Outdoors!

Spring is in the air and so is warmer weather. Playing and exploring outside can open your children to a whole new level of learning, while providing you quality family time to spend with each other. Here at The Academy Of Gateway we love to get out and see nature. One of our favorite activities is a nature scavenger hunt. You can get their minds going by asking what is the color, is it dry or wet, tiny or huge, crawls, has no legs, four legs, or six legs. Or make up your own ideas!

   Our kiddos enjoying this beautiful day!

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Germs!

Here at the Academy of Gateway we are about being healthy and safe. We talk about germs being all around us. We talk about what they are and what they can do. We have posters of how to wash your hands around just as reminders whenever the children are doing their everyday activities. We have lots of activities we do with the children so they can get a visual as well. 

Here are some fun activities you can try at home

• Cover foam letters with sprinkles or flour to make them "dirty. Tell your child that the letters are covered in germs. What do you do to get all the germs off?
• Cover the child's hand in glitter. Have the children use different colors of glitter then shake hands and see how fast glitter germs can spread.   

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Hand Washing!

Anytime is a good time to educate children on germs. Hand washing is the most effective preventative method against the spread of germs. Teaching proper hand washing is a great way to stay healthy. Other important skills to learn include covering your mouth with a tissue when you cough, covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze, and coughing into your upper sleeve or elbow.


Tips to do:

• The book ''Germs Are Not for Sharing" by Elizabeth Verdick is great for educating children on germs.
• Provide visuals of the hand washing steps, talk about each step, and practice. Have the children put the steps in order.
• Sing songs with children about germs and hand washing.
• Add doctor, nurse, and hospital materials to the Dramatic Play center and encourage kids to pretend to care for "sick" friends. 

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Free Play!

         Here at The Academy Of Gateway we are all about learning new things but know free play is important. We allow the kids to open up and let their imagination take off. Free play reinforces classroom learning for the children. We know from studies that free play is healthy for brain development, allowing children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, cognitive and physical abilities. Free play is a tool for developing a child as a whole. A mix of structure and unstructured activities is key to raising well rounded individuals.

Here are some great benefits from free play:

• Fulfills exercise requirements for growing 
• helps kids conquer fears and develop confidence   
• establish natural leadership roles hierarchy in social groups 
• contributes to emotional well being by giving children a respite from schedules 
• helps teach self responsibility which may translate to better behavior 

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