The TOTLETTER 2018

Summer, glorious summer! A time to get out and

explore the great outdoors. Many families will spend

time camping, picnicking, and of course, enjoying

sunny days at the beach. There are trees to climb

and bugs to observe, and endless activities as the

world outside opens up during the warmer months.

Of course, we worry that children might get injured,

but are we really doing them a service by not allowing

them to take risks in play? Much research has been

done regarding allowing children risky play, such as

climbing a tree. Risky play can give children the outlet

they need to test their limits, learn limits, and learn

life skills. As children succeed or fail in their

attempts, they will be motivated to try again (Source:

Early Years Outdoor Education). They will be excited to

challenge themselves further and develop a sense of

pride in their accomplishments. From a developmental

point of view, risky play also leads to improved

concentration, balance, and problem solving skills.

Now that’s a list of aptitudes we’d like to see our

children achieve!

Letting your kids engage in risk is not

about being daring or dangerous at

all—it’s about letting your kids test

their own limits in reasonable ways!

Facing risk is

part of life, so

here are some

ways to be

smart about it:

Step Back – For

example: when at the

playground, rather

than standing behind

the 19-month-old as

he climbs the short

stairs to the slide,

stand nearby. He can

still see you, and you

are still close enough

to help if need be.

It’s important that he

knows you trust him, and are giving him the space to

navigate the steps alone.

Bite Your Tongue - We hear it ALL the time: “Be

careful!” When a child takes off down the sidewalk

running. When observing this, you can almost feel the

scraped knee coming when the words slip out of your

own mouth. Offering this caution actually makes US

feel better, but probably does no more for the child

than break their concentration. So, consider letting

them run, so that they will learn to be careful on

their own.

See Them Smile - Nothing compares to the sense of

accomplishment smeared across a child’s face when

he takes a calculated risk, feels the thrill of

overcoming a challenge and does something new on his

own.

Giving children the space and freedom to take risks—

and yes, maybe even hurt themselves a little—is

nowhere near easy to do, but it’s worth it. You don’t

have to throw caution to the wind, but you can let out

the sails a little. If you can take that leap and be

okay with a little risky play, the reward will be even

bigger leaps in your child’s confidence, competence,

and joy.

Summer Exploration & Risky Play

The Nature and Child Alliance of Canada has some

guidelines for parents who may be nervous about

their young ones exploring and “adventuring”. The

following list of options to “be careful” will help to

support the child’s need to test limits while having

them consider their risk level.

The following phrases are a good alternative to try

instead of “be careful”.

“Stay focused on what you’re doing.”

“What is your next move?”

“Do you feel safe there?”

“Take your time.”

“Does that branch feel strong and stable?”

“I’m here if you need me.”

Taken in part from ‘Why Risky Play is Good for your Kids’,

www.cbc.ca

Looking for some family fun this summer? These

annual events are sure to please!

RCMP’s Sunset Ceremony – June 27-30

Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival – June 21-24

Canada Day at Parliament Hill – July 1

Ottawa International Busker Festival – August 2-6

Storytime at Rideau Hall – June 29 – August 25

NAC’s Toddler Tuesdays

Did someone say ice cream?! There are two fun

events happening surrounding everyone’s favourite

summer treat:

Manotick Ice Cream Lawn Social - June 24

National Ice Cream Day at the Canadian

Agriculture and Food Museum – July 15

How do I help my child learn to use the

toilet?

Plan Your child might be more stable on a potty chair – so

that his feet can touch the floor – than on a regular

toilet. If you don’t use a potty, you’ll need a toilet

seat adapter and a footstool. Put the potty in a place

that your child can get to easily. You might want to

put one on each level of your house if you have more

than one storey, or more than one bathroom.

When you start:

Dress your child in clothes she can pull up and

down easily.

Choose words for body fluids, functions and

parts. Using the right words, such as urine,

bowel movement, penis and vagina, can help

avoid confusion or embarrassment. Avoid

negative words like “dirty” or “stinky,” which

can make your child feel self-conscious.

Parents might want to consider letting your

child watch you use the toilet or pretend to

help a favorite doll or stuffed animal use the

toilet.

Always go with your child to the bathroom.

Practice Develop a routine. Have your child sit on the

potty at specific times during the day, such

as first thing in the morning, after meals or

snacks, and before and after naps and at

bedtime.

Help your child get used to the potty. Let

them sit on the potty while fully dressed, and

then encourage him to sit on it for a few

minutes without wearing a diaper.

Watch for signs that they need to use the

toilet. Encourage your child to tell you when

they need to go. Be sure to praise them, even

if they tell you after it’s too late.

Boys usually learn to urinate sitting down

first. This is okay. They can learn to stand up

later, if you wish.

Reading to your child while they sit on the

potty may help them relax.

Toilet Training Readiness

Ottawa Summer Family Fun

Show your child how to wipe properly. Girls

should wipe from front to back. Most will

need you to wipe for them, especially after

bowel movements, until preschool age.

Teach your child to wash their hands

thoroughly after using the toilet.

When your child has used the potty

successfully for at least a week, suggest they

try cotton underpants or training pants.

Make this a special moment.

Praise and be Patient

Praise your child often. Be patient and

cheerful. Rewards are not necessary.

Expect accidents – they will happen! Be sure

not to punish or overreact. It will help to have

a change of clothes on hand, always.

Source: Caring for kids

Best Bubble Solution Ingredients:

1 cup distilled water

2 tablespoons dish soap. Dawn dish soap truly

works the best for homemade bubbles!

1 tablespoon glycerin

1 tablespoon white corn syrup

Directions:

1. Mix the water, dish soap, glycerin and corn

syrup in a bowl or an empty bottle.

2. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at

least 24 hours.

3. Play with your super strong bubbles!

You can do more with these super strong bubbles

them than you can with regular bubbles.

You can:

Hold them in your hand.

Bounce the bubbles to another person

See how many times you can play catch with them.

Blow the bubbles onto various surfaces (grass,

rocks, patio furniture) and see where they last

the longest.

Juggle the bubbles

Test how hard you can squeeze the bubbles.

See how many bubbles you can hold at one time.

Use a straw to blow a bubble. Stick the straw

inside it and blow a bubble inside a bubble! Source: Babysavers.com

Create your own bubble station by attaching the

bubble bottles to a post or railing using tape!

Teddy Bear Picnic Take advantage of a sunny day to host your own

teddy bear picnic! Set up a picnic space in the

backyard, using blankets or floor mats. Have the

children bring a special guest to “eat” with them.

Children can set the ‘table’ for their teddy bears

using play dishes and play food, and leave space for

themselves to join the feast. Enjoy a backyard picnic

lunch or afternoon snack with the teddy bears and

their friends. Don’t forget the teacups!

Night Sky Materials:

Activity Ideas

Creative Ideas

Night Sky

Materials: Glitter paint or add glitter to regular paint, star

stickers or shapes, black/navy blue construction

paper or finger paint paper.

Instructions: Allow children to finger paint with the assorted

colours as they wish on black or navy blue paper.

Children can apply stars and moon shapes, as well as

additional glitter as they wish.

Watermelon Sponge Painting This fun craft uses three different tools for

painting!

Materials: A sponge, a paint brush, paper, red/pink, black and

green paint.

Instructions:

Cut the sponge into triangles and dip in

red/pink paint.

Next paint the “rind” with green paint.

Follow with a finger dipped in black paint

to make the seeds.

*Follow it up with a delicious slice of real watermelon. Source: FamilyFun.com

Ladybug & Bee Footprints

Materials:

Yellow and red paint, paper, black marker, googly

eyes, child’s foot!

Instructions:

Paint bottom of child’s foot (without

socks on).

Place foot on paper to ‘stamp’ it and

remove foot carefully.

Once paint is dry, glue on eyes and draw

details.

Popsicle Creations This is a really quick and ready-at-a-moment’s-notice

craft. Materials can all be kept in zip lock bags and

taken on the road. They will look good enough to eat!

Materials: Paper, glue, stickers/embellishments or cut paper

shapes, popsicle sticks

Instructions: Cut out popsicle shapes from craft paper.

Lay out embellishments (cut shapes, stickers

etc) and scrap paper.

Allow children to decorate as they wish.

Glue the finished popsicle onto a popsicle

stick.

Road Trip

Summer is a great time to hit the road and explore

locally, or even venture a bit further from home.

Travelling with children can be both a blessing and a

challenge. There is definitely a bit more planning to

consider before jumping in the car! Here are a few

tips that might help to keep children happy and busy

during those long, or even shorter, hauls.

1. Drive at night.

2. Bring new toys.

3. Put them in comfortable clothes.

4. Bring snacks for you and your child

5. Have some games prepared.

6. Leave room next to the car seat for you.

Whether you are driving through the night or not,

you want to make sure that you leave a seat open

next to the car seat in case your little wakes up or

just gets super grumpy.

7. Make a changing station in the car.

8. Darken the window. Source: Life with my Littles

Road Trip Games

For those longer trips, here is a list of fun, family-

bonding travel games that can be played in a car or on

a train, plane, ferry, etc.

1. 20 Questions- one person thinks of a person,

place or thing and the others have 20

questions to try to guess the answer.

2. Fortunately/Unfortunately- take turns telling

a story and alternating between the

fortunate and unfortunate circumstances of

the tale. Each person gets to add one line to

the story. i.e. “Fortunately, we were finally

going to visit grandpa. Unfortunately, on the

way there, our tire popped. Fortunately,

Super Grover happened to be flying by.”

3. Alphabet Game- try to spot the alphabet in

road signs or license plates.

4. I Spy

5. Hangman

6. Tic Tac Toe

7. “I’m Going on a Picnic”- each person takes

turns saying what they will bring to the picnic,

in alphabetical order. For older children, have

them memorize and recite the list of

alphabetical items before their turn. i.e. The

first person says something like “I’m going on

a picnic and I’m bringing an apple.” The second

person says “I’m going on a picnic and I’m

bringing an apple and a banana.” This

continues all the way until you reach ‘z’!

8. Name That Tune - one person hums, whistles,

or sings a song and the rest of the players

have to name the song. For smaller children,

you can hum nursery rhymes.

9. Count the….. – a counting game for younger

children. Ask them to count anything: cows,

telephone poles, blue pick-up trucks, etc. See

how high they can count!

Songs and Fingerplays

”Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day” is always

a favourite. It’s great for practicing numbers and

introducing the concept of subtraction, as each little

duck swims away. If you have some little toy ducks it

makes a lovely counting game which can enjoyed over

and over. It’s always great fun to sing when you go

swimming, and makes bath time musical and

educational too!

Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day Five little ducks went swimming one day,

Over the hills and far away,

And Mummy Duck said “Quack, quack, quack”

But only four little ducks came back.

Four little ducks went swimming one day,

Over the hills and far away,

Mummy Duck said “Quack, quack, quack”

But only three little ducks came back….

(Continue until no ducks come back and then…)

Then Daddy Duck came swimming one day,

Over the hills and far away,

And Daddy Duck said “QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!”

And all the little ducks came swimming straight back.

Wonderful Reads

ABZZZ . . . a Bedtime Alphabet by Isabel Minhos Martins, illustrated by Yara Kono

Little ones will enjoy this playful, interactive alphabet

book where D is for Day and O is for Off-Switch. We

love the questions that engage readers with the text

such as “Quick, find your off-switch! Try pressing

your nose. Did that work?”

Can I Tell You a Secret? by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant

Froggy talks to the reader and shares his big secret

— he can’t swim! Then we give him advice — tell your

parents. Froggy does and guess what, they already

knew and are ready to help him learn to swim.

Source: imaginationsoup.com

Tasty Treats

2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes Sometimes getting vegetables into children can be a

trying experience. These pancakes are a huge hit and

are simple and quick to make. They can even be

frozen and served on demand. Eat them with maple

syrup, greek yogurt, honey, or fresh fruit.

Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato

2 eggs

Dash of cinnamon (optional)

Instructions: 1. Bake the large sweet potato at 400 degrees

for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can bake

the sweet potato in a cookie sheet on top of

parchment paper. Prick a couple of times with

a fork before baking.

2. Peel and let it cool down.

3. Mash the sweet potato and add the cinnamon,

if using. You should have a puree consistency.

4. Add the eggs and mix well using a whisk or

hand blender.

5. Spoon round pancakes on a cookie sheet on

top of parchment paper.

6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 375

degrees. Flip them half way through the

baking time. Source: creative healthy family

Pomegranate/Yogurt Popsicles Healthy flavours loaded with the ability to cool you

down on those hot summer days. Who doesn’t love a

popsicle?

Makes roughly six 3-ounce popsicles.

Ingredients: 1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt

1/4-1/2 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup

pomegranate

juice

Instructions: 1. Scoop the yogurt into a 2-cup measuring cup.

2. Stir in the milk a little at a time until the

yogurt is thinned enough that it can be

poured.

3. Stir in the honey. Stir thoroughly for an even

honey flavor, or you can leave it in streaks.

To Make Layered Pops

Pour an inch or so of yogurt into the bottom of each

popsicle mold. Freeze this until the yogurt is just set,

about 45 minutes. Pour an inch of pomegranate juice

on top and freeze until just set, another 45 minutes

or so. Repeat in layers until the pops are filled. If

your molds don't come with their own sticks, insert

wooden popsicle sticks along with the third layer.

Freeze another 2-3 hours or overnight, until the

popsicles are solid.

To Make Swirled Pops

Pour an inch of yogurt into the popsicle molds, then

an inch of pomegranate juice, and repeat until the

molds are filled. Use a chopstick or skewer to gently

swirl the liquids together. If your molds don't come

with their own sticks, insert wooden popsicle sticks

after 1 hour of freezing. Freeze at least 8 hours or

overnight, until the popsicles are solid.

Run the molds under warm water and gently wiggle

the sticks to free the popsicles from the molds.

Source: thekitchn.com

Local Resources

Throughout the Ottawa-Carleton area there are

many fabulous resources for families to access,

such as……

Crisis Intervention

Child, Youth and Family Crisis Line for

Eastern Ontario

The Child, Youth and Family Crisis Line for

Eastern Ontario provides access to crisis

professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week

for children and youth under 18 who are

experiencing a crisis, as well as help for their

families. The service is available in both English

and French for Ottawa, Renfrew, Stormont,

Glengarry and Dundas. The Crisis Line is also

linked to Prescott-Russell’s existing crisis line.

Did you know you can find all of these ideas,

and many more, child and family resources

on our Pinterest page? Please join us for

more fun at

https://www.pinterest.ca/totlotlicens

edhomechildcare.

Summer Vacation: A Reminder for Parents

Please let your Provider and your Child Care

Advisor know if you will be taking vacation and

the children will not be attending care, over any

part of the summer.

We hope you enjoy your summer vacation!