Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids

It’s officially October, so you know what that means, Parents. Time to start helping your child decide what they want to dress up as for Halloween. While this is an exciting time of the year, it can also be expensive — some of those store-bought Halloween costumes can cost an arm and a leg!

But not to worry! There are plenty of unique, easy DIY Halloween costumes that you can make for your child at a fraction of the cost that they are sure to love!

Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids

A Garden Fairy

All you need for this sprightly costume is tulle, a few fake flowers, a bit of ribbon, some wings and a flower crown. Craft a classic tutu that is long enough for your child to wear as a dress, and hot glue or sew some ribbon to create straps at the top of it. Use garlands of fake flowers to fashion a crown, strap on the wings, and let your little fairy float their way through treat-or-treating.

A Superhero

This is one of the easiest costumes you can make! Grab a paper eye mask and a cape, and you have yourself a superhero! You can also use fabric paint to write your child’s first initial on a plain t-shirt so they’re really their own hero.

A Chimney Sweep

Dress up your child in black slacks, a white shirt, suspenders, and a newsboy cap and create a chimney broom using a lightweight PVC pipe and extra long pipe cleaners. Add a red bow tie and use a bit of makeup to add some “soot” to your little one’s face, and they’ll be ready to start singing “Chim Chim Cher-ree!”

A Hot Air Balloon

Help your child look ready to travel the skies with only a few household items. Take a round, lightweight laundry basket and cut a hole in the bottom so your child can stick his or her legs through. Use some string or ribbon to create straps to keep the basket up, and tie a large balloon to the basket. It’s as simple as that!

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.

What You Should Include in Your Child’s Backpack

Now that the school year is well underway, you’ve probably packed your child’s backpack a number of times before sending them on their way to school. However, do you know if you’re including the right items in their bag? When your child comes home from school, take a look in their knapsack and make sure you’re stocking it with the essentials.

Healthy Snacks

It’s no secret that kids love munching throughout the day, so give them plenty of healthy snacks to choose from. Non-refrigerated items such as granola bars, organic fruit roll-ups, and raisins are all great options for a nutritious, mid-day snack.

Just make sure you don’t include any snacks with peanuts without letting your child’s teacher know. You never know if your child will try to share their snack with another classmate with allergies.

Tissues

The earlier you can teach your child to wipe their nose with a tissue instead of their sleeve, the better. Include a small to-go pack of tissues in their backpack for easy-to-reach runny nose relief.

Glasses Case

If your child wears glasses, it’s important to keep the case in their backpack. If your kid takes his or her glasses off for nap time or when they go on the playground, the glasses will be much safer in their case rather than just thrown into your child’s bag.

A Change of Clothes

Whether it be because they didn’t make it to the bathroom quick enough or arts and crafts got a bit messier than planned, it’s always wise to have a change of clothes handy. Not only will this help keep your child clean and comfortable, but it’ll save you the time of driving a new set of clothes over to their school if an accident happens.

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.

Helping Your Child Make New Friends At School

The beginning of the school year is always filled with excitement, anticipation, and just a little bit of nerves. But if your child is starting out at a new school or it's his or her first year, they may be a little nervous about not having many friends to play with. Not to worry! You can help your child make new friends at school by working on a few simple lessons at home.

Encourage Smiles

A smile is the best way to show other people that your child is friendly and eager to be social. Help your child learn to smile when they first approach a classmate so that they create a welcoming presence.

Practice Introductions

Smiles are great, but conversation is better! At home, practice introducing yourself with your child and help them craft their own way to say “hello” to the other children at school. Simple phrases like “Hi, my name is Ryan. What’s yours?” and “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sophia,” can help start a larger conversation with soon-to-be friends.

Emphasize Manners

“Politeness is an expensive way of making friends” and “manners matter” are statements that ring true for everyone — including children. Teaching your kids to use words like “please” and “thank you” and to not interrupt other classmates when speaking can make a world of difference in their effort to make friends.

Teach Good Conversation

Help your children understand that good conversation helps friendships grow and that they should ask questions to get to know their other classmates. “What do you do for fun?” “Do you have a favorite movie?” “What is your favorite food?” These are all questions that can help build bonds between your children and their new friends.

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.

How to Create the Perfect Morning Routine for Your Child

Fact: it’s tough to transition from “summer-mode” to “school-mode” in any home. While this may happen year-after-year for your children, some children are anticipating their very first year at school — and there’s nothing more exciting than that! If you’re looking to prepare your child for the perfect morning routine, then here are some simple ways to do it:

Early Bedtimes

Unlike the summertime, your child won’t be able to sleep in late — since school starts bright and early in the morning. If you’re looking for the best way to help your child adjust to the time, then it’s best to set an early bedtime a few weeks before the first day of school. Not only will this make the adjustment much more comfortable for them, but they’ll wake up with ease on the big day!

Lay Everything Out

Sure, your child might want to pick out their outfit for school — but they might do that minutes before the bus arrives. To avoid chasing the bus each morning, it’s best to let your little one pick out their outfit the night before. This will not only eliminate any bus-running, but it will put them (and yourself) at ease, knowing that everything is okay and ready to go.

Once their outfit is picked out, you can then lay out their essentials in the bathroom. From their brushing essentials to their hair comb, this will help your little one greatly, while they become more independent. Of course, let them know that you’re always down the hall to assist whenever they may need it!

Create a List

One of the best ways to keep your child on track in the morning is to create a list of their morning schedule. From waking up and getting ready, to eating breakfast and waiting for the bus, this will help your little one put into perspective their school days and will definitely help them develop a routine. This will also be of great assistance, since it will prepare them for being on a schedule in the classroom, too!

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.

Family Summer Fun Before School Starts

Ah, the summertime! Known to be one of the warmest seasons on Long Island, there are a variety of fun activities that your children can partake in — such as attending Miss Sue’s Summer Fun! However, once camp ends, there’s still some time to enjoy the summer before school starts. Not sure what to do? Here are some great tips!

Go on a Picnic 

One of the best summer activities any family can enjoy is a picnic! Perfect for any environment, this will not only be a great way to catch up and gain some wonderful family time, but it’s the ideal way to feast on some delicious summer treats, too!

From the park to the local beach, there are a variety of great spots where you and your family can enjoy a lovely picnic! Of course, you’ll want to do this on a day where it’s not too hot, nor too cold. If it happens to rain on your designated picnic day, then you can always improvise by hosting it in your living room!

Your imagination will come in hand for this one! Simply lay a blanket on the floor of your living room, followed by placing bowls of snacks in the center. Not only will your children love this — but you can simply walk to your kitchen whenever you need to! It’s definitely a win-win situation!

Get Some Ice Cream

Another great way to spend some quality family time and enjoy the summer weather is to get some ice cream! Whether you visit your local ice cream parlor or get some from the frozen food aisle of the grocery store, there’s always a way to enjoy this incredible treat! Of course, if your little one is lactose intolerant, there are some dairy-free options to continue the fun!

If you’re looking to create the ultimate ice cream experience, then you can pick up a carton from the store, followed by some toppings, and you can then build your own ice cream parlor in the comfort of your home. Not only will your little ones love making their own sundaes, but they’ll always cherish this beautiful summer memory!

Already thinking about summer 2019? When you choose Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, you can rest assured knowing that your child is safely having fun in the sun, while also building the knowledge, skills, and confidence to have a successful future. To learn more about the program, give us a call at 516-366-5623.

First Day of School Prep

Ah, the first day of school! For most parents, this will be a breeze since many have older children who have gone through this process before — but what about those parents that are sending their child to their very first day of school? Remain calm, since their first day will be an absolute breeze with these tips:

Create a Schedule

One of the best ways to prepare your child for school is to create a schedule. From brushing their teeth to eating breakfast, this will help your little one get used to having a daily routine, which will be very beneficial for when they enter a classroom!

Here at Miss Sue’s, we provide our students with a daily schedule to follow, which will not only help them stay organized but will also help your little one develop a routine. Establishing a routine is one of the best skills any child can learn from, especially when they go to grade school; will carry on with them through the years!

Reassure your Child

Of course, if your child’s very first day of school is coming up, then it might seem a tad scary to them. Indeed, this is a natural feeling, and it’s important to reassure them. When your child attends Miss Sue’s, not only will they have a class filled with a group of fun, kind students their own age — but they’ll also make memories that will last a lifetime. It's important to always reassure your child that their experience it going to be incredible — especially at Miss Sue's!

For the past nine years (and counting), Miss Sue’s holds the title for the Best Nursery School on Long Island. We not only prepare our students for grade school, but we also teach the "essentials" through fun activities, games and more! When your child is a Miss Sue’s student, they’ll be receiving that Miss Sue’s advantage that we’ve taught since 1965!

Pair them with a Buddy

Does your child have a friend that’s attending Miss Sue’s for the very first time, too? If that’s the case, then you can let your child know that fact — and you’ll definitely see a rush of excitement in their face! It’s true: when a child is aware that they won’t be alone, they’ll definitely feel more secure and eager to go attend school.

Of course, when your child attends Miss Sue’s, they’ll be placed in a variety of group activities, where they’ll make even more friends. This will not only make your child’s school experience more enjoyable, but it will also give them friends that will last a lifetime, too!

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.

How to Overcome Picky Eating

Sometimes, serving a meal to a picky eater can seem like a challenge to some parents. From vegetables to pasta, any food can be ruled out by your child. Of course, it’s possible they’re afraid of trying what’s served to them, or they might not be a fan of the taste. Regardless, here are some ways to help your child overcome picky eating:

Make it Fun

One of the best ways to help a picky eater try a new food is to make their meals fun! Believe it or not, a presentation isn’t only an essential staple in upscale restaurants, but plays a huge part in childhood dining, too. Whether you’re making fish or vegetables, it’s vital to present the final product in a fun and exciting way! 

Of course, you’ve been told from an early age not to play with your food — but when creating a presentation to your picky eater, you might have to! If the food is solid (i.e., chicken, beef, pork), then you can take a cookie cutter and use it to make shapes! 

Now, if the food has a softer consistency (i.e., corn, spinach, mashed potatoes), then you can place them in fun-shaped serving cups/bowls. Once your child sees this presentation, they’ll be enamored by how fun their plate looks — and will undoubtedly feel inclined to try these new foods!

Dipping Sauce Helps

Sometimes, carrots might taste better with ketchup — to your child. Believe it or not, most children like the taste of vegetables and/or fish with some dipping sauce by their side. Not only will this hinder the flavor of the new food, on their end, but they’ll also feel more inclined to try anything that’s presented to them with the red staple by their side. 

If you’re looking for the best way to go about this, then you can provide a dipping sauce of ketchup with your child’s meal. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, then you can always opt for a condiment that has low-salt. 

Next, when you serve your child their meal, you can place the ketchup on the plate (or on the side), which will give them the option to use ketchup to their discretion. Not only will this make any mealtime a bit simpler for you, but it will help your child try new foods — to which they usually wouldn’t try without ketchup!

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.