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Summer Fun for Kids!

Finding the Right Parenting StyleFamily vacations are great for bonding with loved ones as you get away from your normal routines. But a family vacation can sometimes feel like no vacation at all for parents chasing after kids. Parents need time to themselves, and not just for romance, but to relax, reconnect and revisit what brought them together.

The kids, too, often need a break — time without the watchful worrying eyes of parents, time to be kids and time to be with other kids. Even if it’s for just a few hours while you and your partner go out dinner, you’ll all appreciate the time apart and keeping summer fun for kids.

1) Choose a Hotel with Babysitting Services
Lots of hotels and resorts offer access to babysitters, day care and kids clubs. When you’re traveling with little ones research the babysitting services offered through the resort. The extra time it gives you as a couple will more than make up for the extra time you spend researching.

Even if you’re only leaving your kids for an hour or two, keep safety in mind. Ask the hotel where they find the sitters, how they interview them and if they run background and reference checks. Do they watch the kids in your room, a child care facility or other spot in the hotel? Interview the actual babysitter yourself and take a look at the facilities to confirm they are clean and safe.

2) Take a Kid-Friendly Cruise
Like hotels, most cruise ships offer child care or supervised activities for children. With the kids safe and nearby, parents can get some worry-free alone time. Mulholland is a fan of the Disney Cruise Line, which offers lots of options for young kids, teens and tweens. Since some cruises have minimum traveling ages, make sure your little ones are old enough to hop aboard with extra summer fun for kids.

3) Use a daycare service
If your hotel doesn’t offer a service or you prefer to do the vetting yourself, find a daycare provider like Premier Academy.

4) Reserve a Room with a View — and a Veranda
Not all families can afford a resort, however, and not all parents can afford or are comfortable turning over responsibility to strangers. Book a hotel room with a balcony, so you and your spouse can take a bottle of wine out to the ‘veranda’ once the kids are asleep. This is an inexpensive and easy option for getting at least a little alone time while vacationing with children.

5) Book a Suite, Adjoining Rooms, a Condo or a House
When the kids are old enough to be in their own room, book a suite, condo or house swap — anything that keeps you in the same space, but gives the parents a separate room (with a door that locks) and gives the kids their own space (with a TV to keep them engaged). You’ll be able to watch over your kids, but still enjoy some privacy all the while providing summer fun for kids.

6) Plan a Multigenerational Vacation 
Make this a real family vacation and bring grandma and grandpa along. 40 percent of families have gone on a multigenerational vacation. In an era where many grandparents live in different cities, states or time zones than their grandchildren, a trip can forge bonds far stronger than a simple holiday visit to grandma’s house. Plus, grandparents make great babysitters.

7) Look for the “All-Inclusive” Option
Family camps have gone beyond cabins in the Catskills or dude ranches of the sort often made fun of on sitcoms. Many theme parks and camps have baby care centers and babysitting services. They also offer lots of options for family fun — including kids-only activities and entertainment.

With these tips, you can have the perfect vacation, complete with ample family time and just enough “alone time” with your partner to remind you both how much you enjoy one another’s company.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center, offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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Best Summer Camp!

Helping Children Make FriendsDid you know that most camp planning takes place in early winter and spring? Just when you were getting over the holiday stress and still bundled in your Snuggie, you need to find the place for your child to get out of the house — um, we mean thrive — this summer.

If the thought of finding a camp just occurred to you, or you have just been putting off the research because you don’t know how to start, you’re not alone. Premier Academy has helpful tips to finding the best summer camp in Omaha, Nebraska.

The best time to visit camps is before the summer. You get to see what they’re all about and the community of kids who go,a youth and summer expert/consultant and founder of Everything Summer. So if you didn’t spend last summer touring, you’ll need to rely heavily on websites, camp reviews and discussions with camp staff and alumnae. Which means you need to know how to navigate sites, narrow down your options and ask the right questions for finding the best summer camp. And we’re here to help.

  1. Make it a Family Affair
    Before you surf the Web, think about your child’s favorite activities and interests and start a discussion at an informal family dinner. Talk with him about what new things he has always wanted to learn and what kinds of things get him stressed. He might not answer you then and there but check back in a few days and he’ll probably have an answer that will help start research for the best summer camp.
  2. Talk to Other Parents
    Ask friends and family where their kids had wonderful camp experiences. But ask the right questions to weed through all the glowing reviews. “Pose specific situations and parents will be honest,” says Tipograph.Talk about circumstances that concern you. Has your child ever been bullied and how did the camp handle it? If my daughter is shy or overweight, how will he be treated by other kids? What if my son is not the greatest athlete — will he have fun at the camp?
  3. Search Online
    Make a date to sit down at the computer with your child and research camps together. Keep a positive attitude and be enthusiastic about the process. With encouragement, even a reluctant child will channel your excitement. If you’re nervous, your child will be, too.
  4. Consider the Summer Goals
    Just because your niece flourished at an adventure camp doesn’t mean your daughter will do the same.Camps’ websites often have videos that allow you to get a sense of the relationships campers form and the flow of the days. Does it look like your child will fit in? Does the camp appear to be rustic or more pampered? Ask your daughter about her goals for camp. Maybe she wants to develop her sense of leadership and explore nature or maybe she wants to be able to draw and paint all day without breaking a sweat about finding the best summer camp.
  1. Talk to the Director
    The director is the person who should have all your camp answers. And you should be loaded with questions. A few things you want to know: Where most campers are from/go to school; dynamics of the kids in each age group; the kind of child who is most successful in that camp environment; the return rate. You don’t want to send your child to an environment that just replicates her school, states Tipograph. A good sign: If campers flock back year after year, it says something positive about how the camp is run.
  2. Make a Short List
    When you look at too many camps, it’s overwhelming and it’s easy to get frazzled. Tipograph suggests narrowing down your list to three distinctly-different camps. If your son’s goal is to stay local and work on his backhand, consider: a day camp with a traditional setting that offers tennis as an elective; a day camp that focuses on multiple sports and not just tennis so he won’t burn out; and a tennis-only camp. Once you have everything narrowed down, you need to meet as a family once again and review the choices.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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What to do this summer!

Family Fun Time: Things to Do With KidsRemember when you were a kid and summer seemed endless — in a good way?

Funny how things change. Now it’s just a matter of time before your kids start saying, “I’m bored,” to you. This summer, get ready to banish that phrase from their vocabulary with this list of free or low-cost summer activity ideas. Your children will no longer ask, “What can we do this summer?”

  1. Go to the Library
    Most libraries around the country offer free summer reading programs that encourage kids of all ages to read, and they often host other activities like, parties, music and puppet shows. Check out libraries in neighboring towns too — they might offer something your regular branch doesn’t. Visit PublicLibraries.com to find local libraries for things to do this summer in Omaha.
  2. Tour a Local Business
    You may not have to look further than your favorite pizzeria to find an afternoon activity. Local restaurants are often open to giving kids a behind-the-scenes look at a working kitchen during slow times if you stay for lunch. Or, do you have an interesting factory (candy? toys?) in your area? Many factories offer tours, which can come with freebies to take home.
  3. Seek Out Free Art and Culture
    Some museums and cultural institutions, like botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos, aquariums and observatories, are always free. Those we love! But even the ones that charge admission often offer free or reduced-rate days or hours weekly or monthly. Grab a calendar and map out those times so you’ll know instantly on a rainy Tuesday where to find refuge.  While you’re at it, check their calendars for special summer activities — many offer classes, concerts and tours just for kids.
  4. Check Out Chain Stores
    Scores of national retailers are now offering free or inexpensive children’s activities or classes. (Note: We love this trend, but be careful not to overspend at the store while you’re waiting for the kids to finish.)

    • IKEA has supervised playrooms for potty-trained kids. Just drop and shop. Sounds dreamy.
    • Home Depot and Lowe’s run free weekend project workshops for kids (ages 5-12 for Home Depot). You needed new bookshelves, right?
    • Crafts stores, such as Michaels, hold free project demos t that will keep creative kids happy, ages are craft-specific but can start at 3.
    • For the budding tech-engineer, Apple stores run free 3-day Apple Camps where kids ages 8-12 learn how to make films.
    • And the list goes on. Whole Foods and other grocery stores offer cooking classes, bookstores like Barnes & Noble offer free storytime. Check with stores in your area to see what they have planned.
  5. Visit a Farm
    Whether they’re petting animals or picking fruit, kids love farms. Check with farms in your area to see if they offer tours, activities or are open to a few hours of help with real farm chores from your pint-size volunteers. This is a fun for all asking what to do this summer in Omaha.
  6. Volunteer to Help
    While the kids are in the volunteering mood, look for places in your community that could use their help. Whether it’s cleaning up a local park, walking dogs at an animal shelter or visiting residents at a nursing home, summer is a great time to introduce children to the joys of giving back. Search for opportunities in your area at Volunteer Match, 1800Volunteer or Volunteer.gov.
  7. Catch a Movie
    During the dog days of summer, sometimes you just need to escape to somewhere — anywhere — with great air-conditioning. Luckily, several movie theater chains open their screens to little ones for little prices during summer months. Regal Cinemas’ Summer Movie Express is offering $1 movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this summer, and Cinemark is showing kids’ flicks for as little as 50 cents as part of their Summer Movie Clubhouse. Check theaters in your area for similar deals.
  8. Take a Hike
    The great outdoors is always open and waiting for little explorers. Make hikes at nature reserves and parks in your area even more fun with REI’s free Kids’ Adventure Journal, where young hikers (ages 6-12) can log notes and draw pictures about their experiences.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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5 Health Benefits of Playing Outside

How to Find the Right Bike for Your ChildThere are many reasons kids should play outside, from expressing creativity to running freely to making messes without worrying about dirtying the house. In addition to these fun reasons, there are also many health benefits that make outdoor play great for children.

  1. Improves Vision
    Children who spend time outside have better distance vision than those who primarily play indoors.
  2. Promotes Social Skills
    Getting kids outside and having unstructured play promotes a wide range of skills. On a playground not everyone gets to go down the slide first. Going to a playground with your kids is not just about running around and being active, but it’s also about learning social skills, executive functions and behavioral skills as well through play.
  3. Increases Attention Span
    All children have a different attention span. Green outdoor settings appear to reduce ADHD symptoms in children. Exposure to natural settings through after-school and weekend activities may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit symptoms in children.
  4. Reduces Stress
    When it comes to stress, spending time outside playing is such a huge outlet for stress. It’s relaxing; it is healing. There is even research showing that seeing green spaces can help decrease kids’ stress levels.
  5. Provides Vitamin D 
    According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, lots of kids are suffering from vitamin D deficiencies. This vitamin has several health benefits, including preventing kids from future bone problems, diabetes and even heart disease.Vitamin D can be received by supplement, but you can also get it through its free and natural version: sunlight. Have your kids play outside for a few minutes without sun screen (which blocks cancer-causing rays, but also vitamin D). Then slather on the lotion. Of course, if your child burns easily, use the sunscreen and increase the vitamin D-heavy foods and supplements.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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18 Questions to Get Kids to Talk About Their Day

Teaching Healthy Eating Habits and Positive Body ImageGetting your child to talk about their day can be challenging. But it’s important to talk with your kids about their day, every day, to stay connected and offer encouragement.

Parents often ask questions kids can answer with a word or two. Asking questions that begin with who, what, when, where, why and how isn’t just a good journalism tool. When you ask questions that begin with the five Ws and one H, you encourage more than a yes or no response from your child.

  1. What Was the Best Part of Your Day?
    This question is asked around dinner tables everywhere on a daily basis. Don’t drill kids about their day. The easiest way to get kids to open up about their day is to talk about your day with your spouse or partner when kids can hear you. By listening to you share details of your day; kids will learn how to share their own favorite events.
  2. Who Did You Talk With at Lunch Today?
    Your child may sit at the same lunch table at school every day, but may not always engage in conversations with the same friends. Kids often discuss the day’s happenings at lunch. Asking who your child talked with encourages conversation about the day.
  3. Are They Still Serving Slop for Lunch
    Instead of asking your child what he had for lunch, ask a funny question. It will make your child laugh, but also encourage him to talk about school.
  4. Where Did You Play After School?
    Asking where your child played opens up the topic of what your child was doing after school, who they played with and what they did.
  5. What Was Your Favorite Toy Today?
    Play is a big part of a young child’s day. Asking your child about his favorite toy will help him talk about who he played with and what they did together.
  6. How is Emma?
    Asking about a specific friend. Your child’s day is a huge piece of time in their life.  This helps your child narrow the day down to smaller chunks of time.
  7. How Did You Like That Book?
    What was your favorite part of the book? Who was your favorite character in the book? Asking your child about a book they brought home from the library or read during school will encourage them to talk what they liked and disliked about the book.
  8. What Did Your Best Friend Bring for Lunch Today?
    Did you want to switch lunches with her? Talking about lunch will encourage your child to offer suggestions for future lunches.
  9. What Was Your Favorite Class Today? Why?
    This is a good way to get your child to talk about a specific class. By asking both what and why, your child will reveal more details.
  10. What Was Your Biggest Challenge Today? How Did You Resolve It?
    Again, asking two questions opens the door to more conversation about the subject than just asking one question.

By asking more specific questions and using the five Ws and one H, your child will be more likely to share details of his day at school or day care. By opening up about your own day at work, you serve as your child’s role model.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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Games for your Preschooler

7 Play Based Learning Activities to Do With Your ChildHomemade games are fun to make and will be treasured for years to come. We love sharing our favorite DIY game ideas for all preschoolers.

Fall time is the perfect time for family play time. At Premier Academy, we teach kids to make a classic game that is both easy and fun to do. The children will treasure the homemade games for years to come. They make great Christmas presents, too.

The DIY game ideas include building a pinball machine. The kids will love to learn about angels and their positions to aim the ball to various directions. Farkle is another classic dice game that can be easily put together. It teaches essential math skills, too. Buying multiple sets of dice and placing them inside cute tins with instructions make great Christmas presents for relatives and friends.

Making a collection of mazes out of empty CD cases is another ingenious idea. All one needs are a few sticky sticks and tiny balls and ready is the miniature labyrinth perfect for a fun afternoon at home.

Making a tic tac toe board out of rocks, building a giant game board to play various classic childhood games, and creating a felt shape kit for endless imaginary play are only a few of the many tips this week.

Another fun idea is making sensory bins. Sensory bins are perfect for exploring preschoolers that love to experience new things. The various bins are great tools to develop senses and provide motor skill play time.

The sensory bin ideas include board game bins, a pirate themed bin, a valentine bin, a winter themed bin, a firefighter bin, and an ocean bin. The snow bin and the earth bin will be among the kids’ favorite. All bins are super easy to set up and will allow for hours of creative, imaginary play time with a purpose.

Premier is your source for preschool and childcare in Omaha Nebraska. We have a first-rate staff of professional, certified teachers who are dedicated to providing the very best care and education available anywhere. We understand the important role that fun plays in your child’s development and early education. We strive to make Premier Academy a fun place to be! We offer a program that combine fun activities, challenging developmental curriculum and first-rate child care. Encouraging an early love of learning will not only prepare your preschool age children for entry into school, but also to inspire a lifelong curiosity, love of learning, healthy self-esteem and thirst for knowledge.

We want to hear from you. Set up an appointment today and see how much your children will love Premier Academy!

Premier Academy Child Enrichment Center offers childcare in Omaha, Nebraska for infants, toddlers, preschool, and pre-k children.

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Help your child adjust to preschool

Teaching Your Children About FriendshipPreschool offers benefits that will help prepare your child for kindergarten and beyond.  Children interact with peers, take turns, and follow rules. Attending preschool does come with its fair share of emotions, for both the parent and the child. For children, entering this new phase can be very emotional, as a new preschool environment filled with unfamiliar teachers and kids can cause stress and anticipation. Parents might have mixed emotions about whether their child is ready for preschool.

At Premier Academy, we are here to make this transition as easy as possible.  To create less stress we have a few suggestions to make you and your child comfortable with this new journey.

Easing Your Child’s Fears

Visiting your child’s first preschool classroom a few times before school starts can ease the stress into unfamiliar territory. This offers the opportunity to ask questions, meet the teachers and learn the routines and common activities. While visiting the center, let your child explore and observe the class and choose whether to interact with other kids. Familiarizing your child with the classroom allows them to get comfortable.

Talk to your child about the new experiences they will encounter.  If you have an idea of what will take place, gradually introduce your child to these activities.  You can also ask how the teacher handles the first tear-filled days. How will the first week be structured to make the transition smooth for your child?

The First Day

This may be the hardest part of your new journey.  The first thing to remember, if your child clings to your or is not eager to join in with the other children, don’t get upset as this will only upset your child. Reintroducing the teacher to your child and taking a step back to allow the teacher to begin forming a relationship with your child.

We suggest never sneaking out. As tempting as it may be, leaving without saying goodbye may make kids feel abandoned, whereas a long farewell scene might only serve to reinforce a child’s sense that preschool is a bad place.

Be observant and flexible.

Watch to see how your child is adjusting. Do you feel he’s making a good connection with his teachers? Is your child excited about their new friends and all of the fun they are having.  If you are still seeing that your child is anxious and nervous, offer a time to volunteer. If you are working at a full time job, maybe a lunch hour or early morning time would work with your schedule more.  The teachers might really appreciate the extra help.

Be proud:

Before we know it, our children are ready to take this new adventure.  As hard as it may be, they are growing up! Express to your child how proud you are of them and get as excited as they are to discuss the daily events.

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Selecting a Premier Preschool for Your Little One

7 Play Based Learning Activities to Do With Your ChildChildren are our most precious resource and most valuable assets. Parents will go to any length to ensure their children are well taken care of when they have to work. To ensure this happens parents must select a premier preschool for their precious little one. Knowing how to recognize a premier preschool is important to ensuring only the highest quality care for your child. The parents of Premier Academy are always happy with the excellent care their children receive. Premier Academy specializes in services for infants, toddlers, preschooler, and pre-K aged children as well as offer school aged after school care programs.

The first way to recognize a premier childcare facility is by the highly qualified caregivers. At a premier childcare facility children will be provided with a positive learning environment by experienced and loving caregivers. The nurturing and caring workers at Premier Academy are devoted to the happiness of the children in their care and dedicated to stimulating their learning. The second way to recognize a premier child care facility is one dedicated to fostering the healthy development of children and providing a safe but fun environment. When looking for the best preschool Omaha Nebraska has to offer look no further than Premier Academy.

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Build Learning into Everyday Activities for Preschool

Keeping Your Child Safe from the Summer HeatWorking everyday learning into your household tasks can help your preschool children connect the importance of math, reading, geography, and simple reasoning to their own lives.

Try these suggestions for in-home preschool learning:

* Laundry. Have your preschool child divide your laundry into varying sets. These can be the traditional lights and darks, or you could have him divide the clothing into print piles and non-print piles. You can have her divide the clothing into adult sets and children’s sets. Another option: Ask your preschool child to identify all of her clothing and separate and fold it.

* Cooking. Have your child read a recipe out loud to you while you are cooking, or, better yet, write a family cookbook and have your preschool child come up with his or her own simple recipe. This helps the child with reading, writing, measurements, and general creativity.

* Hometown. What makes the area where you live geologically significant? Is there a mountain nearby? A lake? A desert? An ocean? Ask everyone in your family to draw a map to their favorite place in your hometown. Then get a real map of your town and see if it matches up with the way you each made your own maps. Celebrate by taking your preschool child to his or her favorite place.

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