Healthy Habits

Healthy Eating with Preschoolers

https://www.lizs-early-learning-spot.com/healthy-eating-and-body-image-in-preschool-children/

What is it? Current research that presents practical ideas or helpful tips for parents or teachers.

How does it work? A brief article plus a 17 minute audio podcast cover issues on healthy eating and positive body image in preschoolers. 

Why might it be a good choice for your child? This website is based on recent research and ideas and tips that you can use right away. The author gives more resources on many topics such as: fussy eating, feeding strategies, introducing new foods. 

Edible Education: Lessons & Learning Plans about Our Connection with Food

Edible Education for the Home Classroom

What is it? A website of resources and free downloadable lessons on educating students in learning how food is deeply connected to many parts of our lives.

How does it work? Start at the Home page.Click on the “Learning at Home” tab, it gives you access to ready-made lesson plans for parents. Here you can download worksheets for students. 

Then click on “Student Version” to access student worksheets, vocabulary lessons, videos (i.e. TED Talk), experiments, writing sheets and recipes. Click on “Parent/Teacher Version” to access information about the lesson, how long it should take to perform the lesson, target grade level, summary, learning goals and how to support your student step-by-step.

Why might this be a good choice for your child? This website gives quality lessons on food, nutrition, eating and health. These lessons present different learning methods like writing, reading, listening, improving vocabulary, answering questions, and experimentation. The videos give a lot of good information in fun ways. The lessons are clear, simple and engaging. 

Edible Education: Family Resources & Curriculum Lessons

Resources

What is it? A website of resources and free downloadable lessons on educating students in learning how food is deeply connected to many parts of our lives. This link offers free curriculum lessons and recipes for different grade levels. 

How does it work? Start at the Home page and click on the “Resources” tab. Under “Lesson Planning,” click on “Grade level” to find free curriculum lessons for all ages of children for Prekindergarten levels and above. 

Why might this be a good choice for your child? This website gives ideas and lessons for children on food, nutrition, eating and health. There are many topics to engage a child in learning about food. The lessons are clear, simple and engaging. Many lessons are for older children.

NAEYC For Families

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/for-families

What is it? The National Association for the Education of Young Children is a large nonprofit association in the United States representing educators, families of young children, policy makers, and advocates. This section of the website is built specifically for parents.

How does it work? This link will take you to the families resource page, from there you can explore the different resources by topic.

Why might it be a good choice for you and your child? NAEYC uses research to make recommendations. It is a highly respected and trusted organization in early childhood education.

Boosting Children’s Emotional Health

https://studentbehaviorblog.org/maintaining-wellness-in-crisis-boosting-childrens-emotional-health/

What is it? This is a parent resource link which gives a guideline for maintaining structure in the household by remembering simple 3 R’s: Reassurance, Routines, and Regulation. There are activity suggestions for baking, cooking, crafts, pretend play and physical exercise.

How does it work? Read the article for details on tips to support your children at home. This link also gives ideas for activities and resources and how to use the 3 R’s to keep children’s activity levels high and stress levels low. 

Why might this be a good choice for you and your child? This link helps parents, students, teachers and more great information based on evidence-based practices that support children’s mental health and positive behavior. 

Mental Health

How Can We Help Kids With Transitions?

https://childmind.org/article/how-can-we-help-kids-with-transitions/

What is it? This link gives you eight ideas to use at home to help your child when it is time to stop one activity and start another. 

How does it work? Use these ideas to make a consistent and predictable plan to follow.

Why might this be a good choice for you and your child? Your child can have smoother transitions, be more independent and have consistent expectations. 

Cómo Podemos Ayudar a los Niños en las Transiciones?

https://childmind.org/article/como-podemos-ayudar-los-ninos-con-las-transiciones/

Que es?Este link le da 8 ideas para ayudar a su hijo/hija a cambiar de una actividad a otra.

Cómo funciona?El adulto crea un plan de ejecución para aplicar estas ideas en su hogar. 

Porque es beneficioso?Su niño o niña tendrá transiciones más fáciles, será más independiente y sabrá que se espera de él/ ella.

Resource Links on Mental Health & Learning Disorders in Children

https://childmind.org/audience/for-families/

What is it? This is a resource website that helps families with children who are struggling with mental health and learning challenges. There are articles, guides, stories and expert opinions on mental health topics.

How does it work? In the section “For Families,” click on “Common Concerns” to find topics such as discipline, military families, college, media and tech, tweens and pretweens, and many more.

Why might this be a good choice for you and your child? The resources in this website give insights and advice on common concerns and tips for facing challenges many families share.

Recursos y Links Sobre la Salud Mental y Retos en el Aprendizaje  en Niños/as 

https://childmind.org/recursos-en-espanol/

Que es? Este en un recurso que ayuda a familias con niños/as que tienen dificultades con la salud mental y retos en el aprendizaje. Contiene artículos, guias, historias y opiniones de expertos sobre la salud mental.

Cómo Funciona? Haga click en “Artículos” o “Guías” para encontrar temas como: Ansiedad, Dificultades en la Escuela, Logros Importantes del Desarrollo y más información.

Porque es beneficioso? Para ustedes como padres y madres, los recursos en este link les da ideas y sugerencias o consejos sobre preocupaciones y pautas para enfrentar los retos que muchas familias comparten. 

How to Talk to a Child about the Coronavirus 

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

What is it? A brief article and a 4-minute video on “How to Talk to Kids about the Coronavirus” that gives advice to parents about talking to children about COVID-19

Overview of the article/video:

1 - Don’t be afraid to talk to children. Use facts.

2 - Think of their ages when you talk to your children (developmentally appropriate). Answer your child honestly and clearly. 

3 - Focus on safety and health and what children can do to keep themselves healthy.

4 - Using routines can help with day-to-day structure.

How does it work? The article and 4-minute video clip give simple advice to empower parents when talking about the coronavirus to their children. 

Why might this be a good choice for you and your child?  These are simple and basic tips for supporting conversations and questions about the coronavirus with children in a way that reminds parents to consider their own child’s developmental level. 

NPR Parent Life Kit- Tips on Living

https://www.npr.org/tags/797069332/life-kit-parenting

What is it? This website link by the National Public Radio offers support “Tools to help you get it together.” There are many random and timely topics for anyone’s interest from parenting to gardening to streaming TV choices. 

How does it work? Find the topic you are interested in. Click on “Listen” to start  hearing the podcast on the topic.

Why might it be a good choice for you and your child? This podcast breaks down life suggestions into easy, understandable tips, offering many varied topics on recent issues and topics with titles like: Advice for Families Stretching Their Budgets, How to Get Therapy if You Can’t Leave the House, How to Turn Your Home Into a School, and many more.

Tips for Helping Your Child During the Pandemic

https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/docs/Pandemic_helping-your-child_tipsheet.pdf

What is it? Seven in-depth tips for parents on how to help children cope with the changes that they may have noticed during the pandemic. There are suggestions for stories, songs, routines, and games. 

How does it work? Parents can decide what might be most helpful to their family. There are tips for families who are sheltering in place, and those that may still be going to school and work.

Why might it be a good choice for you and for your child? If your child is anxious, confused, or exhibiting new or different behaviors, this easy to follow sheet may have tips that will fit your family.