Art at Gingerbread House Daycare

Our preschoolers are are masters of the moment while having a blast creating with teacher Sun!

It’s so rewarding to watch them express themselves and focus on finishing their projects. Fostering their creativity has far reaching benefits beyond their colourful creations.

Some of the developmental benefits of art include:

1. Enhanced motor skills - Holding a paintbrush and scribbling with a crayon are essential to fine motor skill development.

2. Language development - Making art and talking about provides opportunities to learn descriptive words, identify colours and shapes. Growth in emotional expression happens when feelings are about different artwork is elicited.

3. Decision making - Creating art strengthens critical thinking and problem solving.

4. Visual learning - Kids are very visual and while many have learned to navigate smart phones and tablets, drawing and sculpting with playdough are fantastic ways to improve visual-spatial skills.

5. Inventiveness - This happens when kids are supported in taking risks and unleashing their creative potential. This encouragement harness thinking outside of the box and invention.

6. Cultural awareness - We are fortunate in Vancouver to live in a diverse society. Sun’s classes and projects incorporates aesthetics of color, shape and texture to guide kids in understanding plurality and the concept of multiple realities.

7. Improved scholastic performance - Kids who participate regularly in the arts are reported to be more likely to participate in math and science fairs, excel as essayists and poetry writing, and be recognized for academic achievements.

Please enjoy the following pictures that exemplify our kids masterpieces. Special thanks goes to teacher Sun for helping these kids go beyond doodling with markers or crayons and for encouraging them to enjoy the process of making art.

Healthy Eating and A New Garden !

We at Gingerbread House Daycare are committed to helping kids get excited about eating healthy. So we have partnered with a naturopathic physician and a Vancouver horticulturist to help our kids get excited about growing and eating healthy food.

Let’s grow healthy kids together! Teachers with more knowledge about nutrition and healthy eating can not only lead happier, healthier lives- they can be stronger role models for our kids and be better advocates for school wellness policies.

Since healthy teachers inspire healthy kids, we reached out to a local naturopathic physician who offered us a free 2-hour nutrition class that was fun and inspiring. Not a diet class, but basic nutritional information that was digestible and practical!

Kids are so open to new ideas when they are in a garden. And the staff at Gingerbread are grateful to have partnered with Lynsey, a passionate horticulturist, to create a sensory garden in our front two garden beds. The garden will encourage active learning by giving the chance for kids to taste, smell and learn about herbs and native plants. Lynsey also hosts worm composting workshops for City Farmer, Vancouver’s composting demonstration garden. Preschoolers get so excited about worms and the Daycare staff see this upcoming workshop as an excellent opportunity for our little ones to learn about organic gardening.

This is going to be an exciting school year and we are looking forward to further inspiring our kiddos by starting conversations about planting gardens and healthy eating using books, posters and activities.

Here’s to growing healthy kids together!

Sensory Gardens at our Daycare :) We have a worm composting station too! Kids of all ages love to learn about organic gardening. (Thanks Lynsey for all the awesomeness!!)

Adopting Play & Fitness as a Way of Life for Kids

Most children are not ready to play organized sports until they turn 6. Until that age, encourage your young ones to be active with free play—like running, climbing, and leaping!

More than just a chance to have fun, play is serious business when it comes to a child's health and development. To help keep play a key part of childhood, pediatricians may begin writing a "prescription for play" at every well-child visit through age 2.

Learning is best fueled by tapping into a child's natural urge to play, rather than just outside factors like test scores.

Play is also a great stress buster. In one study, 3- to 4-year-old children, anxious about entering preschool, were two times more likely to feel less stressed when allowed to play for 15 minutes, compared to classmates who listened to a story.

Giving your child plenty of opportunities to play is one of the best ways to help them grow into curious, creative, healthy, and happy adults equipped with the skills they need today.

Some examples of ways to do this:

Top 10 Brain Boosting Foods For Kids

Food plays an important role in the development of a child’s brain. Children have very active and busy lives, now more than ever before. Their days are long and packed with schoolwork and after-school activities. The brain is constantly working to help fuel thoughts, movements, breathing, etc. Therefore, their bodies and brain need an adequate amount of fuel to stay energized and focused throughout the day. The brain consists of highly metabolically active tissue that requires a constant supply of calories and micronutrients to meet its energy needs. What kids eat or don’t eat can impact their overall development and cognitive function.

Here are 10 foods that can help kids be sharp and get the most out of their learning and activities:

1. Eggs: Eggs are a great source of high-quality protein and choline. Adequate protein is essential for proper growth and development.

   How to serve: Eggs can be served a number of different ways—scrambled, boiled, sunny-side up, over easy, etc. Pick your child’s favorite way of eating eggs and serve with whole grain toast for a hearty breakfast or an after-school snack.

2. Salmon: Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for brain growth and development. Including at least two servings/week of omega-3-rich food can help support brain function. 

   How to serve: Introduce the kids to different types of fish early on, because eating fish/seafood can be an acquired taste for many. Try making salmon patties, tacos, or grilled sandwiches.

3. Green leafy vegetables: Spinach, kale, collards, etc., not only contain dietary fiber but are also packed with antioxidants and nutrients such as folic acid and lutein, which can help support brain development and memory.

   How to serve: Kids usually aren’t thrilled about eating their greens. So, you can try hiding spinach, kale, or other greens into a smoothie, quiche, pasta sauce, or omelet.

4. Blueberries: Blue and purple fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, purple grapes, and eggplant contain anthocyanins which are shown to support brain health and function by positively affecting memory and focus.

   How to serve: Add blueberries to whole grain pancakes and yogurt for a healthy breakfast.

5. Almonds: Almonds contain vitamin E, an important nutrient that aids with brain functions such as balance and coordination. How to serve: Swapping out peanut butter in sandwiches for almond butter is a great way of incorporating almonds in their diet. Another great way of including almonds is adding them in pesto sauce instead of pine nuts and serving over whole grain pasta.

6. Meat: Lean meats such as beef, chicken, turkey, etc., are a rich source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is required for cell growth and development. How to serve: Try making beef kebobs or add shredded chicken or turkey in soups, stews, chili, or wraps.

7. Avocados: Avocados contain a rich supply of monounsaturated fatty acids or “healthy” fats that help deliver adequate nutrients to the brain. How to serve: Avocados are another food that can be an acquired taste. Adding avocado into a smoothie is a great way to mask the taste and add creaminess.

8. Beets: Beets are a good source of nitrates, which help support blood flow to the brain and promote mental performance. How to serve: When mixed into foods, beets can turn any food into a fun bright jewel color that’s fun to eat. Try mixing beets into hummus, pasta sauce, or hash browns.

9. Dark chocolate: A small amount (1-2 ounces) of dark chocolate is a great addition to the diet due to the high content of flavonols it contains. Flavonols are plant nutrients containing anti-oxidative properties that may help support memory and brain function.How to serve: Rather than choosing milk or white chocolate, look for at least 70% dark cocoa when selecting chocolate. Instead of giving your children hot chocolate from a mix, create a healthier version by mixing a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder with warm almond milk. Note: dark chocolate has caffeine, so don't give this to kids late in the day. 

10. Turmeric: Turmeric is an ancient spice that has been used for centuries in India. It contains curcumin, a nutrient that gives turmeric its yellow color. Curcumin contains anti-oxidative properties, which may help with brain function. How to serve: Create your version of “golden milk” by adding 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder to warm almond milk and honey to taste.

Back to School and Your Child's Yearly Well-Child Visit

Summer break is nearing it's end, making this a great time to schedule your child's yearly pediatric well-child visit before it's time to head back to school!

Doctor Visits

Regardless of your child's age, an annual well-child exam with your pediatrician is a good idea to add on the to-dos of your "back-to-school" checklist.

Scheduling preventative (vs urgent) yearly pediatrician exams before the school year starts is a convenient way to put the wellness exam on your family's schedule before the hectic year begins. 

Annual wellness exams can be important during your child's transitional years because vital changes take place in your child's physiology and this type of check in with your pediatrician or family doctor is also an opportunity for wellness guidance and advice. 

Depending on your child's age, an annual exam may entail blood pressure and heart monitoring as well as testing for diabetes, cholesterol and anemia. A pediatric vision screening may also be part of the annual check up. Pediatricians also like to use the annual visit to discuss nutrition and exercise and review your child's immunization records.

Continuity of care with your child's physician is truly an invaluable asset because having a long-term history gives the physician an awareness of your child's development progress and it's also helpful for preventing chronic diseases from emerging. 

Back-to-school check-ups are often the only visit most children have with their pediatrician annually. Having the opportunity to have a thorough physical exam is also a good time to address emotional and social concerns. As your child grows older, these questions may become more important as the adolescent years can be emotionally challenging for many kids because of peer and societal influences - drinking, smoking, drugs, depression and sexual activity are big teenage topics.

In summary, establishing a connection with your child's physician will be an invaluable asset as your child passes through years of physical and emotional development. Finding the time for balancing school life with social activities, extracurricular pursuits, and home life can be quite a challenge for kids. All the more reason to set aside time every year for your child to foster a relationship to see the pediatrician. 

Here's to your child's full potential!

Gingerbread House Daycare

Setting a Good Example for Your Child

Over the past 40 years that Gingerbread House Day Care has been taking care of the children in our community, we've talked to thousands of parents about what it's like for them to raise a healthy child. Our parents have shared with us their burning questions, greatest challenges, and successes! Of course Razia, our Day Care supervisor who's been there from the start and raised 3 successful children of her own, has taught us all plenty as well.

As parents, we know how important it is to give our kids a healthy start and the first several years of their lives is the most important. We also understand how hard a job parenting is! So we're using this platform to help share tips on raising a healthy preschooler. Please visit frequently and keep reading as we'll continue to share the latest information on a variety of topics to help our kids reach their fullest potential!

How Can I Set A Good Example for My Child?

Remember parents, you are your child's best role model. For this reason, try to make the best choices health wise for yourself and you'll be helping your child to do the same. She/he will learn healthy habits from you first and will want to imitate everything you say and do.

Clinical trials have confirmed that the person or persons a child spends most of his/her time with - parents, guardians, grandparents - will have the greatest influence on their behaviors like eating healthy, turning the TV off, and engaging in physical activity. Teachers and caregivers are not as influential. 

And parents, the great bonus of taking accountability for the health of your life and setting an example for your kids is more energy! More energy to be the best version of yourself so you can fulfill your life purpose:) 

How about trying these tips for involving your whole family to adopt healthier habits:

• A great way to start the day off right with your child is to eat breakfast with them. Try a whole grain cereal with sliced fruit or sprouted toast with almond butter and a banana. 
• Let your child help with healthy meal preparation. Children are more likely to try healthy foods if she’s involved in preparing them.
• Get active together. Go to the park on the weekends, take walks together, or kick a ball around in your backyard. This will get you both moving!

Best,

Gingerbread House Day Care Staff

Wondering How to Teach Kids to Eat Better? Especially During the Holidays?

Wondering how to teach kids to eat better, especially during the holidays? Here are 25 books that will nourish creativity, teach about healthy eating, and inspire a generation of activists! https://foodtank.com/news/2017/12/childrens-books-growing-minds/

Can you imagine if every school in this world had a garden? Whether a raised bed, vertical, hydro, or container garden, it would inspire a new generation of healthy eaters and lovers of local food! 

We need to teach our kids where the food they eat comes from. We also need to encourage them to try growing food, harvesting food, and preparing food. This will get them thinking about access to healthy food and health holistically. Because when everyone in a community has easy access to healthy food, this not only helps to reduce health inequities but also can strengthen a community’s economy and foster a healthier environment.

Eating locally produced foods, shopping at the farmers or local market is important for our children's health, the economy and climate change. By supporting local foods you are enabling farmers to keep more money in their pocket with every purchase you make & in turn they reinvest your contribution into the shared economy. This empowers and builds a foundation of health, connection & community resiliency!

I especially love this! This new children's book teaches children how to love imperfect produce while helping to reduce food waste through education: https://foodtank.com/news/2017/12/the-perfectly-wonky-carrot/

Best wishes for the holidays, see you all in 2018!

Gingerbread House DayCare teachers

"How Was Your Day?"

Questions to ask your kid instead of "How was your day?"

When you pick your kids up from school, is your first question, "How was your day?" Here's the thing about this question, it's uninspiring and will likely yield an indifferent answer. So how can we engage better with our kids that will yield more of a conversation and engage those cerebral cells! 

So here's a list compiled by Sara Goldstein that is guaranteed to be met with more than an indifferently delivered, "fine." Have fun with them!

Questions a kid will answer at the end of a long school day:

1. What did you eat for lunch?
2. Did you catch anyone picking their nose?
3. What games did you play at recess?
4. What was the funniest thing that happened today?
5. Did anyone do anything super nice for you?
6. What was the nicest thing you did for someone else?
7. Who made you smile today?
8. Which one of your teachers would survive a zombie apocalypse? Why?
9. What new fact did you learn today?
10. Who brought the best food in their lunch today? What was it?
11. What challenged you today?
12. If school were a ride at the fair, which ride would it be? Why?
13. What would you rate your day on a scale of 1 to 10? Why?
14. If one of your classmates could be the teacher for the day who would you want it to be? Why?
15. If you had the chance to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you teach the class?
16. Did anyone push your buttons today?
17. Who do you want to make friends with but haven’t yet? Why not?
18. What is your teacher’s most important rule?
19. What is the most popular thing to do at recess?
20. Does your teacher remind you of anyone else you know? How?
21. Tell me something you learned about a friend today.
22. If aliens came to school and beamed up 3 kids, who do you wish they would take? Why?
23. What is one thing you did today that was helpful?
24. When did you feel most proud of yourself today?
25. What rule was the hardest to follow today?
26. What is one thing you hope to learn before the school year is over?
27. Which person in your class is your exact opposite?
28. Which area of your school is the most fun?
29. Which playground skill do you plan to master this year?
30. Does anyone in your class have a hard time following the rules?