Young Scholars Academy

Where Children Develop a Love of Learning

 5815 Tutt Center Point - Colorado Springs, CO 80922
 (719) 522-9099
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Fall Pumpkin Fun!

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Fall is finally here! So many fun fall activities go on during the month of October. One of the topics we really enjoy doing is pumpkin exploration at YSA. This year we are unable to do some of the normal sensory and exploration with pumpkins that usually happens during this month due to Covid. I wanted to give parents a few activities and ideas that are easy to do at home with your preschooler that will for sure keep them busy and excited during the fall months!

Go over the parts of the pumpkin with your kiddo. Explain how pumpkins grow and give them the details of the life cycle of a pumpkin. If you happen to visit a pumpkin patch, point out the area where the pumpkins grow so they can see them on the vine and make that real-life connection. If you have talked about the life cycle beforehand, let your child pretend to be the “teacher” and let them walk you through the details. It’s extra fun for them to take that role and having them explain the details of the pumpkin life cycle back to you is taking that knowledge base a step further.
One of the gooey fun activities is exploring a pumpkin. Have your preschooler help you pull the gooey guts out of the pumpkin. For some, this will be the first time they have ever touched the inside of a pumpkin. There may be some mixed reactions at first. Be encouraging, allow them to take their time reaching in and pulling out the stringy insides. This is a new type of sensory touch for some, sometimes having gloves on hand is a good idea. Some children will not want to touch and manipulate the pumpkin guts, just be patient and demonstrate for them. Lay the pumpkin goo and seeds on a baking tray, save the seeds! Let your preschooler pick through and sort the seeds from the slime. This is such great exposure to a new texture and use of fine motor skills.

Pumpkins seeds are a fantastic manipulative to use. After your seeds have dried out, it’s time to put them to use! Have your child use the seeds to do basic math problems. They could practice counting the seeds, this is called 1:1 correspondence and it is a skill we work on and assess at YSA. Being able to count objects and make that connection can be challenging for a kiddos at times, so this is a fun way to practice at home. Have your child touch and count the seeds in different quantities. Keep practicing! If they don’t get the hang of it right away, model how to touch and count for them. If their math skills are more advanced, you can have your kiddo use the seeds to do simple addition and subtraction. Even create a story problem while using the seeds! They will really enjoy “playing” with seeds while working with you!

Another fun activity to do is create pumpkin faces using the seeds as teeth. Depending on your preschoolers age, either draw a pumpkin outline for them or let them draw their own pumpkin face. Don’t fill in the teeth! Let your child glue on seeds for teeth, there will be some silly and fun smiles from your child once they create their masterpiece. This is also a fun art project that grandparents would love to get in the mail around Halloween time!

Have fun this fall with pumpkin exploration! There are so many fun pumpkin activities that you and your child can work on together. These are just a few that encourage science, fine motor, math, and art! Be creative and think up your own, the pumpkin play is endless!

Ms. Whitney
Curriculum Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

It’s OK To Let Your Kids Grow Up

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A lot of us parents say how we wish time would slow down and that our kiddos will always be our baby. I get it, every time I turn around it seems like they boys are in a new size clothing or hurdling over the next big milestone. I stop for a quick second and ask where did the baby go? However, it is not about us as parents or our “need” or want to keep our kiddos babies forever.
It is our job and of utmost importance to build self help skills in our children. Not only does it make our life so much easier for our little ones to be helping with the basic factors of getting the day going but, it helps them become confident and self-reliant to be able to do for their selves a little. Below are five things that I think every three-year-old needs to be introduced to in regards to self-help skills and why they are important.

  1. Potty training
    Potty training is not an easy task at all and requires a lot of planning out and packing to make this task become a success. But it is also one of the major steps of becoming independent to a little person. It is their first introduction into being able to make a call and choice of their own.
  2. Picking out clothes
    Talk about handing of the reins. Allowing a child to express their selves through clothing is a big step for everyone involved. We have all seen those kiddos in underwear over their pants, rainboots and a swimsuit top. But it is okay because your child has been given a choice and can also learn about weather appropriate clothing and help with prepping themselves for the next day. We always pick out our outfits the night before so we are able to do the next self help skill.
  3. Getting dress
    This self-help skill really focus on patience and self-soothing to get through out. But oh the wonderful independence gained by dressing yourself is priceless for a little person. This skill at first will take time to guide and talking through. Buttons, zippers, and buckles can be frustrating at first. Do not give up because once this self-help skill is mastered you get to sit back and enjoy getting yourself ready while your little does the same. Being able to independently pull their pants up and down is a skill your child will need before you can start potty training.
  4. Clean up after self and basic household chores
    No one likes to feel like they are picking up constantly and doing all the household chores. This self-help skill is important to teaching helping out and being apart of the household. This includes putting clothes in dirt laundry basket, clearing their plate from meals, picking up toys after they have used them. Our job as parents is not to cater to our children none stop but guide them in the skills necessary to become amazing adults.

Ms. Michaela
Child Success Advocate
Lead Preschool Teacher

We Promise

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When I had our first son, I had been working in Early Childhood Education for 7 years. I thought coming back to work and returning to “normal” would be a walk in the park. Boy…was I wrong! I lasted a whole 2 weeks and put in my notice so I could stay home with my baby. I was literally in the room right next to him but it was too difficult and I was fortunate enough to be able to make the decision to stay home with him. I had been doing this job for so many years but I had no idea what it meant to have all these parents trusting me with their babies.

Even under normal circumstances, we truly understand what we are asking of you when you leave your precious babies with us. It’s a lot. Whether you’re excited to return to work or not, leaving your baby in the care of someone else is hard. We’re asking you to put so much trust in our ability to love, care for and protect your little ones. In a pandemic though? It’s insanity.

I can tell you all that on our end, we’re missing the relationships with you as parents. I am personally still in contact with parents of babies I taught 10 plus years ago. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job and one thing I am lost without. So asking you to trust us when you hardly know us is a tall ask, and we are completely aware of that.
In light of this I’ve been talking with the other teachers in the building and we’ve come up with some promises to you as teachers and a lot have said some of the same things. Pandemic or not, here are some promises to you.

We promise to love your children as our own. We spend a large amount of time with your children. We get the reputation as babysitters but I promise it’s so much more than that. We get to know your children. We bond with them. We learn their cues and quirks. We truly love them.

We promise to advocate for your children and for you as well. Parenting is hard. I talk about all the advice (good and bad) and how hard it is to sift through that, but sometimes having us as another set of eyes is important. We’ll advocate for the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, and empower you to seek out answers for those struggles and ways to celebrate those wins. We have your backs. 100%.

We promise to communicate and keep you in the loop. We’re a team, and while this form of communication is new and challenging for a lot of us, we’re putting in the work to bring it all together. Messages, phone calls, pictures, conferences…we’re here for it all. Please feel comfortable reaching out to us to make those connections, and we promise to do the same.

This pandemic threw everyone for a loop, but even without it love, advocacy, empowerment and communication are definitely at the forefront of what we do here day in and day out. We promise.

Ms. Amy
Parent Connection Coordinator
Infant Nursery Supervisor

5 Ways to Give your Child Positive Attention

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Studies show that when children receive positive attention from adults, it can have a drastic impact on their behavior. Giving children positive attention sometimes requires that we as parents alter our perspective. When we give children positive attention, it means we focus more on the good, and try to ignore (at least at the moment) the bad. The idea is that for children, receiving attention from a parent can be very powerful. So essentially, rather than telling them what they are doing wrong, highlight what they are doing right. It’s not an easy shift, but like anything else, it will only take a matter of time until it becomes more natural. 

In practice, positive attention can be exhibited in many forms. It can be shown with the use of “power words” and affirmative gestures. It’s important for children to feel like they are on the right track and that their efforts are appreciated. Positive attention, in a larger context, mostly depends on how to implement it in a healthy way. Studies have also shown that when we are clear and specific with our words when giving positive attention, children understand more clearly what kinds of behaviors are expected and appropriate. 

On a smaller scale, positive attention really isn’t as complicated as it may sound. It’s simply breaking down one thing into smaller pieces, kind of like expounding and picking things apart,  but in a healthy way. Some experts refer to this as “labeled praises”. This approach actually makes it clear to your child exactly what it is you like about what they are doing. This type of praise provides a very specific, effective positive response.Here are a few helpful tips and reminders as you practice giving your child positive attention:

Avoid negative attention

Children thrive from receiving attention from adults. It is part of their nature. If they can’t get your attention by behaving appropriately, they will most likely try to get it by misbehaving. Try to do away with unpleasant words,or words that are discouraging. This part may be the most challenging because scolding a child is often what comes naturally initially. But in this case, see if you can ignore the negative behavior, and then provide positive attention when they stop. This is called active ignoring. By withdrawing your attention when children behave poorly, it sends a message that they need to stop what they are doing for them to be able to get the attention they are seeking.

Be spontaneous when giving positive attention

Children often crave attention as much as adults do. Who doesn’t, right? You know how some things are a lot sweeter and meaningful when they occur unexpectedly? Make it a habit to give out unsolicited affirmations, as this will have a great effect on your child’s mood. Try to put yourself in your child’s shoes. If you are shown appreciation by someone, your mood will usually be lifted.

Create a positive environment

When children grow up in a warm, nurturing environment, it promotes a holistic growth. The tone you set at home should be positive, as this is essential for a child’s drive to be his or her bestelf. Doing so inspires children and will usually bring out their best. Whether your child is at home or at school, a positive atmosphere is beneficial to his or her social-emotional well-being and disposition.

Acknowledge

With every little accomplishment, acknowledge. Your child’s little victories are yours too. Every step, no matter how big or small, must always count. From things that they do right, to the littlest of achievements, acknowledge. 

Create a stronger bond

It can be quite challenging as you try to transition to a new approach and break the habit of making unnecessary comments every time your child misbehaves. Keeping your cool may be difficult, but in the long run it is necessary. Just like any other habit, achieving this change can be achieved through constant application. Try choosing and writing down your choice of words ahead of time for moments when you find yourself caught in a tough situation. It is also helpful to allot at least 10-15 minutes a day when you can give your child your full, undivided attention. Create a list of fun activities together that you and your child can do each day. For example, you could play a card game. When you choose an activity, you can make it fun and nurturing at the same time. Other ideas include board games, arts and crafts, playing make-believe,  or dress-up. This will not only be helpful in creating a strong bond between you and your child, it will also remind you of your own childhood and help you stay young at heart. 

Giving children positive attention may seem hard to do at first, but  it can be as easy as counting  to three. Giving your child positive attention is all about speaking and using kind words. The goal of this approach is to create a healthy relationship between you and your child. 

It always pays to know more. For more helpful parenting tips, please visit us at Young Scholars Academy.

 

Super Important Independent Skills to Work on with Your Preschooler

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As parents, we do almost everything we can to make our children’s day stress free and easy going as possible. We get them up in the morning, get them ready for the day, make breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We organize most of their time for the day, always trying to keep them busy. But there is a point where it can be too much. We need to allow space for our children to develop independent skills that they can use daily. Don’t get caught up in making their day your WHOLE day. Allowing them to be able to start caring for themselves is especially important. These are some valuable independent skills that your preschooler can work on mastering at home and school.

One of the first self-skills your child learns is how to hold their own bottle, then as they get bigger use their fingers to feed themselves table food. Then eventually a spoon and fork. At dinner, do you let your child serve themselves? We do this (during non-crazy corona times) at YSA! Its an amazing self-skill that we foster daily. The kiddos participate in family style dining and they should be doing it at home with you too. Do not worry, the messes they can clean that up too! We also embrace spilled food/milk, it is really no big deal to help them learn how to wipe up a mess. Show them how to do it, do hand over hand, then allow them to just take the lead! Be encouraging and proud when they clean up their own messes (even if you had to help a bit) when they are finished. I always make sure to thank them for cleaning up their mess and being responsible, it is a big deal!

Blowing their own noses is another independent skill that is super important! Find a way to get your kiddo to blow dragon breath out of their nose! Or have them spray the fire hose! Make up some silly saying and show/ teach your kiddo how to blow and wipe their own nose. Along with blowing noses is washing hands. Another hygienic task that we work on with your kiddo. YSA kids are some of the best handwashers, we really have put in the practice to make sure all the kiddos are following the safest and complete hand washing steps. This is another thing to practice at home. Ask your preschooler to show you how, ask them what song they sing while washing. You will be surprised to see how awesome they do!

Putting on, zipping, and buttoning a jacket is another multistep skill your preschooler is working on at YSA. A great one to work on at home as we approach chiller temps. Don’t let them fool you! They are working on/mastering this skill at YSA! This is such a great fine mother exercise! Don’t take the practice from them, let them try…fail…try… try again! An easy way to help them to start learning to put their jacket on is by having them lay it on the floor, collar/hood closest to their feet. Then they stick their arms in and superman flip the coat over their back. I will include a picture example : )

And last but not least… wiping. Yep, got to throw that one in too. We work on this skill at school multiple times a day! Ha! Please, show your preschooler and help them master this oh so important life skill. Front to back… need I say more! Haha!

These are just a few of the basic self-skills for your child to learn. As they grow, give them more responsibility to care for themselves and more responsibility. Allow them to help with daily chores, errands, and taking care of pets as they become of age. They really thrive and get excited to help, just have to be encouraging and sometimes make it some silly fun!

Ms. Whitney
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Curriculum Coordinator