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On TED.com there is a speaker whose talk was recently published with a focus on education of children.  His name is Sugata Mitra and he has devoted a greater part of his life to education research.

In 1999, he and his colleagues developed an experiment where children were left unsupervised and he noted how they were able to teach each other and others.  This was started in New Delhi and replicated in other parts of rural and urban India.

Of course we are not advocating that teachers be removed from the classroom but rather reflect on the marvel of kids and the some of the ways they are able to learn and teach others.  Quite thought provoking isn’t it?

Many of you have asked me what your child is expected to know when entering Kindergarten. I have outlined some objectives in my post “Getting Ready for Kindergarten“. Below are some activities that you can do with your child to ensure success! Remember to pick activities that your child is able to do or is ready to undertake.

Cut and Paste:
In Kindergarten, your children will be completing cut and paste activities. Click here and check out:
ABC order (preschool)
Shapes (preschool)
Numerical order, numbers 1-10

Counting:
Your children will be counting objects up to 10, using one-to-one correspondence. For example, when the child sees the number 3, they can hand you 3 items.
Click here for dinosaur, fish and color counters.

Cutting Activities:
Click here for a house and a kite puzzle. Your child can work on cutting out the shapes and putting the objects together. They might have difficulty cutting out the smaller objects so make sure you help them if they need assistance.

Dot to Dot:
Dot to dot activities are beneficial for your children because they promote arm control and eye hand coordination. Click here for activities that work on connecting numbers 1-10. The spelling dot to dot might be too difficult.

Sewing Cards:
Click here and check out the template for the circle, heart, triangle or square. Put the shape on poster board and punch out the holes. Provide your child with a thick piece of yarn with tape on the end to practice sewing.

Matching:
Click here and go to the animal matching activity.

Sorting:
Click here for the flower activity which has children sort by color and size.

Both you and your child need to be ready for toilet training to work. You know when you are ready to let go of the handy diapers, but how do you know if your child is?

Children show interest in potty training between the ages of 2 and 3. Suddenly they seem interested in the toilet or in wearing underwear. They begin to ask your questions about using the toilet or even ask for Bob the Builder underwear when you are shopping at Target. If your child shows interest, is able to ask simple questions, follow directions and stays dry for periods of two hours or longer, they just might be ready!

When you decide that the diapers must go and your child is showing signs that they are ready, you must purchase a few things. Take your child to the store with you. Show the child how excited you are that they want to buy their own underwear and are going to use the toilet. You need to make this experience fun and exciting for the child. Have them pick out any underwear they want, the decorative ones are usually the most desired. Then pick out a potty chair. You can even get some stickers that they can use to decorate the chair. Have your child use your money to pay at the registrar. This will give them a sense of control and confidence.

When you get home, put the underwear away with your child in their “own” drawer. Then, together, put the potty chair in the bathroom. Let them pick a spot where it should go. Decorate the chair and talk to your child about how to sit on the seat. Practice pulling their pants up and down with them. Make sure they participate.

In the beginning, try to schedule potty breaks about every hour, on the hour. Have them sit on the potty chair for a few minutes while you talk, read a book or sing with them. If they do not go, applaud them for trying. When they do go, show your excitement by enthusiastically saying “good job,” possibly giving them a treat and/or a hug. Make a big deal. This is a huge accomplishment!

Your child will need to wear diapers when they sleep for the first several weeks of successful potty training. You can try throwing them away when the child begins to tell you that they need to us the toilet on their own. There will probably be some accidents in the beginning but be patient. Never show the child if you are upset. This will only sway them from using the toilet.

If your child does not have success using the potty chair after a few weeks and are having anxiety, try creating a sticker chart. Every time they go, they get a sticker. After a certain amount of stickers, they get to go to the store and pick out a toy. Another option is to have them roam the house naked. Chances are, they will seek a toilet when they need to go.

Good luck and remember, this is a fun and exciting experience for both you and your child.

Therapeutic horseback riding has been proven to be extremely beneficial for children with special needs. Children have an opportunity to improve their physical capabilities, cognition, social skills and emotional well-being. Participants even experience increased confidence and develop a better self-concept.

Horseback riding requires flexibility, balance and posture. The horses movement causes the rider to use their core muscles which often improves strength throughout the body and their upright position. Muscles that benefit from riding include the back, buttocks, ankles, knees and hips. This is beneficial for those who have low muscle-tone. Those with high muscle-tone work on relaxing their muscles and moving with the gait of the horse.

Horseback riding also provides a unique opportunity for children to communicate with the horse and those involved with instruction. The participant often forms a relationship with the horse. This is especially beneficial for those with emotional or social disabilities. The animal shows love, loyalty and trust in the rider. Children feel in control when riding a horse and it helps to empower them. They also learn how to care for a horse, giving them responsibility.

Riding requires attention, memory and reasoning skills. The child is asked to interpret sensory information that they receive from riding including the motion, smell, feel, sound and sight of the horse. They are also interpreting information from the surrounding environment and the instructor leading to intellectual stimulation.

If you are interested in more information, check out the web-page for The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

There is contact information for Therapeutic Horseback Riding in the area under Resources.