Children And Their Puppets

Definition tells us a puppet is a small figure of a person operated from above with strings by a puppeteer. Ironically, a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone is also referred to as a puppet.

Puppets: The Finest Dolls

Puppets are finest because they can be played with so little effort unlike the battery operated dolls. Although playing puppets doesnt let you watch them, playing them in itself is a great fun. Puppets are used to depicting various mythological stories over the ages regardless of where you are.

Why Children Love To Play Puppets

Wide range of toys enhances imaginative experiences of children. Innovatively built, stuffed toys can be used to show your baby how to brush her teeth, how to wash hands etc. Children are highly imaginative; buy them a puppet or two, they very soon get to learn their mechanisms. Although they like it, they invariably end up tearing the puppets apart! Teach him make a puppet at home.

Making a Puppet At Home

Making a puppet at home may not save you money, but children love a home grown puppet endless. Their imaginations start flying while you are at work with your puppet. They start off on a fantasy trip imagining stories and characters they have heard. Well here is how you make a puppet at home.

Materials you require: You dont need more than a couple of wooden spoons, color brush and ribbon, scissors, cardboard and paint. Dont forget the glue.

Making it: Choose the favorite animal of your child to begin with. You need not be altruistic about choice of colors. Choose a pleasant color to wash the cardboard and the spoons with. Cutout two ears from the cardboard and glue them onto the spoons after embellishing. Paint the face, eyes, nose and mouth. Finish it with colorful ribbons around its neck tied like your child wanted.

The easiest you can make at home is a doll with a hollow head of a person or animal and a cloth body; which fits over your hand and manipulated with the fingers.

This is not to discourage buying of puppets. Instead you have the freedom to choose from 1000s of varieties plus the mechanized varieties. Not to mention the thrill you give your child wandering through the toy store.

It can all be very confusing. Put the baby on her tummy, no her side, no her back. Over the years, weve been told many different things about sleeping positions for babies. Heres the scoop, from my perspective, anyway.

Years ago, it was common practice for babies to sleep on their stomachs. And, there was good reason babies sleep more soundly on their tummies than in any other position. Most of us were put to sleep on our stomachs, and we turned out fine, right?

But, now we have a little more information. Putting your baby to sleep on her back or side can reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by as much as 50 percent. Therefore, most pediatricians will recommend that you put the baby to sleep on her back from the beginning. There were a few years there where doctors recommended that babies sleep on their sides, as this not only reduces the risk of SIDS, but also reduces the risk that the child might choke on her vomit if she spits up (which, by the way, is rare). But, today most doctors say the back or side is fine its really hard to keep a newborn on her side.

If your baby fusses a lot when sleeping on her back, try swaddling her, or try putting her on her side with a rolled up blanket for support. For many babies, this is enough to make them comfortable. If your baby is sleeping on her back, do be sure to give her some waking time on her tummy, to help with muscle development, and to give her a new perspective on life!

Now, all that said, if your baby is really having a hard time sleeping on her back, talk to your pediatrician about having the baby sleep on her stomach. If your baby is healthy, your doctor may say its ok to put her to sleep on her stomach, as long as the mattress is firm. In addition, babies with respiratory problems, upper airway malformations, and babies who spit up a lot, may actually be safer on their tummies.

Each baby is different, and you have to treat them as such. Sleeping on the back is the guideline, but with your doctors help, you should evaluate your baby, and her sleeping habits, individually. Keep in mind that in a few months your baby will begin turning over, and will choose her favorite position on her own.

It is that time of year again. If you child is already 5 or will be turning 5 on or before Oct. 1 (date depends on your state) then it is time to start thinking about registering your child for kindergarten. There are several steps involved in the kindergarten registration process.

If you are unfamiliar with the process then, it is a good idea to call the elementary or primary school your child will attend for more information. If you are not certain which school your child will attend then call the school district's main office.

While registration is free there are some costs associated with kindergarten registration. Your child will need a current physical (often documented on the state's medical exam form) and will need to be current on all vaccinations. Your child will also need a current eye exam (often documented on a state eye exam form).

Most schools also require a birth certificate and social security number.

Some schools require these five documents at the time of registration:

~ Birth certificate

~ Social security card

~ Current immunization record (on state certificate)

~ Current physical record (on state medical exam form)

~ Current eye exam (on state eye exam form)

Other schools are more flexible and allow registration with only some of the forms as long as all other information is provided by the time school starts.

Once your child is registered, then your child will be scheduled for a kindergarten screening in most school districts. The screening is conducted by one or more professional educators.

The purpose of the kindergarten screening is not to determine whether or not your child will be admitted to kindergarten but rather how your child's unique needs will be met in the coming school year. This means matching the right teacher, classroom, and program to your child.

Most often, kindergarten screening looks at six primary areas: cognitive skills, listening and sequencing skills, language skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and social/emotional skills.

The kindergarten screening is not the final judgment on your parenting skills or your child's school readiness. It is simply the first time (in most cases) that the school district will have to assess your child. Early screening allows the school to help you prepare your child before school begins. You may be given a checklist, or other instructions, noting skills to work on with your child. Sometimes children with special needs may be flagged at this point. This can be very beneficial as the earlier intervention takes place the easier it may be for your child to stay on the same time table as his peers.

The kindergarten screening also allows the school to better match your child with a teacher, class, and program. Each child's kindergarten experience is unique depending on the level of their skills at entry and the rate of their progress after school starts. The activities and work your child engages in during kindergarten may not be identical to those of all classmates. Many schools break classes up into ability groups or even pull children out of class to work with peers of similar ability or need.

Identifying special needs, problems, or abilities early on helps the school plan for the coming year. Will there be sufficient demand for a gifted program or a remedial program, are examples of some of the questions that kindergarten screening helps the school answer.

While your local school must make a place for your child no matter when you register it is to everyone's benefit if you register as early as possible. The school needs an accurate enrollment projection but also needs to make educational plans that can most accurately be made after meeting and testing your child. In addition, your child benefits from early enrollment by allowing you to know what to do to prepare your child for kindergarten. Finally, your child is now on a list, which will allow the school to contact you regarding open house, information meetings, and other events.

For example, my local school district offers a special program a few weeks before school starts that allows some kindergarten students to start school early. The students can become familiar with the school building when it is not full (and not so frighteningly loud and busy) and begin working on some important skills, which may be interfering with their ability to succeed.

Kindergarten registration is a simple and necessary process, but it can be confusing if you don't know what to expect. Knowing what to do before you register, what to expect during registration, and what will follow registration can help make the process less frustrating and confusing for everyone involved.