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I just read a great article in the Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in NYC found that the more children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. “Frequent family dinners provide parents a perfect opportunity to connect with their children, to hear about concerns or issues when they arise, to send clear messages about expectations and rules,” said Lauren R. Duran, director of communications for the center. She invites families across the U.S. to participate on Monday, Sept. 24, in “Family Day-A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children.” To read more go to http://www.casafamilyday.org/

September is a time of beginnings for most children. They’re starting a new chapter in their lives filled with new teachers, new friends and new adventures. Often children are nervous and uneasy wondering what the school year will bring. In this months newsletter I’ve included an idea for something special that grandparents can do to help with this uneasiness and also preserve memories. You’ll find a fun math sorting activity and a reading matching game. Both of these are great for grandparents to do with their grandchildren and free patterns to download are included. For a great activity that the whole family can do together, check out An Apple a Day.

Write a note to your grandchild sharing with them something that you remember about being their age and beginning a new school year. Tell them how you felt. Maybe you were excited, scared or embarrassed. Also add a photograph of yourself when you were their age. This could become a special keepsake for your grandchild and would be a part of your personal history, so make a copy for yourself.

Download All Sorts of Sorts

Sorting is a great activity to get students thinking about understanding data and how it can be organized many different ways.
1. Collect many different kinds of things to sort (buttons, rocks, shells money, lids, beans, small toys, etc.).
2. Download the “How Many Ways to Sort” and “Sorting Mat”.
3. Use the Sorting Mat to sort the items into categories. There will be many different ways to sort the items. You can sort by shape, size, color, etc.).
4. Write down all the different things you sorted and the way you sorted them on the How Many Ways to Sort sheet. See how many different ways you can sort the items. This activity also reinforces writing skills.

Download the Matching Game

1. Download the word cards (be sure to download 2 copies for each game set) and cut them apart.
2. Find pictures that represent the words. Use magazines or newspapers to find pictures that represent the words. Children can even make their own drawings on the cards.
3. Play the match game. Each time a card is turned over say the word. The person with the most matches is the winner.