After a long winter; is Spring Fever running rampant in your house? Try some of the activities listed below to settle the fever.

• Play “Follow the Leader”
• Make your own obstacle courses
• Run up—and down—hills
• Jump in puddles
• Play hopscotch
• Build a fort
• Build a snowman (weather permitting)
• Have a scavenger hunt, looking only for items found in nature
• Birdwatching
• Look for spring flowers (this keeps them busy for a long time, at least in our part of Ontario)
• Climb trees
• Jump rope
• Go for a bike ride
• Blow bubbles
• Have races using physical literacy fundamentals, like hopping on one foot or leg crossovers
• Play “Leapfrog”
• Play “Hide-and-Seek”
• Fly a kite
• Have sword fights with sticks
• Build dams and rivers out of mud and puddles

By Jennifer Pinarski

The post 20 Cures for your kids’ Spring Fever first appeared on International Talent Academy.

2. Fly a kite
Go fly a kite—literally! Choose an open field and run around with the kids to try and get their kite up in the air. 

3. Play hide-and-seek
Who doesn’t love this classic game? Springtime means you can head outside for an epic, neighbourhood round of hide-and-seek! 

4. Ride a bike
Spend an afternoon riding the bike trails in your local area. Is your little biker still in training? Use it as an opportunity to teach him how to ride his bike without training wheels.

5. Feed the ducks
It’s migrating season! All of the ducks and other birds are heading back home, so bring a bag of bread to a pond near you and feed them a tasty snack.

6. Learn about dinosaurs
Check out your city’s best dinosaur exhibit at your nearest museum, the kids will love learning about these ancient Earth inhabitants (and the skeletons are pretty awesome, too.)

7. Go camping
Create a weekend adventure by bringing the family to the nearest campground. Pitch a tent, roast some marshmallows, and tell spooky stories by the fire. If you want to keep things close to home, put up a tent in the backyard and enjoy the lovely, spring weather.

8. Visit a farmer’s market
Spend a Sunday at your favourite farmer’s market and pick out some fresh fruits and veggies as a snack for later.

9. Play hopscotch
You might think this game is too simple, but it’s always a great time-killer and super fun to play at any age. 

10. Get gardening
Now is the time to start planting flowers in the yard. Your little ones will love getting messy in the fresh soil and being on garden hose duty.

11. Go for a hike
What better way to explore the fresh outdoors than to go on a hike through a forest or trail? Try to stay quiet as you venture through to see if you can hear (or see) the animals coming out of winter hibernation.

12. Wash your car
Pick a warmer day to get the kids to help you out with cleaning up your family vehicle(s) on the driveway. 

13. Paint rocks
Take those rocks you’ve collected and make a craft day out of it. Paint them with your favourite colours and turn them into rock magnets for the fridge. 

14. Take lots of pictures
Make sure that while living in the moment, you don’t forget to snap photos of the silly and fun times, too. Print the photos and have the kids help you finally put together that scrapbook or album you’ve wanted to make.

15. Dance in the rain
Bundle up in your best rain gear and take advantage of the spring showers. Have a dance party outside in the drizzle (umbrellas optional), then cozy up for a cuddle session by the fire to warm up. 

16. Visit a petting zoo or farm
Take a look online to see when petting zoos or farms open up in your area and spend a day feeding and petting adorable animals.

17. Build a fort
Any time of the year is the perfect time to build a fort. Why not bring your sleeping bags and extra blankets outside and build the best outdoor fort the world has ever seen? Or if your little one is scared of creepy crawlers, keep the fort-building party indoors.

18. Head to the park
What better way to get your kid’s extra energy out than at the park? Climb the monkey bars with them or race down the slides—it’ll be a day they won’t forget!

19. Go to the library
Get your kid to pick out some great bedtime stories for the week at your nearest library. Most libraries offer free story times and other fun activities.

20. Draw with chalk
Sprawl out on the sidewalk with a big bucket of chalk or spruce up your driveway with your wildest creations.

21. Read outside
Not all books have to be saved for bedtime. Pick a few classics, sit outside in the sunshine and immerse yourselves in story time.    

22. Put together a scavenger hunt
Kids love nature, so why not do a treasure hunt outside. Make a list of spring objects (rocks, pine cones, etc.) to look out for, and check them off as you find them outside.

23. Star gaze
Use a telescope or just sit outside on your front porch and look at the beautiful constellations on a clear, Spring night. 

24. Have a picnic
Nothing beats a spring picnic. Pack a basket of goodies and sprawl on a blanket in the park (or your backyard) while enjoying the sun on your faces.

25. Watch the sunset
The best ending to the perfect spring day is watching the sunset with the little ones before calling it a night.

The post 25 Fun Family activities for Spring first appeared on International Talent Academy.

How to Start
Here are some tips on how to begin teaching the 1-2-3 process:

Introduce the Idea
Start the conversation by using the examples above and show your child the kids’ article Organize, Focus, Get It Done. Read it together and ask for reactions. Will it be easy or hard? Is he or she already doing some of it? Is there something he or she would like to get better at?

Get Buy-In
Brainstorm about what might be easier or better if your child was more organized and focused. Maybe homework would get done faster, there would be more play time, and there would be less nagging about chores. Then there’s the added bonus of your child feeling proud and you being proud, too.

Set Expectations
Be clear, in a kind way, that you expect your kids to work on these skills and that you’ll be there to help along the way.

Make a Plan
Decide on one thing to focus on first. You can come up with three things and let your child choose one. Or if homework or a particular chore has been a problem, that’s the natural place to begin.

Get Comfortable in Your Role
For the best results, you’ll want to be a low-key coach. You can ask questions that will help kids get on track and stay there. But use these questions to prompt their thought process about what needs to be done. Praise progress, but don’t go overboard. The self-satisfaction kids will feel will be a more powerful motivator. Also, be sure to ask your child’s opinion of how things are going so far.

Start Thinking in Questions
Though you might not realize it, every time you take on a task, you ask yourself questions and then answer them with thoughts and actions. If you want to unload groceries from the car, you ask yourself:

• Q: Did I get them all out of the trunk?
  A: No. I’ll go get the rest.
• Q: Did I close the trunk?
  A: Yes.
• Q: Where’s the milk and ice cream? I need to put them away first.
  A: Done. Now, what’s next?

Encourage kids to start seeing tasks as a series of questions and answers. Suggest that they ask these questions out loud and then answer them. These questions are the ones you hope will eventually live inside a child’s head. And with practice, they’ll learn to ask them without being prompted.

Work together to come up with questions that need to be asked so the chosen task can be completed. You might even jot them down on index cards. Start by asking the questions and having your child answer. Later, transfer responsibility for the questions from you to your child.

Things to Remember
It will take time to teach kids how to break down tasks into steps. It also will take time for them to learn how to apply these skills to what needs to be done. Sometimes, it will seem simpler just to do it for them. It certainly would take less time.

But the trouble is that kids don’t learn how to be independent and successful if their parents swoop in every time a situation is challenging or complex.

Here’s why it’s worth your time and effort:

• Kids learn new skills that they’ll need — how to pour a bowl of cereal, tie shoes, match clothes, complete a homework assignment.
• They’ll develop a sense of independence. Kids who dress themselves at age 4 feel like big kids. It’s a good feeling that will deepen over time as they learn to do even more without help. From these good feelings, kids begin to form a belief about themselves — “I can do it.”
• Your firm but kind expectations that your kids should start tackling certain jobs on their own send a strong message. You reinforce their independence and encourage them to accept a certain level of responsibility. Kids learn that others will set expectations and that they can meet them.
• This kind of teaching can be a very loving gesture. You’re taking the time to show your kids how to do something — with interest, patience, love, kindness, and their best interests at heart. This will make kids feel cared for and loved. Think of it as filling up a child’s toolbox with crucial life tools.

The post Help Your Child Get Organized; Part 2 first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Here are some tips to guide the way:

1. Know the teachers — and what they’re looking for. Attend school events, such as parent-teacher conferences, to meet your child’s teachers. Ask about their homework policies and how you should be involved.
2. Set up a homework-friendly area. Make sure kids have a well-lit place to complete homework. Keep supplies — paper, pencils, glue, scissors — within reach.
3. Schedule a regular study time. Some kids work best in the afternoon, following a snack and play period; others may prefer to wait until after dinner.
4. Help them make a plan. On heavy homework nights or when there’s an especially hefty assignment to tackle, encourage your child break up the work into manageable chunks. Create a work schedule for the night if necessary — and take time for a 15-minute break every hour, if possible.
5. Keep distractions to a minimum. This means no TV, loud music, or phone calls. (Occasionally, though, a phone call to a classmate about an assignment can be helpful.)
6. Make sure kids do their own work. They won’t learn if they don’t think for themselves and make their own mistakes. Parents can make suggestions and help with directions. But it’s a kid’s job to do the learning.
7. Be a motivator and monitor. Ask about assignments, quizzes, and tests. Give encouragement, check completed homework, and make yourself available for questions and concerns.
8. Set a good example. Do your kids ever see you diligently balancing your budget or reading a book? Kids are more likely to follow their parents’ examples than their advice.
9. Praise their work and efforts. Post an aced test or art project on the refrigerator. Mention academic achievements to relatives.
10. If there are continuing problems with homework, get help. Talk about it with your child’s teacher. Some kids have trouble seeing the board and may need glasses; others might need an evaluation for a learning problem or attention disorder.

Eric J. Gabor, JD

The post Top 10 Homework Tips first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Most kids generate a little chaos and disorganization. Yours might flit from one thing to the next — forgetting books at school, leaving towels on the floor, and failing to finish projects once started.

You’d like them to be more organized and to stay focused on tasks, such as homework. Is it possible?

Yes! A few kids seem naturally organized, but for the rest, organization is a skill learned over time. With help and some practice, kids can develop an effective approach to getting stuff done.

And you’re the perfect person to teach your child, even if you don’t feel all that organized yourself!

Easy as 1-2-3

From Teeth Brushing to Book Reports

To get started, introduce the 1-2-3 method and help your child practice it in daily life. Even something as simple as brushing teeth requires this approach, so you might use this example when introducing the concept:

1. Getting organized: Go to the bathroom and get out your toothbrush and toothpaste. Turn on the water.
2. Staying focused: Dentists say to brush for 3 minutes, so that means keep brushing, even if you hear a really good song on the radio or you remember that you wanted to call your friend. Concentrate and remember what the dentist told you about brushing away from your gums.
3. Getting it done: If you do steps 1 and 2, step 3 almost takes care of itself. Hurray, your 3 minutes are up and your teeth are clean! Getting it done means finishing up and putting on the finishing touches. With teeth brushing, that would be stuff like turning off the water, putting away the toothbrush and paste, and making sure there’s no toothpaste foam on your face!

With a more complex task, like completing a book report, the steps would become more involved, but the basic elements remain the same.

Here’s how you might walk your child through the steps:

1. Getting Organized
Explain that this step is all about getting ready. It’s about figuring out what kids need to do and gathering any necessary items. For instance: “So you have a book report to write. What do you need to do to get started?” Help your child make a list of things like: Choose a book. Make sure the book is OK with the teacher. Write down the book and the author’s name. Check the book out of the library. Mark the due date on a calendar.

Then help your child think of the supplies needed: The book, some note cards, a pen for taking notes, the teacher’s list of questions to answer, and a report cover. Have your child gather the supplies where the work will take place.

As the project progresses, show your child how to use the list to check off what’s already done and get ready for what’s next. Demonstrate how to add to the list, too. Coach your child to think, “OK, I did these things. Now, what’s next? Oh yeah, start reading the book” and to add things to the list like finish the book, read over my teacher’s directions, start writing the report.

2. Staying Focused
Explain that this part is about doing it and sticking with the job. Tell kids this means doing what you’re supposed to do, following what’s on the list, and sticking with it.

It also means focusing when there’s something else your child would rather be doing — the hardest part of all! Help kids learn how to handle and resist these inevitable temptations. While working on the report, a competing idea might pop into your child’s head: “I feel like shooting some hoops now.” Teach kids to challenge that impulse by asking themselves “Is that what I’m supposed to be doing?”

Explain that a tiny break to stretch a little and then get right back to the task at hand is OK. Then kids can make a plan to shoot hoops after the work is done. Let them know that staying focused is tough sometimes, but it gets easier with practice.

3. Getting it Done
Explain that this is the part when kids will be finishing up the job. Talk about things like copying work neatly and asking a parent to read it over to help find any mistakes.

Coach your child to take those important final steps: putting his or her name on the report, placing it in a report cover, putting the report in the correct school folder, and putting the folder in the backpack so it’s ready to be turned in.

Check back on Thursday for part 2.

The post Help Your Child Get Organized; Part 1 first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Keep a Variety of Reading Materials

Collect board books or books with mirrors and different textures for babies. Preschoolers enjoy alphabet books, rhyming books, and picture books. Elementary-age kids enjoy fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, plus dictionaries and other reference books.
Kids can understand stories they might not be able to read on their own. If a more challenging book interests your child, read it together. Younger kids can look at illustrations in books and ask questions as they follow along.

Keep Reading Materials Handy

Keep sturdy books with other toys for easy exploration. Books near the changing table and high chair can be helpful distractions for younger kids. Plastic books can even go in the bathtub. Keep books next to comfy chairs and sofas where you cuddle up so you can read after feedings and before naps.

Create a Special Reading Place; Make it Inviting

Make sure reading areas have good lighting. Change the materials often — add seasonal books, rotate different magazines, and include books that are about topics your kids are interested in or learning about in school. Decorate the corner with your child’s artwork or writing. Keep a CD or other music player nearby for audio books.

Encourage Creativity

Set up a writing and art center and encourage your kids to make books, posters, or collages that they decorate with their own pictures and writing. Kids love to read things they’ve written themselves or to share their creations with family and friends. Ask your kids to act out the story.

Think About the Reading Environment

Other ways to encourage your kids to read:

• Limit your kids’ screen time (including TV, computer, smartphones, tablets, and video games) to make sure they have time for reading.
• Keep reading activities family-centered, and guide your child in reading activities and media. Even with today’s high use of technology, you can decide how much print and how much media to allow into story time. Reading e-books doesn’t have to mean giving up lap-time. Make sure to snuggle up with a story often, in whatever format.
• Read together. Read a book aloud or ask your child to read to you from a favorite magazine or book. Make a habit of sitting together while you each read your own books, sharing quiet time together.

Kandia N. Lewis, PhD

The post Creating a Reader-Friendly Home first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Keep Up

In school, information comes at you at increasingly faster speeds. With the explosion of social media, 24-hour news cycles and technological breakthroughs, you’ve got to be able to organize the content to filter out what you need to retain and what you can discard. To keep up with the flow of information you’ll receive in college, you need to develop a file system in your computer that allows easy access to your research as well as hard-copy folders to separate and file papers, articles and assignments.

Recognize Relevance

Effective organization helps you in a number of ways. It allows you to collect information and put it in order according to its relevance. If you’re scattered and unorganized, it’s difficult to piece together information in a useful way for papers and studying. You’ll be able to compare notes, group information in terms of its relevance for each class you’re taking and classify your priorities more effectively when you develop order to your schoolwork.

Save Time

Time is valuable, especially if you’re a full-time student with a job. Time spent looking for research you’ve already compiled or pulling together your notes taken from various classes is time you can’t afford to lose. Take a few moments each day to place papers and documents in appropriate files to save those precious minutes or hours you spend looking for them otherwise. Keep your apartment or dorm room in order so it’s easier to find your books, notes, clothes and sporting gear. Invest in a desk organizer to keep mail, bills and notices in order so you don’t waste time sorting the same stuff over and over.

Don’t Miss Anything

Disorganization can lead to missed deadlines, late charges and lost opportunities. Keep lists of exams and appointments on your phone or laptop to help you organize your affairs to ensure you complete vital tasks in the order of importance. Your desk organizer will help you keep up with bills and notices so you don’t miss due dates. Plan your days and check off tasks once they’ve been completed so you don’t forget to finish important projects.

The post Importance of life skills for students – how to first appeared on International Talent Academy.

1. Pay Attention: Good Studying Starts in Class

Here’s a riddle for you: Did you know that before you even begin studying, you’ve already started? Huh? Here’s what we mean. When you pay attention in class and take good notes, you are starting the process of learning and studying.
Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Is it hard to see the board? Make sure you’re sitting in a good seat that lets you pay attention. Tell your teacher or parents about any problems that are preventing you from paying attention and taking good notes.

2. Good Notes = Easier Studying

Not sure how to take notes? Start by writing down facts that your teacher mentions or writes on the board during class. Try your best to use good handwriting so you can read your notes later. It’s also a good idea to keep your notes, quizzes, and papers organized by subject.

3. Plan Ahead 

Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday’s test will make for a homework night that’s no fun! It also makes it hard to do your best. We’re all guilty of putting things off sometimes. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to plan ahead.
Ask for a cool calendar (something you like and can keep by your desk or study area) and write down your test and assignment due dates. You can then plan how much to do after school each day, and how much time to spend on each topic. Are lessons or extracurricular activities making it hard to find time to study? Ask your mom or dad how to make a schedule of what to do when.

4. Break It Up!

When there’s a lot to study, it can help to break things into chunks. Let’s say you have a test on 20 spelling words. Instead of thinking about all of the words at once, try breaking them down into five-word chunks and working on one or two different chunks each night.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember something on the first try. That’s where practice comes in. The more days you spend reviewing something, the more likely it is to stick in your brain. Another way to break it up is to study regularly instead of just the night before. You can always review your notes and read over the chapters you’re working on. Or, if you’re studying math or science, do some practice problems.

5. Lose the Confusion — Ask for Help

You can’t study effectively if you don’t understand the material. Be sure to ask your teacher for help if you’re confused about something. You can check yourself by reading through your notes. Does it all make sense? If not, ask your teacher to go over it with you. 

6. Sleep Tight!

So the test is tomorrow and you’ve followed your study plan — but suddenly you can’t remember anything, not even 2+2! Don’t panic. Your brain needs time to digest all the information you’ve given it. Try to get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be surprised by what comes back to you in the morning.

KidsHealth Medical Experts

The post Six Steps to Smarter Studying first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Arts and Crafts 

• Make paper snowflakes and hang them up in unexpected places around your home.
• Make a pine cone bird feeder using peanut butter and birdseed. Then hang it outside a window where you’ll get to see the birds enjoy the treat each day.
• Draw and color a mural showing a winter scene. Then hang it up in your living room where the kids will enjoy seeing it every day, or mail it to a family member who lives in an area of the country unaccustomed to snow.
• Use the back side of some leftover wrapping paper to draw and color life-sized pictures of one another.

Cooking Together 

• Make homemade hot cocoa with marshmallows.
• Make ice cream using snow. All you need are milk or cream, vanilla, sugar, and the special ingredient: snow!

Games 

• Go bowling. If your kids are young, try the duckpins for little ones.
• Play board games together, and be sure to introduce the kids to some of yourfavorites!
• Have a snowball fight. If your kids are different ages/sizes, set a few “ground rules” up front.
• Take a guess at how much snow is on the ground. Then grab a ruler and go measure it to see how much snow you’ve gotten this year. See who comes closest to the right answer!

Physical Activities 

• Go sledding together. Don’t forget to bundle up and bring the bike helmets for added safety!
• Buy a kid-sized shovel and shovel the driveway or sidewalk together. If the snow is really deep, be sure to carve out a ‘lighter’ area for your kids to work.
• Build a snow fort together. Or, if it’s too cold outside, build your own super fort indoors out of blankets, pillows, and large boxes.

Educational/Cultural Enrichment 

• Make a graph showing each day’s high and low temperatures for the week. Then make predictions about next week and see who’s closest to each day’s actual temperature.
• Visit your local library and check out books on winter themes. Then come home and take turns reading to one another. Bonus: use your phone to record one another reading and then save the recordings for bedtime stories on a night when you’re extra exhausted.
• Fill a spray bottle with colored water and write in the snow. This is a fun way for young kids to practice their letters.
• Have family movie night with hot cocoa, popcorn and lots of blankets by the fire. Choose family-friendly movies or better yet, let the kids select the film!

 Jennifer Wolf

The post Fun Things to Do With Kids in Winter first appeared on International Talent Academy.

Writing can help develop numerous physical skills.
Not only does it help to improve hand-eye coordination, but it also strengthens muscles that can be used for everyday tasks. By holding the pen or pencil to write, the child learns to improve their fine motor skills which can be used for other tasks in their life.

Creative writing can also develop emotional skills.
By creating a story, a child can channel their emotions and develop how to manage in a situation. For example, they may be able to show empathy with a character, express different emotions experienced by characters or manage a difficult situation that a character is feeling. This may help a child to express how they feel and understand how others feel. Self-discovery and self-expression can be demonstrated throughout the child’s words and storytelling abilities.

Creative writing will also help to improve intellectual skills.
Their sentence structure, vocabulary, and use of punctuation will be notably more advanced than others of the same age who do not practice creative writing. In a world where text speak and emojis are so common, creative writing helps to develop writing skills that are being forgotten about. If a child can not communicate effectively as a child, the problem may become worse as they grow older. Sharing ideas with others allows the child to develop their storyline and collaborate with others. Encouraging creative writing can help a child to communicate effectively in the technology world.

Creative writing helps their ability to focus.
When a child begins to write their ideas down, completing the story develops a range of important life long skills. Using writing as a way for your child to demonstrate their creative side helps their ability to focus, improves their dedication and commitment. These are all skills which employers look for in a candidate. Creative writing also develops creative thoughts, using their imaginations, suggest alternatives, broaden their thought process and problem-solving abilities. It also allows the child to show their opinions and develop their voice. It also improves their logical skills. These skills, once developed, can help the child in other subjects, such as Maths, Science and Languages. By developing these fundamental skills, the child can apply these in other areas of learning and success, helping to strengthen their self-confidence.

Writing also helps to improve organization from a young age. By plotting out a storyline, a child can develop organization and create drama or surprises in their story. This can then be applied to everyday tasks, helping them to improve their own organization and be prepared for the day ahead.

Inspiring your child to be creative develops a wide range of skills while building confidence. This helps them to develop into powerful adults, who can communicate their points of view, thoughts, and feelings very clearly. Creative writing has the opportunity to create an incredibly positive impact on our children, and while the occasion is becoming more limited in the classroom, taking steps to encourage our children to write can help develop a range of benefits. By finding their way of writing, the children can turn it into a superpower, allowing the child to be creative while having fun and doing something they enjoy.

Interested in signing your child up for creative writing courses? Click here to view International Talent Academy’s class info and enroll today!

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