Even though we’re enjoying fun summer activities it’s not too early to think about getting your little ones who are attending school for the first time prepped for success. There are lots of ways to build skills at home and many free programs to help. We talked to a long-time kindergarten teacher for tips and rounded up the best local resources to be sure your kids start out on a joyful path to learning.
There’s a simple way to help your child be happier, less anxious, more focused and compassionate; it’s called mindfulness. Here’s what you need to know about practicing mindfulness and sharing this valuable life skill with your children.
What It Is & Isn’t
Mindfulness is a practice that lets you see and understand the world right now, in the present. It’s about awareness; noticing feelings, thoughts, physical sensations and anything that’s happening around us. It’s without any judgments. There are no bad or good feelings, right or wrong, pretty or ugly, there just is. Mindfulness is not the same as meditation (though it may have stemmed from centering yourself during meditation), nor is it about turning your kids into little Zen-masters. They are after all kids and there still will be tantrums and more, but if you practice mindful responses (not reactions) to their actions, they’ll learn how much easier and pleasant their experiences in the world can be.
Gardening is an ideal springtime hands-on activity for you and your kids to enjoy for lots of reasons. Kids love digging in soil, they develop a sense of responsibility as they care for seedlings, they learn how plants grow and find out how good freshly picked veggies taste. Here are simple ways to nurture a love for gardening.
Easy at-home projects are a good beginning.
Empty milk cartons, colorful clay pots or raised planter boxes in your yard can all start home gardening projects for your kids. Visit a garden center and let them help pick out their own seeds. For veggies, try to choose seeds that grow fast and are easy for small hands to hold like radishes, green beans or carrots. Potatoes, especially colored varieties, are fun too; kids love finding them in the ground and digging them up. If you have enough space, fast-growing pumpkins are a good choice. Marigolds, sunflowers, and sweet peas are easy to plant flowers that grow quickly. Kids can be creative decorating their gardens with special stones, hand-written plant markers, garden gnomes and fairy garden miniatures.