mamarati wrote an interesting post today on
Here’s a quick excerpt
There are so many teachable moments with kids, but sometimes we forget when we get caught up in routine or mundane tasks.
For instance, when you fill up the wading pool or you’re hooking up the sprinkler for the kids this summer, remember to take the time to show them how you can make a rainbow and give them turns holding the hose and creating this wonderful effect. (Just remember to put your back to the sun and tell the kids to spray over their shadows for the best results.
When I was a kid, I never got tired of making rainbows in the hose. And every rainbow seemed like magic to me. But don’t leave it at that for the kids in your care… be sure to teach them some of the science behind rainbows.
Other ways to have fun with rainbows:
Put prisms in [...]
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mamarati wrote an interesting post today on
Here’s a quick excerpt
I’ve been reading a lot about square foot gardening lately. I think that this really makes sense and would be a great way to start a garden in a child care setting where you may not be able to “give up” much of your playground space.
I would advise that you make the boxes 4×2 however, to allow the small arms of children to reach their own squares.
If you buy the book, be sure and get the newer version. They’re both about the same price, so that’s not an issue… but the author has made some advances in the technique that are particularly welcome. For instance, in the past, he recommended that you dig down into your existing soil where the box is going to be. In the new version, this step is not necessary.
There’s a Yahoo! Group for this that I’ve been following, and almost nobody [...]
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mamarati wrote an interesting post today on
Here’s a quick excerpt
Someone recently asked about the pine cone bird feeder project and what they could do if there’s a child in the class with a peanut allergy.
There are a few alternatives here, including using tallow — rendered beef fat, other nut butters like almond butter or macadamia spread, and using soy butter.
Using tallow is going to be a messy, greasy process, but the birds love it. This isn’t recommended if you have children who cannot use cow products for religious reasons or if you have vegetarian/vegan children.
Soy butters are generally specially made for those with nut allergies, so this is your best bet. This can also be obtained pretty cheaply at Amazon or Wal-Mart (they carry their own brand, so very inexpensive).
Using other nut butters is an option, but you really need to be careful when choosing these since they may be processed in plants that also [...]
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