Family fun outside

Child-friendly plants to grow
Gardening can be a fun activity to do with children. Nothing better than putting on a sun hat, slapping on the sunblock and getting the hands dirty. While the sun is still out, why not start gardening with your child this Summer? It can be fun to take a trip down to the Nursery to pick out beautiful flower pots, seeds, soil and some gardening tools. Below I have found 10 child-friendly plants that  are fun and easy to grow:

• Strawberries
• Lamb's ear
• Mint
• Potatoes
• Snapdragons
• Geraniums
• Nasturtiums
• Green beans
• Lavender
• Pot Marigold 
• Sunflowers

Plant the seeds and have fun watching them grow. The best tip to be water-wise when watering your new plants is to put the plants on a daily schedule. Have a certain day and time that you water your new plants. Growing beautiful plants teach your child all about:

• Patience: Waiting for something to grow will be a beautiful (and possibly tasty) reward. Children will love to see something grow from nothing
• Nature: Think about all the beautiful birds, bees, and butterflies that will be in your garden because of your plant. This gives you a chance to teach your child about nature
• Using 4 (and possibly 5) senses when growing plants: Children will love seeing the bright colours, enjoy smelling the fresh smell of mint or strawberries
• Caring: Children will enjoying caring for something as they know what the end result will be

Please check at your local Nursery for water-wise plants, when the best plants are at what season and where is the best place to plant for the best results.

Happy gardening!

Lunch boxes packed?

Healthy lunch ideas
Healthy eating is something that means a lot to me especially when it comes to children. Children need to have a healthy lunch for the following reasons:

1. Improves their academic levels
2. Increases concentration
3. Prevents obesity and increasing overall good health
4. Good energy levels and a happy mood is felt
5. Vital nutrients are consumed
6. Healthy eating habits developed at a young age means healthy eating is continued into adulthood

But let's face it, it is so much easier in the mornings to pack in a healthy sandwich and a piece of fruit. I found this great picture that gives the lunch box an upgrade of healthy fun. Mornings can be a rush, so why not do the majority of the work the night before. Slip in items such as a bag of pretzels the morning of:





Happiness and healthy eating!

Arts and Crafts time!

Make a Crocodile peg
On the blog today, have a look at the Fine Motor Development tab (https://countingstarstutoringsupport.blogspot.co.za/p/fine-motor-development.html). Today I will be featuring how to make a peg Crocodile. The peg will be used for Fine Motor Development. The Crocodile peg is encouraged to pick up buttons of different sizes and place it into a container. Using the peg helps with the fine muscles in the fingers. Turn an ordinary green peg into something fun.

Keep the peg in a box for Fine Motor Development Activities.

Happy Crafting! :)

Get the calendar out

First Theme words
Every day we write the date so why not start learning about the Months of the Year and Days of the Week first in Afrikaans? This section is featured in the Elke Dag Afrikaans Handbook. I have some lovely posters that you can print to place in the classroom for your students to look at. Some the Months of year sound similar to the ones in English so this makes learning a lot easier for students. Every so often practice the two concepts and your students will know their Days of the Weeks and Months of Year in no time. Have a look under the Elke Dag Afrikaans tab (https://countingstarstutoringsupport.blogspot.co.za/p/elke-dag-afrikaans.html) now to find out more information.



Happy learning!

Checklist when writing

Read through
After Creative Writing is complete, I print out a Writers Checklist. The Checklist is simple and it helps students remember what they need to include while they are writing. It is 5 simple steps to remember. I would suggest printing this out and placing it in the students Writing Files. After each point, discuss with your student why the step is important. Head on over now to the Creative Writing Development tab (https://countingstarstutoringsupport.blogspot.co.za/p/creative-writing-development.html) to have a look at the Writers Checklist.

Happy learning!

Reading with understanding

Different levels
One of the most frequent questions I get asked at Counting Stars is what are the different levels should my child be at with regards to reading and writing according to their age. The answer is under the Phonics Development section (put this in your URL: https://countingstarstutoringsupport.blogspot.co.za/p/phonics-development.html) and it gives you a simple break-down. Remember, this is a guide. We all know that no child is the same so children learn at different levels to one another. If you feel that your child is going to need the extra help with this, please ask about the Write and Read learning package from the Learner Development Support Program.

Happy learning!

Get the body moving

Why children need to exercise
Children these days spend most of their days indoors. Whether it is watching TV for hours on end, playing on the latest electronic device or spend hours playing computer games. Children are just not as active as they used to be. I am not going to blame the advances technology on this because children can still enjoy technology but also make time to be indoors and exercise. Technology can be beneficial in helping children exercise. On the blog today, I give my reasons why exercise is beneficial for children:


1. If children exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a day, it reduces their chances of obesity

2. Studies have shown that children who are more active have scored higher in Reading and Maths

3. Daily exercise helps improve Cognitive Development in children

4. Studies have shown children who exercise often are less likely to become depressed and also decreases anxiety in children

5. Exercise regularly helps children great a positive self-image of themselves

6. Children who are active from a young age are likely to become active adults

So start exercising today. Whether it is taking a walk in the park or going hiking, get those small bodies moving. If your child enjoys a certain sport, think about enrolling at a local sports club. By doing this, it also helps develop your child's social skills.

Let's sing

Counting songs

A fun way to teach counting is to introduce counting through song. Children don't realize that they are learning to count. Under the tab Numeracy Development, I have written up three well-known counting songs.Why not make number flash cards and pictures that can correspond with the songs? Visual stimulation will help with the learning so children can remember to count numbers in order.

Happy singing! 

Something fun to do

Playdough fun
Under the Fine Motor Development tab, my basic recpie for playdough. Playdough is important for Fine Motor Development Skills so why not have on hand a playdough kit for your child? Children can spend hours on end making and moulding different things. The creations are endless. Create a set of different colours so there is a wider selection. Getting the playdough kit is a great activity to do on rainy days.

Happy learning!

Keep the mind sharp

Memory Development
Academics are important for young minds but it is also important to look beyond the classroom. What I mean by this is that when it comes to young minds, we need to work all areas of the brain. The best way is to tap into improving and developing an effective long-term and short-term memory. The Memory Games below are also great for rainy days:





Memory Games

WHAT IS MISSING?
Place 6 simple items on a tray, it can be anything from a clothing peg to a pencil. Place on a tray and have your child look at it for a moment. Then cover the items with a towel and your child must guess all the items. Next, have your child close their eyes. Take away one item and then cover. Have your child guess what item is missing from the tray. Repeat as necessary.


COLOUR ASSOCIATION
Have as many different colour item cards printed. E.g. red cards will include red items such as red apples, a red bucket, red strawberry. Then on one card just have the colour. Have your child guess all the items on the other card that are associated with that colour.

CLAPPING GAMES
A simple clapping game will help your child with developing and understanding a basic rhythm pattern but also will help your child remember.

NUMBERS
Use a deck of cards for this. Turn the cards face down. Have your child find the matching numbers in a set of cards. If your child is not too good with memory cards, perhaps only use the numbers from 2 - 10 on the cards.


There are lots and lots of Memory Games out there but I just wanted to share my top favourite 4 games. Enjoy the quality time with your child. Remember when we turning learning into something fun, your child benefits more :)


Happy learning!

Numbers now

Turning Maths into Fun Maths

Maths can become a fun subject for little ones. Especially when they are just starting to learn how to count. Have a look at the Numeracy Development tab on the blog today (https://countingstarstutoringsupport.blogspot.co.za/p/numeracy-development.html) to read up on some fun Maths games you play with your little one.

And so it begins...

The best year yet
Just a big thank you to all those who have joined the Facebook group and the continued support towards Counting Stars. It all started on the 13th September with a simple idea to help families. All I want to do is continue to help and make a difference! :)

I cannot wait to see what 2018 has in store for Counting Stars.



Kind regards

Krysten