Weird Science with Mr. Bond 

Here at Holly Tree of Brentwood, we think science is super cool! On Tuesday, we had Weird Science with Mr. Bond. He came and did a fun presentation for our Preschool 2 & 3, and our Pre-K classrooms. He taught us all kinds of weird facts about science and showed us some really cool things to do with dry ice. He also taught us about gravity and how it works, and he taught us this lesson with a really neat expandable ball! The kids were very receptive to Mr. Bond and developed a true love for science! Here is a recap of all the cool and exciting things Mr. Bond taught us!

Jackson helped Mr. Bond teach us about dry ice and made bubbles and steam with it! How cool! 

Mr. Bond showed us a really neat expandable ball and helped us understand how gravity works!

Before Mr. Bond left, we wanted to ask him some questions about science! 

Learning about dry ice was cool! Making bubbles was fun, too! 

We had so much fun with Mr. Bond, and we love that he taught us so much about science! 

Reading To Our Children

Here at Holly Tree of Brentwood, we love taking a few minutes multiple times everyday to read to our children. Reading can create a connection with teachers and their students that can build lasting relationships. Having a love for books and reading starts before your child is even born! 

According to Julie Temple Stan, the Editorial Director of Early Moments Book Clubs, You should start reading to your children while they are still inside the womb. As early as 6 months in utero, your baby is already accustomed to the sound of his mother's heartbeat, the rushing of blood through the umbilical cord, and digestive sounds. Reading to your baby early on can establish a bonding relationship, and get your baby used to your voice before they exit the womb. When your baby is 0-3 months old, this is the perfect time to reintroduce the stories and nursery rhymes that you read to them while they were still in the womb. You may even find that your baby is comforted by these familiar rhymes or stories. 

Fun literacy activities that you will start to see your toddler develop are pretending to read by moving their finger up and down and across the page. They will probably enjoy turning the pages and holding the book while you read to them. For 2-3 year olds, reading should become a part of your daily routine. Your child will become much more willing to sit in a chair and read a few books with you. For 3-4 year olds, start getting them familiar with reading everyday things. Point out objects like cereal boxes, billboards, street signs and grocery store displays. For 4-6 year olds, they are more than likely going to read their first words. They might engage in other literacy activities too like wanting to write their own story, or trying to read on their own. 

For more information on this topic, please visit https://www.earlymoments.com/Promoting-Literacy-and-a-Love-of-Reading/Preliteracy-Skills-Prenatal/

For more information about our program, please visit our website at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com

Donuts with Dad

On Friday, June 13th, we had our Donuts with Dad Family Event. The children were so excited to see the donuts waiting for them when they got school, and they were even more excited to see that their dads would be joining them for a yummy breakfast! We had powdered donuts, chocolate donuts, eclairs, milk and orange juice. Here is a recap in case you missed all the fun!

Arden and her dad enjoyed some morning snuggle time!

Obi and his dad were all smiles after eating such a delicious breakfast!

Our Toddler friends certainly enjoyed their donuts and cereal! 

Kelsey and her dad enjoyed a fun story after breakfast!

Ethan and his dad enjoyed their special time together eating donuts and cereal! 

Will and his dad were so excited to eat some donuts and yummy pastries! 

There were donuts, and pastries, and orange juice...oh my!

To learn more about our program, please visit us at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com

Hot Weather and Hot Cars

With the hot weather fast approaching, making sure you check the back seat of your car before locking and leaving your car is a must! Many parents believe that this kind of situation can never happen to them, but all parents need to be on alert when it comes to this situation. 

According to an article in Parents Magazine, roughly 20 percent of children were left in a car by a parent who, for instance, thought they'd run a "quick" errand and came out to find out that their child had died. A child is at greater risk than an adult in a hot car. That's because a small body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's would in the same circumstance. The internal cooling system--sweating--isn't as effective in kids as it is in adults because an adult has more skin through which sweat can evaporate to cool the body, says Kate Carr, CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. 

On a typical 70 degree day, a car can heat up very quickly. After 10 minutes of being turned off on a 70 degree day, a car can reach 89 degrees. After 20 minutes, it would be around 99 degrees, and after 2 hours, it would be close to 120 degrees. Many parents wonder how others can leave their children and forget they were there. In most instances, the child had fallen asleep, so there was no sound to remind the parent to take him out. And if a baby was in a rear-facing car seat in the backseat, there was also no visual cue: the baby's head might not have been visible over the top of the seat.

According to Parents Magazine, there are 7 ways not to forget your child is in the car. These ways include:

• Be extra alert if your routine changes. That's when the risk of unintentionally leaving your child in your car increases
• Put something of your child's like a toy, on the front seat
• Leave an item you'll need at your next destination in the backseat--like your purse, cell phone, or briefcase
• Place your child's car seat in the middle of the backseat rather than behind the driver. It's easier to see the kid. 
• It's crucial to set up a system with your child-care provider. If you don't plan to drop your child off that day, call them. If your child doesn't arrive as expected, have the caregiver call you. 
• Discuss the topic of hot-car deaths with every person who drives your child anywhere. This includes your partner, grandparents, and babysitters.
• Always "Look Before You Lock." Get in the habit of checking the backseat every time you get out of the car. 
• Finally, if you see any child in a car seat alone in the car, call 911. 

For more information on this topic, please visit http://www.parents.com/baby/safety/car/danger-of-hot-car-for-children/

For more information about our program, please visit our website at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com

Elmo Goes to the Doctor 

On Thursday, June 5th, we had a visitor named Peggy come and teach us all about going to the doctor! She had her friend, Elmo come with her and teach us about what happens when we go the doctor for a check-up! She read a fun story, showed us her doctor kit, and made learning about the doctor really fun! Our Preschool and Pre-K classes had a great time learning about the doctor! Here is a recap of all of the fun things we learned about doctor visits:

Peggy read our Preschool and Pre-K classrooms a story about what a trip to the doctor is all about!

Elmo helped spread the word that a trip to the doctor can be fun! He showed us all kinds of instruments that a doctor uses like a stethoscope, and a thermometer! 

Our Preschool and Pre-K friends loved hearing about what happens at a check-up at the doctors' office! 

Peggy also showed us what the doctor is checking during a check-up. The doctor is making sure that we stay healthy! 

All of our friends got stickers after Peggy talked to us about going to the doctor!

For more information about our program, please visit us at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com  

Fun Summer Activities To Do With Your Children

Summer is officially here and you're probably wondering about all the fun activities that you can do with your children. Some days, it may be just too hot to be outside. Care.com recommends having a combination of indoor and outdoor activities so your children don't get bored with playing outside There are many activities that you can do inside, and still have fun! Here are some great activities that include inside and outside fun!

• Have a luau in the backyard
• Make a fort out of cardboard boxes
• Stage an A to Z scavenger hunt where you have to find something that starts with each letter
• Make ice cream
• Have a backyard campfire
• Go for a walk and then make a nature collage of things you found along the way
• Have a water balloon fight
• Make a sidewalk chalk mural
• Make an indoor sandbox using colored rice: mix 4 cups of rice with 3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of food coloring and let it dry overnight. 
• Collect rocks and paint them and then use them as paper weights or "pet" rocks.

 

 For more fun indoor and outdoor summer activities, please visit http://www.care.com 

For more information about our program, please visit us at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com

Toddlers Make A Splash! 

We had our First Water Day of the summer on Friday! There were two different sprinklers on the playground for the children. One of the sprinklers was a big "O" shape and you could jump in the middle.  The other was a straight hose with sprayers coming out in every direction! Boy, did they put them to good use! Our Toddler classroom had a blast playing in the water and getting soaked! Check out the pictures below in case you missed out on the fun!  

Layla looked so cute in her summer hat! She also enjoyed reaching for the sprayers and turning them in different directions!

Eva loved jumping over the sprayer and then clapping her hands! 

Charlie absolutely loved the "O" shaped sprinkler! He clapped his hands together in the water and laughed at the funny sound it made! 

Our Toddler friends loved jumping over the sprinkler and putting their hands in the water!

Alyssa had the biggest smile on her face when she saw the sprinklers on the playground. She was the first one to dive into all of the water fun! 

Quinn enjoyed jumping over the "O" shaped sprinkler and then taking a break in the middle of it! She wore herself out with all that running!

For more information about our program, please visit our website at http://www.hollytreechildcare.com