Even though it has warmed up a bit, April showers have kept our students inside. But they're still staying active and having fun! Our friends in Room 9 took to the mats in our Before & After Care room to do some CATCH-approved activities, like "puddle jumping"! It's fun to be two!
Learn more about the CATCH Program at our center.
One of our students' favorite activities is the giant parachute! Working in coordination with the CATCH program, parachute activities promote increased strength, agility, coordination, and endurance. They also teach teamwork and cooperation. Most importantly, they are fun!
This week, Ms. Charlene's pre-schoolers were non-stop laughing while they did a variety of parachute activities. Shaking yarn pom poms like popcorn encouraged students to work together to keep the balls on the parachute. Using team work to lift the parachute up in the air like a canopy was a highlight because children could take turns running underneath, and of course, "waking waves" with the parachute was fun while improving gross motor skills.
Tablets, laptops, and the television can be both fun and educational for children, but too much screen time can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. Are your kids watching too much?
"Screen time" includes: watching TV shows, watching movies, and playing video games and computer games. Too much screen time promotes sluggishness and immobility--habits that may follow children for the rest of their life. The CATCH program encourages fewer hours of screen time and an increase in physical activity to keep children fit and healthy.
The recommendation for screen time is 2 hours or less per day. Here are some alternate ideas to help reduce screen time for your child:
These tips are courtesy of the CATCH program.
Food Plays a major role in all families. It is important to encourage the whole family to make healthy food choices. Here are some jumping off points to help make your family healthier!
These tips were provided by the CATCH program.