Winter Fingerplay

The

Keystone PAT Update

Make a Treat That’s For the Birds

It’s easy to get your child involved in a project to encourage birds to visit. Simply use an empty grapefruit or orange peel cut in two halves. Put a hole in both sides of the fruit near the top and tie yarn or string through the hole. Fill the fruit with birdseed, peanut butter, bread crumbs, etc. Hang your treat on a tree and watch with your child as the birds enjoy their snack. You could also spread peanut butter on a pinecone and cover it with birdseed. Hang it on the tree and enjoy!

Mittens Mittens for snowtime When the world is white. Mittens for my two hands (hold up two hands) Mittens left and right. (indicate left and right)

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

Winter Fun! Christmas has passed, and the new year has been rung in…what now? Consider these fun activities to add

some excitement:

Snowball Toss: Give your child five or six sheets of white tissue paper.

Have him wad them into ‘snowballs’. Place a wastebasket or tub several feet

from him and let him toss his ‘snowballs’ into the bucket.

Encourage him to move the bucket as far away or as close as he would like.

Catching Snowflakes: Take a walk outside when it is lightly snowing.

Have your child hold out one of her mittens and catch snowflakes on it.

When she has caught several, encourage her look at them closer and

talk about their size and shape.

Mittens with a thumb place (indicate thumb) Mittens warm and snug. Mittens make me feel like A bug inside a rug! (hug body)

Winter Driving With the Little Ones

The winter season is upon us. Snow and wintery weather can be great fun for

kids but can also lead to unpredictable and dangerous road conditions for drivers. That’s why Safe Kids and General Motors teamed up to bring you a few things to remember when driving with your little ones this winter.

Avoid Bulky Winter Clothes: We know you want your little ones to be warm this winter season, but please

don’t strap your child into a car seat with a bulky coat as it can affect the ability of your car seat to do its job. A bulky coat can compress in a crash and create a loose car seat harness, putting your child at greater risk of injury in

the unlikely event of a crash.

Take the Pinch Test: Make sure your child’s harness is adjusted correctly year-round by using the “pinch test”,

which is the best way to make sure the harness straps are snug and close to the body. First, remove bulky clothing

and blankets. Make sure the harness straps are adjusted to the correct height – they should be at, or just below, the child’s shoulders when the child rides rear-facing, and at, or just above, the child’s shoulders when a child is

forward-facing. Then buckle and tighten the harness straps. Place the chest clip at armpit level. Now pinch the strap at your child’s shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you’re good to go.

Ensure Comfort and Safety at the Same Time: To keep your child warm and toasty after you remove the

bulky coat, you can place a blanket (or even the coat) over the tightened car seat harness.

Check your Tailpipe: Before you get in your car, do a quick walk-around and check to make sure your tailpipe

is not blocked with snow. A simple check can ensure you won’t have any problems with carbon monoxide, which is dangerous.

Prepare for Mother Nature: You never know when you might get stuck in the cold and snow, so always have

an emergency bag stocked in your car. Be sure to include necessities like baby food or formula, water, diapers, extra blankets and a spare set of warm clothing. You’ll probably never need it, but it’s nice to have just in case.

Watch Out for Sleds: One of the great things about snow is the chance to go sledding. And kids will do it

anywhere, anytime, often cruising right into the street. That creates one more thing to look for when you’re driving. Be prepared by slowing down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones. If

your car is not equipped with daytime running lamps, turn on your headlights earlier in the day. As always, reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Buckle Up: This is an “all-weather” tip. We know that when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a

good example and buckle up for every trip. Your kids are safer in a crash when everyone in the vehicle is buckled

up.

Written by: Kate Carr

See more at http://www.safekids.org/blog/winter-driving-little-ones#sthash.3QSGsFEh.dpuf

THE KEYSTONE PAT UPDATE WINTER 2015

THE KEYSTONE PAT UPDATE Winter 2015

Fun Dates to Celebrate This Winter Are you looking for a reason to celebrate? If you need an ‘official’ reason, find one on this list, grab your family, and make a theme day. Silly memories really stay with a child, so take pictures and talk about it for days, weeks or years to come. Make it an annual celebration and make a scrapbook out of the pictures to see how it changes from year to year. Celebrate however you want, but include your whole family and have a great time!

January Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day 3 – Chocolate Covered Cherry Day Festival of Sleep 4 – Folic Acid Awareness Week 5 – Bird Day 6 – Cuddle Up Day 7 – Old Rock Day 8 – Bubble Bath Day 9 – Apricot Day Static Electricity Day 10 – Cut Your Energy Costs Day 11 – Secret Pal Day Milk Day 12 – Make Your Dream Come True Day Stick to Your Resolutions Day 13 – Rubber Ducky Day 14 – Organize Your Home Day 15 – Hat Day Elementary School Teacher Day 16 – Appreciate a Dragon Day 17 – Kid Inventor’s Day Fresh Squeezed Juice Week begins 18 – Winnie the Pooh Day 19 – Popcorn Day 20 – Draw a Dinosaur Day Cheese Day 21 – Hugging Day Granola Bar Day 22 – Celebration of Life Day 23 – Pie Day 24 – Compliment Day Peanut Butter Day 25 – Opposite Day 26 – Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day 27 – Chocolate Cake Day 28 – Blueberry Pancake Day School Nurse’s Day 29 – Kansas Day Puzzle Day 30 – Croissant Day Yodel for Your Neighbor Day 31 - Backwards Day Inspire Your Heart with Art Day

February Feb. 1 – Super Bowl Sunday 2 – Groundhog Day 3 – Nat’l Carrot Cake Day 4 – World Cancer Day Homemade Soup Day Facebook’s birthday 5 – Chocolate Fondue Day 6 – Chopsticks Day 7 – Bubble Gum Day Send a Card to a Friend Day 8 – Boy Scout Day 9 – World Marriage Day Pizza Pie Day 10 – Oatmeal Day Clean Out Your Computer Day 11 – Peppermint Patty Day Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day 12 – Lost Penny Day (Lincoln’s Birthday) 13 – Get a Different Name Day 14 – Valentine’s Day 15 – Gumdrop Day Childhood Cancer Awareness Day 16 – Do a Grouch a Favor Day 17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day 18 – Drink Wine Day 19 – Chocolate Mint Day Chinese New Year 20 – Love Your Pet Day Hoodie Hoo Day 21 – Sticky Bun Day 22 – Be Humble Day World Thinking Day 23 – Banana Bread Day

Play Tennis Day 24 – Tortilla Chip Day 25 – Quiet Day 26 – Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Pistachio Day 27 - Chili Day No Brainer Day 28 – Tooth Fairy Day Chocolate Souffle Day

THE KEYSTONE PAT UPDATE Winter 2015

Winter has arrived with the expected cold temperatures, grey skies…and sickness. Families have been hit hard with a variety of illnesses ranging from strep to influenza. Unfortunately, we have a long season ahead of us. This is a good time to stop and review some policies that will help everyone stay well. Remember that your parent educator visits many houses. Some children may be too young to have been immunized against certain things, so bringing something in could lead to serious situations very quickly. Help your parent educator by letting them know if the kids or the adults in your household are sick. If anyone is experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, or a fever of 100 degrees or higher, please contact her to reschedule. Also, consider these same guidelines when deciding to attend any PAT event, such as a group connection. Your child (or you) should be fever free for 24 hours to attend an event or invite an educator into your home. Remember, if your child has a fever, they probably don’t feel like playing anyway, so rescheduling for another time will get the most out of the visit.

On a similar note, the Keystone handbook guides winter activities as well. “Group connections will be cancelled if the district is closed due to weather. School cancellations do not automatically cancel personal visits. Visits, however, may need to be rescheduled due to school cancellations” (for instance, hazardous road conditions or children home from school may necessitate cancelling a visit). The handbook also says…”decisions to cancel or reschedule should always be based on the ability to travel safely”. Please keep this information in mind when bad weather strikes.

Makers of over-the-counter cough and cold medicine have responded to the FDA ruling that their products not be given to children under age 4 by removing them from store shelves. Research has shown these products offer little benefit to young children – and can have potentially serious side effects. Many cough and cold products for children have more than one ingredient, increasing the chance of accidental overdose if combined with another product. So without these over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, what’s the best way to treat your toddler’s cold? Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can reduce aches and pains and a cool mist vaporizer can help loosen congestion. A simple bulb syringe and saline nasal spray can be used to clear stuffy noses. Plenty of liquids, especially chicken soup, and rest also help children feel better. But don’t underestimate the power of TLC. Your caring and comfort is one of the best medicines for your child. The above script is part of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) radio series ‘A Minute for Kids’ which airs weekdays on WBBM-Amin Chicago, IL

THE KEYSTONE PAT UPDATE Winter 2015

February is Dental Health Month. This year’s slogan is “Defeat Monster Mouth”. The American Dental Association hopes that parents of even the youngest kids will begin developing good habits and begin scheduling regular dental appointments for their children. This campaign will draw attention to the need to take care of children’s gums and teeth from the very beginning.

Parents often ask, “When should I start cleaning my child’s teeth?”. Daily dental cleaning should start as soon as your infant’s first tooth appears. Wipe the tooth with a piece of gauze or a damp cloth. By age 2, she should have her teeth brushed at least once a day, preferable at bedtime. However, she won’t yet have the control or concentration to brush her teeth all by herself. You’ll need to supervise and help her so that the brush removes all the plaque – the soft, sticky bacteria-containing deposits that accumulate on the teeth causing tooth decay. Be sure to use a small, soft, nylon-bristle brush. Use only a small amount of toothpaste – until you see that she has learned not to swallow it. Swallowing too much fluoride daily can cause permanent tooth stains. If she doesn’t like toothpaste, just use plain water for a while. The brushing and rinsing are more important than fighting about toothpaste. The above script is part of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) radio series, “A Minute for Kids”, which airs weekdays on WBBM-AM in Chicago, IL.