Friday, December 30, 2011

Reading to Children

Reading is important at any age.

In Reading Magic by Mem Fox she says, “If parents understood the huge educational benefit and intense happiness brought about by reading aloud to their children, and if every parent—and every adult caring for a child—read aloud a minimum of three stories a day to the children in their lives, we could probably wipe out illiteracy within one generation."

Most children in your child care center, Pre-school, or Day care are at an age where reading to them could shape the rest of their life.  Do you struggle to find books specific to the age group you are reading to?

At Purefunsupply.com, we offer a wide range of books for all ages. You can choose from a variety of topics, authors, and you may even come across a book that your parent or guardian read to you as a child. Wouldn’t you love the feeling of when these children get older they can say “I remember when I first heard this book, it was read to me out loud when I was little at my day care”.

Pass the love of reading along by going to purefunsupply.com and seeing our selection of books that you can read to your children and see their faces light up every time its reading time at your day care, child care center or pre-school.

Safe Sheets for Daycare Cribs

Are your crib sheets worn out or have they shrunk?

Do you want to change from elastic to zippered or vice versa?

We now have Safefit elastic and zippered safety crib sheets for your daycare, pre-school, or child center.

They not only come in white, but also mint!

Now at purefunsupply.com we have crib sheets to fit all Full-Size and Portable/Compact cribs.

They are all made out of high quality 100% cotton to keep your babies feeling nice and comfortable.

For a full selection of Crib sheets go to www.PureFunsupply.com

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Great deals on Evacuation Cribs for Daycare Centers

Sweet Dreamer - White 300dpi

Did you know that Simmons Kids Daycare Cribs are all evacuation certified.

Check out our selection of Simmons Kids Evacuation Daycare Cribs today!

Don’t worry any longer if your nursery rooms have enough evacuation cribs. When you buy a Simmons Kids Child Care Crib, you will know that all your cribs are certified and that you are getting a great price!

Order today from www.purefunsupply.com – Your Daycare Crib Superstore!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Christmas Craft for ages 4 and Up

Christmas Crafts: Soufflé Cups!

Often when you think of using kitchen paper goods for crafts you think of paper plates or coffee filters but a soufflé cup can be a unique item to use. I have listed one below with two different options that make a fun Christmas Craft for home, child care centers or schools for ages 4 and older.

Soufflé Cup Christmas Tree

Materials Needed:

16 – 4 oz paper soufflé cups

1 – Each red and green crayon

3 – Q-tips

1 – Bottle of children’s glue (not glue stick)

1 – Each small container of red and green glitter

1 – 14”x15” piece of heavy cardboard

Instructions:

Step 1 – Place soufflé cups on newspaper or old shower curtain to protect surface.

Step 2 – Color inside bottom of 8 cups red and color inside bottom of 8 cups green using crayons.

Step 3 – Using a Q-tip, spread glue on outside sides of 1 red soufflé cup.

Step 4 – Sprinkle a small amount of red glitter on the glue sides.

Step 5 – Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 7 more red cups and then do the same for the 8 green cups using green glitter. Let dry completely.

Step 6 – Place the cardboard 14” length and 15” height on your surface.

Step 7 – Starting with 1 soufflé cup, place it at the very top (center) of the cardboard. Then place 2 cups (centered), touching sides, directly below first one. Place 3 cups directly below the 2 cups, 4 cups directly below the 3 cups and 5 cups directly below the 4 cups. Place the last cup (this is the tree base) directly below the middle cup on last row. Alternate the colors, making sure to use green for the base.

Step 8– Beginning back at the top, glue all soufflé cups in place. Let dry completely.

Now for the Options!

Option 1

Your craft tree can be a gift! Put pieces of small wrapped candy in each soufflé cup. You can write a greeting directly on the cardboard or write it on a separate square of paper and glue it to the cardboard. This is a perfect idea for relatives and your children’s favorite teacher!

Option 2

Your tree can be a game! Place the cardboard on a table or floor. Using heavy buttons, coins, or marbles, make up a tossing game; any number of players can play.

 

For more great craft ideas, view our craft page at http://www.purefunsupply.com/Arts-Craft-Ideas-from-www-purefunsupply-com-s/224.htm

Friday, December 9, 2011

Holiday and Seasonal Books for Kids


December is the most holiday rich month in our year. Most families in the US celebrate either Christmas or Hanukkah. Schools and child care centers should be prepared to teach all children about these holidays, what they mean and why people celebrate them. It’s important for kids to understand why we have holidays and how different holidays are celebrated around the world.

PureFUN offers a selection of holiday and seasonal children’s books to make teaching the holidays a little easier on caregivers and teachers. These books are age appropriate and easy to understand. The holiday series variety pack covers 12 holidays throughout the year in language that is easy for kids to read. These books make learning to read easy, fun, and engaging.

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Geography Puzzles


Did you know that the first jigsaw puzzle was a map? Puzzles are still a great way for kids to learn their geography. Using puzzles of the US, children learn how the different states fit together. As they get better at the puzzle, they have a better mental image of the United States. They also have fun while learning.

There are plenty of options of geography puzzles for child care centers and schools. Simple wooden puzzles are the most classic style. Sound puzzles announce the name of the state when the piece is placed correctly, providing instant feedback to children solving the puzzle. GEOpuzzles of the US, Latin American, and the continents were designed by an art professor.

PureFUN offers a wide variety of geography puzzles for you daycare or preschool.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

4 Simple Ways to Motivate Young Learners


Children are born with an intrinsic motivation to learn and positive attitude towards learning. Positive rewards and reinforcement will increase this motivation. Here are several simple strategies that you can use as a teacher to keep young students interested and motivated to learn.

Provide praise and rewards. When your students do well or when they work hard, reward them. Positive words and stickers are great for simple tasks. Adjust your praise and rewards based on the child’s individual abilities and efforts. Avoid giving nonspecific praise for something that required little or no effort.

Show you care about your students. Kids respond well when they know that their teacher cares about them. Build a positive and caring relationship with your students. Ask them how their day is going. Show enthusiasm for their interests.

Have your students participate. When children feel needed, their self-esteem and motivation is increased. Job charts are great way to teach responsibility.

Provide good explanations. Nothing kills motivation as quickly as confusion. Take the time to thoroughly explain new concepts. Check for understanding with specific questions before moving on to a new topic.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Sleep Requirements by Age


Getting enough sleep is extremely important to the health and well being of all children. The consequences of sleep deprivation include the following: altered behaviors and mood changes, impaired immune system, becoming accident prone. Childhood is the best time to establish good sleeping patterns.

It is important to understand that specific sleep requirements will vary by individual. Some toddlers can be perfectly alert with 10 hours of sleep at night while others may need 15 hours with two naps during the day. It is important for daycare centers to have a daily nap time routine: those children who do not fall asleep will still benefit from quiet time. Child care centers and preschools need cribs for babies and cots for young children.

General Requirements by Age:

1-4 weeks old: 15-16 hours per day. Newborns spend most of their time sleeping for short periods (two to four hours at a time). They wake up frequently for changing and feeding.

1-12 months old: 14-15 hours per day. Babies will start sleeping for longer periods (six hours) at about six weeks of age. They usually take two to three naps per day. This is the ideal time to establish simple bedtime routines.

1-3 years old: 12-14 hours per day. Toddlers need less sleep than they did when they were younger, but they still need regular naps. At 18-21 months, toddlers begin to take one nap per day. After 21 months, most toddlers take an afternoon nap that varies from one hour to three and a half.

3-6 years old: 10-12 hours per day. Naps become shorter at this age. By age five, most children are no longer taking naps.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Perfect Teacher Gifts

tote bag

Have you been looking for a gift for a special teacher?

Have you been wondering how to thank the teachers in your school?

Well…. look no further because we have the perfect custom item that will make your teachers smile from ear to ear.

We are now offering 4 great designs for tote bags and t-shirts.

These designs offer the perfect way to say THANK YOU for all the hard work your teachers have put in this year. Our tote bags are perfect for teachers who are always carrying lots of items with them from their home to the classroom.

4 designs

We have so many great items that would be a great gift for the teachers in your life!

 

Check them out at www.purefunsupply.com!

First Aid Supplies: A Basic List


Kids in daycares and child care centers frequently get into mischief and small accidents. That’s why it’s important to have first aid supplies on hand. Here’s a quick list of essential items for you center’s first aid kit (individual items in bold for ease of reading):

Adhesive tape for bandages, gauze pads, and splints.
Aloe vera gel for burns.
Antibiotic ointment such as neosporin.
Antihistamine such as Benadryl. Also include any drugs prescribed by a child’s doctor to treat an allergic reaction.
Antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide or an antiseptic wash.
Bandages for cuts and other injuries. Be sure to include several sizes of band-aids, gauze pads, and ace/elastic bandages.
Calamine lotion for insect bites.
Cotton balls and cotton swabs to apply antiseptics, etc.
First aid instruction manual Remember to read it before an emergency arises.
Hand sanitizer or soap.
Hydrocortisone cream, over-the-counter.
Instant cold packs so that you can apply a cold compress when you don’t have access to ice. These are intended for single use.
Mouthpiece for CPR.
Painkillers Do NOT give aspirin to children, however (as it is associated with Reyes Syndrome).
Plastic gloves to protect both child and caregiver from infection. We recommend vinyl in order to avoid possible allergic reactions to latex.
Scissors to cut adhesive tape, gauze pads, or even clothing in an emergency. Curved medical scissors are best.
Thermometer Temporal thermometers are best for reducing the risk of infection.

Remember to keep important medical information (such as medical history, allergies, reactions to drugs, etc) for each child on hand. At least one caregiver should have current CPR and first aid certification.