A Communication Journal for Home and Classroom

photo of binder in school cubby

For parents, teachers and caregivers, pick-up and drop-off times at the child care centre or school can be a hectic part of the day. Finding time to talk is important, but not always possible. A communication journal makes it possible to exchange a few words in writing about events in your child’s life, such as his day or night, appointments, or special events. This journal can also be used as a record-keeping tool.

Starting a communication journal between home, child care and school can be as simple as using a notebook (which can be purchased at a dollar store). Your child can carry the book back and forth in his backpack.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Before using a communication journal, it is a good idea to discuss it with other involved in your child’s life, such as family members, teacher or the early childhood professional. In order for it to be a successful tool, you should agree on why you are starting the journal, how much detail is needed and how often everyone should be writing in it. A few lines can be written by each person on a daily basis, or a few times a week.
If possible, encourage your child to take part in using the communication journal. You can show him the book and explain how it will be used. Let your child add words, pictures, or drawings to the journal. This will help him to feel that he is adding important information to a book that is shared with others and will help build his self-esteem.
Checklists can also be used in the communication journal to help make it easier for you to communicate back and forth. You can also create visual checklists for your child to complete. He may circle the words or pictures, or use a bingo dabber to mark which ones he did that day.

Tips for parents:

Write about your child’s weekend, evening, or morning in the communication journal. Include information on your child’s mood, how well (or little) he slept, what he ate, what games or activities he played, visitors, or something special he experienced. The classroom teachers can use this important information to talk to him about his home life and to better understand his moods or actions.
Use the communication journal to inform the school and child care of upcoming doctor’s appointments, or assessments.

Tips for teachers and early childhood professionals:

Write about the school or child care day and describe his mood, what he learned, special accomplishments, or what he needs for the next day.
Use the communication journal to let parents know about field trips, specialized consultants coming into the classroom, or special events happening at the program

Communication journals make excellent record-keeping tools. This can be a way to keep informed about any difficulties and successes. The journal may help to track any concerns, with a timeline, and help identify solutions. A communication journal can also promote consistency between home, child care and school, such as progress on goal and strategies being used. It is a wonderful way to reinforce your child’s positive behaviour and development.

Remember – If there are serious concerns regarding your child’s care and his emotional or physical well being, they should be discussed by speaking either in person, or on the phone. Concerns that you would not discuss in front of your child do not belong in the communication book.

What I did at school symbols: read, water play, sand play, playground, play, arts and crafts

What I did at school symbols: circle time, snack time, writing, dramatic play, calendar, library

What I did at school symbols: special activity, gym class, computer, puzzle

What I did at daycare symbols: read, water play, sand play, playground, play, arts and crafts

What I did at daycare symbols: circle time, snack time, calendar, lunch time, quiet time, dramatic play

What I did at daycare symbols: special activity, game, go for a walk, computer, puzzle

Cooperative/Nurturing Games

Motorboat

Everyone forms a circle holding hands and walks around chanting, “Motorboat, motorboat goes so slow (twice), motorboat, motorboat step on the gas (speed up), motorboat, motorboat go so fast (twice), motorboat, motorboat run out of gas” and everyone sits back down.

Clapping Game

Say “Do this” or sing “Everybody do this, do this, do this, everybody do this just like me” with various clapping patterns for the children to copy.

Hurray Song

“Hurray for (child’s name), hurray for (child’s name), someone in the crowd is singing hurray for (child’s name). 1-2-3-4, who are we for? Child’s name.”

Simon Says

Regular version without tricking children; state actions preceded by statements about what children like or attributes they have (e.g., those who like pizza touch their nose, those with brown eyes jump up and down, etc.)

Musical Hula Hoops

Spread hula hoops around the floor in a large area. Play music while the children walk around the hoops. When the music stops, everyone jumps into the nearest hoop. Each time the music stops, one hoop is removed. When there is only one or two hoops left, everyone has an arm around each other to try and draw people in as close as possible.

We Are Special Chant

Everyone forms a circle holding hands. As they rise from sitting to standing, everyone chants “We are special”. The chanting goes from quiet to a shout when everyone is standing.

Row Your Boat

Everyone joins hands in a circle and rows as a group, slowly, then quickly.

One Potato

Circle game where a bean bag is passed around to the chant of “One potato, two potato.” When the chant gets to “more”, the child holding the bean bag gets a hug or high five from the child on each side of him/her.

Silly Bones

Circle game where everyone touches the same body part (e.g., an elbow) until it goes all the way around. Then another body part is “passed” around.

Pass the Spoon

Group passes the spoon around with a small ball on it, helping each other to finish as fast as they can.

Paper Punch/Basketball Throw

A piece of newspaper is stretched by two teachers in the centre of the circle. Each child gets to punch through a piece and then the pieces are scrunched up into balls. Once every child has punched through a paper, each child throws two of the paper balls through a basket made by the leader’s arms.

Call Out a Name and Exchange Places

Each child has a chance to call a peer’s name and they exchange places. Each child’s name can only be called once.

Children With Food Preferences

photo of child being given a choice between foods

It is common for children to develop food preferences at some point throughout their childhood. However, there are children who will resist eating a variety of foods and will develop “definite food preferences”.

The following information will assist you as a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, in the identification of the “resistant eater”, will explain some possible causes of the problem, and will provide you with some suggestions that you may want to try with your child.

Characteristics of children with definite food preferences:

They eat no more than fifteen types of food. It can actually be as low as two or three types, such as hot dogs, yogurt, and chicken nuggets.
They eat foods from only one to three food groups.
They become anxious (or may throw tantrums) when new foods are presented to them.
They eat the same food prepared in the same way over a long period of time.
They might have developmental delays and/or a medical diagnosis, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, etc.

Factors that may cause or contribute to eating problems and food aversions:

1. Poor oral-motor skills. Children might have difficulty biting, chewing, swallowing, etc., which may lead to:
  - drooling
  - resistance to trying new-textured foods
  - selective eating
  - difficulty digesting food

Note- For children with poor oral-motor skills, it is very important to direct families to seek good medical advice before trying any new feeding strategies.

Environmental and behavioural factors:
- fear of new foods – “Food Neophobia”
- unstructured mealtime environment (e.g., different schedules and settings, or distractions at mealtime)
- cultural beliefs/family practices (e.g., the child who is forced to eat or is punished for not eating; the child who is not supposed to explore the food with his fingers; the child who is fed until late in the preschool years)
- developmental challenges (e.g., lack of communication related to poor oral-motor development; the repetitive behaviours associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and cognitive delays).
Sensory-based and motor-based factors:
- Sensory Processing Disorder – the brain has difficulty processing sensory information that comes from different parts of the body and/or from the environment.

What you can do to help a child develop healthy eating habits:

The following suggestions might help you and your “resistant eater” overcome his food aversions. Always remember that this process will take time, so you will need to be consistent in applying the strategies over and over again.

1. Work in a team with other staff members and parents to support the child. You may want to start gathering information by asking questions regarding the child’s eating habits (what, when, where, for how long); health, medical history, allergies, and diagnosis. Then, you will be ready to develop a plan with the family so you can all start working together on the same goals. Review the goals often and adjust them as needed. Finally, consultation with a nutritionist and an occupational therapist should be discussed with the family. An occupational therapist can provide strategies to address poor oral-motor development and sensory issues that might be contributing to the child’s eating problem.
2. The mealtime setting should be as predictable and consistent as possible. In the event of a change in the setting (e.g., a field trip), prepare the child for the change. You can discuss with the group when and where the lunch will take place, read a story about picnics, or prepare a short social story for the event.
3. Ensure that the expectations at mealtime are clear for the child, and appropriate to his developmental level.
  - Create and discuss the mealtime rules with the group
  - Follow through with these rules
  - Model/teach appropriate eating habits and skills
  - Praise the child for trying new food(s)
4. Food Selection
  - Make a list of foods the child eats, foods the child used to eat in the past, and foods that he is not eating from the major food groups. This will provide a better sense of which foods to introduce or that are missing from the child’s diet.
  - Introduce new foods one at a time and at the same time every day.
  - Include in the menu foods from all food groups.
  - Talk about the foods that are part of the menu (taste, texture, smell, colour).
  - Prepare child-friendly foods that are healthy and tasty (for example fruit cocktail).
  - Allow for choices from two to three healthy options.
  - Offer at least one favourite food per meal, but slightly change the presentation.
  - Go grocery shopping with the group and allow the child to pick the “new food” from a healthy selection.
  - Create the “Menu of the Day” with the children. Discuss what foods will be offered at lunch time (include the one selected by the child).
  - Cook the meal (or part of the meal) with the children, if you have the opportunity.
5. Always offer small portions of the new food (served on child-sized dishes). Initially, the goal could be that the child would be exposed to the new food and would be able to manage his behaviour (no crying or tantrums) when the new food is on his plate. You can start by placing the new food close to the child, but on a different plate. When you start seeing signs of acceptance (accommodation to the new situation), try placing one to two scoops of the new food directly on the child’s plate. Always evaluate the child’s reactions, and praise him for appropriate behaviour.
6. Create and use a First-Then visual board. This board will visually guide the child to the foods he will be offered for lunch. Include the new food as the First option and a favourite food as the Then option. The child should at least try one or two bites of the “first” food. When he does that, he can then eat the favourite food.

First Then Board - Food Preferences
Note: Introduce the First-Then visual board after you notice that the child is feeling more comfortable with the “new food” experiences described above.

Allow for sensory exploration of new foods through planned activities that are fun and enjoyable. Through sensory exploration, the child can be introduced to the new food slowly by looking at, touching, and smelling it, without the pressure of having to eat it. The child learns about the new food through activities that are interesting and pleasurable. Some suggestions of these sensory activities are:
- Sensory bag with two to four new food items
- Hot potato game with different foods (place the food in a bowl to pass it around)
- Smell and guess (blindfold or eyes closed); use new and preferred foods
- Grow a garden
- Use dry food ingredients for the sensory bin, art, and cognitive activities (e.g., counting, sorting)

Having a child with definite food preferences can be very challenging. It will be necessary to take the time to get to know the child and learn about his condition, think positively about changing the child’s habits, and give and take the time for the changes to occur.

References:
Ernsperger, L.; & Stegen-Hanson, T. (2004). Just Take a Bite: Easy, Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges. Future Horizons Inc.

Changing Bullying Behaviour

When bullying does occur in your classroom, there are a variety of strategies that should be included in your program, such as:

Break the pattern.
Have the child who bullies admit the behaviour, apologize and atone for the action.
Help the child learn appropriate outlets for anger.
Have Clear Expectations.
Use a reinforcement schedule.
Continue to engage in cooperative, nurturing games/activities.
Continue to include activities/stories to build empathy in your curriculum.
Increase self-esteem building activities.

Self-esteem activities are important because children who bully often have low self-esteem. Do self-esteem activities to build self-esteem in the child who bullies and at group time or using worksheets, do activities to emphasize the strengths of all the children (so the bully also learns to value peers).

Once again, these activities can be done in the large group and also, emphasized individually with the child who bullies. An adult must facilitate these activities:

Board games/lotto games to help a child build empathy
Books
Worksheets
Scripted Role Plays (can use puppets/the children themselves). Make sure the child who bullies plays the role of a victim to help develop empathic understanding

Make sure the child who bullies is involved in these activities. (Initially, the activities could be introduced at circle time or in large group activities with all the children and then, more of these activities could be used in a small group. The child who bullies is always part of the small group. An adult must always facilitate these activities.

As well as clear consequences for bullying behaviour, use a reinforcement chart to reward the child for appropriate behaviour with others. Initially, begin with a short time expectation to promote success. Make sure the reinforcer is highly rewarding for the child. A token economy could also be used.

Use social stories/visuals to help the child who bullies understand the appropriate expected behaviour and the consequences of their bullying behaviour. Whatever the consequences are for the child, be consistent.

Help the child learn to recognize signs of anger/agitation, which lead the child to bullying. Then, help the child find appropriate outlets for these emotional responses:

Use books/social stories to teach anger management
Use games: circle games that teach impulse control, body management skills and games that teach appropriate anger responses
Role play using puppets or the children themselves

The child who bullies must perform some act of kindness for the bullied child (with teacher direction and consent from the child bullied).

When possible, record incidents of the bullying behavior to look for a pattern, a particular situation and who the child targets. Break the generalized bullying pattern by creating a structured activity plan (in your head at least) for the child who bullies by giving the child a variety of helpful chores to do (e.g., help bring chairs, help set out activities, help set out snack, set the table, put out cots, wash tables, etc.) Praise the child for all successful activities.

Building Self-Esteem in School-Age Children

Self-esteem is defined as feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and self-respect. Children with low self-esteem often can feel powerless, lonely, resentful, defensive and easily frustrated. These feelings can lead to aggressive, teasing and bullying behaviour. Children with high self-esteem are proud of themselves, assume responsibility for their own actions and deal with frustration well.
Helping children in your classroom with low self-esteem to develop feelings of self-worth and self-respect not only benefits them individually, but can help to prevent aggression and bullying in your program. There are a variety of programming activities and resources to use in your program that can foster children’s self-esteem.

Always include cooperative, nurturing games in your curriculum. Include these activities throughout the day. Initially, the activities could be introduced at circle time or in large group activities with all the children. Then some of these activities could be used in a small group. A teacher must always facilitate the activities. Activity examples are: Simon Says (where Simon focuses on what children like to do, eat, etc.). For example, “Simon Says, if you like soccer, touch your nose” (no tricks are involved in this game), “We are Special Chant”, Paper Punch/Basket Ball Throw, Tower of Hands.

Include creative activities to build self-esteem in your curriculum. Have each child create a “My Family Book”, a book about themselves and their family (they can draw, use photographs, etc.). They can then present their story to the group. Create Scrapbooks with the children. Have children create scrapbooks about the events in their lives, including daycare, school and other situations. Each month, the children can create one page and share it with the group before putting it in the scrapbook. On their birthday, each child can present the scrapbook they have created so far to their class and discuss it.

Create “My Tree/My Hand Activities”. The “My Tree” activity can be done individually or as a group tree. For the individual tree, each child has 5-6 leaves on which to write/draw something about themselves. Then they glue each leaf on their tree. If it is a group tree, each child does one leaf about themselves and then, the leaves are all put on the tree. For “My Hand” each child traces her hand and writes something about herself on each finger. Both these activities should be put up in the classroom upon completion.

Use beads to have children make bracelets or necklaces. Each bead should represent something they like about themselves. Then, they can each talk to the group about their bracelet or necklace and the significance of the beads.

Have each child create stories about themselves to read to group. Each child can create an “I am Special Book” and an “If I were a Superhero Book” to focus on things they like about themselves and their strengths. Each child then has a turn reading it to the group if they are comfortable.

Use worksheets or provide cutting and pasting activities such as: “Things I like to do”, “Things I am Good at,” to reinforce strengths and to help build individual self-esteem.

As a group create a “Hair Colour/Eye Colour Chart” and a “What I Like to Do” chart. Talk about the charts with the children and let each child talk about their own hair/eye colour and the activities they enjoy.

Use scripted role plays with puppets, or the children themselves, to develop feelings of self-esteem by brainstorming ideas about what to do when children feel sad about themselves.

As a group, create a self-esteem puzzle or quilt. Have each child make a puzzle piece or quilt piece (can be made from construction paper) to add to the group puzzle or quilt. The piece must depict things they like to do. Then, put the group puzzle or quilt on the wall and discuss it.
Use books to develop self-esteem. As a group, write a social story about feeling good about yourself. Each child could create a page. Read your class books to develop self-esteem. For example, “The Best Me I Can Be” series by David Parker (Scholastic) has good stories. “Don’t Feed the Monster on Tuesdays” by Adolph Moser, and “The Incredible You!:10 Ways to be Happy, Inside and Out” by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, are some other examples.

Help the children to learn appropriate outlets for anger and impulsive behaviour by using books, role plays and activities (see Anger Component for detailed suggestions). Help children learn to recognize signs of anger/agitation and find ways to deal with these emotional responses. Poor self-esteem will often develop when children engage in inappropriate behaviour and are constantly in trouble. By giving the children tools to deal with anger and aggression, you will help them to feel in control and more positive. They will also receive less negative attention in the classroom as their behaviours grow more appropriate.

Finally, give children in the group responsibility and leadership roles when possible. Responsibility and leadership will help children to develop feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. Have children be responsible for chores in the classroom (these can be rotated). Also give children a chance to be the leader during circle activities such as: Cooperative Simon Says Games, Patterning Games, Freeze Dance Games.

Types of Hearing Tests for Children

There are several methods of testing a child’s hearing. The method chosen depends in part on the child’s age, development, or health status.

Behavioural Tests: involve careful observation of a child’s behavioural response to sounds like calibrated speech and pure tones. Pure tones are the distinct pitches (frequencies) of sounds. Sometimes other calibrated signals are used to obtain frequency
information.

Physiologic Tests: are not hearing tests but are measures that can partially estimate hearing function. They are used for children who cannot be tested behaviourally due to young age, developmental delay, or other medical conditions.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Test: an infant is sleeping or sedated for the ABR. Tiny earphones are placed in the baby’s ear canals. Usually, click-type sounds are introduced through the earphones, and electrodes measure the hearing nerve’s response to the sounds. A computer averages these responses and displays waveforms. Because there are characteristic waveforms for normal hearing in portions of the speech range, a normal ABR can predict fairly well that a baby’s hearing is normal in that part of the range. An abnormal ABR may be due to hearing loss, but it may also be due to some medical problems or measurement difficulties.

Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) Test: an infant is typically sleeping or sedated for the ASSR. Sound is transmitted through the ear canals, and a computer picks up the brain waves in the hearing section of the brain and establishes what the hearing
capacity is. The ASSR is often done together with the ABR.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Test: this test is performed with a sleeping infant or an older child who may be able to sit quietly. In this brief test, a tiny probe is placed in the ear canal. Numerous pulse-type sounds are introduced, and an “echo” response from the inner ear is recorded. These recordings are averaged by a computer. Certain types of recordings are associated with normal inner-ear function.

Tympanometry: this is not a hearing test but a procedure that can show how well the eardrum moves when a soft sound and air pressure are introduced in the ear canal. It’s helpful in identifying middle ear problems, such as fluid collecting behind the eardrum. A tympanogram is a graphic representation of tympanometry. A “flat” line on a tympanogram may indicate that the eardrum is not mobile, while a “peaked” pattern often indicates normal function. An ear inspection should be performed with tympanometry.

Teaching Your Child About Emotions

Identifying, understanding and responding to the emotions of others are very important social skills for all of us to have. These skills help us to understand and develop relationships with other people.

When we know that someone we care about is sad, we might offer them a hug or a few kind supportive words to cheer them up. When we think that someone is afraid, we may try to comfort and support them. These types of interactions help us bond with each other.

Most of us learned skills such as how to “read” other people’s facial expressions, tones of voice and/or body gestures very easily and naturally when we were very young. We learned through social interactions with peers, parents and other adults. We somehow picked up this important social information without it being explicitly taught to us.

For some children, identifying and understanding emotions does not come so easily. Some children might not notice important nonverbal cues (such as the shape of a person’s eyebrows, the movements of the body or the tone and pace of the voice) that are used to tell the difference between emotions. Without being able to correctly identify and understand the emotions of others, children are more likely to respond inappropriately during interactions.

For these children, emotions must be taught explicitly or very clearly.

By four to six years old, most children can recognize and understand the basic emotions: happy, sad, angry and afraid. More complex emotions (such as pride, guilt and shame) are built on the basic emotions. A child should have a good understanding of the basic emotions before she is introduced to the more complex emotions.

As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional you can try these games and activities with your child to introduce and practice the recognition of emotions.

1. Bringing your child’s attention to emotions

Some children need to be taught to look at faces to get social information. Find as many opportunities as possible for your child to practise recognising, labelling and responding to her own emotions, as well as other people’s emotions. Here are a couple of examples:

If your child is angry because she can not have a second popsicle, say, “You are angry right now because you want another popsicle and I said ‘No’. Your hands are folded and you are using a big, loud voice.”
If your child is happy that she gets to colour, say, “You are happy because you get to colour.” Your mouth is smiling and your eyes are big and wide. You are using a happy voice.

Use naturally occurring opportunities to help your child recognise emotions. When someone in your child’s environment is expressing an emotion, point this out for her and say, “Look, Janet is smiling. She feels happy.”

Here are some other suggestions:

- While watching TV or videos use your remote control to pause a scene and point out and label a specific emotion.
- When someone (family members, teachers, friends, etc) is expressing an emotion, use this opportunity to label the particular emotion

2. Learning the Names of Emotions

Once your child is looking closely at faces, it is time to teach the names of the emotions. Start with the basic emotions: happy, sad, angry, and afraid.

Start by using realistic photos. You can use familiar faces through photographs, pictures from magazines, etc.
Show your child a picture and label it, “happy”, “sad”, etc. Depending on your child’s ability, you could say, “The boy is feeling happy.”
Place two different emotion pictures on the table in front of your child and ask her to point to or give you an emotion (e.g., you can say “Give me a happy face”). At first, you may need to help your child give you the correct picture.
When your child can select the correct picture without any help, introduce a new emotion.
Increase the number of pictures your child has to choose from until there are four different emotion pictures for her to choose from.
When your child has learned the names of the basic emotions using realistic pictures, use a variety of other pictures and drawings of emotions to help her “generalize” the emotion and the name. In other words, to recognize the emotion on different faces and in various settings.

3. Saying the Names of Emotions

When your child knows the names of the four basic emotions, it is time for her to try to say the names.

Show your child a picture of someone expressing an emotion and ask, “How is she feeling?”
You might have to help your child at first by saying (modeling) the name of the emotion for her to copy.
Introduce a new emotion when your child can successfully label the emotion on which you are working.

4. Acting out the Emotions

Now it is time for your child to try acting out the emotions.

Stand in front of a mirror with your child and take turns “making faces”. For example, make an angry face and ask, “How do I feel”? If your child can label your emotion, tell her, “Now you make an angry face”.
Explain to your child what you are doing to make the emotion (“My eyes are getting smaller and my mouth is getting tight, like a little ball”).

5. Role Playing

Depending on your child’s ability, you could try to “role play” situations in which certain emotions are likely to be felt. For example, you could pretend that you are going to buy ice cream and feel happy about this.

Take turns with your child acting and guessing the emotions.
Use exaggerated nonverbal language, gestures and facial expressions at first. As your child becomes more comfortable with recognising emotions, you can act more naturally.
Set up dramatic play situations at home to practise expressing and recognising emotions.

6. Video Modelling

Many children love to watch TV. You can use this interest to help teach your child more about emotions.

Make short videos of other adults or children expressing an emotion in an appropriate situation.
Watch the video with your child and help her label the emotion.
Point out the important features such as the shape of the mouth, eyes and eyebrows, specific body movements and gestures and the sound of the voice.

7. Games

If you child enjoys playing board games, use this great opportunity to practise what you’ve already taught about emotions. Take a look at the For More Information box for a list of fun games that can help you teach emotions.

8. Story books

Books are another great way to help your child learn about other people’s emotions in different situations. Look for books with your child’s favourite television or movie character to make the learning fun. Here are a few other books that you may find helpful to read with your child:

“How are you peeling?” by S. Freymann, J. Elffers
“The social skills picture book: Teaching play, emotion and communication to children with autism.” by J. Baker

Activities that Encourage Sharing and Co-operating

“It’s MINE!” We have all heard children scream this at one point or another. Young children often feel that a toy belongs to them just because they want it to. Children who are learning to share may become angry and frustrated when they cannot “get what they want.” They may show these feelings by grabbing items from other children or refusing to let go of toys.

Some children need extra support from adults when learning to share. As a parent, teacher or early childhood professional, you can do this by teaching your child which play materials belong to him, showing him how to share, and coaching him during play with other children. One of the best ways to show your child the benefits of sharing and working together is to have him participate in fun and co-operative activities he can enjoy.

Make Sharing Easier

Sharing Rules

Here are some simple sharing rules that can be put on a poster with pictures:

Ask when you want to use something.
Wait until someone is finished before you start using something.
Help each other.

Introduce these rules by using puppets or dolls. You can also create a simple story involving a favourite cartoon character and how they share. Here is an example using “Bert” and “Ernie” from the television show “Sesame Street”:

Bert is using the scissors to cut a picture from the newspaper. Ernie wants to use the scissors. “Bert, can I use the scissors?” asks Ernie. “I am using the scissors right now. You can use the scissors when I am finished,” answers Bert. Ernie waits until Bert is finished. Bert hands Ernie the scissors and says, “Ernie, I am finished now.” “Thank you, Bert”, says Ernie.

You can replace the word “scissors” with a toy that your child likes. Praise him when he follows the sharing rules during activities with you or other children.

Special Toys

Your child may have a special stuffed animal that goes everywhere with him. He may rely on this toy for comfort and get very upset if another child shows interest in it. Most young children find it difficult to share their favourite toys. It may be a good idea to put away special toys in a specific place. At home he can put it in a bin in his room before friends come over to play. At the classroom or child care program, he can be encouraged to put the special toy away in the cubbie when coming in. It will be there when it’s time to go home.

Plan Activities

You can involve your child by allowing him to choose two or three activities that he would like to share with his friends.

Show him how to ask for, and pass, materials to another person. Here are some expressions you can teach him:

“I want”

Point to object and show person the palm of his hand.
Point to a picture of the object.
Point to ‘want’ picture.
Touch the object and say, “want”.

“Give”

Pass object to person.
Hold object in front of person and say “take” or “here”.

“Wait”

Hold hand up like a stop sign.
Point to “wait” picture.

“Finished”, or “All Done”

Gesture finished by brushing hands together.
Point to “finished” picture on visual schedule.

Here are some activities that are designed to help children share. Start by doing the activity with your child, then invite a friend to join in.

Sharing Bins

Sharing bins is a good way to structure activities for children who are beginning to share. It works best with activities where children need to share the materials, but can play on their own. Some examples include lego, blocks, cars, crayons, and clay or playdoh. Provide each child with a bin or small box with their photo or name on it. Put all the toys to be shared on the table or floor and allow the children to take turns adding toys to their bin. Each child plays with the toys in his bin. If they want to, they can trade toys with each other.

Paper Plate Pals

Provide each child with a paper plate to decorate. Place decorative craft materials such as feathers, pom poms, and yarn on several small plates for the children to share. To encourage children to pass items to each other, you can place the pom poms closer to one child and the yarn closer to the other. Glue, crayons, and markers can be placed in between the children. Providing only one of a particular material such as one glue bottle, or a limited amount of scissors also creates a situation where children need to wait to use the item. It also provides an opportunity for the children to ask each other for the item when another child is using it.

Better Together!

Here are some everyday activities that will encourage your child and the children he is playing with to co-operate and work together. If the children have trouble sharing, you can support them by reminding them of any rules you have created. Praise and encourage them when you see them sharing and co-operating. Here are some examples:

“Liz, I like how you are helping Juan make a tunnel.”
“Sherry, it was nice of you to give Billy a napkin.”
“Chris and Matt, I like how you are sharing the cars.”

Cooking

Cooking is an excellent way to promote sharing and have fun. Children can help create the snack, eat, and clean up! You can set up the activity like a production line so each child has a special job to do. For example, if you are making a pizza your child can spread the sauce, his friend can add the cheese and both can add the vegetable toppings. At the child care program you can provide each child with their own bowl and wooden popsicle stick for mixing. Have a separate “teacher” bowl for the main mixture. While their hands are busy you can invite each child to have a turn mixing the teachers bowl.

Gardening

This is a great way to teach children about science and gives them a chance to get messy! You will need a few plastic pots, some soil, seeds, and a few spoons or toy shovels. Try growing plants such as beans that sprout quickly indoors. One child can make a hole in the dirt while the other puts the seed in. As the plant grows, children can take turns watering it.

Sandbox

Playing the sandbox provides a great deal of opportunity for sharing and cooperating. Encourage your child to play in the sandbox and share the pails, shovels, balls, and toy cars while they build castles, roads, or whatever they dream up together!

Tips for Parents:

Label Toys

You can teach your child the concepts of “mine”, “yours”, and “ours” by clearly showing what belongs to him, what belongs to other people and what is shared. An easy way to do this is to buy a sheet of identical stickers and stick one on each of your child’s toys. Name each toy as you go along. You can say, “This truck belongs to Ishmael,” or “Ishmael’s truck”. Encourage your child to join in by attaching stickers and repeating your words. If your child takes toys to a friend’s house, school or child care program, the stickers will remind him which ones he can take home with him and which ones he must leave behind.

If you have more than one child at home, you might have a rule that some toys are for everybody to share but some toys belong to just one person. In the play area, put the shared toys together on several shelves. Place each child’s toys in a separate box or bin labeled with their name and photograph. Toys can be labeled with each child’s name or a small sticker to avoid arguments. For example, Nina’s toys have a red sticker on them and Freddy’s toys have a yellow sticker on them. The child needs to ask his brother or sister before using a toy that does not belong to him.

Sharing Information with Professionals Involved with Your Child

photo of parent speaking with teacher at daycare

Professionals may become involved with your child for a number of reasons. In getting to know your child and family, they may gather information to carry out an assessment, develop a service plan, and set goals.

Here are some examples of professionals you may encounter:

Developmental Pediatrician or Psychologist (a physician who carries out assessments and may diagnose your child).
Specialized trained professional such as Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and Behaviour Therapist.
A Special Needs Resource Consultant providing support to your child’s child care centre.
The special needs resource team connected with your child’s school.
Home-based child development professionals such as a Public Health Nurse, and Infant Development Home Visitors.
Representatives from government funding offices (e.g., Special Services at Home Program, Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities).

In most cases, you’ll find that the professionals you are dealing with are understanding and really want to help. If you’re well prepared and have some understanding of what they need, you can get the most out of their involvement.

Here’s a list of information that is important to collect and share with professionals:

The Child Information Binder – create a binder or booklet that contains your child’s photograph, information specific to your child’s strengths, interests and needs, and a list of professionals involved with your child. Check out the For More Information box at the end of this document for further details.
Previous assessment reports written by other professionals. Always ask for copies of reports written about your child. Professionals should also provide you with information on the activities and exercises that they have created to help your child develop his skills.
Contact information about services your child is currently receiving.
Contact information about services for which your child is waiting.
Questions you would like to have answered.

Some professional may ask for information about your child’s health history, behaviour at home and in group settings, and skills. Some of their questions about your family or finances may seem very personal. You can choose not to answer questions you find personal or intrusive. If you feel uncomfortable providing certain information, ask why it is required and how it will be used to benefit your child. Once you know how the information will be used, you can decide whether you would like to share it.

What is “Informed Consent”?

As we mentioned earlier, professionals may ask you for personal information about your child and family, and other people or agencies that are providing support.

Many professionals will want to speak with, or share written information with these other people or agencies. Each professional will ask you to sign a form that gives legal “consent to release information”. The term “consent” acknowledges that you as a parent (or legal guardian) have the authority to allow a professional to share information with another party on behalf of your child for a specific purpose. In other words, it’s like giving permission for professionals to share information with each other about your child.

Before you give “consent”, it is important for you to be informed about:

the kind of information that will be exchanged and collected (e.g., name of reports)
how it will be collected and stored (e.g., photocopied, kept in child’s file)
the purpose for sharing this information (e.g., to set goals, to apply for funding)
the benefits and risks involved
whether your signed consent can be revoked or cancelled at any time, or does it have an expiry date

Remember – Only sign consent forms when you are sure you understand.

In some situations confidential and private information can be released to a third party without a parent’s consent. This may include, but is not limited to:

Emergency situations involving the health and safety of your child (e.g., police, hospital, or medical staff).
Mandatory reporting situations (e.g., Child protection agencies, Court Order or Search Warrant, Legal Counsel).

You will find that most professionals are interested in learning as much as they can because they want to support you and your child in the best way possible. Meeting and sharing information on a regular basis will make it easier to develop the programming that best meets your child’s individual needs and maintain your role as the main decision maker for your child.

Sending Your Child to Camp

photo of children at daycamp

As a parent, you may be anxious or worried about finding a camp that meets your child’s needs. From highly specialized camps, to regular camps that accommodate children with special needs, there are options for every child. With careful consideration of what will benefit your child most, along with some research, you should be able to find the right camp for your child.

Sending your child to camp will benefit her in many ways. She will be provided with structure and routine, she will have a chance to build her confidence and independence, and she will get plenty of activity and exercise. She will also have many opportunities to interact with other children, develop friendships and learn skills from others. Camp will help her learn to problem solve and communicate her needs to others outside her family circle. Even though it may be hard to let her go, camp will also give you some time to yourself.

Starting Your Camp Search

To start your search, it is a good idea to make a list of the kind of camp you want. It can be challenging to find a camp to meet your child’s needs and sometimes, you don’t even know where to start looking. The following questions can be used as a guide to help you decide what you are looking for in a camp:

Do you want day camp or overnight camp?
Do you want a specialized camp for children with special needs?
Do you want an inclusive camp?
Do you want a half-day or full-day program? Consider if your child is comfortable being away from home and her age?
Do you want a camp placement for one week, or the entire summer?
How far from home will you be comfortable for a residential or even day camp for your child?
What cost can you afford? Is subsidy available?
Do you have benefits for your child (e.g., Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities or Special Services at Home), that might assist with the cost for the camp or a support worker for your child?
If you want an inclusive camp, does your child need a support person to be with her and is this available at the camp? If so, is there an additional cost?
If your child is physically fragile, do you need a nurse on staff?
Do you want counselors with CPR and First Aid Training?
Does your child need medication? Can staff administer medication?
If your child has special dietary needs, can this be accommodated at the camp?
Do you need transportation for your child to the camp? Is it available?
Are their specific activities your child likes and you would like the camp to include?

Once you answer the above questions you are ready to begin your search for a camp program. Check out different camps to find the one that meets your expectations and your child’s needs. Here are some resources that can help in your search:

Look in your local Parks and Recreation calendar for information about camps in your community. Try to find out if additional support is available. You may have to complete an application form to apply for a support worker.
Parent magazines, such as “Today’s Parent”, often have articles or an issue early in the year that focuses on camps.
Contact the Canadian Camp Association in your area for information.
Look for a Camp Resource Fair in your area (organizations for children with special needs may hold Resource Fairs on a yearly basis).
Ask other parents that you know about what camps they recommend.

Remember you must start early – summer camps and their support services, if available, are often full by early April.

Congratulations, you’ve registered your child for camp!

Before your child starts camp, try to prepare her for the upcoming experience. This can help decrease your child’s anxiety about the experience, get her ready for the transition, and build her confidence and excitement about the adventure to come. If you can, visit the camp with your child and take photographs of the camp environment, or counselor(s), if possible. If you cannot visit the camp in person, ask the camp to send pictures, or go on their website, if available.

Talking to your child about going to camp and her feelings about the upcoming experience is also a great way to get her ready for this new experience. You may also want to find out what special items your child wants to bring with her (e.g., blanket, photograph of family, special toy) to make her feel comfortable. Remember to label everything you send with your child to camp. Use a marker to write your child’s name on her clothing and any specialized equipment.

Sharing information about your child with the camp staff can also help the experience be a successful one. Let them know about your child’s needs, interests, likes, dislikes, medical needs, and/or allergies.

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