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Tips on How to Choose a Great Summer Camp Program in Langhorne

Summer vacations are one thing most kids look forward to. School is out, which means a lot of free time for playing and other activities. To help your kids make the most of their vacation, you may want to consider an excellent childcare option for the summer months – a summer camp program. Summer camps provide campers not just enjoyment but also fond memories and valuable skills. Camps also provide opportunities for kids to reconnect with other kids and build friendships and character. Since there is an abundance of summer programs available, choosing the right one for your little one may be challenging. If you are thinking about sending your child to a summer camp, here are some helpful tips to follow to make the selection process easier and manageable.

summer camp program

Kids attending a summer camp program

Define your goals

Before picking the right summer camp, it’s important that you define the goals that you want to achieve by sending your child to a summer camp program. Identify the things you want your child to gain from the experience. Do they need to learn new skills? Do they need to develop social skills and independence? Do you want them to meet and establish connections with kids who share the same interests? Also, it is essential that you consider your kids’ interests to make sure you are sending them to a summer camp they will love.

Find the right program

Once you know what you want your kids to gain from the summer program, it’s time to look for the programs that will meet those needs. There are summer camps that have traditional activities – building tents, campfires, learning archery and so on. There are also the academic camps that are focused on skill building and academic learning even outside of school. They offer course areas that provide a perfect balance between fun and hands-on education. Academic camps are an excellent option for children who have a hard time with traditional instruction. They provide the campers the chance to focus on one specific activity that will develop a skill over the duration of the camp. There are also summer programs focused on arts, sports, adventure and a lot more. Explore the different areas of focus for each summer camp program and find the one that will serve your child’s needs best.

Consider the experience

summer camp program

Outdoor summer camp activities

When choosing a summer program, some of the things parents look into are the camp setting, facilities and location. While these things are important, make sure to look beneath the surface. Consider the experiences your child will gain from the activity. A good summer program provides opportunities for children to discover new things by trying unfamiliar activities. Consider how the program is going to contribute to your child’s future endeavors. Will it help in their personal development? Will it develop certain skills they will be able to use in their future studies or career?

Do your research

A research will help you dig up more information about summer camp programs. Do some online research and check for reviews. Or better yet, talk to your peers and other parents and ask for feedback and recommendations.  Interview those who have also sent their children to summer camps. Ask them about the experiences their kids gained from the activities, as well as the skills they have learned.

Talk to camp directors

The information you can get online may be limited, so talk to camp directors themselves. You can ask the camp directors about anything and everything about their summer programs. Create a list of important questions you want to ask and include the following:

  •         What are the goals and philosophies of your program?
  •         What unique features does your program offer?
  •         How do your counselors get the campers engaged and motivated?
  •         How are these new skills being taught and fostered?
  •         Does your program recognize and award success? How?
  •          

Summer camps provide an excellent opportunity for kids to not just have fun, but also develop valuable skills and a sense of independence. If you are interested in sending your child to a summer camp, these tips may help you select the best summer camp program for them. And if you’re looking for a childcare provider that nurtures a child’s holistic growth and development, please consider our Langhorne preschool.

Tips for Choosing the Right Preschool in Langhorne, PA

Tips for Choosing the Right Preschool in Langhorne PA

What to look for in a Preschool

Preschool matters because it helps children develop in different ways as an individual. Preschool will not only nurture their growth intellectually, but it will also help them develop other skills that will prepare them for kindergarten.

While sending your little one to school early offers numerous advantages, choosing a preschool for your child can be a daunting task. When trying to select a school that’s a good fit, consider the academics program, curriculum and learning activities that your child will get from preschool.

Try these tips to ensure your child makes the most of their first classroom experience!

Narrow down your options based on the price, location and hours

Every family may have different considerations and different needs. But most of us look at the location, hours and price when choosing a preschool. Do you want the preschool to be near your home or workplace? Do you need your child to be in school in the morning or afternoon?  Do they have a schedule that will fit your family? Once you have answered these questions, you can easily come up with a list of a few preschools you may want to visit.

Conduct your research

With the list of schools in hand, you can further narrow your options by doing a bit of research. Try reaching out to other parents, family, friends or neighbors. Ask them for recommendations and advice about the preschool that they think could give children a quality education. Another great resource tool you can tap is the internet. Do an online search of your prospective preschools for specific information on the curriculum and programs they offer. Also, take time to check the reviews. Check for complaints, violations on health and safety and other important issues that may affect your child in one way or another.

Schedule a visit

When you have narrowed your list to a few preschools, it’s time to schedule site visits. Bring your child with you during the tour to see if they feel comfortable in the setting. There are a couple of important points to look out for during your tour. First, observe how the teachers interact with the students. Notice if there are real conversations taking place between the teachers and the students. Also try to observe if the staff show genuine care to children. Look for positive interactions not only between students and teachers; but also between students and their peers. Verify that the teachers have received adequate training, and ask about any professional development they continue to receive.

When you tour the location, check for safety in the school environment. Ask if the school has any emergency plans. Check the classrooms to determine if your child will be comfortable with the rooms as well as the furniture. You should notice if the center is comfortable and conducive to learning. More importantly, ask about the class schedule, the curriculum and the programs. Find out how much time is spent on both learning and playing. Look for a preschool that knows how to create the right balance between learning and having fun.

Choose the preschool that will make your child the happiest

Thumbs up for Children Central!

After researching and going on site tours and visits, it’s time to make the final decision. Based on the information you have gathered, come up with your top three centers. Then ask your child which preschool they would prefer.

At the end of the day, what matters is that your child goes to a preschool that will not only mold them academically but will also be where they will start their love for learning.

Get Your Kids Talking About School with These 6 Helpful Tips

When you’re a parent, you won’t let a day pass by without hearing about your child’s day. What was going on in class, the games they played, classmates they played with, and of course, if they had a great day. These things are important for parents to know, but getting kids talking about school isn’t as easy as it seems. The problem is usually the question “How was school today?” or “Did you have fun today?” or “Who did you play with?” and so on. This approach may work for a few but for most kids, being put on the spot can make them feel intimidated and defensive.

Here are some tips that may help start your conversations with kids and get them to open up about school and about themselves.

Greet them with a smile

Make it a habit, before anything else, to greet your children as soon as you see each other at the end of the day. Save the asking questions for later. Topics about school may not be the first thing that they want to talk about especially if they’ve had a rough day. Give them a warm greeting and help them feel comfortable and relaxed.

Wait for your kids to bring up the subject

Conversations are a lot easier if the kids bring up a subject. So after letting them relax, spend some time with them to let them know that you are there. Ask them to help you prepare for snacks or help you with a chore in the kitchen. Children are more likely to open up when they feel your presence and when they know that you are there.

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How to Help Kids Explore Their Interests During National Hobby Month

Every kid should have something they enjoy doing outside of school. National Hobby Month is a great way to help your child explore hobbies he may not be aware of!

Why hobbies?

Adults aren’t the only ones who benefit from having a hobby.Hobbies are an enjoyable way to gain new skills and learn something new about yourself and the world around you.Children who excel at something grow to perform well at other tasks because of the confidence they gain from their hobbies.

When your child enjoys one or more hobbies she will:

  • Develop strong social and emotional skills
  • Grow academically
  • Learn to be more patient
  • Gain a sense of accomplishment which leads to confidence in other areas
  • Develop willpower, concentration, determination and dedication
  • Learn how to set – and meet – goals
  • Feel more confident when asked to try new things
  • Develop good reading habits by actively participating in a hobby; not sitting passively and being entertained (e.g. reading vs watching tv)
National Hobby Month

Preschoolers enjoy playing football

Kids who excel at something tend to define themselves by what they’re good at. For example, think back to your school days.
Maybe you had someone in your class who always had his head in an engine fixing up old cars, or maybe your friend always knew the best fishing holes.

Each kid was the best at his particular hobby, and because he loved it so much – and grew to be competent at it – he became an authority among his peers.

What do your kids enjoy doing?

Your kids are probably already enjoying a hobby, but they may not think of it in those terms. For our purposes, a hobby is simply defined as an activity done outside of work or school that you enjoy doing.You may have thought of some things your kids love to do already. But are there other things they have shown an interest in that you can explore this month?

How to help your child explore her interests

Take some time this month to brainstorm ideas with your child. Encourage her to think of all the hobbies that people do, all across the globe.Then, narrow down the list to those things which interest her as well as those things you believe she might enjoy if she gave them a try.
Ask her to choose which one she’d like to try first and help her get started. Of course, some hobbies may be more realistic – such as stamp collecting or scrapbooking – than others, such as falconry or deep sea diving! So it’s important to discuss all the factors that go into choosing a hobby.

Even if it’s not practical to help your child start a particular hobby, that doesn’t mean you can’t explore the idea. Look for videos and/or articles about people doing the hobby(ies) that interest your child.

National Hobby Month is the perfect opportunity to take some time to help your children explore different hobbies. They’ll never know what they can do until they try it!

3 Reasons Investing in your Child’s Preschool Education Beats the Stock Market

Every parent wants to give a bright future for their little one. This desire drives us all on a constant hunt to find the best of everything for them. Trying to find the best way to invest in your child can be a puzzling and frustrating experience. One common tip of advice from those in the past would be to save for your child’s future as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, this usually means saving for children that have yet to be born. Many of us have followed these tips, but are they the right ones? Saving money for our children’s financial future may actually be a step in the wrong direction. If you overlook your child’s current needs, you may create a recipe for disaster.

Before you start hunting for Ivy League colleges, think about what your child needs now. Here are three reasons why investing in your child’s preschool education will be the best decision you make.

Support Your Child

swings in a preschool playground

Preschool programs encourage structured development

It may surprise you to hear that early childhood investment yields big payoff. While they are just starting to walk and talk, children’s brains are developing faster than we could imagine. The first few years of a child’s life are crucial. What they learn in this time will be the foundation for their entire life. In the first few years, a child will build their perception of life based on their experiences. This means if they have bad experiences, they will always have a bad outlook on life (even if their life is perfectly fine).

One of the very meaningful benefits of investing in early childhood education is giving them a positive outlook on life. This easy step will provide a strong foundation while your child continues to grow and learn. The child’s brain development does not end after they make their opinions, though! Within the first five years of life, your child will have developed ninety percent of their brain. Find a school that encourages social, emotional, perceptual, and cognitive thinking to build that brain.

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5 Ways to Teach Your Children Gratitude during National Gratitude Month

November is National Gratitude Month. This is the perfect time to teach your children this beneficial emotion. The gift of gratitude is a present you can give your children that will outlast the happiness brought by all their holiday toys. Having gratitude has been shown to block toxic emotions that may rise. People with higher gratitude levels have lower levels of stress and higher self-esteem.

Studies done with children have resulted in better satisfaction with school and home. Children who show more gratitude also give more support to others and have better social support. Having more gratitude will help them in a big way, and will help them grow into caring, empathetic adults. Here are five ways you can foster the development of gratitude among your children this year.

Say Thank You at Home

father and son talking

Teach gratitude at home

This is a great way for young and older children to focus on giving thanks. Teach them that whenever they receive a gift or a compliment, they should always say thank you. This starts with the parents. Remember that when your child does something that deserves some ‘thanks’, be generous with your gratitude. Model the behavior you would like them to have.

Teaching children to always say “thank you” will create an atmosphere of gratitude in the home. It will also turn into a lifelong practice. If at first, your children are forgetful to give their thanks, help them by having them restate their sentence with “thank you” included.

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Celebrating National Book Month: Help Your Child Develop a Love for Learning through Reading

It’s National Book Month, which means there is no better time to help your child develop a love for learning through reading. Children who read are more likely to perform better in all school subjects. They have larger vocabularies and are more confident in their academic career. Reading is fundamental for children of all ages. The toddler and preschool years are the best time to help your child develop a love of reading. Read on for some great tips to help your child fall in love with reading and learning.

Make It Fun

cartoon illustrations in a book

Avoid making books boring for kids

If you make reading seem like a chore, your child is likely going to treat it like a chore. Reading should be another form of playtime. Show your child that reading is a special time for you to spend together. Choose a special place like a cozy chair or hammock to cuddle and read a book. Read stories in exciting voices to make the characters come to life and enhance your child’s experience. Kids today are used to videos and apps, so anything you can do to make the story more exciting is a plus!

Discuss and Extend

After you have finished the book, have a discussion with your child. Talk about parts they did or did not like. Analyze choices the characters made. Ask your child questions about setting and the plot. Kids love to share their opinion and getting them to talk about what they read will help with comprehension. Once you have finished a story, see what connections you can make. If the characters in the book baked cookies, make cookies. If they created an art project, let your child do a similar project. Making connections with the book strengthens comprehension. It also gets your child excited about what happens in the story.

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Three Ways to Increase Your Child’s Vocabulary During the Fall Season

When your child is learning to talk, it is one of the most exciting times for you as a parent. It’s exciting every time your child says a new word. This motivates you to increase your child’s vocabulary. Fall is a great time of year for building your child’s vocabulary because of the many activities going on. As your child’s vocabulary increases, the bond between you and your child strengthens.

Enroll Your Child in Preschool

children in a kindergarten classroom

Kindergarten teachers help kids improve their vocabulary

Preschool is an excellent environment where your child can increase their vocabulary. Fall is back to school time, so many of your local preschools will have open slots. Early childhood education teachers are trained in designing activities to teach vocabulary to preschool students. The curriculum in a preschool focuses on helping your child develop in many major areas. Speech and language development is one of those major areas. Children Central Childcare/Learning Center is an excellent Yardley Preschool where you can consider enrolling your child this fall.

Converse with Your Child

Being exposed to language is how your child starts learning how to talk in the first place. When you and your child converse on a consistent basis, your child will pick up more words from the vocabulary you use while talking to them. Fall is a time where you and your child can discuss many exciting things and events. Including their new preschool, leaves changing colors, pumpkins, and costumes. As well as why birds fly south, candy, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. To teach your young child about the wonders of fall, you simply have to talk to them. This will teach them more vocabulary words and about school.

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Jump-Start Your Child’s Education, Close The Preschool Gap

The traditional start of school has long been the age of five when a child enters kindergarten. But, research shows that the benefits of early childhood education programs that parents should consider sending children to school at age three. Parents should consider a high-quality, structured preschool in Yardley. We all know that the expectations of kindergartners have increased over time. Remember half-day kindergarten? Nap time? No more!

Read on for the benefits of preschool to your child’s education.

Avoid the Preschool Achievement Gap

children at preschool will not be affeced by the preschool achievement gap

Attending preschool increases the chances of success in life

Yep – it’s a real thing. Let’s take a deeper look at preschool vs. no preschool statistics. Education experts agree and the research is indisputable. The preschool gap is the difference between children that have attended a high-quality preschool program and those that have not.

It shows that early childhood education is an important part of brain development before the age of five. According to the US Department of Education, 90 percent of the brain’s capacity is established before age five. There’s no better time to feed your child’s brain than now with early childhood education. To avoid the preschool gap, nourish their brain with help from a quality preschool.

The National Education Association reports that children who were in preschool earned $2,000 more per month as adults than children who were not. As adults, preschool attendees were also more likely to own a home and have a successful marriage. They further report that children who did not go to preschool were more likely to repeat a grade or get into legal trouble. Talk about adding to parental pressure!

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How You Can Teach Your Child Courtesy During National Courtesy Month

Our ultimate goal as parents is to prepare our children to face the world and hope that they help to make it a better place.

September is National Courtesy Month. The American culture is so fast and impersonal these days that it is easy to forget the rules of politeness that once governed our society. Take advantage of this month’s focus on courtesy as a chance to teach your children skills that will let them reap lifelong benefits.

You’re their First Teacher

teaching a child

Teach your child about courtesy

Children aren’t born knowing how to hate. They aren’t inherently rude. In fact, children are born with an innate need to please their parents. That being said, bad habits are often learned from their environment.

The good news? You are your child’s first teacher. Encouraging good habits and manners from day one can set your child up for success. Even before your child says their first words, they are observing the customs of their environment. If you want them to say “please,” “thank you”, and “excuse me”, do so in front of them. Be courteous to others.

National Courtesy Month is also a good time to reflect on your own habits. Hold open doors and hand out compliments.

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