Perhaps, you have not heard the Australian motto for protecting young children in the sun? Australians are matter-of-fact in their approach and use the saying “Slip, Slap, Slop” before going outdoors with youngsters. Did you figure it out yet? That’s right. Slip on a hat, slap on a shirt, and slop on the sunscreen when preparing for safety in the sun. These are the basics of sun safety, but, there are many more good ideas for keeping your baby and young child safe from the sun’s harmful rays this summer.
Montessori-Inspired At-Home Activities for momstown’s ‘Under The Sea’ Theme
As a Montessori teacher, I have a passion for hands-on learning, and believe that every child benefits from Montessori-based activities which focus on learning through the senses. So, the reason for this article is to give moms an opportunity to learn about, and to do some Montessori-inspired activities at home with their preschoolers. The momstown theme for the month of May is ‘Under the Sea’. So, have fun with these sea-markable, themed, do-it-yourself activities – Montessori style!
Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville
Oat Flax Pancakes with Steamed Cinnamon Apples
Well, here it is! Yet another yummy (and surprisingly healthy!) pancake recipe. This recipe could be considered to be a follow-up to the last article posted on raising our healthy kids. This particular article mentions ‘Eat Right Ontario’, as a popular reference for dieticians and other health care providers. I decided to check out the website and picked out this recipe which just so happened to be the …
2015 Kids Recipe Challenge Winning Recipe: 2nd place!
Free Video Series Helps Parents to Raise Healthy Kids
New research into child development demonstrates that parents and caregivers can play a critical role in ensuring their child’s individual success in all areas of development. In order for that to happen, we often need extra support, wisdom, and encouragement along the way, so that we can feel confident in our ability to give our child a healthy start and provide early intervention. This is why Dieticians of Canada and Alberta Health Care Services have created a free video series called ‘Raising Our Healthy Kids’.
Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville
King Cake Crepes (With a Hidden Easter Treasure Inside!)
The King Cake (sometimes shown as kingcake, kings’ cake, king’s cake, or three kings cake) is a type of cake associated in a number of countries with the festival of Epiphany at the end of the Christmas season; in other places, it is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival. Historically, king cakes have included a hidden treasure (typically a baby symbolic of the Christian faith). I decided to include this particular recipe, called King Cake Crepes, as a means of continuing momstown Belleville’s pancake, flapjack, and crepe recipe theme during this present Easter season. It is also a child-friendly recipe, and one that your children will enjoying nibbling on, as well as to find the hidden treasure(s) inside!
Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville
Kids Who Help in the Garden are Smarter and Healthier
Did you know that kids who garden are more than twice as likely to eat the recommended 5 servings of vegetables a day? This is just one of the reasons to include your kids in gardening during the spring and summer months. Yet, there are many other reasons for children to garden which include emotional, cognitive and physical development.
Good Dental Health Actually Begins in The Womb
Developing good oral health habits at an early age is essential for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. So, did you know that a baby’s healthy tooth development can actually begin before birth? As a mom-to-be you can actually get your child’s teeth off to a healthy start during pregnancy. And, once baby is born, your job is to promote the healthy development of gums and those first baby teeth, in order to ensure good oral health into adulthood.
Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville
Things to Consider When Adopting a Family Pooch
March 23rd marks National Puppy Day. As you probably know, there are millions of unwanted puppies that sit alone in the shelter each and every day, just waiting, and waiting some more, to be adopted into a forever home – and to have a forever family.
Is that forever family your family? Are you considering a new and adopted doggie for your home? If so, you are among the four in ten (37%) Canadians who have adopted from an animal shelter in the past.
It is truly admirable that your family wants to make a difference in the lives of orphaned pets, as there are millions of homeless animals in Canada longing for a forever home. However, adopting a pet is a big decision to make, and I encourage you to consider a few things when adopting a puppy for your family.
Hands-On Science Activities – a Powerful momstown Learning Tool
Did you know that momstown provides its’ participants with powerful learning experiences? It is at momstown Belleville, and on our website, that parents can learn (and even try at home!) developmentally appropriate activities for their 0-6 year old child. You see, momstown gives its’ Program Pass Holders a unique and exciting blend of early education and programming which is absolutely critical to their healthy development. If you read the early childhood news, you will know that “Hands-on science activities and investigations are essential components of any early childhood setting, and they help lay the foundation for life-long learning and healthy development.”(see link below). Here, at momstown, we take early childhood education seriously! So, with that in mind, just take a look at what our families learned this week through our early childhood facilitators at momstown Belleville’s Little Scientist Program!
Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville
