Tech 101 for Toddlers & Preschoolers

As parents, the information on how much screen time (and what kind of screen time) our kids should have seems endless. It’s challenging to keep up, much less sift through it all and figure out what’s real and current. I’ve taught technology to elementary and middle school students for more than 15 years, and have two kids of my own under the age of 6. These basic guidelines (based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics) can help you navigate the muddy waters and figure out what’s really ok for your child at different ages.

Good guidelines to follow are:

• Children under 18 months should avoid any media unless looking at pictures or using video chat.
• Children 18 - 24 months may watch high quality programming if you watch it with them (and talk about it with them).
• Children 2 - 5 years may watch 1 hr./day of high-quality, co-viewed programming; at this age, it’s important for parents to help kids understand what they’re seeing and how it relates to the world.
• Children 6 years and older need enough sleep, physical activity, and face-to-face social interaction first and foremost – it’s essential that these be priorities. According to recent research, once these are accounted for, children are not negatively impacted academically, socially, or mentally by moderate amounts of screentime.
• A good rule of thumb is no screens half an hour to one hour before bedtime.

So, why are the guidelines the way they are? Children learn the most from direct parent interaction and connections with the real world around them (think of this as your fruits and vegetables). Next, they learn from co-viewing, which includes watching or reading with an adult. They learn the least from using media by themselves (think of this as junk food). You might have a cupcake once in a while, but you wouldn’t have it in place of your meals!

It can also be challenging to figure out which media is high-quality media. The best programs for kids are slower-paced, concrete, and real-world, with pauses for interactivity. PBS Kids has some good options including Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger, Mr. Rogers, Curious George, Doc McStuffins, SuperWhy, Wild Kratts, and Planet Earth.

Parents should be very careful with Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime. Content on these services is not filtered effectively for kids, and inappropriate content is just one click away; young kids should never view/navigate these channels by themselves. For example, on YouTube, videos that get a lot of attention bubble to the top; unfortunately, a video may seem like a cartoon initially, but a few minutes in shift to violent or other inappropriate content.

I’ll leave you with a few practical suggestions for helping your family navigate the technology-driven world that we live in:

• Ask permission before taking pictures. This seems like a simple thing, but we don’t do it. A sobering statistic is that more than half of all girls will be asked for a nude photo of themselves by the age of 14. Our children need to be comfortable saying “no.”
• It’s ok to have different rules for different kids. Kids are different from each other – one may need very firm limits, and the other may function well with more flexibility.
• Treat media time the same as you would reading books – sit together, and choose content that is language-rich and interactive.
• Re-enact things from a show; repetition and contextualizing things with kids help them process it. Talk with them about what they took away from a show.
• Eliminate background TV.
• If a smartphone is in the room, it’s affecting the quality of parent/child interaction; find a place to dump it.
• Technology doesn’t have to be just screen media. If you have old pieces of technology around your house (keyboards, phones, etc.), use them as “take aparts,” or spend time playing with Snap Circuits or Makey Makey.
• If you have an iPad for your child, keep one app on it at a time. When they get bored with it, they will naturally turn it off and go onto another activity. Periodically, change that app out for another one. Some good apps for young kids include Puppet Pals and Scratch Jr.

At the end of the day, parent-child engagement is key with media, as it is with anything. Following the practices outlined here will support your child’s development and set the foundation for a healthy relationship with technology in the future.

About the Author:

Steve Trust is Director of Academic Technology at Charles River School, an independent PreK - school in Dover, Mass., and father to a five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter.

Keeping Cool with the Kids This Summer - Area Splash Pads, Sprinkler Parks & Wading Pools

   

As summer temperatures rise, what better way to get the kids outdoors without overheating than hitting one of the many splash pads, sprinkler parks and wading pools in the area!  

Massachusetts is home to a few full-on water themed resorts, most of which offer day passes, with the exception of Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, which is an overnight-only resort. In no particular order:
CoCo Key Water Resort in Danvers
Hurricane Harbor at 6 Flags in Agawam
Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis
John Carver Inn and Spa in Plymouth
Water Wizz in Wareham
Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg

Looking for a place you can just stop by and cool off on the fly? Try one of these great spots:

Artesani Park & Wading Pool (free) in Brighton - my personal favorite, Artesani is not only free - it also has loads of parking, clean restrooms, life guards, a sprinkler park AND separate wading pool, playground, picnic area, and is located right on the beautiful Charles River. The entire facility was upgraded about 2 years ago. IT'S AWESOME.

Rings Fountain on the Greenway (free) in Boston - located right near the Aquarium, it's a great place to stop by and cool off after a trip to see the fishies. Every summer my daughter and I hit the Figment Art Festival (this year planned for Saturday and Sunday July 22 & 23) on the Greenway to check out the music and interactive art installations, and we always visit the Rings Fountain for a good soaking. In fact, there are fountains all along the Greenway, so you can take dips the whole way through.

Frog Pond on the Boston Common (free) - it's easy to spend the whole day on Boston Common with the kiddos, whether there's an event going on or not. Check out the enormous wading pool, the sprinkler park, the playground, the carousel, maybe even take a ride on a Swan Boat - not to mention the gardens are stunningly beautiful, great for a stroll with an ice cream cone before you head home. There are also lots of fun activities planned for the summer months, like free evening yoga, so check out their website to find out more.
Minot Rose Garden Playground (free) in Brookline - I live near this one, so we hit it a lot, and the roses are in full bloom right now. The splash pad is the usual playground sprinkler set up, nothing fancy. The fancy part is its location - right next to a fantastic playground that is itself located inside a large, shady, fully fenced in park with a paved loop perfect for scooters or bikes. This park is named and known for it's gorgeous rose gardens, and makes a great spot for a picnic or catching a free morning yoga class on a Sunday.
Daniel Ford Playground at Emerson Park (free) in Brookline - another great Brookline playground, along with a separate sprinkler/fountain area, in a large sunny park where summertime often finds my daughter and I (and a hundred or so other families) sharing some takeout pizza with friends and listening to some live music at the Brookline Summer Concert Series Wednesday evenings.

Those are my personal favorites, but there are so many more:

Soule Recreation Center (free) - Chestnut Hill
Charlesbank Playground & Spray Deck (free) - Boston
North Point Park & Splash Pad (free) - Cambridge
Danehy Park Splash Pad (free) - Cambridge
Johnson Playground & Stonybrook Spray Deck (free) - Jamaica Plain
Bradley Palmer State Park & Wading Pool $ - Topsfield
Beaver Brook Spray Deck & Playground (free) - Belmont
Luciano Park Spray Pool (free) - Arlington
Artemas Ward Wading Pool (free) - Marlborough
Nelson Memorial Park & Splash Pad (free) - Plymouth
Davis Farmland $ - Sterling (Yes, this is a farm with a spray park. I cannot WAIT to take my daughter here.)
Petersen Splash Pad at Watson Park (free) - Braintree
Cellucci Skate & Splash Park (free) - Hudson
Lynch Park Splash Pad (free) - Beverly

Or look them up yourself:

Waltham alone has 9 parks with splash pads, so depending where your day takes you, there may be a place to cool off nearby : Spray Parks and Pools

Wherever you go to stay cool this summer, be safe, have fun, and don't forget your SPF!

About the Author:
Laura Perras is a mom and Realtor who grew up in Needham, where she now works as part of the Perras Group at the William Raveis Needham office. In addition to mom-ing and selling houses, Laura enjoys djing, yoga, and arts and crafts. She’s involved in Parent Talk as Board CoChair of Marketing and Communications, Blog Coordinator, and Sale Committee Member.  Please reach out if you would like to submit a post to the blog or have feedback or ideas regarding what you’d like to see here : Laura.Perras.Realtor@gmail.com

Ready, Set, Play Outside!

It took a while, but finally it's here  -- perfect weather to visit area playgrounds.  Researchers have found that being outside is important for developing and keeping eyesight keen, so get ready for some outdoor time!

Parent Talk members can access a helpful list of local playgrounds on the PT website.  Parent Talk Matters Blog has also posted recommendations worth a revisit:   It's Playground Time! and Local Playgrounds for the Littles.  These are mainly for offerings in Dedham, Dover, Needham, Natick, Newton, and Wellesley.

I'm adding info for a couple of my favorites to the list of recommendations.  Two are local in Westwood, and one is a little off the beaten path.

Playing in Westwood's Tot Lot is fun when dressed for cooler weather, too!

AGE 3 AND UNDER

Westwood Tot Lot
This quiet, small playground on Nahatan Street is ideal for the littlest ones.  Swings are tot-sized buckets, and the slides on two climbing structures are a few feet above ground.  There are toys scattered about that usually include shovels, trucks, and ride-on cars.  The lot is well shaded for hot days.  One con is limited parking.  A handful of spaces can be accessed by driving through the adjacent Westwood Council on Aging parking lot (where no playground parking is allowed), to the back side of the playground.  But I have used parking in the front of the adjacent EW Thurston Middle School when it's not too busy at the school.

AGE 3 AND OLDER

School Street Playground
This Westwood playground is great for a wide age range, and could be ideal for family outings with kids who are not very close in age.  It includes a climbing wall and a tall, rope-web climbing structure for the older kids (that could be challenging even for adults!).  For tots, there is small climbing structure with a slide and tot-sized swings.  For a wide range of ages, there are spinning tulip cups, see saw, tire swing, elevated roundabout, and 15 foot tall slides, among other things.  The caveat is that almost the entire playground  is open to the sun.  Plan to visit a few hours before or after the hottest part of the day, to avoid arriving when the play structures are too hot.

This is the Dragon Boat at Alexander Kemp Playground.  "Figurehead" by Andrew Watson

Alexander Kemp Playground
If you have the chance to trek to Cambridge, the Alexander Kemp playground is well worth a visit for its unique offerings.  Highlights include a water pump with a series of descending trays, allowing for play with cascading water and pools.  It also has a roundabout and various types of pulleys and bucket apparatuses.  There is a real sandbox (not just wood chips, here!) of decent size, with a good mix of sun and shade.  A caveat is that water features are turned off when the weather gets cold, so be sure to visit before October rolls around.  Parking along the adjacent streets can be challenging and limited to residents, but is not impossible to find.

READY, SET, PLAY OUTSIDE!

Armed with all of these playground options, hopefully you can rest assured that you won't ever hear your kids complain about "visiting the same, old playground again!"


About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

DIY Kid-Crafts for Heartfelt Holiday Gifts

My 3 year old receives a lot of gifts throughout the year, and the holidays are no exception. But he does not have as much experience with giving gifts.  I purchase the gifts"from" him, wrap them, add his name on the cards, and encourage him to pass the items along to another person. Does my child really understand the concept of giving when I pretty much orchestrate the whole thing?

This year, I want to give my little guy a chance to be generous on his own.  What could my son give as a gift that does not look like it came from his dad or me?  My mind was blank until I realized that I was concentrating too much on things that could be bought.  Then the obvious hit me.  One of the best gifts an adult can receive from a child is a gift that is made from the heart!

Painted, personalized plate that has has been placed back in its original packaging.

I took a trip to the local craft store to give my child the materials and opportunity to make some gifts for his family. While the results are not perfect looking, I think that the family will love these gifts for what they represent.  He was truly thinking of each family member as he completed each project.  Here are the results, along with a few more ideas for your own crafty kid, below!

PICTURE FRAME

The picture frame was my favorite of the three crafts.  All of the crafts were very easy, but I thought this one had the prettiest result.  Along with a plain wooden picture frame, my son used non-toxic craft/acrylic paint, mosaic glass tiles and stones, craft or school glue, plastic dish with Q-tip for glue application, and a sponge paint brush.

Items used for this craft are spread out on my son's play kitchen table, which doubles as a craft table.  

My son used the sponge brush to paint a plain 5" x 7" wooden picture frame the color of his choice, while I held the frame so he could get most nooks and crannies.  There were still some blank spots, but I resisted the urge to fill them in myself.  I was not going to make any adjustments because I wanted it to be truly his own creative project.  After the paint dried, he applied glue to the frame with a Q-tip and then stuck on pieces of colored glass.  The pieces were applied somewhat crookedly, but I held myself back from making any "corrections."

Painted wooden frame with glass mosaic stones and tiles.

We will add a nice photograph of him, and then send it to the grandparents as a present over the holidays.  Total time:  10 minutes to paint; 4 hours to dry; 20 minutes to glue on decorations; additional drying time for glue.

PLATE

Almost everything we needed for this project, from plate, paint, and brushes was included in Creatology's Personalize It Plate Kit.  The only added component is an oven for setting the paint onto the plate.

Personalized, painted plate which has been baked and set, and is safe and ready to be eaten from.

The manufacturer recommends this as a project for 8 years and older, and an older child might have created a cleaner outcome, but my 3 year old did just fine with it (I took care of the step of baking it in the oven, though).  Total time:  15 to 20 minutes of painting followed by 30 minutes to bake, plus time to cool off.

 

WREATH

At our local craft store, I let my son pick out a number of items to bring home for decorating a plain, green wreath.  At home, he placed the items in whatever arrangement he wanted.  I attached the decorations for him, doing my best to keep them exactly as he had placed them, including the big red bow.  Total time:  after shopping time, about 25 minutes.

Wreath hanging from a doorknob, against wall and cabinet.

In the past, we have also visited Make Meaning at Dedham's Legacy Place, and made pretty soap arrangements.  Walking through a craft store like Michaels has also been the source of some ideas, and it even has kid crafting classes. 

Hopefully, this post may give you some ideas for embarking on your own crafty holiday, if that's what you want to do, too!  On behalf of Parent Talk, cheers and best wishes to you and yours for a happy and heartfelt holiday season.  See you in the New Year!

About the Author

Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

Giving Thanks for My Parent Talk Village

"It takes a village to raise a child." - African proverb

My babies, Kiera and Padraig, in 2011.  Photo credit: J+R Photography 

I remember when the first wave of panic set in. My husband told me that he had a five day work trip right after we closed on our new Needham home. Images of eight-month pregnant me, sitting defeated on our living room couch next to our 21-month-old daughter, surrounded by countless unpacked moving boxes, filled my mind. Thankfully, my godmother from New Jersey swooped to the rescue and stayed with us that first week and helped me unpack. But it made me wonder, what had we done? Why did we move away from our village in New Jersey?

Moving had never been an issue for me before. I moved from Singapore to Illinois for college, then to New Jersey upon graduation, and then to Massachusetts for my husband’s work. But the move of merely 9.1 miles with 1.5 kids, from the South End in Boston to Needham, was terrifying. Aside from a few of my husband’s colleagues, we did not know anyone (or, technically speaking, I did not know anyone). Yes, people comforted me with, "You will meet people when your kids are in school." But how was I going to survive being isolated in the suburbs for the next three years before our firstborn entered kindergarten?

“You need to join Parent Talk,” my husband’s colleague’s wife stated matter-of-factly. So I did.

The 2-year-olds from our playgroup with friends, nicknamed the "Bigs," at Spooky Walk in 2011.

It was a slow introduction to Parent Talk, just because getting out of the house with two kids (a 2-year-old and an infant) by myself was almost impossible. So, as a start, we attended PT's family events (e.g., Frosty’s Festival, Story Time with Elmo) to maintain the critical one-to-one adult to kid ratio. Then, we graduated to the PT parenting lectures which gave us a few more tools to add to our parenting toolbox. And the YMCA discount for Parent Talk members was phenomenal! It pretty much made up for the membership fee, assuming we made it to the gym. And then we hit the jackpot -- Playgroup.

We were arbitrarily assigned to one of several playgroups based on our daughter’s age. This meant that we were coming into a playgroup that had started two years ago, and had grown to include 20 to 30 families. Not intimidating, right? But after I sent the initial awkward email introduction about our family, there was an immediate response. "Hello. Welcome to our playgroup. Like you, we are all in the trenches. It does get easier. We meet at the Playspace or Perry Park every Friday morning. Join us."

The "Bigs" a few years later with younger siblings, the "Littles," at Spooky Walk. in 2015.

The relief I felt was palpable. No pressure to host others, no pressure to attend every playgroup gathering. Come as you are, when you can. After my kids and I got into the swing of these weekly Friday playdates, an interesting thing happened. These were not just playdates for my kids, they became my playdates too.  

What an incredible group of moms, dads, caregivers and kids -- generous, kind, fun, creative, organized, intelligent, and honest. This group was a source for vacation ideas, contractor recommendations, recipe swaps, and sharing parenting ups and downs. This was group parenting at its best, as we exchanged candid and valuable information. We worked at Parent Talk Sales together, attended family events (Memorial Day Picnic at DeFazio Park, Spooky Walk), volunteered for meal trains, socialized at Moms’ Nights Out (and Away!), and there were even a few poker nights for dads. Through life’s best and worst moments, we have been there to support each other.

Mom's Night Away, Portland, Maine, 2015.

It has been a little over four years since our family moved to Needham. We honestly thought we would head back to New Jersey when the appropriate job opportunity for my husband came up in the New York or New Jersey area. The PT playgroup changed that trajectory. Our playgroup has morphed into our extended family. My husband and I no longer feel the need to move. We know in our hearts that Needham is home and this is where our family can grow roots. And it all started with Parent Talk.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to Parent Talk for helping me build my village.

About the author

Joyce McCafferty is an unexpected stay-at-home Needham mom. She is so glad that her husband chose to relocate to Needham because that one choice set into motion so many wonderful events


EDITOR'S NOTE: This Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to take a moment to consider and share all of the things we are thankful for. If you have your own story of gratitude for the Parent Talk village, an experience, PT's offerings, events, or anything else, please share it with us with the Comments section below. Or join us on on Facebook and Twitter, beginning your story with "I am thankful to Parent Talk for . . . " and tag it with #Thankful4PT.

Holiday Cheer and Chores

Halloween's approach marks the beginning of the holiday season for many families.  It brings the smell of smoky, crackling fireplaces and cinnamon and apple, along with the sight of red, gold, yellow, and orange leaves crowning dark limbed trees.  There is an expectation of fun-filled days to come.

"halloween decorations" by Maggie Not Margaret

Scarecrows made from straw-stuffed clothing with jack-o'-lantern heads sit atop haystacks, small wispy white ghosts tied among bare branches float in the breeze, and lighted pumpkins with carved faces laugh before the doorsteps of many homes.  After a night of trick-or-treating, there will be more to look forward to -- warm, welcoming Thanksgiving gatherings, Christmas and Chanukah cheer, and the crisp coldness of a winter's day, marking the fresh start of a new year.

But what comes after each bustle of activity?  In many cases, clean-up!  Even if you have hired help, that help may not be on a daily basis.  There usually is something left for you to do.  But lucky for you, you probably have one or more little people in the house who have busy little hands, looking for something to delve into.   In fact, those munchkins may be at an age where anything the adults do is exactly what they want to do.  So, how about giving your eager kids a few chores, clean-up or otherwise?

Here are a few ideas for chores for children, by age (thanks to the Flanders Family for sharing).

  http://www.flandersfamily.info/web/age-appropriate-chores-for-children/

Now enjoy the holidays . . . and the clean-up, with a little help from the kids!

About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, the blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

If you have something to say related to this post, let us know in the Comments section below!

Dance Classes for Two to Three Year Olds

Ready to enroll your toddler in a dance class?  If you have a toddler who loves to move while being creative, silly and social, then consider the world of dance.  Dancing is a fun and interactive way for children to grow and develop in all levels.  Here are a few points to ponder when choosing a dance class.

Source: LINX

 

Pick a dance studio that focuses on the needs of two to three-year-old children

We all know toddlers need to have fun to stay engaged.  While the right dance class should be entertaining, it should also help develop your toddler's motor skills, flexibility, musicality and self-confidence.  Toddler-focused dance classes can incorporate ribbons, scarves, maracas, wands and hula hoops to keep your child engaged while promoting physical and social awareness.  It’s important to explore the different ways our bodies can move and the many shapes they can make.  Tapping into your child’s love for music and sound helps to form the foundation for a healthy love of dance and music for years to come. 

Many three-year-olds are ready for a dance class without mom, so check whether your dance studio has On My Own class options.  However, while On My Own style dance classes foster independence, some parents still want to watch all the fun.  A parent-friendly studio may be set-up to allow for one-way parent viewing.  Also, check whether there are opportunities for student performances.  When a child is ready, a recital or other performance in front of a group can encourage self-confidence and a sense of pride and accomplishment. 

Source: LINX

Parent Participation

Two-year-olds typically are more comfortable learning with a partner with whom they already connect and trust.  Separation from parents can sometimes be difficult for toddlers.  Most importantly, most children at this age have not yet experienced copying movements and following a teacher's directions.  Dance classes for toddlers should be structured to allow parent participation throughout the class while also allowing a child and parent to separate from each other.  Parents or caregivers should be encouraged to provide comfort and guidance at whatever level they are comfortable with, to help make their child's first structured dance experience a success.

What to expect in class

Warm up, circle time activities are a great way to ease dancers into the class. Parents may be encouraged to join in the fun, using engaging props like scarves and shakers.  A large, creative, movement activity can round out the class as children focus on the teacher for instruction.  This may be followed by parent participation as the exercise evolves.

Source; LINX

Know your teacher

Why not schedule a time to talk to the dance instructor at the studio?  Find out if your class is taught by a dance professional who is experienced with two and three-year-olds.  If so, you can have some assurance that your child will receive the proper guidance as he or she attempts only movements for which he or she is both mentally and physically ready. 

Look for a dance studio that will grow with your child

As your child gets a little older, he or she will have an increased ability to focus, which is needed to have fun with a routine.  Children can start to have this ability around age three.  At this point, classes can focus more intensely on ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, and leaps and turns.  Staying with the same dance studio is a benefit to your dancer because he or she is already comfortable in the learning environment.  Your child can build on existing friendships while making new ones.  Choose a dance studio choice that will help grow your child’s love for dance and creative movement for years to come!

About the Author
Grace Tummino is Marketing Specialist at LINX in Wellesley, a Parent Talk Platinum Level Partner and company that offers classes and camp experiences to help children have fun while they learn.

If you have comments or an experience to share related to this blog, please speak up!