A Magical Childhood Newsletter

Magical Childhood Newsletter
Volume 57
August 22, 2003

Hello Magical People! Sorry for the delay in getting this newsletter out. We've been on a family vacation and all over lately. Something about having a 3 month old baby does something to my free time, too. ;)

I hope you and your families are doing great. And now, on with the newsletter...

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Magical Mama Barb shared this fun recipe for Sidewalk Chalk Paint:

I saw this on PBS, it comes from the book Amazing Kid Concoctions, or similar. For sidewalk paint that dries to look like chalk (and I think it looks better!!), use equal parts of cornstarch and water. Add some food coloring. You can have kids use a paintbrush and paint it, or you can put it in a spray bottle and have them spray it. The colors are amazing when it dries! When painted, the edges are so "clean"! And it's really cheap and really easy! I made little bits (1/4 cup of each) in baby food jars, and all the neighborhood kids wanted to paint and it disappeared that day!

Here's another fun chalk craft. Magical Mama Claire shared this recipe and idea (original source unknown):

SURPRISE CHALK

YOU WILL NEED:
1/3 cup quick-setting plaster of paris
1 Tbs. tempera paint
3 Tbs. water
Toilet paper tube
Coins, small rubber animals or toy treasures.

HOW TO CONCOCT IT:
1. Mix plaster, powdered tempera paint and water together in a small bowl until blended.
2. Quickly spoon half of the mixture into a toilet paper tube sealed at one end with duct tape.
3. Place your surprise treasure in the toilet paper tube half full of the chalk mixture.
4. Spoon the remaining chalk mixture into the toilet paper tube.
5. Let the chalk dry 30-45 minutes.
6. Carefully peel the toilet paper tube away from the stick of chalk.

CONCOCTION TIPS & IDEAS:
*Create Surprise Chalk in different shapes by using plastic candy and soap molds.
*Make your Surprise Chalk sparkle by stirring 1 Tsp. of glitter into the plaster mixture.

Thanks Barb & Claire!

Here's a site that a free, educational software program that teaches kids about castles and lets them print out and build their own.

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/castle.htm

Scroll down for free software that lets kids design their own coat of arms, plus more. Fun!

Continuing on the theme from the past few newsletters, here's a few more Sensory Integration thoughts to ponder....

To make the brain work better, you need to work the body and brain together. Movement helps kids learn. Try clapping while saying times tables, bouncing a ball back and forth while asking & answering history questions, or hopping with each letter when spelling words.

Since movement is necessary for children (in terms of both behavior and learning), taking away recess or playtime is like taking away vitamins as a punishment.

Giving children things to bite, suck and chew will help them sit still and listen. The presenter at the conference I attended said that sour flavors are especially good for many kids with ADHD-like behavior. Fidgeting can also help. Good things to try include slinkies, focus stones, knit balls, pencil grips, finger "monsters," or our favorites-- balloons partly filled with flour. These are incredibly fun to squish!

If you pay attention, you may find that you use the same techniques yourself without realizing it. Knitting while you talk, doodling while you're on the phone, sipping on ice water to stay awake during a boring meeting.... these are all the same types of activities that kids need too.

Kids don't just need any movement. Specific kinds of movement actually trigger neural impulses. These include swinging, bouncing, spinning and rocking. According to OT specialist Diane Henry, movement input affects the brain the same way Ritalin and Adderol do.

Finally, find a way to create a "womb space" for kids. This is a place where they can escape that will make them feel secure. Good options are in closets, bottom bunk beds, a small tent, or even under a desk or table. Stock the space with a bean bag chair, a fuzzy blanket or a sleeping bag along with options like flashlights, pillows, favorite toys or music. This space should never be used as a punishment but rather as a getaway. It can be a great tool for children who are overstimulated, overwhelmed or having a meltdown. If someone joins the child in the space, it becomes a "mother space," another type of getaway that really helps children feel (and act) better.

Here's another good web site with Sensory Integration information: http://www.helpingyourchild.com/library.html

Here's lots of fun, educational and creative bubble activities:
http://homeschooling.about.com/library/weekly/aa052102a.htm

Magical Daddy Daryl (my sweetie) made up a really neat educational craft for a local historical site. They have an astronomy night and he printed out pages of constellations. He bought glow in the dark beads at a craft store. Kids glue the beads to the stars and then when you turn out the lights you see the constellations. It was really fun!

Use boxes to create a great kid desk with organization galore...
http://familyfun.go.com/homegarden/decorating/feature/famf0602_proj_boxoff/

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10 Ways to make today magical.....

1. August is a great time to "catch" falling stars. Lie outside on a blanket together and wait to see if you can spot any. While you're waiting, it's a great opportunity to just talk.

2. Go get new haircuts, styles or highlights together. Be daring.

3. Go on a joking spree! Write out corny jokes on small pieces of paper and leave them for folks to find-- on counters, in bathroom stalls, you name it.

4. Have the kids write up a letter all about who they are and slip it between floorboards or behind wallpaper for someone to find years from now.

5. Create an altered cookbook. Take a lousy cookbook and assign this challenge-- kids must pick a recipe from it and change 3 items in the ingredients to form a new family recipe. Write over the recipe with a funky colored pen (each family member gets her own color) to make changes. Try to make the recipes as different from the original as possible, and tastier. After tasting the final creation, the family rates the recipe and writes that in next to the entry.

6. Have a sack race. Pillow cases work well. Everybody hop to the finish line. Older kids and grown ups can hop backwards.

7. Make sun stationery-- lay out interesting shapes on bright or dark paper and let the sun bleach a pattern into it. Experiment with spelling initials with toothpicks and making patterns.

8. Have family members make up lists of things they want to do sometime in their lifetimes. See if any are possible this year.

9. Make up garden markers by painting round stones with permanent paint (or that old nail polish you hate). Don't have flowers to mark? Be fun-- label grass, dirt and dandelions. Or just paint them with fun words or sayings-- Believe, made you look, fairy crossing...

10. See Mars! This is the closest the red planet has been for 60,000 years and it won't be this close again in our lifetimes. For information on how to see it and lots of really cool facts about Mars, try this site: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/ Be sure to check out the "Mars is melting" page too and see if you can catch a glimpse of the melting south polar ice cap.

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And with that, I'm off to tame the wild mess that's invaded my kitchen and sneak peeks at Jack while he sleeps. Hug your babies-- even the grown ones-- and count your blessings.

Don't forget to take care of you!

Till next time,
Alicia

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A Magical Childhood Newsletter is just something I throw together because I love children and those who love them. To subscribe, send a message to abayer@rrcnet.org. We do not use ads. It's not about money. :)

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