Kid Central is excited to be a new member of 285Bound.com!

Fun stuff for the kids at YAHOO KIDS....

http://kids.yahoo.com/

Help Wanted:

Early Childhood Teacher for 3-5 year olds:
This position will start at part-time and work into full time by April 2011.
Small Child Care Center with a home-like environment
Mountain setting with a focus on our natural surroundings

Qualifications: [/b]
Must have current state qualifications for Early Childhood Teacher
Must be current in First Aid/CPR, Universal Precautions & Medical Admin.
Director Certificate a plus.

Please send resume with verifiable references and proof of qualifications and work experience
to Sharon Thayer at: .

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Stay warm out there!

Brought to you by Kid Central!

Since 1997, kids, teachers, librarians, and parents have enthusiastically turned to Funbrain for its free educational games, online books, and comics. Funbrain, created for kids age preschool through grade 8, offers more than 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading, and literacy. Plus, kids can read a variety of popular books and comics on the site, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amelia Writes Again, and Brewster Rocket.

Teachers and librarians can confidently encourage students to use Funbrain during their free time in class, assured that kids will enjoy an educational, safe online learning experience. Funbrain's games help students build on what they have learned in class and acquire new skills in reading, math, and problem solving.

Parents can trust Funbrain to deliver a fun and safe experience for even the youngest children. The Playground helps parents introduce their preschoolers to the Internet and teaches them how to manipulate the mouse and keyboard. Selected by FamilyFun magazine in its September 2010 issue as one of the top ten websites for kids, Funbrain is committed to providing a safe gaming environment that bridges learning and entertainment.

LEARN MORE AT FUN BRAIN.COM:
http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
http://www.funbrain.com/aboutus.html

Find out more about Children's Immunizaitons at:
http://www.immunizeforgood.com

There are many recipes around for ways of making slime, lots based on PVA glue. This recipe is however a bit different, and is very similar to the commercially available slime toys. It has a key advantage that the materials are cheap and so large quantities are possible. You could even fill a bath full if you wanted to!

HAVE FUN!!!

All the details on making SLIME at:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Slime-1/

Food for thought: From the time your child leaves for school until midday, her lunch is likely unrefrigerated. And when perishables (such as cold cuts or sliced fruit) rise above fridge temperature, they remain safe to eat for only two hours. In our comprehensive test of 43 lunch boxes, not a single one kept edibles at safe temps for two hours when loaded with an ice pack, which means food could spoil before lunchtime. But GHRI found a safe solution, including packing healthy foods that don’t need to be so carefully chilled.

For that, plus the easiest-to-clean, kid-friendliest boxes, read more at:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/reviews-tests/childrens-toys/best-kids-lunch-box

Meal and snack time should be a pleasurable experience for children. For older infants and children, it is a time to sit down and relax at a table/high chair and socialize with family or classmates; a time during which their nutritional needs are met, but not exceeded; a time to try new foods, and learn about nutrition and good table manners. Healthy eating habits begun as a child will carry into adulthood. There are some inherent risks when you combine children and food, however. Following are suggestions to make it a not only pleasurable experience, but safe as well.

Choking
Choking is one of the leading causes of injury and death in children under five years of age. Food is one of the most common items that children choke on. In fact, 60% of non-fatal choking accidents result from food. Therefore, it is essential to consider ways to reduce this risk to the greatest extent possible. Young children are easily distracted and don’t always pay attention to what or how they are eating. Childcare staff or a parent or older family member should be present and watchful throughout meal and snack time. Adults should provide a good role model for appropriate eating behavior and manners and should sit at the table with the children. A choking child may not make any sound, so it is essential that an eating child have adult supervision.

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• Children should ALWAYS be seated when eating. Due to the increased risk of
choking, children should not eat while standing, walking, running, playing,
lying down, or riding in an automobile! ! Children should not eat while watching TV or playing on a computer. Eating in front of a TV or computer is associated with an increased risk of obesity. ! Children should be encouraged to eat slowly, and Ataste@ the food they are eating. Meal time is a great time to discuss nutrition and what hunger and fullness feel like.

• Children should not put multiple bites in their mouth at once without chewing and swallowing in between. Plenty of liquids should be provided, but food and drink should not be gulped down at the same time.
• Food should never be used for games that involve the catching of a food item in the mouth, or stuffing large numbers of an item (i.e. marshmallows) in the mouth.
• Food should never be used as a reward or punishment, and children should never be forced to eat, as this may lead to lasting food dislikes and unhealthy eating practices.
• Food such as grapes and other fruits, meat, cheese and raw vegetables should be cut into small pieces that would not block the airway if swallowed whole.
• Hotdogs should be cut both length and widthwise.
• Cooked vegetables are much softer and easier to swallow for younger children.
• Peanut butter, if used, should be spread lightly so there are no large globs
which may restrict the airway.

The following foods should be avoided because of increased risk of choking or injury:
o Hard Candy (including cough drops)
o Peanuts/Nuts
o Seeds
o Whole grapes
o Raw Carrots
o Apples
o Popcorn
o Hotdogs
o Chunks of Peanut Butter
o Marshmallows
o Chewing Gum
o Sausages
o Popsicles, suckers or anything on a stick
o Foods that are round and may conform to a child’s airway


Infant/Toddler Baby Bottle and Food Safety Parent Guidelines:
• Use only cleaned and disinfected bottles and nipples.
• Keep the bottles refrigerated.
• Label each bottle with the baby’s name and date prepared (or date and time breast milk was pumped).
• Leave any partially used bottles at home.
• Send bottles to child care for one day only.
• Send bottles with the amount your baby usually drinks vs. full bottles.
• Formula must be mixed using the manufacturer’s instructions. A doctor’s
authorization is needed if cereal will be added to bottles.
• Send only unopened jars of baby food.
• Refrigerate: Keep bottles or food in the refrigerator at 38E-40EF. Do not store in side door as the temperature fluctuates greatly.
• Wash hands: Always! Before handling breast milk, infant formula or food.
• Preparation: Only cleaned and disinfected bottles and nipples are to be used. Use precautions when handling breast milk. Caregivers with open cuts on their hands should practice Universal Precautions. Gloves are not necessary while feeding.
• Warming: Heat bottles in a pan or hot (not boiling) water, or crock pot for five minutes, then shake the bottle and test temperature before feeding. Never microwave baby bottles!
• Feeding: Infants under six months must be held. Over six months old, infants who are able may feed themselves, but should not be lying flat. Bottle propping, feeding in cribs and carrying of bottles by infants/toddlers is strictly prohibited.
• Feeding routines: Infants should be fed on demand, or as per parent instructions, but at least every four hours.
• Disposal of breast milk/formula: Any warmed bottles not consumed within one hour must be thrown away. Breast milk or formula left at room temperature more than one hour must be thrown away to prevent the growth of bacteria and prevent illness.
• Storage: All unused breast milk or formula in bottles will be sent home or thrown away after twelve hours. Frozen breast milk may be stored at the center. Refrigerator freezer storage is for a maximum of three weeks. If the unit has a separate freezer door (5E-15EF), it may be stored for up to three months.
• Check all expiration dates prior to feeding.
• Additional Guidelines for Baby Food
• Preparation: Serve food to the baby from a dish, not from a jar or can. Be sure the safety button in the lid is down. If the jar does not Apop@ when opened, discard it and try another jar.
• Warming: Never heat baby food, jars or otherwise in the microwave!


Resources:
American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association. (2002). Caring For Our Children. Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Addition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association. (January 2011).
Reducing Choking Risks: Tips for Early Education and Child Care Settings. Healthy
Child Care America, A Program of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Baby Bottle and Food Safety Handout. (2001). The Children’s Hospital School Health
Program; Denver, CO.

Kid Central is teaming with Conifer Community Park at Beaver Ranch for Summer Day Camp this year. We will have all the exciting things we have always had, like great field trips, swimming lessons, volunteer projects, crafts, sports plus all the extras at Beaver Ranch including frisbee golf, challenge course, hiking trails, 450 acres to explore and more.

Camp is from June 1, 2011 until August 19, 2011. It is $35 per day, Beaver Ranch is off Foxton Rd., one mile from Staples.
Find out more about Summer Camp for ages 5 - 15 at http://www.kidcentralinc.com

Let's get wild in the woods this summer!

One of the best, and least expensive, forms of entertainment and learning value for your child is homemade play dough. It not only feels good and is fun, it also facilitates eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, creativiity, engagement, and IT IS CALMING! As an added bonus, many of the play dough recipes can, in fact, be made with your child participating right along with you. Homemade play dough is more pliable, and therefore, less crumbly, than the store bought varieties. Once made, it can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. Your child can use regular, everyday, household items, such as; cookie cutters, measuring cups, and plastic utensils, to mold and shape original creations. You can use the food coloring of your choice for any recipe, i.e., green for St. Pat's day. The many positives of making and working with homemade play dough are similar to other tactile materials, such as; sand, water, beans, rice, and pasta. It promotes language, creativity, dexterity, and fun, so what more could you ask for?

The following are just a few examples of recipes. We are currently using the one with Kool Aid at our preschool. You can find as many play dough recipes as you want on the PreKinders website, including, but definitely not limited to; gingerbread, chocolate-scented, and peanut butter (edible).

Kool Aid Playdough:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
3 tsp. oil
2 pkgs. Kool Aid
2 cups boiling water
Mix all ingredients and play!

Cream of Tarter Play Dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
3 Tbsp. cream of tartar
4 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup boiling water
food coloring

Mix dry ingredients. Mix liquids in separate container, let cool. Knead all ingredients and you're ready.

Feel free to contact KidCentral for additional questions or comments and HAVE FUN!!!