“Zapateo” is a Peruvian dance mixing Andean and African heritage, popular in a few coastal towns south of Lima is kept alive mostly by Afro-Peruvian children living in the area.

Traditionally, children practice throughout the year to dance for “Baby Jesus” when Christmas comes but lately, little children have started to understand that it is up to them to maintain the tradition.

Children have started to join dance companies to practice and improve their skills, the video that we share with you is in Spanish but even if you are not a Spanish speaker you can be sure to enjoy the music and the performances. The kids in the video come from unprivileged rural areas south of Lima, but in spite of their financial situation, they find joy in what they do, stepping hard to show their devotion and commitment to the dance and their ancestry.

httpv://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=L79ymaMDmjU&rel=1&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/L79ymaMDmjU/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskKbkde1rz6CS8EYhwKIC7QT&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1

To fully join a company, the children have to be “baptized” which includes splashing with Holy Water, some encouraging words from their “Zapateo Masters” and eating some salt.

The dance consists of a competition between two groups of dancers and it’s also a way to create music using the feet as a percussion instrument. Usually dancers are accompanied by guitar and cajon (wooden drum box) players. The Afro Peruvian Zapateo is similar to the stepping tap dance of African Americans and other Afro descendant communities around the world. The origins of most of them are from Africa itself

Gigi Pedraza
Inca Kids, A Fair Trade Store
www.incakids.org

I have a three year old who loves the water. Seeing the pool everyday gets her so excited and she can’t seem to think about anything else but jumping in that water. She just loves paddling the length of the pool and floating on the raft with me, but her favorite part is jumping off the pool deck to fetch her chew toys…Did I mention my three year old happens to be a Golden Retriever? My point in sharing this tale (or should I say tail?) is to discuss one of the summer activities kids enjoy more than anything. What could be better on a hot summer day than to splash around with friends and family in a cool body of water?

Swimming is a phenomenal way for your kids to expend some energy and burn calories. The best part about it is, they don’t even recognize they are exercising. When you introduce a child to a new “movement experience” like swimming, running or biking, it needs to be as enjoyable as possible. If the act feels like a chore, the child will lose interest and enthusiasm almost immediately. That is the great thing about swimming. 99% of the time, the child is begging for you to let them get in the water. Many, if not all of them, are hard to pull away from the water once they get in. They could be as wrinkly as a Shar Pei and they would keep on treading water.

Of course before you can allow your child to swim without parental assistance, they will first require some swimming instruction. Although the tried and true method of throwing your child into the deep end of the pool to “sink or swim” was once a popular method of swimming instruction, most people today (including the local law enforcement) would say that is an antiquated and ineffective approach. The best way to teach your child to swim is to enroll them in a professional swimming instruction class. These classes are taught by well-qualified instructors who can teach your child to be a successful swimmer. They create a fun and supportive environment that teaches children to be less fearful of swimming. Throughout the classes, your child will develop the skills necessary to become stronger swimmers. Don’t wait too long to get your child acclimated to the water. They say that if you haven’t learned to swim by the time you are 15 years old, chances are you never will.

If you can’t find a credible swim school in your neck of the woods, try looking at your local municipalities’ recreation calendar; many offer swim classes year round for kids of all ages. Check with your local Parks and Recreation Departments to see if they can send you out a listing of all the swim related classes they have available.

Once your child has mastered the basics of swimming including floating, treading water, kicking, paddling, submerging their faces under water, jumping off the sides of the pool and using their arms and legs to swim to you, they can be introduced to more diverse and advance swimming activities. If you child shows an athletic disposition to swimming or diving, find a local swim team for them to belong to. Swimming laps is a great total body cardiovascular workout for kids to be involved in. They get to meet other kids who share their love of the water, learn proper breathing techniques that can transfer into any other endurance sport and will get a great resistance training workout. When you swim, you use your arms and legs to displace the water around you. The water acts as a form of resistance which helps build muscle while you swim around the pool. It really is the best of both worlds. You can get a great total body resistance training and cardiovascular workout at one time. What could be more efficient than that?

While all the information listed above is designed to encourage your children to become comfortable in the water, I must stress the EXTREME IMPORTANCE of water safety. Each year approximately 830 children ages 1-14 die as a result of unintentional drowning. That statistic is for Maricopa County in Arizona. You can only imagine what that number is on a nationwide or on a global scale. In order for you to keep your kids, and your kids’ friends safe around the pool this summer, please make sure you take the necessary safety precautions. For some of the best tips on how to keep your children from becoming another drowning statistic, check with your local fire departments for a checklist of important safety tips you can implement around your home.

Have fun swimming and keep up the good work!

Christopher Hillery has been a Certified Personal Trainer for 9 years and is the owner of Transformer Fitness in Phoenix, Arizona. He was once an overweight child and knows first- hand how the effects of being overweight can be damaging. It is his goal to help overweight children and adults develop lasting healthy habits and a positive body image. Chris can design a full workout program for parents and children which can include a nutrition program, along with equipment to use at home. For this and other services visit http://www.transformerfitness.com Chris can be reached via email at: christopher_hillery@yahoo.com

For some parents across the country, weekends are measured in soccer game start times, baseball innings and tournament scores. Researchers estimate that over 14 million children play one type of organized sport and several of those youngsters play multiple sports depending on the season. Sports are important for teaching good sportsmanship, goal-setting, teamwork, and for encouraging children to have an active lifestyle. Aside from these obvious advantages, organized sports can also play a much larger and culturally significant role as well.

Sports combine athletic as well as social skills and mix them up into an organized framework. Children are often required to put aside their own desires and ego for the sake of their team. They spend time learning from and befriending teammates who often are more like brothers and sisters than mere friends. Team uniforms are worn to signify solidarity and equality; everyone’s uniform looks the same. Children learn to play, strategize and communicate with people from all walks of life; those of different religions, race, ethnicity, gender and culture and work toward a common goal - winning. They are often exposed at an early age to those that are different from themselves but possess equal or greater skills and they come to realize that everyone is different, but differences can be strengths as well. Consider the following sports when looking for a diverse team activity for your child:

1. Baseball - - Baseball not only requires good communication from all team members; pitcher and catcher, outfielder to infielder and between the out and in-fielders themselves, it also encourages children to assist struggling teammates who are not performing well. By succeeding individually, children help contribute to a winning team environment and each child knows that even though he or she may not have their best game that day, one of their teammates will pick up the slack.

Major League Baseball also has many international stars and role-models that children of different ethnicities and nationalities can look up to and admire. There are players from Japan, Korea, Canada, the US, Australia, Mexico, Cuba and several other countries around the globe. MLB has training centers in a number of Central and South American countries and are constantly providing instruction and education for their players. The teams play exhibition games overseas and have created a World Baseball Classic which features international teams competing against each other for the title.

2. Basketball - - Basketball requires communication as well. While on the court, players make each other aware of their positions as well as the position of the defenders. It also encourages and rewards players for unselfish play in passing the ball to others to score. It necessitates an understanding between all players and the coach when plays are created in practice or called out during the game. Basketball is a game of camaraderie and the more time a team spends together practicing, the better they know where teammates will be during any given play in the game.

Recently, the National Basketball Association has seen an influx of international players as well. There are players from all different walks of life and several different age groups, as the NBA allows high school players to participate. Basketball is a very popular international Olympic sport and thousands of fans from every different country come out to support their team during the trials and 2 week events.

3. Football - - In football, we truly see the uniform disguising all differences. The helmets children wear to protect themselves also offers a mask to hide skin color, gender differences and cultural distinctions as well. Everyone looks the same on the football field; there is no one better than another; the great equalizer. This helps children to be judged more on their ability to play, rather than what they look like or where they come from. Football, like Baseball and Basketball requires communication skills between teammates as well as a desire to unselfishly sacrifice oneself for another teammate.

4. Other Sports Programs - - There are a number of other special sports programs in communities across the country that focus on helping children with disabilities participate and establish relationships. Special baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis facilities allow children in wheelchairs, walkers and on crutches to play sports alongside of their peers. Mixed leagues provide children without physical disabilities the chance to participate and learn about children that are different from themselves.

Although many people may consider sports divisive and ego-driven with all players performing for themselves, parents can use sports as an opportunity to teach children about the satisfaction that comes from being part of a team. Children can learn life lessons as they play; leadership, teamwork, social skills and they can also learn that people that look, speak or play differently from themselves are people that they want to get to know and become friends with. Children are open to learning about others and accepting those who are different. We as parents need to be conscious of what we are teaching and the opportunities that we provide to them for doing just that.

It’s almost summer! That means it’s time for splashing around in the pool and escaping the heat by heading to the cool mountains for some outdoor fun. The products we use to protect us from the sun and from the pesky outdoor pests that we encounter during our summer activities can have less than desirable ingredients and chemicals listed on their labels. In order to avoid harmful substances that are absorbed into our skin, what should we look for to know we are using safe products for ourselves and our children?

Protection from the sun is important, but so is knowing what types of things to avoid in commercial sunscreens. Remember, our skin is our largest organ and anything absorbed into the skin can be transported to other organs in our body in about 7 seconds. In recognition of that fact, try to avoid the following common sunscreen ingredients:

PABA: Many people are very sensitive to this ingredient and can end up with red, itchy skin.

Benzophenone (benzophenone-3), homosalate, and octy-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate): These chemicals have shown estrogenic activity in lab tests. Oxybenzone is a derivative of benzophenone and it is linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. According to the CDC 97% of Americans are contaminated with this widely-used sunscreen ingredient.

Parabens (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-): Parabens are common in sunscreens so avoiding them may prove difficult. They are preservatives that have estrogenic qualities. They have produced abnormal hormonal effects following on laboratory rodents, particularly male, resulting in decreased testosterone levels and other abnormalities. They have also been found to accumulate in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer.

Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone): While on the surface of the skin these chemicals appear to prevent UV damage but when absorbed into the skin they can actually damage DNA. There is evidence that the sun’s light may cause these chemicals to become reactive and cause free-radical damage.

Safe sunscreen components include any zinc oxide or titanium dioxide products that scatter, rather than absorb the sun’s rays. In addition, you can use protective sun clothing to keep your skin shielded when you are planning to be outside. Hats, sunglasses and UVA/UVB repellant swimwear are widely available and provide the safest protection for kids and adults alike.

To combat those pesky mosquitoes and other biting insects, we need to once again, examine what it is that we are using on our skin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests the use of “non-chemical” methods to deter biting insects before any consideration of chemical insect repellents. Most bug sprays and repellents contain DEET. DEET is a pesticide that is considered HIGHLY toxic. Experts report that up to 56% of DEET applied to the skin penetrates the skin and about 17% is absorbed into the blood stream.

One of the major adverse effects of DEET exposure to children is seizures and brain damage. As parents, it is wise to utilize caution, care and knowledge in your approach to protecting your children from dangerous insect bites.

Consider using barriers like window screens and netting to shield your children and protect their skin with long-sleeve shirts, long pants and socks. Other commercial products with safe and effective ingredients are:

MiEnviron Certified Organic Personal Bug Spray
SmartShield
California Baby SPF 30 + Bug Repellent

Now that warmer weather is here, families can spend time together enjoying being outside. If we can do a little bit of label reading before purchasing some of the summer necessities, it will be a safer and “greener” season for everyone!

Whole World
Illustrated by Christopher Corr
Sung by Fred Penner

“She’s got the fish of the sea
In her hands
She’s got the Whole World in her hands!”

Oprah loves us, and you will too! Oprah selected our Whole World book to be on her O magazine February “O List” of things she loves. This is a beautifully illustrated version of the song we all loved as children. Fred Penner, a famous children’s musician, contributed his talents to this catchy sing-along CD. The book also includes information about different ecosystems and has eco-tips on how to live green and respect our planet! The pronouns are mixed throughout the book, giving us all a better sense of how we are responsible for our own world.

“…this bright, lively interactive picture book makes a strong call for conservation. Each clear, spacious, double-page spread shows boys and girls of all races and places holding hands around the globe, playing together from the plains and deserts to the lakes and rivers and towns and cities … The chanting repetition with the colorful pictures of children everywhere will have even young preschoolers joining in the playful celebration of diversity and connection and saving the world.”
— Booklist

You can find out more about this book on my barefoot website, where the press release is listed as well as a few online activity sheets about our environment. This book is recommended for ages 0-9, but has a message we can all appreciate at any age! Along with spreading a message of global responsibility, Barefoot Books is donating 10% of Whole World sales to global conservation efforts. To find out more about this book, as well as find a list of our environmental partners, please visit my website at http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com

Jenn Aaron
US Stallholder US-1014367
Barefoot Books
http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com/

What is short, loud, messy, comes in many varieties and contrary to popular belief actually doesn’t sweat? If your answer is “a pig” you’re correct! However that is not the answer I am looking for. Children would be the appropriate response.

Yes it’s true, children do not sweat and therefore are at greater risk for dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Their temperature regulation systems are still immature and that can be dangerous when playing or exercising outdoors. Whether we are looking forward to it or not, Summer is on its way which means increased temperatures (outside and body), no school and a lot more free time to spend outdoors. Here are a few tips to help you keep your children safe from heat related ailments.

1) Instill the importance of drinking plenty of water in your children. Cold water is the best thing to give a child who has been playing outdoors since it will help bring down their increased body temperature. The longer and harder they play, the higher their core temperature will be thus increasing the need for more water. Schedule water breaks for your kids so it becomes a healthy habit over time.

2) Make sure your children wear appropriate hot weather clothing. Pick clothes that are light in color. Darker fabrics attract more heat and should be avoided during this time of year if at all possible. Loose clothing is better than tight. The tighter the clothing, the more heat their bodies will hold in. Hats are great for keeping your kids’ faces from getting too much sun, but they also hold in more body heat. Heat escapes from the tops of our heads and by wearing a hat you are making it harder for your body to cool itself down.

3) Avoid beverages loaded with sugar and caffeine. Not only are they bad for kids nutritionally, but the caffeine will also increase dehydration. If your child drinks a 12-ounce can of a caffeinated soda, they will have to drink 24 ounces of water just to re-hydrate themselves. If they don’t want to drink water all the time, offer them a beverage that contains electrolytes. G2 is the newest sports drink from the Gatorade Company and contains 50% less sugar and calories than traditional Gatorade. They are also the makers of Propel Fitness Water, which also has far fewer calories than other sports drinks and still contains electrolytes/vitamins and flavoring.

4) Be aware of the amount of time children play during the hottest hours of the day. If they play organized sports, encourage the coach to start practices and games earlier or later in the day. You want to encourage them to play outside, but be mindful if you notice your child’s cheeks getting very red. More often than not, children won’t notice that they are overheating. By the time they realize they aren’t feeling well the damage has already been done.

5) Weigh your children before and after they participate in an outdoor activity. Although this may seem a little strange for your child, it is a good habit to get into. It is a way for your child to see how much fluid weight they lose during activities and will hopefully encourage them to drink adequate amounts of water.

Follow these tips this summer to ensure your child’s health and safety. In addition to these great tips, you can also put a mud pit in your yard and encourage your children to roll around in it when they get too hot. Just don’t send me the housecleaning bill!

Christopher Hillery has been a Certified Personal Trainer for 9 years and is the owner of Transformer Fitness in Phoenix, Arizona. He was once an overweight child and knows first-hand how the effects of being overweight can be damaging. It is his goal to help overweight children and adults develop lasting healthy habits and a positive body image. Chris can design a full workout program for parents and children which can include a nutrition program, along with equipment to use at home. He can be reached via email at: chris_hillery80@cox.net

I was talking with a friend last week about the private school that her 2 boys attended & she informed me that she had withdrawn them at the end of last school year and they now attended public school. When I asked what brought about the change, she told me “The teachers at their previous school told them (when doing are projects) ‘We only color the people in our pictures peach.’ “ My friend, a forward thinking intelligent mom, told her children to follow the rules at school but while at home, she encouraged her children to do artwork and to color their people all different shades because as she put it “The world is full of people of all different colors.”

This got me to thinking. When we take our children to school, we assume that we are placing them in the very best care. We believe that the teachers that interact with them on a daily basis are teaching them about equality and being open-minded when in reality, that may not be the case. Teachers are human and bring with them into the classroom, their own set of prejudices. How so we know that they aren’t passing them on to our children?

A culturally literate teacher can make all the difference when working with children on the concepts of diversity & racial tolerance. An educator that celebrates differences helps to increase students’ self-esteem and self-worth and helps to teach children about these differences in a non-judgmental way. Unfortunately, there are some schools, administration and teachers who fall short of this mark.

What should we as parents be on the lookout for? How can we tell is our child’s teacher is ready to take on this open-minded way of teaching?

1. Look for signs in their classroom: Do they have pictures, quotes or artwork representing all cultures and populations?

2. Check out their teaching style: Do they encourage healthy, open discussions and questions about cultural perspectives and topics?

3. Examine the school curriculum: Do the lesson plans fit all types of students? Does it focus on one particular gender, race or religion more than another?

4. Ask the students: 45% of all children in the US are ethnic minorities. Do they feel excluded? Do they feel safe sharing things about themselves in the classroom?

5. Take a look at your child’s homework or text books: Are there units or chapters devoted to all ethnicities? Do they look at History or social issues from different cultural perspectives?

Most teachers are good people trying to do their jobs in the best way possible; dealing with school overcrowding, budget cuts and the like. If your child’s classroom does not answer with a resounding “yes!” to the above questions, you don’t have to make a rush to pull them from school. These are merely suggestions for the optimal learning for our children and if your child’s school or teacher can provide even just a few of the suggestions, they are better off for them.

We should of course, be teaching children morals and their belief system at home, but with teachers having a large influence over behavior for a good portion of their day, we do have some cause for concern if they are teaching things that we don’t want them to learn. The world is made up of students of all different colors, shapes, and sizes and we need to find educators that encourage communication about differences while demonstrating that these differences do not equate to any one group or person being better than any other. We should be concerned when our teachers tell our children to “only color people peach” and we should applaud those that inspire, motivate and empower children of all colors.

 In this new age of social responsibility and environmental concern, parents are looking for easy and fun ways to teach their children about the necessity of giving back to those in need & cleaning up the environment. However, this has also become a time of extravagant birthday party celebrations for young children with inflatable jumping machines, balloon arches, disposable party utensils and lots of unnecessary gifts; none of which seem to teach our children about social issues or the environment. So, what can we as “green” parents do? There are several different ways to incorporate giving back to others and environmentally friendly ideas to create a fun and exciting Birthday celebration.

1. Invitations – Create recycled invitations from scraps of left-over paper, art supplies and items around the house that fit in with the theme of your party. There are recycled paper invitations, “tree-free” paper invitations, as well as seeded invitations, that, when planted, will grow into a flower garden. You can also send electronic invitations which cut down on paper and cost.

2. Location – Let your child choose the location based on their interests. Farms, parks, fire stations, zoos, museums, and animal shelters all make wonderful “natural” backdrops for a party and won’t require much additional decoration. In addition, the children (and adults) can learn about ways to help these local organizations, take care of plants and animals and enjoy nature.

3. Décor – Latex balloons, plastic utensils and paper napkins are a natural parent’s worst nightmare! Opt for some more earth-friendly items such as paper lanterns, non-disposable utensils, cloth napkins and table cloths and flowers or plants as centerpieces.

4. Cake or Dessert – Make your own vegan or organic cake or cupcakes. This provides you with an opportunity to teach your child about the importance of healthy & organic products, as well as allowing them to participate in the creation of a dessert that will be enjoyed by all of their guests.

5. Party Favors – The typical plastic goody bags filled with candy and useless toys can easily be replaced by earth-friendly items such as unique rocks, flower or vegetable seeds and planting materials. Home-made baked goods or art projects are always a thoughtful parting gift as well.

6. Gifts – This is where things can get a bit tricky – most children enjoy and look forward to receiving gifts during their Birthday celebration . Before you begin planning the party, you should re-evaluate what a birthday party means for you and your child. If a discussion occurs early in the process and clarifies the expectations for the party and the gifts, children will be excited about the good things that will be created from their very special party. The key is to combine your social and environmental values with a theme that your child will embrace and enjoy. Along with the theme, choose a charity or organization that will benefit from monetary or product donations. Take a tour of the shelter, charity or organization that your child has chosen or, if the charity is not local, view their website to help your child form an emotional connection with that particular group.

If this type of involved planning really isn’t your thing, there are companies out there that will do it all for you. One such company is Inspired Birthdays. They offer 5 different themed parties focusing on anything from wild animals, to healthy living, to volunteering & they have several different planning packages depending on how much help you need. Each them is partnered with a charity and parents can choose from different donation options for their guests. They can bring everything you need or just the entertainment – you decide!

These party planning options are easy, fun and can be enjoyed fully by the guests, the birthday child and parents alike. They keys to raising socially and environmentally responsible children are to educate them on about giving back and showing them how much fun it can be. A Birthday party is an experience that children look forward to and remember. Why not tie in some simple but meaningful themes and ideas that will change your children and their outlook on the world for the better?

As parents, we all want our children to feel good about themselves - that is inherent.  Having good self-esteem is vital to kids achieving higher marks in school, staying away from drugs and alcohol, and leading an overall productive and healthy lifestyle.  How then do we help children develop high levels of good self-esteem?

*Accept your child for who they are.  Embrace the talents, interests and skills that they DO have, rather than focusing on things that they are not good at or do not enjoy.

*Listen to your child.  Do not always provide a quick solution to their problems.  They may not be searching for an answer, just someone to listen.  Let them work out small problems and situations on their own.

*Don’t use labels to describe your child, but rather their behavior.  Do not tell a child, “You are bad.”  Instead let them know that their behavior in a certain situation was unacceptable.

*Provide structure, reasonable discipline and limits.  These show children that their world has a pattern and routine and they allow children to feel some control over their situations.  Children that feel helpless are more dependent and less able to make good decisions in the absence of adults.

For some wonderful resources and educational activities to help promote good self-esteem in your children, you can visit the sites listed below.  They provide colorful and fun stories, worksheets and family activities that will help parents teach their kids about positive, happy feelings, believing in themselves, and ways to grow and help others build their own self-esteem.  They empower children to become their own biggest believers, and make learning about this sometimes difficult and confusing issue, fun.  I have had personal contact with both of the owners of these companies (Women!) and have found them both to be passionate about what they believe in and educated on the topic of children’s self-esteem and how to foster and develop it.

http://www.bingnote.com - INSPIRE CHILDREN TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES!

http://www.yeahyeahoutloud.com -Empowering kids to discover their inner “cheer”leader!

We All Went on Safari- A Counting Journey Through Tanzania
written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Julia Cairns

“We all went on safari,
Over grasslands damp with dew.
We came across some ostriches,
And Mosi counted two.”

 This book is great for toddlers beginning to count, as well as older children who are ready to learn about the world. The book follows a group of Maasai people as they explore their world, counting animals in English and Swahili. Each phrase and number get a beautiful two page illustration from Ms. Cairns. The counting poem is followed by a number of pages with information about the Maasai people, the country of Tanzania, the native animals and Swahili names. There are a number of pronunciation guides to assist in reading the story.

This book was winner of a Starred Review by the Kirkus Reviews, and recently School Library Journal said, “Youngsters will learn numbers from one to ten in English and Swahili as Mosi, Tumpe, Arusha, and other friends count African wildlife. Attractive borders frame vibrant watercolor spreads of different types of animals, including giraffes, elephants, zebras, and lions. The rhyming singsong verse, beginning with the refrain “We all went on a safari,” lends itself to a fun read-aloud.”

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation, to aid their wildlife conservation and community building efforts in Tanzania. This is a fun book to read aloud or alone, and is a great way to introduce children of all ages to the country of Tanzania.

To find out more about this book and print an activity sheet, please visit my website at http://barefootfamily.mybarefootbooks.com

Thanks again to Jenn for the great write-up! Please take a look at what Barefoot Books has to offer - they truly are a unique and wonderful company.