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15111 Avery Ranch Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78717
(512)218-9669
March, 2013
Www.krkaustin.com
Infant Playground
Inside this issue:
Infant Playground
1
Record books in your 1
voice on ABC Mouse
Director’s letter
2
400 & 450 news
3
NAEYC update
3
Children’s oral
health
4
10 things parent
should know about
5
Kindergarten
News
6
School pictures
Celebration
6
Healthy Foods,
Happy Tummies
7
Spring Break
8
Who’s Birthday?
8
As a reminder,
Kids R Kids will be
closed in
observance of
Good Friday on
March 29th.
Mr. John and Mr. Angel have completed the new infant toddler playground with a
Splash pad. We are very excited for the infants and toddlers to have enjoyable
play area.
Record books in your voice on ABC Mouse
All Library books on ABC Mouse contain special features that are designed to
help children have fun and effective reading experiences. Many books in the
Library can be read aloud by the site’s audio reader. Note this this feature can
be turned off so that a teacher or another caregiver can read the book to the
child instead. Please explore the features of digital storytelling on ABC
Mouse with your children. By utilizing this feature, you can co-create digital
books and use digital audio files with the child as the narrator. Please record books on ABC Mouse and save them so we
can listen to your audio versions of the book (or, even the
grandparent's voice overs) in our class!
Dear parents,
February was an exciting month at Kids R Kids Learning Academy! First of all, I would like to welcome all the new
families that have recently joined us. Thank you for choosing us to care for your children. It is our mission to provide
a secure, nurturing, and educational environment for children, a place for children to bloom into responsible, considerate and contributing members of society. Still, we cannot truly meet this mission without your help. As a familyowned and operated organization, please know that Kids R Kids welcomes positive family involvement and encourages
a parent-teacher approach where the need of every child comes first. Therefore, as an example to our new families,
I would next like to express my gratitude to all the parents who joined our Valentine celebration on February
14th. The children were so cheerful to celebrate the season of friendship and love with a great sock hop celebration
and the support of their parents.
For several years now, Pre-k and Kindergarten have made attending Elmo Live a field trip tradition. The show was
amazing as always and rated as a top notch production. The songs were catchy and kids were dancing in their
seats. Our children enjoyed experiencing Big Bird, Elmo, Snuffaluffagus, and Oscar the Grouch come alive onstage
and had a great time. A big thanks goes out to all parents who volunteered for this event, your help and support is
always appreciated.
The year 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet
him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people
born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in snake years are wise, charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart. In honor of this important cultural event, Suite 500 and 550 celebrated Chinese New Year on February 11th with a festive parade. The children were excited to find out the meaning
of Chinese New Year, how it's celebrated, and what it means. Did you know that the Chinese New Year is the longest
and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar?
Finally, we kick started the last week of February by celebrating Dr. Seuss! Over the course of his long career, Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote over 60 books. Though most were published under his well-known pseudonym, Dr. Seuss, he
also authored over a dozen books as Theo LeSieg and one as Rosetta Stone. His books have topped many bestseller
lists, sold over 600 million copies, and been translated into more than 20 languages. His most celebrated books include the best-selling Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hatches
the Egg, Horton Hears a Who!, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! All the classrooms decorated their classroom
doors with child friendly art highlighting Dr. Seuss and his books. We also had a special reader join us on February 28 th
to read the children’s favorite Dr. Seuss books aloud. The author's birthday has been adopted as the annual date for
National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.
Ahead in March, we will celebrate with an Egg-xtravagaza! Egg hunts will take place on March 22 nd (preschool) and
March 28th (Pre-k). Please help us with donations of pre-filled eggs without peanut products to keep the children safe
and healthy. Spring break is also around the corner beginning on March 11 th to 15th. During that week, we will have
presentations from Urgent care on hand washing and a dentist visit as well. On Wednesday, March 13th, the after
school children will be going to the movies! In addition to those items already mentioned, there will be numerous
other activities that are planned for the month that will be provided by the classrooms.
Thank you so much for your continued support and for being a part of our Kids R Kids family. You and your children
make our jobs worthwhile!
Kind regards,
Rola
Children in Suite 400 and 450 have started using the
Hand Writing without Tears book!
“Children learn joyfully with the multisensory readiness activities in My First School Book. This
updated edition of the award-winning Get Set for School activity book helps children of different abilities develop crucial readiness and pre-writing skills. The HWT teaching order is
successful because it follows a developmental teaching sequence. We teach easy letters first,
beginning with capitals and then teaching letters in groups of similar stroke sequence. When
students master easier skills, they are better prepared to learn more difficult groups—those
prone to reversals or having diagonal lines. As a result, children gain mastery and confidence
more quickly and can focus on the content of their work rather than the mechanics of letter
formation. The HWT teaching order results in writing that is fluid, legible, and automatic.”
http://www.hwtears.com/hwt
NAEYC website for Families
We are honored that the National Association for the Education of Young Children is bringing
“Families Today” to its website. Please check it out on this website: http://families.naeyc.org/
This column formerly syndicated by the New York Times, appeared every week in newspapers and
magazines around the country and abroad for more than 20 years. It has long been a widely read
forum for the everyday as well as unusual questions and concerns about children’s behavior, development, learning, and health posed by parents, grandparents, teachers, pediatricians, and other adults everywhere who care for and about children.
This website has always sought not simply to dispense tips and advice, as if raising and educating
children were as simple as 10 easy steps, and as if parents and teachers didn’t already know better than anyone about the children in their care. Instead, they have tried to help make children’s
behavior meaningful, and to help adults see the world through their eyes, while honoring the understanding that adult caregivers already have of the children they know best.
Children's Oral Health
Overview
Tooth decay (dental caries) affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease.
Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infections that may lead to problems; such as eating, speaking, playing, and
learning. The good news is that tooth decay and other oral diseases that can affect children are preventable. The
combination of dental sealants and fluoride has the potential to nearly eliminate tooth decay in school-age children.
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do
Here are some things you can do to ensure good oral health for your child:

Encourage your children to eat regular nutritious meals and avoid frequent between-meal snacking.

Protect your child's teeth with fluoride.

Use a fluoride toothpaste. If your child is less than 7 years old, put only a pea-sized amount on their toothbrush.

If your drinking water is not fluoridated, talk to a dentist or physician about the best way to protect your child's
teeth.

Talk to your child's dentist about dental sealants. They protect teeth from decay.

If you are pregnant, get prenatal care and eat a healthy diet. The diet should include folic acid to prevent birth
defects of the brain and spinal cord and possibly cleft lip/palate.
Check out the following Web sites for more tips on children's oral health:
Infant Formula and Fluoridated Water — This page answers frequently asked questions (FAQ's) about mixing infant
formula with fluoridated water.
Brush Up on Healthy Teeth — This is a health education campaign including a Brush Up Quiz for Parents, Tip Sheet,
and Poster. En español.
Related Links
Oral Health for Kids
Oral Health and Pregnancy
Oral Health and Learning
The Community Guide/Oral Health*
Fact Sheets and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Children's Oral Health Journal Articles and Publications
School-Based Dental Sealants
Community Water Fluoridation
My Water's Fluoride
10 Things Every Parent Should Know about Play!
1.Children learn through their play:

Don’t underestimate the value of play.
Children learn and develop:

cognitive skills – like math and problem solving in a pretend grocery store

physical abilities – like balancing blocks and running on the playground

new vocabulary – like the words they need to play with toy dinosaurs

social skills – like playing together in a pretend car wash

literacy skills – like creating a menu for a pretend restaurant
2.Play is healthy: Play helps children grow strong and healthy. It also counteracts obesity issues facing many children today.
3.Play reduces stress: Play helps your children grow emotionally. It is joyful and provides an outlet for anxiety and
stress.
4.Play is more than meets the eye: Play is simple and complex. There are many types of play: symbolic, sociodramatic, functional, and games with rules-–to name just a few. Researchers study play’s many aspects: how children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts children’s health, the effects of screen time on play, to the
need for recess in the school day.
5.Make time for play: As parents, you are the biggest supporters of your children’s learning. You can make sure
they have as much time to play as possible during the day to promote cognitive, language, physical, social, and
emotional development.
6.Play and learning go hand-in-hand: They are not separate activities. They are intertwined. Think about them as a
science lecture with a lab. Play is the child’s lab.
7.Play outside: Remember your own outdoor experiences of building forts, playing the beach, sledding in the winter, or playing with other children in the neighborhood. Make sure your children create outdoor memories too.
8.There’s a lot to learn about play: There’s a lot written on children and play. David Elkind’s The Power of Play (Da
Capo, 2007 reprint) is also a great resource.
9.Trust your own playful instincts: Remember as a child how play just came naturally? Give your children time for
play and see all that they are capable of when given the opportunity.
10.Play is a child’s context for learning: Children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play.
It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet. For example, in playing restaurant, children write and draw menus, set prices, take orders, and make out checks. Play
provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem.
See more at: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/child-development/10-things-every-parentshould-know-about-play#sthash.guVukVqG.dpuf
Kindergarten News
Enrollment for the upcoming
kindergarten school year will begin
on April 1st.
In preparation for this, Ms. Amanda
will be pulling students who are
interested to her class for
assessments and observation. For
more information involving our
kindergarten program, please stop
by either the office or Ms. Amanda’s
class to sign-up.
[email protected]
School Pictures Celebration
March Newsletter
Healthy Foods, Happy Tummies
Does your kid have a tummy ache again? Belly pain affects lots of kids, so your family isn't alone. It’s usually not serious, but it's
no fun for kids or their parents. If your child’s pain is really bad or doesn’t go away after a day, he should see a doctor. But for
minor tummy aches, a few changes to your child's diet may help. Here are some things to try.

Add more fiber ... Fiber is key for a healthy tummy. "Fiber keeps the digestive system moving and helps clean you out," says
Kristi King, MPH, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Both soluble fiber (which the body breaks
down) and insoluble fiber (which it doesn't) are important. Fruits and vegetables tend to have both.

... but don't add too much fiber. Excess fiber can cause gas and bloating -- another cause of kid tummy troubles. Kids ages 1
to 3 need 14 grams of fiber a day -- that's equal to a medium banana, 1/2 cup of cooked beans, and a whole-wheat English
muffin. Older kids up to age 14 need between 17 to 25 grams per day -- add 1/3 cup of bran cereal and a handful of almonds
--depending on their age and sex.

Serve more yogurt. Unlike most other dairy products, yogurt is full of living, helpful germs called probiotics. Probiotics also
live inside us. They help digest food and get rid of bad germs. Offer your kid a fruit smoothie for breakfast -- you get the
benefits of fiber and probiotics at the same time.

Cut down on sugar. Some sugars aren’t easily digested. When your kids gobble too much sugary food, they can get gas and
painful cramps. Any sugary food -- even fruits and fruit juices, in high amounts -- can cause the problem.

Don't allow fizzy drinks. The gas in bubbly drinks can cause painful gas and bloating. For minor tummy troubles -- and for allaround good digestion -- these tips may help. "Some kids just don't have the right enzymes to break down certain foods, like
natural sugars in fruits or dairy," King says. If your child has this problem, diagnosis and diet changes could help.
Treating Digestive Problems

What about other digestive problems in kids? Here are a few with tips on how to tackle them.

Constipation. For most constipated kids, the best cure is more fiber. Add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and highfiber cereals. "Extra glasses of water are really important for constipation too," King says. It helps keep food moving and
softens the stool.

Diarrhea. Serious ongoing diarrhea needs medical attention. If it's minor, some of the simple changes above -- like adding
fiber and cutting down on sugary drinks, including fruit -- can help. Foods like oatmeal and bananas bulk up the stool.

Stomach viruses. If your child has a stomach bug, here are three steps for treating it.

Start with fluids. If your child is throwing up, dehydration is a risk. Have him sip water or a special drink with electrolytes,
like Infalyte, Pedialyte, or Rehydralyte.

Try bland foods. Once your child is keeping down liquid, try bland foods. "White rice, plain toast, and applesauce are good
foods to start with," King says.

Add protein. If your child can tolerate bland foods, move on to easy-to-digest protein, like chicken or scrambled eggs. Why?
"Protein is really important at this stage," King says. "It gives kids back some of their strength and can speed up recovery."
SOURCES:CDC: "Carbohydrates."Cleveland Clinic: "Stomach Aches: 5 Things Parents Should Know."KidsHealth.org: "Figuring Out Fiber."Kristi King,
MPH, RD, spokeswoman, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Lake, A. American Family Physician, 1999.Jennifer McDaniel, MS, RD, spokeswoman,
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: "Gas in the Digestive Tract."Nationwide Children's
Hospital: "Abdominal Pain."
Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD on 1/29/2013
© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Spring Break
We will be open for the Spring break (March 11-15). We have an exciting week planned for the
children. Nextcare Urgent care will do a presentation on hand washing and germ prevention for the children. Little Smiles Pediatric dentistry will also visit our center and present to
the children about taking care of our gums and teeth.
We will focus on healthful habits in the month of March. A healthy life is like a puzzle that
you’ve put together. All the pieces are connected, and when one piece is missing, the puzzle
is not complete. For a healthy life, you do need to eat well, but there are other pieces of that
puzzle that need to come together too.
At home, please talk together about your family’s habits that are connected to good health.
What are they?

What about your teeth? (Floss and brush)

What do we do with your hands before you eat? (Wash them!)

How do people keep their whole bodies clean? (Shower or bathe)

What do you do every night, until morning? (Get plenty of sleep)
Who’s Birthday is in
March?
Let’s welcome back Ms. Raina in
Afterschool
Ms. Raina returned to Kids R Kids as our after school Director while Mr. Cedric is currently on Part time status. Ms. Raina has
knowledge working as a teacher and on our
management team as well as being a curriculum coordinator at Kids R Kids.
Yusra Alhamidi
Suite 500
Nataschia Dean
Suite 200
She is excited to work with Mr. Brandon and
Mr. John Jr. and is currently training future
summer staff.