-Esteem According to researchers, most children enter school with a good sense of self-esteem (at least as defined by psychologists) and yet leave high school with a poor sense of self-esteem. What happens in those years between starting school and finishing school? Intro to Medications for ADD ADHD The most common medications used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are stimulant medications. Anti-depressant medications, and even anti-convulsant medications, are sometimes used as well, though this is less common. Are You Too Busy for Your Kids? In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose (yes he is an expert with three kids of his own) said: Watering Your Young Child?s Mind Mary, Mary, quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells and cockle shellsAnd pretty maids all in a row.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
