The importance of outdoor safety

 

Hi since the weather is getting warmer and children will be outside more its important to put sunscreen on your child and always take water with you to keep them  hydrated. spring and summer is always a fun time of year so its important to stay safe and have fun!  

1. Keep little ones close

Make sure you (or another adult) are watching closely so younger children don't wander off or up the swing set alone or play near the street. We know it can be tempting to run into the house quickly for sunscreen or to refill a water bottle, but the safest move is to bring your child with you. And whether they are young or older, make sure your kids take regular breaks to hydrate and reapply sunscreen, especially during peak sun hours.

2. Use safety layers around pools & hot tubs

Drowning is the top cause of death among children under 4 years old. Provide constant, touch supervision around pools, hot tubs, ponds and other bodies of water. Many tragedies happen in home swimming pools when children wander outside without adults. If you have a pool, it should have a four-sided fence at least four feet tall, with a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent children from slipping into the water alone. Other safety layers, like locked doors and alarms that detect when someone enters the area or falls in the water, also help prevent the unthinkable.

3. Set up home playground equipment securely

Anchor large home playground equipment deeply and securely to avoid tipping. Install swings at least 6 feet away from walls and fences. Look for openings in play structures, such as spaces in cargo nets, which should be less than 3 ½ inches or more than 9 inches wide. This can keep a small child's head from getting trapped while preventing kids from falling through. Lay a 12-inch base of sand, mulch, or wood chips under play structures, or use safety-tested playground tiles or mats (though grass may seem soft, it can't absorb the shock of a child's fall). Keep an eye out for loose connections, sharp edges, splinters, peeling paint and other hazards.

4. Choose jump ropes over trampolines

Trampoline jumping can result in broken bones, concussions, sprains, bruises and scrapes, as well as serious head and neck injuries that can cause paralysis or death. In fact, the risks are so great that we recommend against home trampolines. If you own one, use pads and safety nets that surround the entire trampoline. Place trampolines far from hazards such as trees, walls, fences or garages. Install your trampoline at ground level if possible to prevent more serious falls. Also, remind kids that only one of them should jump at a time, and discourage risky moves like flips.

5. Avoid mowing the lawn while kids are playing

Power mowers can fling sticks, stones and other objects with enough force to do serious harm. And while it's tempting to let your child join you on a riding mower, the safest strategy is to cut the lawn when kids aren't around. Mowers, hedge trimmers and other tools should be stored out of reach, along with gasoline cans and lawn chemicals. If you want to involve older kids in yard work, consider planting a container garden together using kid-friendly shovels and gloves. If you want to involve older kids in yard work, follow these safety tips.

6. Prevent burns around grills & fire pits

When you cook outdoors or enjoy an open fire, use a child safety fence to keep young ones at a safe distance. Explain that grill surfaces are hot and can burn them—like the kitchen stove—so we never touch them. Position gas grills so kids can't reach the knobs. Always douse a wood fire before leaving the area and make sure charcoals are cold before dumping them.

7. Keep kids away from pesticides, fertilizers & poisonous plants

Consider organic pesticides and herbicides, which are generally safer for families with kids. Read the instructions carefully, and make sure children stay away from lawns and gardens for 48 hours after you spray. To help your family remember the yard is off limits, put a note on your door with the end date and time. And don't forget to store outdoor chemicals under lock and key just like you would inside your house. Also, remember that some plants can be poisonous, especially for young children. Review other trees, plants, and shrubs to ensure they're non-toxic. If your child eats something dangerous, call Poison Control at 800.222.1222.

8. Help prevent bug bites & stings
Avoid bright colored clothing and scented soaps and lotions, which can attract bees and wasps. Dump stagnant water in wading pools, bird baths and other structures where biting insects can breed. Certain ticks can transmit Lyme disease, and mosquitoes sometimes carry viruses such as West Nile and Zika. After dark, cover up with long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks to prevent mosquito bites. Long sleeves, pants and hats also can protect against ticks in high grasses, bushes or wooded areas. When you use insect repellent, consider one with 10% to 30% DEET. However, don't use DEET on children younger than 2 months.

Remember

Protecting your child from safety hazards in the yard is just as important as child-proofing your home. Share these tips with other adults who provide home-based care for your kids. If you're in doubt about a specific risk, talk with your pediatrician.

PreK Practicing Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills—the coordination of small muscles in hands and fingers—are critical for child development. These skills enable tasks like writing, buttoning clothes, and using tools, while boosting hand-eye coordination, confidence, and brain development from infancy through school age. 

Key Areas of Importance

• Independence and Self-Care: Children develop the ability to feed themselves, fasten clothing (buttons, zippers), brush teeth, and groom, reducing reliance on adults.
• Academic Success:
   Strong fine motor control is foundational for school readiness, including handwriting, drawing, using scissors, and navigating tablets or computers.
Cognitive Development: Manipulating small objects, such as building blocks or puzzles, fosters problem-solving skills, visual-spatial awareness, and planning abilities.
Social and Emotional Confidence: As children become better at manipulating tools and toys, they gain self-esteem and independence, reducing behavioral issues associated with frustration.
Brain Development: Developing these skills directly influences brain tissue development, strengthening neural pathways that connect thought to physical action. 

Examples of Fine Motor Activities

• Playdough/Clay: Rolling, squeezing, and pounding.
• Art Activities: Coloring, drawing, and cutting with scissors.
• Manipulatives: Playing with puzzles, threading beads, or sorting small items.
• Self-Care Exercises: Practicing fastening buttons, zippers, and shoelaces. 

 

Liam the Lucky Shoemaker is back in town!

Leprechauns are tiny, clever Irish fairies dressed in green who love fixing shoes and guarding pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Known for being mischievous tricksters, if caught, they must grant three wishes but will try to escape with their treasure if you look away for even a second. 

It's time to get your Leprechaun traps ready... someone told me that Liam the leprechaun is coming to town!! Make sure you read the story he left at our school...

The Story of Liam the Lucky Shoemaker

In the rolling green hills of Ireland, there lived a tiny leprechaun named Liam. Liam was no bigger than a teapot, wore a pointy green hat, and spent his days dancing and making shoes for fairies. Because fairies dance constantly, they paid Liam in shiny gold coins, which he hid in a big pot at the end of the nearest rainbow. 

One sunny afternoon, a young boy named Paddy spotted a glimmer of green behind a mushroom. "Aha!" cried Paddy, sneaking up and trapping Liam under his hat.

"Let me go!" squeaked Liam, wiggling around. "I’ll give you a pot of gold!"

"I want three wishes!" said Paddy.

Liam smiled a sneaky smile. "Granted!"

For his first wish, Paddy asked for a basket filled with chocolate coins. Poof! It appeared. For his second, he asked for a new bike. Poof! It appeared. But for his third wish, Paddy got too excited and looked away to see if his friends were watching.

In that split second, Liam wiggled out, grabbed his pot of gold, and vanished into thin air! Paddy didn't get the pot of gold, but he did get his chocolate and his bike, proving that even if you don't catch a leprechaun, you can still have a lucky day. 

Tips for Catching a Leprechaun

• Be Patient: They are fast, so you have to be faster.
• Use Shine: They love gold and shiny things.
• Don't Look Away: If you catch one, keep your eyes on him, or he will vanish!

 

All About Harriet Tubman

 

• African American Heroes

Harriet Tubman, Spy

You might know her as a conductor for the Underground Railroad. She was also a spy.

Harriet Tubman cautiously watched the shore from one of three gunboats on the Combahee River. She and several hundred Union soldiers were preparing a raid to free hundreds of enslaved people from plantations in South Carolina, part of the Confederate states that were fighting against the Union during the Civil War of 1861 to 1865. Enemy soldiers were hiding nearby—success was far from guaranteed.

Harriet Tubman is well known for risking her life as a “conductor” in the Underground Railroad, which led escaped enslaved people to freedom in the North. But the former enslaved woman also served as a spy for the Union during the Civil War. Tubman decided to help the Union Army because she wanted freedom for all of the people who were forced into slavery, not just the few she could help on the Underground Railroad. And she convinced many other brave African Americans to join her as spies—even at the risk of being hanged if they were caught.

A SECRET MISSION

The Civil War was a time when women were usually restricted to traditional roles like cooking and nursing. Tubman did jobs like that, but as a spy she worked side-by-side with men, says Tom Allen, author of the Nat Geo book Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent.

In one of her most dramatic and dangerous roles, Tubman helped Colonel James Montgomery plan a raid to free enslaved people from plantations along the Combahee (pronounced “KUM-bee”) River in South Carolina. Early on the morning of June 1, 1863, three gunboats carrying several hundred male soldiers along with Tubman set out on their mission.

Tubman had gathered key information from her scouts about the Confederate positions. She knew where they were hiding along the shore. She also found out where they had placed torpedoes, or barrels filled with gunpowder, in the water.

As the early morning fog lifted on some of the South’s most important rice plantations, the Union expedition hit hard. The raiders set fire to buildings and destroyed bridges so they couldn’t be used by the Confederate Army. They also freed about 750 enslaved people—men, women, children, and babies—and did not lose one soldier in the attack.

A WRITER'S QUEST

To gather the facts, Allen searched libraries and the internet, and even walked in Tubman’s footsteps. “I went on the river just south of the area where the raid took place,” he says. “You're in that kind of country she would have known, with plenty of mosquitoes and snakes, and dirt roads are still there today—so you get a feeling of what it was like.”

Allen says his most exciting moment came when a librarian led him to written accounts by people who actually saw Tubman and the raiders in action.

“She was five feet two inches (157 centimeters) tall, born a slave, had a debilitating illness, and was unable to read or write. Yet here was this tough woman who could take charge and lead men," Allen says. "I got to like her pretty quickly because of her strength and her spirit.”

Fun Mardi Gras Facts

 Here are 5 facts about Mardi Gras:

1. It's a Season, Not Just a Day: 

   The Carnival season officially starts on Twelfth Night (January 6) and lasts until Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday, leading into Lent. 
2. Colors Have Meaning: 

   The official colors are purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power, established by the Krewe of Rex in 1872 to honor a visiting Russian Grand Duke. 
3. Masks Break Social Barriers: 

   Wearing masks is required by law for float riders and was originally meant to allow people of all social classes to mingle freely, notes History.com. 
4. First Celebration in Mobile, AL: 

   While New Orleans is famous for it, the first American Mardi Gras was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703, before parades began in New Orleans in the 1830s. 
5. "The Greatest Free Show on Earth": 

   Because parades are organized and funded by private social clubs (Krewes), New Orleans calls Mardi Gras the "Greatest Free Show on Earth," as spectators don't pay to watch the floats and throws, says Mardi Gras New Orleans.