Ready Set Grow Connecticut Kids

Whether its painting or making hand puppets, every child can use arts and crafts as a way to expressive themselves creatively and imaginatively. One of the best things about art projects is that they require very little purchases, as almost anything can be art when looked at creatively. Save paper bags, popsicle sticks, cardboard boxes, tinfoil, and other items that may seem like garbage on first appearance, but reveal the makings of a masterpiece to the imaginative eye. You will need to get some crayons, colored pencils, paint, and markers if your child is interested, but make sure you teach them how to use them properly and these supplies can last for quite a while. Be sure to purchase non-toxic, washable paint and glue. (more…)

While the kitchen may not seem like the first choice for bringing a young child, cooking is actually a great way to spend some time together while learning important lessons. Among other things, cooking can teach children motor skills, science, following directions, shapes, fractions, time, and other concepts. Plus, cooking is a great way to instill nutrition in your child and get them to try new healthy foods, since it’s always more exciting to try something you’ve made yourself. Seeing and tasting the finished product is a great way to teach your child confidence and give them a sense of accomplishment.Obviously, you won’t be asking your child to slice potatoes or use the stove. It is best to start them with something they can do on their own, so let them pour water into a mix or roll cookie dough. Anything they can tear or pound usually works well. Some children will just want to start out turning the pages of the cookbook, which is fine, too. (more…)

Despite this article’s title, it’s unlikely (read: impossible) that your preschooler will develop the sort of body that Stallone or Schwarzenegger had in their prime. But the general idea of exercise in early childhood set isn’t laughable on its own. By the time American children reach the ages of five-to-eight, 40 already have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Arteriosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, can also appear in children starting at age five. Without guidance, many children will not avoid these risk factors on their own. That’s why it’s important for you, the parent, to emphasize the importance of exercise at a young age. But what’s appropriate? (more…)

Making sure your child eats healthily isn’t rocket science. Children need mostly the same types of food as adults, just in proportionally smaller amounts. The standard percentages in a healthy diet for everyone over two years old are “less than 30 fat, less than 10 fat, and less than 300mg of cholesterol daily”, according to Super Kids Nutrition. Try to include foods from every food group, with fruits and vegetables making up the majority of the diet. How you get your child to go along with this diet is up to you, but remember that it’s important to schedule snacks between regular meals. That gives you more opportunity to learn what your child likes and dislikes. Sometimes a child will prefer a food in one form over another, such as fresh raw vegetables instead of cooked ones. Finger foods also always trump utensilssomething which not everybody grows out of. (more…)