Luke Judge

Creative Toys Activities preschool toys and games, preschool toys for boys, preschool toys for girls

Over the last few summers, Tara Klements’ 5-year-old daughter has gone to ballet, sports and alphabet camps.

This summer, she’s going to space camp to learn about the solar system before starting kindergarten in the fall.

“She’s real excited she loves school,” said Klements of Little Egg Harbor.

Klements utilizes enrichment programs for both her daughter and 3-year-old son, offered by the Pinelands School Based Youth Services in the Pinelands Regional school district.

The programs offer a wide array of activities for students in kindergarten through grade 12, from crafts to reading and writing, science and mathematics activities and sports camps. The cost for the various activities range from $20 to $90.

“This will be her third year going. She enjoys it, (and) she’s learned a lot, even though its just a summer program,” Klements said.

She utilized the programs as a way to ease her son into preschool last summer, and she was very pleased with the transition.

“Research does indicate that children need to be actively engaged in learning through the summer,” said Ave Latte, assistant professor of education at Brookdale Community College in Middletown.

Latte said that summer learning doesn’t have to be limited to pencil-and-paper-type activities parents and educators can keep the minds of students active through projects, camps, educational trips.

“The more you engage in activities that apply knowledge, the better you’re going be able to gain (more) knowledge,” she said.

Rajkumari Wesley, assistant professor of educational psychology at Brookdale, said summer learning is a benefit to students through their college years, as the summer months can make students “a bit rusty in their studies.

Currently teaching a summer class herself, Wesley said that with having to fit a semester’s worth of material into the abbreviated summer class, she tries to keep the atmosphere upbeat to create a positive learning environment.

“I tell them on the first day, “I really admire you guys being here,’ ” she said. “We try to be very positive, very supporting (and) they and I both know we are better prepared for the fall semester with this stimulation.”

Creative Toys Activities alphabet, pencil and paper

There are many, many things I love about sponsor Kids Music Toys’ unique range of products. Every baby, toddler and preschooler I know loves making music and simple instruments make for excellent, cost effective gifts; in fact many of the instruments included in today’s post sell for under $10 a piece.

So without further ado, I present the Kids Music Toys Top Ten.
(P.S. Be sure to read to the bottom as there is a bonus surprise for Childhood 101 readers!)

Gorgeous 5-bell jingles on a D shaped handle, available in bright colours or with a clown, kingdom or bee character handles).Lovely wooden castanets available in a range of bright colours and designs. Red ladybirds, green frogs, orange ducks and buzzing bees!
A beautiful painted pair of egg maracas presented in a lovely wooden presentation box. Four colours/designs to choose from.
Large wooden maracas in bright colours, presented in a wooden display box. Available in star, heart, flower and fish patterns.
These lightweight, washable baby maracas have colourful beads that create a gentle sound and the special shaped handle for small hands (Immy loved these as a bub).A 10 cm diameter mini tambourine with a colourful drum head and 3 jingles which produces a delightful sound for a small tambourine that is easily held by small hands.A fun percussion instrument, the spinning cracker produces a ratchet type sound when spun.A beautiful, eye catching drum suitable for age 12+ months from the Halilit range of toys.The 24cm diameter Sea Drum with colourful ocean motif, you can also listen to the waves as you shake and rattle the colourful beads.The unique thunder tube creates a song when you gently shake the drum so that the vibrations of the spring are transmitted to the head – creating a unique sound that exists somewhere between a gong and a didgeridoo. A fun instrument for creating stormy sounds.

This is by no means all you will find in store at Kids Music Toys, there are so many great instruments to discover – from simple percussion to guitars and wind instruments. Fortunately for you,

Kids Music Toys are offering Childhood 101 readers a 10% discount store wide, so why not re-stock your instrument basket or stock up on birthday and Christmas gifts now! Simply apply the ‘CHD101JL15′ discount code at check out. For all orders placed by midnight, July 15th.

Creative Toys Activities drum head, great instruments, jingles, percussion instrument, presentation box