“5 Ways to Discover What Black History Month Means to You” by Wendy Toribio

February comes and goes each year, and for many, the celebration of Black History Month feels foreign to them. Well, guess what? NOT. THIS. YEAR.  I’m going to walk you through our joint celebration of #BHM2022. 

For goodness sake, it’s 2022! We are at the point in time where we are very much aware of cultural differences amongst us. And what a beautiful place to be! To understand that as humans, we’ve evolved into different societies: inculcating different values, customs and belief systems into our communities. I’m inviting you to come out of your comfort zone and discover what Black History means to different people in our society, and what it can mean for you and your family. Take a walk with me…

The first step I’d suggest is that you check in with yourself and see what you do know about Black History Month. Is it peanut butter? MLK? Or, that it’s February? 👀

Next, expand on that theme you already know. For example: 

Somewhere down the line you learned that peanut butter was invented by George Washington Carver, a Black agro-scientist.  But, did you know that he was also one of the prominent American chemists and inventors of the 20th Century?  That leads to your next questions: what else did Carver concoct in the lab? What other goodies did he invent?  Well, I’m glad you asked, because How Stuff Works has a good article on his accomplishments and there’s a myriad of books that go more in depth on his life and inventions. 

Since we’re already on the topic of inventors and their inventions, you can further expand your knowledge by looking into other cool and essential things created by Black inventors. One of my personal favorite resources is “1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History” by Jeffrey C. Stewart. I keep it on my coffee table, and it never disappoints in sparking conversation with my guests. (Please let me know what you learned from this book in the comment section!) 

Looking into what you know, the topics that interest you and how Black Americans contribute to those topics is one way to internalize that you too can celebrate Black History Month. 

Another route is to look at your own family’s culture and examine how it is connected to Black History Month.  I can guarantee you that at some point in time, a Black American or the concept of being Black has influenced your culture. For instance, did you know that Carver (yes, the inventor from above) guided Mahatma Ghandi on alternatives to dairy? See! Because the truth is: we are WAY more interconnected than we can even imagine or admit. 

Just this summer, when I ordered a “jony ke ke'' on a Dominican beach, I realized I was ordering “Johnny cakes!” After further investigation, it turns out there are different variations of Johnny cakes in Black Southern cuisine, throughout the Caribbean and in Latin America. Here’s a Caribbean Johnny Cake Recipe to bite into.  For years, I’ve been enjoying “jony ke ke”, oblivious to the fact that I was just saying Johnny cakes with a Spanish accent. 🤦🏿  Embarrassing! But, it furthers my point…

Maybe it’s your cuisine, your style, intellectual thought, music, stories, sports, architecture, science, etc. Honestly, it could be ANYTHING in your own culture. It’s probably been influenced at some point by Black Americans. And every day, without realizing it, that contribution to your culture is a celebration of Black History. 

This year however, bring it to the forefront. Investigate it. Accept it. Celebrate it. Rejoice in it. And, realize that if you look around your house and your community, a Black American helped shape it. 🙏🏿

Happy Black History and Black Future Month! 

Nerd Out:

Y’all know I embrace my inner nerd like no other. But, I think it’s especially important when considering cultural and racial differences in our world. Why? Because the truth is that we have differences in race and culture.  Instead of ignoring them, we should investigate them! What a beautiful hue-man experience. 

Here are some suggestions on how to celebrate Black History Month in different subjects with your children or students:

Science:

• If you have access to a microscope, compare different hair textures. Ask the questions: What makes hair kinky, curly or straight?

• Investigate the following inventions and their corresponding inventor: microphone (Dr. James West), computers (Mark Dean), traffic lights (Garret Morgan), GPS technology (Gladys West)

• Look up the lives of Black Scientists and make a list of their corresponding inventions or discoveries like: George Washington Carver, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Percy Julian, Robert Robinson, Henrietta Lacks, Dr. Mae Jemison (Honestly this list could go on for days and is BY NO MEANS even close to being exhaustive.)

Math:

• The Los Angeles Unified School District has a list of some African American Mathematicians here, I say, let’s help them expand the list. Who’s with me?!

• Investigate the following mathematicians and their contributions: Benjamin Banneker (he built America’s first clock), Elbert Frank Cox (first African-American to earn a PhD in Mathematics), David Blackwell (significant contributions to game theory, probability theory, information theory and Bayesian statistics). Katherine Johnson (provided calculations that coordinated the Apollo moon landing), Dr. Gladys West (laid the groundwork for the GPS). Again, this is NOT an exhaustive list, just a great starting point.

Reading/Writing:

• Stories, Books, Poems galore! Here’s a smaaaaaaaall list of some poets to look into: Audre Lorde, Phillis Wheatley, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou.

• Don’t bound yourself to only written stories as well. Discover oral history, its power and the influence of the storyteller.

• Follow Marley Dias with her #1000blackgirlbooks campaign!

History/Culture: 

• Explore our very own Callaloo books to learn more about Black American experiences!

• Look into “The Negro Motorist Green-Book”, a guide to help Black Americans travel safely during the mid 20th century.

• Go into all the music inspired and created by Blacks: Blues, Compas, Country, Disco, Doo-wop, Funk, Jazz, Hip Hop, House, Merengue, Plena y Bomba, Reggae, Rhythm and Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Salsa, Samba, Soca, Soul, Techno, and much much more.

Honestly, I just don’t know how to express it enough: Every. Day. Is. Black. History.  

Everyday you walk out and encounter something created or nourished by a Black person. 

So if you didn’t know where to start. Start here. Look around you. Start there. Look at your favorite subject. Start there. Look at your favorite foods. Start there. Look at your favorite music. Start there. Just know there’s plenty of starting points, yet no ending point. Happy Black Future Month! 

Meet Ms. Wendy

Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports.  And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness. 

Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who  earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her!

7 Benefits of Reading Aloud by Marjuan Canady

As a mom and educator, I KNOW how important reading aloud is for a child. If you are a parent, caregiver, teacher, or have young people in your lives, one of the best gifts you can give them is the gift of “read alouds”. Reading aloud to young children is the single most effective thing parents and caregivers can do to help prepare their children to succeed in school. Unfortunately, fewer than half of U.S. children ages 5 and under are read to every day, placing them at risk for reading delays and school failure. Sharing stories often begins with reading aloud. Reading aloud provides a number of opportunities and benefits for children of all ages, from strengthening their vocabulary to increasing their attention span.

Here are seven important benefits of reading aloud with children:

1. Develops stronger vocabulary

Children acquire language primarily through listening. Reading aloud lets children regularly hear new words in new contexts, which builds their vocabulary and helps them develop a stronger awareness of the communicative possibilities of language.

2. Builds connections between the spoken and written word

When children hear words read aloud, they begin seeing how printed words are closely connected to spoken words. This helps them recognize the difference between the arrangement of spoken language and printed text.

3. Provides enjoyment

Children generally enjoy being read to, which encourages them to see and experience reading as something fun and positive. Reading aloud makes them more likely to become interested in learning to read, which is likely to then spark a lifelong love of reading.

4. Increases attention span

Unlike watching television, reading or being read to promotes a slower unfolding of events and ideas. This encourages children to listen, pay attention, and concentrate, which after a while can increase their overall attention span.

5. Strengthens cognition

A well written book exposes children to sophisticated language, which can strengthen their cognitive abilities. When children are regularly exposed to the sophisticated language of quality literature, they learn how to apply their cognitive abilities to understand the text.

6. Provides a safe way of exploring strong emotions

Reading a story aloud that explores particular emotions helps some children to accept their own feelings and understand how others feel. By reading aloud together, stories can help children feel more comfortable discussing their emotions with others.

7. Promotes bonding

Reading aloud with children provides benefits for adults too. The quality time spent together promotes bonding and strengthens relationships, making it easier for children to develop their social, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Here are a few more of my read alouds from my Callaloo Kids children’s book series below. Shop the books online here.

Who's ready for National Children's Book Week? by Wendy Toribio

National Children’s Book Week Nov. 8-14, 2021

Anyone who grew up reading Roald Dahl books will be familiar with one of his most renowned characters, Matilda. The young, neglected child genius who finds comfort in the world of books. The author famously wrote “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people”. Since its publication, Dahl has reminded children and adults universally about the power that reading holds, its ability to inspire and how it allows people of all ages to relate to similar past experiences in their lives. Which is one of the reasons why it is crucial that children of all ages are continuously encouraged to read widely. This November marks the second week of this year’s National Children’s Book week, a chance to celebrate new and old children’s books and an opportunity to continue to raise awareness about increasing diversity within the children’s books market. 

What is National Children’s Book week and how did it start?

National Children’s book week is one of the longest running national literacy initiatives in the USA with a rich history of encouraging children to develop good reading habits. It has been running for over 100 years, starting in 1919, set up by a librarian of the Boy Scouts of America who believed that “a great nation is a reading nation”. Since its founding, the initiative has continued to grow and be supported by more organizations, including the Children’s Book council. This initiative runs yearly with two weeks dedicated across two calendar months to celebrate and encourage child literacy. This year’s first week began 3rd -9th May 2021 and its final week will be running from November 8th-14th 2021. Across the country, events will be taking place in bookstores, libraries and schools to introduce children to the world of reading. So get out to your community and let us know how you’re celebrating! 

Why childhood literacy is important? 

You may be familiar with the famous quote by children’s author Dr. Seuss “The more that you read, the more things you will know” which in fact is of true scientific fact rather than just an old myth told to young children to encourage them to read. In many scientific studies, it was continuously proven that children who regularly read books performed better compared to their peers who did not. These children are shown to have an increased vocabulary, can better express themselves, and are likely to have a better imagination. One study conducted in 1995 by American education researchers Betty Hart and her colleague Todd R. Risley highlighted how children from lower socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to develop literacy problems, especially if they were not encouraged to read books at home. Which is why initiatives like the National children’s book week continue to prove themselves as essential. Reading is not just a vital life skill; it also allows children to shape their feelings and attitudes towards the world around them. Which brings me to my next point. 

Why is it important that there is variety and diversity in children’s stories?

Children’s stories are the first step a child takes when beginning to learn to read and discover literature for themselves. There is no doubt that the benefits of reading from a young age, allow children to later progress to whatever path they may lead to in their career. However, because of the power that these stories hold to transform and shape children’s understanding of our world and society, it remains an important discourse in the children’s literature sector, that diverse authors, characters and stories are on a larger scale included. As Elena Monoyiou and Simoni Symeonidou found in their study of diversity in literature, diverse stories and characters allows gender and ethnic stereotypes to be dismantled and to empower children of all backgrounds to believe they can achieve anything, and most importantly to grow up believing in a kind and tolerant world. 

Although over the years diversity has increased in children’s literature, there is still much work to be done. The New York Times recently reported that 21 percent of children’s books published in 2016 featured characters of color. However, the US Department of Education reported that in the US children of color made up 49 percent of the child population, demonstrating still a major underrepresentation of our diverse society.

It is one of the reasons why the Cooperative Children’s Book Center has been carrying out surveys on the diversity of the Children’s literature for over twenty years. In their 2018 report it was found that out of all the children’s books published: 

Authors of color:

• Black/African: 11.9%

• First/Native Nations: 1%

• Asian/Asian American: 8.7%

• Latinx: 5.3%

• Pacific Islander: 0.05%

Children’s books with written or illustrated characters of color:

• Black/African: 46.4%

• First/Native Nations: 68.2%

• Asian/Asian American: 100%

• Latinx: 95.7%

• Pacific Islander: 80%

Data on books by and about Black, Indigenous and People of Color published for children and teens compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

For more information, please head over to the CCBC’s website: https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/literature-resources/ccbc-diversity-statistics/books-by-and-or-about-poc-2018/

A short, non-exhaustive list of children’s books featuring characters of color:

• OUR VERY OWN: Callaloo Books children’s book series by Marjuan Canady

A Jazz Folktale story of a young inner-city boy, Winston, who meets mythical folkloric characters after being transported to magical places in the world. 

• We’re going to find a Monster by Malorie Blackman and Dapo Adeola

 Two adventurers who transform their house into a wild wonderland and embark on a journey to hunt a mighty monster. 

• Drum Dream Girl: How one girl’s courage changed music by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez

The story of a drum dream girl who breaks the traditional taboo against female drummers

• We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

A bold lyrical picture book inspired by Indigenous-led movements across North America calling to protect the Earth and its waters

• Hair Love by Matthew Cherry and Vashti Harrison

A loving story of a father and his daughter who learn about self-confidence and the beauty of hair. 

• Beautifully Me by Nabela Noor

A journey of discovering self-love through the joyful Bangladeshi girl who learns to love her unique body shape. 

In celebration of national children’s book week, I encourage everyone to take some time to read a book with your little ones and connect over a good read.

Let us know some of your faves to read together! Maybe we can even start a book club (gasp! YES!)

Meet Ms. Wendy

Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports.  And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness. 

Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who  earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her!

Celebrating Day of the Dead with Children & Families by Wendy Toribio

Every year Mexicans celebrate the Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This custom is a bright and vibrant holiday where families come together to remember and honor their deceased relatives. Families set up altars in their home with pictures, jewelry, and candles to create a special space of memorial for the deceased. Families might also include special items on the altar, like special keepsakes that belonged to the deceased or even a dish of their favorite food.

Then, families go to the cemetery where their relatives are buried to celebrate. They spend some time cleaning the gravestones of their loved ones, singing songs together, and recalling fond memories of their ancestors. They bring a massive picnic of special foods and treats and sit down together at the gravesite to eat and celebrate. 

This holiday is a favorite with children because of the bright and colorful decorations that are created for this special day. Decadent treats in the shape of skulls, called sugar skulls, are decorated with a unique and vibrant style. Bright colors, flowers, and intricate designs are featured heavily in the style of the day. People may even paint their own faces to resemble that of a sugar skull, paired with huge, beautiful floral hairpieces, bright costumes, and lots of incredible jewelry. 

While many may mark this day as solemn or even scary, Dia de Los Muertos is a joyful and fun holiday where families have a chance to spend lots of quality time together. Far from being bleak or mournful, Dia de Los Muertos is happy, celebratory, and sometimes even silly. 

A great activity to do with kids to prepare for the day is to create sugar skulls of your own! A simple way to do it in a classroom is to have students paint or draw their sugar skull. Starting with an outline of a skull, children can add on their own elaborate decorations using paint, markers, glitter, and other crafting materials. 

For more of a treat, kids can decorate their own real sugar skulls or even make them from scratch. They are super easy to make and a great cooking and crafting activity for even young children! Simply combine granulated sugar with a touch of water and pack it into a skull-shaped mold. Molds can be ordered online or picked up from your local Latin market. Once the sugar is packed into the mold, bake it at a low temperature until it's completely dry and firm. Once it's cooled completely, you can decorate it! Using food dyes, food-safe markers, candies, and frosting will keep the skulls edible so you can enjoy them as a treat when you're done. You can also use regular old crafting supplies if you're planning on keeping them out to display rather than eating them up! 

There are lots of other baking and cooking activities you can do for Day of the Dead with children beyond sugar skull creation. Creating huge feasts to share on the holiday, as well as offerings to leave at altars, is a huge part of the day's celebrations. While any kind of delicious food is acceptable for both picnics and offerings, or ofrendas, there are a few different types of food that are a popular favorite for Dia de Los Muertos. Pan de Muerto is a special bread recipe that's made for the holiday that's decorated with bright frosting, and tamales, hot chocolate, tortilla soup, and mole are all also big favorites. Try out a recipe or two as a family and get the kids involved in making it! 

Creating altars for deceased loved ones is also a great way to involve kids in the celebration of the holiday. It's important to emphasize with them that this holiday is about celebration, not about sadness, so encourage them to talk about the happy memories they shared with their deceased loved ones and the things they loved most about them. Have them gather special items for the altar, like belongings of their loved one or old photos. They can even create special decorations, like drawing a picture, gathering bouquets of flowers, or cooking special food. 

Spending time together as a family is the most crucial element of celebrating Dia de Los Muertos. Giving kids simple, fun activities, like coloring pages, crafts, and cooking projects can be a great way to facilitate that time together. You can also include other activities, like learning Spanish songs about the holiday, reading books together, or watching educational videos about the history of the day. For older children, doing a fun research project looking into the native traditions of the holiday can be a great way to build more cultural awareness. However, the most important element is spending time together with your children, discussing the history of your family, and marking the important occasion by honoring your family that has passed away.

MEET MS. WENDY

Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports.  And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness. 

Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who  earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her!

¡Capicú! A Caribbean Cultural Celebration, National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 BY WENDY TORIBIO

National Hispanic Heritage Month / LatinX Heritage Month is more than dusting off your maracas, sliding into salsa classes and pigging out on Taco Tuesdays. It’s a celebration of Latino culture, art and life. And rightfully so.  Latinos are the country’s second largest racial or ethnic group, behind white non-Hispanics. We make up approximately 18% of the U.S. population. In raw numbers, that’s nearly 61 million Latinos! With one entire continent dedicated just to us, there’s so much celebration to choose from. And I couldn't help and feel nostalgic and fiery about the passion-evoking, underrated game of Dominoes. 

This is my Ode to the 28 to kick-off National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021. 

So many ways to dig in!

Every Caribbean country plays a variation of the popular game. For the most part there are 4 people sitting at a table, those across from each other are team members, but you could also play as individuals. After shuffling, each player takes 7 Domino tiles ranging from double zero to double six. On the first try, the person that gets the double six, throws that tile first. The game has begun. It’s played counter clockwise and the goal is to be the first without any tiles. That’s the simple version. 

In my native Dominican Republic, the winner, or first to place (read: slam) their last ficha, or tile will receive the sum of their opponents’ dots as points. First to 200, 250 or 500 wins- depends on your endurance. 

In Puerto Rico similar rules apply, but if the last player wins with the double-blank, it’s a “chuchazo!”

In Jamaica, again similar rules apply, but you can play a “six love” game where either the individual or team that wins 6 games in a row, or the best of 6 games wins the match. This can go on for hours.

However, in Cuba Dominos is played with 55 tiles (30 pairs, 25 unpaired) and the tiles go up to the number 9. Oh yeah, it just got serious! Every player gets 10 tiles and the amount of mental agility required to play definitely escalates.  That’s a whole other blog post. 

What do all these people from the isles have in common? Skill and Passion. And, as they say in Cuba, “No hay sábado sin son, ni fiesta sin dominó”. Translation: “There’s not a Saturday without the sun, nor a party without Domino”.   Same!

Wepa!

So you’re sold on the cultural relevance of Dominoes and you want to get started with your kiddos. Here’s how to incorporate Domino’s into your Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations: 

As with any teaching and learning moment, start easy then gradually up the complexity.

• On the Go:  A nice Domino's set makes for great travel-sized blocks. Just make sure to get your kids their own, you don’t want to have any missing tiles. OUCH!

• DIY: Create your very own domino-inspired game with shapes or favorite cartoon characters and match away! You can use craft sticks, cardboard, felt, or simple printed and laminated dominoes. 

I make my own using this amazing teacher resource: https://www.toolsforeducators.com/dominoes/

• Differentiated Dominos: Print-out or buy colored Domino’s, where each number has a corresponding background or “dot” color. These colored-coded sets will guide your child as they match the “dots”. 

• Adding: Tape down numbers from 1-12 (depending on which Domino’s set you use) and have your child match all the tiles that add up to that number. For instance the #4 can be matched up to tiles 4:0, 3:1 and 2:2. Flip the tiles to 0:4, 1:3, and 2:2, and now they’re adding and realizing that there’s flexibility in numbers. 

• Partner Up: In my house we love to each take a child, sit them on our lap and strategize together on our game. Let the child be the “coach” as you problem solve together, but most importantly, allow them to do the slamming. It’s the best part! 

• Coming of Age: There comes a realization that just matching tile numbers isn’t what’s going to get you those bragging rights. You must simultaneously learn to count the amount of corresponding tiles available for your move, remember the pattern in which your partner and your opponents played for any clues as to which tiles they have (and don’t have), and figure out how to aid your partner while jamming up your opponent. Oh yes! The pros on the park benches can do that and much more. This is a great time to take your youngin under your wings and teach them about counting, memorizing, body language, probability, pattern recognition and how to have the right “poker face”. Soon your protege will make you proud when s/he rises up, slams his/her very last tile that’s just finished the game, and surprise, surprise, it can go on either side of the table. Then s/he proudly roars a resounding “CAPICÚ!”* S/he’s earned those stripes. 

(Capicú comes from the Catalan words cap i cua, meaning ‘cabeza y cola’, or heads and tails.)

• Nerd out:

Now, as a Learning Scientist and Cultural Advocate, I can assure you that nothing feels better than finding that perfect intersection where education and cultural relevance meet. I gawk at Dominoes. 

This 13 Century game migrated all the way from Oriental shores, to Europe to the Caribbean, and now to front porches, park benches, and corner stores all over the States. And while the thought of any Caribbean island provokes visions of pristine, turquoise waters, well-seasoned, seaside fish and maybe some Creole rum and cigars, for many the thought of the Caribbean evokes one thing: SLAM CAPICU! 

Let me know how your family plays the game and any trucos (tricks) you have to win!

MEET MS. WENDY

Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports.  And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness. 

Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who  earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her!

3 Easy Steps to teach First-Aid Skills to Young Kids by Wendy Toribio

This back-to-school season is like no other. But kids are still kids. And, they should know how to care for themselves when we’re not around. Here are some activities the whole family can do together to prep for the inevitable scrape or cut away from home.  

As a Behavior Scientist I like to teach kids independence skills.  We focus on what they can control: their own actions. I invite you to do the same when working on building hygiene skills at home. Remember: practice makes perfect. Skills aren’t gained on the first try. Instead, we gradually get better through practice. So, practice at home, the park, grandma’s, everywhere you can so that your little one feels ready when you’re not around. 

Here’s how you can start: 

1.) The Humpty Dumpty:

Let’s face it: kids get hurt. And so does Humpty Dumpty. So, when teaching children about self-care, I start off with this old time favorite. We take time to learn the story and rhyme, and then we use bandaids to patch up a Humpty Dumpty cardboard cut-out. (Be advised, my art skills are lacking) Through this activity children work on their fine motor and real-life problem-solving skills. 

Make sure to get the inexpensive bandaids for this craft because your kids will go to town on those bandages, and Humpty will get put back together again. 

2.) What’s Up, Doc?: 

Now your kid is ready to be the real thing: a toy doctor. Line up everyone from the toy chest, and with a pencil or pen draw different size “scrapes” on them. Have your little one clean the wound from start to finish. Check if they know how to use their gloves, wipes, “antiseptic ointment” and most importantly, line up the cotton part of the bandage with the cut. Now they’re practicing proper placement.

As an add on, take time to teach them “how doctors wash their hands”. Get all the fingers, nails, palms and wrists. The CDC suggests washing hands for at least 20 seconds. Have fun and sing a memorable tune through the process! 

1. It’s Go Time:

In Behavior Science it’s called Natural Environment Training. In real life, I call it “Go Time”. We haven’t been patching up cardboard eggs and toy cars to stop there. That was practice to get the kinks out. Now you need to get a kid-friendly First-Aid kit or make your own kit with the tools your child KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE.  Practice at home so that s/he is ready to handle when you’re not around. 

Here’s what I suggest:

1. Ziploc bag or other small container,

2. Hand sanitizing wipes,

3. First-Aid Antibiotic ointment, (I would avoid spray because kids can accidentally spray an eye or two)

4. Bandaids (try different kinds and sizes: waterproof, true to skin color, or favorite cartoon),

5. Gauze,

6. Instant Ice pack,

7. Stickers/ Get well soon notes (leave a heart or a note to boost morale for your future boo-booed baby),

8. Small visual or infographic of how to clean and dress a scrape or cut.

*Feel free to include small scissors and medical tape. I’ve shown my kids to just use bandaids to keep gauze in place should the cut be bigger than the Bandages in their pack. 

**Make sure to adjust this list for your needs. This may be a good place to pack an extra face mask if your child is using one in school. 

BONUS HOW TO: : Keep a First-Aid kit around so that your little one has access to it when they get their inevitable boo boo. If you’re around, here are the steps you can take to encourage them to clean and dress their own wound:

1. Acknowledge their pain and tears: “Oh no! I see you’re hurt!”

2. Ask them to push through and point to where the scrape/cut is: “I know it hurts, hunny. I want to help you get better. Can you point to where it hurts?”

3. Check to see if it’s mild enough to handle with your First Aid skills. “I see we can fix your boo-boo with our First Aid kit. Want to go together or wait for me here while I go get our kit?” or if it’s a wound that requires medical help, try to stay calm, breathe and say: “I think this needs a real doctor because it’s bigger than what we can handle right now, let’s get one.”

4. Once you have the kit, take out your infographic and follow the steps in your plan. Encourage your child to do as many of the steps s/he can properly, and cheer them on along the way.  Start like this: “OK. Here’s our kit. Let’s get our plan and see what the first step is.” Point to the first step and say: “First we _______” (wait 3 seconds to see if your child is going to respond). If s/he does, say: “Yes. That’s right, the first step is to clean our hands. Let’s do that.  If s/he doesn’t respond within the 3 seconds, finish the sentence: “First we (3 seconds are up) clean our hands. Let’s do that.” Continue through your infographic steps and allow your little one to be as independent in this process as s/he’s ready to be. 

The first time may be scary for your sweet baby to get involved in cleaning and dressing their cut. THAT’S OK. Sometimes we don’t want to jump right in even if we’ve practiced our skill.  Just keep practicing. 

Take note of any behaviors that s/he demonstrates interest in participating: stops crying, looks at the infographic, reaches for an item on the kit, looks into your eyes for reassurance, smiles. 

Also take note of any behaviors that s/he demonstrates s/he’s not interested in participating: crying continues or gets worse, screams or looks away when you’re going through the steps, screams “No!” or doesn’t respond to your cues. 

* Remember to practice when tensions are low. When your child is going through a crisis or tantrum, do NOT attempt to teach. 

*Also, if the wound is infected, large, and out of the scope of what you or your child can handle, get medical help.  During your teaching phase, make sure to teach your child how to ask for help and/or how to dial 911 in emergencies.  The more you practice the easier it is to stay calm when a crisis really occurs because you have a plan. 

I suggest every adult take First Aid/ CPR classes. It’s absolutely necessary especially if you have little ones depending on you. With a quick online search, you’ll find one in your community. 

Meet ms. wendy

Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports.  And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness. 

Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who  earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her at info@labschoolrd.com