The Importance of Building

Building is very important for the child's development. Letting the children build things together makes them feel they accomplished a masterpiece together. While the children are playing its a perfect time to keep their brains going and ask lots of open-ended questions. This supports their language development and critical thinking. Encourage them to tell you about themselves and talk about the materials they chose to use. When you're talking to the children use intentional questions. Challenge children to analyze, evaluate, and create. 

Tell the children how you are excited to see how they will build with the cups.

Ask questions like: Do you have any idea how you build with them?

Remember to stay involved and have fun playing with the children as they learn. The more you make learning fun, the more memories the children will make while they learn.

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Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset

Growth mindset is the belief that a person's abilities and intelligence can be developed through practice, hard work, dedication, and motivation.
Fixed mindset says that nothing can change a person's abilities or intelligence. They either have it or they don't. You are born with it and can't change it.

Why is having a growth mind set important?

Research has shown that children who have a fixed mindset are more likely to fear failure, give up easily, ignore feedback, avoid challenges, and feel threatened by others success. 

Children with a growth mindset learn from their mistakes, are motivated to succeed, try harder, take on challenges, take risks, seek feedback, learn more and learn faster.

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Reducing Screen Time

Preschoolers have to be interacting with the world around them. It is vital to their growth and development. Time spent in front of screens: tablet, tv, etc. can be good for learning and creative play but too much screen time can have negative side effects. The American board of pediatrics advises against screen time before the age of two and only a hour per day for 2- 5 year olds.
Here are some tips to reduce screen time and get moving more.

• Track your family's screen time vs physical time.
• Set limits and goals. For instance you may set a limit of a hour of TV and a goal of a hour of physical activity.4
• Make physical time family time. Take a hike, ride bikes, make up a outdoor family game.
• Be with young children during screen time. Make it interactive by talking about what is going on.

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Taking Care of Baby Teeth

February is Children's Dental Health Month. Taking care of your baby's teeth is a important even though they will eventually fall out. Baby teeth are important because:

• They play a vital role in your child being able to chew and eat.
• They help them to learn to speak clearly.
• They save space for their permanent adult teeth.
• Brushing babies teeth early is so important because it is the best way to prevent cavities and helps them develop healthy hygiene habits. 
• Cavities in baby teeth can cause infections that can harm your child and damage the developing permanent teeth.

Look at these beautiful smiles at The Academy of Gateway!

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