Make sure your child is properly buckled up in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt, whichever is appropriate for their age, height and weight.

Car seat, booster seat, or seat belt?

• Birth up to Age 2 or 3 – Rear-facing car seat. For the best possible protection, infants and children should be buckled in a rear-facing car seat, in the back seat, until age 2 or 3 or when they reach the upper weight or height limits of their particular seat. Check the seat’s owner’s manual and/or labels on the seat for weight and height limits.
• Age 2 up to at least Age 5 – Forward-facing car seat. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats they should be buckled in a forward-facing car seat, in the back seat, until at least age 5 or when they reach the upper weight or height limit of their particular seat. Check the seat’s owner’s manual and/or labels on the seat for weight and height limits.
• Age 5 up until at least 8 years old or 4’9″  – Booster seat. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seat, (by reaching the upper height or weight limit of their seat), they should be buckled in a belt positioning booster seat until seat belts fit properly and they are either 8 years old or 4’9″. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck). Remember to keep children properly buckled in the back seat for the best possible protection.
• Once Seat Belts Fit Properly without a Booster Seat – Children no longer need to use a booster seat once seat belts fit them properly when they are either 8 years old or 4’9″.  Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt lays across the chest (not the neck). For the best possible protection keep children properly buckled in the back seat.
• Don’t let your child ride in the front seat until at least 13 years old: the front passenger seat is the most dangerous place for anyone to sit with or without an airbag.  Accidents (with or without an airbag) are particularly hard on children under 13 who’s bodies have not matured enough.

Car seat safety recommendations

• Install and use car seats and booster seats according to the seat’s owner’s manual or get help installing them from a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.
• Have your installation checked at the CHP. Call for an appointment 818-888-0980.
• Buckle all children aged 12 and under in the back seat. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in front of an air bag.
• Buckle children in the middle of the back seat when possible, because it is the safest spot in the vehicle.
• Buckle children in car seats, booster seats, or seat belts on every trip, no matter how short.
• Set a good example by always using a seatbelt themselves.

California Car Seat Law Changes 1/1/17

Children under 2-years old: must be rear facing unless they weigh 40 pounds or more, or are 40 inches tall or more. Most children will outgrow an infant seat before age 1 ■ The next step is a convertible car seat. ■ Rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward-facing. ■ The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Flyer/Poster

Children under age 8: must be buckled into a car seat or booster in the back seat.

Children age 8 or older, or who are 4’9” or taller: may use the vehicle seat belt if it fits properly with the lap belt low on the hips, touching the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest. If children are not tall enough for proper belt fit, they must ride in a booster or car seat.

Everyone in the car must be properly buckled up. For each child under 16 who is not properly secured, parents (if in the car) or drivers can be fined more than $500 and get a point on their driving records.

For answers to your child safety seat questions, visit cdph.ca.gov/vosp.

Kaitlyn’s Law

It’s against California law to leave a child under the age of seven alone in the car without the supervision of a person at least 12 years old if: 1. The keys are in the ignition or the car is running, or 2. There is a significant risk to the child.

The post Are you using the right car seat? Is your child sitting in the safest spot? appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

California Car Seat Law Changes 1/1/17

Children under 2-years old: must be rear facing unless they weigh 40 pounds or more, or are 40 inches tall or more. Most children will outgrow an infant seat before age 1 ■ The next step is a convertible car seat. ■ Rear-facing is 5 times safer than forward-facing. ■ The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Flyer/Poster

Children under age 8: must be buckled into a car seat or booster in the back seat.

Children age 8 or older, or who are 4’9” or taller: may use the vehicle seat belt if it fits properly with the lap belt low on the hips, touching the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest. If children are not tall enough for proper belt fit, they must ride in a booster or car seat.

Everyone in the car must be properly buckled up. For each child under 16 who is not properly secured, parents (if in the car) or drivers can be fined more than $500 and get a point on their driving records.

For answers to your child safety seat questions, visit cdph.ca.gov/vosp.

Kaitlyn’s Law

It’s against California law to leave a child under the age of seven alone in the car without the supervision of a person at least 12 years old if: 1. The keys are in the ignition or the car is running, or 2. There is a significant risk to the child.

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Preschool children at three years old usually

• are more sociable and willing to conform than younger children
• have great interest and curiosity in people and things
• slow down a bit physically compared to at two
• develop much more complex motor abilities
• have increased interest in dramatic play and imitation of others
• listen to verbal suggestions
• have increased interest or attention span
• adjust better and easier to change
• understands parents will return – not as clingy
• plays more spontaneously in groups
• doesn’t need constant-hovering-direct adult supervision to stay out of trouble
• begins to appreciate form in manipulative activities
• loves imaginary activities and outlets that help promote emotional development
• has an imaginary companion to play and pretend with

Three year olds pre-schoolers like 

• words and conversation
• dramatization
• trips and excursions
• planning visits, lunch with grandma, etc.
• watching adults work
• watching machinery in use
• imaginative stories based on real people and real animals
• to look at books
• singing and a diversity of musical experiences
• constructing with blocks more than playing with the finished product

Preschool children at age three need

• dramatization outlets like a costume boxes, large blocks, pretend kitchens, food, etc.
• both active group play and quiet individual private time
• suggestions or cues from adults sometimes in order to continue play

How to help your three year old’s development

• Whisper to get three year old’s attention
• Be humorous and silly with wrong guesses to questions
• Sometime answer their questions with silly off the wall answers
• When appropriate let three year old children settle their own disputes
• Surprise excursions, visitors, activities – be spontaneous don’t always follow the exact routine
• Offer choices: Do you want to wear the blue hat or the red. hat?
• Distract and divert to a move on to a different activity or take mind off of something
• Respect their imaginary life and join in on the fun.

Handout Version

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Everyone wants their preschooler to reach his/her full potential. Early literacy that leads to reading is one of the most important ways you can help your child achieve now and in the future. You can help reinforce the learning fun your child experiences at Halsey Schools, with these seven easy reading tips.

1. Cuddle up and read with your child every day.  Children learn to read by being read to.
2. Point word by word as you read to help your child learn that the words you are saying are being read off the page in left to right order.
3. Let your child pick the stories and read his/her favorite one over and over and over and over and over and over again. Children love the repetition.
4. Read many stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat. Encourage your child to ‘read’ aloud together. As children memorize what is being read they start to understand the connection to what is printed.
5. Stop to discuss and explain new words and ideas.
6. Ask questions about the story and pictures. “How do you think Mark felt when he’s friends said that?” “Would you like to go somewhere like that?” “What would you do?” “Who is the story about?”
7. Read from a variety of children’s books, including fairy tales, song books, poems, and information books.

Reading well is at the heart of all learning. Children who can’t read well, can’t learn. Through reading aloud, providing print materials, and promoting positive attitudes about reading and writing, you can have a powerful impact on children’s literacy and learning.

Early literacy in preschool will help your child achieve the rest of his life. So cuddle up with your child today and read a book together. And remember parents are always invited to stop in at Halsey Schools any time and read to the class. We all love it!

The post Seven Ways to Help Your Preschooler Read appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Why is it so LOUD!?

If you’re used to working in a quiet office space or other environment you may find the constant chatter that goes on in our classrooms loud and maybe even annoying. We don’t; We LOVE it!

Quality classrooms are loud & full of energy

Children need to talk & ask questions. Talking gives your child the opportunity to experiment with new words. It provides the vehicle for expressing ideas and testing current knowledge. Shared experiences are important; they give children something to talk about. Children learn the nuances of communication in groups by trying out their language skills. For example, they learn what a question sounds like and how loud is loud enough.

Talking increases intellectual development

Using words and talking about how things work, making comparisons, and retelling experiences lead to increased intellectual development. When children reconstruct experiences, sequence events, and point out similarities or differences, they are clearly engaging in higher-level thinking skills. And when children are encouraged to ask questions, they not only gain information from teachers’ responses but also build their competence and confidence as active seekers of knowledge and understanding.

Speaking increases vocabulary and learning ability

The vocabularies children use in reading and writing are based on the words they are familiar with from listening and speaking.  Expanded vocabularies and other aspects of language growth occur through using language. Talking, playing and learning in the classroom is noisy and that is exactly the way it should be.

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How to perform CPR – Summary

Full CPR is only performed when you are sure a child is not breathing

1. GIVE 30 CHEST COMPRESSIONS

Push hard, push fast in the middle of the chest.

• Child: Push about 2 inches deep.
• Infant: Push about 11⁄2 inches deep.
• Push fast, at least 100 compressions per minute.

2. GIVE 2 RESCUE BREATHS

• Tilt the head back and lift the chin up.
  • Child: Pinch the nose shut, then make a completeseal over child’s mouth.
  • Infant: Make complete seal over infant’s mouth and nose.
• Blow in for about 1 second to make the chest clearly rise.
• Give rescue breaths, one after the other. DO NOT STOP

TIP: Child or infant must be on firm, flat surface.

3. Do not stop CPR – Continue cycles of CPR

Do not stop CPR except in one of these situations:

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Limit Screen Time for your Children

Children over two years old should spend no more than 1 to 2 hours a day on screen media of any kind. Children under two should not use screen media at all. Excessive exposure of children to screen media is associated with impaired childhood development and childhood obesity.

Most children watch too much TV and spend too much time in front of screens

• On average, preschool children spend 32 hours a week with screen media.
• The average 12-month-old gets between one and two hours of screen time per day.
• Two-Thirds of infants ‘watch’ a screen an average of 2 hours a day.
• Preschoolers spend an average of 2.2-4.6 hours a day with screen media.
• Preschoolers who watch two hours of screen media a day are likely to be overweight; weighing 34% more than their piers.
• By the time they begin kindergarten, children have watched an average of 4,000 hours of  screen media.
• Preschool children under 6 don’t know the difference between the 40,000 ads they see on TV a year and the actual show.
• The more screen media preschool children watch, the less likely they will be active and exercise at the age of 10.
• About 50% of all preschoolers are not taken outside to play each day by their parents.
• School age children spend 4.5 hours a day watching TV and 7.5 hour a day on all screen media.
• The average American youth spends more time watching TV & other screens than any other activity except sleeping.

No government policy will make any difference unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents—because government, no matter how wise or efficient, cannot turn off the TV or put away the video games. Teachers, no matter how dedicated or effective, cannot make sure your child leaves for school on time and does their homework when they get back at night. These are things only a parent can do. These are things that our parents must do. — President Barack Obama 

It’s important for children to learn and develop through hands on experiences and exercise, not passive screen time. Here are some ideas you can put into play today to head your family on the right track.

• Celebrate National Screen-Free Week every year by turning off your TVs, smart phones, ipods, ipads, computers, tablets…
• Remove the TV set & screens from your child’s bedroom or don’t put one in there to begin with. The easier it is to access, the more it will be used.
• Never allow children under 2 to ‘watch’ TV or use screen media.
• Never have screens on during dinner. The sooner you start family meal time the better off your child will be in middle school, high school and beyond. Dinner time is a great time to establish manners and talk about the day behind us and the days ahead.
• Monitor what your children are watching. It may be hard to sit through an entire episode but you should know what they are watching and learning. Children will emulate what they see on the screen. Are they watching behaviors that you want to see them repeat? If not, turn it off.

Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day for children over 2.

• Try a timer.
• Plan ahead for TV viewing.
• Agree on certain shows that can be watched and when.
• Record shows and fast forward through commercials.
• Don’t allow channel surfing.

Offer alternatives to screens:

• Bike Ride, Jog, Walk, exercise.
• Play an outdoor game.
• Play a board game.
• Read together.
• Do one of our HomeFUN! activities.
• Make some days absolute screen free days. Just turn them off and keep them off.

Avoid using screens as baby sitters

• Give your children books to ‘read’ or look though.
• Try read along books.
• Put on some music.
• Don’t use screen media as a reward or punishment.

The average child spends 1920 minutes per week watching television and only 3.5 minutes per week in meaningful conversations with their parents. Let’s start improving this statistic today.

We never use TVs or screens at Halsey Schools and computer time is strictly limited and only available in our Pre-kindergarten classroom as one of our many learning tools.  We always emphasize hands-on learning and personal active interaction.

Sources for Statistics: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Institute for Cancer Research, WebMD, & comercialfreechildhood.org

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The 5-2-1-0 rule says we should am for:

5 or more fruits and vegetables.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides vitamins and minerals, important for supporting growth and development and for optimal immune function in children. High daily intakes of fruits and vegetables among adults are associated with lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and possibly, some types of cancers. Emerging science suggests fruit and vegetable consumption may help prevent weight gain, and when total calories are controlled, may be an important aid to achieving and sustaining weight loss.

2 hours or less recreational screen time*.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the typical child watches an average of 5–6 hours of television a day. Watching too much television is associated with an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, lower reading scores, and attention problems. The AAP recommends that children under age 2 shouldn’t watch any television. For children age 2 and older, the AAP recommends no TV or computer in the room in which the child sleeps, and no more than 2 hours of screen time a day. We agree! Are you ready for Screen Free week in MAY!?

1 hour or more of physical activity.

Regular physical activity is essential for weight maintenance and prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. While most school age children are quite active, physical activity sharply declines during adolescence. Children who are raised in families with active lifestyles are more likely to stay active as adults than children raised in families with sedentary lifestyles.

0 sugary drinks, more water & low fat milk.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has increased dramatically since the 1970s; high intake among children is associated with overweight and obesity, displacement of milk consumption, and dental cavities. It is recommended that children 1–6 years old consume no more than 4–6 ounces of 100% juice per day and youth 7–18 years old consume no more than 8–12 ounces. Whole milk is the single largest source of saturated fat in children’s diets. Switching to low or non-fat milk products (once a child reaches 2 years old) significantly reduces dietary saturated and total fat, as well as total calories.

*Keep TV/computer out of the bedroom. No screen time under the age of 2.

Adapted from Let’s Go! materials. www.letsgo.org.

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Make sure your child is playing with safe toys and sleeping safely.

We all want our preschool children to be as safe as possible. Sometimes a toy, bed or crib we think is perfectly safe just isn’t. Safety recalls happen just about every day. Keep your infants, toddlers and preschoolers safe by registering your products after purchase and checking for recalls regularly. Signup for email notifications here. 

Latest Child Related Recalls

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Read to Me! – Read aloud with your child often

The single most important thing we can do to help our children develop the knowledge they need to become successful readers is to read aloud with them often; beginning when they are babies. Reading with your child at least every night at bedtime, is a good start. When reading books is a regular part of family life, you send your child a message that books are important, enjoyable and full of new things to learn.

How to help your child become a successful reader

• From the time your child is born, make reading aloud to your child a part of your daily routine. Pick a quiet time, such as just before you put him to bed. This will give him a chance to rest between play and sleep. If you can, read with him in your lap or snuggled next to you so that he feels close and safe. As he gets older, he may need to move around some as you read to him. If he gets tired or restless, stop reading. Make reading aloud a quiet and comfortable time that your child looks forward to.
• Try to read to your child every day. At first, read for no more than a few minutes at a time, several times a day. As your child grows older, you should be able to tell if she wants you to read for longer periods. Don’t be discouraged if you have to skip a day or don’t always keep to your schedule. Just get back to your daily routine as soon as you can. Most of all, make sure that reading stays fun for both of you!
• Give your baby sturdy board books to look at, touch and hold. Allow him to turn the pages, look through the holes or lift the flaps. As your child grows older, have books on shelves or in baskets that are at his level. Encourage him to look through the books and talk about them. He may talk about the pictures and he may “pretend” to read a book that he has heard many times.
• For a late toddler or early preschooler, use reading aloud to help him learn about books and print. As you read aloud, stop now and then and point to letters and words; then point to the pictures they stand for. Your child will begin to understand that the letters form words and that words name pictures. He will also start to learn that each letter has its own sound-one of the most important things your child can know when learning to read.
• As you read, talk with your child. Encourage her to ask questions and to talk about the story. Ask her to predict what will come next. Point to things in books that she can relate to in her own life: “Look at the picture of the penguin. Do you remember the penguin we saw at the zoo?”
• Reread favorite books. Your child will probably ask you to read favorite books over and over. Even though you may become tired of the same books, he will enjoy and continue to learn from hearing them read again and again.

Pick the right books for your preschoolers

Read “predictable” books to your child. Predictable books are books with words or actions that appear over and over. These books help children to predict or tell what happens next. As you read, encourage your child to listen for and say repeating words and phrases, such as names for colors, numbers, letters, animals, objects and daily life activities. Your child will learn the repeated words or phrase and have fun joining in with you each time they show up in the story. Pretty soon, she will join in before you tell her.

10 Predictable books your child will love!

• Going on a Bear Hunt
• Brown Bear Brown Bear
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Green Eggs & Ham
• Goodnight Moon
• Silly Sally
• Are you My Mother
• This is the House that Jack Built
• Is your Mama a Llama?

Be enthusiastic, get a dictionary, visit library, read to yourself too

• Be enthusiastic about reading. Read the story with expression.
  Make it more interesting by talking as the characters would talk, making sound effects and using facial expressions and gestures.
• Buy a children’s dictionary-if possible, one that has pictures next to the words. Then start the “let’s look it up” habit.
• Make writing materials such as crayons, pencils and paper available.
• Visit the library often. Begin making weekly trips to the library when your child is very young. See that your child gets his own library card as soon as possible. Many libraries issue cards to children as soon as they can print their names (you’ll also have to sign for your child).
• Show your child that you read, too. When you take your child to the library, check out a book for yourself. Then set a good example by letting your child see you reading for yourself. Ask your child to get one of her books and sit with you as you read your book, magazine or newspaper.  When your child sees that reading is important to you, she may decide that it is important to her, too.

Re-read the books we read at school

Visit our Book Store for all the books we will be reading this year.

Reading well is at the heart of all learning. Children who can’t read well, struggle with learning. Through reading aloud, providing printed materials, and promoting positive attitudes about reading and writing, you can have a powerful impact on children’s literacy and learning.

Early literacy in preschool will help your child achieve the rest of his life. So cuddle up with your child today and read a book together. And remember parents are always invited to stop in at Halsey Schools any time and read to the class. We all love it! Sign-up to be surprise reader here. Or just stop by.

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Some things you read on the internet are SCARY!

The internet is full of false and misleading websites and stories about vaccines & immunizations that can scare newbie parents into acting irresponsibly. Friends can have even scarier stories when they tell parents they know someone, who knows someone else, who knows someone else who heard that immunizations caused some horrible outcome. But the truth is immunizations protect children. Rumors, untrue stories and even fraudulent studies that say otherwise must be ignored.

Unvaccinated children are exposed to horrible diseases that may kill them. Unvaccinated children can carry these horrible diseases and infect other children too young to be vaccinated.  Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control say Immunizations are safe and children should get them. 

Common myths that circulate regularly and the truth

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[icon icon=”thumbs-down” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Myth: Vaccines cause autism and other diseases

Vaccines do not cause autism, multiple sclerosis, or diabetes. [icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon]

All vaccines have potential side effects. However, most are mild and temporary like soreness where the shot was injected and low-grade fevers. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) there is no evidence to support any claims that vaccines cause or contribute to health problems like autism, multiple sclerosis or diabetes. The CDC closely monitors vaccines through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

The CDC says: Because signs of autism may appear around the same time children receive the MMR vaccine, some parents may worry that the vaccine causes autism. Vaccine safety experts, including experts at CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), agree that MMR vaccine is not responsible for recent increases in the number of children with autism. In 2004, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is no link between autism and MMR vaccine, and that there is no link between autism and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative.

[icon icon=”thumbs-down” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Myth: Vaccines don’t do anything. The diseases they claim to fight have already been eradicated naturally before vaccines were introduced, because of better hygiene and sanitation.

All the diseases that vaccines prevent are still out there and improved sanitation and hygiene cannot provide the protection that vaccines do. [icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon]

Certainly, better hygiene and sanitation can help prevent the spread of diseases & illnesses, but the germs that cause disease are still out there. According to the CDC the drop of cases in every disease vaccines prevent correlates directly with the introduction and continued use of the vaccines.

[icon icon=”thumbs-down” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Myth: Giving a child multiple vaccinations for different diseases at the same time increases the risk of harmful side effects and can overload the immune system.

Vaccines are as effective in combination as they are individually and combinations carry no greater risk for adverse side effects [icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon]

A number of studies have been conducted to examine the effects of giving various combinations of vaccines simultaneously. In fact, neither the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) nor the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) would recommend the simultaneous administration of any vaccines until such studies showed the combinations to be both safe and effective. These studies have shown that the recommended vaccines are as effective in combination as they are individually, and that such combinations carry no greater risk for adverse side effects. Consequently, both the ACIP and AAP recommend simultaneous administration of all routine childhood vaccines when appropriate.

[icon icon=”thumbs-down” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Myth: DTaP vaccine causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

DTaP does not cause or contribute to SIDS [icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon]

The Institute of Medicine reported that all controlled studies that have compared immunized versus non immunized children have found either no association . . . or a decreased risk . . . of SIDS among immunized children and concluded that the evidence does not indicate a causal relation between [DTaP][/DTaP] vaccine and SIDS.

This belief came about because a moderate proportion of children who die of SIDS have recently been vaccinated with DTaP; and on the surface, this seems to point toward a causal connection. But this logic is faulty; you might as well say that eating bread causes car crashes, since most drivers who crash their cars had probably eaten bread within the past 24 hours.

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[icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Immunizations are required and save lives

All children at Halsey Schools are required to be immunized according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Controls immunization schedule. No exceptions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Says Children Need Immunizations

The Center For Disease Control and Prevention Says immunizations are safe

Myths and misinformation about vaccine safety can confuse parents who are trying to make sound decisions about their children’s health care.

Vaccination is a common, memorable event, and association of events in time often signals cause and effect. While some of the sickness or reactions that follow vaccination may be caused by the vaccine, many are unrelated events that occur by coincidence after vaccination. Therefore, the scientific research that attempts to distinguish true vaccine adverse events from unrelated, chance occurrence is important.

[icon icon=”thumbs-up” size=”small” style=”none” shape=”inherit”][/icon] Reliable, Truthful Information about Immunizations

• AAP.org
• Immunize.org
• CDC.gov

Vaccines save lives. Please vaccinate your child and let your friends know the truth.

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The cold & flu season is on it’s way. As the days grow shorter and the holidays approach, we spend more time inside close to our friends and family. It’s this close proximity to each other that increases our chances of catching colds & flus from one another. Your best defense is to vaccinate and remember to wash yours and your child’s hands often. Learn more about the flu here.

The CDC recommends the flu vaccine for everyone 6 months & older. So do we.

The Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older, as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. This is especially important for children, because they are at increased risk of getting severe illness from flu. (Children younger than 6 months are too young to get vaccinated.)

Children younger than 9 years getting a flu vaccine for the first time need two doses of vaccine in the first year.

Some children 6 months through 8 years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine. Children in this age group who are getting vaccinated for the first time, as well as some who have been vaccinated previously, will need two doses. Your child’s health care provider can tell you whether two doses are recommended for your child.

Everyday practices can help prevent spreading colds & flus

Protect yourself and your infant by following these steps routinely:

• Keep yourself and your baby away from people who are sick, as much as you can.
• If you get the flu, stay home from work or school. If you are sick, do not go near other people, so that you don’t make them sick too.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze—throw the tissue away after you use it. If you can’t get a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of you hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If you are not near water, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, especially when someone is ill.

At Halsey Schools we follow a strict illness policy to help keep your child from getting ill too often.

If a child has the flu, he or she must stay for a minimum of 24 hours or longer until flu symptoms are gone.  Additionally, Halsey Schools reserves the right to exclude a child from school at anytime for any reason, even if a doctor or other recommends otherwise. If your child visits a doctor, please ask for a return authorization note. Even with a note Halsey Schools reserves the right to refuse attendance at anytime for any reason. For more information read our Illness Policy here.

Only when we work together can we help keep colds and flus at bay.

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The idea of having your baby sleep beside you in your bed,( co-sleeping), may be warm and comforting.  We don’t think so and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) agree. Infants should not co-sleep with their parents. It isn’t safe!

Co-sleeping dangers

Your baby can be hurt by:

• Getting trapped by the bed frame, headboard or footboard
• Getting trapped between the bed and the wall, furniture or other object
• Falling from the bed onto piles of clothing, plastic bags or other soft materials
• Suffocating on a waterbed, mattress or soft bedding (pillows, blankets, quilts, etc.)
• Having a parent roll on top of the baby

Co-sleeping & SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old. About half of SIDS deaths occur when the baby is sharing a bed, sofa or sofa chair with another person. Other potential problems, Co-sleeping may keep parents from getting a good night’s sleep and a baby who co-sleeps may have trouble falling asleep:

• When she is alone at naptime
• When she needs to go to sleep before her parent is ready

Alternatives to co-sleeping

• Sleep in the same room in individual beds & cribs.
• Consider a Co-Sleeper Crib – A crib with a lower side that can be put up against your bed.

If you decide to co-sleep

DO’s:

• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep. Babies who sleep on their backs have less risk of SIDS than babies who sleep on their tummies or sides.
• Always leave your child’s head uncovered while sleeping.
• Be sure there are no openings in the bed’s headboard or footboard where your baby’s head could get trapped.
• Remove cords and drapes from nearby windows.
• Remove any strings or ties from your and the baby’s pajamas.
• Remove soft bedding.
• Place a tight-fitting fitted sheet on the mattress.
• Make sure that there are no spaces between the bed and the wall or furniture.
• Make sure your mattress fits snugly in the bed frame.
• Make sure there is nothing near the bed that could suffocate or strangle the baby.

DON’Ts:

• Never put your baby to sleep in an adult bed alone.
• Never place your baby on a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress or other very soft surface.
• Never place pillows, comforters, quilts or other soft/plush items on top of or under your baby.
• Never sleep with your baby if you smoke, have been drinking, or have used medicines or drugs that make it hard for you to wake up.
• Never overdress your baby for sleep or overheat the room.

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Printable Version

Parent Handbook and tuition rates with frequently asked questions, FAQs, dates closed, parent involvement events, what to wear, bring and do.

Printable Version

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Jack be Nimble, Playmate, Come out and Play with me,  London Bridge, Miss Mary Mack Nursery, Words & Lyrics for preschool rhymes.

Jumping, climbing, playing, and even falling are great ways for children to develop gross motor skills. Gross motor skills help childrens’ bodies grow and strengthen. They help the heart, the bones and the muscles. They even help develop  self esteem, spacial concepts, verbal skills and more. These nursery rhymes, when acted out encourage exercise and gross motor development. We’ll be acting them out at school. You should do it at home to. It’s fun!

Jack be Nimble

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It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, Rain Rain Go Away, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, Baa Baa Black Sheep – Words & Lyrics

Nursery Rhymes can help children learn to deal with emotions like loneliness and  sadness. If a child is sad and misses a loved one, she can recite or sing a rhyme that they did together. If a child is feeling scared or frustrated he can recite a rhyme that makes him feel in control like Rain Rain Go Away. Or if a child is just in a silly mood she can let the world know it by singing fee, fie, fiddly-i-o, Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o-o-o-o, Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o… | Have fun and create memories with these rhymes for January.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

It’s raining; it’s pouring. The old man is snoring. He went to bed and bumped his head, And he wouldn’t get up in the morning.

Rain Rain Go Away

Rain, rain, [Move your fingers down like falling rain.]
go away. [Push your hands out, as if you were pushing the rain away.]
Come again another day. [Make a “come here” motion with your hands.]
DADDY wants to play. [Hold up your hand showing all five fingers and point to your thumb.]
Rain, rain, go away. [Move your fingers down and then push away the rain.]

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. MOMMY wants to play.

[Hold up your hand showing all five fingers and point to your index finger.]
Rain, rain, go away.  Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.
BROTHER wants to play. [Hold up your hand showing all five fingers and point to your middle finger.] Rain, rain, go away.

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. SISTER wants to play. [Hold up your hand showing all five fingers and point to your ring finger.] Rain, rain, go away.

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. BABY wants to play. [Hold up your hand showing all five fingers and point to your pinky finger.] Rain, rain, go away.

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. ALL THE FAMILY wants to play. [Hold up your hand and wiggle all five fingers.] Rain, rain, go away.

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

I’ve been working on the railroad All the livelong day. I’ve been working on the railroad Just to pass the time away.  Can’t you hear the whistle blowing, Rise up so early in the morn; Can’t you hear the captain shouting, “Dinah, blow your horn!”

Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow your horn? Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow, Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah. Someone’s in the kitchen I know.  Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah. Strummin’ on the old banjo! Singin’ fee, fie, fiddly-i-o. Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o-o-o-o. Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o Strummin’ on the old banjo.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full! One for the master, one for the dame, And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.

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Candy & Soda cause the most cavities right?

Actually about 90 percent of what children eat contains the sugars, starches & carbohydrates that can lead to cavities. Crackers, chips, cookies… even foods that are good for children, like fruits, breads, peanut butter, pasta, gummy vitamins and no/low sugar cereals can lead to cavities unless preventative measures are taken. The real problem is not as much what is eaten but how long it stays on the teeth. Yes, sodas and candy can lead to cavities but cavities are not all their fault. Any foods that can get stuck on or between the teeth can lead to dental problems. Here are some ways you can prevent cavities in your children’s teeth.

Prevent Cavities

• Encourage your children to eat regular nutritious meals and avoid frequent between-meal snacking.
• Limit sticky, starchy, sugary foods & drinks.
• Protect your child’s teeth with fluoride.
  • Drink the water that come out of your tap. Its treated with fluoride. Or look for bottled water that’s treated.
  • Use a fluoride toothpaste. For preschool children you only need a pea-sized amount on the toothbrush.
• Make sure your children brush at least twice a day for two minutes after breakfast and before bed time. They’ll need your supervision, reminders, and help until about age 10.
  • As soon as you see a tooth your baby’s mouth start brushing with a soft brush and water.
  • Make it fun with a two-minute timer or by singing a two-minute song.
  • Brush your teeth at the same time. Children really do learn from what you do. Your habits become their habits.
  • Help them get the tough spots. It can be hard to brush your teeth when you’re young. Help your children out until they get the hang of it.
  • Make sure they never go to sleep with a bottle or eat or drink anything other than water after brushing before bedtime.
•  Floss your child’s teeth daily
  • As soon as your child has two teeth that touch, it is time to floss. Do it for them until they can do it themselves which is usually around age  7-8.
• Have your child wash his/her mouth out with water after every meal or snack when brushing & flossing isn’t possible.
• Talk to your child’s dentist about dental sealants. They protect teeth from decay.

The post Cavities! You can’t blame them all on candy & soda appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Nursery Rhymes Words & Lyrics for infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Old Mother Hubbard | Go in & out the Window | To Market To Market |It’s Hanukkah

Nursery Rhymes help children develop: reading skills. When we point to the words as we read them, children learn that reading goes from left to right.  They learn that letters make words, words make sentences and sentences makes stories. As children memorize these stories through repetition, they begin to understand that story sequencing is important; what happens first, second… and finally last, matters. | Here are the words/lyrics to our rhymes for November.

Old Mother Hubbard

Go in & out the Window

To Market To Market

It’s Hanukkah

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Lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, is a parasitic insect that can be found on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes of people. Head lice feed on human blood several time a day and live close to the human scalp. Head lice are not known to spread disease.

Getting head lice has absolutely nothing to do with personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school.  Anyone can get it, including you. Lice spread through head to head contact with an infested person and can only live/survive on humans.

If your child or you have lice it most likely came from a clean child just like yours who happened to be infested by another child. There is no one to blame or shame. No one did anything wrong.

How can I find out who gave my child head lice?

LiceHappens.com says: Parents should resist the urge to assign blame, as it is unproductive, and spreads stigma rather than knowledge. Instead of accusing other parents or school administrators of not doing enough to stop the spread of head lice, parents are better served by screening and treating their families, and informing other parents and school administrators that a problem exists.

How did my child get head lice?

Head-to-head contact with an already infested person is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground indoors and out, slumber parties, museums, etc). According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is uncommon. It is so uncommon that even The Harvard University School of Public Health entomology lab could not successfully get lice to spread via hats and scarves in a controlled scientific study.

Is my child’s school or my home infested?

No. It is not possible for any place to be infested. Infestation occurs on humans only. Lice cannot survive off of humans.

Who is at risk for getting head lice?

According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) infestation with head lice is most common among pre-school children attending child care, elementary school children, and the household members of infested children. 6-12 million US children 3-11 years old get lice every year.

What does lice look like & how is it diagnosed?

The diagnosis of head lice infestation is best made by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair of a person.

Because adult and nymph lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, they may be difficult to find. Use of a fine-toothed louse comb may facilitate identification of live lice.

If crawling lice are not seen, finding nits attached firmly within ¼ inch of the base of hair shafts suggests, but does not confirm, the person is infested. Nits frequently are seen on hair behind the ears and near the back of the neck. Nits that are attached more than ¼ inch from the base of the hair shaft are almost always non-viable (hatched or dead). Head lice and nits can be visible with the naked eye, although use of a magnifying lens may be necessary to find crawling lice or to identify a developing nymph inside a viable nit. Nits are often confused with other particles found in hair such as dandruff, hair spray droplets, and dirt particles.

If no nymphs or adults are seen, and the only nits found are more than ¼ inch from the scalp, then the infestation is probably old and no longer active — and does not need to be treated.

All Halsey Schools teachers are trained in how to detect lice.

Treatment General Guidelines

Treatment for head lice is recommended for persons diagnosed with an active infestation. All household members and other close contacts should be checked; those persons with evidence of an active infestation should be treated.

1. Contact your pediatrician, pharmacists, or local lice treatment company. We recommend using prescription lice shampoo & comb as directed – Usually; apply once, rinse then comb out hair the following morning. Then repeat again in one or two weeks. Be sure to follow the actual directions from the treatment you choose and contact your physician if necessary. (Over the counter treatments do not work as well as prescriptions.)
2. Other household members should be checked and treated if needed.
3. Items such as hats, grooming aids, and towels that come in contact with the hair of an infested person should not be shared and can be disinfected  by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5-10 minutes.
4. Household & classroom fumigation, sprays or thorough cleanings are not necessary because head lice can only survive for less than a day once off the human body and eggs die at room temperature. The HHSA says:
   • Adult lice will die within two days without a blood meal.  In a classroom or home where head lice are found; actions should be taken if possible to reduce head-to-head contact (Frankowski, 2010). Always keep each child’s hat and other clothing on separate hooks and hang each child’s coat on the back of their chair.  Pillows and other classroom/home items may have nits or lice on them but are unlikely sources of infestation. These items can be put in a dryer and run on hot for 20 minutes, vacuumed, or placed in sealed plastic bags for two weeks to kill hatching lice (nits take six to nine days to hatch and are unlikely to hatch away from the scalp). Vacuuming classrooms/homes once a day until no children have lice can decrease the remote possibility of lice transmission from the environment.

Prevent reinfestation

Encourage/Teach your children to:

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
• Not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
• Not share combs, brushes, or towels.
• Not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infested person.

According to our, Illness Policy if your child has lice he/she will be sent home immediately to receive treatment at home and can return the next day as long as there are no live lice present.  We recommend seeking advice from your pharmacists and pediatrician and reading this. Some over the counter methods no longer work.  All children will be checked when they return and sent back home if the treatment needs to be reapplied. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

Sources:

• http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/2012HeadLiceEng.pdf
• http://www.licehappens.com
• http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/2012SchoolGuidanceonHeadLice.pdf
• http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html

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Nursery Rhymes Words/Lyrics for infants, toddlers and preschoolers

A Crooked Man | Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater | Muffin Man | Five Little Pumpkins

The repetition of Nursery Rhymes helps your child develop language skills. When preschoolers listen to nursery rhymes, they begin to learn how vowel and consonant sounds go together to make words and how words go together to make sentences. When they begin reciting the rhymes/poems they’ll copy the readers volume, pitch, inflection and mannerisms. Nursery Rhymes introduce children to new words like sixpense in A Crooked Man below. Most rhymes are short, easy and fun to memorize. Don’t be surprised if some of your child’s first sentences come from Nursery Rhymes. | Here are the words/lyrics to our rhymes for October.

A Crooked Man

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Muffin Man

Five Little Pumpkins

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Nursery Rhymes for infants, toddlers and preschoolers

School Days | An Apple a Day | Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush | I’m a Little Tea Pot | Hey Diddle Diddle | Hickory, Dickory, Dock

The repetition of Nursery Rhymes helps children develop: language skills, reading skills, math concepts, memory skills, creativity, dramatic skills and more.  Perhaps most importantly, Nursery  Rhymes connect generations with the commonality of rhymes that have been recited for 100s sometimes even 1000s of years. They create a sense of comfort and familiarity. To top it all off they’re fun to read, sing, act out and memorize. If you don’t already know the words/lyrics here they are:

School Days

An Apple a Day

Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush

I’m a Little Tea Pot

Hey Diddle Diddle

Hickory, Dickory, Dock

The post Nursery Rhymes – September appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Back to School in Woodland Hills for Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers – August 26, 2013

We’ve been having an awesome time! While the children have been playing and learning, we’ve been getting ready for the 2013-2014 school year. Back to school day is August 26, 2013 and Allie Mac Kay came by to help us spread the word with some tips and ideas on getting ready for school.

Allie Mac Kay from KTLA 5 broadcasts from Halsey Schools

School starts Monday, August 26, 2013

Already enrolled? Tell your friends today.

Currently enrolled families automatically continue for the new school year. If you have any friends or family ready to enroll, please let them know to schedule a visit ASAP. We only have a few spaces opening up. Click here for your parent handbook

Ready to enroll?

If you are not yet enrolled, please complete the enrollment packet to sign up ASAP. Only a few spaces are available to start August 26.

The post Back To School Tips with Allie Mac Kay at KTLA 5 appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Baby at Two Months

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 2 months.

What most babies do at Two Months:

Social and Emotional

• Begins to smile at people
• Can briefly calm himself (may bring hands to mouth and suck on hand)
• Tries to look at parent

Language/Communication

• Coos, makes gurgling sounds
• Turns head toward sound

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Pays attention to faces
• Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance
• Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn’t change

 Movement/Physical Development

• Can hold head up and begins to push up when lying on tummy
• Makes smoother movements with arms and legs

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t respond to loud sounds
• Doesn’t watch things as they move
• Doesn’t smile at people
• Doesn’t bring hands to mouth
• Can’t hold head up when pushing up when on tummy

The post Milestones for your Two Month Old Baby appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Baby at Four Months

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 4 months.

What most babies do at four months:

Social and Emotional

• Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
• Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
• Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning

Language/Communication

• Begins to babble
• Babbles with expression and copies sounds he hears
• Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Lets you know if she is happy or sad
• Responds to affection
• Reaches for toy with one hand
• Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it
• Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
• Watches faces closely
• Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance

Movement/Physical Development

• Holds head steady, unsupported
• Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
• May be able to roll over from tummy to back
• Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at dangling toys
• Brings hands to mouth
• When lying on stomach, pushes up to elbows

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t watch things as they move
• Doesn’t smile at people
• Can’t hold head steady
• Doesn’t coo or make sounds
• Doesn’t bring things to mouth
• Doesn’t push down with legs when feet are placed on a hard surface
• Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions

The post Milestones for your Four Month Old Baby appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Baby at Six Months

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 6 months.

What most babies do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
• Likes to play with others, especially parents
• Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
• Likes to look at self in a mirror

Language/Communication

• Responds to sounds by making sounds
• Strings vowels together when babbling (“ah,” “eh,” “oh”) and likes taking turns with parent while making sounds
• Responds to own name
• Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
• Begins to say consonant sounds (jabbering with “m,” “b”)

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Looks around at things nearby
• Brings things to mouth
• Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
• Begins to pass things from one hand to the other

Movement/Physical Development

• Rolls over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
• Begins to sit without support
• When standing, supports weight on legs and might bounce
• Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t try to get things that are in reach
• Shows no affection for caregivers
• Doesn’t respond to sounds around him
• Has difficulty getting things to mouth
• Doesn’t make vowel sounds (“ah”, “eh”, “oh”)
• Doesn’t roll over in either direction
• Doesn’t laugh or make squealing sounds
• Seems very stiff, with tight muscles
• Seems very floppy, like a rag doll

The post Milestones for your Six Month Old Baby appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Baby at Nine Months

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 9 months.

What most babies do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• May be afraid of strangers
• May be clingy with familiar adults
• Has favorite toys

Language/Communication

• Understands “no”
• Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
• Copies sounds and gestures of others
• Uses fingers to point at things

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Watches the path of something as it falls
• Looks for things he sees you hide
• Plays peek-a-boo
• Puts things in her mouth
• Moves things smoothly from one hand to the other
• Picks up things like cereal o’s between thumb and index finger

Movement/Physical Development

• Stands, holding on
• Can get into sitting position
• Sits without support
• Pulls to stand
• Crawls

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t bear weight on legs with support
• Doesn’t sit with help
• Doesn’t babble (“mama”, “baba”, “dada”)
• Doesn’t play any games involving back-and-forth play
• Doesn’t respond to own name
• Doesn’t seem to recognize familiar people
• Doesn’t look where you point
• Doesn’t transfer toys from one hand to the other

The post Milestones for your Nine Month Old Baby appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at One Year

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by his or her 1st birthday.

What most children do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• Is shy or nervous with strangers
• Cries when mom or dad leaves
• Has favorite things and people
• Shows fear in some situations
• Hands you a book when he wants to hear a story
• Repeats sounds or actions to get attention
• Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
• Plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”

Language/Communication

• Responds to simple spoken requests
• Uses simple gestures, like shaking head “no” or waving “bye-bye”
• Makes sounds with changes in tone (sounds more like speech)
• Says “mama” and “dada” and exclamations like “uh-oh!”
• Tries to say words you say

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing
• Finds hidden things easily
• Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named
• Copies gestures
• Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair
• Bangs two things together
• Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container
• Lets things go without help
• Pokes with index (pointer) finger
• Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”

Movement/Physical Development

• Gets to a sitting position without help
• Pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
• May take a few steps without holding on
• May stand alone

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t crawl
• Can’t stand when supported
• Doesn’t search for things that she sees you hide
• Doesn’t say single words like “mama” or “dada”
• Doesn’t learn gestures like waving or shaking head
• Doesn’t point to things
• Loses skills he once had

The post Milestones for your One Year Old Child appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at Eighteen Months

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 18 months.

What most babies do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• Likes to hand things to others as play
• May have temper tantrums
• May be afraid of strangers
• Shows affection to familiar people
• Plays simple pretend, such as feeding a doll
• May cling to caregivers in new situations
• Points to show others something interesting
• Explores alone but with parent close by

Language/Communication

• Says several single words
• Says and shakes head “no”
• Points to show someone what he wants

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Knows what ordinary things are for; for example, telephone, brush, spoon
• Points to get the attention of others
• Shows interest in a doll or stuffed animal by pretending to feed
• Points to one body part
• Scribbles on his own
• Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures; for example, sits when you say “sit down

Movement/Physical Development

• Walks alone
• May walk up steps and run
• Pulls toys while walking
• Can help undress herself
• Drinks from a cup
• Eats with a spoon

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t point to show things to others
• Can’t walk
• Doesn’t know what familiar things are for
• Doesn’t copy others
• Doesn’t gain new words
• Doesn’t have at least 6 words
• Doesn’t notice or mind when a caregiver leaves or returns
• Loses skills he once had

The post Milestones for your Eighteen Month Old Toddler appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at Two Years

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by his or her 2nd birthday.

What most Preschoolers do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• Copies others, especially adults and older children
• Gets excited when with other children
• Shows more and more independence
• Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)
• Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games

Language/Communication

• Points to things or pictures when they are named
• Knows names of familiar people and body parts
• Says sentences with 2 to 4 words
• Follows simple instructions
• Repeats words overheard in conversation
• Points to things in a book

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers
• Begins to sort shapes and colors
• Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books
• Plays simple make-believe games
• Builds towers of 4 or more blocks
• Might use one hand more than the other
• Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.”
• Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog

Movement/Physical Development

• Stands on tiptoe
• Kicks a ball
• Begins to run
• Climbs onto and down from furniture without help
• Walks up and down stairs holding on
• Throws ball overhand
• Makes or copies straight lines and circles

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t use 2-word phrases (for example, “drink milk”)
• Doesn’t know what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, fork, spoon
• Doesn’t copy actions and words
• Doesn’t follow simple instructions
• Doesn’t walk steadily
• Loses skills she once had

The post Milestones for your Two Year Old Preschooler appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at Three Years

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by his or her 3rd birthday.

What most Preschool Children do at this age:

Social and Emotional

• Copies adults and friends
• Shows affection for friends without prompting
• Takes turns in games
• Shows concern for crying friend
• Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
• Shows a wide range of emotions
• Separates easily from mom and dad
• May get upset with major changes in routine
• Dresses and undresses self

Language/Communication

• Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
• Can name most familiar things
• Understands words like “in,” “on,” and “under”
• Says first name, age, and sex
• Names a friend
• Says words like “I,” “me,” “we,” and “you” and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
• Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time
• Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
• Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
• Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
• Understands what “two” means
• Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
• Turns book pages one at a time
• Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
• Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle

Movement/Physical Development

• Climbs well
• Runs easily
• Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
• Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs
• Drools or has very unclear speech
• Can’t work simple toys (such as peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle)
• Doesn’t speak in sentences
• Doesn’t understand simple instructions
• Doesn’t play pretend or make-believe
• Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys
• Doesn’t make eye contact
• Loses skills he once had

The post Milestones for your Three Year Old Preschooler appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at Four Years

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by his or her 4th birthday.

What most preschool children at four years old do:

Social and Emotional

• Enjoys doing new things
• Plays “Mom” and “Dad”
• Is more and more creative with make-believe play
• Would rather play with other children than by himself
• Cooperates with other children
• Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
• Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in

Language/Communication

• Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using “he” and “she”
• Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “Wheels on the Bus”
• Tells stories
• Can say first and last name

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Names some colors and some numbers
• Understands the idea of counting
• Starts to understand time
• Remembers parts of a story
• Understands the idea of “same” and “different”
• Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
• Uses scissors
• Starts to copy some capital letters
• Plays board or card games
• Tells you what he thinks is going to happen next in a book

Movement/Physical Development

• Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
• Catches a bounced ball most of the time
• Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Can’t jump in place
• Has trouble scribbling
• Shows no interest in interactive games or make-believe
• Ignores other children or doesn’t respond to people outside the family
• Resists dressing, sleeping, and using the toilet
• Can’t retell a favorite story
• Doesn’t follow 3-part commands
• Doesn’t understand “same” and “different”
• Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly
• Speaks unclearly
• Loses skills he once had

The post Milestones for your Four Year Old Preschooler appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Important Milestones:

Your Child at Five Years

How your child plays, learns, speaks, and acts offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Check the milestones your child has reached by his or her 5th birthday.

What most preschool children do at age five:

Social and Emotional

• Wants to please friends
• Wants to be like friends
• More likely to agree with rules
• Likes to sing, dance, and act
• Shows concern and sympathy for others
• Is aware of gender
• Can tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
• Shows more independence (for example, may visit a next-door neighbor by himself [adult supervision is still needed])
• Is sometimes demanding and sometimes very cooperative

Language/Communication

• Speaks very clearly
• Tells a simple story using full sentences
• Uses future tense; for example, “Grandma will be here.”
• Says name and address

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Counts 10 or more things
• Can draw a person with at least 6 body parts
• Can print some letters or numbers
• Copies a triangle and other geometric shapes
• Knows about things used every day, like money and food

Movement/Physical Development

• Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
• Hops; may be able to skip
• Can do a somersault
• Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife
• Can use the toilet on her own
• Swings and climbs

Act early by talking to your child’s doctor if your child:

• Doesn’t show a wide range of emotions
• Shows extreme behavior (unusually fearful, aggressive, shy or sad)
• Unusually withdrawn and not active
• Is easily distracted, has trouble focusing on one activity for more than 5 minutes
• Doesn’t respond to people, or responds only superficially
• Can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
• Doesn’t play a variety of games and activities
• Can’t give first and last name
• Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly
• Doesn’t talk about daily activities or experiences
• Doesn’t draw pictures
• Can’t brush teeth, wash and dry hands, or get undressed without help
• Loses skills he once had

The post Milestones for your Five Year Old appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Impetigo is caused by streptococcus (strep) or staphylococcus (staph) bacteria. The skin normally has many types of bacteria on it, but intact skin is an effective barrier that keeps bacteria from entering and growing in the body. When there is a break in the skin, bacteria can enter the body and grow there, causing inflammation and infection.

Impetigo causes painless, fluid-filled blisters — usually on the trunk, arms and legs. The skin around the blister is usually red and itchy but not sore. The blisters, which break and scab over with a yellow-colored crust, may be large or small.  Bullous Impetigo is a type type of Impetigo that primarily affects infants and children younger than 2 years and may last longer than sores from other types of Impetigo.

Children are highly contagious 3 days before any signs of infection occur and continue to be contagious 3-5 days after blisters  & scabs appear. Once blisters  & scabs are gone children are no longer contagious. Children with Impetigo need to be treated by a doctor with either an antibiotic ointment or an oral antibiotic. Infected children must stay away from other children until the blisters are completely gone and it is no longer contagious.

According to our, Illness Policy if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until blisters & scabs are completely gone. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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What is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?

It is a non-serious viral infection causing sores in the mouth and blisters on hands & feet. It usually appears in the Spring & Fall. It is often difficult to diagnose. It may appear to be chicken pox, insect bits, dermatitis etc. If you suspect your child shows the symptoms, be sure to have your doctor check for Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease.

It is similar to getting a rash or a cold. So there is absolutely nothing to be alarmed about. And just like a cold the infection lasts 3- 7 days and disappears on its own. One does not become immune to the infection and therefore can become infected again.

Children are highly contagious 3 days before any signs of infection occur and continue to be contagious 2-3 days after blisters appear. Once blisters  & subsequent scabs are gone children are no longer contagious.

Children with Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease do NOT need any treatment other than to rest and let the virus run its coarse.

Prevention of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

People infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease can spread it to others when they cough or sneeze. You can also get hand, foot, and mouth disease if you come into contact with an infected person’s blister fluid or feces (poop). Lower your risk of being infected by doing the following:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water
2. Disinfect dirty surfaces and soiled items
3. Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, or sharing eating utensils or cups with infected people

At Halsey School we always  keep everything clean and sanitary and check all children on arrival and throughout the day and make sure all contagious children stay home.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease Stay At Home Policy

According to our Illness Policy if a child shows symptoms of either of these illnesses, he/she will need care at home away from other children until blisters & subsequent scabs are completely gone. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

The post Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease – What is it? How to treat it. appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

A fever is not a disease. It is a symptom that can accompany many childhood illnesses, especially infections. A fever is not the only sign of a serious illness. While some children are fine with a temperature of 104, others can be deathly ill with a temperature of 101 or even without a fever or a low temperature. You should call your pediatrician if your child has any fever or acts different in any way that concerns you.

Diarrhea is usually caused by a stomach virus, especially if it is also associated with vomiting and low grade fever. It is important to mention any recent travel to your doctor when your child has diarrhea.

Vomiting, Acute gastroenteritis, is a very common problem in infants and children and is usually caused by a stomach virus, such as the rotavirus. Symptoms include a fever, stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhea. Although the vomiting typically lasts only two to three days, the diarrhea can last for one to two weeks before it finally resolves. There is no cure or medicine to treat gastroenteritis, but there are many things that can be done to help your child through this illness. Most uncomplicated cases go away on their own without treatment, except extra fluids to prevent dehydration.

The main problem from having diarrhea and vomiting is that it can lead your child to getting dehydrated. The first sign of dehydration is that your child will urinate less frequently. Other signs include a dry mouth, not having tears when crying, sunken eyes, and decreased activity or increased irritability.

According to our Illness Policy,  if your child shows these symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children for at least 24 hours until ALL symptoms have stopped. (No vomiting. No diarrhea. No fever.) It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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A runny nose with green or yellow discharge is a sign of a viral infection or a bacterial/sinus infection. Your child may just have a cold or a more serious sinus infection requiring antibiotics.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows these symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children for at least 24 hours after receiving doctor prescribed medication or after receiving a return authorization from a doctor indicating the child is not contagious. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

The post Discolored Runny Nose – What is it? How to avoid & treat it. appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral infection that causes a red, itchy rash on the skin. The chickenpox rash usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.

The rash begins as multiple small, red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which then becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs. One of the most characteristic features of the chickenpox rash is that all stages of the lesions can be present at the same time.

Some children have a fever, abdominal pain, or a vague sick feeling a day or 2 before the rash appears. These symptoms may last for a few days, and fever stays in the range of 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 to 38.8 degrees Celsius), although it may occasionally be higher. Younger children often have milder symptoms and fewer blisters than older children or adults.

Thanks to the vaccine this viral infection is rare now.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until blisters have scabbed over. This usually takes a minimum of 6 days to two weeks. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back. Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

The post Chicken Pox – What is it? How to avoid & cure it. appeared first on Halsey Schools Preschool & Infant Center.

Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye, Pink Eye)   is the most common eye problem children can have. It can cause redness, itching, inflammation or swelling, and a clear or white, yellow, or greenish gooey liquid to collect in the eyes. It usually doesn’t hurt, but itching can be annoying. Sometimes it feels like you have an eyelash or a speck of sand in your eye and can’t get it out. It lasts a short time, usually about a week or less, and then goes away by itself or after treatment.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until doctor prescribed medication has been administered for 24 hours.  It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Strep Throat is an easily treatable throat infection caused by a group A streptococci bacteria. It is most common in children over three years old and begins with a fever, a red, swollen throat and tonsils that can have a white coating of pus, swollen glands, decreased appetite and energy level.

Cases are most common during the winter months when people are crowded together indoors.

Signs and Symptoms – Pharyngitis, a painful inflammation of the throat (pharynx). Swallowing may become so painful that the child has difficulty eating. A child with strep pharyngitis often has a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius), with chills, body aches and loss of appetite. There also may be abdominal symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The tonsils and the back of the throat may look red, swollen, and dotted with whitish or yellowish specks of pus. There may be swollen glands in the neck and at the angles of the jaw. Strangely, in spite of all the throat pain, hoarseness and loss of voice are not common. In infants, strep throat infections – tend to cause symptoms that seem less limited to the throat. Infants may have a runny nose, crusting and sores around the nostrils and a low fever. They may also begin to feed poorly.

This infection is easily treated with antibiotics, usually penicillin. Your child will no longer be contagious after being on an antibiotic for twenty four hours. (It is important to take a complete course of antibiotics to prevent your child from getting rheumatic fever.)

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until on antibiotics for 24 hours. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back. Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

Group A streptococci may also cause sinusitis, ear infections,sinusitis, ear infections, pneumoniapneumonia, scarlet fever and skin infections (impetigo).

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Roseola is a highly contagious virus that many infants under three years old can catch, but is most common in infants under age one. Roseola is generally a non-eventful childhood illness. Once it has run its course, it usually goes away without any further complications.

The first symptom you will notice in your child is an unexplained very high fever. The fever can be as high as 104 to 106 degrees, which is very distressing. The fever can last from one to five days and then disappear. Within twenty four hours later a rash will appear on the neck, upper arms and the trunk, and then spread to the face and legs. Your baby may also get diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

You will notice swollen lymph glands under the baby’s neck. You may notice the symptoms of the common cold such as runny nose, loss of appetite, irritability, and sore throat. When the rash subsides, all the other symptoms will leave also. The total duration of all symptoms is usually 7 to ten days. What makes the spread of this infection hard to control is the fact that a child can be infectious with it for 10 days prior to getting a fever and for five days after the fever is gone.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until a doctor diagnoses the rash and provides a return authorization. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back. Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Croup is an infection caused by a virus that causes the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box) to swell. It is usually part of a cold. Croup causes a fever, hoarseness and a barking, hacking cough. It also may cause a crowing noise (called stridor) when the child breathes in through the narrowed windpipe. Croup usually lasts 5 to 6 days. Symptoms may be worse at night. Croup symptoms most commonly occur in children 1 to 3 years old.

Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest and plenty to drink. When your child has a croupy cough, it is very important to increase the amount of liquids that your child drinks. Cough medicines are generally not recommended. If your physician recommends, you may give your child acetaminophen (brand names: Children’s Tylenol, Infants’ Tylenol) for his or her chest discomfort or discomfort due to fever. Doctors may also recommend: 1) turning on hot water to breathe in the steam. 2) Going outside to breathe cold moist air. 3) Standing with your child in front of the open freezer, to breathe in the cool air.

Like all viruses the best way to avoid croup is to wash hands regularly and stay away from others who have it.

Children with croup are considered contagious for three days after the illness begins or until the fever is gone  if fever continues after 3 days.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children until a doctor provides a return authorization. It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back. Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Influenza, commonly called the flu, is an infection of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Signs of the flu include sudden onset of headache, chills, and feeling generally miserable. Respiratory symptoms like nasal congestion, cough and sore throat appear, and the flu sufferer often experiences extreme fatigue and muscle aches in the back and legs. Fever between 100 and 103 degrees Fahrenheit is typical in adults, and is often even higher in children.

Influenza rarely causes stomach upset; however, young children may have nausea and vomiting during the most severe phase of the flu. What is popularly called “stomach flu” is usually another malady: gastroenteritis. Bacteria, toxins, or viruses other than influenza are the usual causes of gastroenteritis. Other illnesses like strep throat, measles, and chickenpox sometimes have flu-like symptoms. It’s important to see a doctor if symptoms persist, become severe or localized in the throat, stomach or lungs, or if other symptoms such as skin rash, vomiting or behavioral changes occur.

In addition to getting vaccinated, the single most important step you can take to help prevent your children from getting the flu is to wash their hands.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children for at least 24 hours until ALL symptoms have stopped. (No vomiting. No diarrhea. No fever. No Chills. No Body Aches. No Upset Stomach) It is up to your child’s teachers and directors to decide if a child is ready to come back.  Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in the mouth and on the tongue. A yeast called Candida causes thrush because babies’ immune systems are not yet strong enough to control the growth of the yeast.

The most common symptoms of thrush are white patches that stick to the inside of the mouth and tongue. In babies, it is easy to mistake thrush for milk or formula. It looks like cottage cheese or milk curds. Don’t try to wipe away these patches, because you can make them red and sore. Some babies with thrush can be cranky and do not want to eat.

In most cases, doctors can diagnose thrush just by looking at the white patches and will prescribe an antifungal medicine such as nystatin liquid. In most cases, you will put the medicine directly on the white patches. When a baby has thrush, the yeast can cause a diaper rash at the same time as thrush. Your baby may need nystatin cream or ointment for his or her diaper area.

If your baby has thrush, it may help to:

• Clean bottle nipples and pacifiers regularly using hot water.
• Clean your nipples with medicine, such as nystatin, if you breast-feed your baby. Breast-feeding mothers and babies can pass a yeast infection back and forth.
• Dry your nipples and apply lanolin lotion after breast-feeding.

According to our Illness Policy, if your child shows symptoms, he/she will need care at home away from other children for 24 hours after being treated with doctor prescribed anti-fungal medication. Children will need a doctors note to return. Please call the school before returning to assure your child will not be turned away when you come to school.

If your child will be out for any reason, please call or email us by 10:00 a.m.

818-992-1942 • SICK@HALSEYSCHOOLS.COM

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Companies give you money to save for college

Jenni and I have had a Upromise account since it started in 2000. We’ve earned 1000s of dollars for our children’s college tuition just by shopping through Upromise. It’s easy to sign up, participate and save money. Click on the logo to signup for free. It’s never too early or too late to start saving for college.

What is Upromise?

Upromise was founded with a single mission in mind—to help families achieve the goal of a college education for the children they love. Upromise provides the programs, products, and information parents need to help them reach their college-savings goals.

As a Upromise member, you can save for college on everyday purchases such as

1. Dinning out
2. Buying online at Groupon, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart and lots more
3. Buying groceries with your linked grocery cards
4. Buying at brick and motar stores with your linked credit cards
5. Buying gas
6. Charging anything on the official Upromise Credit Card

And you can invite your family and friends to help you save too. When they join, a portion of their eligible spending can be deposited into your Upromise account—automatically.

How It Works

• Join Upromise for FREE and register your grocery loyalty cards, credit cards, and other basic information to allow upromise to track your eligible spending
• Shop for the participating products and services you enjoy
• Save a portion of your qualified spending for college automatically in your Upromise account.

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What the heck is Gak?

It’s kind of like play-dough, but not really. Kind of like slime, but not really. Kind of like… It’s Gak!  Made popular by Nikelodeon. You can shape it. Cut it. Stick it. Throw it. Stretch it. Bounce it!  Pop it. Snap it! Make noises with it… Here’s how to make Gak at home with your preschooler.

How to make Gak

Ingredients

• 1 tsp [amazon_link id=”B000R4LONQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Borax Powder[/amazon_link] (You’ll find it at any grocery store with other cleaners.)
• 3 cups of warm water
• 2 cups (16oz) of [amazon_link id=”B0038DUT34″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]glue[/amazon_link] (clear or white)
• 2 cups of cool water
• 1,2,3,4+ drops of food coloring – you decide

Procedure

• Dissolve Borax with warm water in large bowl and set aside.
• In separate bowl mix cool water and glue and add some food coloring.
• Combine both mixes together and smoosh with your hands.
• Keep kneading until as much water as possible is absorbed and a nice blob is formed.
• Dump excess water
• Play with it!!!!!!!

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