People Who Help Us: Police Officers

Following my Firefighters post as a continuation of the theme "people who help us" at the Stay and Play group we go to yesterday we had a visit from a police car and a police community support officer.

The children got to climb all over her police van (standing in the "cell" at the back and pretending to drive it), seeing the lights flash, hearing the siren (again a few tears!) and trying on her hat. She also spent time playing with the children to show them that police officers are approachable and people they should go to if they need help.

Award Winning Products

We are pleased to announce that the Child's Eye Media DVDs People Who Help Us 1 and People Who Help Us 2 as stocked at Littlesheep Learning won the 2009 Overall Winner Gold Award in the Practical Pre-School Awards (Multimedia section). Well done to everyone at Child's Eye Media.

Going to the Dentist

We've just had a family trip to the dentist so I thought a post about preparing children for 'going to the dentist' would be a good idea.

So - how do you prepare your child for visiting the dentist? Here are our top dos and don'ts

Do

• make the trip enjoyable
• let the child bring a favourite toy along to show the dentist / hold in the chair
• show by example, brush your teeth daily at the same time as your child
• play at dentists, show your child how the dentist will examine their teeth and then allow them to do the same to you
• read children's books about the dentist for example, Going to the Dentist the story of a brother and sister who go to the dentist which explains most things that happen at the dental surgery
• watch DVDs about Dentists for example People Who Help Us 2 in which you can see Amy have a check up and look after her teeth at home, join Amy as she becomes a dentist for the day at the surgery, follow Amy as she explores the dental hospital and watch children role playing dentists in school
• always answer truthfully any questions your child may have about the dentist
• encourage your children to role play being a dentist using their dolls / teddies or other soft toys as patients - you could use this glove puppet as a dentist

Don't

• allow your child to hear any negative dental stories from other people
• use the dentist as a threat or punishment, but also do not use bribes in order for the visit to happen
• use words that may instil fear in your child such as needle, pain or hurt
  

Our trip wasn't too bad (the baby didn't open his mouth though!) how did your last trip to the dentist go?

Award Winning Products

We spend time looking for the very best products to stock at Littlesheep Learning and we are please to announce that one of the films - The Child's Eye View of People Who Help Us - Firefighters DVD featured on the People Who Help Us DVD has been won the Royal Television Society Educational Television Award 2008 in the 0-5 years category.

The judges said

“The winning series is a clever way of looking at careers, through a child's eyes, and it was well shot at child level. It provided lots of jumping off points for a teacher, with cross curricular opportunities, including role play.”

Competition: What do you want to be when you grow up?

My son has a t-shirt that says "When I grow up I want to be a firefighter" and this gave me the inspiration for the latest competition at Littlesheep Learning to win a 'Firefighters' DVD.

The Childs Eye Firefighters DVD is part of an award-winning series explores the world of work through a childs eyes and offers an understanding of the people who help us. Designed especially for children aged 3-8 the documentaries include exciting live action footage plus role play games and songs. Highly entertaining as well as educational young children will want to watch again and again - a prize your child will love.

All your child needs to do to enter is to tell us what they want to be when they grow up - they can do this by drawing us a picture, writing a poem or story, dressing up - or in any other way. Just send the pictures / creative offerings to us (emailing entries with scanned documents / photographs as attachments is fine).
Please include your child's name, age and address and your email address. Entries need to be received by the 30th April to be in with a chance of winning.

PLEASE NOTE: By entering you are giving us consent to use your entries on this website, on this blog, in our newsletter, or in any other publicity surrounding this competition.