Advice for Parents Archives - Page 6 of 8

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

October 7, 2017 by Children Central

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!

How You Can Teach Your Child Courtesy During National Courtesy Month

September 26, 2017 by Children Central

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

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.

Back to School Tips for Preschool Parents: 9 Ways to Help Your Child Settle In

August 28, 2017 by Children Central

The most effective back-to-school tips for preschool parents to take into account that any child getting ready to go back to school may have a hard time adjusting to a new place and new people. Kids often feel excitement about seeing their school friends every day. They may also have anxiety about new academic and behavioral expectations. Read on for 9 tips to keep in mind as you countdown to school and an easier start to the school year.

Make the Good-Bye Brief

Avoid long goodbyes to lessen separation anxiety

Studies show that when a parent drops their young child off at preschool, they should avoid prolonged good-byes. There is an in-between moment when a child is still grasping their mother or father’s hand while looking out at the other kids playing with toys. This should be used to help the child start the preschool day. Use your child’s curiosity and interest in the new class to get them involved in a fun activity. A trustworthy preschool in Yardley has accounted for this by providing young kids with the opportunity to free play and discover their surroundings.

Make Summer Count: 9 Summer Reading Tips to Prevent Summer Brain Drain with your Preschooler

June 22, 2017 by Children Central

Summer is a time for fun and also a necessary brain break, but too much fun can cause summer brain drain. This is a phenomenon that occurs when school-aged children get out of school and don’t retain learned information. To prevent your preschooler from losing everything they’ve learned, read on for summer reading tips that will keep them engaged.

Make Time for Reading Every Day

preschool reading books | Children Central in Yardley

Make reading a habit

It’s easy to fall out of habits as soon as summer vacation starts, so make daily reading part of your routine to stay on track. If your preschool student is reading on their own, set a timer for 10 minutes of independent reading every day using preschool reading books. These are age-appropriate learner books that will help keep your child engaged. You can also read to your preschooler and let them follow along.

Turn Mundane Tasks Into Teaching Moments

A summer off means running errands with your preschooler, but getting things done can be part of your child’s education. While shopping at the grocery store, invite your preschooler to read signs or identify items. Read aloud everything that you and your child come into contact with — including street signs, ATM screens, and newspaper headlines. Incorporating your errands into your child’s preschool enrichment will not only further their education, but it’ll also make time race by as you get things done.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month: Take Action!

April 15, 2017 by Children Central

What is NCAPM All About?

April of 2017 marks the 34th year of National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM), a time dedicated to raising awareness of this devastating social issue and ending child abuse once and for all.

Since 1983, this month has been a time for communities to have a dialogue about the ways to not only stop the abuse of children, but providing education and resources for families and young adults to make sure that the abuse and neglect of children doesn’t carry on for even one more generation.

**What the Statistics Say (And What they Don’t Say)**

child abuse | Children Central in Langhorne

Cases of abuse are still high

Are the numbers of abuse victims still high enough to warrant a month of awareness and advocacy? Sadly, the answer remains an absolute “yes”.

Despite what you might think, America still has a huge abuse and neglect problem. Current statistics report a staggering 3 million children a year who deal with some form of abuse. Sadly, these are just the cases that are reported; we will likely never know the true statistics.

This is one of the worst rates of abuse in any industrialized nation. The time has come to say, “Enough!” We can do better, which is why each April we renew our promise to the children of America.

Time Can’t Heal All Wounds: Ongoing Symptoms of Abuse

Abuse would be bad enough if the hurting ended with sores and bruises, but abuse creates many scars that do not manifest until later in life (often manifesting in dangerously rebellious teenage or young adult behavior).

Over time, the young victims of abuse may also be affected by the following issues:

Increased tendency towards drug and alcohol abuse
Serious depression, including suicide attempts
Higher instances of “risk-seeking” behavior, such as multiple sexual partners, and other unsafe sexual practices
An almost 80% instance of some type of psychological disorder

The list of effects is startling, but what is most unacceptable are the nearly 1,600 children who died as a result of abuse last year. Until that number reaches zero, the NCAPM will advocate and raise awareness of these issues affecting countless American families.

History of the NCAPM

Did you know that the first specific laws regarding child abuse were only signed in 1974? While we’ve certainly come a long way since then, there is still a social stigma and problem of reportage and awareness that we need to deal with as a nation.

What started as a single week of awareness in 1982 became a full-fledged month of action starting in 1983, and the events and actions have inspired the creation of new laws and statutes that aim to eliminate harm to innocent and vulnerable children.

Whether in your own community, online, or by joining a larger march or event somewhere near you, you can become part of the NCAPM’s history this April–don’t wait until next year.

Ideas to Get Involved

There are many ways you can participate in this nationwide awareness month. Activities can be simple:

Organizing a block party or “meet and greet” with your neighbors
Attending parent meetings at your children’s school
Finding city or government-organized events for NCAPM

Or, you can organize with other parents and local families to put on bigger events, such as:

Running for local office or a PTA board
Attending and speaking at local government meetings (such as city council)
Organizing letter-writing campaigns and petitions

Keep in mind, these are just a few ideas. Be creative and think about new and interesting ways that you can help children and families who have been affected by neglect and/or abuse.

Moving Our Communities and Families Forward

Participate in abuse prevention

Whether you visit the official NCAPM website (provided by the government’s Child Welfare Agency) or you find local events to raise awareness, the important thing is to get involved. It’s also important to remember that April is only the beginning–staying vigilant and engaged in your family and community throughout the year is the best defense we have against future abuse and neglect.

For too long, the victims and families who have suffered from abuse and neglect have been silent. April is a time for these voices to be heard, loud and clear. Now is the time–take a stand against abuse and neglect!

How to Raise an English-Spanish Bilingual Child when You Don’t Speak Spanish

March 17, 2017 by Children Central

In today’s economy, you need every advantage to get ahead. One of the most important skills you can give your child is knowledge of another language, especially Spanish. Right now, there are more than 56 million Hispanic or Latino Americans in the United States. This figure will continue to grow in coming decades. Many of these people are bilingual or are primarily Spanish-speaking. More and more, businesses and government agencies are requiring job applicants to have at least a basic fluency in Spanish. Raising a bilingual child is a great way to make sure your son or daughter has the best opportunity for success. It also gives your child a window into a bigger world and new people and new ideas. Knowing more than one language is a wonderful gift to help your child live a great life.

Laying the Foundations for Success

The best ways to teach your toddler Spanish usually need at least one parent to be a fluent speaker of the language. But even if you don’t speak Spanish , you can take steps to give your child a firm foundation in the language that will make learning easier at later ages. For very young children, an easy step is to teach your toddler Spanish through play. Teach your child that every object in your house has two names. You can point to a toy and show them that “ball” and “pelota” are the same thing. Switch up which words you use until your toddler knows their meaning whichever one you use. Another trick is to have one parent use only English words for things, while another parent uses only Spanish words. A child will learn to say things “mommy style” or “daddy style.” As they get older, they will realize they are learning two different languages. Steps like these are the groundwork to raising a bilingual child.

You can also teach your toddler how to read Spanish. Once your child knows a story and can read along with you in English, try reading the same story in Spanish. A toddler who loves “The Cat in the Hat” will be motivated to learn the words to “El Gato Ensombrerado.” They will grow up being curious about the words and will want to learn what they mean. Also, when they take Spanish language classes in middle or high school, the words will not be foreign to them. They will learn the language much faster than if they had never been exposed to Spanish before. This alone will be a big head start for your child.

Calling in the Professionals

If you follow the above steps, it will help make learning Spanish easier for your child later in life. But the best way to teach your toddler Spanish is to send them to a preschool that has Spanish language class. Children Central is a Langhorne preschool that has a very good program taught by native Spanish speakers. The classes put your child in an environment where Spanish is a living language. Teachers engage your child in Spanish and encourage them to express themselves. Your child will learn Spanish just like how they learned English at home.

No matter how much time you spend trying to teach your child at home, if you do not know Spanish, there is a limit to what you can do. A native speaker teaching at a preschool can help your child grasp the basics of the language. They will be set to keep learning new words and rules as they get older, even if they don’t take any more Spanish classes. Learning a foreign language is like learning to ride a bike. Once you master the basics, you can always pick it up again, even years later. Exposing your child to those fundamentals of Spanish is a gift that will stay with them their whole life.

Investment in your Child’s Future

If you look at ads for business and government jobs, many of them say “Spanish speaker preferred.” This is only going to become a more and more common hiring qualification as the years go by. Some researchers have even said that by 2050, the US will have more Spanish speakers than any other country! Every parent wants their child to be as well-prepared as possible when they enter the job market. To know another language is a valuable resource and can move your child’s resume to the front of the line. Plant the seeds of success today! Raise a bilingual child!

9 Easy & Innovative Ways To Teach Your Child Spanish

February 24, 2017 by Children Central

Language development is one of the focuses of early child development and there are are many simple ways to teach your toddler Spanish by giving the language and its usage a place in as many areas of daily life as you can. You can teach your toddler Spanish through play and in a number of other ways.

Use It or Lose It

Another reason why it’s important to teach your toddler Spanish early is synaptic pruning. The synapses are the space between the nerve cells where the two cells communicate information to each other by firing an electric impulse. Synaptic pruning, or axon pruning, starts during early childhood and refers to the cutting off of unused neural connections of the brain. So, if two synapses stop working for a while during early childhood, they will be “cut off”. Think of the “if you don’t use it, you lose it” saying as coming from synaptic pruning.

Using media to teach your toddler Spanish

There are various types of media available for today for little or no additional cost. These accessible media include:
-Applications to download on a smartphone,
-Spanish-Language videos and children’s movies,
-Electronic books
-Children’s songs and sing-a-longs

1. Allow you child to use as many different media as possible. For instance, play a free Youtube.com video of a Spanish-language sing-a-long of a catchy children’s song. Young children like singing and dancing. Most of all, they like repetition of these songs because they find that just making noises (that are a language attempt) and moving to the music extremely enjoyable. This is one of the best ways to teach your toddler Spanish. It should be paired with another type of media, like an animated videos and even sing-a-longs made for preschoolers.

2. Download an application that focuses on introducing toddlers to Spanish alphabet and their names. Toddlers should learn simple alphabet letters and their shapes. This helps teach your toddler how to read Spanish in the future.

3. Allow your toddler to learn the language through various senses. Make sure to change up the learning activity your child is engaged in. Choose fun activities to teach your toddler Spanish that has vivid images and preferably, sounds.

4. A great way to teach your toddler Spanish through play is to remember toddlers need to move more of their large muscles to develop gross motor skills by running, walking and throwing as well as their small muscles for fine motor skills by drawing and tracing.

Teach your toddler how to read in Spanish by taking small steps now

The first necessary step in teaching toddlers how to read Spanish is to help them develop letter recognition as well as master a few easy words.

5. Help them learn the names of their favorite things, like favorite toys, foods, or places, or even people. One of the best ways to teach your toddler Spanish is to make use of his or her likes and dislikes to start conversations.

6. Have realistic expectations and don’t reprimand a toddler for a wrong answer. Help build a love of learning through encouragement not fear.

7. Talk to your child in Spanish if possible. A child’s receptive language skills develop sooner than his or her expressive skills. In other words, your toddler understands more words than he or she can say or express.

8. Make use of teaching moments. Talk about the things you find in the park or an object that your child found or a favorite movie or toy to teach your toddler Spanish.

9. Use reinforcements or a reward system to encourage your toddler to learn Spanish. A reward doesn’t have to be a material object. Instead, use praise and positive facial expressions to make your toddler enjoy using the language.

Teach you toddler Spanish through play

Your child has an increasing vocabulary that you should focus on using and building to teach your toddler Spanish faster. Use incorporate activities they like in teaching your toddler Spanish.

The are a number of things you can do to help your toddler learn Spanish. There are always new ways to incorporate language development in your child’s early years and teach your toddler Spanish.

You can find a Spanish class for toddlers that is taught by education professionals with years of experience working with toddlers. Langhorne Preschool can help teach your toddler to read Spanish using teaching best practices and child-focused learning tools.

Enrolling your child in a Spanish class for toddlers at Langhorne Preschool is a great step forward.

11 Ways The High Reach Curriculum Can Give Your Child An Edge

January 24, 2017 by Children Central

As a parent, you only want what’s best for your preschooler. Langhorne preschool uses the HighReach curriculum which recognizes the changes that preschoolers go through and tailors the curriculum to reach them.

How can the HighReach Curriculum grant an edge in early childhood education?

The HighReach curriculum is a good way for your child to get ahead at Langhorne Preschool. The curriculum for infants and toddlers is tailored to be age-appropriate to help each child grow to the best of their ability. Children’s Central’s Langhorne child care programs give your child a chance to have fun and learn at the same time.

Exposed to Literature

From the moment a child is born, he or she loves to listen to stories. The HighReach curriculum will give your child a chance to recognize similar sounds and rhymes in language by hearing a variety of songs, stories, and poems. By hearing different kinds of sounds, they will be able to show a greater awareness of the different phonetic sounds in the English language.

Identify Letters

The HighReach curriculum’s lesson plan has opportunities for your child to learn the letters of the alphabet and recognize them. Your child will be able to identify at least 10 letters of the alphabet on sight. They will be able to associate the names of letters with shapes and sounds as well as recognizing the letters in words. Your Child Will Use An Increasingly Complex Vocabulary

By the time your child is three years old, he or she will begin to use simple language on their own. Your child will hear many different sounds and stories. Their vocabulary will grow to include language beyond that of a preschooler who is not following HighReach. They will learn to use their words to communicate their feelings and emotions.

Follow Directions

Every day, your child will get instructions to help them get used to following directions. They will learn to follow steps in completing their tasks during the day and they will carry this skill to doing tasks and chores at home.

Understand Sequences and Counting

The average child should be able to count to 10 by the age of 5. Following HighReach, your child will develop further skills in counting, giving them the ability to count beyond the number 10. They will learn the mathematical language and associate numbers by knowing what’s greater than, less than, or equal to. They will group and count different types of objects.

Recognize Shapes and Patterns

The average 3-year-old should be able to recognize some basic shapes and draw a circle. They should be able to draw a square by 4 years of age. Following HighReach, your child will put together and take apart shapes. They will determine the relation of shapes to one another by size. They will learn all the common shapes and be able to recognize and name them.

Your child will recognize and copy simple patterns. They will sort and group similar objects. They will be able to compare several objects by finding characteristics they have in common.

Appreciate Music

Your child will play with a variety of instruments that produce different musical sounds. They will learn to appreciate music by playing a variety of games, listening to and singing songs, and participating in their own performances. They will also explore movement by dancing to different beats, styles, and tempos.

Explore A Variety of Art Mediums

Children develop their creativity by drawing, painting, molding, and using other art mediums to express themselves. HighReach will build on your child’s natural inclination to get a little messy by encouraging them to represent themselves in many different ways. They will also learn to appreciate the art of others by admiring and sharing opinions about visual artistic representations.

Your Child Will Appreciate Science

Your child will be able to observe and discuss nature. They will complete projects related to time, temperature, and cause and effect. Their playtime will be used to create awareness of the environment around them. They will have fun exploring different types of technology.

Grow Emotionally

Preschool is the time when your child is better able to cooperate with their peers. They begin to understand social relationships and test boundaries. The HighReach curriculum gives your child lessons in cooperation and self-control. They will also receive instruction on families and their communities.

Grow Physically

The Langhorne Preschool HighReach plan will build on the growing your child is already doing. He or she will develop fine and gross motor skills at every opportunity. They will also learn lessons on health and self-care. Langhorne Daycare is a fun and safe place for your child to develop to their full potential. They will discover new interests and build the ones they already have with the innovative curriculum for infants and toddlers.

How the Amazing Athletes Program Can Help Your Child Shoot Out of this World

December 19, 2016 by Children Central

Most parents put a lot of emphasis on a child’s education. Yet, physical activity is just as important for your child’s development. It will lay the foundation for an active life by teaching them the joys of physical movement. Children Central’s Amazing Athletes program promotes physical activity through various activities.

Why Physical Activity is So Important?

Physical activity is a big of a part of early childhood development. Children start to learn to use their body at an early age. They start to develop connections in their brains with movement. Because of this, it is important to get them involved in physical activities. It builds a strong foundation for skills they’ll need later in life. Dance, sports, and painting are related to fine motor skills. Children develop these skills at an early age.

Parents can help their children be more active by providing toys that are physically and cognitively stimulating. They can also take time out to play with their kids in parent-infant classes or set up controlled-play environments. Enrolling children in a structured physical education program is a great way to get them headed in the right direction.

What is Amazing Athletes?

Amazing Athletes is a sports and fitness program for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children. It is a structured and progressive program that helps your child’s physical development. Amazing Athletes programs are simple yet effective. They consist of 35 minute classes that teach the fundamentals of various sports. Some sports covered include soccer, hockey, football, basketball, and baseball.

This is a complete educational sports program. It helps your kids develop hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, and cognitive skills. Physical education also encourages learning. Cognitive skills and physical skills reinforce each other. There is a connection in how well a child learns and how much physical activity the child is does.

When looking for a Langhorne preschool center, you may want to choose one that includes physical education. It should be a key part of the curriculum.

What makes Amazing Athletes Unique?

Our program is different from the average Langhorne daycare. Most centers provide structured recess time. Amazing Athletes provides a curriculum that is appropriate to your child’s age. We start with the building blocks to teach children how to move and use their bodies. We then incorporate cognitive learning by using colors, counting, following directions and the rules.

This leads to learning the fundamentals of sports and getting involved physically. It also gives them the physical education they need to transition into school sports. Many children enter elementary school without knowing the rules and dynamics of major sports.

Children Central’s preschool physical programs provide an environment for kids to socialize and play together. This gives them a fundamental physical education. This can also be a much needed break from education curriculums that have stricter structures. The Amazing Athletes program teaches kids core values, including confidence, sportsmanship, and team work.

Safety is a Big Part of Our Program

Children Central is a Langhorne preschool that puts safety first. As an age-appropriate program, Amazing Athletes focuses on developing a strong physical foundation for children.

Using a physical education program in our curriculum can also help balance your child’s mood. This often helps with the stress that parents have when they get home from work. Then they can spend time with and tend to their children for the rest of the day.

Children Central has structured physical education programs. Come in to explore our Langhorne child care facility.

We are unlike other Langhorne child care programs. We offer after school programs with drop off days for national school calendar holidays. Making us convenient for busy working parents.

To learn more, contact us and we will answer any questions that you may have.

Check Your Langhorne Preschool Center For Safety

December 19, 2016 by Children Central

As you may already know, the process of finding the right Langhorne preschool is a difficult task. Parents are looking for preschools that offer the best educational programs. The best staff and high marks from other parents are also key. One factor that will also affect your choice should be preschool safety. Parent should make sure that their children are in a safe environment and cared for by staff that takes safety seriously.

So how can you check your Langhorne preschool center for safety?

Preschool Safety Starts with the Facility. The first thing to check is if the child care facility is properly licensed. Children are at risk if the facility is not licensed. The license shows that they are operating under strict safety guidelines. For a Langhorne day care center, you can look up the state or city’s database to see if their license is effective. Preschool licenses are also available by the state but can often be harder to research.

Here are some things to look for when researching Langhorne preschools or daycares.

Is the center meeting state and local safety guidelines? Are they following the rules on the number of children that each caretaker has? There are even guidelines to check on napping children every few minutes to ensure that they are in proper sleeping positions. Each city and state will have a different set of safety guidelines.

Most states have an inspection history reports available to the public. These reports will show the number of violations, if any, and their severity of these violations. Langhorne preschools or daycares not operating within the guidelines, will have violations reported. Some may be minor violations like having some menu items that do not meet nutritional guidelines.

The Staff Sets Precedence for Daycare or Preschool Safety

Ask to see what kind of background checks that the facility runs on thier staff. Do they conduct Health immunity, criminal and child abuse background checks? Is the staff taking care of your child when you’re not there properly trained? Can they tend to your child in case of an emergency?

Does the staff have pediatric first aid training? D o they have the training to administer CPR? Are there clear fire drills and other safety precautions being conducted? You may want to talk to the staff to get an idea of how they operate their classrooms. You may also want to talk with the coordinator to see what is done to keep children safe in the facility.

Sit in on Classes to Check for Day care or Preschool Safety

To properly check for day care or preschool safety, you may want to sit in on classes unannounced. By doing this, you can observe how the classes are conducted and how the staff tends to the children. If you feel like something is wrong with how certain things are done, take action. Talk with the coordinator and do your due diligence in researching child care safety tips.

One of the best school safety tips for parents is to make sure that the environment is child-proof. Look around the premises to see if sharp objects and other dangerous tools are out of reach. Ensure that there are safety latches that prevent kids from opening drawers. Check to see that electrical cords and sockets are not accessible to kids. Talk to other parents to get real child care testimonials. Ask about their experience and how the facility compares to other Langhorne child care centers.

Day care and preschool safety should be on the top of the list for both you and the center. If you feel like the facility isn’t taking it as seriously as they should, then it’s a sign that you should research the alternatives. You’ll find that many other Langhorne child care programs have very strict safety guidelines and training. If you’re looking for a flexible child care facility with that’s on top of practicing the strictest of safety guidelines, contact Children Central. We will be happy to show you around and explain how we apply day care and preschool safety guidelines to our center.