Once again it's time for...
The idea behind screen free week is for families to “rediscover the joys of life away from screens." The Screen Free organization believes as we do at BTBL that a childhood should include play, which invites exploration, expands imagination and builds creativity. Children need play to feed their curiosity and make sense of their world through hands-on interactions and what better way than to set an example and take time to play with the whole family. A Pew Survey finds that it is the households with children that own the most multiple gadgets and that these are most used to communicate and connect, which can be a positive thing but they can also distract us from what’s important; our children. I know that when I go out to the park with my daughter, which now that spring is here seems to be an almost daily activity, I use my phone to take photos of her and send them to family members. Just don’t get distracted and start reading your emails and text messages and ignore your child. Use the time together to play and explore.
We understand that completely disconnecting from all gadgets for an entire week may be an impossibility, so perhaps choose to disconnect from those devices that distract you and keep you disconnected from family. We feel that everyone needs a break from the electronic devices that have become such an integral part of every day life so take the leap and try to unplug for the week!
Even if you don’t unplug for the whole week, consider unplugging for a time to:
This year Screen Free Week coincides with the 100th anniversary of Children's Book Week, the "annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading." In honor of both occasions and in an attempt to get your kids on board with the idea of spending more time unplugged from their gadgets and gizmos, consider reading aloud the following titles during the week:
For additional information on unplugging, take a look at our previous blog Unplug This Summer!.
So, unplug, disconnect, and get back to basics this Screen Free and Children's Book Week!
-Kate @ BTBL Author
We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.
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"Those things you learn without joy you will forget easily." - Finnish saying
*Note: this post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
With my sister and I growing up in the 90’s and now having two young children (3 and 1) heading toward formal education, and our mother having attended kindergarten in the 60’s, we are truly worried about the changing tide in education and placing our children in the midst of what we can only deem an ineffective mess.
My mother experienced half day kindergarten complete with naps, milk and cookies, music, songs and art, and of course that forbidden word, recess. My siblings and I also attended kindergarten for half a day and though we were expected to know our ABC’s and count to 100, we had opportunities to engage in pretend play and participated in gym, music, songs, arts & crafts and yes, recess. Today, kindergartners attend a full day of school where all the focus is on academics with play becoming a negative word and recess non-existent. Our educational system is sacrificing play for earlier reading and writing, more homework, more testing and longer school hours and more school days and when children don’t achieve the goals that have been set forth, they are held back. As academics have increased, education has decreased leaving the United States performing dismally in worldwide academic rankings and yet we continue down the same path expecting different results.
Lately, we’ve noticed a growing trend of parents and educators advocating for the return to play based learning or in other words, getting back to basics. Research shows that young children need play and as Fred Rogers said, “play is the work of children.” Most important though is to realize that children NEED unstructured play and NOT play led by an adult. That is not to say that children shouldn’t be provided with objects for pretend play, but the children themselves need to be allowed to decide HOW to utilize them and for what purpose. Children will often create a game or play from what they have seen or participated in with adults but they need to be free to direct the play, which facilitates their own learning and understanding. Unstructured play allows the freedom to explore, create and discover. It specifically helps build creativity and imagination along with building problem-solving and social skills, which leads us to Finland.
Finland often garners educational attention and for good reason. Finland’s high school students consistently rank among the highest performers on international tests like the PISA, but their youngest students focus on play. Finland seems to understand that a child can only learn what their cognitive abilities allow and takes a more natural approach to learning. Kindergarten doesn’t start until age 6 and reading isn’t formally taught until first grade though many of their students learn to read in kindergarten. Books are a part of a kindergartner’s day where the groundwork for literacy development is laid, but as one Finnish kindergarten teacher puts it, “we don’t push them but they learn just because they are ready for it.” Finnish educational expert Pasi Sahlberg states that “kindergarten in Finland doesn’t focus on preparing children for school academically, instead the main goal is to make sure that the children are happy and responsible individuals.”
Creating a strong foundation gives one something to build upon otherwise the gaps can weaken the structure. This is also true with building strong educated minds. Gaps in education can weaken a child’s comprehension and understanding, which will further place the child at a disadvantage because the foundation is not strong enough to make sense of new information. In building the foundation though we must be certain that a child is cognitively ready to receive the educational training that is imposed upon them. Not all children are ready for the academics that are required today in kindergarten and by not allowing children to develop naturally through play and exploration using their own curiosity and imagination to fuel learning, we not only short-change our children but also our nation, leading us to our own state.
Currently in the state of Michigan, kindergarten is not mandatory though 95 percent of Michigan children already attend kindergarten. Legislation has been introduced to make kindergarten mandatory, which then seems to point to eventual mandatory preschool. The premise behind this legislation seems to come from the idea that making kindergarten mandatory, less children will be held back in the third grade because of low reading scores. It is stated that though 95 percent attend, records show attendance is “spotty” leading us to wonder if the representative in question has considered that this may be due to the fact that many children entering kindergarten may not be emotionally or cognitively ready for a full day of academics. We know many children who at five years of age still need a nap to regenerate and wholeheartedly agree with the Finnish system of play and natural learning especially when we observe my own three-year-old at play and the skills and knowledge she is gaining.
The fact is, children are naturally curious and we as parents and educators need to find ways to use this curiosity to fuel imaginations and to facilitate learning in a natural way. We need to remember that each child is a unique individual and that play is a child’s way of learning and is essential to child development. We also need to recognize that one size does NOT fit all and that interests will vary and we should foster these individual interests to have well-rounded contributing members of society. Play based learning should be embraced as other countries have to compete in the global marketplace and to build stronger, healthier, smarter children to become our future leaders.
-Kate @ BTBL
Author
We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.
As parents, we know that weekends can be hectic so we hope that you were able to take advantage of the many pizza deals this past Saturday in honor of National Pizza Day to give you a break from cooking. We at BTBL love the idea of pizza as both an enjoyable meal to prepare with children as well as a fun learning experience.
As a meal, you really can’t go wrong with pizza. Pizza allows for so many crust options to choose from as well as seemingly endless toppings so you can please even the pickiest of eaters and sneak in some healthy veggies. Pizza is also fun to prepare and all ages can participate by kneading the dough or placing toppings. The best part is that pizza can be turned into a learning experience without it seeming like a lesson.
We love the whole dough experience when we make pizza though you could opt for a quicker easier crust (which is great for lunches) such as prepared dough, a pre-made crust, naan, lawash or pita bread, flour tortillas, English muffins, bagels or anything else that can be turned into a crust. If you too want the full dough experience, you can use our favorite basic dough recipe or any other you like. We choose not to use a mixer, enjoying instead mixing it by hand. Do what works best for you.
Basic Dough – If you need dough, here you go!
This dough be used for rolls, pizza or even cinnamon rolls. Alter to suit your needs and taste even adding garlic or other spices for a more savory crust. 1 cup milk or water 1/3 cup butter or oil 2 packets yeast 1/4 cup sugar (optional for pizza crust) 1 ½ tsps. salt 1 egg 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (for a chewier crust use bread flour) Proof yeast in a small bowl by dissolving it in 1 tsp. sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until frothy. Place milk and butter in a sauce pan and heat until butter is melted. Do not boil. Let cool. In a large bowl combine the milk and butter, yeast, sugar, salt and egg. Add the flour and knead until well incorporated. Add additional flour if needed and knead until dough is no longer sticky and is soft and smooth. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm place, for approximately 1 hour. When dough is ready, punch down and roll out on a floured surface to desired shape and size and top with marinara sauce or oil, then various cheeses, meats and vegetables to suit individual taste. Bake in a 400° oven for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until done.
Include your child when making dough, to measure and count the cups of flour. For more dough, double the recipe, which can be a great math lesson as well. Kneading the dough is also a wonderful tactile experience. For the littlest ones, give them a bit of their own dough to work. My three-year-old loves to play with dough, but will work it until it is so stiff that it really can’t be used for baking anymore, though it was a good hands-on experience and kept her happy and busy.
Math, especially fractions, ratios, and percentages can be discussed as you cut and consume your pizza. Cut the pizza into the requisite number of pieces and as it gets eaten, you can ask how much of the pizza has been consumed etc. or for the younger ones keep it simple and just ask how many pieces have been eaten and how many are now left. You can make it as simple or complex as you wish. There are many lessons on-line using pizza to teach math. Look for what is appropriate for your child’s age.
Baking a pizza is not required for learning but instead make pizzas with your child from paper plates, construction paper, felt or other materials. Don’t forget the toppings! After enjoying our pizza lunch we got busy making pizzas out of paper plates that became a puzzle and number activity. My daughter colored two paper plates to resemble pizzas. Next we drew lines on the paper plates to create slices. One plate we left intact and the other we cut. Then we added numbers to the slices of both plates that corresponded to each other, so my daughter was able to practice her numbers by matching the cut slices to the spaces on the whole pizza. We also traced ten circles onto a red piece of construction paper to make pepperonis, cut them out and numbered each one for another way to practice number recognition and counting.
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The pizza fun continued on when my daughter got out her felt pizza set and set up her own pizzeria in her play kitchen. She would take my order, make up the pizza and then deliver it to me. Upon delivery she would inform me how much the pizza cost and I would pay her with the felt money from her set, thus turning the game into a mini lesson on money as well.
When all the baking and play was done we wound down our day by snuggling up and sharing a pizza story. We enjoyed Pizza Party! by Grace Maccarone (a story from my own childhood) and The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philomen Sturges, but there are so many delectable pizza picture books to choose from. Below we have put together a list of some of our personal favorites.
Pizza...such a simple and delicious meal that inspired an entire day of screen-free play, hands-on experiences and bonding! We were even able to make cinnamon rolls in the evening with the dough that was leftover after making three personal sized pizzas.
Happy baking and reading!
-Kate @ BTBL Author
We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children. Any time we hit the road we always keep our eyes open for bookstores to wander through and child-friendly activities and events to partake of. Our recent family road trip to northern Michigan offered plenty of fun in the sun by the big lake and led to the discovery of a new and used bookstore, as well as a hands on children’s museum that fueled my three-year-old daughter’s imagination and made us wish we didn’t live three hours away! Sandcastles Children’s Museum in Ludington, Michigan is a bit of a misnomer. I was expecting a museum and, I suppose it is, but not in the typical way one would expect. Sandcastles is a place for children to create, discover and explore. It allows curious children to experience the landmarks of Ludington in a hands-on environment through interactive exhibits. Over its three floors children are able to...
The creative, imaginative fun simply goes on and on and on. Each area offers real life props for children to use that enhances the fun and learning. Additionally, sprinkled throughout the exhibits are informative articles and posters that explain the origins of the exhibits themselves, offer a bit of the history of Ludington and explain different topics related to the theme of the exhibit (such as information on keeping our pets safe and healthy in the Vet Center). As you move through the exhibits you will also find books relating to the different themes that you and your child can read together. It’s the perfect blending of imaginative play and reading aloud! Another gem we discovered in Ludington is The Windowsill, a downtown bookstore that offers both new and used books in a well-organized, friendly atmosphere. I found several titles for myself and quite a few children’s books, some of which I have been hoping to find in my used sale travels and was able to snag at a great price! The children's area offered titles for every age, from infant through teens. We especially appreciated the fact that the books were organized in such as a way as to be easily accessible to children. Nothing was up put on the top shelves, except special books for display, thus kids are able to browse at their leisure while parents look for books too. Stores like this one are our favorite because you just never know what you might find! What fun places have you discovered while on the road with your family? Tell us in the comments!
Every day when you leave your house, you are surrounded by hundreds of words. As a reader, you don’t make the conscious connection that you are reading. When you see a tree, you think tree. When you see a stop sign though, you know you have to stop but don’t even think about the fact that you read the word “Stop.” A stop sign is a part of the environmental print that we see and read every day and it is often the first print young children are exposed to. Environmental print is the print that we see as we go through our daily life that has become so ingrained in us that we don’t even notice it anymore nor realize that we are reading. It becomes so familiar to us that we know its meaning without reading the words. It’s the print that appears on street signs, labels, boxes and logos. The print we see on the street, in the store and on the goods that we buy. Sometimes, it is the first print that young children see and for young children learning to read, environmental print can help bridge the connection between letters and first efforts to read and therefore becomes an important influence that shouldn’t be taken for granted but used for its ready access. In the early 2000’s, studies found that those children who interacted with adults using environmental print were better able to transfer the acquired word and reading skills to conventional reading. Though print is all around, an adult must draw attention to the letters and sounds in order for young children to recognize environmental print as words rather than just pictures. This is not about recognizing logos, nor teaching children to be consumers, but rather it’s about showing children that letters make up words and that words are all around us and are a part of our everyday life giving us information or just making us smile. So what does this mean for a parent? With summer here and vacations and road trips underway, adults can take advantage of environmental print to help curb that all dreaded summer learning slide or give confidence to children who will begin attending school. Bring awareness to letters and words by pointing them out on cereal or waffle boxes during breakfast. Look throughout your house and point out that words and letters are on video cases, mail, food containers and even on appliances. Point out words that start with the same letter, end with the same letter or words that rhyme. Environmental print helps to show children how important reading is to life in making choices at the grocery store and restaurants, obeying traffic signs and finding your way using street signs. Environmental print can aid the beleaguered parent on a trip by creating a game of finding letters on billboards, license plates or hotel signs. Play a game of "I spy with my little eye..." while in the car pointing out letters, words, colors and shapes you see. This is a very popular game with my three-year-old. While she cannot read just yet, she is able to identify a stop sign and "read" it to me because she knows that it is red and an octagon. Look for new and creative opportunities to make reading a part of your child’s daily life instead of a chore or task they are required to master. Consider reading some of these fun titles with your child to bring awareness to the print all around them. Oh, How I Wished I Could Read! by John Gile Being able to read is a vital life skill, as the protagonist of this story learns when he has a nightmare in which he cannot read! He can't read the sign that says "Wet Paint" on a bench, "No Crossing" at the side of the road, "Wet Cement" at the sidewalk nor "Poison Ivy." Not being able to read these signs leads to some unfortunate happenings and makes the boy all that more grateful to be able to read when he wakes up. I Read Signs by Tana Hoban This photographic book contains images of the signs typically seen throughout the city. Take a walk or drive to see how many of the signs from the book you can find around your town. City Signs by Zoran Milich Similar to Hoban's I Read Signs, this book is a collection of photographs of words that can be seen in the city, including words seen on vehicles like "taxi" and "ambulance," as well as a variety of street signs. Signs in Our World by DK Publishing One more collection of signs that can be seen around town, but with more detail and explanation of what the signs mean. Collecting Words: Short Visual Stories by Brian Fouhy Blending photography with storytelling, this book is a collection of short stories told through the different words to be found out and around town. Intended for adults, this title is best shared as a family. The following activities can help extend the learning and bring even more awareness to the letters and words that surround us every day.
Words are all around us!
Happy reading and exploring! |
AuthorWe are mom Sandra and daughters Amanda and Kate, all with backgrounds in literacy and education, who want to share our philosophy of taking the basics of life; books, simple toys that encourage play, imagination and creativity, and using cooking and baking to teach math and real life skills to raise happy, inquisitive children. Join us in exploring the old and the new and sifting through the myriad of research to consider what is best for our children. Archives
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