color coded eating

For a fun meal or snack, fill colored bowls with corresponding colored food.  Children can help you find and eat the matching food while you talk about colors, aspects of food, size, health, safety and so on.  Simple variety in the daily meal routine can be a beneficial addition to the time you spend and relationship with your children.

Here is a great succinct list from pbs.org about kids and food:

• Children eat at their own pace and some eat more than others do.
• Avoid tying food together with behavior either as a reward or a punishment.
• Eating should be a shared and cooperative experience with foods served family style. Meals should be a time to chat, enjoy and help each other.
• Mealtimes are opportunities for children to be independent by making choices about foods.
• Encourage children to taste everything but be careful not to force them to eat.
  ( from http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/little.html) 

games outside

In honor of the change of season, here are some classic outdoor games:

• Duck Duck Goose
• Simon Says
• Red Rover
• Races
• Charades
• Jump Rope
• Freeze
• Peek-a-boo
• Red Light, Green Light
• Hopscotch
• Mother May I
• Kick the Can
• Capture the Flag
• Follow the Leader
• Hide-and-Seek
• Leap Frog
• London Bridge
• Ring Around the Rosies
• King of the Mountain
• Tug-of-War
• Hot Potato
• Fruit Basket
• Love Your Neighbor
• Baby, If You Love Me
• Dodge Ball
• Musical Chairs
• Keep Away
• Sardines
• Four Square
• Tag (Freeze, Partner, Tunnel, TV Tag)

trees

Since 2009, Little Sapling Toys policy has been to plant a tree for every toy sold through Trees for the Future. In that time, our customers have helped us donate enough to plant over 20,000 trees in and for communities.  I would love to gush and gush about this organization, but nothing says it better than this video.  Invite your child(ren) onto your lap and enjoy.