Aug 10, 20233 min read

Ivy Learning Resource & Referral Newsletter | August 2023

Updated: Jan 30

Summer is the perfect time to explore, and there’s nothing more fun than spending time in water!

No matter if it’s in the ocean, lake, creek, community pool, or tub in the backyard, playing in the water may help children grow and develop in these essential ways:

Balance and Strength
Coordination
Communication and Social Skills
Exploration and Learning
Safety Tips

Read the full article by clicking the link below.

Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren’t born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice.

This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.

Each chapter of this guide contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers. The guide may be read in its entirety (which includes the introduction and references) or in discrete sections geared to specific age groups.

Did you know that interactions among genes, experiences, age, and environments influence every biological system in the body, with especially powerful effects in the earliest years? When we think about the foundation of early childhood development, we often focus on brain architecture. However, the environments we create and the experiences we provide for young children and their families affect not just the developing brain, but also many other physiological systems. Systems relating to brain development, heart and lung function, digestion, energy production, fighting infection, and physical growth are all interconnected and influence each other’s development and function. Below, learn five other facts about health that are frequently misunderstood.

North Central Region Corner

With school starting back up, let’s talk a little bit about those back-to-school transitions. In their article “Helping young children and parents transition back to school”, the CDC recommends:

For educators:

Create connections.

Have a daily routine so children know what to expect.

Share information about those daily routines with the parents

Communicate with parents!

Use virtual connections to supplement in-person connections.

For parents:

Create a daily routine including time for healthy meals, and sleep.

Stay calm and reassured during the transition.

Talk with your children about what to expect.

So, the bottom line here is to create connections, have routines in place, and communication between educators and parents.

For other resources on back-to-school transitions, check out these articles:

Back-to-school transitions by age and stage

Back-to-school transition: 5 tips to help kids get back into a classroom routine

How to help children with difficult transitions

The Book Corner

See all of our book recommendations here.

It is almost that time of the year going back to school. And for some parents this will be their child’s first time at a childcare center or public school. Now is the time to transition for the whole family. When temperatures cool down you are able walk to your new center or school and let the child know where they are going and ask questions they may have and let them know step by step what will happen. You could make a social book of first we wake up then get dressed and take pictures of transportation using to drop off the child and picture of the center or school and their teacher waving. The unknown is scary for adults and no different for our children. Make amazing last summer memories we all know it goes by so fast. Enjoy every minute ❤

“Being dropped off at childcare or cared for by a baby-sitter means saying good-bye to Mom or Dad—and for many toddlers, bye-bye is a big deal. This gentle book helps ease the transition with simple rituals: hugs and kisses, a big wave, a deep breath, and the confidence to seek comfort with the new caregiver or other children. Toddlers learn that good-bye isn’t forever, it’s just for a while. An award-winning author/illustrator team offers a fresh look at the times and transitions all toddlers face daily, giving young children the tools to handle routines with confidence and cooperation. Part of the Toddler Tools series, Bye-Bye Time can be shared before (or during) the desired “; time,"; or whenever toddlers need encouragement with routines. Book Details: Format: Board Book Publication Date: 8/10/2008 Pages: 24Reading Level: Age 1 and up” Resource: Amazon
Follow Maisy as she helps Mommy Hen find her ten chicks. This wonderful book introduces children to many animals and objects that can be found on a farm, while illustrating the concept of counting to ten. Letter Knowledge (Print Awareness) Knowing the difference between letters and numbers is a print awareness skill that helps to build vocabulary. Talk about the difference between letters and numbers. Touch the number on each page and ask your child to show you the items corresponding to the number in the illustration. You might say: This is the number one. I see one chick. Let’s count them. One! This is the number two. I see two chicks. Let’s count them. One…two! Continue reading each page in the book as you help your child touch and count the chicks on each page.
Author: Renee Comet 4-Year-Olds Concept Nonfiction Healthy foods come in all colors, shapes and sizes. Explore a wide variety of good-for-you foods while learning the letters of the alphabet with this colorful and fun bilingual book.What healthy foods do you have in your refrigerator, pantry or cupboards? Go on A Food Hunt and see what you can find. As you pick each food, ask your child to say the name of the food with you. You might ask: What letter does this food begin with? Turn to the page in the book that has the same letter as the food you've chosen. Scan the page and see if the food you have in your kitchen is included on the page in the book. If it is not included, create your own Kitchen Alphabet Book using the foods from your kitchen.

Events and Trainings

Ivy Learning Events

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES

The Staffed Family Network Meetings will be taking place August 12th in the North Central and August 26th in the Northeast regions. These meetings provide a fantastic opportunity to receive trainings, network with colleagues and have fun! If you or a Family Child Care Home provider you know would like more information about location and times please contact:

Tracy Hinton, thinton@delawarechild.org, for the North Central Network or

Jan Boomer, jboomer@delawarechild.org, for the Northeast Network.

Ivy Learning is here to serve you!

Ivy Learning Resource & Referral serves the North Central and Northeast Regions of Oklahoma, which includes 19 counties. For more information and to contact your regional representative, expand the section below.

North Central Region: Kay, Lincoln, Logan, Noble, Nowata, Osage, Pawnee, Payne & Washington Counties

Northeast Region: Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Ottawa & Sequoyah Counties

Request Technical Assistance from our Resource and Referral Specialists

Ivy Learning Resource and Referral can provide technical assistance to childcare providers. Technical Assistance services help providers improve or enhance the quality of childcare through structured and intentional services which supports the development of specific skills and practices. As a result, providers will be able to implement knowledge about quality in their individual care giving situations.

Request Technical Assistance