University at Buffalo Child Health and Behavior Lab

Need a fun and easy summer activity that will keep your child thinking and smiling? Try making your own bubble solution and experimenting with unique bubble blowing tools from around your house! To make the solution: Dawn Detergent (1 part), Water (10 parts), Glycerine or White Karo Syrup-optional (.25 parts) Some ideas for bubble blowing tools: fold a string, use your hands, bend a hanger, the plastic that holds drink bottles/cans together, etc. ... See what else your child can come up with! Be sure to allow them to help and even lead at times throughout the entire process to promote their independence, confidence, and critical thinking. Check out https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml for additional information and other fun summer activities that are sure to keep your child’s brain active!

Congratulations to Elizabeth on her recent graduation! We are so happy she is continuing in the HABLAB as staff! Undergraduate research assistant Elizabeth graduated in Spring 2021 with a degree in Spanish and minor in Public Health. During her undergraduate career, aside from being a member of our team for 3 years, Elizabeth was also involved in UB’s Amnesty International Student Group and coached ice skating lessons for children and adults. Her future plans are to promote ...health justice in a future practice as a physician, perhaps in a Spanish-speaking country, but for now she’ll be staying at HABLAB as a Research Support Specialist! She presented her research on child self-regulation at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting this past May 2021. You can learn more about her presentation at: https://ubhablab.weebly.com/news.html. Elizabeth says, I joined HABLAB because I thought it could provide me with an opportunity to do research throughout the majority of my time as an undergrad student. My experience in lab has been that and so much more. Equity in research, communication of research, and professional development are also core elements of the undergraduate student experience. I really don’t think I could’ve found a better lab: the people, the research, and the experience have all been truly outstanding."

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Congratulations & good luck to Lindsay! Undergraduate research assistant Lindsay graduated last semester with a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences with a Minor in Nutrition. During her undergraduate career, aside from being a member of our team for 2 years, Lindsay was also busy as a Lead Tutor at the TASS Center for Chemistry and Biology, a member of the UB Running Club, a TA for Evolutionary Biology, and a Welcome Weekend Leader. While working in the HABLAB, Lindsay ...worked primarily on the UB Grocery Shopping Study and also assisted on the UB Restaurant Study. She will be attending the UB School of Dental Medicine this summer to pursue her career in Pediatric Dentistry. Lindsay says I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to work with this incredible team here at HABLAB. Everyone has always been so positive, hard-working, energetic, and resilient, even amidst a global pandemic. This is a group of truly incredible humans, and there is no one else I would have wanted to work with. As I move on to dental school, I am grateful that I have these skills and research background to augment my career as a clinician. Thank you all, and I hope to keep in touch!"

As Fall is winding down, one last simple and fun Fall activity for toddlers and preschoolers can be creating and playing with a popcorn kernel sensory bin together. This idea only requires popcorn kernels and a bin (appropriately sized to have a thin layer of kernels across the bottom), but also feel free to include felt leaves, measuring cups, and any Fall treasures you may have from the Fall scavenger hunt and nature walks. Including such items can help your child to practice their mathematical and fine motor skills while playing. Once done, feel free to brainstorm some other fun items that could be included in your bin. For more information, visit https://www.cbc.ca//pl/view/7-fun-fall-activities-for-kids.

Throughout this semester, the HABLAB has been working with the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) closely, such as on our Read With Me and Grocery Shopping studies. Check out the article in the link below that discusses some of our challenges and strategies in handling recruitment for these studies. http://www.buffalo.edu//talking-recruitment-challenges-and

Interested in learning more about the HABLAB and what we do? Check out this informative video to hear from some of our research assistants about what it’s like to be a part of the team! You can learn even more here: https://ubhablab.weebly.com/about.html

Not sure what to do with your jack-o’-lanterns after Halloween? Consider making an erupting pumpkin! All you will need is a carved pumpkin, baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring is optional. First, have your child measure about a cup of baking soda (depending on the size of their pumpkin) and the food coloring of their choice. When you are ready, help them to add 2 - 3 cups of vinegar and then watch out as your jack-o’-lantern begins to fizz out of its mouth! Feel free to repeat this experiment as many times as you like, trying new colors each time.

Julia Drozdowsky is a Senior Research Support Specialist for the Child Health and Behavior Lab. Currently, her main focus in the lab is helping to coordinate and run the UB Grocery Shopping Study. Outside of work, Julia is an avid hiker, loves cooking up new recipes - both on and off the trail, and is always looking to check off more destinations from her travel bucket list. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.

Sarah Bargnesi is a senior studying biomedical sciences and is a volunteer in our lab this semester. In the lab, she conducts interviews for our CTSI grocery shopping study and is a part of our Diversity and Equity Committee. In her free time, Sarah enjoys writing fiction, taking walks with her dog, and cooking. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.

Here is a super simple snack idea you can make with your child in the fall. All you will need is tangerines and a stalk of celery. Carefully help your child to cut the celery vertically into halves or thirds. Then cut the celery again horizontally about every half inch. Finally, peel the tangerine and stick a small piece of celery on top of each tangerine to resemble a pumpkin. Oranges can also be substituted for the tangerines if preferred! Enjoy!

Painting is always a great way for kids to explore their imaginations and to develop sensory skills such as touch and sight. Did you know that some common fall items can be used to add a fun autumn twist to painting? You may have even collected some of them if you saw our fall scavenger hunt list posted last week! Consider having your child paint on apples (cut in half), leaves, and corn (husks removed), then stamping the painted items onto a piece of paper for some super cool and unique designs. You can either choose paints of more traditional fall colors like oranges, yellows, and reds, or feel free to mix it up and use blues, greens, and purple. Once done, ask your child what other fall items could be used as stamps!

Our lab is always looking for new ways to reach out to the community, and recently we made an Instagram account for our followers. Feel free to search and follow us under the username of ubhablab and to tell your family and friends to do the same!

Elizabeth Kubiniec is an Undergraduate Research Assistant here in the Child Health and Behavior Lab! She is a senior studying Spanish and Public Health. In the lab, Elizabeth is a member of both the INSIGHT coding team and the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee. In previous semesters, she has been involved with the Restaurant Study and Food Truck Tuesday Study. Elizabeth aspires to attend medical school as well as receive a master’s degree in public health in the hopes of working in an interdisciplinary space between primary care and population health to advance missions of health justice. She enjoys learning about others’ cultural and religious practices as well as taking her dog, a pug and beagle mix, on walks around the neighborhood. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.

Fall is a great time to enjoy some crisp, cool air and to appreciate the beauty of the colorful leaves. One idea to encourage your child to get outdoors is by creating a fall scavenger hunt list, such as the one that is included below. Not only will this be a fun activity for both of you to do together, but the collected items can also be used for some super fun fall crafts that our lab will be posting in the coming weeks! Feel free to use the attached list to get started!

Lindsay Lassetter is an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Child Health and Behavior Lab. She is currently a senior studying Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Nutrition. In the lab, Lindsay's current focus is the Grocery Shopping Study, however she has also helped with the Restaurant Study and the Play With Me Study. Lindsay plans on attending dental school after graduation and she aspires to be a Pediatric Dentist. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, reading, and baking. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.

There is a cost to this activity ($8). We will continue to post ideas for free activities throughout the Fall. Growing crystals is a fun and memorable science experiment for kids. It can teach them about chemical reactions and allows them to brainstorm their own ideas about what will happen. Families interested in incorporating this activity into their at-home learning can join the 2020 U.S. Crystal Growing Competition! Sign up by following this link to an article from our own University at Buffalo: http://www.buffalo.edu//stori/2020/09/crystal-contest.html. The deadline to sign up and receive your materials is this Thursday, October 1st, so be sure to check it out sooner rather than later if you are interested!

Despite the fact there are still some limitations in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are still plenty of opportunities to engage in classic fall fun such as apple picking! The link below lists 9 places in Western New York that are currently open for apple picking. This can be a great way to enjoy the crisp fall weather and is a fun activity that your whole family can participate in. https://www.fun4kidsinbuffalo.com/apple-picking-places-wny/

Mackenzie Ferrante is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Child Health & Behavior Lab. She received her B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington, her M.S. in Family and Consumer Science with a concentration in Dietetics from the University of Idaho, and her Ph.D. in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Colorado State University. Mackenzie is a Registered Dietitian and her research focuses on understanding and manipulating the food environment to improve the h...ealth behaviors of children and families. Her main focus in the lab is the Restaurant Study, but she has also been learning about the INSIGHT and Grocery Shopping studies and working ideas for new projects. Outside of work, Mackenzie loves to cook and has an extensive collection of cookbooks. She is an avid reader, loves traveling, and has a spoiled, orange cat named Cheddar. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.

Here’s a toddler-approved activity (that would be fun for preschoolers too): Leaf skewers! 1. Find stick (or grab wooden skewer)... 2. Go on a leaf hunt for fallen leaves that your child can collect and skewer onto the stick! Idea from @imaginationtree on Instagram.

Adapting to a new school year may always be a nerve-wracking time for you child, and this year there may be even more uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unicef.org offers a plethora of articles with advice that can continue to make the transition to the school year smooth, such as staying safe outdoors, how to prepare for returning to the classroom, and online safety tips. While during these times we understand that families each have their own unique situations, this link offers six general tips that parents can use to support their children during this time, such as remaining calm and proactive and creating welcome distractions: https://www.unicef.org//6-ways-parents-can-support-their-k.

Meet another member of our team! Hannah Anderson is currently a sophomore majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Psychology. As an undergraduate research assistant in the lab, she works on the INSIGHT Study as a member of our behavioral coding team, is a co-leader of our social media content, and has been involved in our Play With Me parenting program. In her free time, Hannah enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and volunteering. Read more about our team at https://ubhablab.weebly.com/team.html.