Tag Archives: Carrie Shrier

Look before you lock

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


As a dangerous heat wave descends upon the Midwest, and in advance of National Heat Stroke Prevention day on July 31, 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” This national campaign urges drivers to develop a routine habit of checking their backseat before locking their car and walking away. Outside of crashes, heatstroke is the number one vehicle-related killer of children in the United States. Vehicle heat stroke occurs when a child is left in a hot vehicle, allowing their body temperature to rise rapidly and often fatally. In the 20 years from 1998 to 2018, 772 children died of heatstroke in hot cars. Already in 2019, 21 children have died in hot cars.


As temperatures outside climb, the interior of vehicles rapidly reach dangerous temperatures. It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly. This means in the forecasted 95-degree heat, the interior of a vehicle can reach a lethal 115 degrees in the time it takes to run into the bank or gas station.


Children are significantly more sensitive to heat stroke than adults. Infant and children’s body temperatures rise three to five times faster than that of adults experiencing the same temperatures. When a child is trapped in a hot vehicle, their body temperature will rise rapidly. Heat stroke begins when the core body temperature reaches 104. A core body temperature of 107 is fatal.


Michigan State University Extension urges all parents and caregivers to do these three things:

  • NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended.
  • Make it a habit to look in the back seat EVERY time you exit the car.
  • ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
Heatstroke Infographic
Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

If you are a bystander and see a child in a hot vehicle:

  • Make sure the child is OK and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
  • If the child appears to be OK, attempt to locate the parents or have the facility’s security or management page the car owner over the PA system.
  • If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent while the other waits at the car.
  • If the child is not responsive or appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child—even if that means breaking a window. Many states have “Good Samaritan” laws that protect people from lawsuits for getting involved to help a person in an emergency.

Know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; confusion; or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, quickly spray the child with cool water or with a garden hose—NEVER put a child in an ice bath. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.


More than half (54%) of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left in the car, and 26% are from a child getting into a hot car unsupervised. It only takes a few minutes for a vehicle to reach dangerous temperatures. Take time to develop a vehicle safety routine for your family and prevent tragedy.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).


What are the best toys for children?

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


Store shelves are full of brightly colored and electronic toys, heavily marketed on television and sure to catch young children’s attention. But what toys stand the test of time? What are the things children will go back to again and again? What toys help children learn and grow?


Michigan State University Extension recommends the following five basic categories of toys and materials for your young children.

Blocks and building toys

Block play has been found to stimulate brain development in all developmental areas. In fact, in the study “Block Play Performance Among Preschoolers As a Predictor of Later School Achievement in Mathematics” published in the Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, researchers proved that children who play with blocks regularly when they are 3, 4 and 5 years of age will do better in math, especially algebra in middle school.


There are many fun block and construction set options to consider, including basic large wooden unit blocks, flat plank style blocks, small wooden blocks, blocks that snap together, large cardboard blocks and construction sets. Many children enjoy being able to add items such as small dolls, animals, cars and other props to their block play.

Puzzles and problem-solving toys

Puzzles, similar to blocks, support children’s development in a variety of ways. As children solve puzzles, they are utilizing problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, fine-motor skills, shape recognition, memory, spatial-awareness skills and more.


Toddlers ages 2 to 3 will do best with puzzles with four to 12 pieces. Preschoolers ages 3, 4 and 5 will enjoy more complex puzzles with 12 to 20 or more pieces. Other toys in this category include toys with latches, locks, hooks, buttons, snaps, etc. for children to manipulate, blocks that snap together, collections of objects such as shells, keys, etc. and counting bears.

Pretend play items

A dramatic play or pretend play area is a staple in all early childhood classrooms. Children love to be police officers, doctors, construction workers or teachers, but they are also learning a lot while doing so. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC ), the major accrediting body of early childhood programs, stated in a recent position paper, “high-level dramatic play produces documented cognitive, social and emotional benefits.”


It is through pretend play that children first begin to explore their own likes, interests and the world around them. Pretend play gives children an opportunity to work through new, different, confusing or scary life experiences. Children are building their social and emotional skills, supporting complex problem solving skills, learning to read social cues, share, take turns and so much more when they engage in dramatic play.


Toys that support this play include child size furniture, dress-up clothes, dolls, doll clothes, pretend play food, cash registers, transportation toys and any creative items that allow children to pretend. Prop boxes with items to support a theme of play, such as the items needed for a veterinary clinic, can be a fun way to support children’s interest.

Things to create with

In the MSU Extension article The art of creating: Why art is important for early childhood development, the author shares that the following are skills children support when engaging in art experiences:

  • Fine motor skills. Grasping pencils, crayons, chalk and paintbrushes helps children develop their fine motor muscles. This development will help your child with writing, buttoning a coat and other tasks that require controlled movements.
  • Cognitive development. Art can help children learn and practice skills like patterning and cause and effect (i.e., “If I push very hard with a crayon the color is darker.”). They can also practice critical thinking skills by making a mental plan or picture of what they intend to create and following through on their plan.
  • Math skills.Children can learn, create and begin to understand concepts like size, shape, making comparisons, counting and spatial reasoning.
  • Language skills. As children describe and share their artwork, as well as their process, they develop language skills. You can encourage this development by actively listening and asking open-ended questions in return. It is also a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary words regarding their project (i.e., texture).

Materials to support open-ended creativity include a variety of writing/drawing tools such as crayons, colored pencils, markers, chalk, paint, watercolor paint, finger paint, paper of varying weights and sizes, safety scissors, modeling clay, playdough, playdough tools, glue and a variety of scrap materials for collages. Musical instruments such as tambourines, maracas, rhythm sticks and xylophones to allow creation of music are other creative arts options as well.

Large motor play items

While many people are aware of the importance of physical activity in supporting children’s health and development, preventing weight gain, etc., it is less commonly recognized that physical activity supports academics as well. Regular participation in large motor activities in early childhood has been found to improve attention and memory, increase academic performance, and improve actual brain function by helping nerve cells multiply, creating more connections for learning. It is important for children to have the opportunity to engage in large motor play.


Materials to consider purchasing to support large motor play include ride on toys such as tricycles, bicycles and balance bikes, large and small balls to throw, kick and catch, climbers with soft material underneath, plastic bats and balls, targets and things to throw at them, wagons and wheel barrows, tunnels to climb through and pounding or hammering toys.


Be sure to take into account children’s age and developmental ability when selecting toys, and continue to inspect toys for safety. A previously safe toy can become unsafe due to normal wear and tear. Items are occasionally recalled as well. You can sign up to receive recall alerts with Safe Kids USA and check previous recalls.


Also, remember that all children grow and mature at their own individual rate and may be interested in toys for a longer period of time or become interested in other items sooner than other children. For more ideas on developmentally appropriate toys, including lists by age, visit the NAEYC Good Toys for Young Children by Age and Stage guide.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Setting the stage for success: Promoting social and emotional health in young children

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Parents and caregivers do much to help promote healthy development. Photo credit: Pixabay.

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


What is social and emotional health? What role does it play in children being ready and able to succeed in school and life? Much emphasis is placed on teaching young children their ABC’s, colors, shapes and numbers in preparation for heading off to Kindergarten. Research, however, is showing that one of the greatest predictors of children’s success in school is their social and emotional health.


According to the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, social and emotional health is a child’s developing capacity to experience and regulate emotions, form secure relationships, and explore and learn. This all happens within the context of one’s family, community and culture background.


Parents and caregivers do much to help promote healthy development. Many of these are things you are already doing every day with the children in your care. Other skills take targeted effort to develop within the context of your home or child care center. However, it is well worth the effort to plan for children’s social and emotional development in the same manner we do for academic success. Michigan State University Extension believes that children who understand and cope with their emotions usually:

  • Perform better academically
  • Form stronger relationships with their peers and adults
  • Have fewer behavioral problems
  • Handle their own negative emotions better
  • Lead happier, healthier and less stressful lives

One key strategy to prompting children’s social and emotional development is through the use of children’s literature. Books provide a wealth of opportunities to teach young children about their emotions, how to identify and label their feelings, how to problem solve, and to see characters engaging in situations that might be similar to their every day life. MSU Extension offers Family Book Sheets to help parents and child care providers expand on these concepts beyond reading the book.


Even as very young toddlers, children can learn to express their feelings appropriately and learn to label their emotions. For example, teaching toddlers to sign the word “stop” instead of biting when they feel frustrated. Give preschoolers the opportunities to be reflective about their feelings and expose them to a wide variety of feeling words beyond just happy, sad and mad. Take the time to say in front of the children in your care that, “It is frustrating when the CD player won’t work!” or “It’s disappointing that it’s raining and we can’t go outside today.”


It’s also important to teach children friendship skills. What does being a good friend look like? Are you modeling that for your children? Teach empathy by being empathetic and recognizing emotions in others. Provide positive verbal support to children who are “caught” engaging in positive play with their peers. Practicing turn taking and build in opportunities for children to help each other, such as serving snack to their peers.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Transition to summertime

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


All across the country, children are wrapping up their school year. Final projects are turned in, the last concert of the year is performed and awards banquets are being held. Soon the bell will ring on the end of the year and children will be home for the summer.


This is a fun time, but it is also a time of transition. Transitions, both positive and negative, can be challenging times for children and their parents. What can you do to help your family successfully get into the summer routine and limit the beginning of summer chaos? Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips for summer success.

Allow for time to settle into the routine

It’s easy to think that with school out, the pressure is off, and kids should be relaxed and happy. The truth is that it isn’t always that easy. School ending abruptly changes a child’s routine and structure to their day. They miss their friends, they worry about the upcoming school year, they’re bored with long days ahead and (seemingly) nothing to do, or suddenly they’re spending an awful lot of time with their siblings. Expect the first few weeks of summer to be bumpy for children.


Set aside time for a family meeting to plan for a successful summer. What do your children want and need in the summer months? Perhaps it’s siblings respecting the private space of their bedroom or being allowed to wait until late morning to start chores. Allow children to share their feelings and be heard.

Establish rules and guidelines together

Clear expectations and boundaries for children help them be successful. What do you expect your children to do each day in the summer? How much screen time is allowed? Can screen time come before chores or is it after chores only? When can they go play with friends? How far can they go from home when playing outside?

Maintain a routine and bedtime

Routines do not have to mean firm schedules. It’s OK to let children stay up late catching fireflies or sitting around the campfire once and a while. However, maintaining predictable routines and schedules is helpful for children. They might not tell you they enjoy the routine, but knowing what comes next is a safe and predictable feeling for children. They know what to expect and when to expect it. Stick with a reasonable bedtime and support your child getting adequate sleep every night. Blackout blinds or curtains can help children fall asleep when it is still daylight and sleep in later in the morning.

Stay busy, but not too busy

Summer is a great time to be outside playing with friends and family. Schedule fun outings, camps and other activities, but don’t forget to let your child have time to just play at home. Play allows children to use creativity, imagination, dexterity as well as physical, cognitive, social and emotional skills. Authentic play experiences are essential to healthy development. Try to make time for your child to just play.

Keep learning alive

Don’t let the summer months mean an end to educational activities. Take time this summer to read with your children and engage in other learning focused activities. Sign up for the library summer reading program, go on nature walks, explore state parks. Keeping your children learning and engaged through the summer is the key to preventing summer learning loss and ensuring your children are ready to succeed at school in the fall.


Take time to plan ahead for a successful summer with your family. Include your children in creating their summer plans. Find out what they would like to do and schedule in their desired activities. Expect your children to contribute at home. Limit technology and encourage play. Relax, and enjoy your summer!


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).


Lice: What to know and what to do

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


It is easy to panic if your child gets lice. It’s hard to feel calm about the idea of little bugs crawling around on your child’s (or your) scalp. Lice, while definitely creepy and crawly, are not dangerous and do not spread disease. The only major issue they cause is itching. So, what should a parent do to get rid of lice quickly? Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips to thoroughly eliminate lice.

Know your lice facts

Lice are tiny, wingless parasites that feed on blood. They are found on your scalp and are most easily seen at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Head lice are common among children ages 3 to 11. They can live on all types of hair—straight, curly, dyed or natural. They are most frequently found on girls and are more prevalent among Caucasian children. Head lice do not jump, they do not live on pets and poor personal hygiene does not make someone more likely to have them.


Lice are most frequently spread by head to head contact. Less commonly, they can be spread through shared items that touch the head such has hats, combs, brushes or hair accessories. Lice do not live for more than a day off of the human body.

Signs and symptoms

Although they’re very small, lice can be seen with the naked eye. Here is what to look for:

  • People with head lice often complain of itchy, scratchy heads. This is a reaction to the saliva of the lice. Some people may feel things moving around in their hair as well. Some children may get small, red bumps from itching and scratching, especially behind their ears and around the nape of their neck.
  • Nits, or lice eggs, are often what is visible in a lice infestation instead of louse. The nits are tiny yellow, brown or tan dots. They cling to the hair shaft close to the scalp where they are warm until they hatch. They look like dandruff but can’t be easily brushed off. See a picture of nits in hair from the Mayo Clinic.
  • Adult lice and nymphs (baby lice). An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed and is grayish white or tan. Nymphs are smaller and become an adult louse one to two weeks after they hatch.

Treatment and de-lousing

Once your child is diagnosed, it’s time to treat. There are several over-the-counter treatment options. The most commonly used medications contain pyrethins, which are made from the chrysanthemum flower. These should not be used if you or your child are allergic to chrysanthemums, mums or ragweed. Some lice have developed resistance to the commonly used medications. Learn more about medication options from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Head louse nymph

Keep these tips in mind when using medication to treat for lice:

  • Follow package directions. Creams and shampoos are typically applied directly to the hair, either dry or freshly washed (not conditioned). Apply when you or your child are full dressed and rinse into the sink or bathtub. Do not rinse off while bathing. Limit how much of the medication touches the skin.
  • After treatment, use a nit comb. Once the medication is applied and rinsed, change you or your child into clean clothes and carefully comb the hair in small sections utilizing a nit comb. Specially designed nit combs can be purchased and may be more effective. Many flea combs will also work. Separate the hair into small sections and comb the hair shaft from root to tip.
  • Wash clothing, bedding and towels. Wash items worn in the last two days by the infected person such as hats, coats, pillowcases, towels and bedding. Lice and eggs do not live long off a person and are easily killed by five minutes or greater in hot water or hot air cycles greater than 103 degrees; typically, the hot water/high temperature dry cycles are sufficient. Soak combs and brushes in hot water. Items that cannot be washed can be sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks.
  • Continue to check and nit comb. Repeat nit combing every two to three days to check for remaining lice and nits.
  • Many medications require retreatment seven to nine days after initial treatment. This is meant to kill newly hatched lice before they mature and lay eggs.

Avoid re-infestation

Continue to check the infected person’s hair every two to three days for two to three weeks. Reapply a second dose of the treatment if the package indicates it is required. This is because many medications only kill the live lice and not the eggs. Failure to retreat can cause a second round of lice to hatch. If you treated correctly and they are not going away, you may have lice that are resistant to the over-the-counter medications. These so-called “super lice” may require prescription medications. Follow up with your doctor for additional advice should over-the-counter treatments fail to be successful.

 

There is no need to use lice sprays or fumigate your home. Lice do not live long off the human body. Washing bedding, clothing and towels should be sufficient to kill any lice that have fallen off of the head. You can vacuum the infected person’s bed and common seating areas, but intense cleaning and household treatments are not necessary. Animals cannot get lice or spread lice. There is no additional need to treat your pets.

 

While the discovery of lice on you or your children can be alarming, there is no need to panic. They can typically be treated inexpensively and relatively quickly. With some time and focus, you’ll be back to enjoying a lice-free home again in short order.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Early literacy skill-building begins at birth

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By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


Did you know if you start daily reading at birth, and read with your child for 30 minutes a day, they will go to kindergarten with over 900 hours of literacy time? If you reduce that to 30 minutes a week, they lose over 770 hours of this critical “brain food” and go to kindergarten with just 130 hours of literacy time.


Developing early literacy skills makes it easier for children to read. These early skills, such as building vocabulary, rhyming, and book handling skills make it easier for children to learn how to read when they get to kindergarten. However, more than one in three American children are starting kindergarten without the essential skills they need to be ready to learn to read.


Make a commitment to help your child be ready to succeed in school and commit to engaging in 30 minutes of daily literacy skill-building time starting at birth. Here are seven tips from Michigan State University Extension and ideas to support your young child’s literacy development.

1. Promote high-quality language interactions

Think of yourself like a sports commentator. You are providing the play by play for the infant or toddler in your life. Narrate the world around them, their interactions with toys, even diaper changes. Talk about what is going on, what you are doing, what they are seeing, etc. Research shows that when children have higher levels of language stimulation in the first year of life, they have better language skills, including larger vocabularies.

2. Make art a regular part of the day

In infancy and toddlerhood, young children are learning that their movements and motions can make the marks on the paper. Art experiences provide young children with the ability to practice gripping and holding a marker or crayon, learning to be purposeful in making marks on paper and phenomenal sensory feedback (feeling the paint squish between their fingers, smelling the crayons, etc.). Provide children with a wide variety of art experiences including, but not limited to, coloring with markers and crayons on heavy and thin paper, painting, finger painting, molding paint and clay, etc. Consider using non-traditional paints like chocolate pudding or shaving cream for a fun sensory experience.

3. Read, read, read

Build children’s print awareness and book handling skills by reading to them every day and making books available for children to explore. Consider heavy-duty board books that will survive heavy duty toddler usage. MSU Extension offers ideas to expand on your child’s experiences with books in our free, reproducible Family Book Sheets.

4. Nursery rhyme time

Research in early literacy has proven that regular exposure to rhymes help boost children’s abilities to master pre-reading skills such as rhyme prediction and detection. Add rhymes and rhythms to your child’s day. Read nursery rhymes, sing songs with rhyming words, find fun books with rhymes and add chants or rhymes to routine times of your day, such as cleanup time or bath time.

5. Use baby sign language

Did you know that babies who learned to sign first have been found to have significantly higher vocabularies and higher IQ scores? In fact, babies who learn to sign are more likely to be reading on grade level by the end of third grade. Use signs to teach your baby and toddler basic communication words like eat, more, milk, tired, wet, hot, etc. You can tell your baby is starting to be old enough to sign when you see them waving bye-bye or mimicking other gestures to communicate, such as pounding on their high chair tray for more food.

6. Read it again, and again, and again!

While reading books again and again might be frustrating for parents, toddlers love to have their favorite books read aloud multiple times. The act of re-reading a book helps young children build their comprehension skills and their vocabulary. Consider having special books as parts of your routine, such as a bedtime book you read at the same time every night. Ask questions while you read, can they predict what will happen next?

7. Literacy rich environments

Point out to your baby or toddler all the things you read in a day. Read in front of them, emphasize that reading is something you value. Read cereal boxes at breakfast, magazines in the doctor’s waiting room, street signs while you are driving. Make books accessible to your child. Help your child grow up valuing reading as a critical skill and worthy use of their free time.


It is critical to help your child be ready to read when they go to kindergarten. According to 2017 M-STEP data, only 50 percent of Michigan’s children were reading on grade level by the end of third grade. This is a crucial benchmark because in fourth grade, children shift from learning how to read to reading to learn. The Michigan Department of Education is working diligently to improve reading proficiency, beginning with supporting language, literacy and pre-reading skills in early childhood.


Do your part in supporting your child’s early reading skills. Make an effort to keep reading a priority in your home; a family activity that is fun, engaging and something you do together, every day. Helping your child learn to love reading is an amazing gift.


For more information about early childhood literacy development, programs in your area and webinars, visit MSU Extension’s Early Childhood Development.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Too cold to go out? Here are five indoor activities to enjoy with your children!

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Baking bread is one of several fun and educational activities to keep your children busy when forced to stay inside. Photo credit: Pixabay.

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


Families across Michigan are beginning to loose patience with the bitter cold temperatures that are forcing everyone indoors, and creating impatient children everywhere. Looking for activities to keep you and your children occupied as the cold weather drags on? Here are five fun activities, with educational value, to keep your children busy!


1. Make play dough.

Play dough is fun for children of all ages! Break out the rolling pins, cookie cutters and plastic knives, and make a great big batch of play dough. Many recipes can be found online, and extras such as cinnamon, glitter, or powdered drink mixes can be added for a fun sensory experience. Here is one quick and easy recipe that consistently yields good results:


Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
1/3 cup of salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Food coloring as desired


Instructions:
In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring as the mixture begins to form lumps. Mixture will eventually come together into a ball. When the ingredients are no longer wet, turn out onto a heat tolerant surface and allow to cool enough to handle. Knead dough for a few minutes. Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc., as needed.

2. Feed the birds.

Lend a helping hand to our feathered friends as the thermometer dips below zero. There are many fun ways to make bird feeders with children. One of the quickest is to spread peanut butter over a pinecone and roll the pinecone in birdseed. Then, simply tie to a string and hang outside. An alternative to peanut butter is suet, which typically sold with bird food. Another option is to cut an orange in half, scoop out the inside and poke three equidistant holes in the orange. Thread string through each of the three holes for hanging and fill with birdseed, cranberries, suet or other treats!

3. Bake bread.

Have you ever made bread with children? It’s a fascinating process for them, with very little expense and work. Watching the dough rise, doubling in size, baking and then taking their own food out of the oven is very rewarding! Simple sandwich bread recipes can be found in most cookbooks or online and require just a few basic ingredients and a few hours of your time.

4. Make ice sun catchers.

This one does require going outside for just a little bit! There are many different ways to go about this project, so be creative! Bundle up and head outside to gather some bits of nature: pinecones, seeds, leaves, rocks, etc. Place nature items into an 8 or 9-inch cake pan and fill with water. You can even add food coloring for an additional dimension, and remember to place a loop of string or ribbon with the ends in the water to create a hanger. Once completed, place the cake pan outside to freeze. After it’s frozen, remove the ice sun catcher from the cake pan and hang on a branch to enjoy!

5. Read a book.

This is not a new activity, of course, but reading belongs on all good lists of things to do inside! Michigan State University Extension experts recommend all children engage in 30 minutes a day of reading or other literacy activities. Take time out from your busy schedules to curl up with your kids and enjoy reading together. You could build a reading fort and snuggle up inside, or enjoy a lazy morning in your pajamas reading together. Choose a chapter book to read out loud; even independent readers enjoy the experience of reading together as a family. A book such as Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder offers children a glimpse into what winter meant for families long ago. Use this to talk with your children about what modern conveniences make winter much easier for us now!


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Winter safety tips for kids

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


For many children, a snow day means time outside. Sledding, building snowmen, making forts and enjoying the freshly fallen snow. However, it is important for parents to exercise caution. Low temperatures can lead to dangerous conditions, and snow play can cause injuries. Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips to keep your children safe in the ice and snow.


Keep an eye on the thermometer. Winter winds can drive temperatures dangerously far below zero. Pay attention to both the air temperature and the wind-chill. While there is not a hard and fast rule about what temperature is too low, most Michigan schools use 0 degrees Fahrenheit as the guide for when to curtail outdoor recess and -20 degrees Fahrenheit, actual temperature or wind-chill, will cause most schools to close.


Layer up. To prevent frostbite, dress children in several layers and be sure their head, neck and hands are covered. Dress infants and toddlers in one more layer of clothing than older children and adults.


Check in on children. Tell children to come inside when they are cold and wet. Children will often want to keep playing outside when they really should come in. Keep checking on them during outdoor play and bring them in when you think they’re done, not when they say they are.


Play safely. Winter play is fun, and children should be outside when they can in the snow. However, it’s important to use caution and be aware of dangers. Children should wear helmets when sledding, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. It is never safe to sled in the street, even when roads are closed. Do not allow children to dig into deep snow banks or to build snow forts due to risk of collapse. Avoid scarves and strings on hooded sweatshirts that can pose a risk of strangulation. Teach children how to play safely, and then have fun!


Use caution around fire. Fire places, wood burning stoves and outdoor fire pits are cozy and warm, but can pose a risk to children. Always keep a screen around an open flame. Never use gasoline to light an indoor fireplace. Do not close your damper when ashes are hot. If you’ve lost power, make sure your alternative heating sources are safe for use indoors and that you have working fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Regularly check and replace batteries in both fire and carbon monoxide detectors.


Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite and hypothermia, while both involving cold temperatures, are different. Frostbite is the localized freezing of extremities, where hypothermia occurs when the body temperature is dangerously low. Frostbitten skin, typically on the fingers, ears, nose and toes, will be pale, gray and can become blistered. If you think your child has frostbite, bring them indoors and put the affected area in warm (not hot) water. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, numbness, a glassy-eyed stare and unconsciousness. If you think your child has hypothermia, call 911 and gently move them to a warm location. See the MSU Extension article, “Protect yourself from hypothermia and frostbite while outside this winter,” to learn more about the difference between frostbite and hypothermia, including first aid tips.


Know when to stay in. While it is great to get children outside to play, there is a time when the risks outweigh the benefits. As the polar vortex plunges deep into Michigan and wind-chills dive to -30 degrees Fahrenheit or more, frostbite can begin to set in in less than 15 minutes. Refer to the National Weather Service Wind-chill Chart for a good idea of how quickly cold weather can become hazardous. The elderly and young children are at greater risk. If you must venture out, take a fully stocked cold weather emergency kit with you that includes winter gear for everyone in the car, blankets for each person in the car, hand warmers, water, non-perishable food, road flares, windshield scraper, flashlights, jumper cables and more. Download a printable check list of what to pack in an emergency kit and how to prepare your car for cold weather.


With some precaution and preparation, winter outdoor play can be a lot of fun and provide much-needed exercise for cooped up children on most snowy days. When the polar vortex arrives and it is too cold for school or outdoor play, check out these tips for indoor activities to do with your children from MSU Extension. Stay safe and have fun!


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).