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4 Important STEM Education Innovations

For the past 25 years, there has been an increased focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States, but that’s just the beginning. According to the Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are projected to grow by 17 percent from 2008-2018, compared to 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations. Not only has this trend led to increased job opportunities, but it has also produced numerous technological advances that have drastically changed the world. Some of the top innovations that have shaped modern society over the past 25 years include: World Wide Web. Twenty-five years ago, British scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web (WWW). Before the WWW, the Internet only provided screens of text. It was the WWW that made it possible for pictures, videos and sounds to be displayed and exchanged. Not only did the WWW change the appearance of the Internet, but it also revolutionized how the world received and delivered information. Virtual reality. Virtual reality as it is known today was popularized in the 1980s and 1990s. The technology enables people to experience a computer-simulated environment that resembles things and places in the real world. This cutting-edge technology connects people like never before. VR makes it possible to appear as if you are in the same location as a person far away from you, whether you’re actually 100 miles or 1,000 miles apart. Hybrid cars. In 1997, improvements in battery technology led to the first mass-produced hybrid car, creating an entirely new market in the car industry. According to a report from the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the United States sold more than 193,000 hybrid cars in 2016 alone. Hybrid cars offer better gas mileage and have lower emissions rates, which helps reduce the carbon footprint. Controller-free video game consoles. Controller-free video game consoles revolutionized the video game market by transforming the experience into one that’s more active. This technology made it possible for gamers to remotely play a game without a controller, disrupting the gaming industry and leading to an entirely new way for people to engage in physical activity. By exposing your child to the importance of STEM education early on, he or she could be the next great innovator. Encourage your child to develop an interest in science by entering a science competition, such as the Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 science competition. ExploraVision challenges students to create new ideas for technological innovations inspired by real world issues. To learn more, visit exploravision.org.

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Parentown KidShape

Tips to Fill Your Day with Active Play

As the busy school year progresses, it can be challenging for families to find time to play and stay active together. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that kids participate in 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day, but unfortunately this isn’t always what they are getting. Play is an important part of a child’s physical, emotional and social development, yet many external factors can quickly become barriers to active play including busy schedules, technology and the costs of sports equipment. A survey conducted by Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Let’s Play initiative, which is dedicated to getting kids and their families active, found that only 33 percent of children are participating in active play daily, down from 41 percent in 2015. Don’t let barriers get in the way of keeping kids active during the school year. Instead, turn those barriers to play into opportunities to get active with the following tips. Fill down time with play time: Children’s active play time is impacted by busy schedules – 64 percent of parents said busy schedules were a barrier to play this year, up from 56 percent in 2015. Active play doesn’t have to happen all at once; it can be spread out through the day so try fitting it in when you can, even if it’s in 10-minute increments. Waiting with your kids at a bus stop? Make it active by playing a game of Simon Says. Need 10 minutes to get ready to leave the house? Send the kids outside to play before loading up the car. Make DIY toys: Sports equipment can be pricey to purchase and maintain. Instead of breaking the bank, try recycling objects around the house to make them into toys. You can make old socks into a hacky-sack game by filling them with beans or fill balloons with sand and create a fun game where you toss the balloons into buckets. Get wired for play: According to the survey, 78 percent of parents said their children spend more than 30 minutes on an average day watching television and 71 percent said their children spend that time on a computer, smartphone or other device. Instead of letting technology get in the way, incorporate play into their time with technology. Have your child play an active video game that encourages players to move around their environment or try playing a game between TV commercials, such as tag or hide and seek. It can also help to set a limit for how long your child can use the computer or watch TV per day. Be your kid’s playmate: According to the survey, 53 percent of parents said having no playmates was a barrier to their child’s play. No one likes to play alone, so when siblings and friends aren’t available, join in on the fun and create games you and your child can play together. Whether it’s playing Marco Polo or throwing a baseball back and forth, you can find ways to spend quality time with your kids and have fun while doing it. Learn more about the importance of play and get tips and advice for how to make active play a daily priority at LetsPlay.com.

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Parentown KidSmart

Why Music Education Matters

Come the 2016-2020 school year, the music and arts budget in the Los Angeles Unified School District will reach its highest point in a dozen years. While that’s great news for students, it also illustrates the sad fact that arts and music programs have taken a considerable hit in recent decades, when arts education fell victim to budget cuts. The benefits of music education extend far beyond getting kids to tap their toes. The National Association for Music Education lists the following benefits among the many reasons to support music education in schools. • Music training helps develop language skills. Studies have shown that music training contributes to the physical development of the part of the left side of the brain associated with processing language. A 2005 study from researchers at Stanford University found that mastering a musical instrument may also improve reading skills, which can benefit students both inside and outside the classroom. • Music training can improve hand-eye coordination. Studies have linked long-term music training to improved hand-eye coordination. That is likely connected to the motor skills children develop when playing musical instruments. Without those instruments, those motor skills may not develop as strongly. • Music improves concentration. Even students who cannot play a musical instrument can still benefit academically from simply listening to music. In 2007, a research team from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention. Today’s students deal with numerous distractions, from smartphones to tablets to social media, but those who routinely listen to certain types of music might find it easier to block out those distractions and focus on their work. • Music can help students’ emotional development. A 2003 study commissioned by Chorus America found musicians are more likely than the average person to be involved in charity work as volunteers and donors. The NAfME also notes that music students may be more likely to exhibit empathy toward other cultures. • Music can improve self-esteem. In a study examining 117 fourth grade students attending public school in Montreal, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin found that children who received piano lessons weekly for three years had higher self-esteem than children who were not given piano lessons during the same period. Neither group had participated in formal music instruction before the study, and students in both groups reported similar levels of self-esteem prior to participating in the study. Music education can enrich the lives of young students in a myriad of ways, potentially contributing to happier, more fulfilling lives.

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Parentown KidShape

Beat Cool Weather

Temperatures may be dropping, but just because swimsuit season is over doesn’t mean it’s time to let your fitness regimen fall by the wayside. Keeping active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important year-around, so stay on track as the weather cools with these tips and tricks. Electrolytes for Fitness During a workout, you lose more than just water when you sweat — you also lose electrolytes. If you don’t replace what you lose, you can become dehydrated, decreasing strength, reducing endurance and delaying muscle response. Water alone doesn’t contain electrolytes, so you need a beverage enhanced with electrolytes like Propel Electrolyte Water. With 9 available zero-calorie flavors, it’s the only national water brand with enough electrolytes to replace what you lose in sweat. Learn more at propelwater.com. Performance Training for a Healthy Lifestyle Building healthy habits, strength and endurance is possible with the T618 Nautilus Performance Series Treadmill, which is perfect for home workouts. With a full suite of training programs, including interval training, weight management and other customized workouts, this powerful machine features an exclusive cushioning system, a gym-quality running path and an easy-folding deck. Bluetooth connectivity allows users to share data with the free Nautilus Trainer app, which automatically syncs with popular fitness apps. Learn more at nautilus.com. Best Foot Forward Keeping in shape requires keeping your feet in motion, but without proper footwear you can find your energy sagging and muscles straining. This is especially true for runners, whose feet take a real pounding. Look for a shoe that fits well in both the heel and instep, fitting snugly but not restrictive. Remember that feet swell during a run, so be sure you have ample room in width and length. Also be sure the shoe offers enough flexibility to give without causing blisters or rubbing uncomfortably while you’re running. A Sporting Way to Get More Cardio Keeping sports equipment handy makes it easy to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine. Assemble a variety of sporting goods to create some variety in your workout, and be sure to include options you can enjoy solo, with a partner or with a group of friends. An assortment of balls for games such as basketball, football, soccer and softball are simple ways to get in an extra cardio workout. Jump ropes, resistance bands and free weights are also handy to have around the house when inspiration to mix up your workout routine is necessary. 7 Healthy Habits for Fall Fitness 1. With cooler temps comes the temptation to indulge in comfort foods. Remember that it’s OK to satisfy those cravings but keep portions in control. 2. From the start of school to the kickoff of new sporting seasons, fall is a time of fresh beginnings. Get your own start on a healthier lifestyle by kicking unhealthy habits such as smoking. 3. Make the most of these last few months to enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables. Try new recipes featuring options such as apples, pears, pumpkin and squash to enjoy the natural goodness of fresh produce and add some variety to your typical diet. 4. Colder weather may bring relief from the heat, but it also brings cold and flu season fast on its heels. Practice good hygiene and wash your hands often to minimize your exposure to germs and illness. 5. Commit to a workout routine. Whether that means investing in the proper home workout equipment to have at home or securing a gym membership (or a combination of the two), pledge to make time for a workout most, if not all, days of the week. 6. Set a good example for the youngest members of your family by finding ways to get the whole crew involved. Take a walk or bike ride, or organize a game of backyard ball to get those feel-good endorphins going. 7. Poor sleep not only drags you down, it can raise your risk for numerous medical problems. Set a bedtime that allows you plenty of rest and stick to it. Also eliminate as many factors as possible that can disrupt your sleep, such as the TV, music and lights.

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Parents

School Bus Safety

Millions of students rely on public transportation to get them to and from school each and every day. The National Safety Council says 25 million students in the United States begin and end their school days on school buses. The NCS adds that riding a bus to school is 13 times safer than riding in a family vehicle and 10 times safer than walking. Although buses are designed for safety, student riders can do a lot to make their bus trips even safer. • Stand only in the designated school bus stop. Always stand on the sidewalk, lawn or curb where the school bus stop is located. Stay away from the street because traffic in the morning and the afternoon can be very busy and hectic. • Arrive at the stop early. Rushing to the bus stop may cause you to make errors in judgment, including running in traffic to catch the bus. Leave early so you have ample time to catch the bus and obey all traffic laws. • Only board and exit the bus when it is safe. Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before boarding or exiting. The driver will engage the stop sign and put on the flashing red lights. Move around the bus only when it is stopped. • Keep the aisles clear. Stay out of the aisle when the bus is in motion and store backpacks on your lap or under your seat so they are not tripping hazards. • Use seat restraints. Use seat restraints when available on the school bus. While not every school bus has seatbelts, many now do. • Stay in your seat. Remain in your seat while the bus is in motion. Keep your hands inside of the windows. Do not get up to engage with other riders. • Keep a good distance between you and the bus. Exit the bus and cross in front where the driver can see you. If you cannot see the driver, he or she cannot see you. Check for safety signals from the driver to proceed when traffic has stopped. Always walk, never run, around a bus. • Do not goof off. When on the bus, always behave so that you can hear any safety instructions and be aware of your surroundings. Behaving also means one less distraction for drivers. School bus passengers can make their rides to school

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Parentown KidShape

Run! Ride! Work Out! Jump! Bounce!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children and adolescents get 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. The CDC advises that such physical activity should include aerobic activity and muscle and bone strengthening exercises. Aerobic activity should take up most of kids’ daily physical activities and can include moderate activities, such as brisk walking, or more intense activities like running. Parents should make sure kids include some vigorous aerobic activity in their physical activity routines at least three days per week. Muscle strengthening activities do not mean parents should get their youngsters in the gym as soon as possible. Rather, activities like gymnastics or push-ups done three times per week can be enough to help kids build strong muscles. The CDC notes that as kids reach adolescence, they may start structured weight-training programs to strengthen their muscles. Jumping rope or running three times per week can serve as kids’ bone-strengthening exercises.

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Parentown KidSmart

How to create a great study environment at home

A student’s academic performance is influenced by a host of factors, including the learning environment both inside the classroom and at home. While students may have only limited control over the environment in their classrooms, they and their parents can do much to create home study environments that are conducive to learning. Create a distraction-free zone. Today’s students are inundated with distractions. Whereas students were once most distracted by radios, televisions and the great outdoors when studying at home, nowadays kids must also find time to focus on their studies with their tablets and smartphones just a stone’s throw away. When choosing a study area at home, parents can designate a distraction-free zone where no televisions, radios, tablets or smartphones are allowed. Children are increasingly dependent on their smartphones and tablets, and while such devices can sometimes prove useful to students, that benefit is often outweighed by the distraction they present. When kids study at night, be sure they turn off their smartphones and only use their tablets as study aids.Emphasize organization. Various organization techniques can help kids be more efficient when studying. Encourage kids to separate their learning materials by subject, and keep a calendar or daily planner at home listing when their assignments are due and which days they will be tested. Encourage youngsters to keep their home study areas tidy as well, as unorganized areas can make it harder to focus or force kids to spend some of their study time cleaning up. Establish quiet hours at home. Quiet hours at home while kids are studying can help them better absorb their coursework, and that may lead to improved performance in the classroom. While it’s important that a kid’s study areas remain distraction-free, it can also help if distractions outside those areas are minimized. Keep televisions and other potentially noisy distractions turned off while kids are studying. If you want to catch up on a favorite television show or watch a movie, do so on your tablet instead of the television, connecting earphones so kids are not overhearing anything while they’re trying to study. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Hunger can be just as distracting as electronics or noisy housemates, so keep healthy snacks on hand. In lieu of unhealthy fare like potato chips or empty calories like pretzels, keep your home stocked with fruits and vegetables and protein-rich snacks like Greek yogurt. Such snacks will quell kids’ hunger pangs while also providing a boost of energy.A strong home study environment can help students do their best in the classroom.

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Parentown KidShape

Tips for a smooth transition back to school

Often, it’s this first day (or days) that set the tone for the school year to come. Help your child feel prepared and confident to tackle whatever the school year brings with these tips for a successful start. • Plan well-balanced meals: Summer break brings a lax approach to many aspects of life, and healthy eating is often one of them. However, nutrition plays an important role in overall development and countless studies show correlation between academic performance and good nutrition. As the school year approaches, work at creating healthy menus. If hectic scheduling makes it difficult to get well-balanced meals in lunchboxes and on the dinner table through the week, allocate a portion of the weekend for a family prep session. • Reinstate bedtimes: Easing back into earlier bedtimes will make things smoother for everyone when the alarms start ringing on early school day mornings. Well before the start of school, gradually back off more time each night — in 15-minute increments, for example — to get kids back in bed early enough to capture at least 10 hours of sleep, the amount recommended for school-aged children and adolescents by the National Institutes of Health. • Explore outside of academics: Developing interests outside the classroom builds confidence and character, teaches discipline and may help reveal hidden passions or talents that translate into future scholarships or career choices. Now is an ideal time to explore the options available in your community and complete necessary registrations as many extra-curricular activities are closely linked to the traditional school calendar. • Follow the paper trail: The volume of paperwork associated with sending a child to school can be overwhelming. From registration forms and emergency contact sheets to physicals and immunization records, the list goes on and on. Keep on track with a list of all the materials you’re responsible for completing, along with special notes for those that require visits to the doctor’s office or other appointments. • Take a tour: Especially for new students, but even for experienced kids, spend some time getting familiar with the school before the big day. Seeing the bus drop-off location, classroom, bathrooms, cafeteria and any other major features ahead of time can help soothe jitters and lets you proactively answer worries or questions about how those first days may unfold. • Establish a transition tradition: Celebrate the end of summer and the fresh start ahead by creating a special family tradition. It may be a final backyard campout for the season or a scrapbooking project that captures memories from the summer and describes goals for the school year. The time together to talk about what lies ahead can help get the family geared up for a successful school year.

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Parentown KidSmart

KidSmart- July 2016

Learning shouldn’t stop just because school is out. In fact, stepping too far away from the books can result in a learning loss. However, research has shown that encouraging kids to read just six books, or 20 minutes a day, over the summer can help prevent the summer slide. The key is finding ways to make reading fun, combining education and entertainment for an activity kids can truly enjoy, said Kate DiCamillo, a two-time Newbery Medal Award-winning author and the 2016 Collaborative Summer Library Program National Summer Reading Champion. “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty, but rather as a gift that emphasizes the fun of opening a new book and celebrating the satisfaction that comes from reading another story,” said DiCamillo, who is also the 2016-17 Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program literary partner. Summer schedules can get busy, but with a little creativity it’s actually quite easy to fit in those 20 minutes a day, even when you have other activities planned. The sooner you start a habit of reading every day, the better your child will be prepared when school — and the annual BOOK IT! Program — kicks off again. The program, available to kindergarten through sixth-grade students, runs from October through March each year and motivates students to read by rewarding them for their reading accomplishments with recognition and pizza. Learn more about the program and find more summer reading tips and activities at bookitprogram.com.     1. Take a book. The best way to get your kids reading is to have books available, so take them with you, whether it’s in the car, at the beach or waiting at the doctor’s office. 2. Summer recharge. Plan ahead for a fun reading-related trip midway through the summer to reignite the love of books and reward kids for reading. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; the trip could simply be camping like a character in a favorite book. 3. Explore hobbies. Reading is extra fun when the subject matter involves your favorite things. Look for books that match your kids’ personal interests, such as dinosaurs or gymnastics. 4. Magazine madness. Plenty of popular kids magazines can be delivered to your home for an exciting surprise in the mailbox that makes an excellent reason to flip it open and start reading. 5. Road trip reading. A long car ride is a perfect opportunity for the whole family to enjoy an audiobook together. You can discuss the story over lunch breaks and fuel stops to engage even further with the book. 6. Pen pals. Work with other parents to set up pen pals for the summer and have kids write letters back and forth to practice their reading and writing skills. 7. Act it out. Encourage kids to gather some neighborhood friends and create a play based on a favorite book. This helps kids understand the characters and story lines by bringing them to life. 8. Take direction. Ask kids to read the directions for a classic summer project, like setting up a tent or making a snack for a picnic. Whether they are directing you or doing it themselves, reading and understanding directions build important skills. 9. Head to the library. Most libraries offer fun and interactive summer reading programs for kids that include incentives, activities and structure to help get kids excited about reading all summer long. 10. Tap into tech time. If you’ve committed to limiting screen time for the summer, consider a compromise that lets kids use devices for productive activities, such as reading e-books.

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Parents

Kidshape- July 2016

Easy Tips to Keep Kids Active this Summer With the school year complete, kids are excited to relax a er a year of hard work, learning and extracurricular activities. However, this may lead to the temptation of sitting on the couch watching TV or playing on a computer or mobile device. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group’s Let’s Play initiative found that only 33 percent of children participate in daily active play, and for 30 minutes less than the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. It’s important for kids to get daily active play because it contributes to their physical, emotional and social development, and helps them maintain a healthy lifestyle. To ensure kids get the active play they need this summer, try boosting their playtime with these tips: Make play time family time. According to the Let’s Play survey, in general, year-over-year younger children’s active play time is more likely to be impacted by busy family schedules. To make sure your family is getting the physical activity they need, find windows within your busy schedule to fit in some play, even if it’s just a brief break. For example, rather than asking about your children’s days at the dinner table, take a pre-dinner family walk to hear more while getting in some steps. Create summer structure. Without structured school days, kids may get too comfortable sitting inside playing video games. An American Academy of Pediatrics study shows that rather than playing outside, kids are spending an average of seven hours per day on entertainment media and other electronic devices. It’s important to let your children have downtime during the summer, but setting up weekly family playdates will give them something to look forward to while keeping them active. is could be a weekly family bike ride around the neighborhood, a game of catch or capture-the-flag. Creativity is key. Summer means longer days, more hours of sunlight and more opportunities to be outside. Get creative when motivating your kids to be active. For example, take a daily activity like walking the dog and turn it into a scavenger hunt by drawing up a treasure map of things your children should find on their walk, such as a pine cone, flower, blue car and other items around the neighborhood. Host backyard playdates. Playing is always more fun with friends. According to the Let’s Play study, longer stretches of active play are more likely to occur with friends or siblings. Round up kids from your neighborhood to get together for a different activity each week, such as an obstacle course or hide and seek. is allows your children to socialize and be active for an extended period of time.

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