Make It Topic: Snow

Imaginative:

• Set up a weather station for the children to be weather persons
• Place out different clothes of the children to try on

Language:

• Read “There was an old lady who swallowed  some snow” Make a flannel board pieces  to go with it
• Read “Frozen noses”
• Read “Hello Snow”

Art:

• Fluffy snowball: take a piece of paper squish it take cotton balls pulled apart glue it on and paint for a soft snow ball
• Place out black paper and white chalk to make snow pictures
• Use an old stocking place rice or beans in the toe tie off allow the children to dunk it in white paint and place on paper
• Place out a mitt pattern, yarn, and glue
• Set out shapes for snowperson making

Water/Sand: 

• Place packing peanuts in the sand table place die cut snowflakes  labelled with a letter have matching letters to find
• Place snow in the water table with shovels
• Place animals and pine cones in the sand table
• With snow in the water table have colored water to pour onto it

Gross Motor: 

• Make snow angels in the snow
• Place out boxes for the children to make prints in the snow with 
• Blow bubbles in the cold air
• Make a obstacle course out of snow for the children to follow 
• Hide frozen ice cubes for the children to find in the snow outside use tracks for them to follow 
• Have snowman bowling

Science/Curiosity:

• Fill an ice cube tray the night before have the children time how fast the snow melts 
• Go outside each day and measure the snow keep a chart 
• Non messy ice melt place a ice cube in a zip lock bag for the children to explore

Blocks:

• Set out large boxes for fort building 
• Place out large pom-poms for snow

Conceptual/Tabletop/Fine Motor:

• Place out a black cloud with a number on it have cotton balls to count out the same number of snowflakes 
• Set out white play dough along with woodland critters allow the children to explore snow tracks 
• Have a mitten and hat match 
• Snow writing place salt in a box lid with letters allow the children to write in the salt copying the letter 
• Place two buckets and a pair of tongs set out white pom-poms for the children to sort

Music:

• Sing Itsy Bitsy Snowmen 
• The itsy bitsy snowman was standing in the snow
  Down came some flakes it made the snowman grow
  Out came the sun to shine is golden rays
  which warmed the little snowman and melted him all away

Quiet:

• Place out large pillows for the children to lay on 
• Make a flannel board with snow people and people playing

Cooking:

• Make snow cones 
• Collect clean snow 
• Ice cream cones 
• Kool aid or syrup 
• Ice cream scoops 
• Go outside fill the cones with snow place the syrup or kool aid over allow the children to eat

Field Trips:

• Go sledding at the park 
• Take a walk in the snow 
• Go animal track hunting

Influenza

"The flu" is a virus that spreads via tiny droplets that are discharged from an infected person through coughing, sneezing or even speaking or through direct contact with contaminated surfaces or toys.

Symptoms: Fever, cough, body aches, funny or stuffy nose, headache or sore throat. You may also notice that your child is more clingy than usual.

Incubation Period: One to three days.

Contagious Period: Most contagious a day before fever appears, but still contagious until symptoms are gone.

How to Avoid: If possible, steer clear of crowds, and wash hands often.

Treatments: Similar to the common cold, the flue is a viral infection that must run its course. Administer acetaminophen for the fever. Provide lots of fluids and insist that he gets plenty of rest.

When to See a Doctor: If your child is breathing with difficulty, is not eating and drinking at all, has very high fever, or even if your gut tells you that things aren't right, don't hesitate to bring him in to be checked.

Return to Day Home: Once your child's fever is gone and he returns to his normal behaviour.

Excerpt from Canadian Family Magazine

Common Cold

The common cold is spread the same way as influenza, colds also include a very similar range of symptoms.

Symptoms: Stuffy/runny nose, headaches, sore throat and, occasionally, a low-grade fever.

Incubation Period: Two to five days.

Contagious Period: Most contagious the first two to three days, but still contagious for about a week.

Treatment: Colds and flu are viral infections that must run their course. Offer lots of fluids, insist on plenty of rest and provide acetaminophen for the fever and aches. Over-the-counter cough and cold medications are not recommended for kids younger than 6 years old.

When to see a doctor: Colds and flue can migrate into other parts of the body and cause a secondary bacterial infection. If your child is breathing with difficulty, is not eating and drinking at all, has very high fever, or even if your gut tells you that things aren't right, don't hesitate to bring him in to be checked.

Return to Day Home: Let your child be your guide, once she reverts to her normal behaviour, she should be fine to go back.

Try this at Home: Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass of warm water (sweeten it with a bit of honey if your child is over the age of one) to help break up the mucus.

Excerpt from Canadian Family Magazine

It's that time of year!

Stomach Flu

Caused by a variety of nasty viruses, viral gastroenteritis inflames the stomach and intestines.

Symptoms: Range from low-grade fever and muscle aches to abdominal cramps, vomiting, and watery diarrhea.

Incubation Period: (How long you must wait after exposure until you find out if your child has caught it.) One to three days.

Contagious Period: Beginning of symptoms until at least three days after recovery.

How to avoid: Keep your child's hands and fingers out of her mouth, employ frequent hand washing.

Treatment: Avoid dehydration by giving her oral electrolyte solution like Pedialyte. (Mom tip: serve it cold and tell your child to take small sips.) When vomiting has ceased for four hours, try a spoonful of clear non-dairy liquid like chicken broth or apple juice, then move to an ounce of liquid, then gradually introduce solid foods - dry toast is a good start.

When to see a doctor: If vomiting persists and/or child hasn't urinated in more than 12 hours, if there is blood in his vomit, urine or stool, or worsening of abdominal pain.

Return to the day home: Let your child's health and energy level be your guide.

**Remember each provider has their own illness policy for their day home.

Excerpt from Canadian Family Magazine

AGENCY REVIEW

On November 18th Hemel House received their detailed agency review from the Southwest Alberta Child and Family Services Authority. 

The checklist completed states, "Child and Family Services Authorities monitor a family day home agency's performance by reviewing their operations, activities, records and the care in providers' homes according to the Family Day Home Standards and terms of their agency contract."

Below is Monica's letter:

On November 18th, 2010 I conducted a Family Day Home Agency Review.

As a result of the review, I have identified that Hemel House Child Care is compliant to the provincial standards for the family day home program. The CFSA Child Care Programs would like to thank your agency for offering quality childcare to the parents of our community and superior support to the providers who are connected to your agency.

I want to thank you for your complete cooperation regarding this review.

Sincerely,

Monica Simmons - Licensing Officer

Make-It Topic: Gifts

Imaginative:

• Set up a present work shop, have tape and boxes with wrapping paper 
• Have a gift store allow the children to make a store with gifts they would sell to people

Language:

• Read “Beautiful Bananas” by Elizabeth Laird
• Read “Morris’s Disappearing Bag” by Rosemary Wells
• Have the children look at the letter G
• Read “My best gift”
• Discuss how a gift can be given to make someone happy

Art:

• Place out square shapes to glue ribbon and tape
• Paint wrapping paper
• Place out ribbons and glue
• Make mugs of hot chocolate to give to friends
• Wrapping paper collage

Water/Sand:

• Place boxes with holes punched in the bottom in the sand
• Place out ribbon in the water with cups

Gross Motor:

• Place out wrapped gifts making an obstacle course
• Have a gift wrapping game using a sheet and a child
• Place out pictures of gifts on the floor and have the children jump to each one saying a color, shape, or number
• Place out wrapping paper to dance with

Science/Curiosity:

• Place out a variety of closed containers, in each one have different sounds with a picture to match it
• Place out a scale and different weighted boxes or containers
• Place out fruits and vegetables see which ones have a gift inside (seeds, fruit)

Blocks:

• Place out different size square containers for building with(2l milk containers are great)
• Place out wrapping paper for constructing with

Conceptual/Tabletop/Fine Motor:

• Gift matching game
• Have boxes for stacking
• Nesting boxes
• Place out materials for the children to wrap up smaller toys
• Place out different items and boxes for the children to see what can fit
• Dice matching colors

Music:

• Dance using wrapping paper while beating a drum
• Sing “I have something in my pocket”

Quiet:

• Place out a large sheet for a bag for the children to go into to read 
• Place a large box for them to wrap in

Cooking:

• Make gift cookies
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tblsp milk
• ½ tsp Vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Filling of your choice (jelly pie filling)
• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with a beater add sugar, beat till fluffy. Add egg milk and vanilla beat, mix flour, baking soda on low mix the dry to the wet, cover chill 20 min or till firm make into logs cut and bake at 375for 12 min

Field Trips:

• Go to the gift wrap station at the mall
• Go to the neighbours house with a small chocolate gift

Cleaning and Sanitizing

The November provider training meeting topic was a review of Day Home Requirements by Alberta Health Services. The Executive Officer Andrea Hohne and Health Inspector Stephen Kirkpatrick reviewed the Alberta childcare facility requirements while confirming the Hemel House policies follow these guidelines.

Did you know that your provider must follow these cleaning guidelines?
A clean, healthy environment in your day home will help prevent the spread of infectious disease. Cleaning is an on-going part of the everyday operation. Providers clean as needed in conjunction with a cleaning schedule.

Hemel House Day Home Manual – Health Care – Section D CLEANING AND SANITIZING

More than once a day:

• Clean and sanitize bathroom surfaces such as faucet handles and toilet seats regularly.
•  Clean and sanitize potty-chairs after every use.
• Clean and sanitize diapering pad after each use. 
• Clean and sanitize food preparation and eating surfaces before and after use.

Once a day:

• Wash with soap and water, all surfaces that infants and toddlers are likely to touch. 
• Wash and sanitize crib rails, hard-surfaced toys and other mouthed objects.
• Wash mattress covers and bed linens if children do not use the same cot every day.
• Wash face cloths.
• Rinse any soiled clothing in toilet; then place in plastic bags and return to parents. 
• Wash and sanitize the water play equipment. 
• Wash and sanitize floors.

Once a Week:

• Clean and sanitize low shelves, doorknobs, and other surfaces likely to be touched by infants and toddlers. 
• Wash mattress covers, blankets, and bed linen if child uses same ones every day. 
• Wash stuffed toys in automatic machine and dry on “HOT” setting of dryer.