Back to School: 30+ Tips to Start a Great School Year

Summer is slowly winding down. Even though with just a couple of weeks left for the summer traditions, many parents are already thinking about the transition back to the new school year.

For some, it may be a whole new and even an overwhelming experience as their first child starts kindergarten. For others, it is what they have been doing year after year every September. But for some, the day after Labour Day signifies a fresh new start. This fresh new start could be a new set of goals set both for parents and students alike. Planning to take up new challenges, promises made to oneself and others, and most of all the struggle to get back in to an affective  school routine.

Planning, prioritizing, organizing and preparing is the crucial solution to make impending daily routine adjustments easier for you child and yourself as well. Remember, as a parent, the more prepared you are and the more control of this entire schedule you have, the kids will catch on your lead, follow your example and will gradually blend in to the routine.

It is important to outline and prioritize tasks. Keep your cool, do not be too hard on yourself to “prove “to be a “Do It All” parent. Remind yourself again and again to be supportive of your kids at the beginning and throughout the school year. All this will help prepare your child to relax and transform effortlessly and successfully to the new school year.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to other experienced moms and dads and snag a few pointers and tips as well. Here are a few organization tips and routine ideas to help you stay composed and top of your game.

 

Back to School Shopping

• Before you head out to the stores with a stack full of flyers and coupons and an aim to buy everything on the list, it is always advisable to assess the needs of your kids. Schedule time with each child to go through a wardrobe inventory. Toss away any damaged and outgrown pieces of clothing. They should immediately be placed in a younger child’s closet or packed away to be donated to charitable organizations. Have the child prepare a list of the clothing items that they will need. Gym clothes, indoor and outdoor shoes.
• Now is also a good time to stress on the child to practice reusing and recycling their clothes, shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes and other stationary items that have enough use life left in them. A nice new outfit for the first day would be nice for the first day pics or even the school pictures that come later. Invest in the closet organisers that have separate days printed on each shelf. Now your child can plan a week’s worth of outfits all by themselves. Undergarments and socks can also be added to the shelf for a quick change in those busy mornings.
• Hold on till the last minute athletic sales for purchasing shoes and gym wear.
• School supply lists can be helpful as well as long and sometimes repetitive. Send your kids on a scavenger hunt around their rooms so they can check off their lists. This will help curb unnecessary purchases and your child will not end with three calculators.
• Shopping solo for school supplies maybe faster, but online shopping is another option and sometimes a better bet. They will be more excited about using the cool stuff that they picked out.

 

 

Adjusting the Sleep Cycle

This is perhaps the greatest challenge for parents and children alike as most of us tend to be more relaxed with the sleep hours during the summer break. A week before schools open, start practicing sleep times and nightly routines that look similar to school night routines. Set up an alarm so that everyone is up and about as they normally would during school days.

For the first week of school, try not to overschedule with appointments, activities and playdates in order for the kids to adjust to their routines.

 

Follow Night Routines

Establish a regular nightly routine with kids. Be firm on the time and that they follow a nightly task schedule. You can make a Task chart and hang it on their walls. The tasks can include preparing and packing their backpacks, getting the school outfit ready, changing into their sleep wear, brushing their teeth and of course the story time. This will encourage them to be prepared and set stress free for the next morning, with less running around or being clueless as to what to wear.

 

Putting Safety First

• It is very important for kids to know there home addresses and cell numbers of their parents or guardians. You may consider writing them on a piece of cardboard, laminate it and placed in their back packs but it is still advisable to help them practice remembering them by heart as well.
• If your child is walking to school with or without you, take a walk to school using the same route that you intend to use to get to school. The child will feel comfortable and familiar with their surroundings. Point out any crossings, broken paths, traffic signals on the way. Talk about safe crossing and looking all ways, left, right and back before crossing.
• If your child takes the bus, make sure that you go over the bus safety rules over and over again really important
• Even though schools are usually equipped with first aid supplies, there is no harm in packing a tiny kit with a few band aids, alcohol wipes and emergency contact numbers.

 

 

Personal Hygiene

Your kids may be able to go to the bathrooms on their own but it is necessary to keep reminding them to take extra caution while using the toilet. Highlighting the importance of washing hands after going to the washroom, when coming back from outdoor play, before and after meals or snacks is really necessary. And it all starts at home as practice makes a second habit. You will experience fewer colds and coughs, lesser trips to the doctor and a happy, healthy child and a well rested you.

 

Plan Ahead

Usually, school holiday calendars are available online before school starts. It pays a lot to have the calendar displayed in front of the entire family, so that vacations, trips and family visits can be outlined. Birthdays and special outings can be decided on. A yearly calendar with large displays for everyday of the month comes in handy at this time, as all you have planned can be recorded immediately. Remember to enter all school special holidays on the calendar so you won’t regret an event that you had been silently planning and looking forward to this year.

 

Mark special reminders in the calendar to buy teachers gifts and similar necessities in time saving you several dreaded trips to the mall. Buying gift cards in bulk at discounted prices can be used for any occasion including surprise birthday invitations that were forgotten in the back packs.

 

Paper Organization

While you are buying a good yearly calendar, remember to grab those sturdy decorative cardboard boxes. You are about to experience an avalanche of paper as soon as school opens. Assign a box to each child. Make sure all artwork, signed tests, and other keepsakes are placed in these boxes. At the end of the year you can sit with your child to choose 2-3 pieces of art work to be either displayed on the wall or that goes in the scrapbook. Another tip is to take pictures of all the projects and store them in separate folders. This is a good way to hold on to all your child’s creative works while not feeling guilty and avoiding piles and piles of paper that take up so much space. 

 

Managing the After School Chaos

The after school routine of snacks and homework and activities is probably the hardest time of the day. Here are a few pointers to make this time relaxing for everyone to ‘Unwind” after a hard day of work.

• Consider turning off your phone and computers and do not answer any calls from friends and family. Pay attention to your kids. Your family will also understand and respect your timeline.
• You can give the kids 15-20 minutes of relaxation time to decompress. Set up a timer and as soon as it goes off, the kids can start their after school tasks.
• Another way to use this time effectively is to be prepared with yummy and healthy snacks. Children can start with their food as soon as they walk in. (After washing their hands, of course).
• While the kids are snacking, you can go through each and every back pack to see if there are papers that need signing, or school trip forms that need to be filled in or birthday invitations.
• Organize a work station with all the supplies necessary to tackle homework. Have your kids go straight to homework after snack, so it it’s not hanging on everyone’s head all night. And the kids can go play as soon as it is done.
• But most of all be ready with bear hugs, snuggles and casual chit chat, not necessarily about school only. You never know what kind of a day your child has had and an immediate hug can melt away any stress and calm them down.

 

 

Meal Planning

• Packing your kids school lunches that are both healthy and satisfying while covering the essential food pyramid can be a little daunting but with a little planning and some preparation can actually turn out to be simple and fun. A healthy school lunch is comprised of three main food groups which include sufficient sources of protein, fats and carbohydrates. Morning time can be a little stressful as far as preparing a homemade lunch is concerned but with these tips and ideas, you can make maximum use of your limited time in the mornings.
• Prefer reusable lunch containers that are BPA free. Insulated food boxes are a good choice to keep lunches warm and fresh all day.
• You can sit in the family room with a paper and pencil while the entire family is there, watching TV or playing games and casually jot down lunch and snack ideas. Ask the kids to contribute ideas under lists marked for ‘Lunch’, ’Fruits’, ’Veggies’ and ‘Treats’. Kids are more likely to enjoy foods that they had thought of. It will not only cover everyone’s favorites but you can now rush to the grocery with an entire list ready without much fuss.
• Try doubling up family favorites such as pastas and baked casseroles to be packed for lunches later that week.
• Keep easy foods at hands all times like tacos, tortillas and pizza crusts that can be filled or topped up with dinner leftovers.
• Try a different breakfast each morning of the week so you are infusing variety. Example; Cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles and eggs. Batter for some types can be prepared the night before and the kids can even make their own waffles in the waffle iron.
• Leftover chicken can be shredded and portioned. Add different spices like Fajita or Tandoori and add the chicken to sandwiches and wraps.
• Make sure to add a lot of fruits and veggies for snacks. Your school lunch can comprise of a main lunch, 3 to 4 portions of fruits and veggies and a sweet treat twice or thrice a week.
• To make lunches healthier, consider using whole grain breads and tortillas for wraps.
• Pack different food groups in a portioned box and involve kids in creating their own healthier version of lunchables. They can build their own mini pizza with grain tortillas, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. Or fill their own tacos with lean ground turkey, cheese, cherry tomatoes and lettuce. They can put together a favorite parfait by adding berries and granola to Greek yogurt.
• For drinks introduce them to fruit shakes and smoothies or fruit infused water for enhanced vitamins and nutrients.
• Avoid as much as you can, flavored chips and snacks that contain high amounts of MSGs and are loaded with artificial additives. If you crave these crunchies, try swapping them with natural alternatives like veggie straws, crackers and natural popcorn.
• Though they may seem the easiest solution to beat the morning rush, pre packaged meals are often more expensive than home prepared lunches and seriously lack any kind of nutritional value.
• Sweets can be used as special treats for a good performance or a birthday but should be avoided as much as possible.
• At the beginning of the school year, prepare a bunch of handwritten notes with inspirational quotes, jokes or a special message and add to your kid’s lunch boxes. Keep a sharpie handy to draw on bananas and yogurt tubs for added whimsy and fun.

 

Use these ideas and tips and feel prepared to start the new school year on the right foot. Remind yourself repeatedly, not to get overwhelmed trying to do ALL of these things. Simply implement things that can eliminate your stress and leave you time to enjoy something that makes YOU happy.

 

7 Gifts to Score for Your Kids This Holiday Season

Well, well, if you are thinking it is going to be just like any other time, that you have rushed to the nearest toy store at the last minute and got the first fancy toy car for your tiny recipient, you might have just invited a real trouble. Holiday season qualifies as the most important celebration of the year, so you are to going to get away this easy. They are expecting that little extra effort in finding the gift from you. If you really are into gifting, this should be your personal favorite activity too. There is no right time to start looking for a gift and find the buzziest toys of the year. If, you are lucky you might already have an idea of what your kids are expecting.

It is definitely is a task to get gifts for kids especially as they are growing and their preference change as they acquire knowledge and skills. The games that you got a few months ago might not be of any use. So, it is a constant quest to look for the ideal one. Also, what fun it would be if, you mix some learning with these games? Great idea, right.

The other major worry is, what if the game keeps them engaged enough not to concentrate on other things especially, studies. Also, it is just not about keeping them engaged but, making them learn and experience new things. It is just not a box but, makes them understand, create and learn. So, you are just not getting a kit home it is a whole new thing for them. You might want to take some time, do some research before placing your bet on any of the games.

Now, you know it is a real task and requires some expert assistance right. Well, look around and you can find the games that solve both the purpose of fun and learning. These Educational & Learning Games are just what you have been looking for.

If you are still in a fix, we have something planned to give you an easy time with the gifts. Take a look at these few picks to get your hands on the popular boxes.

 

1. Daily Brain Starters: We will start from the mind. This special pick from Kids Learning Center let their creative thinking stand out. Designed to make them think in whole new ways, this thought-provoking puzzle increases the logic skills with creative thinking. The 48 pages puzzle has different stages as per the difficulty level and engages them in active learning.

2. Live Butterfly Pavilion: Is it something pretty that she is expecting? The lovely butterfly garden is the prettiest thing you could pick for her. This butterfly kit gets a whole new natural experience as she watches them grow and set them free. One of the best ways to surprise your kids, these Educational Games have been created to make them learn the process of nature. They can enjoy the growing phase from the caterpillar and they let them fly after a few days. The kit comes with a manual and vouchers for an easy and fun start.

3. Tapple Fast Word Fun: This one is a treat for the whole family. A quick fun time for the celebration day, it lets you run your mind to stay ahead of the timer. Put your brain cells on toast with this fast-paced word game that holds all the excitement.

 

4. Zoob Car Designer Set: If, they are a fan of vehicles, now, is the time they design their own. Kids Toys, Games & Learning Center has this amazing set from ZOOB Mobile collection. The total of 88 pieces includes an easy step-by-step procedure of making 17 vehicles. Kids can use their imagination to build their own cars as well. The best part is these pieces snap, click or pop together in different ways as are based on living and natural system. The creations are interactive as they move after they are designed. Look like you are all set to add it to your cart.

5. Batman Jointed Banner, Tattoo Sheet, and Bounce Balls: For that little master who is a Batman fanatic, we have got a whole new room decor plan for them. Introduce these pieces from the Kids Branded Toys range to make a theme room especially for your kid. Surprise them with lovely decorations and gift a whole new look of the room.

6. Mathological Liar: If numbers are their thing, we have got something that is just perfect for them. The educational and entertaining experience makes math mysteries solving real fun for them. The kit includes 40 math mysteries and is going to keep them engaged for fun.

 

7. Wooden Make A Cake Mixer: The cutest of them all, this cake bake set is for the one who loves to be in the kitchen. Give them an early experience of their dream profession. This set with wooden ingredient and almost real mixer and bowl is a preteen play experience they will love to own. The can have all the fun with the cake making recipe till they get their hands on the actual job. This is just adorable, isn’t it? With all those little things and minute detail, it is just so much fun. Designed for kids who are three and older, this game gives them a know-how of cracking, slicing, blending, and serving up. So, you are seeing your little chef in work mode. This game is all about creative thinking and promotes memory and number skills.

By now, you must have made your selection and are all set for getting these games home. Best gifting ideas for this year are all here and you just have to make a selection to help your kids in their growing years. Educating them could sure be fun if, you have your way through these exciting gift. With this list and all those words, we will now, leave you to shop in peace for the holiday celebration.

Imaginative Play – 5 Major Benefits on Your Child’s Growth & Development

How often do we find ourselves listening to our kids playing and making imaginative sounds like Vroom? When they’re pretending to be a race car driver or when we walk in the living room to find all the stuffed animals seated in neat rows and your child is “teaching “them the ‘A B Cs” or when they’ve set up an immaculate tea table complete with cookies and cupcakes. How fun is it to build a “fort “ under the dining room table using bedsheets or when we hear loud banging only to discover our precious little one “cooking” something in your pot and using your wooden spoon? And when they see you, they lick the spoon and end up with a Mmmm sound as they “Pretend “ to taste and love what they have just prepared.

 As adults and parents we are not unaware of the fact that our kids observe and copy what we do and then pretend to be like us and behave in a similar manner. What we do need to understand is that when kids are observing us and when they are pretending to be like us, it is playing a vital role in their growth and development then we actually understand the depth of. In fact the positive impact of pretend play or dramatic play or imaginative play is far more resounding. Pretend play or role play is an integral component in developing the foundation of social, emotional and intellectual skills. The process of pretending reflects on many developmental aspects of a child’s personality.


Social and Emotional skills
As adults, we may see our children engaged in role play as just copying and acting out a role, whereas this is far more complex. During pretend play the child is using advanced thinking strategies, communication and is working on strengthening its social skills. During pretend play the child is experimenting with social and emotional roles of life. It is normal and pretty exciting for kids to see the world from their own perspective, but as they mature and through cooperative play they begin to understand the feelings of others.

Through mutual play, children learn how to behave in a socially acceptable behaviour like taking turns, sharing responsibility and even creative problem solving. While children are experiencing the feeling of “walking in someone else’s shoes” they are grasping on concepts and then displaying skills like negotiating, considering other’s perspectives, balancing their ideas with that of others, transferring their knowledge from one situation to the other, expressing and listening to thoughts and ideas, assigning tasks and roles, developing a plan and acting on it. If you look close enough, this is actually a description of a set of skills required by anyone to successfully execute any work project.

Thinking Skills
Dramatic play sets in motion the thinking skills of children when they learn to discover their likes and dislikes, abilities and their interests. Pretend play provides a lot of opportunities for your kids to encounter a situation where problem solving is the key aspect. Scientists and researchers believe that pretend play can help cognition by predisposing kids to a playful environment that could lead to the production of unusual ideas, explore symbolism and even synthesize different kinds of information. When children are engaged in pretend play, they are learning skills as to how to interact with people and how to cope with various situation and social settings.

Imaginative play sets their cognitive and thinking abilities in motion as they master the power to read social cues. It even helps them in recognizing and critically dealing with social scenarios which are out of their comfort zone. You may have encountered kids playing doctor and administering “shots” even when they are afraid of this similar setting in reality. Through this role playing children are asking themselves feel more comfortable and prepare themselves for life events in a safer way. Often, children utilize pretend play to cope with more challenging life events, such as a family illness, parents’ divorce or loss of a loved one.


Language skills
There are times when a child is deeply occupied in an imaginative role and you hear them say things and use certain words and phrase you never thought your child knew! Children often speak words and even use expressions that are a reflection of you and other social sources that they are exposed to like television and tablets. Children can sometimes surprise us with perfect imitations of mom, dad and even teachers. Pretend play enhances the child’s understanding of the power of language. Role playing increases the capacity of children to put meaning to words which helps them re-enact a story or organize a play. This process helps the child to make a connection between spoken and written language – a skill that will later help them to read.

Kids first words are usually a connection between an object and an expression. For example a child is playing with toys and a parent asks them to “Push” a button or “Turn” a knob. These expressions will slowly formulate into imitating the sound of ‘Push’ and later will be used as an expression related to objects. We frequently hear kids say words when they are performing tasks like whenever they open a door they will say “Turn” while turning the handle or they will say “Close” when you let them shut the washing machine door or “Hot” when they touch their food, even though it may not be hot .This may seem a little odd or even funny to us adults but it is at this very moment that all the wheels in your kids head are turning simultaneously and harmonizing their cognitive, thinking and language skills to utter that one word.

Synthesizing knowledge and Skills
As we know that learning and development in children happens over a period of time. It is not done so discretely or in isolated situations or activities. Children need the opportunity to blend their knowledge and skills together. What better than pretend play to assist them in achieving this task. At times you see them playing “grocery store”. Observe how they collaborate by assigning tasks and roles.
How all things are sorted into similar food groups or other items placed in their own categories. You will see them using math skills in calculating and tabulating the “grocery bill”. They will even utilize their writing and communication skills by making signs and setting them up. And of-course the language skills are put to use as the kids pretend to be a cahier or a customer having a conversation about the groceries or even generally.

Nurturing the Imagination
As parents and caregiver, we can further encourage the learning skills and development process of our children by providing them with the material and opportunities to keep them engrossed in pretend play activities. You may consider some of these tips and ideas to keep your child more and more involved in pretend play.

a. Create a “Prop” Box
You may consider preparing a handy “Prop” box to spark your child’s fantasy world. Fill a box or crate or bin with old clothes hats, gloves and jewelry. Add other materials like plastic pots and pans and utensils. You can use stuffed animals and dolls. Also, fabric pieces, blankets, sheets that can be used as costumes or to build a ‘House”. There could be old used up phones or magazines as well. The prop boxes can be a kaleidoscope of “stuff” or they could even be themed. It’s like having a creative experience in a box. Popular themes could be a classroom, flower shop, post office, restaurant or theatre. Fill up the box and let your child’s creativity take it from there.



b. Story Telling
Use stories to unleash the thought and thinking processes of your child. Invite your child to recreate a favourite story and add their own twist to the plot. You can excite their abilities by asking questions like “What do you think the rabbit should have done?” Or “What if the swan hadn’t seen other swans like it ?” You may be surprised by the unexpected yet creative answers by your kids.

c. Provide Dolls and Puppets
Make sure that you provide your kids with ample of puppets, dolls and other figures. They can be store bought or even hand made with socks or other household materials. Through imaginative play, kids often assign thoughts and feelings to these “People” and “animals” which helps them to explore and workout their own ideas, thoughts and feelings.


 


d. Be There Make Time
But remember, that no story or doll or game can replace the quality and un-interrupted time that you spend with your kids while playing and exploring ideas. Following your child’s lead you may discover and learn more about your child and their interests and need .This not only gives the children a sense of security and fortifies your bond with them but also strengthens and intensifies their developmental and learning skills.
As children grow up, more of their time is taken up by scheduled activities. You may as a parent or caregiver, consider what they are losing while giving up on pretend play. So the next time you see your kids tying a cape around their neck pretending to be a super hero or galloping around the yard as a cowboy trying to get rid of “bad people’ allow them to explore the possibilities around the, . Don’t rush them to do homework or in cleaning their rooms. In-fact, join in! Who does not enjoy being an astronaut while wearing a bike helmet covered in aluminum foil.

Fresh 6 Games To Include In Your Kids Game Collection

Believe it or not, kids have grown smarter in this generation and they look for engagement and entertainment. Gone are the days when they were happy seeing the toy trains going around them. Now, they want to take up challenges and so, the board games, puzzles, and active play toys enter the picture. Some of these are so inviting, you would want to try your hands too. In the initial years one does not know what they would really love to play with so, we keep on stashing their room with toys. But, some of the toys are universally favorite and we definitely can get them home.

Some of these fresh games and toys are must-haves for giving your kids a good time at home.

1. Kinetic Sand 2.5 Kg: We are starting with their favorite place to be, in the sand. This game is for kids waging 3 years and up. They don’t mind getting dirty but, you do. So, we have a solution that is mess-free. This kinetic sand set lets you squeeze it or shape it into whatever and then they can poke it and watch it melt back into its original form. The simple joy is to see it flowing effortlessly like a dense fluid through your fingers. The kinetic nature allows it to stick to itself and not you, cleans up in a snap.
   
   
   
2. Water pump: The second favorite being water, they can get their hands in water. This fun game is all about immersing the pump bottom in water to the indicated level, then move the handle up and down to make the water flow. The transparent pump lets you see how it works. The game is for 18 months and up.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Cotton Canvas Jumping Sacks: Get all the fun home with these jumping sacks that offer remarkable cognitive challenges and provide outstanding physical activity combined with cardiovascular benefits. Made in heavy duty cotton canvas duct, they provide amazing strength and add durability for long-lasting use. They come with Kangaroo front pocket for games and added play value.
   
   
   
   
4. Bubble Fish Peg Puzzle: This puzzle comes with fish of different size and color that go in different directions. This is a challenge for the children as they have to understand direction as well as size and shape with this wooden puzzle.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Rock Around: This is simple yet, a fun spherical rocking toy for both indoors and outdoors. Children can spin around or sit unit and rock it from side to side. There is enough room for two small children to sit in it together. Users can nicely hold on to the rim without a fear of their hands getting jammed between the rim and the floor.
   
   
6. Riverstone: Give them a fun learning experience with these stepping stones for better coordination, balance, and fun. The game is inspired by stepping stones in a river as each side of the triangle varies in steepness and difficulty. The idea involves jumping from stone to stone without touching the floor, the position of the stones can be changed for more challenging paths as they advance.