Don’t trash those grocery store ads!

If you don’t already, hold on to those grocery store ads that come in the mail and newspaper this week! Enlist your little one to help you plan your grocery shopping. The ads are full of pictures of the items on sale, and each is labeled with the name of the item. This is an instant word book!

Hand your child a washable marker and ask him/her to circle the items you need to buy that week. Working together, you can identify the products by picture and by name, and also work in conversations about decision making. For example, if your kiddo circles something that is laden with unhealthy fats and sugars, you might ask, “Is that nutritious? Does that help our bodies grow? Does it help build bones and muscle?” Then, work together to find a healthier alternative — or maybe you already have a better alternative in your pantry or refrigerator. Also, if your little one suggests something that you already have plenty of at home, you could ask your child if you really need more of it. Get those little gears moving in his/her brain. You’ll be amazed at how smart your child is!

As for building the shopping list you take to the store, consider spending the extra 15 minutes to either help your child write down (by copying) the words from the ad, or perhaps your child could draw the items. If you’ve introduced child-safe scissors already, get them out (and that beloved glue stick too) and ask your child to cut out the items you’ve agreed upon and glue them onto a list.

When you both arrive at the grocery store with your lists — yours with everything included and your child’s with the items from the ad — lay down the ground rules for the expedition… Only buy things that are on the list. Cross off each item as you find it. Stay within arm’s reach of Mom/Dad the entire time. Of course, add in anything else that works for your family!

I find that if I involve my 3.5-yr-old in helping to plan the grocery list based on what’s on sale, he’s much more cooperative at the store. You’ll thank yourself, and the other shoppers will appreciate it too. 

Table of Contents: guide to the good stuff

Recently I’ve noticed that many of our favorite children’s book collections have been reprinted as compilations. Not only do these larger books save shelf space, they also provide a great new tool… a table of contents! This is the section of a book that most people tend to overlook, but it is actually a fabulous place to stop and spend some time with your child.

Rather than just flipping through the book to find your child’s choice of bedtime story, take the time to read through the table of contents together. Explain that the table of contents is like a map for the book — it helps you figure out where you want to go, and tells you how to get there.

One of our favorites is “A Treasury of Curious George” by Margret and H.A. Rey. Every time we read this book, we open to the table of contents and figure out what story to read. This book is a great one to use for introducing how to use the table of contents because it not only lists the titles of the stories, but also has a small illustration to go with each.

After choosing the story, ask your child to read the number that is next to the story title in the table of contents. This is a great opportunity to work on number recognition, especially in this book since there are over 100 pages in it. Explain that that number is the page number for the story. Show your child how the number listed next to the title matches the page number you need to find in the book; you can liken it to a treasure map, with the story of choice being the treasure!

Ask your child to find the chosen story in the book by using the page numbers, and not just flipping haphazardly through the book. This will eventually help your child to compare numbers when searching for the right page. You can guide your child through the thought process of, “Is the number I’m looking for smaller than or bigger than (less than or greater than) the number on the page in my hand?”

The possibilities for learning are endless! And to think, most people tend to flip right past the table of contents to get to the “good stuff!”

Use a magnetic calendar

When children approach age 3, they often begin to have a fascination with time, but don’t yet have a way to grasp it. You may answer their excited question of, “When does the garbage truck come?” with “Tuesday,” but that means nothing if the child doesn’t know when Tuesday will come around again. Magnetic calendars are a great way to make this abstract concept much more concrete for your little one. There are many on the market, but the one I’ve found to be the best deal for the price is sold at Super Target, in the puzzle section. I think it was around $10, no more than $15, and I see years and years of use in its future. (I can not find it online, otherwise I would post a link. As of the date of this posting, they are still on the shelves at Super Target. A good, but more expensive, substitute is the magnetic calendar by Melissa & Doug.) The calendar comes with magnets for the dates, months, years, holidays, weather, activities, “firsts,” and other events. Depending on your child’s age and maturity level, you might choose to hang the calendar at his or her level, or you may need to keep it out of reach (to avoid the choking hazard of the magnets, especially if you have a toddler around).  We use the magnets on our calendar to keep track of what days we have doctor appointments, hair cuts, trips to the museum, trips to the library, when our library books are due, when we’re going on vacation, etc. We’ve even made our own markers using Post-it notes for when grandparents are coming to visit, and for that all important day of the week when the garbage truck stops by! (Garbage day is practically a holiday to most little boys!) The calendar also has magnets for the weather, so your little one can play “weather reporter” and update the weather daily (or as it changes through the day). An added plus is that the calendar will help with number recognition, counting, and, eventually, adding. So, the next time your little one asks what day it is, or when tumbling will be, send him or her to look at the calendar!