Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Nature Promotes
Children’s Growth
Table of Contents - CCIC Newsletter 54
Lead Hurts Kids: What You Can Safe Surfaces for Children’s
Do to Prevent It ....................................... Page 1 Climbing Equipment ................................ Page 6
A Tribute to Magda Gerber ...................... Page 2 Parents Are the Key ................................ Page 6
Play in the Outdoor Classroom .............. Page 3 Know the Names of Plants! ..................... Page 7
Safely Enjoying Outdoor Activities........... Page 3 Places Have Physical and Human
Characteristics......................................... Page 8
Children, Nature and the Outdoor
Environment ............................................ Page 4 Free Child Care Articles .......................... Page 9
C Teach children not to reach into the water for toys, Most husbands would agree that to hear that question from
but to ask a grown-up for help. their wife is akin to being asked to boil oneself in oil. Howev-
er, what about when a child asks or needs to be informed?
C Fences around home pools are a safe measure, but As recently reported (July 2006), the American Medical
not a guarantee. Association and the Centers for Disease Control have been
discussing just how to inform a child and parents when a
C Do not rely on substitutes. The use of floatation
child’s weight is greater than appropriate for age, height and
devices and inflatable toys cannot replace parental
gender. At issue is upsetting the child or family if they are
supervision.
told directly that the child is obese. Hence they are consider-
Keeping children safe around water requires multiple layers ing adopting the terms, “at risk of overweight” when body
of protection! mass index is in the 85th-94th percentile for their sex and
age, and “overweight” when body mass index exceeds the
Yearly, there are about 800 bicycle-related deaths in the U.S. 94th percentile. Of concern to their position, is that by being
and another half a million bicycle-related injuries treated in indirect about the issue, the child and parents may not take
the nation’s hospital emergency rooms. The U.S. Consumer the situation as seriously as necessary and the child’s health
Product Safety Commission encourages bike riders of all ages may thus be compromised.
to use helmets. Studies have shown that using bike helmets
can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent. The above discussion occurs in a context where obesity rates
in America have more than doubled in the past 30 years and
However, not all bicycle-related injuries and deaths can be today’s children and youth may not live as long as their par-
addressed by the use of safety equipment alone. Rider actions ents for no other reason but for their obesity. Obesity leads
and reactions – especially obeying traffic laws – play a major to coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
52] Backyards And Butterflies: Ways To Include Children With Disabilities In Outdoor Activities
Doreen Greenstein. Ithaca, NY: New York State Rural Health & Safety Council, 1993. 72 pgs.
Low-tech, inexpensive, homemade “assistive technology” ideas families can use to make the outdoors
accessible.
53] Play For All Guidelines: Planning, Design And Management Of Outdoor Play Settings For All
Children
2nd ed. Berkeley, CA: MIG Communications, 1992. 291 pgs.
A team of 136 professionals developed this comprehensive design resource for integrating children of
all abilities in the same outdoor play area.
58] Lessons From Turtle Island: Native Curriculum In Early Childhood Classrooms
Guy W. Jones and Sally Moomaw. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2002. 175 pgs.
To Native peoples there is a spiritual connection to Mother Earth, a regard for the earth as belonging
to all, and a deep understanding of the importance of earth to our survival. This book gives a Native
American perspective on the environment and celebrating the circle of life. Other themes are children,
home, families, and community.
59] My Big World Of Wonder: Activities For Learning About Nature And Using Natural Resources
Wisely
Sherri Griffin. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 2004. 238 pgs.
80 activities help preschool and early primary children learn how to use and preserve all our natural
resources and all life forms. Organized by season, the book focuses on three core principles of conser-
vation: preservation, restoration, and management.
60] Nature In A Nutshell For Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do In Ten Minutes Or Less
Jean Potter. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1995. 136 pgs.
Make bubbles that bounce! Stir up a tornado in a jar! These quick, easy experiments and activities are
organized by season, use accessible materials and cover every aspect of the natural world. For ages
8-12.
PLAYING OUTDOORS
64] 365 Outdoor Activities You Can Do With Your Child
Steve and Ruth Bennett. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corp, 1993. 431 pgs.
Outdoor activities to do with children ages 3 and up. Switch off the TV – and switch on a world of
outdoor fun!
65] Outdoor Play, Every Day: Innovative Play Concepts For Early Childhood
Karyn Wellhousen. Albany, NY: Delmar, 2002. 274 pgs.
Developmentally appropriate outdoor play experiences for children from birth to age 8; safe and acces-
sible playgrounds; observation and assessment of children’s outdoor play.
66] The Outside Play And Learning Book: Activities For Young Children
Karen Miller. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1989. 253 pgs.
Learning is more fun when children play outside in the snow, wind, and sun. This book is full of fun
activity choices for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
GOING ON FIELD TRIPS
67] Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird Watching, Shore Walking With Jim Arnosky
Jim Arnosky. New York: Harper Collins, 2002. 96 pgs.
How to enjoy watching wildlife and how to find clues for identifying plants and animals through field
marks, shapes, and locations.
68] Open The Door, Let’s Explore More! : Field Trips Of Discovery For Young Children
Rhoda Redleaf. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1996. 358 pgs.
14 walks to explore animals, bugs, gardens, parks, ponds, trees, and other aspects of nature. Each walk
has activities to do before, during, and after. 18 other field trips.
GARDENING
69] Get Growing! : Exciting Indoor Plant Projects For Kids
Lois Walker. New York: Wiley, 1991. 101 pgs.
11 indoor gardening projects involving carrots, beans, potatoes, apples, and other plants, and related
cooking and handicraft activities.
70] Got Dirt? : A 5 A Day Toolkit For Implementing Community, Childcare And School Gardens
Amy Meinen. Madison, WI: Dept. of Health and Family Services, 2005. 58 pgs.
Gardening is a wonderful way to increase physical activity and encourage healthful eating. This guide
explains how to start a garden, describes successful Wisconsin child care and school gardens, and lists
helpful garden resources.
♥ Books and videos are library items. To borrow books and videos directly from CCIC, anyone in
Wisconsin working in the field of child care and early childhood education may contact us. We will ship
the book or video to you. Your only expense will be the cost of mailing the item back to us at the end of
the loan period: two weeks for books and one week for videos.
Items are sent a few at a time, depending on when they become available and whether you still
have items checked out. Items featured in newsletters are popular and you may have to wait to
receive them. Let us know if you will accept a substitution or need information on this topic immedi-
ately.
If you have dates by which you need materials, let us know.
We will try to meet your timeline.
Phone to renew your materials.
Or you may borrow the items through interlibrary loan at your local public or academic
library—but check the charge policies of an academic library—and go to your local
library to pick up and return the book or tape.
♥ Articles are yours to keep. Articles, brochures and factsheets do not need to be returned.
♥ Ordering. Identify the newsletter issue number and the item number. Tell us your name, center name,
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ticles 1 through 12, books 49 and 58, and video number 85. Send them to Kids Rule Child Care, Im-
provement Street, Clappinghands, WI, 54321. My phone number is 123-123-4444.”
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