Ways to Keep Your Child Cool this Summer

Summer is just around the corner and that only means one thing: the temperature is about to rise! Here at Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, we understand this and do everything to keep our campers cool and comfortable. If you’re looking for ways to keep your camper cool at home, then here are some great tips to know:

Indoors Aren’t off Limits

When the temperature becomes quite hot, it’s important to weigh out the odds and bring your child indoors. Believe it or not, as enjoyable as it is to play outdoors during the summer, playing in sweltering weather could lead to sunburns and dehydration, just to name a few instances.

If you’re looking for the perfect solution, then it’s best to bring the activities indoors. From arts and crafts to board games, the possibilities are entirely endless (and fun)!

If you’re not sold on this idea, then you can search for other indoor activities in your area, such as an arcade, laser tag and so much more!

Go for a Swim

Looking for a way to keep your child cool? If that’s the case, then it’s important to take a trip to the pool! Whether this aquatic feature is in your backyard or down the block, it’s the best way to keep your little one cool and comfortable.

At Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, in addition to sports crafting and more, we offer a large variety of water activities! From swimming to windsurfing, your child will stay cool all summer long, while having fun!

Additionally, besides keeping cool, swimming also hosts a variety of other benefits that will help your child, such as exercise!

Create a Cool Atmosphere

Still looking for a way to cool your little ones down? One of the best ways to do this (besides using an air conditioner) is to use a fan and a cool, damp sheet! To start, take a standard fan and place it in the corner of the room. Next, take a thin, cotton sheet and place it in some water.

Once you have wet the sheet, you’ll want to remove the excess water from it (wring out the sheet). After this step is complete, you can then hang the sheet up in front of the fan to create an energy saving air conditioner. Not only will this keep your child cool, but they’ll be amazed at how this works!

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.

Learning to Swim at Camp

Splish, splash: it’s pool season again! From the pool at Miss Sue’s Summer Fun to the one in your backyard, your child’s summer will be filled with this aquatic staple on a daily basis. However, if your little one is still in the process of learning how to swim, well, they’re in luck: especially when they attend Miss Sue’s Summer Fun -- and here’s why:

Great Source of Exercise

When your child learns the art of swimming, they’ll soon find this to be an excellent source of exercise! Whether you’re a child or an adult, swimming can help strengthen muscles, corrects posture and even has heart benefits, too. Not only will your child love to swim, but they’ll be taking advantage of these hidden benefits when doing so! It’s the perfect summer activity and life skill to pick up! Your child will be so proud when they can swim in any water they enter!

New Form of Play

Another great benefit of swimming is that it will give your child a new form of play. Whether they’re swimming laps with friends or playing a game of Marco Polo, the possibilities are endless when it comes to this aquatic hobby. At Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, not only do we offer swimming lessons, but we also Pool parties, water sports, a water slide, “water skiing,” windsurfing, paddle boats, rafts and more! Your child will undoubtedly be more inclined to take up swimming as a new hobby, for sure!

Preparation for Safety

One of the most important benefits of learning how to swim is that it will prepare your child for water safety. People between the ages of 5 and 24, as stated by KidsHealth.org, are prone to drowning-related incidents. At Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, our pools are supervised by Nassau County certified/WSI lifeguards, while our instructors teach campers everything about the art of swimming. Not only will your child grasp the concept quickly, but their confidence will grow as the summer progresses!

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.

The Importance of Cooperative Play

Fact: play time is highly significant for children -- but it’s also how they play that makes a difference, too. Children often learn some vital skills through play and having cooperative play can be crucial in their long-term development.

You may notice early on that your child likes to play alone, but the more you encourage cooperative play, the more they will be able to learn from the activities in which they participate. When your child attends Miss Sue's Summer Fun, they will continue to develop their cooperative play skills, quickly, by being around other children their age!

Strengthening Decision-Making Skills

Whether your child is playing sports, a non-competitive color war, or putting together an arts and crafts project, working with others can help improve their decision-making and social skills. At Miss Sue's Summer Fun, they’ll work together and provide each other with the best options to reach their goals!

Nurturing Cooperative Behavior

Learning how to work and play with others is essential for any child. It builds on a robust attitude and kindness in your child, allowing them to work well in team settings ultimately. They will appreciate the help of others and often choose that route rather than working alone on things.

Building Communication Abilities

Typically, at younger ages, children are hesitant to communicate because they’re not used to being in various situations. The more you encourage cooperative play, the more often they’ll be around other children and communication will become more comfortable.

Your child will go through six stages of play, including unoccupied play, solitary play, onlooker play, parallel play, associate play, and cooperative play. You don’t want to push your child towards cooperative play until he or she is ready. However, once it’s possible, cooperative play can be a great developmental tool!

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.

How Your Child Benefits from Playing Sports

For many parents, the idea of their child playing sports can be a bit intimidating. However, it’s important to know that there are various benefits that can help your child when playing sports. If you have been debating whether or not your child should play sports, here are some of the benefits.

Building Social Skills

Most sports involve putting your child on a team of other children their own age. This helps build social skills as your child grows and develops. Sports can encourage teamwork, cooperation with others, communication skills, and most important, friendship. Your child can work as part of a group to reach success; a valuable life lesson.

Improving Self-Esteem

Regardless of age, it’s always nice to have a sense of accomplishment and sports are a great way to improve on self-esteem. Sports help build confidence, as well as encourage praise from coaches, other players, and parents to help your child feel good about themselves.

Understanding Winning and Losing

We all know how difficult it is to be on the losing side of things, but for many children, the score doesn’t necessarily matter; they enjoy being with their new friends playing something they love. While your child may be competitive, learning how to be a gracious winner and accepting losses is essential. They’ll learn never to quit, no matter the initial result.

Discipline

Sports are full of rules to follow, and it takes a great deal of discipline. Mental, physical, and tactical discipline are all traits learned through sports, and it helps children reach their full potential throughout their early developmental stages.

Allow your child to address any questions they may have and show desire in specific sports. They’ll choose the sport they’ll enjoy the most so they not only have fun, but they’ll get the most out of the benefits.

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.

What Children can Learn from Arts and Crafts

Whether your child is enjoying arts and crafts at school or you are encouraging the activity to bond with your child, it’s important to know the benefits. Your child can learn some things, and his or her development can be fostered by the activity. Here are some of the top things children can learn from arts and crafts, especially at Miss Sue's Summer Fun!

Being Able to Follow Directions

In any arts and crafts session, there are directions to be followed to get through the project. This is a valuable skill for children to learn. Following instructions must be done throughout camp, school and beyond, encouraging them to make choices (while adhering to directions) -- which can be great for their imagination.

The Gift of Patience

Patience is something that some adults still struggle with, but it is an incredible asset to have. Arts and crafts take time and patience to complete them correctly. Your child can learn patience during wait times while the glue dries or when they have to work slowly on a craft.

Focus and Concentration

Whether your child needs to paint, cut specific items, or even put together pieces, focus and concentration are the keys to success. They’ll learn to minimize distractions and focus on getting the project done. It will also show them how much more effective they can be when they’re focused on the task at hand.

Problem Solving

Let’s face it: arts and crafts are not the easiest things to do. Your child is going to run into specific issues that they’ll need to resolve. This encourages the use of problem-solving skills to get past the obstacle. Even better, they can use their imagination and get creative in their problem-solving.

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.

The Benefits of Sending Your Child to Day Camp

Fact: summer is officially on the horizon. With that being said, now is the perfect time to start considering what you’ll be doing for your child during the day, while you’re at work! One of the greatest options to consider is to enroll your child in a local day camp, such as Miss Sue’s Summer Fun! In fact, there are a variety of benefits for children when they attend day camp -- which will ultimately help nurture their skills and development. Without further ado, here are some of the many benefits your child can have when they attend Miss Sue’s Summer Fun:

A New Experience

Let’s face it: day camp is the perfect opportunity to help your little one build memories and learn a number of developmental skills. In fact, it’s the perfect way to keep them going all summer long -- and not seated in front of a television screen or stuck indoors.

Your child will have the best summer making friends, participating in physical activities (such as paddle boats and wind surfing, to name a few), and will have a great time enjoying the great outdoors! Your child will make memories that will last a lifetime -- and they’ll certainly thank you for it in the process! 

Encouraging Physical Activity

Fact: day camp isn’t about sitting around all day. In fact, there are a variety of activities that children can participate in that will keep them moving and working with their peers! Whether they’re doing arts and crafts (fine motor skills) or participating in sports, such as volleyball and soccer, there are plenty of physical benefits, as well as opportunities to build friendships and cooperation skills, too!

Foster Independence and Confidence

Independence and confidence are two very important traits for your child to develop as they get older. When your child attends Miss Sue’s Summer Fun, our staff can help foster these two characteristics in your child as they spend time away from home, learning new activities, communicating with others, and learning some of life’s most important lessons!

Day camp is a very rewarding experience for children, especially at Miss Sue’s Summer Fun. There are numerous benefits for their development and parents can feel confident letting their children go for the day. Your child will come back with a strong self-esteem, better communication skills, and even some new friends, making it the best summer ever for your little one!

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.

How to Encourage Your Child to Read

One of the most important skills any child can have is the ability to read. When your little one begins the journey into the literary world, they’ll be enamored by how much their imagination can soar just by reading a book. If your child is just embarking on their reading journey and needs a little bit of encouragement, here are some ways to spark a love for reading:

Change it Up

When it comes to encouraging your child to read, they may grow weary of reading the same book over and over again. If you’re looking for the perfect way to keep them occupied, in terms of reading, then it’s best to give them a variety of different books to choose from! From picture books to those with a few sentences or more, give your child the gift of an expanded library; you’ll see how pleasantly surprised they’ll be when the reading options are endless!

Start and Stop

Another way to encourage your child to read is to have a faux story time with them. What does this mean? Simply have your child pick out a book for you to “read” to them. Next, sit them down like a normal story time and begin to read the book to them. Once you get to a certain point, hand the book over to them and let them continue the story aloud! You’ll see how this will motivate your child, and ultimately, how this will spark their passion to read even more books!

Make it Cozy

One of the best ways to encourage your child to read is to create a cozy book corner in your home! This can consist of pillows, a beanbag chair, or anything else you can think of that will be inviting! Not only will this be the perfect way to get your child to read, but it will also make them feel at ease when reading — and quite comfortable, too! This is truly one of the best ways to have your child’s reading adventures take flight!

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.