February 27, 2006
The Whole Child e-zine brings you free preschool activities each week to maximize your child's potential, build skills and parent-child relationships in just a few minutes per day. Useful tips, quotes, resources, opportunities and articles will added for extra value!
If you enjoy this e-zine, please pay it forward and send it to a friend. If you received THE WHOLE CHILD from a friend and you would like to subscribe, please sign up at Shirley's Preschool Activities.
19 February 2006, Issue #002
CONTENTS
1. Hello from Shirley
2. Updates at Shirley's Preschool Activities
3. Opportunities for you
4. Tips
5. Quotes
6. Readiness Activities
1.Hello from Shirley
HiHow do you like the new logo for THE WHOLE CHILD? I couldn't figure it out for the first two issues, but this time I mastered it!
If you are not receiving this email in html format, then you won't see images. Use this link for a much more colorful and easier-to-read version!
It has been a week of milestones for me - my 11 month old baby Riaan has started walking - just a few wobbly steps at a time, but he is doing so well!
The difference between my first and fourth babies, is that he doesn't walk from Mom to Dad and back again, but from a brother to a sister and back, with the rest of us cheering him on!
My 7 year old, Lucy lost her first top tooth too this week - so that was another 'event' that cost her dad some small change, even though she knows there is no tooth mouse!
2. Updates at Shirley's Preschool Activities
I have now created a page dedicated to THE WHOLE CHILD where you can read the back issues.
If your emails have white gaps where pictures are missing, then you can see the complete version there too.
I am still trying to figure out why the pictures go missing in the email format!
3. Opportunities for you
Last week I told you that as a homeschooling mom, I have wanted to share what I have learned in the 8 years that I have been homeschooling with others who are just starting out on the homeschooling journey. As a South African homeschool curriculum provider, I am often in contact with new homeschool parents and I wanted to find a way to be able to share with them the books I have read and other resources that have helped me to educate and parent my children.
When my husband joined Business Warriors, (an online community of over 20 000 small businesses, standing together to help one another and have their voice heard) I learned a bit more about the importance of a website and internet marketing for any online or offline business…and my mind shifted gears...
(I mentioned the book Crashproof Your Business by Peter Carruthers – this book is a real eye-opener for anyone in business in South Africa!)
Somewhere on the Business Warrior site, there was a mention of a website-building package that enables you to build your own site, without any technical know-how at all.
In October 2005, I spent two weeks reading all about it and comparing it with other web-hosting options and software packages dollar-for-dollar, I decided that this was the best option to make my vision become a reality.
I was initially very wary of what I thought might just be marketing hype, but eventually I took the plunge and signed up, and I am happy to report that it has proved to be the real-deal. In fact they deliberately over-deliver on their promises in order to ensure your success, because ultimately their success depends on your success.
...and that is howcome you are receiving this ezine...
More next time...
4. Tips
I have often needed this one in the past BUT I haven't tested these tips myself yet!
To remove sticky putty from fabric
If possible, place the item in the fridge so that the putty hardens. You should be able to scrape away the hardened putty from the fabric with a dull blade. Then place an old cloth behind the fabric and apply rubbing alcohol. Remove the putty as it flakes off. Launder as usual afterwards.
Another tip is to apply salt to the putty.
5. Quote
"The part of life that matters most is the moments and memories that happen each day...the ones that won't be forgotten."
Sally Clarkson, Seasons of a Mother's Heart
6. Readiness Activities
Copy and paste these activities into a new document, print and paste where you will see them daily.
Gross motor skills – eye-hand co-ordination
Play ball games with your child using a small ball like a tennis ball. Show her how to toss the ball back and forth between her two hands quickly like a juggler would do. Let her bounce the ball up and down to the ground using the palm of her hand. Do the exercise with both hands. Play any other ball games you choose, rolling, throwing, catching or kicking the ball, but stop when your child loses interest or concentration.
Fine motor skills - manual dexterity
Let your child hold a small ball with the fingertips of both hands. Show her how to spin the ball forwards with her fingertips. Repeat spinning the ball backwards.
Visual perception
Using plastic shapes from a toy shape set or cut from paper, place five different shapes in front of your child. Discuss and name the shapes with her. Ask her to look away while you remove one and replace it with a different shape. You child must try to determine which shape has bee replaced. Replace more than one shape at a time as she improves at the game.
Auditory perception –auditory and numerical conceptualising
Let your child stand with her back to you. Clap your hands and ask her how many times you clapped. Repeat clapping once, twice, three, four and five times at random.
Faith building
By now your habit of reading a Bible story each day should be established. If you don’t already, then ask your child to pray to the Lord as you lead her in a short prayer. Remember she may easily be distracted, which is why it is a good idea to close eyes and put hands together or hold each others’ hands to keep them from fidgeting!
Language and thinking – auditory memory
Teach your child some short nursery rhymes. Recite them together until your child knows them by heart.
Although you will find plenty of nursery rhymes at this link on Shirley's Preschool Activities, I still recommend that you rather buy a nicely illustrated book of nursery rhymes that you can enjoy together.
The ones that I own and would like to recommend seem to be out of print now, but here are some others that you could consider:
At Kalahari.net:
A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
At Amazon.com:
A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
