We work very hard to make sure that our graduates are well versed in the topics they will see in kindergarten in the Fremont School District. 

Below is a sample of the letter chart that is found in all Fremont kindergarten classes. Fremont Kid's Academy introduces the letters the same way so that children are familiar with them when they enter kindergarten.

"I feel that children need to be provided with a solid foundation prior to entering the classroom. If we have accomplished that task, I consider our program a success." says Dana Wilson, Director Fremont Kid's Academy

Everyday presents an opportunity to let the environment be our teacher. 

Today we didn't let the dreary weather stop us, but used it as inspiration to learn the letter U. We got out our Umbrellas and went for an Umbrella walk in the rain. The children sang "U says uh, like uh uh Umbrella."
-Dana Wilson
Check out our phonic shapes to learn more about how Fremont Kid's Academy introduces the letters based on the way they sound.
Phonic Shapes Chart

Fremont Kid's Academy strives to prepare its students for kindergarten and early reading.  Learning the alphabet can be a daunting task so we have broken it down into manageable groups of letters that all have the same mouth shape when the sound of the letter is produced. 

Below you will find our phonic shape chart that shows how we group the letters and introduce them to our students. Each image shows a mouth shape with the black lines showing the lips, the red line showing the tongue and the green dot representing the actual sound of the letter. For example on the first phonic shape image below you will see that the mouth is open and the sound comes from the back of the throat - say the "a" sound like in apple, or the "e" sound like in elephant, "i" in inch, etc...for each of our letters there is a mouth shape represented below.

As we introduce language to the children learning to read at Fremont Kid's Academy we group the letters into groups that all have the same mouth shape.

Each week we present a different set of letters and we study items that start with those letters so that the children get practice using the sounds of the letters and connecting it to the letter they are learning to recognize. 

This all seems very serious but when we are hopping around saying "hu hu hop" it sure seems like just fun.
-Dana Wilson

Serving high quality meals is very important at Fremont Kid's Academy. Parents know that their children are getting high quality, nutritional food everyday and the children love it because we serve it in fun and interesting ways. 

Here's a few ideas on making a great meal at home.

Separate ingredients - children love to have finger foods and they like to experience the texture of food. You can also encourage picky eaters by allowing them to use their food as art materials. Imagine a paper plate "painted" red with ketchup by a broccoli brush. 

Hide ingredients - if you know that your child would rather visit the dentist than consume a certain healthy food, hide it in something else yummy. Make a smoothie with bananas, milk, yogurt, orange juice, and (the dreaded) broccoli.

Dress up ingredients - put a cheese hat on your toddler's apple, or olive eyes and tomato smile on their sandwich and watch them disappear.

Keep trying new things (and old) - taste preferences change often for young food connoisseurs and something that was refused yesterday may be accepted today. Keep trying and you may find with just a little encouragement your little eater is not so picky. 

Wading through all the information about rear-facing car seats, forwarding-facing car seats, booster seats, and seat belts can be daunting.

Here are recommendations from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

• Select a car seat based on your child's age and size, and choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it EVERY TIME.
  
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer's instructions; read the vehicle owner's manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH system; and check height and weight limits.
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer's height and weight requirements.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.

Birth -12 Months
Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car seats: Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1-3 Years
Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height and weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

4-7 Years
Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it's time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat. 

8-12 Years
Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Remember: your child should still ride in the back seat because it's safer there.

Quinoa is a grain/cereal from the Andes that is easy to cook, great for you and tastes fabulous. It can be prepared in many different ways and easily takes on both savory and sweet flavors.

At Fremont Kid's Academy we strive to serve the most palatable and nutritious meals to the children in our care. Quinoa is a main character in many of our meals and the children love it! They have no idea that it contains nearly all of the amino acids we need, is the source of a complete protein and has many vitamins such as phosphorous, magnesium, and iron.  

My favorite way to prepare it is in the following recipe.

1 cup of Quinoa Seeds
1.5 Cups chicken or vegetable broth
Combine seeds and broth, simmer for 15 minutes until soft and translucent.

3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP chili oil (optional)
1 diced sweet potato
1/4 cups diced onions

In a large skillet combine all ingredients above until potatoes and onions are soft. Add cooked quinoa and stir until hot.

Serve immediately! Enjoy.
-Dana Wilson

When changing your baby's diaper you may not be thinking of spending quality time with him/her but this is a great opportunity to give undivided attention to your little one.

Here's a few games you can play to add teaching and fun to your routine:

Count the Buttons: Sing a song that helps baby to learn numbers like "one little, two little, three little buttons, four little, five little, six little buttons, seven little, eight little, nine little buttons, ten little buttons on your onesie."

Listen? - Hear That?: Ask your baby to listen for the snaps or velcro on their clothes. When you hear it, use your facial expressions and body language to be over-joyed at hearing the sound.

Sing the Alphabet: The old standby of the alphabet song can be used at any time...you can change it up for older toddlers and see if they can find the differences...start with Z and see if they notice. If you know the alphabet in other languages, now is one of the best times to teach them.

 How Many Fingers? How many Toes?: Children love to have their fingers and toes counted...count your own as well, they like to see comparisons.

Take advantage of this regularly occuring time to really give your baby or toddler undivided attention. They won't thank you for it, but they will certainly benefit from it!
-Dana Wilson

Toddler's are constantly testing their environment and maybe the limits of your patience. Try distraction as a method to keep them on track. If your little angel is getting into the bathroom cupboards (again!) try putting them infront of a talking book or moving toy...or better yet bring that toy into the bathroom in the first place, before they become interested in the contents of the cupboards.

Another trick that works well with my little explorer is to ask him to put his hands in his pockets to keep him from touching whatever it is that I don't want him touching. To keep it interesting and positive for him, every once in a while I will slip a surprise in his pocket for him to find. Nothing too small to be a choking hazard.
-Dana Wilson

The weather is beautiful and children want nothing more than to be outside. The outdoors is a fabulous place to be and as long as some basic safety measures are taken is perfect for children of all ages to explore. Here's a list of some safety tips for the coming warm weather:

Use Sunscreen - a sunburn hurts, and can do lasting damage to sensitive skin. Use a child safe sunscreen and apply regularly, don't forget to reapply after swimming and water fun.

Drink Lots of Water - Dehydration can happen quickly and even in weather that is moderately warm. Children tend to get wrapped up in their play time and may forget to continuously drink water. Provide water in fun sippy cups and keep reminding them to drink up.

Swimming Safely - Swimming can be one of the best ways to cool down but always be safe by staying withing arms reach of children who cannot swim and keeping your eyes on the children that can. Drowning takes only 
a short amount of time and can look just like playing. We often think that someone who is drowning will call out for help, but the exact opposite is true...drowning is silent. Setting good water safety habits is crucial to happy swimming kids. Remind swimmers to always ask or notify an adult who can watch them, that they are going into the water and swim with a buddy at all times.

Watch out for Venomous Creatures - know your local fauna and keep children away from habitats where spiders, snakes, and other venomous animals live. Wood piles, under decks, and under rocks are some locations to look out for...have fun but stay aware of potential threats.

Not Even for a Second - Do not leave children unattended in a vehicle, even for a second on hot days. Not only is it very dangerous as interior vehicle temperatures can reach over 140 degrees Fahrenheit on a day that is only 90 degrees, but it is also illegal. Just don't leave children in the car and there is nothing to worry about. If grandparents or other family members who are not used to caring for children will be transporting them during the summer, put a cute little sticker on their driver's side window that says, "Don't Forget the Baby." Sometimes adults who are not used to transporting children forget that the baby sleeping in the back seat is there, we all get side tracked sometimes and may need a little reminder. 

Enjoy the wonderful weather and keep everyone safe at the same time.

-Dana Wilson

Don't Forget to Do Your Taxes - and Save - with the Child Care Tax Credit

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/taxes/T054-C001-S001-faqs-on-the-child-care-tax-credit.html


Visit the link above for more information, and as always seek professional guidance with your taxes. Below is an excerpt from the article that may help guide you with saving the most money.
-Dana Wilson

"What expenses qualify for the child-care tax credit, and who qualifies?

You can claim this credit if you spend money for the care of children younger than 13 so that you can work or look for work. You must have earned income (that's earnings from a job, not investments) to qualify for the credit, and if you’re married, both you and your spouse must have a job or be a full-time student.

The cost of day care, preschool, before- and after-school care, day camp, or a nanny or other babysitter can count toward the credit.

How much is the credit worth?

That depends on the number of children, the cost of care, and your income. You can count up to $3,000 in child-care expenses for one child, or up to $6,000 for two or more children. The credit is a percentage of the amount spent on child care, and that percentage gradually decreases as income increases. Families that earn less than $15,000 can claim a credit for 35% of qualifying expenses; families that earn more than $43,000 get the smallest credit: 20% on eligible costs.

Is there a maximum income limit?

No. Regardless of your income, you can benefit from the credit. Keep in mind that this is a credit, not a deduction, so it lowers your tax bill dollar for dollar.


Does the cost of kindergarten count toward the credit?

No. The cost of kindergarten and higher grades is considered to be an educational expense, not a child-care expense, so it doesn't qualify for the child-care credit. However, any before- or after-school care -- whether it's through the school, another organization or a nanny or babysitter -- can count toward the credit until the child turns 13.

If your child has not yet reached kindergarten, the cost of his or her program can count toward the credit -- whether it’s called preschool, pre-kindergarten, nursery school or day care.

Are there other expenses that count?

Fees paid to a nanny agency or a deposit for a preschool program can count toward the credit if it's required to receive the care (if you forfeited the deposit and didn't use the program, however, the deposit is not eligible). Transportation costs can count toward the credit if the caregiver, as part of the care, takes your child somewhere and bills you for the cost of travel.

What forms are needed to claim the credit?

To claim the credit, file Form 2441 with your federal tax return. You’ll have to report the care provider’s employer-identification number or Social Security number. For more information, see IRS Publication 503 Child and Dependent Care Expenses and the instructions for Form 2441.

Is it better to take the dependent-care credit or pay for care with money funneled through a flexible-spending account at work?

If your employer offers a flexible-spending account for dependent-care expenses, then that’s usually more valuable. The money set aside in the FSA is subtracted from your paycheck before income taxes are calculated, and it also avoids the 7.65% Social Security and Medicare tax. So if you're in the 15% income-tax bracket, you won't have to pay the 15% federal tax or the 7.65% Social Security tax, which means that you'll avoid paying a total of 22.65% in taxes on that money. In that case, contributing the maximum $5,000 to your dependent-care flex plan cuts your tax bill by $1,133. The benefits of the FSA get even better as your tax bracket rises. (And, in most states, avoiding state income taxes is frosting on the cake.) See Flexible Spending Account vs. Dependent-Care Credit for more information.

If you have two or more children and child-care expenses exceeding $5,000, however, you might be able to benefit from both the FSA and the dependent-care credit. You can set aside up to $5,000 in pretax money in your FSA and claim the dependent-care credit for up to $1,000 in additional expenses."


Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/article/taxes/T054-C001-S001-faqs-on-the-child-care-tax-credit.html#ucvhzDEXx0iFqlbP.99 

Sleep is Amazing

We all need good sleep and children need even more than adults. Sleep is the best restorative activity that we can participate in, allowing the brain to rest and the body to recuperate. 

All of the developmental opportunities that the brain has during the day are solidified during sleep. Memory consolidation occurs during sleep - this is the time when children really learn their ABC's and shapes and numbers.

Babies and toddlers need regular sleep routines including night time and nap time schedules that help them maintain normal sleep patterns. Not sleeping enough can cause damage in the brain and decrease school functioning and is associated with higher incidences of behavioral problems.

Teaching good sleep habits is one of the best gifts we can give our children (and ourselves). It is important that children learn to put themselves to sleep so that they are not dependent on us to soothe them to sleep.  A child that knows how to put himself to sleep may wake up during a nap or in the middle of the night and can just roll over and go back to sleep. Good night sleep tight.

- Dana Wilson

Asking a toddler to share his toy is like asking him to give it away forever...it's not logical. He doesn't know yet that if he is cooperative and patient he will not only get his toy back, he'll also have a friend to help him play.

As parents and caregivers we have to realize that we can't expect our angry little playmates to understand that we are trying to be fair when we tell them to share their toy.  The best thing we can do is set a good example and manage the interaction for them.  Multiple versions of the same item and many different choices for curious friends to pick from can help prevent tantrums. 

With maturity comes compassion and acceptance and our little friends will soon be bored with their toys unless they have someone to share them with.
-Dana Wilson