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We are all sexual beings, from the cradle to the grave. Even as infants and toddlers, it can help to learn some sexuality basics, such as the proper names for one’s body parts. As our children develop sexually, they become even more curious about their bodies, about gender, and about sex. In late elementary school, this sexual awakening manifests in some unpleasant ways. Boys especially begin to talk more frequently about girls’ bodies, making demeaning comments and unwanted advances....

Why, you could have your children fill you in on the day’s events. Select some news stories from a paper you’ve already read, and clip them out. Cut the headlines, and put them into one pile; the articles themselves go into another. (To increase the level of difficulty, handwrite the headlines so that the typeface and point size won’t give away the answers.) Ask your child to match the articles with their headlines within whatever time frame you establish (adjust up or down to match your child’s abilities)....

Directions Before your child starts weaving, cut a large square out of fabric canvas or a heavy-weight fabric which will create the frame your child will weave the thin strips of fabric in and out of. Leave an inch or two around the outside edge and then cut lines about three inches apart inside the square all going in one direction. Use the thumbtacks to loosely secure the piece of fabric to the cardboard....

Busy schedules can also make it more difficult to find family time as your kids grow up. So it’s important to be proactive about making time to be together. Family fun nights are a great way to spend quality time together and provide your child with positive attention. If your kids groan when you bring up spending quality time together, make it clear that everyone is going to participate. For one night, don’t answer the phone, ignore social media, and step away from your electronics....

Making a visual family tree that shows your extended family is a project your child will really enjoy. Materials Photos Poster board Pencil Markers Scrap paper Glue Directions

The first step in the financial aid process is to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Hopefully, you’ve read up on the FAFSA and its importance in the financial aid process. Even if you don’t think you will qualify for grants, you must file a FAFSA to be eligible for federal loans as well as work-study jobs. Even though the FAFSA pertains directly to federal aid, most states use the FAFSA to determine state-based financial aid....

Age group: 30-40 months Duration of activity: 15 minutes Materials: Flashlight You can play this game during the day, but it so much more fun in the dark.

Adapted from National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) Briefing Paper, Revised Edition, October 1994. Contact NICHCY at P.O. Box 1492, Washington, DC 20013-1492; phone: 800/695-0285 or 202/884-8200 (Voice/TT); email: nichcy@aed.org

Young children are such a bundle of energy. A short “exercise class” not only helps their large muscle development, but it can also be a sanity saver on a long, rainy day indoors. You’ll feel better afterward, too! Encourage your child to follow your lead as you exercise together. Try touching toes, running in place, swinging your arms, and stretching to the ceiling. Exercise to music, pass a ball back and forth, or twirl a long ribbon in the air....

Involve your child in making up signals with their hands, arms, and fingers. Each signal should stand for a word or expression. Keep it simple and see how many your child can come up with and remember. This could become a game a secret or private language between you and your child.

Sitting up gives your baby so much more to see and learn that she won’t be able to get enough of it. Once she’s learned that you can pull her up to sitting, she probably won’t even wait for you to offer anymore. Instead, she’ll reach out imploringly-and you’ll be unable to resist. When she’s sitting on a hard surface, scatter plenty of pillows around her for the inevitable time when she flops over headfirst....

Bedbugs feed by biting people when they’re asleep. Some people develop localized swelling or an itchy welt around these bites. Others don’t react to them at all. Bedbugs feed at night and hide during the day. Their favorite hiding spots are where people sleep. Being flat, they can easily slip into tiny crevices in bed frames and headboards. They also like to tuck into areas around mattresses and boxsprings. They don’t nest, but they will congregate in habitual hiding places....

Effort: Easy – no sewing required Materials: Poster board – two sheets Glitter and glue Paint (glow-in-the-dark paint recommended) and paintbrush Leotard or sweatshirt, and tights in a color that matches the paint String Wooden spoon Scissors, pencil Instructions: Cut the poster board into a star shape that covers your child from the neck to mid-thigh. Trace the star onto another sheet of poster board, so that you have two identical star shapes....

My son made this craft early one spring and had fun cutting his grass buddy’s hair for months afterward. Materials Grass seeds Styrofoam cup Old sock Spray bottle full of water Potting soil Safety scissors Waterproof markers Directions To order this book visit Meadowbrook Press.

Directions Lay the grocery bag on a flat surface and fold over the open edge, making a crease of two or three inches. Open the bag and fill with tightly crumpled newspaper. Fold the stuffed bag along the crease line and tape closed. Make several blocks this way until there are enough to build a fort, wall, or other imaginary structure. These blocks can be used indoors or outdoors and can be replaced with relative ease....

By Diana Dickinson Davis Do you ever wish you had a place of your very own to hang out? A special spot where you can play with friends or just be by yourself? Why not plant a sunflower house? With a couple packets of sunflower seeds, water, and a sunny spot, you can grow your very own house. It’s easy, but you must to be patient–growing a house takes time you know!...