Children's Exercise

           Exercise is defined in the dictionary as the bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness.  The first few years of a child’s life are the most important in many ways.  One of them is setting them on the right path in terms of physical activity.  While younger children are normally running and playing most of the day, they need at least one hour of structured play time a day to help them develop certain skills.  Increased physical activity has been associated with an increased life expectancy and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Physical activity produces overall physical, psychological and social benefits.

 Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. And physical activity helps with controlling weight, reducing blood pressure, reducing the risk of diabetes and some kinds of cancers among other things.  (“Physical”, 2011 para. 1).  Developmentally, physical activity is very important to young children.  Children use manipulative skills to catch, throw, kick, roll, dribble, and strike or bat. Children need to develop basic competency in fundamental motor skills for games, sports, and lifetime physical activity.    (Goodwayand and Robinson 2006) 

Obesity is a rising health risk in children in today’s society.  Fast food restaurants sit on just about every corner in many towns across America.  For any person who is overweight the health risks are serious, but for a child it can be dangerous.  A child is still growing and developing, so if they are overweight their chances of becoming at risk for diabetes and other diseases increase.  Exercising for at least one hour a day can greatly lower a child’s risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses that are brought on by weight.  According to the American Heart Association, part of a healthy lifestyle is staying physically active.  Doctors say that kids should be physically active for an hour day.  (“Make” 2011, para 1)  Helping your child become more active is not a hard task.  Find activities that he or she enjoy and turn use it as their exercise.  One can even find something that both you and your child enjoy and can do it together.  When children and even adults find a physical activity that they enjoy they do not see it as exercise.  Instead it is seen as having fun. 

Children who are of preschool age must learn locomotor and manipulative skills in order to be competent physically.  Running, skipping, leaping are examples of gross motor skills or locomotor skills; while manipulative skills involve moving objects with their hands and feet, like kicking, throwing, and catching things.  There are many activities and sports that can be used for preschoolers and can be noncompetitive at the same time.  Finding games that involve the use of their newly found motor and manipulative skills can be a challenge, especially if you are looking for one that all of the children will enjoy and can participate in.  Jean Piaget wrote, “It is with children that we have the best chance of studying the development of logical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, physical knowledge, and so forth.  Children are the future adults of this world, so we need to make sure they grow up with all the right knowledge about society, life, and everything in between. 

References

Goodwayand, J. and Robinson, L... (May 2006). SKIPing toward an Active Start Promoting Physical Activity in Preschoolers. In National Association for Education of Young Children. Retrieved January 6, 2012, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200605/GoodwayBTJ.pdf.

Make The Most of Play (2011, March)

Retrieved Januray 6, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/ActivitiesforKids/Make-the-Most-of-Play_UCM_312476_Article.jsp

Physical Activity and Children (2011, March)

Retrieved January 06, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Physical-Activity-and-Children_UCM_304053_Article.jsp 

 

A Nutritious Lifestyle

Nutrition is important to every one big and small.  Eating healthy is something that needs to be started at a young age to help the child with their growth and development.  Throughout the stages of a child’s life the nutritional needs will change as they grow and develop from an infant to a toddler to a school age child.

            An infant grows faster during the first year than at any other time of their life.  (Robertson 2010, pg. 295)  Toddlers and preschool age children’s nutrition needs change as they transition from toddler to school age child.  School age children are still growing and developing, but at a slower rate than when they were a toddler.  No matter the age of the child or adult good nutrition is important.  In 2005, a children’s version of the MyPyramid for Kids was introduced to address obesity among elementary school aged children. (Robertson 2010, pg. 219)  Teachers and parents can use this pyramid to help make healthier choices for their child.

Children learn many things from their parents and other adults in their life.  Good eating habits are just one of the many things that children will learn from their elders.  The kinds of food provided for children help to determine how the child will eat and grow.  (Robertson 2010, pg. 323)  Early in the child’s life is when the parents and teachers have the most influence on what the child will or will not eat.  Teachers and parents have many opportunities to teach children good eating habits and exercise.  Social environment that is provided at mealtimes has a direct relationship to the child’s dietary quality. (Robertson 2010, pg. 325)  One way to help children influence a child’s eating habits is to let the child help prepare the snack or meal that they will be eating.  If they start at a young age then they will have developed skills for cooking and preparing healthy foods.

With today’s technology and fast paced environment, many kid friendly recipes can be found with the click of a mouse.  Parents and teachers can easily search thousands of recipes online in a matter of seconds.  While searching through hundreds of sites for recipes that are not only healthy, tasty, and kid friendly I found this website, www.healthychild.org  that has all kinds of amazing information for teachers and parents about children and nutrition.  They also have recipes that are healthy and kid friendly.

            One of the recipes that are on there is a smoothie called Tropical Treasure Smoothie.  It is a fun and simple way to help kids get the proper amount of servings of fruits and vegetables.  Parents and teachers can change this recipe however they want.  This smoothie is made with at least three different fruits, your choice.  Then just blend and serve, it’s that simple.  Smoothies like this one are easy to make and can be spiced up and changed to suit that person’s needs and requirements.  Especially with children, one can make a smoothie that is pink by mixing certain fruits and vegetables that will give it that color or you can mix certain fruits and vegetables to make it green.  Food coloring can also be added to change the color.  Younger children love colors and pretty things.  Many of them are not concerned about what is actually in the pretty colors.  Another fun and easy recipe is called Pink Princess.  This recipe calls for fruits, honey, and Greek yogurt which has double the protein than regular yogurt.  In this recipe it is a simple combination that makes a tasty Popsicle that everyone can enjoy. 

This website offers many recipes for all kinds of different yet healthy foods that even some claim picky eaters will enjoy.  One of these recipes is called Maple Fruit Yogurt Dip; a simple dish that is paired with many different fruits of your choice.  Any recipe that is found on this site is kid friendly and parents and teachers can have little helpers working on different parts of the recipe and then they can enjoy the fruits of their labor afterwards.  Many recipes, even the ones that are not so healthy can be kid friendly if the adult is willing to take the time to allow the child to help.

  

References

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth.

www.healthychild.org

Emergency Situations

           In today’s society, just about every career in the early childhood education setting requires that one be certified in CPR and First Aid.  To be certified in CPR and First Aid one must go through training and must be able to demonstrate the proper techniques.  According to the naccrra.org website Oklahoma child care centers must have at least one CPR and First Aid certified teacher.    It is never a bad thing for a child care center to have more than one certified teacher because you never know when an emergency will arise.  There is always new information and new training to be found for staying current in the latest ways of CPR and First Aid.

            In the first scenario that must be presented there is a 4 year old boy who is eating lunch at his day care when he suddenly starts coughing and choking on a piece of food.  The first thing that the teacher would need to do is to see if the child can talk or not.  If the child cannot, then the teacher must ask if the child is choking. Just like an adult you must get their permission first to assist in the matter.  Once the teacher has the go ahead to help the teacher must then act quickly.  The first step would be to place your arms around the child and place your fist above his belly button. Then begin upward thrust until the piece of food is dislodged.  If the food does not come clear of the airway and the child becomes unconscious immediately lay the child on their back.  At this point it would be wise to either send someone to quickly call 911 or make the call yourself.  Once 911 has been contacted began performing CPR on the child until the airway has been cleared or EMS arrives. 

            The second scenario is where there is a 4 year old boy found on the ground unconscious in the bathroom at the day care.  After finding the child unconscious you need to gently shake their shoulder and ask them if they are okay.  If they do not respond gently roll them on to their back and send someone to call 911.  Immediately check for a pulse and then check and see if you can tell if the child is breathing.  If you have one or the other or neither a pulse or breathe immediately begin CPR.  The teacher should also call for an AED, otherwise known as an Automated External Defibrillator.  The teacher should continue to perform CPR on the child till the child either has both a pulse and can breathe or EMS arrives to take over.   If there is an AED available then after the first two minutes of CPR it is highly suggested that an AED shock should be used.  Many of the AED’s that are now made will tell you exactly what you need to do after the first initial shock.  Promptly follow the directions until help arrives.

            Advance planning is the best way to help minimize events of emergency and natural disasters.  While there is no way to keep everyone completely out of harm’s way, with proper planning and training you and your fellow teachers and the children safe.  There is training for just about every kind of emergency one can face in an early child hood setting.  CPR and First Aid training are one of the most if not the most important training that everyone needs to know.  Certification for CPR and First Aid requires that the person holding the certification to renew it every three years.  Involving the children you work with will also help prevent any emergencies that could otherwise be avoided.  If the children are involved in lessons that will teach them about certain emergencies, it will help ensure that they are more than likely to cooperate when an emergency arises.

            There are many supplies and kits that teachers should keep handy in case of an emergency.  A first aid kit should be readily accessible at multiple points in the child care center and in any vehicle that will tote children to and from place to place.  For emergencies like a fire or tornado there should be evacuation plans hanging in each room showing the nearest exit.  Each child should have at least two emergency contacts in their file in case the child care center should have the need to contact them.  There are many supplies and steps that can be taken to ensure that they are prepared for any kind of emergency, but there is only so much that they can do.  If a teacher knows the area where they work and knows what kind of weather emergencies are possible then that will help execute an effective evacuation plan.  Staying calm and rational will help any teacher or parent effective handle any emergency that they come into contact with.  (Robertson 2010, pg. 178) They must remember that the lives of a child or children will depend on how effectively they handle any situation.

References

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth.

Emergency Preparedness: Natural and Human- Generated Disasters

          The state of Oklahoma is known for its vast array of tornadoes, as it is situated in Tornado Alley.  Oklahoma is also known for its vast amount of fires that happen year round as most of Oklahoma is farmland.  For the year 2011, Oklahoma has had over 100 tornadoes and has had over 50 wildfires across the state.  (Painter 2011)  For the residents of Oklahoma, adults and children learn early on how to stay safe for whatever Mother Nature brings to our door step.  Being a teacher at an early childhood center would be no different.

            Tornado season usually starts in March and goes all the way through August. So when it is not tornado season, you have time to practice drills and stock your emergency supplies.  Tornados can develop quickly and can show up just about anywhere without warning.  To prepare for a tornado one must know what areas of the building are the safest and have an emergency supply kit ready at all times.  The majority of Oklahoma is farmland, so there are many little rural towns. In these towns there may be a day care center for children who are not yet old enough for school.  The employees who work at a child care center in a rural town knows the ins and outs of the building, the town, and the frequency of how often that town is hit with tornadoes.  If a tornado suddenly appears the teachers and other workers with quickly gather the children away from the windows and take them towards the center of the building where the strongest supports are; or they will take the children to tornado shelter that is build underground just outside of the building.  Inside of this shelter there will emergency supplies that have been stocked with all the necessary items to weather out the storm. 

            Teachers who work in a child care center must be able to think clearly and work swiftly in light of a natural disaster.  The lives of the child and other teachers are in their hands.  Each teacher will have their own part that they must play so that everyone reaches shelter safely.  While tornadoes can come and go in a blink of an eye, their damages are lasting.  Tornadoes can not only destroy they can kill.  For those who are unprepared or just unlucky are the ones that can lose their life; families and even other teachers can help you prepare the students for what happens when a tornado comes.

            Besides tornadoes, Oklahoma has wildfires.  Wildfires have no typical season like tornadoes, or snow.  They can happen at any point and any time.  Wildfires are dangerous and unpredictable.  Many people die more from smoke inhalation than actually being burned by the fire.  There really is no way to prepare for a fire except to stay up on the most effective and safest fire drills.  Every teacher and student in a child care center each have a responsibility to learn about wildfires and what the current drills are.  Just like a tornado, wildfires can show up anytime and one needs to always stay prepared.  Teachers can make sure that each classroom has a map with emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and smoke alarms, all of which can help in case of an emergency.  Teachers can help the students become aware of the dangers of Mother Nature by making interactive lessons about each of the natural disasters that can happen in your area. 

           

References

Painter, B.. (November 25, 2011). 2011 has been year of natural disasters in Oklahoma. In NewsOK. Retrieved December 15, 2011, from http://newsok.com/article/3626299.

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth.

Safety Practices and Polices

          I will be focusing on the safety practices and policies on preschool age children.  As with any age group there are many hazardous situations and safety threats that are common to children and then there are ones that are specific to certain age groups.  Leaving cleaning products and medicine in reach of a child is dangerous; along with certain foods that a child could choke on, wall sockets and outlets, and scattered toys can be dangerous to a child.  If one was to stop and think there are many threats and dangerous situations in a home or facility that houses preschool age children for any length of time.

            The first hazard cleaning products can be very dangerous to children and even adults.  Preschoolers are in the preoperational stage, which means that there are some limitations in their thought process. (Robertson 2010, pg. 55)  In any home, child care center, and school there are many policies and rules about leaving cleaning products out and within reach of a child.  To help prevent cleaning products end up in the hands of a child, one must active role in helping ensure that cleaning products are properly labeled and stored in the proper place.  Medicine is another hazard that like cleaning products must be kept out of reach from children.  Cleaning products and some medicines have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that you can get.  Each of these sheets lists the potential hazards that can be had if that item is ingested or inhaled.

            Preschool age children can eat many different foods at this age, but a teacher, or care giver, and even a parent still needs to be careful when introducing a child to new foods.  A child can still choke on food if they do not chew it properly.  When buying and preparing food you must consider the children who will be eating the food, but no matter how careful you are the will is an occasional incident where a child will get choked on a piece of food.  In case of the occasional choking or scares the teacher, care giver, and parent should have CPR and First Aid training to help save a child or even another adult. 

            Wall outlets and sockets can be a very dangerous hazard to young children.  In any place where young children are, wall outlets and sockets should be properly covered and protected from young children sticking their fingers and objects into them.  Just about any store sells plastic safety covers that can help ensure the outlets and sockets are protected.  Toys that are left scattered can be a hazardous situation as well.  If toys are left scattered about a child or an adult can inadvertently trip and fall over them.  In places where children play, especially a child care center, there are rules and policies that should be followed.  Teachers and children can help one another follow the policies and keep everyone safe. 

            Whether you work at a school, child care center, or from home there are many policies that one must use and enforce in their place of business to protect the safety of the children and the employees.  Safety is very important when working with children and even adults; but more so with children because they are still growing and curious about the world and everything in it.  Families should practice the same safety measures as any place of business concerning children.  They can play a big part in teaching their children how to stay away from things that can potentially harm them until they are old enough to understand why. 

References

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition and health in early education. Wadsworth Pub Co.