Knitting

Here at The Yellin Center, we’re always on the lookout for new games or apps that can help kids and teens build up their self-confidence, executive skills, and mindfulness.  The “newest” activity taking hold of teens and young adults, however, is actually something many people probably associate with their grandparents.  Knitting (and crocheting) has surged in popularity over the last few years, especially among millennials.  It’s not uncommon to see commuters stitching away on the subway or even college students knitting while they listen to a lecture.  Many young knitters tout it as a stress-reducing hobby that leaves them with a tangible product of their hard work.  Educators have begun to look at knitting as a way to help kids engage in a calm, relaxing activity that requires a deep focus and may help decrease feelings of anxiety.

 

Knitting enthusiasts believe that the craft can help young people engage in mindful thought, which we know is an invaluable tool for growing minds.  Some children and young adults don’t respond well to the traditional practice of mindful meditation, which typically requires sitting still, with idle hands.  This type of stillness has the potential to increase rather than decrease anxiety for newcomers.  When someone is knitting, however, the body and fine muscles are quite active, but the repetitive nature of stitching allows the mind to be both deeply focused and free to wander with its thoughts. 

The research on knitting is still emerging, but studies thus far, conducted mostly with adults, have found emotional and psychological benefits of the craft.  It has been linked to decreased heart rate and blood pressure, feelings of calmness, and lower emotional distress.  Going at it as part of a group, such as with the knitting club written about by Jane Brody in The New York Times, has additional benefits beyond solo knitting, including higher self-reported happiness. School psychologists and teachers are starting to take advantage of knitting’s newfound appeal to begin introducing the practice into the classroom or student support groups.  Training the mind to maintain focus on a single activity is a hard feat, and it’s something a lot of students struggle with.  Knitting has the potential to improve students’ attention to a task.

Knitting is just one of many hobbies that encourages thoughtful action and deep focus in kids and young adults.  Building model planes, taking and editing photos, baking, or another crafty endeavor can lead to similarly positive feelings and a calm, peaceful mind.   Knitting is unique, however, in its ability to be taken on-the-go and used in almost any scenario without disturbing others around the crafter.   

Photo credit: Derya via flickr cc

Podcasts for Growing Minds - Part III

Today we wind up our three-part series on podcasts with those aimed at parents. Our earlier posts looks at podcasts for children and teens. 

Podcasts Just for Parents

 1. The Longest Shortest Time (30-60 minutes) 

This parenting podcast is hosted by a journalist-turned-podcaster who was inspired to create the show after her experience with pregnancy, childbirth, and adjusting to parenthood. It sees itself as a “bedside companion” for new and seasoned parents alike about topics ranging from balancing parenthood with a career all the way to how to make placenta pills. Two particularly memorable episodes featured a US veteran who struggled to care for her children amid deployments (ever wonder what it’s like trying to breastfeed in a war zone?) and a professional clown who uses his clowning skills while parenting.

2. On Being (52 minutes)

This podcasts can help parents get into their zen zone whenever they have a chance for some down time. Host Krista Tippett interviews religious leaders, artists, scientists, psychologists, lawyers and political activists about their work and many more of life’s unanswerable questions. A recent favorite of ours broke format (typically a single interviewee each week) to share stories from 16 Americans celebrating Ramadan about “the delights and gravities of Islam’s holiest month.” It was our first time really getting a feel for what Ramadan means to Muslim Americans, and it helped us feel connected to the great diversity of our country. Although this podcast often features religious leaders and touches upon some religious concepts, it is wholly non-denominational and spiritual rather than religious.

3. Only Human (25-40 minutes)

Sometimes, parents don’t have time to read the news every morning or catch up on current events. Sometimes, parents don’t even have time to engage in the thought-provoking activities that keep their brains running. That’s why it’s nice to be able to listen to a podcast like Only Human that forces you to think critically about some of the most pressing issues in physical and mental health. We’ve learned a lot about the history of medicine, new scientific advances, and what it means to be “only human” in the face of chronic illness. The reason we're recommending this podcast for parents, however, is because of its focus on mental health, relationships, and connecting with others. Many of its episodes thoughtfully explore the relationships among parents and children, doctors and patients, siblings, and even med students and their training cadavers. The podcast reminds us to stay connected to others in the face of hardship and doubt, and it stretches our critical thinking muscles in the process. We recommend starting with episode one, in which the host discusses her own experience of fighting cancer while pregnant.

Podcasts for Growing Minds - Part II

This is the second part of a three-part series on podcasts. Earlier this week we looked at podcasts created for children. Today we are looking a those that will especially appeal to teens (although many parents will find them of interest too). And we will end the week with a discussion about podcasts specifically aimed at parents. 

Podcasts for Teens

1. Radio Rookies (5-30 minutes)

This is a recommendation for the 15-and-up crowd. Radio Rookies is a WNYC series "that provides teenagers with the tools and training to create radio stories about themselves, their communities and their world.” It covers difficult subjects through the eyes of New York teens experiencing them, including race, poverty, domestic violence, parenthood as a young adult, and graduating high school against the odds. Some of our favorite WNYC reporting is done by these radio rookies, who offer a fresh perspective and mature insights into issues that aren’t always truly understood by grown-up professional journalists. This radio show is a good way to show teens their potential and their value, especially if they’re interested in journalism or politics.

2.  Invisibilia (60-65 minutes)

This podcast is amazing long-form reporting on “the invisible forces that control human behavior – ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions.”  It prompts teens to think more deeply about themselves and the world around them. They’re all amazing, but two recent episodes have looked closely at how our clothes can change our minds and our behavior, and how noncomplementary behavior can be used to prevent terrorism and help us manage our relationships.  There are two seasons out so far, with a total of 13 one-hour episodes that will leave your teens (and you) thinking twice about everything.

3.  Radiolab (35-65 minutes)

We’ve mentioned this fantastic podcast twice previously, but are including it one more time because it’s really a can’t-miss production.  Radiolab has been around for quite some time and has covered everything from the hidden world of plants beneath the ground to the heart-wrenching story of a child born on the cusp of what doctors call the age of fetal viability.  Some of the episodes focus on really difficult subject matter, like how to (theoretically) ration medical supplies during a pandemic when you know you can’t save everybody, or how parents cope with caring for a terminally ill child, but everything is presented in a truly beautiful format, complete with original music.  The podcast is a great way for teens to become engaged in deep moral thinking, as the hosts often go back and forth with each other and with themselves as they grapple with tough moral dilemmas.  

4.  MorePerfect (36-63 minutes)

A miniseries spin-off from some of the talented folks who make Radiolab, More Perfect is great for teens who are interested in government and politics, but without all the messy current events flooding the airwaves.  This six-episode series explores the history of the US Supreme Court and some of its most influential cases that you probably didn’t learn about in school.  The episodes cover issues like cruel and unusual punishment, how the court became the powerhouse it is today, and why it’s so hard to prevent race-based jury selection with a court ruling.  They even came up with a great jingle for remembering the names of all the current (and prospective) Supreme Court justices. 

5. Note to Self  (10-30 minutes)

Not all of the episodes from the podcast for “anyone trying to preserve their humanity in the digital age” will appeal to teens, but many are sure to strike a nerve.  Some of the best episodes look at tech etiquette around the world (phones at the table? Yes in Korea.  No in France.), FOMO vs. JOMO, and the weird world of mood-altering wearable devices.  There are also two challenges, Infomagical and Bored & Brilliant, that will prompt your teen to consider how she or he consumes media and uses electronics.  

6. Freakonomics  (30-60 minutes)

This is another long-time favorite, hosted by journalist Stephen Dubner and his sometimes-partner, economist Steven Levitt. The show uses the theory and methods behind economics to try and explain some very interesting, very non-economic issues.  Some memorable episodes have asked how much does the president really matter, why does everyone hate flying, do boycotts work, and why do people wear belts?  The show has covered a broad range of topics, allowing teens to get a feel for fields that interest them.  The host has interviewed US Senator Cory Booker, NYC pencil-shop owner Caroline Weaver, and everyone in-between.

7. The Moth (20-60 minutes)

The Moth podcast compiles true stories from people all over the world told live on stage without a script at Moth StorySlams and Mainstage events.  They have a regular presence in small NYC venues.  Both the live shows and the podcast are great for exposing teens to what life is like for different kinds of people in different kinds of places and situations.  It can also show young writers or poets models for different ways of expressing themselves and constructing their stories. 

8. ThisAmerican Life (60 minutes)

This is the podcast of podcasts.  The show has been around for more than 20 years, and it’s had the same host, Ira Glass, and his unforgettable voice since its inception.  We can’t tell you how many times this show has made me cry, or how many episode your blogger has assigned as required listening for my undergrads at CUNY, but we do know that the team at This American Life goes above and beyond every week to bring us stories about people and the interconnected lives we lead.  This podcast can help teens feel more connected to our world and to our neighbors.  Two of our recent favorites include #589: Tell Me I’m Fat, and the two-parter, #592/593, in which the producers spent time getting to know some of the people living in refugee camps in Greece.  They also have their own favorites list, currently topped with an episode about two schools right here in NYC that feel like they’re worlds apart.

Podcasts for Growing Minds - Part 1

Podcasts (audio shows you can pre-load onto a smartphone or play through a website) have become the hottest thing since sliced bread. They even have the power to potentially get someone out of jail or connect strangers who are tied to each other in a way you could never imagine. They’ve even made it possible to enjoy emptying the dishwasher and doing laundry! Since the number and types of podcasts have proliferated so much in recent years, it seems like a good time to pick out the best of the best to recommend to families. 

Below are reviews some of your blogger's favorite podcasts for kids.  In subsequent posts we'll look at our favorites for teens and adults. These audio programs are a great way to learn about the world, about ourselves, and about some things we never even realized we wanted to learn about in the first place. In addition to acting as valuable learning resources, podcasts can help kids and teens kick off their mindful relaxation time. They’re also superb conversation starters for families looking to engage in some tough critical thinking or debate. 

1. How to do Everything (20-30 minutes)
This is “half advice show, half survival guide.” It’s guaranteed to entertain both kids and adults – one of the best episodes features Patrick Stewart demonstrating what a cow would sound like depending on the region of England it was raised in. Other recent episodes include talking to scientists about what dinosaurs probably sounded like and why we really do the pee dance (and does it work!?). The hosts bring in consultants to answer these and other extremely important questions, like the “World’s Greatest Extra” who can teach you how to blend into the background on any television or movie set.

2. Brains On! (15-25 minutes)

The host of this podcast and her guests, both kids and adults, answer some of science’s most interesting questions in a very fun way. They’re “serious about being curious.” A recent episode, for example, explored why humans get allergies by interviewing an 11-year-old who has a few allergies and an allergist who can answer her questions. Other episode have explored farts (are they good for you?), the science of baking, and how to translate your dog’s barks or cat’s meows.

3. Can I Pet Your Dog? (45-55 minutes)

Yup, you guessed it. This is a show about dogs and all things dog-related. The first episode features an interview with Hamilton-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda all about his dog Tobi. The hosts discuss dogs they’ve met, dog news, dog care tips, and funny stories from their lives (with dogs, of course). It also has a pretty awesome theme song. This is one of the few podcasts out there for kids that isn’t directly trying to teach them something, but it offers plenty of life lessons without even trying.

4. But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids (12-22 minutes) 

The premise behind this podcast is pretty simple. Kids ask questions and the hosts get answers from athletes, engineers, scientists, novelists, artists and others from all across the career spectrum. Recent episodes have looked into why bikes don’t fall over, how it feels when families grow and change, how cheese is made, and why people have different religions.

5. The Adventures of Eleanor Amplified (10-15 minutes)
This one is pure fun. Each episode follows fictional journalist Eleanor Amplified on her “pursuit of truth.” She works hard to defend quality journalism and access to information in the face of evil scientists and politicians who try to stop her. The stories find Eleanor all over the globe in all sorts of sticky situations. If you have a child who is having trouble transitioning from watching too much television to becoming a lover of books, this could be a good first step to help her engage in the art of the story without the provided visuals.

6. Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child (50 minutes)
This is a weekly playlist that helps “kids and their grownups” connect over new and classic music, with songs from awesome artists like They Might Be Giants, Beck, REM, Apples in Stereo, and Kermit Ruffins. Finding intersections between your interests and your kids’ can be hard, so it’s nice to see a podcast that the whole family really can enjoy together.

The Play’s the Thing

Most people have clearer memories of something they experience than of something they hear or see. Episodic memory, or memory for experiences, is an important part of long-term memory that savvy parents and educators use as much as possible to improve learners’ recall of important material.

This topic probably brings hands-on science experiments to mind, but experiential learning has its place in language arts, too. Allowing children to act is a lot of fun, but it can also help them remember new words, recall events in stories, and understand plots and character motivations in new ways.

Acting and Vocabulary

• Studies show that children, especially English Language Learners, understand and recall new vocabulary words more easily if they act out the new words while learning them. It’s easy to act out a word like “slumber” or “skip,” but some words require a little more imagination. For words like “perplexed” or “humble,” remember that facial expressions can go a long way. When defining a new word, act out the meaning and encourage the child to mirror your actions. Later, say the word and ask them if they can remember the motions.

• If you’re looking to move vocabulary practice beyond flashcards, try vocabulary charades. One by one, players secretly choose a word from a previously studied list, then act it out without using words. Whoever guesses the word correctly gets to act next.

Acting and Literature

Performing stories can be great fun for students, and it also helps them to think actively about the plot because they are experiencing the events firsthand. There are a number of ways in which students can act out what they read.

• The simplest way to act out a story or a scene from a story is to assign parts after kids have listened to the story (ideally more than once) and ask them to act it out from memory. Reassure actors that they do not need to remember their lines verbatim; paraphrasing is fine. Even shy kids will enjoy participating if given non-speaking roles; most books have plenty of these and they are often critical to the plot. Allow kids a rehearsal before they run through it more smoothly a second time. This can be a particularly interesting exercise for books in which the characters’ lines are not spelled out. If a book contains a scene that describes a conversation without actually documenting the words used in the conversation, for example, challenge students to make up lines that reflect what was probably said.

• Readers’ Theater is an excellent format in which to read stories that have lots of dialogue. It does require some preparation on the part of the adult, though, as scripts with characters’ lines (drawn straight from the text) need to be typed up. An adult should present scripts to elementary-aged readers. Those working with middle or high school students, however, might put students into groups and assign each one a chapter; the students can be assigned to write their own scripts together, and a whole book can be performed in this way!

• Got a single student on your hands? Provide him with figures such as Legos or dolls so that he can play all the parts. We are particularly fond of Playmobil for this purpose because sets come with so many props.

Artwork courtesy: http://cliparts.co/clipart/2309341

Make Your Own Word Problem Activity

At The Yellin Center, we often work with students who struggle with word problems. The difficulty can come from not being able to identify the salient information that is required to solve the problem. Other times, it can be difficult for a student to understand the language of a word problem, and to decide what “how many more” means in terms of mathematical concepts. Selecting the appropriate algorithm (sequence of steps) to use can also be challenging for some students. Regardless of the challenges, getting an in-depth understanding of how a word problem is constructed and how the language of the problem translates into mathematical concepts is important for students. One way to expose students to the structure of word problems is by having them construct their own. This is an activity I would usually give to primary students, and they would be required to select some of the information to create and solve a story (or word) problem of their own.

My Animal Story Problems activity always followed a lesson with guided modeling on how to create word problems. We would construct several word problems together as an entire class, being sure to clearly define terminology like “how many more”, “how many”, “how much more” and “all together” meant. I would then have students create word problems in small groups or with partners, and provide the opportunity for students to create their own on the board. It was only then that I would give students this activity to try their hand at independently creating word problems.

I have found that this activity gave me a great deal of insight into what areas my students were finding most difficult about word problems. It was often easy to determine if it was the phrasing of a word problem or selecting the right algorithms based on the given information that the student found challenging.

Note that the examples that follow use the metric system. This incorporates the Common Core standards for elementary grades, which incorporate metric measurements as early as grade two.

• Grade 2: “Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes and Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.”
• Grade 3: “Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).”
• Grade 4: “Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec.”

An example of a properly constructed addition word problem using the Animal Story Problems handout would be:

If a turtle is 8cm and a pig is 55cm tall, how tall are they all together?

8 + 55 = 63

Materials Needed

One Animal Story Problem Handout

Game Play Steps

1. Model how to construct story problems.
2. Explain activity rules to the students:

• Each student will select some of the information from the Information Section of the handout.
• They will then create and solve one addition problem.
• They will select two different pieces of information.
• They will then create and solve one subtraction problem.

      3. Allow students time to create their word problems.
      4. Gather handouts for assessment of their understanding of how a word problem is constructed.

Extension Activities

• Have your students create more than one addition and one subtraction by giving them multiple handouts.
• Have students create word problems in small groups or pairs to promote mathematical conversation skills.
• Have students create problems but not solve them. Then have students trade their handouts with other students and solve their friend’s equations.
• Have students extend their word problems to include distraction information. 

          For Example:
         If a turtle is 8cm, an own is 13 cm tall and a pig is 55cm tall, how tall are the pig and the turtle all together?   8 + 55 = 63


A PDF Version of the game can be downloaded for free. 

Games and Conversations without Screens

Summer is fast-approaching, and for many families this means lots of waiting. Road trips and seemingly endless minutes waiting to sit down at a restaurant, board a plane, or see a doctor leads lots of parents to thrust iPads at squirming kids. Why not use conversation and games instead of technology to make the minutes pass? Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

• Play 20 Questions – One person, the Chooser, should think of a person, place, or thing ("thing" includes animals, foods, etc.). The Chooser can tell the other players, the Guessers, what category they've chosen, or keep the category a secret for extra challenge. Then the Guessers take turns asking yes-or-no questions to try to guess what or who the Chooser is thinking of (e.g. "Is it furry?" "Can it fly?"). The Chooser keeps track of the number of questions asked, and they win if the Guessers ask twenty questions without figuring it out. And yes, guesses count as questions!

• Tell Circle Stories – One person starts a story by saying a sentence, and each person adds their own sentence in turn. Decide in advance how many sentences each person should contribute, or simply let the story grow!

• Compose Circle Poems – A Circle Poem starts like a Circle Story: One person says any sentence. But the next person must say a sentence whose last word rhymes with the last word of the first sentence (e.g. "Is this the right route?" "We need to find out." "Someone should go scout.") The one who starts the game should be careful to end with a word that has lots of rhyming possibilities. You could use a point-keeping system like in the basketball game Horse in which the first person who can't add a rhyming sentence gets a letter (and the first person who accumulates all the letters in Horse is "out"), or you could just play for fun.

• Use Conversation Starters – Open-ended questions that encourage imagination and critical thinking can be lots of fun. Start a conversation with questions like, "If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be and why?", "Would it be worse to be eight feet tall or two feet tall?', and "If you could make one rule at your school that everyone had to follow, what would it be?" (This can be followed by questions about the downsides to the rules proposed or how a child might convince the principal to adopt the rule.) You could use the cards from You've Got to be Kidding, a would-you-rather board game available from toy stores, or simply make up your own.

• Play Categories – For younger kids, take turns suggesting a category and then going around the circle listing as many things that fit into that category as possible (e.g., for sports: "soccer," "tennis," "baseball," etc.). Use a scoring system like the one from Horse (described above) or simply play for fun. For kids who can write easily, give them a minute or two to write as many items as they can in particular category, then ask them to read their lists aloud. They get a point for each item they listed that is unique, but if one of their items appears on someone else's list (for example, if two people wrote "Hawaii" when listing US States), neither player gets a point for that item. 

You'll be amazed at how fast time can fly without the aid of flickering screens. In fact, you may find your kids groaning instead of cheering at the end of a long drive!

Exploring Real Life with Minecraft

If you spend any time around young people, you've likely heard plenty about Minecraft, the video game that kids can't seem to get enough of. Although too much screen time is to be avoided, many parents don't mind Minecraft because it rewards creativity and critical thinking. Ty Hollett, a doctoral candidate at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College, is working on a project that makes Minecraft even more virtuous. 

Hollett has created a "makerspace" called Studio NPL at the downtown Nashville Public Library. Using concepts from Minecraft, he is encouraging young people to re-envision a housing community in East Nashville. Hollett's clever program got us thinking about ways to take advantage of kids' obsession with Minecraft. We love the idea of using Minecraft to explore urban planning, but why stop there? Themes in the game can serve as a wonderful platform for introducing and exploring all kinds of other real-world topics. Creative teachers and parents will no doubt have plenty of their own ideas; here are a few of ours:

Cartography – In adventure mode, players can explore "maps" created by other players. Navigating around the map and exploring the virtual world is tremendous fun for young people. Kids will likely be more interested in drawing a map of their own Minecraft world than in looking at a map of Spain. Encourage them to draw lines of latitude and longitude and a compass rose to learn about coordinates and cardinal directions in a format that is personally meaningful to them. The geography of the real world will make much more sense in history class.

Architecture – Players are able to build anything they can imagine, so why not challenge them to re-create some famous structures? This is the perfect opportunity to discuss international landmarks. You can even get into physics by discussing how certain shapes, like the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lend themselves well to distributing force.

Internet Research – What better way to develop web literacy than purpose-driven inquiry? Minecraft doesn't come with instructions, so players have to figure things out in one of two ways: 1) trial and error, or 2) Internet research. The uninitiated would be stunned by the number of instructional videos and articles on the web. Because finding tricks to help them succeed feels relevant, kids will experiment with search terms until they become masters at navigating the wealth of information online. And many who resist reading a novel will pore through hundreds of words to glean information that feels critically important.

Geology --  As the name implies, mining is important in Minecraft. Players must create pickaxes, first out of wood--which is the only available material, initially--to mine minerals in order to build things. Some kids may be surprised to learn the realistic information about minerals and their properties that is built into Minecraft. Just as on Earth, the most common element in Minecraft is iron, and one can mine iron ore in order to smelt it and turn it into a stronger pickaxe. (Yes, Minecraft covers smelting.) It gets better: Pickaxes made of different materials behave the way they would in the real world. A gold pickaxe gives a player bragging rights but doesn't do a great job of mining hard minerals because it is too malleable. A diamond pickaxe, on the other hand, can mine even the toughest minerals, like obsidian.

Love Bug Math Game

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, today’s resource is a fun, simple math game I created for young learners. When I first started substitute teaching, I always tried to have my own creative lessons and activities that I could bring with me to classrooms in different grades. I found this left the kids excited to have me, and relieved some of the pressure the classroom teachers felt to ensure they left me full day's plans. However, as a substitute who is trouncing from classroom to classroom you can’t always be lugging around mass quantities of materials, so simple is the best approach. The same logic goes for busy parents with an endless to-do list or a classroom teacher with a variety of competing demands.

This game hits the mark in terms of simplicity. All you need is a set of dice for half the class and the handout, leaving both the prep and needed materials minimal. I used this as an early finisher activity all the way up to grade eight (even the older kids like a break to be a kid now and again) or paired it with a Valentine’s Day picture book to turn it into a math activity for the primary grades. It is a great lesson for number identification for early learners. I always kept the students switching partners, which made this is a great social and interactive activity that fills up the spare moments of time before transitioning to something else.

Materials Needed

• One game board handout per every two students
• Pencils, crayons or markers
• One die per every two students

Instructions

• Partner students or allow them to choose their own
• Hand out one game board and one die to each pair
• Highlight the rules at the top of the page and then explain the rules of the game 

Rules

• Each student will take turns rolling the die
• The student will then look at the number on the die and locate the body part that corresponds to that number
• The student then draws that body part on their side of the game sheet
• Keep taking turns until someone completes their love bug

Summer Activities for Families and Kids

Heading out for a family trip? Before you go (and even if you are staying close to home), take a look at Factory Tours USA, which currently lists 573 tours of factories throughout the US. Categories include agriculture, vineyards, glass factories and mines and mining. Most are free or very low cost and there are links included to let you check on details. The site urges that you contact the business in which you are interested to confirm hours and availability of tours. There is also a feature that lets you search by geographical areas, so you can plot your visits by category or location.

No matter where you are heading, if you are bringing kids of middle school age or older, it is always a great idea to visit one or more college campuses along the way or at your destination. Walk around the campus, take a tour (always free, but you may need to schedule in advance and hours vary during the summer, so check the college's website under "visitors" for the best information). The goal of these visits isn't to consider any particular school, but to start getting your child aware of the many different kind of colleges out there and to foster family conversations about college, how to prepare for college, and even the financial realities of college in today's world. Have lunch in the cafeteria and see what you all think about the "vibe" on campus!

Closer to home, check out free or very low cost workshops for kids at stores like Home Depot, whose next free workshop for kids 5-12 is Saturday, August 2nd. Loew's offers free Build and Grow workshops.

And Michaels craft stores offer 30 minute craft sessions for kids while parents shop, for a $2 fee. They also offer an array of longer classes. All of these classes (except those for shoppers' kids at Michaels) require preregistration.

Thanks to Jeanette Pavini of Good Housekeeping magazine for some of these ideas.

Paper Crafts Make Learning A, B, C's Simple and Fun

In a recent search for innovative ways to teach youngsters the names of letters, we came across two free resources too delightful not to share. We were looking for something pretty specific: a system that turned each letter into a recognizable shape so that the familiar image would trigger both the shape of the letter and the sound it represents. A tall order to be sure, but we were delighted with two wonderful ideas we discovered.

The first, shared by the Totally Tots blog, is a collection of crafts, one for each letter, which artsy parents or teachers can make with their little ones. For example, capital A is given two eyes and teeth and turned into an alligator. Capital H receives windows, a door, and a rooftop to turn into a house. It’s important not to neglect the lowercase letters when learning the alphabet, and luckily, they’re available, too.

There are no templates to download, but the letters are as simple as they are ingenious and should be easy to reproduce with glue and construction paper. Kids will have great fun decorating the letters. After it’s finished, the whole alphabet should be displayed for easy reference. A minor, cautionary note, however: The orientation of some of the letters is altered in their presentation on the website. For example, the lowercase f, dressed up to look like a fish, has been rotated 90 degrees. This makes it look more like a fish, but sideways letters may cause confusion among young learners, so it’s best to display the letters right-side up. After your child has made and admired each letter the way it’s presented on the website, be sure to hang it up the right way. 

The second resource is not for the faint of heart or wobbly of hand, but patient adults with some free time will be delighted with the results. Paper crafter Markus Fischer has generously made available free templates  for three-dimensional versions each uppercase letter. Download the PDFs, print them in color, cut them out, and glue them together –you may wish to consult his tutorial for one of the trickier letters if you’re a beginner to paper craft—for a whimsical, ingenious way to teach kids their letters. We suggest printing on cardstock to make the letters more durable; after all the work of assembling them, you’ll want them to last. Children will have fun handling the letters, examining them from all sides, and using them to form words.

Do you have any innovative ways to help children remember their letters? We’d love to hear them!

Stone Barns Farm Camp

Attention New York parents: Worried your kids’ urban lifestyle is too far removed from nature? Stone Barns Farm Camp may be just the thing for your youngsters.

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture  is located just 25 miles north of Manhattan. Set among idyllic rolling hills and graceful woods, Stone Barns is dedicated to growing healthy and sustainable food using an agricultural system that’s good for animals, plants, nature, and people, too. Not only do they provide humanely raised animals and pesticide-free produce, Stone Barns is committed to educating children about food and stewardship, and to teaching farmers about restorative farming techniques.

Farm Camp will give kids from kindergarten through eighth grade the chance to do things they’ve probably only read about, or seen on TV. They’ll get to explore the pastures, fields, and woods of Stone Barns Center, learning about farming in a fun, hands-on way. Your child may discover she loves reaching into the silky feathers of a mild-mannered chicken to collect a freshly laid egg. Or, he may cultivate a talent for helping move sheep from pasture to pasture. Campers will learn about growing and harvesting produce and cooking delicious, healthy food, too. Camp at Stone Barns will be packed with activities designed to help kids forge connections to food, farming, and nature in a way that’s nearly impossible in New York City.

If your child is already booked for the summer, fear not: Stone Barn offers other opportunities for kids (and everyone else) to learn about farming and safe, sustainable, and healthy food production. Your child’s teacher may wish to book a visit  for the whole class, where K-12 students will go on a tour of the farm and get to try out a farm chore or activity. And you’re always welcome to take a family trip to the farm, which is open from Wednesday through Sunday year-round. Any time of year is a good one to visit Stone Barns, even winter; for example, visitors from late February through early March can learn about the maple sugaring process. Take a guided tour, or explore on your own with a self-guided tour.

Registration for 2014’s summer Farm Camp begins January 15th, and we urge interested parents to act quickly! You must be a member of Stone Barns, but the membership fee gives you a discount on camp enrollment and on the fresh, organic farm products sold in the Farm Market. Visit Stone Barns Farms’s camp webpage  for more information.

photo of chickens: woodleywonderworks

photo of sheep: Martin Pettitt

Physical Fitness is Good for Kids’ Bodies and Brains

In case you haven’t heard, exercise is really good for you. Study after study has associated physical fitness with a multitude of health benefits like improved ventilation in asthma patients, lower risk of cancer for both men and women, lowered rates of coronary heart disease, and reduced risk of dementia in senior citizens. Kids who build healthy habits at a young age tend to maintain them, so many health experts recommend that children engage in physical activity while they’re young so that they’ll grow into fit adults.

But a recent study suggests that active kids aren't just physically healthier; they learn better, too. It’s been established that exercise before a test leads to better test scores, and researchers have also uncovered a link between overall fitness and higher achievement scores. Most recently, a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that fit kids outperformed their less healthy peers on a difficult memorization task.

Although the benefits of exercise may be obvious to parents, persuading kids to set down the iPad and get their pulses racing can be tricky. Participation in sports, martial arts and dance classes, and horseback riding lessons can be fun ways to get kids moving. But for some over-scheduled families, adding extra commitments isn't an option. Here, then, are a few ideas to get kids moving that can be integrated into day-to-day family life:

Make Screen Time Active

We advocate limiting screen time, but some small changes can make the time your child does spend in front of the tube or the computer a little more healthful. Ask your child to stand while working with a laptop or tablet (place the device on the kitchen counter if a tabletop is too short). Even better, dare them to stand on one foot! While watching TV, designate commercial breaks as movement periods and challenge kids to do crunches, leg lifts, push-ups, sit-ups, or wall sits until the program starts again. A little friendly competition between siblings or buddies will add an extra element of fun. During programs, encourage kids to sit on stability balls that will engage their core muscles as they balance and work their leg muscles when they bounce.

A Furry Friend in Need

Express your concern that the family dog isn't getting enough exercise and task your child with taking it for frequent walks or starting games of fetch or keep-away.

Get Out Together

Take a walk after dinner whenever possible. Use weekends to do something outdoors together; it’s a great way to combine family time and fitness time. Go for a hike, take a walk in the park, or strap on helmets for a bike ride. Parents who like the idea of longer bike rides don’t need to leave their little ones behind; look into a trail-a-bike, a device that uses a child-sized seat and wheel that turns any adult bike into a tandem.

Stairmaster

Only going up a flight or two? Skip the elevator and lead your kids up the stairs.

Take Measure


Really committed to getting your kids to move? Hand out small, inexpensive pedometers and compare everyone’s steps at the end of the day. The desire to beat his older brother’s total may just get your child to go the extra mile.


Play Time

Kids love interactive games like Simon Says, Mother May I, Follow the Leader, or the Mirror Game*. When you play, throw in physical challenges like crab walks, jumping jacks, frog hops, etc.

Clean Living


Assign kids chores like washing windows, sweeping, washing the car, raking leaves, gardening, or anything else you can think of that will get them moving.



Golden Oldies

Introduce your kids to old, favorite schoolyard games like jump rope and hopscotch. Brownie points for successfully navigating a game of double-dutch!

Three Words

Impromptu Dance Party!





*To play the Mirror Game, partners face each other. One is the actor and one is the mirror, and when the actor moves the mirror must copy the movements exactly. Partners should switch roles at some point so that each one has a chance to be both the mirror and the actor.


Photo credits:U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; espensorvik; vastateparksstaff; glutnix; Pink Sherbert Photography; mastermaq.

Goldie Blox Makes Engineering Accessible for Girls

During her time at Stanford, Debbie Sterling, an engineering student, couldn't help but notice that she and her female peers were vastly outnumbered. Most other women just didn't seem to be interested in engineering, and her classes were dominated by men. Out in the workplace, the statistics were equally grim: Sterling learned that 89% of engineering positions were held by men. Sterling had a hunch that capturing girls’ interest in building through toys that develop spatial skills might lead more girls to become interested in technical fields down the road. She began to do some research and discovered that while boys tend to demonstrate an interest in building things, girls tend to like books and stories. Sterling decided to combine the two ideas, and Goldie Blox was born.

Each Goldie Blox set contains a toolkit and a book starring Goldie, a girl who loves to build. Girls read the book and build along with Goldie as she strives to build a simple machine to help her dog Nacho, who loves to chase his tail. From this basic idea, Goldie (followed by her avid reader) expands on the machine until all of Goldie’s friends are in on the action, too. The story prompts girls to experiment with the included crank and axles as they work to build a belt drive, all brought to life by the fun, zany plot in the book.

Goldie Blox

This Parents’ Choice Award-winning toy, best for girls ages six and up, is available in stores or from the Goldie Blox website. The concept is new and so far there is only one set available, but with publications like The Atlantic, NBC, Forbes, Time, Wired, Parenting, and The Huffington Post covering Goldie, it seems reasonable to look for sequels in which Goldie will put her engineering mind to work in other adventures.

You go, girls!

Fun with Math and Baseball

Tuesday, July 16th, is the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, to be held this year at Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets.

                                                

Baseball has always been a game of numbers, even if keeping score with paper and pencil is no longer a popular activity at games. Batting averages and calculations, such as how often a player gets a hit with someone in scoring position, are just some of the numerical information posted on stadium scoreboards. The film Moneyball, based on true events, was an entertaining look at just how important numbers and statistics are in evaluating the effectiveness of individual baseball players - and in the resulting success of their team.

Baseball can also be a fun and easy way to engage children in numbers and math calculations. If you are at a game (or watching at home) with a child, use a scorecard. Older children can manage their own scoring and younger children can help you with your card. Don't know how to keep score? You can find basic instructions on the website of Major League Baseball, but we found more detailed instructions easier to follow.

There are also a number of good baseball themed apps that offer math instruction, such as Everyday Math, available through iTunes. And the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has developed a series of classroom lessons for grades 6-8 that utilize baseball statistics to teach skills with decimals, fractions, and percentages.

Or, you can sit down with your kids, turn on the game, and just spend some quality time together. No matter who wins, you can't lose!

photo credit:eviltomthai

Celebrating Independence Day with Family in NYC

As the long holiday weekend begins, and travelers leave New York City for the beach and country, there are still plenty of meaningful ways for you and your children to celebrate the 237th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence right here in New York.

You probably won't make the last day of the New York Public Library's brief exhibition of a copy of the Declaration of Independence, written in Thomas Jefferson's own hand, and one of the remaining original copies of the Bill of Rights, which closes today at 4 pm., but you can visit The New York Historical Society to see their exhibit  "From Colony to Nation: 200 Years of American Painting", which is open (and free for those 18 and under) on Thursday, July 4th.

Photo: Tom Check

The Statue of Liberty re-opens to the public on July 4th after post-Hurricane Sandy repairs (Ellis Island suffered more serious damage and remains closed) but tickets to Liberty Island from Manhattan are sold out until later in the month. As an alternative, consider a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which offers views of the statue and lower Manhattan and is always a treat for kids of all ages. The Ferry operates on a holiday schedule on July 4th. While you are on Staten Island -- and since you have to get off of the ferry for the return ride -- you might want to hop a bus to join the celebration in Historic Richmond Town. 

The Children's Museum of Manhattan is open on the 4th and is celebrating by encouraging kids of all ages to construct a Lady Liberty sculpture. 

For those who like to spend the holiday at home, you can always set your DVR for the annual showing of the musical film 1776, which is being broadcast on Turner Classic Movies at 1:30 am on July 4th, as well as being available through other movie services. There is plenty of interesting history set out between the entertaining musical numbers and something
the entire family will enjoy.

Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair Has Something for Everyone

Spring-like temperatures have finally come to New York City and the forecast for this weekend is for sunny weather. To add to the good news, the free Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair is back, and its line up this year is better than ever!

Go to Greenwich Street between Chambers and Hubert this Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. to sample all the festival has to offer. Fans of performance art can watch a variety of family friendly live entertainment throughout the day, and movie buffs can take advantage of some interactive film making demonstrations and exhibits. Be sure to check out free screenings, like a sneak peek at Smurfs 2 and animated shorts from StoryCorps. Athletes in the family will love exploring the ESPN Sports Day options, where they can try a variety of sports activities and games (anyone for myachi? How about fencing?), enter contests, and learn new skills. Fuel the fun with food from various local restaurants, and learn how to recreate some of that culinary magic in your own kitchen through demonstrations by some of the top chefs in the city. And you can head home in style after browsing trendy mer
chandise from area boutiques.

The Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair has something to delight everyone in the family. Visit their website  for a schedule and more detailed information about events and attractions. Don’t miss it!

National Poetry Month: The Diamante

For people who are intimidated by writing poetry, the diamante poem can be a great format to try first. The diamante is a relatively new form – it was invented in 1969 by poet Iris McClellan Tiedt – that follows a very precise formula. It’s easy to follow, but a working knowledge of parts of speech is required.

Steven Depolo/Flickr

A diamante is seven lines long and shaped like a diamond. In fact, “diamante” means “diamond” in Italian! Each line is made up of words from a particular part of speech:

Noun

Adjective, Adjective,

Verb, Verb, Verb,

Noun, Noun, Noun, Noun

Verb, Verb, Verb,

Adjective, Adjective,

Noun

And that’s it! When writing a diamante, though, there’s one more choice to make. Some diamantes are called synonym diamantes; this means that the first noun and the second noun are different words for the same thing. For example, here’s a synonym diamante we wrote about brothers and sisters:

Siblings

Obnoxious, Helpful

Sharing, Arguing, Laughing

Brother, Sister, Enemy, Companion

Teasing, Tickling, Tattling

Irritating, Loveable

Friends

Siblings are sort of like friends (at least sometimes…), so that’s why this is considered a synonym diamante. On the other hand, some diamantes start and end with words that have different meanings or associations. As you can probably guess, these are known as antonym diamantes. Here’s an example:

Lake

Refreshing, Calm

Sparkling, Flashing, Lapping

Lily pads, Ripples, Seashells, Waves

Roaring, Crashing, Rolling

Salty, Endless

Ocean

Diamantes are great for kids. Let them pick their own topics, or challenge them to tie their poems into something they’re learning by assigning them to start and finish with words like “Tom” and “Huck,” “element” and “compound,” “cell” and “virus,” “democracy” and “monarchy,” etc. This is a wonderful poetic form – a true gem! 

Creative Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month

There are lots of fun, out-of-the-box ways to celebrate National Poetry Month. Below are a few of our favorites.

Put a Poem in Your Pocket – Or on Your Feed

Poets.org suggests participating in Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 18; visit their page for more details and to access links to poems you can carry with you throughout the day. But rather than simply sharing your pocket poem with co-workers, family, and friends as the site suggests, why not put a modern twist on this fun idea? Many websites, including Poets.org., The Poetry Foundation, Poem Hunter, Old Poetry (oldpoetry.com) and more will allow you to share poems with the click of an icon. Post your favorite poems to Facebook or share them via Twitter or email.


Take a Poet to Lunch

Of course, if you know any poets, buying them lunch would be a great way to celebrate poetry month. But for those of us without connections, a fun alternative is to tuck a poem into someone’s lunchbox for them to find when they sit down to eat that afternoon. Or pack yourself a favorite poem, or a whole book of them, to nourish your body and your soul come lunchtime. For a child, why not use Magnetic Poetry as an inspiration and include a bag of poetic words next to the bag of apple slices? Your child and his/her friends can create their own poems while they eat!


Enjoy Poetry-Inspired Media

The Outsiders was inspired, in part, by Robert Frost’s Nothing Gold Can Stay. What would Dead Poets Society be without “O Captain, my Captain”? Plenty of books and movies center around poetry, and there are also a number of wonderful movies about the lives of famous poets. Poets.org hosts a long list of great films to enjoy. Or, challenge your family to think of as many books as they can which are focused on poetry. One of our recent favorites is Matched by Ally Condie, which centers around themes in Dylan Thomas’s Do Not Go Gentle.


Read Poetry – as a Novel

There are many wonderful novels available for young people that are written in verse. These can be great options for unsteady readers because verse looks much less intimidating than dense paragraphs on a page. Try titles like Love that Dog by Sharon Creech (also, look for Hate that Cat), What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Somes, Out of the Dust and Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse, The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle, Crashboomlove by Juan Felipe Herrera, and The First Part Last by Angela Johnson.


Trade Your Bedtime Story for a Poetry Reading

Instead of reading a traditional picture book to your children as you tuck them in, opt for fun, child-friendly poems like those of Jack Prelutzky or Shel Silverstein, or reach for classics like A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne, or Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes by Beatrix Potter. Rhyming books like Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney and just about any of Dr. Seuss’s offerings are also good choices.

Photo: CC by Jemimus