a monthly mix of child nutrition and health information
Volume 34 • Issue 9
September 2008 Making a Case for Whole Grains
2 Nutrition Notes You’ve heard that whole grains
Produce Profile: are good for you, and you know
Tomatoes that you should probably have
them more often, but have you
3 Featured Recipes made a point of eating at least
Oats: Not Just for three to five servings a day?
Breakfast Anymore
Do you make sure your kids
are getting at least two to three
4 Snacks, Meals & Menus servings a day? It’s easier than
Requirements, Ideas, you might think, and experts at
and Recipes
the United States Department of
Health and Human Services and
5 Childhood Challenges the United States Department of
The Importance of Early
Agriculture (USDA) would say
Childhood Eating Habits
it’s well worth the effort.
Potpourri Feedback Form
They recommend that at least
half of the grains children eat
6 Parent & Provider Page should be whole grains. Why?
Picky Eaters
Studies have shown that eating
whole grains as part of a healthy
7 Provider Training diet can help reduce the risk of
On-Line Training heart disease, stroke, some types
from Home
of cancer, and Type-2 diabetes.
Though most children are not
8 Provider Conference faced with these issues, your
nutritional influence now could
9 Minute Menu Option help prevent such problems for
them in the future.
10 Give Something Special In addition, eating whole
grains contributes to better
11 Activities Calendar weight maintenance, a reduced
October risk of asthma, healthier arter-
Subscription Form ies, less gum disease, and better
blood pressure levels. These
12 For the Kids
Outdoor Games
Potpourri Now in a New, More User-Friendly Size
“What’s up?” That’s what you
may have thought when you first
saw this issue of Potpourri. As you
New size, new look.
can see, we’ve made a few changes.
Tell us what you think! Our goal is to provide you with the
See form on page 5. information you want and need
in an easy-to-read format that’s
also easy to handle and store. This
benefits are worthy goals for
all children (and adults). A
few small changes in your
shopping, cooking, and
baking habits could make a
significant, lasting difference.
Try New Foods
• Try whole-grain breads.
Kids especially like whole-
grain pita bread.
• Buy whole-grain pasta or
a multi-grain blend that
includes whole grains.
• Make risottos, pilafs, and
other rice-like dishes with
whole grains such as barley,
brown rice, bulgur, millet,
quinoa, or sorghum.
• Look for cereals made with
grains such as kamut, kasha
(buckwheat), or spelt.
Simple Substitutions
• Substitute half the white
flour with whole wheat
flour in your regular recipes
for cookies, muffins, quick
breads, and pancakes.
• Similarly, replace one third
of the flour in such recipes
with quick oats or old-
fashioned oats.
• Add half a cup of cooked
experimental size fits right into a
folder or binder to keep or carry.
We are building upon the
tried and true format you’ve
come to expect, adding more
tips and tidbits to help you pro-
vide for those in your care.
Do you love it? Hate it?
Children need 2-3 servings of whole
grains per day. One serving equals:
1 slice of whole-grain bread;
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, whole-wheat
pasta, brown rice, whole-grain
couscous, or wild rice; OR 2/3 cup
of ready-to-eat whole-grain cereal.
bulgur, wild rice, or barley
to bread stuffing.
• Add half a cup of cooked
wheat or rye berries, wild
rice, brown rice, sorghum,
or barley to your favorite
canned or homemade soup.
• Use whole cornmeal for
corn cakes, corn breads,
and corn muffins.
• Add ¾ cup of uncooked
oats for each pound of
ground beef or turkey
when you make meatballs,
burgers, or meatloaf.
Please let us know what you
think by sending your input to
the new Editor, Liesl Bohan, at
lbohan@acdcacfp.org or by
completing the form on page 5.
As always, we welcome your
recipes, photos, child care tips,
and article ideas.

Association for Child Development
www.acdcacfp.org
Michigan
P.O. Box 1491 • East Lansing, MI 48826
139 W. Lake Lansing Rd., Suite 120
East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: 800/234-3287 or 517/332-7200
Fax: 517/332-5543
E-mail: acdmichigan@acdcacfp.org
Illinois
P.O. Box 7130 • Westchester, lL 60154-7130
4415 West Harrison St., Suite 212
Hillside, lL 60162
Phone: 800/284-5273 or 708/236-0863
Fax: 708/236-0872
E-mail: Illinois@acdcacfp.org
The Association for Child Development
is a nonprofit organization that educates
parents and caregivers about nutrition
to promote the development of children and
establish healthy eating habits
to last a lifetime.
Chief Executive Officer:
Alice Fingers
Executive Director-Michigan CACFP:
Mary S. Rice
Editor: Liesl Bohan
Staff and Volunteer Assistants:
Anne Bashore
Matthew Bohan
Nancy Dayton
Sandy Kempf
Stephanie Perry
Nan Wrisley
Advisor: Dana Hughes
Potpourri is published monthly by the
Association for Child Development (ACD),
a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food
Program (CACFP). Child care providers
sponsored by the ACD for participation with
the CACFP receive Potpourri free of charge. The
paid subscription rate is $15 for 12 issues. No
portion of Potpourri may be reprinted without
the consent of the ACD. Please address editorial
correspondence and subscription inquiries to:
Association for Child Development
Publications Specialist
P.O. Box 1491
East Lansing, MI 48826
Phone: (800) 234-3287
or (517) 332-7200 x119
Fax: (517) 332-5543
E-mail: lbohan@acdcacfp.org
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
prohibits discrimination in all of its programs
and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, and disability. To file a complaint of
discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office
of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-
3272 or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.
All photos copyright 2008 iStock International
Inc. www.istockphoto.com
2 • Potpourri • September 2008
nutrition notes
Produce Profile: Tomatoes
Ah, late summer. It’s the tomato is nutritionally cat-
best time of year for fresh, egorized as a vegetable. Since
ripe, home-grown tomatoes. “vegetable” is not a botanical
While canned tomatoes are term, there is no contradic-
excellent for many recipes, tion in a plant’s produce being
there is nothing quite like a a fruit botanically while still
garden-fresh tomato. being considered a vegetable.
If you don’t have plants of While most commercially
your own or a neighbor pro- available tomatoes are red,
viding you with extras, then they are also available in
head to your local farmer’s shades of yellow, orange, pink,
market. Not only will you purple, green, and white.
find plenty to choose from—
including sizes, colors, and Tidbits (Did You Know?)
shapes you may not have
seen before—but if you look Whole Grains
around, you’ll probably find
some great deals as well. • Whole grains are cereal grains that retain the bran and germ as
well as the endosperm, in contrast to refined grains, which retain
Historically speaking, the
tomato has come a long way. only the endosperm.
It was supposedly first grown • Common whole-grain products include oatmeal, brown rice,
by the Aztecs in Mexico, whole-wheat flour (including white whole-wheat flour), sprouted
who called the small, yel- grains, and whole-wheat bread.
low fruit xitomatl, meaning • The endosperm contains most of the carbohydrate and protein.
"plump thing with a navel." The bran contains much of the B-vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Tomatoes are now grown The germ, the part of the grain where a new plant sprouts, is rich
in B-vitamins, heart-healthy oils, minerals, and some protein.
worldwide and are one of the
most common garden fruits
Tomatoes
in the United States. While
mostly eaten, tomatoes are • A can of tomato paste is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
sometimes used to make It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin K, riboflavin,
drinks. Those still under-ripe niacin, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium and manganese, and a very
at the end of season are often good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and
used for making chutney. copper.
Though it is botanically • Unless you select the salt-free varieties, canned tomato products
a berry, a subset of fruit, the contain very high levels of sodium.
Garden-Fresh Tomato Tart Focus On: Farmers’ Markets
Pastry for 9-inch pie crust In a farmers’ market, a
6 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups) group of farmers sell their
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried) products at a designated pub-
3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick & drained on paper lic place. From the traditional
towels “mercados” in Peru to street
Dash salt and pepper markets in Asia, growers all
over the world gather weekly
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay pastry dough flat on an
to sell their fresh produce.
ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, then with
To find one near you, go
thyme. Place tomato slices on top, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle
to Local Harvest’s web site:
with salt and pepper. Fold pastry over the topping, crimping the
www.localharvest.org.
edges. Bake until crust is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
Association for Child Development

Peachy Oat Muffins
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked rolled oats (not instant)
¼ cup oat bran
½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
2 large eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 cup finely chopped, well-drained fresh,
canned, or frozen peaches
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine flour, oats, oat bran, sugar,
baking powder, salt, and allspice; mix
well. Cut in the butter until mixture
resembles a coarse meal. In a separate
bowl, beat together the eggs and skim
milk, then add the peaches.
Make a well in the dry ingredients,
then pour in the peach mixture, stirring
just enough to blend. Spoon the batter
into greased muffin tins.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until a
tester comes out clean. Cool the tin for
5 minutes before removing the muffins.
Serve warm or cooled. Makes 12.
Oatmeal Pancakes
1 ¼ cups milk
1 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon oil
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine the milk and rolled oats in
a bowl and let stand for at least 5 min-
utes (or cover and leave in the refrigera-
tor overnight). Stir in the oil and eggs,
mixing well. Add the flour, sugar, baking
powder, and salt, mixing just until the
dry ingredients are moistened. Bake on
a hot, lightly oiled griddle, using ¼ cup
of batter for each pancake. Makes 10 to
12 four-inch pancakes.
Association for Child Development
featured recipes
Oats: Not Just for
Breakfast Anymore
Because of its versatility, there are
countless ways to use oatmeal in your
kitchen. While some of the more
obvious uses include instant breakfast
cereals and cookies, oats can also be
used in smoothies, granola, pancakes,
muffins, bread, soup, scones, meatloaf,
desserts, and more.
One reason they are so useful is
the many forms they take. Groats are
coarsely ground to make oatmeal (oat
bran), or cut into small pieces to make
steel-cut oats (Irish oats), or steamed
and rolled to make rolled oats. Quick-
cooking rolled oats (“quick oats”) are
those which have been cut into small
pieces, then steamed and rolled.
Tidbits
• All forms of oats count as a whole grain.
• Oats contain more protein than most
other common cereals.
• Oatmeal is low in saturated fat and very
low in cholesterol. It is also a good source
of dietary fiber, vitamin A, riboflavin,
folate, and phosphorus, and a very good
source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6,
iron, and manganese.
• To make oat flour, process quick or old-
fashioned oats in a blender. Substitute
the oat flour for up to one third of the
all-purpose or bread flour in recipes for
cakes, cookies, muffins, breads, biscuits,
pancakes, waffles, scones, and fruit
crisps.
Apple Oat Crisp
4 large apples (3 cups)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup flour
1 packet instant oatmeal (any variety,
preferably reduced sugar)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the
apples and place them in a 9 x 9” greased
pan. Cream together butter and sugar.
Combine flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, and
salt in a separate bowl. Stir into creamed
butter and sugar.
Sprinkle flour mixture over the apples,
then drizzle maple syrup over everything.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until apples are
tender and topping is golden.
Easy Oat Bread
If you have a bread machine, this may
become your kids' favorite sandwich bread.
It also makes wonderful French toast, if you
have any left the morning after you make it!
1¼ cups milk or buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons honey*
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
2¾ cups enriched bread flour
1 teaspoon yeast
Add to your machine in the order rec-
ommended by the manufacturer (liquids
first or solids first). Use the light or white
setting.
Note: If you prefer oven-baked bread, you
can convert bread machine recipes by read-
ing the ingredients, then combining them
the way you usually do. Dissolve the yeast in
the liquid, add other “wet” ingredients (e.g.,
eggs, honey, butter), add the flour and other
dry ingredients, knead, then knead in any
“extras” (raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.).
Let the bread rise once in the bowl, then
transfer it to a pan and let it rise again. Bake
for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
* Do not serve to children under 1 year due to
risk of foodborne illness.
September 2008 • Potpourri • 3
 snacks, meals, and menus

Meals & Menus

Requirements Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Breakfast
1. Grapes 1. Strawberries 1. Peaches 1. Bananas 1. Apple Slices
1. Juice, Fruit, or Vegetable 2. Waffles 2. Pancakes 2. Bran Muffins 2. Bagel 2. French Toast
2. Grain/Bread 3. Milk 3. Milk 3. Milk 3. Milk 3. Milk
3. Milk

Lunch/Dinner
1. Bean Burrito 1. Roast Turkey 1. Meatballs (Beef) 1. Chili (Turkey) 1. Ham and Eggs
1. Meat/Meat Alternate 2. Corn Tortilla & Cheese 2. Pasta 2. Corn Bread 2. Toast
2. Grain/Bread 3a. Lettuce/To- 2. Whole Wheat 3a. Tomato Sauce 3a. Tomatoes 3a. Potatoes/
3a. Fruit or Vegetable mato/Onion Pita Bread 3b. Green Beans 3b. Oranges Green Peppers
3b. Fruit or Vegetable 3b. Pineapple 3a. Tomato/Lettuce 4. Milk 4. Milk 3b. Oranges
4. Milk 4. Milk 3b. Apple 4. Milk
4. Milk
Snacks
For each snack choose one 1. Hard Pretzels 1. Banana Bread 1. Bagel 1. Tortilla 1. Apple
food from two of the following 2. Cheese 2. Milk 2. Apple Juice Chips 2. Milk
food groups: 2. Salsa
1. Meat/meat alternate,
2. Juice or fruit or vegetable, 1. Oat Muffins 1. Graham 1. Apple Crisp 1. Coffee Cake 1. Oatmeal
3. Grain/bread, 2. Milk Crackers 2. Milk 2. Milk Cookies
4. Milk 2. Apple Juice 2. Milk
If serving a liquid at snack, the
second component must be a
solid.

Breakfast Oatmeal Roasted Cauliflower Green Bean Crumble

Instead of instant, try serving a bowl of plain
oatmeal topped with one or more of:
raisins,* dried cranberries,* sliced bananas,
peanut butter* and crushed walnuts* or a
small amount of brown sugar and milk.
Steel-cut Oats
Bring 1 cup of water and ⅓ cup steel-cut
oats to near boiling, then simmer for 12-15
minutes to preferred texture. Stir in one or
more of: vanilla, maple syrup, dried cher-
ries,* or slivered almonds.*
Apple “Whippers”
Thinly slice apples into serving bowls. Add
a small amount of whipped cream to each
bowl, then drizzle a little caramel topping
over the cream.
Oatmeal Smoothie
Combine 1 cup apple juice, 1 frozen banana,
3 heaping tablespoons of uncooked oatmeal,
and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup in a
blender. Process until smooth.
Roasting cauliflower caramelizes it a bit,
bringing out a nice, sweet flavor. Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees. Cut one head of
cauliflower into tablespoon-sized florets.
Toss the florets with 1½ tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil, then salt, and freshly ground
pepper to taste. Roast in ovenproof cas-
serole dish, tossing occasionally, until florets
are browned in spots and are tender when
pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes).
Grilled Peaches
Melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1½ table-
spoons packed brown sugar in a small
skillet over medium heat. Remove skillet
from heat. Brush pitted peach halves ( from
6 medium-size ripe, but firm, peaches)
all over with melted butter mixture. Grill
peaches until tender, about eight minutes,
turning occasionally. Remove from grill and
top with vanilla yogurt and a dash of cin-
namon. Serve immediately.
Toss washed, trimmed green beans into a pot
of boiling water for about 4 minutes. Once
the beans have turned bright green, drain
them, and transfer them to a bowl. Pour
or spray a small amount of olive oil on the
beans. Sprinkle a mixture of bread crumbs
and grated Parmesan cheese over the beans
and serve. (Use a ratio of ½ cup crumbs to
¼ cup of cheese.) Add kosher salt or garlic
salt to taste.
Kid’s Quote:
“I can’t have coffee cake.
My mom won’t let me have
coffee.”
—contributed by Pam Thomas,
Mt. Morris
* This food is a choking hazard for children
under the age of 4 years.

4 • Potpourri • September 2008 Association for Child Development

 childhood challenges
Pre-school Eating Habits Affect School Performance
What parents and child care providers
feed their young children is now consid-
ered more important than ever. That is
the implication of new research, which
suggests that children’s diets in the pre-
school years affect how they perform in
school later on.
According to research published in the
Journal of Epidemiology and Community
Health, what children eat in the days be-
fore elementary school has more of an ef-
fect than what they actually eat in school.
The study showed that children who ate
a diet of “junk food” at the age of three
made less progress in school between the
ages of six and ten. Children’s diets at later
ages appear to have less impact on what
they attain in school.
Researcher Dr. Pauline Emmett says
they are confident this is a robust associa-
tion that indicates early eating patterns
have effects that persist over time, regard-
less of later changes in diet.
Dr. Emmett says it is therefore very im-
portant for children to eat a well-balanced
diet from an early age if they are to get the
best out of their education.
In the study, junk food was defined
as highly processed foods, fast food, and
Potpourri Feedback
Your answers to this short survey will help us try to make Potpourri the best it can be. Please clip this out and mail your responses to:
Publications Specialist, Association for Child Development, P.O. Box 1491, East Lansing, MI 48826. If you prefer, e-mail your
recommendations to Liesl Bohan at lbohan@acdcacfp.org. Please include your name and the city and state in which you live.
I like the size of this issue.
†† Yes
†† No
†† Doesn’t Matter
I prefer the larger layout of previous
issues of Potpourri.
†† Yes
†† No
†† Doesn’t Matter
I would like to see more of the fol-
lowing in Potpourri (please include a
separate piece of paper for this).
Association for Child Development
information from the ‘Children of the
90s’ study, which has been following the
development of 14,000 children since
birth in 1991-1992, allowing researchers
to account for factors such as low income
or poor housing.
The researchers say that even after
adjustments were made for such factors,
the association remained between poor
diet at age three and comparatively slow
progress at school several years later.
Editor’s Note
This page, formerly titled Health
Front, focuses on issues facing children
today. Autism? ADHD? Asthma?
Biting? Childhood obesity? Seasonal
foods high in fat and sugar, such as potato allergies? Food allergies? Serious ill-
chips, sweets, and soft drinks. ness? Domestic violence?
Researchers say the 25% of children Let us know which topics you’d like
who ate the most junk food at age three covered, and we’ll research timely in-
were 10% less likely to achieve the ex- formation that might be useful for you
pected levels of improvement between and your young ones. Mail in the form
the ages of six and ten, compared with the below along with an additional note to
rest of the children. tell us what you’d like to see covered on
The research is based on detailed this page.
My favorite pages of Potpourri are I read Potpourri every month.
(please rank your favorites as 1st, 2nd, †† Always
3rd, etc.): †† Sometimes
__ Cover Story †† Never
__ Nutrition Notes I use information and ideas that I
__ Featured Recipes read about in Potpourri.
__ Childhood Challenges †† Always
(formerly Health Front) †† Sometimes
__ Meals and Menus †† Never
__ Activities Calendar I would like to read articles about the
__ Parent & Provider Page (Ideas for You) following topics (please include a sepa-
rate piece of paper for this).
__ For the Kids
September 2008 • Potpourri • 5
 parent and provider page
Previous Potpourri Question: How do you get picky eaters to eat their meals and
snacks without arguments, tears, or stalling techniques?
We received the following ideas from
Rebecca Anlas of Apple Tree Preschool & Child
Care Home in Midland, Michigan.
Children go through phases of being
picky eaters from age one year through
their teen years. This is a normal part of
human development that is universal.
I find that the number one technique
for success in feeding children is to
remember the “Jobs” philosophy. If a
parent and provider follow through
with this consistently each and every
time, children will feel more in control,
respected, and positive about eating
their meals.
The “Jobs” philosophy is simply
remembering that the adult (the cook)
has three jobs to do and the child (the
eater) has three jobs to do. If each
person does these jobs, meal time will
be a positive experience. The cook’s job
is to decide: When to serve the meal,
What to serve at the meal, and Where
to serve it. That’s it. The eater’s job is to
decide: If to eat, What to eat, and How
much to eat.
This means that the child—not
the adult, is in charge of her tummy.
She has the control to decide what
goes into it from the choices you have
offered. Some adults were raised by par-
ents who forced them to try bites of new
things and to clean their plates at every
meal, so this goes against their instincts.
To avoid waste, serve small portions
at first. Then if the child asks for more,
serve it. If the child says he/she is not
hungry, respect that. Certainly the child
can spend meal time at the table with the
others who are eating, but should not be
forced to eat.
As hard as it might be for parents
to let their children make these
choices, remember that children are
usually self-regulating.
They will not starve themselves,
and they can determine when their
bodies have had enough to eat.
We need to respect that.  the children in my care dip cheese crack-
It’s OK to say to the child, “You are in
charge of your tummy, so if you choose
not to eat, that’s all right; but we are not
eating again until snack time in three
hours, so be sure you are making the
right choice.”  eaters.
Studies have indicated that forcing
a child to eat everything on the plate at
each meal—as well as using desserts to
reward or punish eating habits—can
lead to eating disorders.
I have found a few things that have
made meal items more interesting, fun,
and attractive to the child. For example,
I cut a soda straw in half and stick it in
the child’s applesauce. It’s fun to suck it
up. Who needs a spoon?!
Sometimes a light sprinkle of cinna-
mon on something is enough to entice
the child to try it. I have sprinkled cin-
namon on applesauce, bologna sand-
wiches, bananas, green beans (yum),
fruit cocktail, waffles and even in tomato
soup (yum again!). 
Adding a blob of ketchup on the plate,
even when you don’t think anything calls
for it, can inspire eating. Almost all of
ers in ketchup. Once I even had a little
girl dip strawberries into it.
I have found meal time to be com-
pletely stress-free, happy, and fun using
the “jobs” philosophy and some creative
touches. I recommend this to other
providers and parents who have picky

Left: Children from Raggedy Anne's House, Royal Oak, Michigan (operated by Yelena Khaykin), pose in front of the baby whale they painted on a wall outside.
Submitted by Penny Mitchell. Right: Kids from Jean Holtshouser’s day care in Quincy, Illinois “loved the animals” and watched the sheep get “haircuts” at the
Adams County Fair.

6 • Potpourri • September 2008 Association for Child Development

 provider training information
You Can Earn On-line Training Credits from Home
That’s right! As a child care provider sponsored by the As-
sociation for Child Development (ACD), you can now earn
training credits working from your own computer.
As a sponsor of the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
we understand that it’s important for you to earn training
credits as part of your professional development. While cred-
its can still be earned in a variety of ways, ACD is excited to
offer you an opportunity to earn them from your own home.
You may enroll in this on-line training opportunity simply
by logging in to the self-study web site and setting up an
account using your agency identification number. Currently
available self-study classes include those in the box below.

Self-Study Topics for Child Care Providers

Ages and Stages Do’s and Don’ts of Discipline ­Preparing for Pandemic Flu
­Anger Management Early Brain Development Promoting Communication and
Language
Autism Food and Infant Health
­Avoiding Stress and Burnout Rainy Day Activities
­Food Allergies
­Bipolar Disorder ­Relationship Attachment
­Helping a Child Grieve
­Biting ­Safe ’n Sound
­ elping Children & Families Cope
H
­ ommunicating with Young
C ­Secure Relationships with Children
with Divorce
Children Snacks from Around the World
­Holiday Stress Management
­Developing High Self-Esteem Teaming with Parents
­ eveloping Responsibility
D ­Introduction to Violence
and Independence Prevention ­What’s New with ADHD?

Development in Children ­Meeting the Challenge ­What’s Up with This Kid?

If you are an ACD-sponsored child care provider, you can start your
self-study program today. Just follow these simple steps.
1. Type http://www.ccdsmetro.org/ buy credits to use towards purchasing 5. After selecting a class, you will be re-
selfstudy/default.aspx into your classes. Each topic is $10. quired to read the study material and
web browser. 4. You may purchase as many credits as
then take a test.
2. Using your e-mail address, a password you like, after which you can select 6. After completing the test, click
of your choosing, and your agency any topic. submit, and your test will be graded
identification number, create an ac- Keep in mind that once you have pur- instantly.
count. chased credits, clicking on a class topic 7. If you pass with a score of 85% or
3. You may browse a list of topics. If you will open it, and a $10 credit will be higher, you will be able to print out
click on any, you will be directed to applied to that topic. your certificate immediately.

Association for Child Development September 2008 • Potpourri • 7

 provider conference

8 • Potpourri • September 2008 Association for Child Development

 minute menu: upgrade option

Association for Child Development September 2008 • Potpourri • 9

 give something special

10 • Potpourri • September 2008 Association for Child Development

 activities calendar
National Pretzel Month • National Apple Month • National Pizza Month • Seafood Month • Hunger Awareness Month
Campaign for Healthier Babies Month • Pasta Month • Pork Month • Child Health Month • Family Health Month • Learning Disabilities

October
Month • National Cookie Month • Halloween Safety Month • SIDS Awareness Month • Vegetarian Awareness Month
1 Pick Apples 2 Rain Gauge 3 Bird Feeder
Take a trip to an apple Capture rain in a jar and measure Smear a bagel or pine cone with
orchard for the day. with a ruler to see how much you peanut butter. Roll in birdseed and
caught. attach a string. Hang where birds
will find it.

6 Will I Bite?
Use one piece of paper, pen or
marker, and tape for each player.
Have each child, or provider, write
a type of animal on the paper. Tape
the paper to the forehead of a child.
Child asks yes or no questions until
guessing the type of animal.
7 Holiday Chain
Cut strips of colored construction
paper appropriate for upcoming
Holiday. Make a chain using the
strips by looping circles of paper
and taping the ends together.
Have the children use the chains
to decorate for the holidays.
8 Walk this Way
Write silly ways to walk
(slippery sidewalk, rocky
path) on index cards. Have
a child pick one. Give play-
ers 1 minute to perform
the walk. First person to
guess correctly plays next.
9 English Mummies
Spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce
on half of an English muffin. Use
olive slices for eyes and bits of red or
green peppers for pupils. Lay strips
of pull-apart cheese across the muf-
fin for mummy’s wrappings. Bake at
350 degrees for 10 minutes.
10 Story Stick
Decorate a stick 1-inch thick and
3-feet long with stickers, ribbons,
and beads. Sit in a circle. As each
child holds the story stick, let them
tell the group a small story. It can
be fact or fiction. Pass the stick
around the circle until every child
has a turn.

13 Columbus Day
Make spy glass telescopes out of
paper towel holders. Read short
stories about Christopher Columbus
from the library.
14 Shiny Snake
Use old necktie, craft dowel,
floral wire, filling, fabric glue,
felt, and scissors. Using dowel,
stuff the tie, insert length of wire
for coiling, cut and glue on felt
for eyes and tongue.
15 Bowl Me Over
Mix several kinds of dry
cereal together and see
what the combinations
taste like.
16 On-the-Go Waffle Cones
Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut but-
ter on the inside of a waffle cone. Fill
the cone with 8 oz. of custard-type
yogurt. Top with bananas, strawber-
ries, or red raspberries.
17 Leaf Walk
Go for a walk through the woods
admiring the fall colors and col-
lecting a variety of leaves.

20 Leaf Art
Place leaves of different color, size,
and shape on construction paper.
Glue in place.
21 Pom-Pom Scarf
Use forty 1” pom-poms, needle,
and embroidery floss. String
pom-poms to desired length and
knot floss securely at both ends.
22 Create a Card
Fold a piece of card stock
in half. Have child make a
design with school glue.
Toss sprinkles on, shaking
off excess.
23 Jingle Bracelet
String 4 or 5 small bells on 1 or 2
pipe cleaners and twist the ends to-
gether. Wear as a bracelet, anklet, or
use as a tambourine. Dance around
to make music.
24 Banana Dog
Spread peanut butter* on a hot
dog bun. Add a small, peeled
banana. Top with jam.

27 Personalized Lunch Bags 28 Pumpkin Patch 29 Pet Show 30 Hayride 31 Halloween

Decorate paper lunch bags with Visit a pumpkin patch and bring Dress up a favorite toy pet Go on a hayride and take lots of Arrange Halloween artwork on
markers, stickers, and crayons. some home to decorate. and have a show! First pictures. the dinner table. Cover with clear
prize wins a blue ribbon. plastic.

* This food is a choking hazard for children under the age of 4 years.

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Association for Child Development September 2008 • Potpourri • 11

 for the kids
Frolicking, Fun, and Fitness for Fall
September is a great time for getting outside with kids. The beauty of autumn leaves and skies are often matched with perfect
daytime temperatures for outdoor games. Not only will children have fun playing these games, but they’ll be moving around
and getting healthy exercise, too.

Moving Statues
This is a game for a big yard or
playground with 4 or more players,
ages 4 and up. Younger children can
participate; they just might need a
little help.
Designate a starting line and
“caller.” Have the other players (the
statues) line up at starting point. The
caller stands at the finish line about
50 feet away.
When everyone is ready and the
caller’s back is turned to the statues,
players can start to move toward the
caller. They must freeze any time the
caller turns to face them. Anyone
the caller catches moving must ing location for the players and a base to As the children get closer to Itsy
return to the starting line. run to in order to be “safe.” A paper plate Bitsy and ask, “Itsy Bitsy May I?”, the
The first person to reach the fin- works well. spider may respond, “No!” at any
ish line becomes the next caller.
When the game begins, Itsy Bitsy time. When Itsy Bitsy says “No!” it’s a
Itsy Bitsy May I? will say a phrase such as, “Jump six times
towards me.” All players respond, “Itsy Bitsy
signal that the spider will try to tag as
many children as possible before they
This tag game utilizes gross motor
May I?” If Itsy Bitsy says, “Yes,” the children can arrive safely back to base. Who-
skills and requires children to follow
directions. move forward according to the given com- ever is tagged before making it to base
Decide who will be Itsy Bitsy. For mand, such as, “Six jumps forward.” Itsy sits out until the next game starts.
the first game, have an adult act as Bitsy stays stationary until replying “No” Remember that the tag works
Itsy Bitsy, giving a good example for to a request. both ways. Those who make it back
others to follow. This person is the Play continues with Itsy Bitsy giving to base safely continue to play until all
designated spider and should stand different orders each time. Need ideas? the players have been tagged or until
across the playground. Try asking kids to run in place, skip, hop, a child tags Itsy Bitsy at home. Make
Now, choose a base location for walk backward, gallop forward, slide, or sure you continue playing until every-
the game that is opposite Itsy Bitsy any other movements involving big muscle one has had a turn to be Itsy Bitsy!
and on a flat surface. This is the start- coordination. -- Alicia Danyali, www.education.com

Association for Child Development Non-Profit Org.

P.O. Box 1491 U.S. Postage PAID
East Lansing, MI 48826 Lansing, MI
Permit No. 401
www.acdcacfp.org

The Association for Child Development is a

nonprofit organization that educates parents
and caregivers about nutrition to promote the
development of children and establish healthy
eating habits to last a lifetime.