Must-Have Board Books for Your Toddler’s Home Library
Reading is one of the best ways to increase your toddler’s language skills, vocabulary, and literacy. But the benefits of reading to your child go beyond academic intelligence, you also develop a sweet emotional bond through reading!
This is why a children’s podcast, audiobook, or television series can’t replace reading.
Babies can make no sense of stories without a visual context, but even the American Academy of Pediatrics states babies under two shouldn’t watch television. There’s a reason babies are so fascinated by another’s facial expressions, inflection, and mouth. Babies will frequently reach to touch your mouth or neck while you’re talking to understand how to move their lips and tongue to form words.
Toddlers and young children may understand basic stories from an audiobook or television show, but there is no emotional bonding, and oftentimes, there can be a technology “crash” after turning it off that doesn’t happen with reading.
Build a Home Library
Babies and children love to have books read over and over again. This is because children find comfort in the predictability of the story. The repetition also helps them learn new words (think of all the repetition you need to learn a second language!) and encode new information.
While your local library is an excellent resource, you eventually have to take your favorite books back. Begin building a little library of special, quality books for your toddler that you don’t mind reading time and again. Here are just a few to get you started.
Classic Toddler Books Your Child Will Love
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Little Blue Truck
- Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
- The Runaway Bunny
- Goodnight Moon
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
- The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
- Blue Hat Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
- Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
- Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
- Corduroy by Don Freeman
- Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
- From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
How Do I Start?
Hopefully, you are inspired to read to your child, but maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Luckily, reading to your child is easy!
First, set reasonable expectations based on your child’s age and how much time you have. Babies won’t sit for long periods of time, and toddlers who aren’t used to reading stories may not sit for a long time, either. Start small by reading one short book and aim for just a few minutes of reading a day. Slowly add in one or two more stories, then add in longer stories.
Before you know it, both you and your child will enjoy reading together!
Reading at Penguin Crossing Academy
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we understand the importance of reading in child development. Our teachers are intentional about reading with children so they gain the maximum benefits from reading at a young age.
What Car Seat Does My Child Need?
The evolution of car seats over the last 100 years has been truly remarkable. It was once acceptable to just put your infant in a basket in the front seat, or have a few simple straps or bars keep your toddler in the same general area of the back seat. Granted, people drove at significantly slower speeds and shorter distances back then. But still, it’s startling to see how far engineering has come.
Nowadays, car seats can range from basic straps to mini thrones with cup and device holders. There are so many to choose from, and you can pay hundreds of dollars for designer brands. How do you know which is the right car seat for your child?
Are Expensive Car Seats Safer?
Parents are easily guilted or scared into purchasing a luxury car seat because they want to do everything they can to protect their child in case of a car accident. Although this is understandable reasoning (because, generally speaking, anything more expensive is better than a cheaper alternative!), the more expensive car seats are not necessarily safer.
All car seats must meet rigorous safety standards, regardless of the price. If you don’t want to indulge in a luxury car seat, you can rest assured that your child will be safe, regardless of the price tag.
What Is Important in a Car Seat?
If the price doesn’t indicate a quality car seat, then what is important?
First, parents should do their due diligence in researching car seat brands. Read through the good and bad reviews. Check if there have been recalls or lawsuits. See if other consumers have your same model car and if the car seat works well in their car.
After you’ve ensured the car seat is safe, you can move on to preferences. Countless details can make a difference between you loving and hating your car seat.
For instance, if you frequently move the car seat between different vehicles, you probably want a car seat that is smaller, lighter, and with quick anchor releases. However, if you frequently travel long distances, you might want a car seat with extra padding, or a place to hold drinks, snacks, and toys.
If you’re looking to save money, you might want to invest in a convertible or all-in-one car seat. Although these are more expensive upfront, they grow with your child so you don’t have to get new car seats at every stage.
Does My Child Need a Rear-Facing Car Seat?
Current car seat safety standards state that children should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least two years of age. They must also be at least 40 pounds or 40 inches tall. If your child exceeds the manufacturer’s height or weight limit, it’s time to upgrade to a new car seat.
Although your child can turn front-facing if these standards are met, there shouldn’t be a rush to turn them front-facing (unless they exceed the manufacturer’s guidelines).
Children in rear-facing car seats are 50% less likely to sustain a severe injury and have a 5.6% lower mortality rate than children in front-facing car seats. Many sources encourage children to stay rear-facing for as long as possible, even into their early elementary years, because of the improved safety. While this may not be necessary, it at least emphasizes that parents shouldn’t rush to turn their child front-facing.
When Can I Turn My Child Front-Facing in a Car Seat?
Once your child is older than two years of age and is at least 40 inches tall or weighs at least 40 pounds, then you can consider changing your child to a front-facing car seat. However, you must purchase a new, front-facing car seat; you cannot simply turn your infant car seat around.
Install Correctly and Get It Checked
Of course, the safety of the car seat is dependent on the installation. Carefully read (and reread!) the instruction booklet and plan plenty of time to get it just right. Remember, your child’s safety is in your hands. This is one area you don’t want to get “mostly right.”
If you’re installing a car seat for an upcoming newborn baby, be sure you install it before you go to the hospital! Hospitals won’t let you be discharged without a car seat, and you don’t want to be installing it for the first time when you’re sleep-deprvied.
If this is your first time installing a car seat, it’s best to get it checked at your local fire station. Firemen routinely perform car seat checks and will give you feedback and tips so you can feel confident re-installing the car seat in the future.
Tech-Free Entertainment for Kids
With chilly, rainy, and winter weather rolling in, it’s natural to spend more time indoors than at other times of the year. Even children who love the outdoors find it hard to play outside when it’s cold, muddy, and dreary.
The easy way to compensate for loud, stir-crazy kids is to allow more tech time. But if you’re like most parents, you’ll notice that extra tech time leads to cranky, selfish kids afterward.
So how can you keep your kids occupied without tech time? Here are some fun, easy, and creative ideas.
How Much Tech Time Should Kids Have?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more parents have worked from home than ever before. In many ways, this is a blessing. But parents can rely too much on technology to be the babysitter while they work from home. This is detrimental to a child’s social, emotional, and academic development.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends children aged 18-24 months only use technology to screen chat with relatives or to watch educational shows with a parent or caregiver. Children aged 2 to 5 should have no more than 1 hour per weekday of non-educational screen time and 3 hours on the weekend days.
The AACAP states too much free time can result in:
- Sleep problems
- Lower grades in school
- Reading fewer books
- Less time with family and friends
- Not enough outdoor or physical activity
- Weight problems
- Mood problems
- Poor self-image and body-image issues
- Fear of missing out
- Less time learning other ways to relax and have fun
Parents need to realize that while technology has many benefits, it drastically impacts a child’s overall development and should be used sparingly. Technology is not a substitute for real human interaction and care.
Ideas for Tech-Free Entertainment
So how can you keep your child busy without giving into tech requests? Here’s a list to get you started:
- Arts and Crafts
- Make and decorate paper airplanes
- Make and decorate paper dolls and doll houses
- Color and cut a large cardboard box into a kid-sized house. Connect multiple boxes with duct tape
- Make homemade playdough
- Use cardboard and duct tape to make swords, shields, or other objects
- Make paper or popsicle stick snowflakes
- Print coloring pages from Google Images of favorite characters
- Building
- Build a town out of LEGOs, Tinkertoys, or DUPLOs
- Build a blanket fort
- Make an obstacle course
- Play “The Floor is Lava”
- Pitch a tent indoors and play campsite
- Games
- Bring out the card and board games
- Create a domino train out of board books, old boxes, or blocks
- Use painter’s tape on the floor to create a giant tic-tac-toe board, then use toys or other fun objects as X’s and O’s
- Build a puzzle
- Play the Alphabet Game, where you think of items that begin with each letter
- Play Simon Says
- Body-moving Activities
- Play musical chairs
- Play the “Freeze” game with any song by starting and stopping at irregular intervals
- Allow a temporary time for the craziest, silliest behavior to “get it all out”
- Encourage your children to create a talent show
- Do an indoor Easter egg hunt
- Jump rope
- Quiet Activities
- Listen to an audiobook
- Read books (find something new and fun at the library!)
- Keep look-and-find books like “I Spy” on hand
- Play Mad Libs
- Paint finger and toenails
- Other ideas
- Use painter’s tape to create a “road” on the floor for cars and trains
- Make something in the kitchen or bake cookies
- Play with your pets, teach a new trick, or create a bed for their cage
- Go on an indoor scavenger hunt
- Sing karaoke
There are countless ways to keep your child entertained without indulging in screen time, it just takes patience and intentionality.
Remember, young kids want to connect with people, not screens! Although they can be distracted by screens, they crave real human interaction. Don’t take this small window of time for granted. If you indulge in technology at an early age, don’t be surprised when your children are older and are self-sufficient with a phone in their hand. Think critically about using technology as a babysitter so you can either get some alone time or work from home in peace.
If you work from home with children, this is understandably a challenging situation. Remember that you can use technology, it’s just best when it’s limited. Try to save technology for essential times, like during a video meeting, a crunch-time project, or at a certain time of the day.
Penguin Crossing Academy and Technology
If you work from home, you shouldn’t feel like your job is any less than an in-person job. You still need to be responsible for your work, but it’s understandably hard to care for children and work! An obvious solution to avoiding technology while you work from home is to enroll your child in Penguin Crossing Academy.
At Penguin Crossing Academy, we have minimal use of technology. Our teachers are fully involved in connecting, playing, and educating children. This allows your child to grow socially, emotionally, and academically, which will benefit them their whole life. While your child is at Penguin Crossing Academy, you can get all your work done so you can be refreshed and ready to spend quality time with your child.
Oral Health for Children
A child’s oral health is the parent’s responsibility. Children are incapable of helping care for their teeth, so it’s imperative that parents pay special attention to the health of their child’s teeth.
Don’t believe the lie that “they’re baby teeth, they don’t matter.” Or maybe, “they’re just baby teeth, they’ll fall out anyway.” Caring for baby teeth is essential to your child’s overall oral health and future permanent teeth.
Why Is Oral Health Important?
Maintaining good oral hygiene has many benefits for your child:
- Prevents cavities: Cavities are holes in teeth. These need to be filled to prevent further disease, even in baby teeth.
- Prevents gum disease: Gum disease is not just for adults! A buildup of plaque causes gum irritation, bleeding, and tooth loss.
- Promotes good digestion: A buildup of bad bacteria in the mouth can mix with chewed food and travel through the rest of the digestive system.
- Promotes overall health: A diseased mouth can lead to diseases elsewhere in the body
- Saves you money: Children with healthy teeth require fewer dental visits, x-rays, crowns, fillings, or extractions, which saves you lots of money down the road!
When Should I Start Taking Care of My Child’s Teeth?
No matter the age group, once your child has teeth, oral hygienists recommend brushing teeth for two minutes, twice a day, and flossing once a day once the child’s teeth are touching.
For infants, brush their gums twice a day with a clean, damp cloth until their first tooth appears.
Once the first tooth or teeth come through the gums, start brushing them with a soft toothbrush and a rice-size amount of children’s toothpaste that can be swallowed. This method can be done until the child is three.
After three years old, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and begin teaching them to spit the toothpaste out. Gradually help the child become independent with brushing, but your child shouldn’t be fully independent with oral hygiene until 10 years old.
At 10 years old, most children are independent in brushing and flossing, but it’s still the parent’s responsibility to make sure the child is thorough and consistent.
How Do I Brush My Baby or Toddler’s Teeth?
Although most children are excited to brush their teeth because the flavored toothpaste is yummy, brushing their teeth can be awkward and uncomfortable until your baby or toddler regards it as normal.
Here are some tips to help make tooth brushing time easier for everyone:
- Choose (or let your child pick) a toothbrush and toothpaste that they are excited about. Usually, the novelty of the new toothbrush and toothpaste flavor will help them stay calm.
- Let them hold a spare toothbrush while you’re brushing with the other
- Give them a “play” toothbrush that they can chew on and get used to the sensation of the bristles.
- Many oral hygienists recommend laying the toddler down on the floor with their arms outstretched. Then the adult sits on the floor next to the toddler’s head and gently puts their legs over the child’s arms. This is a very gentle restraint that is more of a tactile reminder than anything else.
- Sing a song while you brush your teeth. Maybe it’s a song about oral hygiene, the ABC’s, or maybe it’s a silly one your child enjoys. Singing the same song every time will help your toddler develop patience with tooth brushing, because they anticipate the end of the song and know tooth brushing is ending, too.
When Should My Child Go to the Dentist?
Your child should see a dentist before their first birthday. After that, your child should see the dentist regularly to ensure proper oral health and avoidance of cavities. Most dentists see children between every three months and once a year.
When Should I Call My Child’s Dentist?
You should call your child’s doctor or dentist if your child is reporting tooth or gum pain, a tooth falls out from a fall or injury, your child breaks a tooth, or they have dark or light spots on their teeth.
Food and Oral Health
While it’s understandable to think that oral health is mostly related to brushing and flossing, this isn’t the case. In fact, oral health relies heavily on the foods and drinks your child consumes.
Foods such as sweets, breads, cereals, and sugary drinks like sodas, juices, and teas sit on and between the teeth, causing slow destruction of the teeth.
Brushing twice a day can help with cleaning the teeth from sugar-laden foods and drinks, but it won’t fix the problem completely. Cutting out sugary foods and beverages will not only benefit your child’s oral health but their overall health, as well.
What You Need to Know About Penguin Crossing Academy
There are dozens of daycares in the Delaware area. How do you know which is best for your family?
The needs of every family and child are different, so there’s no right or wrong answer when choosing a daycare. However, there are a few factors that most families consider.
- Location: Undeniably, a daycare that is close to your home or workplace is a huge advantage. Being able to cut down your commute saves you time and money!
- Staff: Every parent wants their child to be in a safe and loving environment. Reading reviews, checking social media pages, and interviewing the daycare director are all essential to feeling comfortable leaving your child in someone else’s care.
- Price: While there can be some price variance, most daycares in the LOCATION area are similar. However, it’s always worth checking on the specifics of payments.
- Educational Opportunities: Some daycares are much more intentional about providing early childhood education. If you’re looking to give your child an educational headstart, it’s vital to ask what each daycare provides in this area.
Frequently Asked Questions about Penguin Crossing Academy
If you’re daycare shopping, you probably have lots of information you need to compare. So here are some frequently asked questions about Penguin Crossing Academy and what makes us unique.
Where is Penguin Crossing Academy located?
Our address is 7166 Gooding Blvd Delaware, OH 43015.
Penguin Crossing Academy is centrally located between Lewis Center and Powell, giving lots of options for accessibility. We’re a short drive from I-71. Our easy accessibility shortens your commute, drop-off, and pick-up time!
What are Penguin Crossing Academy’s hours of operation?
We are open Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 6 PM.
What ages does Penguin Crossing Academy accept?
Penguin Crossing Academy enrolls children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.
How much does it cost to enroll my child in Penguin Crossing Academy?
We’re happy to provide up-to-date enrollment and pricing information! Please connect with us for the details!
What educational opportunities does Penguin Crossing Academy provide?
Penguin Crossing Academy wants the best for all children enrolled in our care! This is why we provide intentional early childhood educational skills, including:
- Communication: Providing an environment where children grow their confidence and learn to express themselves in a variety of situations.
- Social and emotional: Encourage children to develop an attitude of kindness, cooperation, courtesy and helpfulness towards others while developing self-confidence and independence.
- Physical: Helping children develop their coordination, control, and movement through a variety of fine and gross motor activities.
- Expressive arts: Enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials.
- Literacy: Encouraging children to link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. Children are exposed to a wide range of reading materials to ignite their interest.
- Mathematics: Helping children with their counting skills, understanding numbers and simple addition and subtraction problems.
Additionally, we offer Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies that allows children to get a headstart on skills and knowledge they’ll need in kindergarten.
Does Penguin Crossing Academy have a playground?
Yes! We have a fenced playground with a variety of play structures that suits the needs of all ages. Our teachers know the importance of outdoor exercise and take advantage of our playground whenever weather permits.
Can I schedule a tour at Penguin Crossing Academy?
Yes, you can schedule a tour here.
Penguin Crossing Academy is the place for my child! Where can I sign up?
We’re delighted to care for your child. Please enter your child’s information here to get started or for more information.
Help! My Child Has Separation Anxiety
Without a doubt, one of the biggest hurdles parents and children struggle with when starting daycare is separation anxiety. The crying, screaming, and pleading from your child can be intense and overwhelming.
Separation anxiety is a completely normal developmental milestone for your child–but that doesn’t make it easy to handle! Sometimes, even parents can experience separation anxiety, especially if their child throws a tantrum at dropoff.
Neither you nor your child wants to experience separation anxiety, so how can you help your child overcome their fears and have an uneventful dropoff? Here are 5 tips that parents find helpful.
Foster Independence At Home
Because your child starts out being completely helpless, it’s easy to do everything for your child, even when they are capable of doing things themselves. Parents are faster, cleaner, and more accurate at things like getting your child dressed, fed, and cleaned up.
But parents have to be careful not to rob their children of the opportunity to learn independence at a young age. While it doesn’t mean parents should never help their children, encouraging your child’s independence is an excellent way to reduce separation anxiety.
When a child feels successful at being independent at home, they will naturally feel confident about being successful in daycare. They know they don’t have to rely on their parents to take care of them; they can take care of themselves!
Fostering independence can start even in infancy. For instance, during playtime, you can perform a task and then say “Molly’s turn!” or “Molly do it!” At first, help your child complete the task, but you’ll soon find this fun game can help them realize they can play independently.
For toddlers and young children, plan for extra time for them to accomplish tasks on their own. Let them pick out their clothes and dress themselves, serve their own meals, and perform simple tasks like putting silverware in the dishwasher. Be sure to verbally praise and reinforce their efforts.
Use Visual Images to Represent Time
A contributing factor to separation anxiety is that children don’t understand the passing of time. It is understandably scary to hear “Your mom will be here in two hours” when you have no idea how long two hours are!
Printing out a schedule with bright colors and images can help your child visualize their day. You can even give a copy to your child’s classroom teacher to help them understand time.
Give a Security Object
Whether it’s a blanket, lovey, stuffed toy, or another object, a security toy will help your child feel calmer upon drop-off. A security object will help your child stay connected with you, even when they can’t see you.
Soft or fabric toys are generally the best security toys because they are easy to cuddle with. They even absorb your scent so that your child (especially babies, who often recognize their parents by scent rather than sight) can feel a connection to you.
Be a Model
Your child looks up to you in everything, and that includes how they should act during a drop-off. If they sense you are anxious, sad, frustrated, or annoyed, this will only heighten your child’s anxiety and the intensity of an ensuing tantrum.
Resolve to be a calm, confident, caring parent at drop off.
Be Quick
Give hugs and kisses, but don’t belabor drop off; it’s not good for you or your child. Then, it’s ok to leave! Your child may cry, but this shouldn’t deter you from leaving. You shouldn’t feel guilty or anxious.
It’s a paternal instinct to comfort our children when they are sad, but returning over and over again will only add to everyone’s frustration. It will take longer for your child to settle down because they think you will return if they just keep crying. Instead, be genuine in your affection, but keep your drop-off short and sweet.
At Penguin Crossing Academy, our staff is skilled in helping your child quickly acclimate to their classroom and have an excellent day!
Have a Drop-Off Routine
It’s never too late to develop a special drop-off routine! These can be fun and suit the age and needs of your child.
- A silly handshake
- A sequence of big and little hugs and kisses
- A short song or rhyme
- An affirmation like “I am strong and brave”
It’s also never too early to develop a special drop-off routine! For babies, you can:
- Sing a little song, or do a simple nursery rhyme like “This Little Piggy” or “Pat a Cake”
- Give their security toy a kiss and then hand them the toy
- Play a short tickle game
Conclusion
Remember, separation anxiety is normal and even healthy. It shows your child loves you and feels secure and happy with you.
Separation anxiety is also temporary. The more you and your child practice, the easier drop-off will get. Your child will eventually learn that you do return, and you will eventually grow accustomed to temporary separation.