At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we offer a variety of child care programs and love finding fun and exciting ways to help children develop new skills, learn, and grow in their environments. Gardening is one way to do just that! In this blog, we are going to talk about the benefits of gardening for kids and why you should start this fun activity with your family!

Encourage Them To Eat Healthier

Do you have trouble getting your children to eat their vegetables on a regular basis? Most parents do, and while gardening isn’t going to be the magical fix, it can help! When your kids help you grow your own vegetables, they are more likely to eat them. Your kiddos will be proud that they grew their own vegetables and want to try them for themselves. Be sure to add vegetables to your garden that your kids will actually like. Once they start eating the veggies they help grow, they may begin to try other new things as well!

Teaches Them Patience

Patience is a tough lesson to teach kids, especially since they don’t want to wait for anything. But gardening is a great way to teach them that hard work pays off and that patience is a necessary skill in life. Gardening does not offer instant results; your children will have to wait weeks for the results of all their efforts. While this may be frustrating for them, it will teach them how to be patient. Your kiddos will love watching their vegetables slowly grow over the course of weeks and learn that their patience and hard work all pay off in the end.

Boosts Confidence

Growing your own vegetables can provide a huge confidence boost for you and your kids! When you garden with your child, they can feel a sense of accomplishment that will make them feel proud. Activities, such as gardening, that have an end result your child can show off, are a great way to help them build confidence. If you are looking for ways to help your child feel more confident in themselves, gardening is a great activity to try!

Engages All Five Senses

Gardening is a beautiful activity that engages and stimulates all five senses. This is a great way to teach your child about the senses and is one of the few activities that can engage all five of them! They can feel the dirt as they plant each plant, smell the scent of the dirt after watering the plants, hear the bugs buzzing and the sound of the vine snapping as you pick vegetables, see how the veggies change color as they grow, and taste them when they are done! While gardening, find different ways to engage the senses and talk about it with your kiddos!

Improve Fine Motor Skills

Gardening can also help improve your child’s fine motor skills, especially if you start with seeds. Planting seeds, gently caring for different plants, and picking veggies all require fine motor skills and is a great way to get your child to slow down and more carefully. Children have a tendency to love explosive movements, like kicking, jumping, throwing, and running, so an activity like gardening can help them slow down and be gentle with the plants.

Teaches Responsibility

Your child can also learn responsibility from gardening. Gardening and growing vegetables put them in charge of something, especially since they aren’t really responsible for themselves yet. If they forget to water their plants for a week, they will dry up; if they don’t take responsibility for their plants, they will die. While you can always help take some of the responsibility, it is best to let your child take care of their own plants, so that they learn how to be responsible for something.

Encourages a Love For Nature

When kids get to spend time outside, digging in the dirt, and watching plants grow food, they will begin to develop a love for nature. You can help teach your child about the environment, and give them a space to explore their curiosities. Gardening offers a different outdoor experience than simply playing outside. When your child is able to do something outside that really puts them in touch with their surroundings, they will begin to appreciate it more. If you care about nature and the outdoors, gardening is a great way to get your child on the same page.

Gets Them Outside and Moving

With so many screens nowadays that can keep kids distracted, getting them outside can be a challenge. Gardening is a great way to get your kiddos outside and give them a fun, educational, and unique type of activity. While kids love playing outside, gardening can provide them with a calm place to escape to when they simply want to be outside. Gardening can be a lot of work too, from hauling the watering can to digging and pulling weeds. Your child will enjoy getting outside and moving in their garden.

These are only a few of the many benefits that a garden can offer kiddos. Gardening is a great activity to do as a family and can help your child learn and develop a lot of new skills. Plus, who doesn’t love having fresh veggies every day?

While it may be late in the season to start a veggie garden from seeds, you can also buy plants that are already established and get started on a garden with your kiddos! At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we love giving parents ideas for fun and educational activities to do with their kids. Learn more about our child care programs and be sure to check out our locations throughout Indiana to find a school near you! Contact us with any questions you may have.

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At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we take every precaution to keep our school a safe and healthy place for your children to be! While we have always made this a part of our mission, we have added new COVID safety measures to ensure that we continue to provide a safe and healthy environment. We wanted to give parents some tips as well! In this blog, we are going to talk about some of the things you can do to help boost your child’s immune system. Read on to learn more and be sure to check out our programs today!

Focus On Sleep

Sleep is important for a number of different reasons. Not only can sleep help your child with their mood and alertness, but it can also boost their immune system. Sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to illness because it reduces natural killer cells, which are the immune system’s defense against microbes and cancer cells. For this reason, it is important that you make sure your child is sleeping enough. Creating a bedtime schedule can help ensure that your kiddo is getting enough quality sleep and gives their immune system a fighting chance. If your child won’t go down for naps, try putting them to bed earlier so that they can get the proper amount of sleep every night.

Stay Active

Exercise is a great way for your family to stay in shape and healthy. While being active is important for a number of different reasons, especially for children, it can help to give their immune system a boost as well! Exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in children and adults, so being active as a family can help everyone stay as healthy as possible! Go for bike rides, walk around the neighborhood, play in the yard, shoot some hoops, and do any other activity that gets your family moving! This is also a great way to spend more time outside, which provides a number of benefits on its own!

Protect Against Germs

Protecting against germs is an obvious way to keep your children and family healthy and, while this doesn’t technically boost the immune system, it does help to reduce germs and stress on the immune system. Make sure that your kiddos are washing their hands regularly with soap. Ensuring that they are washing their hands before and after meals, after they are done playing outside, after they blow their nose or use the bathroom, and after arriving home from daycare can help to reduce their exposure to germs. It is also beneficial to keep wet wipes handy when you are out and about. These can help to quickly clean and wipe away germs.

Serve The Right Food

Food also plays a huge role in our overall health and immune system. Feeding your children the right foods can help keep them healthy and allow them to get the proper nutrients. Here is a list of some of the best immune-boosting foods and the benefits they offer.

Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and veggies are one type of food that every parent is always trying to get their child to eat more. While this may be a challenge to get your kiddo to eat their fruits and veggies, these foods are very beneficial. Many fruits and veggies contain carotenoids, which are phytonutrients that help boost the immune system. Phytonutrients may be able to increase the body’s production of infection-fighting white blood cells and interferon, which is an antibody that coats cell surfaces and helps block out viruses. Fruits and veggies also contain high levels of vitamin C, which can help protect your little one against colds and flu.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a tasty food that many kids love and can provide many benefits. Yogurt contains probiotics, which are living organisms that live in your gut and can improve the way your body uses the food you eat. Probiotics can also help your body fight off viruses and can lower the risk of colds, ear infections, and strep throat. However, when it comes to children, they may only want the yogurt that is packed full of sugar, which obviously won’t have the same benefits. Instead, try to get a flavored yogurt that is on the healthier side, and have your kiddos add some berries and granola to make it a fun and tasty treat for them!

Nuts

Nuts are another healthy snack that can help boost the immune system. Nuts contain proteins, minerals, and vitamins. They are rich in antioxidants, including omega fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin E. Walnuts, almonds, and pistachios are great options for your kiddos and are easy to have on hand whenever your child gets hungry. Almonds contain vitamin E and manganese, which creates a strong immune-boosting duo that can help enhance natural killer cells. Walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids, which can help your body fight off illness. If your child doesn’t love munching on nuts, you can chop them up and add them to different snacks, such as yogurt, cereal, or make a trail mix!

Eggs

Eggs are a superfood and can provide a rich source of protein. Egg yolks contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can help strengthen the immune system and protect your kiddos from viruses. Eggs also contain vitamin D, and are one of the only foods that naturally contain this vitamin. Vitamin D is great at protecting against illness.

These foods are only a few of the many beneficial foods that can help keep your kiddo healthy and strengthen their immune system. Try to find fun ways to make these foods something your children want to eat, we know how picky children can be when it comes to eating.

By following these tips, you can keep your child as healthy as possible. We know that children who attend child care are exposed to more germs, but we do everything we can to provide a safe and clean space for your kiddos to learn and grow. Growing Kids Learning Center has adopted extra COVID safety precautions to ensure that our facilities are clean and sanitized. You can learn more about our COVID safety measures here! Be sure to also check out our programs and contact us today to get your questions answered!

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At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we love crafts and know the benefits that they can offer. We include a variety of crafts in our programs and curriculums because we know that students have a blast doing them and they will get a ton of benefits. In this blog, we are going to talk about the benefits that crafting can provide your kiddo. Be sure to read on and go hit the craft store to get new supplies for your child!

Improves Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are something we develop at a young age. Fine motor skills are movements made with small muscles, like those in our hands and fingers, and include things like using scissors, fastening a button, tying a shoelace, or tearing paper. Crafting involves a ton of movements that are considered fine motor skills, which means that your child will improve these skills as they do more crafts.

From sculpting with playdough to cutting construction paper to holding a pencil, your child will be using and developing their fine motor skills with every craft they do! Their control over the muscles in their hands and muscles will improve, which will help them complete a number of tasks as they get older.

Boosts Hand-Eye Coordination

Your child will also be able to improve their hand-eye coordination. Hand-eye coordination is the control eye movement and hand movement, as they work together. As your child works on their craft projects, they will be able to improve their hand-eye coordination.

Cutting along a line, coloring in the lines, and molding clay will help boost their coordination. This is a skill that they will use throughout their entire lives, especially if they are going to be in sports.

Gives a Sense of Achievement

Believe it or not, but crafts can provide your child with a sense of accomplishment and a boost in self-esteem. When you teach your child to create something on their own, they feel like they are in control, which will help boost their confidence. When they complete their craft projects, they will feel that sense of achievement and accomplishment. In time, this can help them have higher self-esteem, which can be extremely beneficial as they get older.

Allow Them To Express Themselves

Many children have trouble expressing themselves and their feelings, while there are many things you can do to help them with this, art and craft projects can help. Crafts give your child the outlet they need to express their feelings, even if they can’t verbally express how they feel.

If you notice that your child is feeling a certain way and can’t express it, give them some craft supplies and let them create whatever they want. Even if you don’t understand what feeling their picture is trying to convey, you may notice that they feel better after they complete their project.

Encourages Creativity

Creativity is extremely beneficial for children. Creativity can help them with problem-solving when they are older and can help them become more innovative. Doing crafts can help encourage their creative thinking and allow them to continue boosting their creativity. The more your child boosts their creativity now, the more likely they will be to carry their creative thinking into their older years, which can be very beneficial.

Improves Decision-Making Skills

Crafting involves a lot of decisions, from what to create to what colors to use and what supplies should be included. When your child crafts, they will be able to start making decisions for themselves. This will help improve their decision-making skills for other things in life. They will be able to use these skills to make decisions when faced with other problems.

Allows of Easier Socialization

Some kids may have trouble making friends, especially if they do not have the same interests. Crafting is something that most children love and can be done together. Each child can work on their own project while socializing with other kiddos. This is a great activity for shy children because it allows them to do an activity alone, while still with others. Eventually, they will start opening up and may feel more confident socializing with others.

Crafting is a fun activity that most kids love and is one thing that can provide a number of different benefits. Now that you know the benefits that crafting can provide your kiddo, be sure to get more craft supplies and join them in creating this week!

If you are looking for a high-quality learning center that focuses on your child’s development and learning, be sure to contact Growing Kids Learning Centers!

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While reading to your children every night may seem like the last thing you want to do, especially when you finally have some time to yourself, there are so many benefits that come from this simple activity. Plus, it only takes a few minutes a night.

At Growing Kids Learning Centers in Northern Indiana, we understand the importance of reading and help our students develop their reading skills, preparing them for kindergarten and the rest of their school years. We have learning centers all over Northern Indiana, allowing you to find the location closest to you. We have locations in Elkhart, Valparaiso, Goshen, Chesterton, Plymouth, Warsaw, and four in South Bend.

In this blog, we wanted to talk about the benefits that reading to your children can provide. Read on to learn more and start making time to read to your kids today!

Builds a Bond

Reading to your children is a great way to spend quality time with them. This is an activity that allows you to bond with your child, and can become a special part of their routine. They will feel closer to you and view this time together as something special. Your child simply wants to spend time with you where they have your full attention. Reading to them every night can be that special time you share together without any distractions. This is something that your kiddos will cherish for the rest of their lives.

Improves Literacy Skills

Reading out loud to your child can help them develop better literacy skills. They will learn that you read from left to right, they will learn the sounds of different letters, begin to understand the meaning of different words, and that words put together have meaning. Even if your child is just learning the alphabet or figuring out how to read, reading to them can help improve these skills and teach them more about language.

Exposure to Language

If you start reading to your child when they are too young to speak, it can help expose them to language and allow them to begin to develop these skills. When you expose your child to language at a young age, they will begin to develop these language skills earlier and have an easier time when learning how to communicate. Reading to them, talking to them, and hearing you talk to others are all great ways to expose your child to language.

Promotes Longer Attention Span

When you read to your children, they are focused on the story and generally will pay attention from start to finish (we know that sometimes nothing will keep your child’s attention). This activity can actually promote a longer attention span and help children learn how to concentrate for longer periods of time. This will become an important skill when your child has to sit through school and other classes.

Stimulates Imagination

Reading stories allows children to start thinking more creatively and helps stimulate their imagination. When hearing stories about different characters, marvelous creatures, far away places, and stuff that can only happen in the imagination, your child will begin to imagine these things as well. Not only does reading help show your child that there is no limit to creativity, but it also helps them create pictures in their heads of the words you are reading, which helps them imagine what everything looks like, how the characters feel, and so much more.

Gives Different Perspectives

There are so many books about so many different topics. Reading to your child allows them to learn more about the world around them, different cultures, places, people, and gives them a different perspective. They will learn that the world is so much bigger than they can imagine and the stories you read will allow them to understand different perspectives. Learning about other people, places, and events gives your child a look at something outside their own experience, which can help them develop empathy.

Exercises The Brain

Reading not only strengthens brain connections, but it also helps build new ones. An article from Raise Smart Kid mentions that children who are exposed to reading at home show significantly more brain activation in an area that involves multisensory integration. When you read to your kids, you can help them build new brain networks that will help them when transitioning to reading themselves.

There are many benefits that come from reading to your children. These are only a few of the main benefits and reasons why you should read to your kiddos regularly. Not only will they excel academically, but you can build a better bond with them by simply reading to them. This is a simple task that takes a few minutes a day and allows them to develop great memories with you and many other skills.

Start reading to your children regularly and be sure to enroll them in a child care center that can help them learn how to read among many other things! Growing Kids Learning Centers in Northern Indiana is a great option, with 10 locations to choose from and a variety of programs. Contact us today to learn more about our learning center!

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It can help get kids ready for school.

Daycare is the perfect place to spark a love of learning. With plenty of activities and learning opportunities, even our youngest daycare attendees have a chance to start exploring the world around them and seeking out opportunities where learning is fun.

There are more socialization opportunities.

Kids who attend daycare have a chance to socialize with children both older and younger than them. This can help them learn more about sharing, working with others, and how to make friends. Those are skills they’ll use their whole lives!

It can be good for a child’s mental health.

Some studies suggest that attending daycare can be good for a child’s mental health. That’s because a daycare provides a stable, safe environment with routine and structure. That can help kids who might not find that environment at home develop much-needed stability for later in life.

They have fewer colds later in life.

Being exposed to germs can be a good thing! It helps your child build up immunity to illnesses later on. Children who attend daycare and pass around those germs at a young age are less likely to battle them later on.

Kids learn structure and routine.

Daycare can be a place where kids learn about routine and structure to their daily lives, something that will be important both in their school lives and their career later on.

Want your child to experience the benefits of daycare for themselves? Sign up with Growing Kids today!

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Activities including art fairs, picnics, drama, team games, kite flying, messy art days, swimming, field trips, bowling, soccer, “Main Street” play, exercise, ooey-gooey day, pizza making, reading, puzzles, baking cookies and hiking are many (but not all) of the activities that your child will get to experience when you enroll them in Growing Kids Spring Camp in South Bend. We will also provide your kiddo with a healthy and filling breakfast and lunch with snacks in between meals.

These activities are great for kids to make new friends and bond with friends they already have. They will be able to discover new things everyday and get out of their shell in a comforting and safe environment. No matter if this is your child’s first, second or third time registering, we highly recommend that you do so sooner than later.

We welcome any school-aged children both currently enrolled in our Growing Kids school program and new-comers. Children who are not enrolled in classes may sign-up for Growing Kids Spring Camp in South Bend starting February 8, 2016. Note: all after school students are required to sign up. To register your kid(s), please call 574-220-6400.

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We are excited to share useful ways of learning and tools to give your child the ability to grow to their fullest potential while at Growing Kids Learning Centers. With that in mind, know that we make it a priority to provide a clean and safe environment that is always open to parents’ suggestions. Our focus of keeping your child on track when starting daycare or preschool is our number one priority.

Do you want to learn more about us here at Growing Kids Learning Center? We invite you to visit us online today and even check out some of the Growing Kids Advantages, Programs, and learn where our other locations are in the South Bend area. Have questions? Feel free to contact us online now!

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For younger children, this game is fun, entertaining and is a very easy concept to learn. It doesn’t take much prep work, all you need is a ball! This game can be played with a pair of children or a child and an adult.

• Have your child sit across from you on the ground with their legs apart.

• Roll the ball between the legs back and forth to each other.

• Let your child known that the purpose of the game is to stop the ball before it hits their tummy.

Doing this activity can promote a learning opportunity for your child, and it will only help them grow their hand eye coordination early on. This can help them in the future when it comes time for sports, writing, reading and many other daily life skills.

If you are still looking for a daycare or preschool for your growing child, visit one of our locations in Elkhart, Goshen or South Bend! Contact us online now to learn more ways we will help grow your child’s hand eye coordination.

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When it comes to finding the perfect dacare for your child, there are a lot of things to consider. You need to consider how far away the daycare center is, how much it will cost you, what your child will learn during their hours here and what different programs we offer. Luckily for you, we have a surplus of information that can answer all of these questions, including that there is a location near you in either South Bend, Elkhart or Goshen.

Are you ready to let your children play, grow and learn while you’re off at work during the week? If so, go ahead and learn all about our programs here at Growing Kids Learning Center. Contact us online with any questions about enrollment and take a peek at the 10 Factors To Consider When Choosing A Childcare Center for your child. Feel free to check out the parent resources that can keep both you and your child one step ahead of the game.

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1. If your child is old enough, make sure you get them a flu vaccine. Even though the flu season may be over, it’s always good to get them the flu vaccine when the time rolls around again. It can help about 62% of the population from suffering through the flu.

2. Make sure you teach your children appropriate cough etiquette and social distance, especially when they’re sick. Make sure they cover their mouth when they sneeze and cough, and to wash their hands afterwards.

3. Children will always share their toys, but try and keep their toys clean! Viruses can live on surfaces for up to 8 hours, so if you do what you can to remove these viruses from their toys, the less likelihood they’ll get sick.

4. Keep your child healthy by practicing a healthy lifestyle at home! Show your child that exercise is fun and that eating great food can taste great!

We hope that the above tips can help you to keep your child healthier when they start daycare at Growing Kids Learning Center in Elkhart. Learn more when you visit us online today!

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