Sep 138 min read

Ivy Learning Resource & Referral Newsletter | September 2024

Fall is just around the corner!

100+ Fall Activities for kids

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Did you sing that, too?) As the weather cools down and the leaves put on a show, it’s the perfect time to get those kids outside. It may feel a bit harder to spend time outdoors with school, holidays, and fall busyness, but it’s more important than ever to ensure your children get plenty of fresh air, exercise, sunshine, and Vitamin N (nature). To help out, we’ve put together this giant comprehensive list of 100+ fall outdoor activities for kids! The items, activities, acts of service, treats, experiments, and crafts on this list are guaranteed to get you outside and active, creating and exploring. Read the entire post here.

Get a free printable checklist here.

Meet the Newest Members of Ivy Learning

We are pleased to announce that 2 new staff members are now part of Ivy Learning in a brand-new role! We have added Family Support Specialists to both Northeast and North Central Teams.

The Family Support Specialists will offer support as a liaison for children, families, and childcare providers through facilitating connections and bringing resources based on identified needs. One example of their scope of work will be to provide referrals when appropriate to relevant services and resources within the community. As with all of the rest of the staff they will serve all counties in their regions, building relationships and assisting in communities.

Please Welcome Amber Huston in Northeast and Angela Turner in North Central!

Amber Huston Northeast

Angela Turner North Central

NC Article

Creative Art Experiences for Young Children

Part 1: Process vs. Product

Think back to an art experience you had during your life (whether positive or negative). Reflect on how it made you feel about yourself as an artist. Did it support or stifle your creativity? (Adapted from the book, “Who am I in the lives of Children?”)

You have likely heard the terms “process art” and “product art” and maybe even wondered what they meant. Process art means that the child has control of their experience and is given the freedom to create what they wish and how they wish. It might also be referred to as “open-ended.” Product art usually has step-by-step instructions, and everyone’s end results look very similar. Process (or open-ended) art supports a child’s creativity and is developmentally appropriate.

When pondering whether a project you are considering doing with children is process or product art, ask yourself these questions:

Does this project have step-by-step instructions?
Will each project look similar?
Am I giving the children the materials and the freedom to create with those materials? Or am I expecting a certain result?
Do I have a “sample” for the children to copy? If so, that is product art.
Do I plan to do anything to “fix” the art? For example, add characteristics to create a certain product?

For young children, art is much more about the process of creating than it is the finished item. Children need the time and freedom to create. “The arts are vital in the development of children who can feel as well as think and who are sensitive and creative. Art, music, and creative movement help children express their feelings, communicate ideas in new forms, and develop their senses. Creativity is not restricted to artists. All people are creative as they put together something that is new to them” (Who am I in the lives of children, page 347).

This is Part 1 of a series on creativity and art. Next month we will discuss what children learn from the opportunity to be creative.

You can read an article from NAEYC here on Process vs. Product: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/feb2014/process-art-experiences

Contributed by Tracy Hinton

NE Article

How do infants translate sounds to language?

Language development in infants is a fascinating process that begins long before they utter their first words. From the moment they are born, babies are exposed to a rich tapestry of sounds, which their brains rapidly begin to decode and translate into meaningful language.

Understanding how infants translate sounds to language can empower parents and caregivers to support children’s cognitive growth effectively.

Read the full article with additional resources at Zero to Three: How do infants translate sounds to language? | ZERO TO THREE

Grandparents are special in the lives of children!

Grandparents can play many important roles in the lives of their beloved young children. Depending on how far away they live and other circumstances, they can be caregivers, teachers and playmates. They are trusted advisors for their adult children who are now parents themselves. For many families, grandparents provide regular childcare. In some cases, they are primary caregivers to their grandkids. And whether they live nearby or stay in touch from afar, the love and emotional closeness that grandparents provide makes a big, positive impact on their grandchild’s healthy development.

All of these roles are important, and there are many more special things grandparents do for their little ones, but here are five to be celebrated;1. They give advice 2. Teach Young Children 3. Often provide childcare 4. May be a primary caregiver 5. Mostly provide lots of Love

You can read the full article here from First Things First: 5 things grandparents do for young children - First Things First

Did You Know?

National Grandparents Day falls each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. It's not a holiday invented to sell cards and flowers. It was initiated at the grassroots level by West Virginian Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, with the behind-the-scenes support of her husband Joseph L. McQuade. They had 15 children, 43 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

History of Grandparent’s Day:

Read the entire article here: https://legacyproject.org/guides/gpdhistory.html

Pyramid Model News

If you participate in the Pyramid Model and are a Pyramid Model site, you should be receiving a Tucker Turtle sandbox for a quiet/safe space for the children in your care. It is for you to use however it works best in your program and recently we received great news and a photo from one of the providers in the Northeast region who received one and has enjoyed incorporating it into her FCCH.

Here is great feedback from Jean Parker, a Family Child Care Home Provider in Tahlequah:

"Thank you so very much for our Tucker the Turtle. We are using this along with our book, poster and Tucker puppet to practice taking a break, tucking inside, and breathing to help calm us down. Our new young group is getting a great start learning these helpful techniques to grow up with self-regulation thanks to Tucker the Turtle and our new quiet area. We added a very soft blanket, pillow and sleep mask set for them to be able to snuggle up. Again, thank you so much, we are using this resource daily. "

Reading corner

Infant/Toddler

Nature Stories: Little Acorn-Discover an Amazing Story from the Natural World: Padded Board Book Board book – Have you ever wondered what happens when a little acorn becomes a big oak tree? This beautifully illustrated story will delight children and parents alike, and also offers a perfect introduction to the life cycle of trees. Find at Amazon

Preschool

Goodby Summer, Hello Autumn by author: Kenard Pak

As trees sway in the cool breeze, blue jays head south, and leaves change their colors, everyone knows--autumn is on its way! Join a young girl as she takes a walk-through forest and town, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with every flower and creature and gust of wind, she says good-bye to summer and welcomes autumn.

Purchase on Amazon Here

School Age

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals

Author: Catherine D. Hughes

5-Year-Olds Nonfiction

The National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals is an informational book filled with more than 200 photographs and child-friendly facts. Concise text, large print and features like a table of contents, map, glossary and index make this book a good introduction to informational books. Parents and caregivers can use this book as a read-aloud, and children can also enjoy this book on their own. There are many opportunities for learning, and the book includes a page of activities.

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books): Hughes, Catherine D.: 9781426307041: Amazon.com : Books

For all the books and a great link of activities to go with stories or circle time https://www.makinglearningfun.com/

2024 Certified Healthy Oklahoma Applications Now Open

The Certified Healthy Oklahoma 2024 Application Cycle has officially opened! Applications will be accepted online through November 1, 2024.

Early Childhood Programs are invited to complete their free applications online to receive recognition as a Certified Healthy Oklahoma Entity. Each sector will have their own application link that you can find on the homepage or under each sector’s tab. Click below tab:

Certified Healthy (oklahoma.gov)

Events

Ivy Learning Events

Upcoming Northeast Region Thrive Family Child Care Network events:

THRIVE Meeting - Challenging Behaviors, Jessica Smith

Aug 24, 2024 – 10am to 2pm @ Vidalia’s Cafe in Tahlequah

THRIVE Meeting – Open-Ended Art, Kim Phillips

Sept 28, 2024 – 10am to 2pm @ Vidalia’s Cafe in Tahlequah

Contact Ryan Sierra, Northeast Business Consultant for more information rsierra@ivylearning.org

Upcoming North Central Thrive Family Child Care Network events:

October 5th: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse

November 2nd: Project WET and Project Wild

December 7th: Nature Play

Reach out to Tracy Hinton at thinton@ivylearning.org or 918-766-2577 for more information!

Other Events

Gross Motor Art Activities for that Calm Squirming Bodies and Minds, by Anna Reyner, MA, ATR, September 18, 2024
Strengths-Based Family Relationships: Strategies for moving beyond negativity and judgment, by Susan MacDonald
September 19, 2024

Optimize Your Program’s Operations with Entrepreneurial Processes, by Lauren M. Small September 26, 2024

Events and Trainings

Ivy Learning is here to serve you!

Ivy Learning Child Care 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, Rogers and 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 Child Care 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