ALEX Toys Official Blog

Dear Nurit,

I’m the parent of a 3 year-old boy who is feeling the pressure to teach my son to read. Whether it is an infomercial promising to create a little reader out of my toddler or just the voice in the back of my head wanting him to succeed in life, I’m getting anxious. How can I help my son love books?

So serious!

A love of reading is truly a gift that parents can pass along to their pre-readers. At this stage in your child’s development don’t worry about creating the next Eric Carle. Just make it fun.

Depending on your local library’s policy, your son may be eligible for a library card of his own. If so, sign him up for one. Visit the library regularly and let him check out several books at a time. Read everyday whether in the morning during breakfast or in the evening right before bed.

Take the initiative and put books in front of your child that follow the subject matter he’s currently passionate about. Does he love cooking? Check out a cookbook and make a point of reading the recipe aloud at every step. Is he in to trucks? Surprise him with a book that includes photos of several kinds of vehicles.

Children naturally learn when they are having fun so don’t worry about formulas and worksheets at this point. Enjoy where your child is developmentally and meet him there.

*photo from toddlertoys.wordpress.com

Dear Nurit, I’m a kindergarten teacher and would like to introduce my class to Black History Month in a fun way. Do you have an ideas for engaging 5 and 6 year-olds?

February is Black History month. Kindergartens are not too young to learn the basics. You can engage your young learners to think about the past while pondering what kind of future they’d like to create for themselves.

Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Black History Month Ideas

-Take them to your school’s library and read them age-appropriate stories about important African-American historical figures including Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman.

-Draw a large dialogue cartoon bubble on a sheet of construction paper for each child with the words “I Have a Dream” inside. Ask them what their hopes and wishes are for the future and write them down. Let them create illustrations to go along with the text.

-Each Friday of the month, share a fact about African-American history with your students.

Have a great month!

photo from galesschools.com

Dear Nurit,

I’ve been looking for a fun way to help my tween preserve her memories. Scrapbooking sounds fun but the technical side of cutting photos, buying the ribbons, stickers, and decorations for the pages would be a bit daunting for my 10 year-old. How can I introduce her to scrapbooking in a way that won’t require multiple trips to the craft store or a Fine Arts degree?

Scrapbooking has recently increased in popularity as people have realized how enjoyable and easy it is. Why just plop photos into an album when you can really decorate each page to your liking? While there is a serious side to scrapbooking, complete with conventions and seminars, your 10 year-old can get in on the action on a level that is more compatible with her age group.

I’m particularly fond of the ALEX  Scrapbook Kit because it contains all of the supplies your daughter needs to embark on her memory preservation journey. It was recently reviewed on a favorite website of mine, Learning Expressions.

The purpose of scrapbooking is to celebrate memories, keep it fun!

Dear Nurit,

It’s my New Year’s Resolution to get my family eating together more often. To be honest, our dining table serves as more of a place for mail and coats rather than a center of togetherness. Do you have any tips for making this happen?

Eating dinner as a family is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your children. It will strengthen your family’s bond and encourage healthy eating habits. These days many parents find that sitting down together for dinner is difficult due to busy schedules, team practices, and a lack of planning. Here are a few tips to make sure your resolution is one you can keep.

1. Start with 3 family dinners a week. Set yourself up for success and pick three days out of seven to start, perhaps Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Be sure to pick days that are free from regularly scheduled conflicts. Let everyone in the family know what times and days their presence at the table is requested.

2. Announce meals beforehand. In a highly visible area, such as the refrigerator, keep a calender of the meals you will serve on family dinner nights. Ask for input the week before. Opt for fun, easy, family favorites such as tacos, casseroles, and don’t forget to include in-season vegetables!

3. Create an inviting space. Assign an older child with the task of clearing the dining table and setting the table at least 30 minutes before dinner will be served. Encourage them to get creative and make a centerpiece or decorative napkins.

4. Little Helpers. Make meal prep a family affair by allowing younger children to accompany you to the market to purchase ingredients. Talk about the meal as you shop. Invite older children to help chop, bake, and serve the meals. If you have a budding chef on your hands who would like to take over the planning and prep of an entire night’s meal, let them!

Good luck and Bon appétit!

Photo from HealthyAlberta.com