Wednesday, November 11, 2009
8 Healthy Habits
These 8 Healthy Habits are great habits to form-not only for you, as a parent, but for you to teach your children from a very young age as well!
1.) Always Eat a Healthy Breakfast
2.)Eat more Fruits and Vegetables
3.)Limit or eliminate sweet drinks
4.)Limit screen time
5.)Increase your physical activity
6.) Eat meals together as a family
7.)Be positive about food
8.)Don't criticize about weight
We, at Welcome Baby, hope that as great parents, you will turn these habits into a daily routine so you'll be able to manage your lifestyle in a more positive and healthy way! You will also be a prime example to your kids as you teach them along the way. Best of luck to you!
Information taken from: http://intermountainlive.org/Pages/home.aspx?gclid=CL-Pjvfwg54CFShGagodwg9MqQ
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Clase de Octubre del Departamento de Salud del Condado de Utah.(October's Class- Parent Support Group in Spanish)
Queremos agradecerles a todas las familias que asistieron a la clase del mes de Octubre. Gracias a su asistencia y apoyo es que continuamos ofreciendo estas lecciones cada mes. Para aquellos que aun no saben de nuestro grupo aun están a tiempo para unirse. Estos grupos de apoyo suelen dares el cuarto jueves de cada mes de 6 a 7 de la noche. Los temas de cada clase son anunciados en el Departamento de Salud y también se pueden encontrar boletines en el Centro Hispano o en la clínica de Mountainlands en Provo. Todas las clases son gratuitas y abiertas al público. En el mes de Octubre hablamos sobre las pesadillas y maneras en que los padres pueden actuar si sus hijos padecen de ellas. También aprovechamos para celebrar el “Halloween” y como pueden ver en las fotos nos divertimos muchísimo. En el mes de Noviembre así que manténganse pendientes.
De nuevo, muchas gracias por su apoyo. Si tienen comentarios, opiniones o clases que quisieran que ofreciéramos en el futuro no duden en llamarnos o escribirnos. Nos encantaría saber sobre sus opiniones.
De nuevo, muchas gracias por su apoyo. Si tienen comentarios, opiniones o clases que quisieran que ofreciéramos en el futuro no duden en llamarnos o escribirnos. Nos encantaría saber sobre sus opiniones.
Friday, October 30, 2009
FREE THINGS to do with your kids in Provo, Utah!
Hey guys! We're always thinking of ways we can save money while having a great time with our kids, right? Well, I found a website that provides many ideas of free things you can do with your kids in Provo, Utah! Have your child learn how to build something at a free kids workshop from Home Depot or take them to the Provo City Library for story time! If your child likes art-there are plenty of museums to check out! Don't forget-all these things are free! Take a look and be amazed! FREE THINKING
Monday, October 5, 2009
Grupos de Apoyo para Padres en Español(Spanish Parent Support Group)
¡Además de las visitas que se hacen a hogares de familias que participan en el programa de Bienvenido Bebe, tenemos grupos de apoyo el cuarto jueves de cada mes! En el mes de Septiembre tuvimos la dicha de tener una invitada especial en nuestro grupo para hablarnos de salud oral.
Cuando hablamos de higiene dental muchos creemos ya tener los puntos básicos memorizados : cepillarnos los dientes después de comer y no comer dulces. ¿No es así? Aunque es bueno cepillarnos y evitar los dulces, el cuidado de los dientes requiere mucho más que solo eso. Es importante limpiar las encías y checar los dientes de nuestros hijos aun antes de que tengan sus primeros dientes, y acudir al dentista en cuanto veamos señales de caries. ¿Cuales son algunas de estas señales? Al principio notaremos unas pequeñas manchitas de color café sobre los dientes y estas pueden tornarse más oscuras al dejar pasar el tiempo. Aunque sabemos que los dientes de leche o los primeros dientes que tengan nuestros hijos se caerán algún día, es importante reconocer que estos guían los dientes permanentes. En otras palabras si sus dientes de leche tuvieron problemas las probabilidades de que los dientes permanentes tengan problemas también serán altas.
Estos grupos de apoyo están hechos especialmente para que los padres compartan sus inquietudes y sus preguntas. Como pudimos ver, en el mes de septiembre tuvimos muchas familias en esta clase y gracias a ellos aprendimos mucho de muy buenas preguntas hechas por padres y madres.
En este mes de Octubre festejaremos el Halloween, y hablaremos sobre los sueños. Para más información llámanos al 801.851.7065 o al 801.851.7538
Cuando hablamos de higiene dental muchos creemos ya tener los puntos básicos memorizados : cepillarnos los dientes después de comer y no comer dulces. ¿No es así? Aunque es bueno cepillarnos y evitar los dulces, el cuidado de los dientes requiere mucho más que solo eso. Es importante limpiar las encías y checar los dientes de nuestros hijos aun antes de que tengan sus primeros dientes, y acudir al dentista en cuanto veamos señales de caries. ¿Cuales son algunas de estas señales? Al principio notaremos unas pequeñas manchitas de color café sobre los dientes y estas pueden tornarse más oscuras al dejar pasar el tiempo. Aunque sabemos que los dientes de leche o los primeros dientes que tengan nuestros hijos se caerán algún día, es importante reconocer que estos guían los dientes permanentes. En otras palabras si sus dientes de leche tuvieron problemas las probabilidades de que los dientes permanentes tengan problemas también serán altas.
Estos grupos de apoyo están hechos especialmente para que los padres compartan sus inquietudes y sus preguntas. Como pudimos ver, en el mes de septiembre tuvimos muchas familias en esta clase y gracias a ellos aprendimos mucho de muy buenas preguntas hechas por padres y madres.
En este mes de Octubre festejaremos el Halloween, y hablaremos sobre los sueños. Para más información llámanos al 801.851.7065 o al 801.851.7538
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Halloween pretend and play!
This excerpt was taken from a mother that has loved dressing her kids up for Halloween! Make sure to jot down few notes from her great tips to help get your kids ready for the Halloween season. This, as well, will help broaden your kid's imagination through pretend and play!
Last night I spent the evening searching through patterns and material to make a specific
Halloween costume. My children are in their teens and early twenties but we still spend every
October preparing for their favorite holiday, Halloween. When my children were very young they loved to play dress up. We would
continually accumulate
outfits from friends, Salvation Army, and relatives. I also hit the stores after Halloween for great specials on dress ups. They had a complete wardrobe specifically for this purpose. So when October came around they were very
excited to dress up and choose a new character to impersonate. They would always choose characters that they loved in the stories we read. They were so
enthusiastic and I would involve them in the entire event: choosing the character, the costume, the dinner for the evening, and the friends we would include.
Halloween has always been one of their favorite holidays because we made traditions that allowed us to celebrate in the manner unique to our family. With little children it is important to set patterns and traditions within the home. As you think about what you want to do for Halloween
consider the traditions you would like to continue and the messages you would like share with your
children and others. We always included special friends and family for our dinner. My daughters still consider it an important day for our family to be
together even in their twenties.
With the month beginning and much to prepare for
remember to enjoy your child’s excitement. Make your child the leader of the band and follow the cues that will help them to have fun and learn much from this imagination packed holiday.
By: Barbara Leavitt
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
What Pregnant Mothers and new moms should know about the Swine Flu
As we approach the flu season, many pregnant mothers and new moms should be aware of the very contagious swine flu that is being passed around. Since pregnant mothers' bodies are immucompromised, they need to be extra careful with the contact they make with other people. New moms should also be aware of the small immune systems their babies have, making them a more serious target when compared to other age groups. The following video put on by the Department of Health and Human Services will inform mothers on different ways they can be more cautious as the flu season closely draws near.
For more information on the swine flu and pregnant mothers, go to: The Swine Flu and Pregnant Mothers
For more information on the swine flu and pregnant mothers, go to: The Swine Flu and Pregnant Mothers
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Grupos de Juego en Español
¡Welcome Baby o Bienvenido Bebe en Español también ofrece sus servicios gratuitos a la comunidad Hispana! Es muy fácil involucrarse, solo tienen que asistir y venir listos para aprender y divertirse un ratito.
Los beneficios de pertenecer a un grupo de juego pueden ser enormes. Las investigaciones de los expertos en desarrollo infantil han demostrado que el proporcionar un ambiente sano en que los niños pequeños pueden jugar y compartir con otros niños puede ser de mucho beneficio para su desarrollo social, especialmente a una edad temprana.
El juego en si puede ser un medio para preparar a los niños o bebes para situaciones o problemas que tengan que enfrentar en un futuro. Un buen ejemplo podría ser la escuela, por medio del juego y de actividades estructuradas podemos enseñarles a nuestros pequeños un poquito de lo que experimentaran una vez que entren a la escuela. De igual manera se puede jugar a la comidita y aprender al mismo tiempo sobre la diferencia entre frutas y verduras; se puede jugar a los carritos y aprender un poco sobre las funciones de diferentes automóviles como las grúas, ambulancias, o las camionetas, etc.
Aun mas, el juego es siempre un buen momento para fomentar la comunicación y el lenguaje entre los pequeñitos. Al usar palabras y gestos durante la hora de jugar, podemos introducir conceptos útiles y básicos como los colores, números y tamaños. No olvidemos, la imaginación es una herramienta útil que los niños ya tienen y solo hay que sustentar con nuevas y buenas experiencias.
En uno de nuestros grupos de juego usamos una alberquita para bebes y la llenamos con “peanuts” que se usan cuando se empacan objetos que se pueden romper. Solo hay que asegurarse cuando se compren que la bolsa diga que estos se pueden deshacer con el agua. Esto es solo por precaución en caso que uno de los niños llegue a meterse uno de estos a la boca, no exista peligro de sofocación.
Después de llenar la alberquita con los “peanuts” escondimos todo tipo de juguetes dentro de la alberquita para que los niños los encontraran. Además de ser una actividad divertida es una buena manera de que los bebes y niños pequeños liberen su curiosidad y que puedan explorar en un ambiente seguro.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Welcome Baby Goes to Australia
That's right! Welcome Baby is helping families all the way in Australia! A health professional recently found our website and is now using our playgroup lessons to help moms in her area. Here's what she has to say about Welcome Baby:
I am a teacher , Sensory Integration specialist & the director of the Essential Play and Essential Moves Programmes, in Newcastle Australia.
We work with two groups of children- children with learning and behaviour problems aged 5-12 years, and now children from birth to 5 years.
What we have found over the years is that many of the children presenting with learning or behaviour problems in school missed out on vital developmental stages as babies or young children. So we started to develop a programme to educate and support parents through this vital stage.
In my research for lessons and ideas, I stumbled across the amazing “Welcome Baby” programme in Utah! Thank goodness for the internet! This programme is full of current and relevant information for parents, and is obviously well researched and delivered.
As an educator, but more importantly as a parent, I can see that this programme is innovative and educational and just what parents need. There is no need for parents to do it on their own! These playgroups will help parents network and very importantly, get the RIGHT information about all facets of parenting.
I am delighted to say that we will be using many of their lessons & handouts for our new parents.
Thankyou, and keep up the good work.
Cate Larke
Newcastle, Australia
I am a teacher , Sensory Integration specialist & the director of the Essential Play and Essential Moves Programmes, in Newcastle Australia.
We work with two groups of children- children with learning and behaviour problems aged 5-12 years, and now children from birth to 5 years.
What we have found over the years is that many of the children presenting with learning or behaviour problems in school missed out on vital developmental stages as babies or young children. So we started to develop a programme to educate and support parents through this vital stage.
In my research for lessons and ideas, I stumbled across the amazing “Welcome Baby” programme in Utah! Thank goodness for the internet! This programme is full of current and relevant information for parents, and is obviously well researched and delivered.
As an educator, but more importantly as a parent, I can see that this programme is innovative and educational and just what parents need. There is no need for parents to do it on their own! These playgroups will help parents network and very importantly, get the RIGHT information about all facets of parenting.
I am delighted to say that we will be using many of their lessons & handouts for our new parents.
Thankyou, and keep up the good work.
Cate Larke
Newcastle, Australia
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Playgroup Lessons
The playgroup lessons are now up on our website! To access them, visit http://www.unitedwayuc.org/welcomebaby/playgroups.php. There are 52 lessons, one for each week of the year, under the heading, "PLAY, LEARN, and THRIVE: Ages 1-5." We are also working on holiday lessons which can be substituted in as desired. Those should be posted within the next couple of weeks.
We will also continue to work on playgroup lessons for mothers, which are especially helpful in the first year of the baby's life, and consist of lessons such as carseat safety, teething, and infant massage. 23 of these lessons are currently posted on the website under the heading, "FIRST YEAR PLAYGROUP CURRICULUM."
Feel free to contact us if you would like help setting up a playgroup!
We will also continue to work on playgroup lessons for mothers, which are especially helpful in the first year of the baby's life, and consist of lessons such as carseat safety, teething, and infant massage. 23 of these lessons are currently posted on the website under the heading, "FIRST YEAR PLAYGROUP CURRICULUM."
Feel free to contact us if you would like help setting up a playgroup!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Play dough Elephant
Did you know that play dough is a great toy to encourage children development? They have a fun time squeezing, squashing, and pushing the interesting dough. What is even more exciting is that there is no need to spend a lot of money on this great toy. Here is a recipe for home made play dough for parents to use!
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbs cooking oil
Food coloring
Stir all the ingredients together over medium heat until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Then, knead the warm dough and store in a plastic bag. After the mixture cools, let the kids play!
One fun activity that parents can do with their children is to encourage them to make different shapes. A child's first three shapes are usually snake, ball, and pancake shapes. Try making an elephant with just these three shapes. Start with two balls, one for the head and one for the body. Next, make two pancake shapes to make the ears. Next, make two snake shapes for the trunk and the tail. Finally, make four fat snakes for the legs. Put them all together and you get this!
See how many animals or objects you can make out of play dough with those three shapes. Have fun teaching your child about texture, animals, and play!
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbs cooking oil
Food coloring
Stir all the ingredients together over medium heat until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Then, knead the warm dough and store in a plastic bag. After the mixture cools, let the kids play!
One fun activity that parents can do with their children is to encourage them to make different shapes. A child's first three shapes are usually snake, ball, and pancake shapes. Try making an elephant with just these three shapes. Start with two balls, one for the head and one for the body. Next, make two pancake shapes to make the ears. Next, make two snake shapes for the trunk and the tail. Finally, make four fat snakes for the legs. Put them all together and you get this!
See how many animals or objects you can make out of play dough with those three shapes. Have fun teaching your child about texture, animals, and play!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Great news!
Welcome Baby's Playgroup Lessons are now available on a CD!
To receive a copy by mail, please contact the Welcome Baby office. Our contact information can be found on Welcome Baby's website.
To receive a copy by mail, please contact the Welcome Baby office. Our contact information can be found on Welcome Baby's website.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Freedom Festival Baby Contest
Welcome Baby attended the Freedom Festival Baby contest! The babies were dressed up to go along with the freedom theme, and they were able to play in a room with many toys that facilitate development, such as a bubble wrap mat and a parachute. We were able to present about playgroups. The playgroup curriculum can be found on our website.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fun Summer Activities for the Family!
Summer is here and there are lots of ways to enjoy the sunny weather in Utah! Here are some ideas for you and your family to enjoy. Don't forget to wear your sunscreen!
The Hogle Zoo
Information on hours and admissions can be found here.
The Timpanogos Caves
This is a 1.5 mile hike on a paved trail. However, the trail climbs about 1,000 feet. For this reason strollers are not allowed. Information about cave tours and park admission prices can be found here.
Thanksgiving Point-Farm Country
This is an inexpensive way to give your children experience with life on the farm! It is only $3.50 a person, with children two and under getting in for FREE! More information can be found here.
Movies in the Park
This is a FREE event every Monday night in August starting at 9:00 pm. Movies are shown on a huge 25 ft. screen! Just bring a blanket, some pillows, bug repellent, and some popcorn! Here are the dates of the movies:
• August 3 – The Man Who Knew Too Much
• August 10 – Ten Little Indians
• August 17 – Arsenic and Old Lace
• August 24 – The Shaggy Dog
• August 31 – The Absent-Minded Professor
This event is held at Rock Canyon Park in Provo, Utah.
Pioneer Day Extravaganza
On Friday, July 24, 2009 from 10 am to 2 pm at North Park (500 North 500 West in Provo) there will be a celebration of Utah's roots! Come enjoy food, games, music, a wild west show and more! For more information please call 801-852-7635.
Visit your neighborhood park!
Here are some parks in the valley that sound like fun!
Provo: Visit this website for information on parks and recreation in Provo
Lehi: Click here for information on Lehi City Parks
American Fork: Information on parks in American Fork can be found by clicking here.
Springville: Click here for information on parks and recreation activities in Springville this summer.
Spanish Fork: This website provides information on park reservations and recreation activities in Spanish Fork.
Payson: You can find information on Payson City Parks and Recreation here.
For more Summer Activities, take a look at the Child Care Resource and Referral Center's Summer Activity Guide
The Hogle Zoo
Information on hours and admissions can be found here.
The Timpanogos Caves
This is a 1.5 mile hike on a paved trail. However, the trail climbs about 1,000 feet. For this reason strollers are not allowed. Information about cave tours and park admission prices can be found here.
Thanksgiving Point-Farm Country
This is an inexpensive way to give your children experience with life on the farm! It is only $3.50 a person, with children two and under getting in for FREE! More information can be found here.
Movies in the Park
This is a FREE event every Monday night in August starting at 9:00 pm. Movies are shown on a huge 25 ft. screen! Just bring a blanket, some pillows, bug repellent, and some popcorn! Here are the dates of the movies:
• August 3 – The Man Who Knew Too Much
• August 10 – Ten Little Indians
• August 17 – Arsenic and Old Lace
• August 24 – The Shaggy Dog
• August 31 – The Absent-Minded Professor
This event is held at Rock Canyon Park in Provo, Utah.
Pioneer Day Extravaganza
On Friday, July 24, 2009 from 10 am to 2 pm at North Park (500 North 500 West in Provo) there will be a celebration of Utah's roots! Come enjoy food, games, music, a wild west show and more! For more information please call 801-852-7635.
Visit your neighborhood park!
Here are some parks in the valley that sound like fun!
Provo: Visit this website for information on parks and recreation in Provo
Lehi: Click here for information on Lehi City Parks
American Fork: Information on parks in American Fork can be found by clicking here.
Springville: Click here for information on parks and recreation activities in Springville this summer.
Spanish Fork: This website provides information on park reservations and recreation activities in Spanish Fork.
Payson: You can find information on Payson City Parks and Recreation here.
For more Summer Activities, take a look at the Child Care Resource and Referral Center's Summer Activity Guide
Monday, June 29, 2009
Volunteering for Welcome Baby
Here are some wonderful ways to volunteer for the Welcome Baby Program.
Home Visitor: As a home visitor, you will be asked to contribute 4 hours a month for eight months. During this time, you will be visiting 1-3 families/months and giving them information about child development, activities they can be doing with their child, and other health issues all parents should know about. You will be asked to attend a training in-service once a quarter (they are offered monthly). Here, you will get to know about the community resources in the area that you can then pass on to your families.
Donations: We like to give each of the new families a quilt or receiving blanket to show them how much we care for them. We also like to give them any baby items that we have available. All of these items are donated from the community. We would love a donation from you. You can donate to us knowing that the items will go to families in need.
For more information about volunteering for Welcome Baby, please visit our website.
Home Visitor: As a home visitor, you will be asked to contribute 4 hours a month for eight months. During this time, you will be visiting 1-3 families/months and giving them information about child development, activities they can be doing with their child, and other health issues all parents should know about. You will be asked to attend a training in-service once a quarter (they are offered monthly). Here, you will get to know about the community resources in the area that you can then pass on to your families.
Donations: We like to give each of the new families a quilt or receiving blanket to show them how much we care for them. We also like to give them any baby items that we have available. All of these items are donated from the community. We would love a donation from you. You can donate to us knowing that the items will go to families in need.
For more information about volunteering for Welcome Baby, please visit our website.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Home Visits
One of the resources that Welcome Baby offers is a Home Visitation program. As a family in our program, you will have the opportunity to have one of our volunteers come to your home once per month to give you important information about your child's physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. Because a baby changes so much in a short amount of time, having a visitor come each month will help you know what you should be looking for in your child during the month to come.A home visit usually lasts between 30-45 minutes. We will begin by asking how things have been going through the transition to parenthood. This includes addressing any concerns you have, questions that may come up, or resources you want to know about. Then, we have a lesson prepared that discusses the changes your child may go through in the next month and an activity you can do with your child to encourage proper development.
Parents have expressed how wonderful it is to have a home visitor. In a short amount of time, the visitor and the parents can become close friends. Some of our families have been with us for a number of years with the same visitor. For more information about our home visitor program, and to sign up to have a home visitor come to your home, please visit our website.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Timp Regional Playgroup-May 2009
Welcome Baby sponsored the Timp Regional Playgroup in May. We brought a plastic swimming pool filled with packing peanuts with toys hidden inside. As the children dug through the packing peanuts to find the different toys, the concept of object permanence was reinforced. This activity also encourages exploration. The kids had a great time being involved with the activity and playing together!
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