Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Reading is FUN!

Pinkalicious Princess Party March 16, 2008
We had a blast! All of the girls dressed up in pink costumes, had their nails polished pink, enjoyed the book Pinkalicious, modelled on stage, drank pink lemonade and ate
cupcakes of course!

Given all the fun we had, the girls had no idea that we had a party with a PURPOSE! Reading is very important and reading to children aloud helps to lay a great foundation for educational success!
According to Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, reading aloud to children benefits them in numerous ways. Listed below are only some of the benefits a child receives from being read to:
Reading aloud provides a positive reading role model.
Reading aloud creates a bond between the reader and the child.
Reading aloud improves the child's listening comprehension.
Reading aloud expands the child's attention span.
Reading aloud helps develop the child's language skills.
Reading aloud helps develop critical thinking skills and effective communication skills.
Reading aloud exposes the child to rich vocabulary.
Reading aloud exposes the child to good grammar.
Reading aloud stimulates the child's imagination, creativity and curiosity.
Reading aloud establishes the reading-writing connection.
Reading aloud provides the child with a lot of background knowledge. The more a child is read to now, the more he/she will learn for use in reading later.
Reading aloud nurtures the child's emotional development, raising his/her self esteem.
Reading aloud is FUN, providing the child with the pleasures of reading!

For more information visit: http://www.readtomeintl.org/display.cfm?sid=6


Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Inspired by Playing!

Dressing up is fun and meaningful! Each week we take the role of "Princess" or "Diva" seriously! Over this past weekend, a mom said to me, "What I like about your place is that it involves dramatic play".

Dramatic and fantasy play involve imagination, creativity and role-play and both have many developmental benefits for children. Researchers have found that play that is imaginative and constructive releases children from the boundaries of actuality, therefore fostering flexibility of ideas. Hence the empowerment we see in the eyes of little ones, middle-sized ones and their Mommies when they recite the Princess or Diva Oath each week at one of our parties or special events!

Imagination is wonderful! Remember the things you could come up with as a child? Remember the potential you could see in the smallest of things? Through play, adults and children can release tension! Studies show that play is a form of emotional release for many children. For years, therapists have utilized play therapy as a medium to reach young children. When involved in play, children can learn to solve problems with creative solutions. Play fosters positive self-esteem!

At My Party Palace Triad, our mission is to empower girls and women through wholesome fun that is uplifting and stress free! Our parties are Dramatic Play to the fullest! They foster imagination, creativity and self-esteem.