Flying Into The Future

We’ve been “Flying Into the Future” all week, with daily themes about space, planets, the moon and astronauts. On Monday, Storyteller Ken Kaplan visited us.  All of our campers enjoyed singing along to his songs and stories. Our school age campers had a very creative morning on Tuesday. They created their own TVs out of cardboard boxes and lots of art supplies! The TVs came out brilliantly. Wednesday’s theme was Astronauts & Aliens! Our campers made outer space artwork and talked about what they would find in space!  We had a spaceship bounce house on Thursday that we all enjoyed bouncing around in! Amazing Athletes visited us on Friday and we had a great time bowling!

Establishing a School Day Routine

School starts at The Goddard School of Wall on September 6th! Here are some helpful tips to establish a daily school day routine in the last weeks of summer.

• Set a school-night bedtime. The entire family will probably need to start waking up earlier than usual once school begins, so set an earlier time for you and your child to hit the sack each night. This will ensure you all get the proper amount of rest needed to tackle the busy morning routine and be bright and alert for the school/work day.

• Prepare the night before. Pack lunches, backpacks and choose clothes for the next day the night before. Check notes from the school/teacher to make sure your child has everything they need for school the next day. Find a location near the door to set shoes, backpacks and other school necessities so everything is ready to go when you leave the house in the morning.

• Create your own “Have a great day!” signal. Involve your child in developing a special way for the two of you to say good-bye to each other when you drop them off at school in the morning. It could be a funny handshake, secret phrase or even just a wink and smile. Only the two of you will know you really mean, “Have a great day! I love you.”

• Allow unwind time. Set aside some time to allow your child to unwind at the end of the day. Children need this, especially during the first few weeks of getting into the back-to-school routine. The change in schedule can be overwhelming, so having some time to relax or play quietly when they get home from school can be beneficial.

• Recap the day together. Whether around the dinner table or during one-on-one time with your little one each evening, ask them about their day and share yours with them. You’ll both benefit from the special time together to listen and share.

A week of fun visitors!

We had three fun visitors this week at The Goddard School of Wall. A rock-n-roll cowboy stopped by the school on Monday. He played his guitar and harmonica and sang lots of fun songs. We got to join in with some “yee-haws” and “woo-hoos” and even tried a bit of yodeling! On Tuesday, John Carlson the Magician visited our school. The children all loved his funny show and his amazing ventriloquist skills! On Friday, Amazing Athletes taught us how to play volleyball. Even though it was a rainy week, we still had a great time at camp!


Here are a few pictures of our visitors…

Back to School Prep

Parents can help make the “back to school” transition much smoother for their child if they prepare in advance. Try to add activities or planned outings to your child’s day. This structure helps prepare them to be on a schedule when they return to the classroom. If the child will be going to a new school, parents may want to schedule a visit with their child before the first day. Consider taking your child on a fun shopping trip where they can help pick out their clothes, lunchbox and supplies.

Ensuring your child has adequate sleep and proper nutrition is very important. Your child will do their best if they get to sleep early and eat a healthy breakfast each day before school. A daily diet of junk food is not compatible with learning. It can cause listlessness and hyperactivity which can impair a child’s ability to learn. Skipping breakfast especially is a detriment to a child’s education.

Adjust your child’s sleep schedule a few weeks in advance to help avoid struggling to get them out of bed for school. Set up a consistent daily routine so that your child wakes up and goes to sleep at the same times each day. If you have not created one already, start a bedtime routine, including bathing, selecting clothes for the next day, cuddling together for a bedtime story and a kiss goodnight. Begin a regular morning routine that includes a healthy breakfast, packing a nutritious lunch, grooming and getting dressed for the day.

Community Service

Commitment to family and community is characteristic of Goddard Schools. We make a difference in our communities by participating in local sponsorship as well as charitable outreach programs. The children in our schools learn about the importance of helping others and the significance of giving and being a part of their communities.

To build a foundation of good citizenship with your children, foster the essential skills of friendship, compassion, cooperation and kindness. Lead by example and teach your children the significance of helping others. Although there may be some limitations, children of almost every age can give back by participating in their communities every day:

• Teach children to love and respect nature - plants, animals and even insects. It’s okay to catch crickets, butterflies and tadpoles as long as they are set free after a reasonable observation time.

• Respect the property of others. Be a good role model and remember to clean up after the family dog in your neighbor’s yard.

• Protect the planet and encourage your children to recycle.

• Your local library can be a great resource for community information. Ask the librarian if they have a list of community events and service organizations that are child friendly and in need of volunteers.

Look for ways to give back to your community that can empower your children. Let them learn to create change in their own lives and the lives of others.

Colonial Times

This week’s theme at The Goddard School of Wall was Colonial Times!

On Monday we celebrated Thanksgiving in August! The Get Set campers talked about what they were thankful for and created some turkey art. Our school age campers had fun with spin art and made some very cool paint designs. Tuesday was “Stars & Stripes” day and Ms. Amie’s class made their own American flags out of construction paper and discussed how many stars are on the flag and why. Ms. Kristen’s campers learned the Pledge of Allegiance. Colonial Times week continued on Wednesday with “Life on the Farm”. Our school age campers made their own ducks with construction paper and paper plates. Ms. Kristen read her class a great story called Baby Animals on the Farm. Thursday’s theme was “Native American Head Dress” and we discussed Native Americans in Colonial America. Our preschool and school age campers made macaroni necklaces – just like the bead necklaces Native Americans used to trade for goods during Colonial times.

Amazing Athletes visited us on Friday and we had lots of fun with kickball. We can’t believe its August already!

Me Time

As parents, we have so many things on our minds—“Why isn’t my baby sleeping though the night anymore?” “Does my toddler eat a well-balanced diet?” “Will my preschooler be well liked by her classmates?” “Have I provided my kindergartener with the tools to succeed in school?”—the list goes on and on. It can be exhausting to plan and prepare for our young children’s day, week, life… You may think that enjoying a little “me time” takes away from your child—but it’s really quite the opposite! Relieving stress is an important part of staying healthy.

To maintain sanity, make it a priority to schedule some “me time” in the busy to-do list that is the modern parent’s day-to-day life. Whether it is just a few minutes to yourself or a weekend getaway, “me time” can help us to “re-center” ourselves.

Feeling the time crunch? Try these quick (but still refreshing) tips:

• Exercise. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and manage your energy levels. A little goes a long way! Have your spouse watch the kiddies and go for a quick solo walk around the block.

• Meditation. Close your eyes and breathe deep. Focus on how each breath flows in and out of your abdomen for one minute, or until you feel more relaxed.

• Phone a friend. Take a few minutes to call that friend whose emails you haven’t had time to reply to. A brief conversation with another grown-up can help regain perspective. Plan in advance to focus on any “non-child-related” topic.

How do you fit a little “me time” into your hectic schedule? How do you enjoy spending this time?