Helping Your Child Get Ready for School
Helping Your Child Get Ready for
School
With activities for children from birth through
age 5
Foreword
"Why"
This is the question we parents are always
trying to
answer. It's good that children ask questions:
that's the best
way to learn. All children have two wonderful
resources for
learning--imagination and curiosity. As a parent,
you can
awaken your children to the joy of learning by
encouraging
their imagination and curiosity.
Helping Your Child Get Ready for School
is one in a series
of books on different education topics intended
to help you
make the most of your child's natural curiosity.
Teaching and
learning are not mysteries that can only happen
in school. They
also happen when parents and children do simple
things
together.
For instance, you and your child can:
sort the socks on
laundry day--sorting is a major function in math
and science;
cook a meal together--cooking involves not only
math and
science but good health as well; tell and read
each other
stories--storytelling is the basis for reading
and writing (and
a story about the past is also history); or play
a game of
hopscotch together--playing physical games will
help your child
learn to count and start on a road to lifelong
fitness.
By doing things together, you will show
that learning is
fun and important. You will be encouraging your
child to study,
learn, and stay in school.
All of the books in this series tie in
with the National
Education Goals set by the President and the Governors.
The
goals state that, by the year 2000: every child
will start
school ready to learn; at least 90 percent of
all students will
graduate from high school; each American student
will leave the
4th, 8th, and 12th grades demonstrating competence
in core
subjects; U.S. students will be first in the world
in math and
science achievement; every American adult will
be literate,
will have the skills necessary to compete in a
global economy,
and will be able to exercise the rights and responsibilities
of
citizenship; and American schools will be liberated
from drugs
and violence so they can focus on learning.
This book is a way for you to help meet
these goals. It
will give you a short rundown on facts, but the
biggest part of
the book is made up of simple, fun activities
for you and your
child to do together. Your child may even beg
you to do them.
As U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander
has said:
The first teachers are the parents, both
by example
and conversation. But don't think of it as
teaching. Think
of it as fun.
So, let's get started. I invite you to
find an activity in
this book and try it.
Diane Ravitch
Assistant Secretary and Counselor to the Secretary
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Learning Begins Early
It Mean To Be Ready for School?
Activities
Birth to 1 Year
Developing Trust
Touch and See!
1 to 2 Years
Shop till You Drop
Puppet Magic
Moving On
2 to 3 Years
Read to Me!
Music Makers
Play Dough
3 to 4 Years
Kitchen Cut-Ups
Scribble, Paint, and Paste
Chores
4 to 5 Years
"Hands-on" Math
Getting Along
My Book
What About Kindergarten?
Appendices
Good Television Habits
Choosing Child Care
Ready-for-School Checklist
Notes
Acknowledgments
This book has been made possible with
help from the
following people who reviewed early drafts or
provided
information and guidance: Teresa Grish, a Vienna,
Virginia,
homemaker; Sharon Lynn Kagan, Yale University's
Bush Center in
Child Development and Social Policy; Evelyn Moore,
National
Black Child Development Institute, Inc.; Cynthia
Newson,
Women's Educational Equity Act Publishing Center;
Douglas
Powell, Purdue University; Heather Weiss, Harvard
Family
Research Project; Barbara Wilier, National Association
for the
Education of Young Children; E. Dollie Wolverton,
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services; Lisa
Hoffman and Johna
Pierce, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Carolyn
Pinney, a
Minneapolis, Minnesota, preschool teacher; Marilynn
Taylor, a
St. Paul, Minnesota, freelance writer and editor;
and many
individuals within the U.S. Department of Education.
Special thanks to Leo and Diane Dillon
for their advice on
how to work with illustrators.
Nancy Paulu has been a writer and editor
for the U.S.
Department of Education since 1986 and is the
author of several
books on education reform for the Department.
Previously, she
was an assistant editor of the Harvard Education
Letter and a
newspaper reporter in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
and Quincy,
Massachusetts. She has also been a commentator
and interviewer
on public television. She received her bachelor's
degree from
Lawrence University and a master's degree in education
from
Harvard as a Bush Leadership Fellow. She lives
with her husband
and young daughter in Washington, DC.
Annie Lunsford has been a freelance illustrator
since
1975. Her works include a Children's Hospital
calendar, a book
for Ronald McDonald House, slide shows for the
National
Institutes of Health, and a Christmas card for
Ringling
Brothers. Her work has been recognized by The
Advertising Club
of New York, the Society of Illustrators, and
The Printing
Industry of America. Lunsford lives and works
in Arlington,
Virginia.
Learning Begins Early
The road to success in school begins early.
Good health,
loving relationships, and opportunities to learn
all help
preschool children do well later in life. But
many parents
wonder, "How can I give these things to my
child?"
This book is for all of you who have asked
this question.
It's for parents, grandparents, and others who
want to know
what to do to help young children get ready for
school.
Throughout the preschool years, you can do many
simple things
to help your child grow, develop, and have fun
learning. This
book:
* Describes the qualities and skills that
youngsters need to
get a good start in kindergarten;
* Tells what to expect from preschoolers
each year from
birth to age 5;
* Suggests easy activities that help children
grow and
develop; and
* Explains how to encourage enthusiasm toward
school and
teachers and make it easier for children
to adjust to
kindergarten.
Special sections in the back of the book
tell how to
monitor television viewing and find good programs;
and explain
how to find suitable child care.
Parents and caregivers are busy people.
Most of us have
many responsibilities: jobs outside the home,
laundry to wash,
and groceries to buy. When we are tired and under
stress, it's
often hard to feel we are being the best parents.
But however busy we may be, there are lots
of things we
can do to help our children get ready for school--little
things
that make a big difference. Many of them cost
little or nothing
and can be done as you go about your daily routines.
Mothers and fathers aren't the only people
who help
children get ready for school. Entire communities
share this
job. Businesses, schools, government agencies,
and religious
and civic organizations help out. So do day care
providers,
doctors and other health professionals, elected
officials,
relatives, and neighbors. But no one is more important
than
parents, because life's most basic lessons are
learned early
and at home. The first 5 years are when the groundwork
for
future development is laid.
What Does It Mean To Be Ready for School?
There is no one quality or skill that
children need to do
well in school, but a combination of things contributes
to
success. These include good health and physical
wellbeing,
social and emotional maturity, language skills,
an ability to
solve problems and think creatively, and general
knowledge
about the world.
As you go about helping your child develop
in each of
these areas, remember
* Children develop at different rates, and
* Most children are stronger in some areas
than in others.
Remember, too, that being ready for school
depends partly
on what the school expects. One school may think
it's very
important for children to sit quietly and know
the alphabet.
Another may believe it's more important for children
to get
along well with others.
Children who match the school's expectations
may be
considered better prepared. You may want to visit
your child's
school to learn what the principal and teachers
expect and
discuss any areas of disagreement.
While schools may have different priorities,
most
educators agree that the following areas are important
for
success.
Good Health and Physical Well-Being
Young children need nutritious food, enough
sleep, safe
places to play, and regular medical care. These
things help
children get a good start in life and lessen the
chances that
they will later have serious health problems or
trouble
learning.
Good health for children begins before
birth with good
prenatal care. Visit a doctor or medical clinic
throughout your
pregnancy. In addition, eat nourishing foods,
avoid alcohol,
tobacco, and other harmful drugs, and get plenty
of rest.
Pregnant women who don't take good care
of themselves
increase their chances of giving birth to children
who
* Are low in birth weight, making them more
likely to have
lifelong health and learning problems;
* Develop asthma;
* Are mentally retarded;
* Develop speech and language problems;
* Have short attention spans; or
* Become hyperactive.
If your child already has some of these
problems, it is a
good idea to consult your doctor, your school
district, or
community agencies as soon as possible. Many communities
have
free or inexpensive services to help you and your
child.
Good health for children continues after
birth with a
balanced diet. School-aged children can concentrate
better in
class if they eat nutritionally balanced meals.
These should
include breads, cereals, and other grain products;
fruits;
vegetables; meat, poultry, fish and alternatives
(such as eggs
and dried beans and peas); and milk, cheese, and
yogurt. Avoid
too many fats and sweets.
Children aged 2-5 generally can eat the
same foods as
adults but in smaller portions. Your child's doctor
or clinic
can provide advice on feeding babies and toddlers
under the age
of 2.
Federal, state, and local aid is available
for parents who
need food in order to make sure their children
get a balanced
diet. The federal nutrition program, called the
Special
Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants,
and Children
(WIC), distributes food to more than 5.4 million
low-income
women and their children through about 8,200 service
centers
across the country. Food stamps also are available
for many
families with children. For information and to
find out if you
are eligible, contact your local or state health
department.
Preschoolers require regular medical and
dental checkups
and immunizations. It's important to find a doctor
or a clinic
where children can receive routine health care
as well as
special treatment if they are sick or injured.
Children need immunizations beginning
around the age of 2
months to prevent nine diseases: measles, mumps,
German measles
(rubella), diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough,
Hib
(Haemophilus influenzae type b), polio, and tuberculosis.
These
diseases can have serious effects on physical
and mental
development. Regular dental checkups should begin
at the latest
by the age of 3.
Preschoolers need opportunities to exercise
and develop
physical coordination. To learn to control large
muscles,
children need to throw balls, run, jump, climb,
and dance to
music. To learn to control small muscles, particularly
in the
hands and fingers, they need to color with crayons,
put
together puzzles, use blunt-tipped scissors, and
zip jackets.
In kindergarten, they will build upon these skills.
Parents of youngsters with disabilities
should see a
doctor as soon as a problem is suspected. Early
intervention
can help these children develop to their full
potential.
Social and Emotional Preparation
Young children are often very excited
about entering
school. But when they do, they can face an environment
that's
different from what they are used to at home or
even in
preschool. In kindergarten, they will need to
work well in
large groups and get along with new adults and
other children.
They will have to share the teacher's attention
with other
youngsters. The classroom routines may also be
different.
Most 5-year-olds do not start school with
good social
skills or much emotional maturity. These take
time and practice
to learn. However, children improve their chances
for success
in kindergarten if they have had opportunities
to begin
developing these qualities:
Confidence. Children must learn to feel
good about
themselves and believe they can succeed. Confident
children are
more willing to attempt new tasks--and try again
if they don't
succeed the first time.
Independence. Children need to learn to
do things for
themselves.
Motivation. Children must want to learn.
Curiosity. Children are naturally curious
and must remain
so in order to get the most out of learning opportunities.
Persistence. Children must learn to finish
what they
start.
Cooperation. Children must be able to
get along with
others and learn to share and take turns.
Self-control. Preschoolers must understand
that some
behaviors, such as hitting and biting, are inappropriate.
They
need to learn that there are good and bad ways
to express
anger.
Empathy. Children must learn to have an
interest in others
and understand how others feel.
Parents, even more than child care centers
and good
schools, help children develop these skills. Here
are some ways
you can help your child acquire these positive
qualities:
Youngsters must believe that, no matter
what, someone will
look out for them. Show that you care about your
children. They
thrive when they have parents or other caregivers
who are
loving and dependable. Small children need attention,
encouragement, hugs, and plenty of lap time. Children
who feel
loved are more likely to be confident.
Set a good example. Children imitate what
they see others
do and what they hear others say. When parents
exercise and eat
nourishing food, children are more likely to do
so. When
parents treat others with respect, their children
probably
will, too. If parents share things, their children
will learn
to be thoughtful of others' feelings.
Have a positive attitude toward learning
and toward
school. Children come into this world with a powerful
need to
discover and to explore. Parents need to encourage
this
curiosity if children are to keep it. Enthusiasm
for what
children do ("You've drawn a great picture!")
helps to make
them proud of their achievements.
Children also become excited about school
when their
parents show excitement. As your child approaches
kindergarten,
talk to him about school. Talk about the exciting
activities in
kindergarten, such as going on field trips and
making fun art
projects. Be enthusiastic as you describe what
he will learn in
school--how to read and measure and weigh things,
for example.
Provide opportunities for repetition.
It takes practice to
crawl, pronounce new words, or drink from a cup.
Children don't
get bored when they repeat things. Instead, repeating
things
until they are learned helps youngsters build
the confidence
needed to try something new.
Use appropriate discipline. All children
need to have
limits set for them. Children whose parents give
firm but
loving discipline are generally more skilled socially
and do
better in school than children whose parents set
too few or too
many limits. Here are some tips.
* Direct children's activities, but don't
make unnecessary
restrictions or try to dominate.
* Offer reasons when asking your child to
do something (For
example, say, "Please move the toy truck
off the stairs so
no one falls over it"--not, "Do
it because I said so.").
* Listen to your children to find out how
they feel and
whether they need any special support.
* Show love and respect when you are angry.
Criticize a
child's behavior but not the child (For example,
say, "I
love you, but it is not okay for you to draw
pictures on
the walls. I get angry when you do that.").
* Help your children make choices and work
out problems (You
might ask your 4-year-old, "What can
we do to keep Kevin
from knocking over your blocks?").
* Be positive and encouraging. Praise your
child for a job
well done. Smiles and encouragement go much
further to
shape good behavior than harsh punishment.
Let children do many things by themselves.
Young children
need to be closely watched. But they learn to
be independent
and to develop confidence by doing tasks such
as dressing
themselves and putting their toys away. It's also
important to
let them make choices, rather than deciding everything
for
them. Remember to give them a choice only when
there really is
one.
Encourage your children to play with other
children and be
with adults who are not family members. Preschoolers
need these
social opportunities to learn to see the point
of view of
others. Young children are more likely to get
along with
teachers and classmates if they already have had
experiences
with different adults and children.
Language and General Knowledge
Kindergarteners participate in many activities
that
require them to use language and to solve problems.
Children
who can't or don't communicate easily may have
problems in
school. There are many things you can do to help
children learn
to communicate, solve problems, and develop an
understanding of
the world. You can
Give your child opportunities to play.
Play is how
children learn. It is the natural way for them
to explore, to
become creative, and to develop academic and social
skills.
Play helps them learn to solve problems--for example,
a wagon
tips over, and children must figure out how to
get it upright
again. Children learn about geometry, shapes,
and balance when
they stack up blocks. Playing with others helps
children learn
how to negotiate.
Talk to your children, beginning at birth.
Babies need to
hear your voice. A television or the radio can't
take the place
of your voice because it doesn't respond to coos
and babbles.
The more you talk to your baby, the more he will
have to talk
about as he gets older. Talking with children
broadens their
understanding of language and of the world.
Everyday activities, such as eating dinner
or taking a
bath, provide opportunities to talk, sometimes
in detail, about
what's happening and respond to your child. "First
let's stick
the plug in the drain. Now we'll turn on the water.
I see you
want to put your rubber duck in the bathtub. That's
a good
idea. Look, it's yellow, just like the rubber
duck on 'Sesame
Street.'"
Listen to your children. Children have
their own special
thoughts and feelings, joys and sorrows, hopes
and fears. As
their language skills develop, encourage them
to talk.
Listening is the best way to learn what's on their
minds and to
discover what they know and don't know, and how
they think and
learn. It also shows children that their feelings
and ideas are
valuable.
Answer questions and ask questions, particularly
ones that
require more than a "yes" or "no"
response. While walking in a
park, for example, most 2- and 3-year-olds will
stop to pick up
leaves. You might point out how the leaves are
the same, and
how they are different. With older children you
might ask,
"What else grows on trees?"
Questions can help children learn to compare
and classify
things. Answer your children's questions thoughtfully
and,
whenever possible, encourage them to answer their
own
questions. If you don't know the answer to a question,
say so.
Then together with your child try to find the
answer.
Read aloud to your children every day.
Reading can begin
with babies and continue throughout the preschool
years. Even
though they don't understand the story or the
poem, reading
together gives children a chance to learn about
language, enjoy
the sound of your voice, and be close to you.
You don't have to
be an excellent reader for your child to enjoy
this time
together. You may also want to take your child
to a local
library that offers special story hours.
Make reading materials available. Children
develop an
interest in language and in reading much sooner
if they have
books and other reading materials around their
homes.
Monitor television viewing. Next to parents,
television
may be our children's most influential teacher.
Good television
can introduce children to new worlds and promote
learning, but
poor or too much TV can be harmful.
Be realistic about your children's abilities
and
interests. Children usually do best in school
when parents
estimate their abilities correctly. Parents must
set high
standards and encourage their preschoolers to
try new things.
Children who aren't challenged become bored. But
ones who are
pushed along too quickly, or are asked to do things
that don't
interest them, can become frustrated and unhappy.
Try to keep your children from being labeled.
Labels such
as "dumb" or "stupid" have
a powerful effect on a child's
confidence and school performance. Remember to
praise your
child for a job well done.
Provide opportunities to do and see things.
The more
varied the experiences that children have, the
more they learn
about the world. No matter where you live, your
community can
provide new experiences. Go for walks in your
neighborhood, or
go places on the bus. Visit museums, libraries,
zoos, and other
community resources.
If you live in the city, spend a day in
the country (or if
you live in the country, spend a day in the city).
Let your
children hear and make music, dance, and paint.
Let them
participate in activities that help to develop
their
imaginations and let them express their ideas
and feelings. The
following activities can provide your children
with these
opportunities.
Activities
The activities in this section are simple
and are designed
to prepare children for school. Most of them grow
out of the
routine things parents do everyday.
Each section is organized by ages. An
age grouping begins
with "What to expect"--a list of qualities
and behaviors
typical of these children. This is followed by
"What they
need"--a list of things that help these children
grow and
learn. In a box near the end of each activity
are explanations
for those who want them. As you go through this
section, it is
good to remember these points:
Children learn at their own pace. Most
move through
similar developmental stages, but they have their
own
timetables. Therefore, the "What to expect"
and the "What they
need" sections, as well as the ages suggested
for the
activities, will vary from child to child. An
activity listed
for a youngster between the ages of 2 and 3 may
be fine for one
who is younger. Or it may not interest another
until he has
passed his third birthday.
Some of these activities, while listed
under a particular
age, are important for all young children. Reading
and
listening to music, for example, can benefit children
from the
time they are born. By modifying an activity,
you can enable
your child to continue to enjoy it as he grows
and develops.
The symbols next to the activities can guide
you.
for an infant (birth to 1)
for a toddler (ages 2 to 3)
for a preschooler (ages 4 to 5).
Find activities that interest your child.
If the one you
picked out is too hard, your child may get discouraged.
If it's
too easy, he may get bored. Or if your child seems
uninterested, try another time. Often children's
interests
change as they grow and develop. Try to give toddlers
and older
children a choice of activities so they learn
to think for
themselves.
The activities are meant to be fun. Be
enthusiastic and
avoid lecturing to preschoolers on what they are
learning. If
your child enjoys the activity, his excitement
for learning
will increase.
Finally, be sure to make safety a top
priority. With that
caution in mind, flip through the following pages
and find some
activities that you and your child can enjoy together.
Birth to 1 Year
What to expect
Babies grow and change dramatically during
their first
year. They begin to
* Develop some control over their bodies.
They learn to hold
up their heads; roll over; sit up; crawl;
stand up; and,
in some cases, walk.
* Become aware of themselves as separate
from others. They
learn to look at their hands and toes and
play with them.
They learn to cry when parents leave, and
they recognize
their name.
* Communicate and develop language skills.
First babies cry
and make throaty noises. Later they babble
and say mama
and dada. Then they make lots of sounds and
begin to name
a few close people and objects.
* Play games. First they play with their
hands. Later they
show an interest in toys, enjoy "putting
in and taking
out" games, and eventually carry around
or hug dolls or
stuffed toys.
* Relate to others. First they respond to
adults more than
to other babies. Later they notice other
babies but tend
to treat them like objects instead of people.
Then they
pay attention when other babies cry.
What they need
Babies require
* A loving caregiver who can respond to
their cries and
gurgles;
* Someone who gets to know their special
qualities;
* Someone to keep them safe and comfortable;
* Opportunities to move about and practice
new physical
skills;
* Safe objects to look at, bat, grab, bang,
pat, roll, and
examine;
* Safe play areas; and
* Opportunities to hear language and to
make sounds.
Developing Trust
Newborn babies need to become attached
to at least one
person who provides security and love. This first
and most
basic emotional attachment is the start for all
human
relationships.
What you'll need
Loving arms
Music
What to do
1. Include happy rituals in your baby's schedule.
For
example, at bedtime, sing the same song every
night, rock
her, or rub her tummy.
2. Pick up your crying baby promptly. Try
to find out what's
wrong. Is she hungry?. Wet? Bored? Too hot?
Crying is your
baby's way of communicating. By comforting
her you send
the message that language has a purpose and
that someone
wants to understand.
3. Gently move your newborn's arms and legs.
Or tickle her
lightly under the chin or on the tummy. When
she starts to
control her head, lie on the floor and put
her on your
chest. Let her reach for your nose or grab
your hair. Talk
to her and name each thing she touches.
4. Sing and cuddle with your baby. Hold her
snuggled in your
arms or lying face up on your lap with her
head on your
knees. Make sure the head of a newborn is
well-supported.
Sing a favorite lullaby.
To entertain your baby, sing an active
song. For example:
If you're happy and you know it, clap
your hands!
If you're happy and you know it, clap your
hands!
If you're happy and you know it, and you
want the world to
know it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your
hands!
If you don't know lullabies or rhymes
for babies, make up
your own!
5. Dance with your baby. To soothe her when
she's upset, put
her head on your shoulder and hum softly
or listen to
recorded music as you glide around the room.
To amuse her
when she's cheerful, try a bouncy tune.
Feeling your touch, hearing your voice,
and enjoying the
comfort of physical closeness all help a baby
to develop trust.
Touch and See!
Babies are hard at work whenever they
are awake, trying to
learn all about the world. To help them learn,
they need many
different safe things to play with and inspect.
Objects you
have around your home offer many possibilities.
What you'll need
A splinter-free wooden spoon with a face drawn
on the bowl
Different textured fabrics, such as velvet, cotton,
corduroy,
terry cloth, satin, burlap, and fake fur
An empty toilet paper or paper towel roll
Pots, pans, and lids
An old purse or basket with things to put in and
take out
Measuring cups and spoons
Boxes and plastic containers
Large spools
Noisemakers (rattles, keys, a can filled with
beans)
What to do
1. Put one or two of the items to the left
in a safe play
area where your baby can reach them (more
than two may
confuse him).
2. Let your baby look at, touch, and listen
to a variety of
objects. Ones that are brightly colored,
have interesting
textures, and make noises are particularly
good. Be sure
that any item you give your baby will be
safe in his
mouth, since that's where it probably will
end up.
3. Use these items for all age groups. Many
of them will
continue to interest toddlers and older preschoolers.
For
example, babies love to inspect a paper towel
roll. But
with a 4-year-old, it can become a megaphone
for talking
or singing, a telescope, or a tunnel for
a toy car.
Babies begin to understand how the world
works when they
see, touch, hold, and shake things. Inspecting
things also
helps them coordinate and strengthen their hand
muscles.
1 to 2 Years
What to expect
Children this age are
* Energetic (walk more steadily, run, push,
pull, take
apart, carry, and climb on and grab things);
* Self-centered; and
* Busy (like to flip light switches, pour
things in and out
of containers, unwrap packages, and empty
drawers).
Between their first and second birthdays,
they
* Like to imitate the sounds and actions
of others (by
pretending to do housework or yardwork, for
example);
* Want to be independent and do it themselves
(and express
this by saying "No!");
* Can be clingy;
* Can have relatively short attention spans
if not involved
in an activity;
* Add variations to theft physical skills
(by walking
backwards or sideways, for example);
* Begin to see how they are like and unlike
other children;
* Become more sensitive to the moods of
others;
* Play alone or alongside other toddlers;
and
* Increase their vocabularies from about
2 or 3 words to
about 250 words and understand more of what
people say to
them.
What they need
Children this age require
* A safe environment for exploring;
* Opportunities to make their own choices
("Do you want the
red cup or the blue one?");
* Clear and reasonable limits;
* Opportunities to use big muscles (in the
arms and legs,
for example);
* Opportunities to manipulate small objects,
such as puzzles
and stackable toys;
* Activities that allow them to touch, taste,
smell, hear,
and see new things;
* Chances to learn about "cause and
effect"--that things
they do produce certain results (when a stack
of blocks
gets too high it will fall over);
* Opportunities to develop and practice
their language
skills; and
* Chances to learn about kindness and caring.
Shop till You Drop
Shopping is just one of many routines
that can help your
child learn. lt's especially good for teaching
new words and
introducing preschoolers to new people and places.
What you'll need
A short shopping list
Shopping is one of many ways to surround
children with
meaningful talk. They need to hear a lot of words
in order to
learn to communicate themselves. It's particularly
helpful when
you talk about the "here and now"--things
that are going on in
front of your child.
What to do
1. Pick a time when neither you nor your
child is hungry or
tired.
2. At the grocery store, put your child in
the grocery cart
so that he faces you. Take your time as you
walk up and
down the aisles.
3. Talk about what you are seeing and doing:
"First, we're
going to buy some cereal. See, it's in a
big red and blue
box. Listen to the great noise it makes when
I shake the
box. Can you shake the box? Now we're going
to pay for the
groceries. We'll put them on the counter
while I get out
the money. The cashier will tell us how much
we have to
pay."
4. Let your child feel the items you buy--a
cold carton of
milk, for example, or the skin of an orange.
Talk to your
child about the items. "The skin of
the orange is rough
and bumpy. Can Rochelle feel the skin?"
5. Be sure to name objects you see on a shopping
trip.
6. Let your child touch a soft sweater or
try on a hat or a
mitten. Find a mirror so he can see himself.
Talk as you
go. "Feel how soft the sweater is. Who's
that in the
mirror? Is that Andre?"
7. Let your child practice his "hi's"
and "bye-byes" on
clerks and other shoppers on your outings.
8. Keep talking, keep moving, and let your
child "help." "In
this store we need to buy some buttons. You
can hold the
cloth next to the buttons so I can find the
right color."
Putting your toddler's hands in the right
position can
help him learn to understand your directions.
9. Leave for home before your child gets
grumpy.
Puppet Magic
Puppets can be fascinating. Children know
that puppets are
not alive. And yet, they move and talk like real
living things.
Try making one at home.
What you'll need
An old clean sock
Buttons (larger than 1 inch in diameter to prevent
swallowing)
Needle and thread
Red fabric
Ribbon
An old glove
Felt-tipped pens
Nontoxic glue
Yarn
What to do
1. Sock puppet. Use an old clean sock. Sew on
buttons for
eyes and nose. Paste or sew on a piece of
red fabric for
the mouth. Put a bow made from ribbon at
the neck.
2. Finger puppets. Cut the ends off the fingers
of an old
glove. Draw faces on the fingers with felttipped
pens.
Glue yarn on for hair.
3. Have the puppet talk to your child. "Hello.
My name is
Tanya. What a great T-shirt you have on!
I like the rabbit
on the front of your T-shirt." Or have
the puppet sing a
simple song. Change your voice when the puppet
talks or
sings.
4. Encourage your child to speak to the puppet.
5. Put finger puppets on your child to give
him practice
moving his fingers one at a time.
6. The next time you want help cleaning up,
have the puppet
make the request: "Hello, Maria. Let's
put these crayons
back in the box and these toys back on the
shelves. Can
you get me the ball?"
Puppets provide another opportunity to
talk to children
and encourage them to speak. They also help children
learn new
words, use their imaginations, and develop their
hand and
finger coordination. Children will make many mistakes
when they
learn to talk. Instead of correcting them directly,
reply by
using the right grammar. For example, if your
child says,
"Michael done it," reply, "Yes,
David, Michael did it." Speak
slowly and clearly so that your child can imitate
your speech.
Use full, but short sentences, and avoid baby
talk.
Moving On
Toddlers love to explore spaces and climb
over, through,
and into things.
What you'll need
Stuffed animal or toy
Large cardboard boxes
Pillows
A large sheet
A soft ball
A large plastic laundry basket
Elastic
Bells
What to do
1. Pillow jump. Give your toddler some pillows
to jump into.
Toddlers usually figure out how to do this
one on their
own!
2. Box car. Give your toddler a large box
to push around the
room. He may want to take his stuffed animal
or toy for a
ride in it. If the box isn't too high--you'll
most likely
find your toddler in there, too!
3. Basketball. Sit about 3 feet away from
your toddler and
hold out a large plastic laundry basket.
Let him try
throwing a ball into the basket.
4. Table tent. Cover a table with a sheet
that's big enough
to reach the ground on all sides. This makes
a great
playhouse that's particularly good for a
rainy day. Watch
out for bumped heads!
5. Jingle bells. Sew bells onto elastic that
will fit
comfortably around your child's ankles. Then
watch (and
listen to) the fun while he moves about or
jumps up and
down.
These skills help children gain control
over their large
muscles. They also help children learn important
concepts such
as up, down, inside, outside, over, and under.
2 to 3 Years
What to expect
Children this age are
* Becoming more aware of others and their
own feelings;
* Often stubborn and may have temper tantrums;
* Developing a great interest in other children
and enjoy
being near them (although they are usually
selfcentered);
* Able to jump, hop, roll, and climb;
* Developing an interest in pretend play--playing
at keeping
house, for example, or pretending to cook
and care for a
baby;
* Expanding their vocabularies (from about
250 to 1,000
words during the year); and
* Putting together 2, 3, and 4-word sentences.
What they need
Children this age require opportunities to
* Develop hand coordination (with puzzles
or large beads to
string or by scribbling, for example);
* Do more things for themselves, such as
putting on
clothing;
* Sing, talk, and develop their language;
* Play with other children;
* Try out different ways to move their bodies;
and
* Do things in the community, such as taking
walks and
visiting libraries, museums, informal restaurants,
parks,
beaches, and zoos.
Read to Me!
The single most important way for children
to develop the
knowledge they need to succeed in reading is for
you to read
aloud to them--beginning early.
What you'll need
Good books
A children's dictionary (preferably a sturdy one)
Paper, pencils, crayons, markers
What to do
1. Read aloud to your child every day. From
birth to 6 months
your baby probably won't understand what
you're reading,
but that's okay. You can get her used to
the sound of your
voice and used to seeing and touching books.
2. To start out, use board books with no
words or just a few
words. Point to the colors and the pictures
and say their
names. Simple books can teach children things
that will
later help them learn to read. For example,
they learn
about the structure of language--that there
are spaces
between the words and that the print goes
from left to
right.
3. Tell stories. Encourage your child to
ask questions and
talk about the story. Ask her to predict
what will come
next. Point to things in books that she can
relate to in
her own life: "Look at the picture of
the penguin. Do you
remember the penguin we saw at the zoo?"
4. Look for reading programs. If you aren't
a good reader,
programs in your community like Even Start
can provide
opportunities for you to improve your own
reading and to
read with your child. Friends and relatives
can also read
to your child, and senior citizen volunteers
are available
in many communities to do the same.
5. Buy a children's dictionary--if possible,
one that has
pictures next to the words. Then start the
"let's look it
up" habit.
6. Make writing materials available.
7. Watch educational TV. Programs such as
"Sesame Street" and
"Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" help
your child learn the
alphabet and the sounds they represent.
8. Visit the library often. Begin making
weekly trips to the
library when your child is very young. See
that your child
gets a library card as soon as possible.
Many libraries
issue cards to children as soon as they can
print their
names (you'll have to countersign for them).
9. Read yourself. What you do sets an example
for your child.
The ability to read and understand makes
for better
students and leads to better job opportunities
and a lifetime
of enjoyment.
Music Makers
Music is a way to communicate that all
children
understand. It's not necessary for them to follow
the words to
a song. It makes them happy just to hear the comfort
in your
voice or on the recording or to dance to a peppy
tune.
What you'll need
Your voice
Music
Music makers (rattles, a can filled with beans
or buttons,
empty toilet paper rolls, pots, pans, plastic
bowls)
What to do
1. Sing a lullaby to a cranky infant.
2. As children approach their first birthdays,
they begin to
like making music themselves. Have them try
banging a
wooden spoon on pots, pans, or plastic bowls;
shaking a
large rattle or shaking a plastic container
filled with
beans, buttons, or other noisy items (make
sure the
container is securely closed); and blowing
through empty
toilet paper rolls.
3. As toddlers pass their first birthdays,
they can actively
participate in nursery rhymes, even if they
can't recite
the words. They can imitate hand movements,
clap, or hum
along.
4. As preschoolers become more physically
coordinated,
encourage them to move to the music. They
can twirl, spin,
jump up and down, tiptoe, or sway.
5. Here are some tips for getting young children
to sing:
* Sing yourself. Sing fairly slowly so children
join in and
enjoy themselves. Discourage shouting.
* Start with simple chanting. Pick a simple
melody, such as
"Mary Had a Little Lamb," and sing
"la, la, la." Add the
words later.
Introduce music to your children early.
Listening to you
sing will help them learn to make their voices
go up and
down--even if you can't carry a tune! Music and
dance teach
preschoolers to listen, to coordinate hand and
finger
movements, and to express themselves creatively.
Play Dough
Young children love to play with dough.
And no wonder!
They can squish and pound it and form it into
fascinating
shapes. Here's a recipe to make at home.
What you'll need
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Food coloring
Food extracts (almond, vanilla, lemon, or peppermint)
1 medium saucepan
Things to stick in the dough (popsicle sticks,
straws)
Things to pound with (like a toy mallet)
Things to make impressions with (jar lids, cookie
cutters,
or bottle caps)
What to do
1. Add the food coloring to the water. Then
mix all of the
ingredients together in a pan.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring until
it forms a soft
ball.
3. Let the mixture cool. Knead slightly.
Add food extracts to
different chunks of the dough if you want
different
smells.
4. Give some to your toddler or preschooler,
so he can pound
it, stick things in it, make impressions
in it, and create
all kinds of things.
Play dough is a great way to develop hand
muscles and be
creative. And cooking together, with all the measuring,
is the
perfect way to begin learning mathematics. Letting
your child
handle some dough while it is still slightly warm
and some when
it has cooled off is a terrific way to teach him
about
temperatures. Play dough can be made ahead of
time and stored
in an air-tight bag or container.
3 to 4 Years
What to expect
Children this age
* Start to play with other children, instead
of next to
them;
* Are more likely to take turns and share;
* Are friendly and giving;
* Begin to understand that other people
have feelings an d
rights;
* Like silly humor, riddles, and practical
jokes;
* Like to please and to conform;
* Generally become more cooperative and
enjoy new
experiences;
* Are increasingly self-reliant and probably
can dress
without help (except for buttons and shoelaces);
* May develop fears ("Mommy, there's
a monster under my
bed.") and have imaginary companions,
* Are more graceful physically than 2-year-olds
and love to
run, skip, jump with both feet, catch a ball,
climb
downstairs, and dance to music;
* Are great talkers, speak in sentences,
and continue to add
more words to their vocabularies; and
* Have greater control over hand and arm
muscles, which is
reflected in their drawings and scribblings.
What they need
Children this age require opportunities
to
* Develop their blooming language abilities
through books,
games, songs, science, and art activities;
* Develop more self-help skills--for example,
to dress and
undress themselves;
* Draw with crayons, work puzzles, build
things, and
pretend;
* Play with other children so they can learn
to listen, take
turns, and share; and
* Develop more physical coordination--for
example, by
hopping on both feet.
Kitchen Cut-Ups
Here are some recipes popular with preschoolers.
Things
always seem to taste better when you make them
yourself!
What you'll need
Knife
For applewiches: 1 apple, cheese slices
For funny-face sandwich: 1 piece of bread; peanut
butter,
cream cheese, or egg salad; green pepper,
celery,
radishes, carrot curls; olives; nuts; hard-boiled
egg
slices; tiny shapes of cheese; apples and
raisins
For fruit Popsicles: fruit juice (any kind), an
ice cube
tray or small paper cups, yogurt, mashed
or crushed fruit,
Popsicle sticks
For bumps on a log: celery, peanut butter, raisins
What to do
1. Choose a safe spot to cook where you won't
have to worry
about making a mess.
2. Tell your child what the ingredients are.
Talk about what
you are doing as you go along. Ask and answer
questions.
3. Let him smell, taste, and touch as you
go. Let him (with
your help) pour, stir, measure, and help
clean up.
4. Applewiches. Core an apple. Cut the apple
crosswise into
thick slices. Put cheese slices between the
slices.
Cheddar cheese is particularly good. Eat
like a sandwich.
5. Funny-face sandwich. Cut the bread into
a circle. Spread
with cream cheese, peanut butter, or egg
salad. Decorate
using green pepper, celery, radishes, carrot
curls,
olives, nuts, hard-boiled egg slices, tiny
shapes of
cheese, apples, or raisins for eyes, ears,
nose, and
mouth.
6. Fruit Popsicles. Pour the fruit juice
into small paper
cups or an ice cube tray. Place a Popsicle
stick in each
cup or compartment before the juice is completely
frozen.
Return to the freezer until frozen solid.
For variations,
mix yogurt with the juice before freezing
for a creamier
Popsicle, or add mashed or crushed fruit
such as
strawberries, pineapple, or banana.
7. Bumps on a log. Spread peanut butter on
the celery stalks.
Decorate with raisins. Great snacks!
Cooking helps children learn new words,
measuring and
number skills, what foods are healthy and what
ones aren't, and
the importance of completing what they begin.
It also teaches
about how things change, and it can teach children
to reason
better. ("If I want a cold fruit juice Popsicle,
then I'll have
to put it in the freezer.")
Scribble, Paint, and Paste
Young children are natural artists. Here
are some
activities that introduce preschoolers to scribbling,
painting,
and pasting.
What you'll need
For scribbling: crayons, water-soluble felt-tipped
markers,
different kinds of paper (including construction
paper, butcher paper), and tape
For fingerpainting: storebought fingerpaint
or homemade
fingerpaint made with soap flakes, water,
food coloring or
powdered tempera; an eggbeater or fork; a
bowl; a spoon;
an apron or smock; newspapers or a large
piece of plastic
to cover the floor or table; butcher paper;
and tape
For collages: paper, paste, blunt-tipped scissors,
fabric scraps
or objects that can be glued to paper (string,
cottonballs,
sticks, yarn)
What to do
1. Scribbling. Give your child different
kinds of paper and
different writing materials to scribble with.
Coloring
books are not needed. Fat crayons are good
to begin with.
Water-soluble felt-tipped marking pens are
fun because
your child doesn't have to use much pressure
to get a
bright color. Tape a large piece of butcher
paper onto a
table top and let your preschooler scribble
to her heart's
content!
2. Fingerpainting. Use store-bought fingerpaint,
or make your
own by mixing soap flakes (not detergent)
in a bowl with a
small amount of water. Beat the mixture with
a fork or
eggbeater. Add powdered tempera paint or
food coloring.
Spread out newspapers or a large piece of
plastic over a
table or on the floor and tape a big piece
of construction
paper or butcher paper on top. Cover your
child with a
large smock or apron, and let her fingerpaint.
3. Collages. Have your child paste fabric
scraps or other
objects such as yarn, string, or cottonballs
to the paper
(in any pattern). Let her feel the different
textures and
tell you about them.
Here are a few tips about introducing
your preschoolers to
art:
* Supervise carefully. Some children would
rather color your
walls than the paper. Some also like to chew
on crayons
and markers or try to drink the paint.
* Don't tell them what to draw or paint.
* Don't fix up their pictures. It will take
lots of practice
before you can recognize their pictures--and
that often
doesn't happen until after they are in kindergarten.
* Give them lots of different materials
to work with.
Parents can demonstrate new types of art
materials.
* Find an art activity that's at the right
level for your
child, then let him do as much of the project
as possible.
* Ask your preschooler to talk about his
picture.
* Display your child's art prominently in
your home.
Art projects can spark young imaginations
and help
children to express themselves. These projects
also help
children to develop the eye and hand coordination
they will
later need to learn to write.
Chores
Any household task can become a good learning
game and can
be fun.
What you'll need
Jobs around the home that need to get done,
such as:
Doing the laundry
Washing and drying dishes
Carrying out the garbage
Setting the dinner table
Dusting
What to do
1. Tell your child about the job you will
do together.
Explain why the family needs the job done.
Describe how
you will do it and how your child can help.
2. Teach your child new words that belong
to each job. "Let's
put the placemats on the table, along with
the napkins."
3. Doing laundry together provides many opportunities
to
learn. Ask your child to help you remember
all the clothes
that need to be washed. See how many things
he can name.
Socks? Tshirts? Pajamas? Have him help you
gather all the
dirty clothes. Have your child help you make
piles of
light and dark colors.
Show your child how to measure out the
soap, and have him
pour the soap into the machine. Let him put
the items into
the machine, naming them. Keep out one sock.
When the
washer is filled with water, take out a sock.
Let your
child hold the wet sock and the one you kept
out. Ask him
which one feels heavier and which one feels
lighter. After
the wash is done, have your child sort his
own things into
piles that are the same (for example, T-shirts,
socks).
Home chores can help children learn new
words, how to
listen and follow directions, how to count, and
how to sort.
Chores can also help children improve their physical
coordination and learn responsibility.
4 to 5 Years
What to expect
Children this age
* Are active and have lots of energy;
* May be aggressive in their play;
* Can show extremes from being loud and
adventurous to
acting shy and dependent;
* Enjoy more group activities because they
have longer
attention spans;
* Like making faces and being silly;
* May form cliques with friends and can
be bossy;
* May change friendships quickly;
* May brag and engage in name-calling during
play;
* May experiment with swear words and bathroom
words;
* Can be very imaginative and like to exaggerate;
* Have better control in running, jumping,
and hopping but
tend to be clumsy;
* Are great talkers and questioners; and
* Love to use words in rhymes, nonsense,
and jokes.
What they need
Children this age need opportunities to
* Experiment and discover within limits;
* Use blunt-tipped scissors, crayons, and
put together
simple jigsaw puzzles;
* Practice outdoor play activities;
* Develop their growing interest in academic
things, such as
science and mathematics, and activities that
involve
exploring and investigating;
* Group items that are similar (for example,
by size);
* Stretch their imaginations and curiosity;
and
* See how reading and writing are useful
(for example, by
listening to stories and poems, dictating
stories, and by
talking with other children and adults).
"Hands-on" Math
Real-life, hands-on activities are the
best way to
introduce your preschooler to mathematics!
What you'll need
Optional:
Blocks
Dice or dominoes
What to do
1. Talk a lot about numbers and use number
concepts in daily
routines with your preschooler. For example:
* Cooking. "Let's divide the cookie
dough into two parts so
we can bake some now and put the rest into
the freezer."
* Home projects. "We're going to hang
this picture 6 inches
above the bookshelf in your room."
* Home chores. "How many plates do
we need on the table? One
for Mommy, one for Daddy, and one for Jenny."
It's best not to use drills or arithmetic
worksheets with
young children. These can make children dislike
math because
they don't fit with the way they learn math naturally.
2. Talk about numbers that matter most to
your
preschooler--her age, her address, her phone
number, her
height and weight. Focusing on these personal
numbers
helps your child learn many important math
concepts,
including:
* Time (hours, days, months, years; older,
younger;
yesterday, today, tomorrow). To a young child,
you might
say, "At 2 o'clock we will take a nap."
When you plan with
an older preschooler (4 or 5 years old),
you could point
out, "It's only 3 days until we go to
Grandma's house.
Let's put an X on the calendar so we'll know
the day we're
going."
* Lengths (inches, feet; longer, taller,
shorter). "this
ribbon is too short to go around the present
for Aunt
Susan. Let's cut a longer ribbon."
* Weight (ounces, pounds, grams; heavier,
lighter; how to
use scales). "You already weigh 30 pounds.
I can hardly
lift such a big girl."
* Where you live (addresses, telephone numbers).
"These
shiny numbers on our apartment door are 2-1-4.
We live in
apartment number 214." Or "When
you go to play at Terry's
house, take this note along with you. It's
our phone
number: 253-6711. Some day soon you will
know our phone
number so you can call me when you are at
your friend's."
3. Provide opportunities for your child to
learn math. For
example:
* Blocks can teach children to classify
objects by color and
shape. Blocks can also help youngsters learn
about depth,
width, height, and length.
* Games that have scoring, such as throwing
balls into a
basket, require children to count. Introduce
games such as
dominoes or rolling dice. Have your child
roll the dice
and count the dots. Let her try to roll for
matches. Count
favorite toys.
* Books often have number themes or ideas.
Getting Along
Learning to get along with others is very
important.
Children who are kind, helpful, patient, and loving
generally
do better in school.
What you'll need
No materials required
What to do
1. Let your child know that you are glad
to be his mommy or
daddy. Give him personal attention and encouragement.
Set
aside time when you and your child can do
fun things
together. Your happy feelings toward your
child will help
him feel good about himself.
2. Set a good example. Show your preschooler
what it means to
get along with others and to be respectful.
Say "please"
and "thank you." Treat people in
ways that show you care
what happens to them. Ask for things in a
friendly way. Be
kind to and patient with other people.
3. Help your child find ways to solve conflicts
with others.
Help your child figure out what will happen
if he tries to
settle his mad feelings by hitting a playmate:
"James, I
know that Tiffany took your toy truck. But
if you hit
Tiffany and you have a big fight, then Tiffany
will have
to go home, and the two of you won't be able
to play any
more today. What is another way that you
can let Tiffany
know you want your truck back?"
James might decide to tell Tiffany that
he's mad, and that
he wants his truck back. Or he might let
Tiffany play with
his truck for 5 minutes with the hope that
Tiffany will
then give it back. Listening to your children's
problems
will often be all that is needed for them
to solve their
own problems.
4. Make opportunities to share and to care.
Let your child
take charge of providing food for hungry
birds. When a new
family moves into the neighborhood, let your
preschooler
help make cookies to welcome them.
5. Be physically affectionate. Children need
hugs, kisses, an
arm over the shoulder, and a pat on the back.
6. Tell your child that you love him. Don't
assume that your
loving actions will speak for themselves
(although those
are very important). Teach your child the
international
hand sign for "I love you." You
can "sign" each other love
as your child leaves home for the first day
of
kindergarten.
Children need good social skills. Teachers
and other
children will enjoy your youngster's company if
he gets along
well with others.
My Book
Most 4-year-olds like to talk and have
a lot to say. They
generally can't write down words themselves, but
they enjoy
dictating a story to you.
What you'll need
Paper
A paper punch
Blunt-tipped scissors
Pencil, pen, crayons
Yarn, pipe cleaners, or staples
Paste
What to do
1. Make a booklet of five or six pages. Your
child can help
punch holes close to one edge and thread
yarn through the
holes to keep the pages together. You can
also bind the
book with twisted pipe cleaners, or staple
the pages
together.
2. On the outside cover, write your child's
name. Explain to
him that this is going to be a book about
him.
3. Let your child decide what will go on
each page. Write it
down. Examples: Other people in my family.
My favorite
toys. My favorite books. My friends. My pet.
My
neighborhood. My home (or my bedroom). My
own drawings.
Making this book will help your child
develop his language
skills and give him more practice using the small
muscles in
his hands. Your 4-year-old will also love having
your undivided
attention.
What About Kindergarten?
The activities in this book can help your
child from birth
to age 5 get ready for kindergarten. As the first
day of school
approaches, however, you may want to do extra
things to make
the school seem a friendlier place for both you
and your child.
Find out as much as you can about the
school before your
child enters it. You will want to learn
* The principal's name;
* The kindergarten teacher's name;
* When to register for kindergarten and
what forms need to
be filled out;
* What immunizations are required for school
entry;
* A description of the kindergarten program;
* The kindergarten yearly calendar and daily
schedule;
* Transportation procedures;
* Food service arrangements; and
* How you can become involved in your child's
education and
in the school.
Some schools will send you this information.
Or they may
hold an orientation meeting in the spring for
parents who
expect to enroll their children in kindergarten
the following
fall. If they don't, you can call the principal's
office to ask
or to arrange a visit.
Find out in advance what the school expects
from entering
kindergarten students. If you know a year or two
ahead of
time, you will be in a better position to prepare
your child.
Sometimes parents and caregivers don't think the
expectations
are right for their children. If that is the case,
you may want
to meet with the principal or kindergarten teachers
to talk
about the expectations and ways to change the
kindergarten
program.
Visit the school with your child so your
child can become
familiar with it, and it won't seem scary. Walk
up and down the
hallways to learn where things are. Observe the
other children
and the classrooms.
Talk with your child about school. During
your visit, make
positive comments about the school--your good
attitude will rub
off! ("Look at all the boys and girls painting
in this
classroom. Doesn't that look like fun!")
Tell your child about
what the children do when classes begin.
Talk about the teachers, and how they
will help your child
learn new things. Encourage your child to look
at the teacher
as a wise friend toward whom children should be
courteous.
Explain to your child how important it is to go
to class each
day.
If possible, consider volunteering to
help out in the
school. The staff may appreciate having an extra
adult to help
do everything from passing out paper and pencils
in the
classrooms to supervising on the playground. Volunteering
is a
good way to learn more about the school and to
meet its staff
and other parents.
When the long-awaited first day of kindergarten
arrives,
go to school with your child (but don't stay too
long). And be
patient. Many young children are overwhelmed at
first because
they haven't had much experience in dealing with
new
situations. They may not immediately like school.
Your child
may cry or cling to you when you say goodbye each
morning, but
with support from you and the kindergarten teacher,
this can
rapidly change.
As your child proceeds through school,
you will need to
continue your encouragement and involvement. But
for now,
celebrate all that you have accomplished as a
parent. Share
your children's enthusiasm. Let them know how
proud you are as
they leave home for their first day of kindergarten.
Let them
know you believe they will succeed.
Good Television Habits
Children in the United States have watched
an average of
4,000 hours of television by the time they begin
school. Most
experts agree that this is too much. But banning
television
isn't the answer, because good television can
spark curiosity
and open up new worlds to children. Monitoring
how much and
what television children watch helps them, starting
at an early
age, to develop good viewing habits.
Too much television can be harmful because
* It can expose children to too much sex
and violence;
* Children can be unduly influenced by junkfood
and toy
commercials;
* It can give children a poor model for
good behavior before
they have developed a clear idea of right
and wrong;
* Young children do not have the experience
and wisdom to
understand complicated plots or scary scenes;
and
* Sitting passively in front of the set for
extended periods
of time can slow young children's social
and intellectual
development.
Here are some tips to help children develop
good
television-viewing habits.
Keep a record of how many hours of TV
your children watch,
and what they watch. Generally, it's good to limit
the amount
to 2 hours or less a day, although you can make
exceptions for
special programs.
Learn about current TV programs and videos
and select good
ones. As parents, you know your children best.
So, select TV
programs and videos that are meaningful to your
family. Some TV
programs you may wish to consider include "Captain
Kangaroo,"
Eureeka's Castle," "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood,"
Sesame Street,"
and "Shining Time Station." Many other
good children's
programs, such as Disney and Nickelodeon, are
on public
television stations and on cable channels.
If you have a VCR, you may wish to seek
out videos made by
Linda Ellerbee's Lucky Duck Productions. Of course,
videos vary
in quality, but versions of classic children's
books, such as
Babar or Snow White, are a good place to start.
Parents who would like help in finding
good TV programs
for children can subscribe to Parents' Choice,
a quarterly
review of children's media which includes television
programs
and home video materials. Write to Parents' Choice
Foundation,
Box 185, Newton, MA 02168. A subscription is $18
a year. A
sample copy is $2.
You can also read about programs in TV
columns in
newspapers and magazines. Cable subscribers and
public
broadcasting contributors can check monthly program
guides for
information.
Plan with your children (starting at age
3) what programs
to watch. After selecting programs appropriate
for your
children, help them decide which ones to watch.
Turn the TV on
when these shows start, and turn the set off when
they are
over.
Watch television with your children so
you can answer
questions and talk about what they see. Pay special
attention
to how they respond so you can help them understand
what
they're seeing, if that's needed.
Follow-up TV viewing with activities or
games. You might
have your child tell you a new word he learned
on television
that you can look up together in the dictionary.
Or you might
have him make up his own story about one of his
favorite TV
characters.
Include the whole family in discussion
and activities or
games that relate to television programs. Older
siblings,
aunts, uncles, and grandparents can all contribute.
Make certain that television isn't regularly
used as a
babysitter. Instead, try to balance good television
with other
fun activities for your child.
Choosing Child Care
More and more children are in preschool
or other child
care settings before they enter kindergarten.
Choosing the
right child care is important because it can affect
how
prepared your child is for school. Some tips to
guide you:
Think about the kind of care you want
for your child.
Possibilities include (a) a relative; (b) a family
day care
provider, usually a woman who takes care of a
small group of
children in her home; (c) a child care center;
and (d) a
caregiver who comes into your home.
Figure out what suits your budget and
what you can expect
to spend in your community. For low-income parents,
the
federally funded Head Start program (and in some
communities
Chapter 1 programs) are available. State-subsidized
child care
programs also are available, although most often
more people
need the subsidized care than there are spaces
available. Many
families are entitled to the child care credit
on their income
tax forms.
Recognize that there are many ways to
find good care. Ask
friends and neighbors. Look in the Yellow Pages
of your
telephone book under "Child Care Centers."
Look in the
classified ads of your local newspaper, or place
an ad of your
own. Put up notices on your church or synagogue
bulletin board,
in grocery stores, local community centers, or
at the
employment office of local colleges or universities.
Look for
notices that other people have put up.
If you are looking for a family day care
provider, a local
licensing agency can provide you with local listings.
Many
communities have resource and referral agencies
that help
parents identify the options that best meet their
needs.
Start looking early, particularly if you
have a special
program for your child in mind. Some programs
have long waiting
lists. Some may even require you to get on a waiting
list
before your child is born.
Gather information. If you are looking
for a family day
care provider or for a person to come into your
home, interview
the person at length and check references. Before
you meet with
them, develop a list of questions. If you are
looking at day
care centers, visit them--more than once, if possible.
Just
because a person or a program worked for someone
else doesn't
mean it's right for you. With any kind of child
care, check
references.
No matter what kind of child care you
are considering,
look for caregivers who
* Are kind and responsive. Good caregivers
are affectionate,
enjoy children, are energetic enough to keep
up with your
preschooler, patient, and mature enough to
handle crises
and conflicts.
* Have experience with preschoolers and
like them. Find out
how long they have worked with preschoolers,
why they are
in the early child care field, and whether
they provide
activities that are appropriate for your
child's age.
Observe the caregivers with children. Do
the children seem
happy? How do the caregivers respond to them?
* Recognize the individual needs of your
child. Look for
caregivers who are considerate of different
children's
interests and needs and who can provide your
child with
enough attention.
* Share a child-rearing philosophy that
is similar to yours.
Find out what kind of discipline is used
and how problems
are handled.
Be certain that the child care facility
is clean and safe
and is filled with things to explore that are
appropriate for
your child's age.
Ready-for-School Checklist
This checklist, although not exhaustive,
can help to guide
you in preparing your child for school. It's best
to look at
the items included as goals toward which to aim.
They should be
done, as much as possible, through everyday life
or by fun
activities you've planned with your child. If
your child lags
behind in some areas, don't worry. Remember that
all children
are unique. They grow and develop at different
rates--and no
one thing guarantees that a child is ready for
school.
Good Health and Physical Well-Being
My child:
* Eats a balanced diet.
* Receives regular medical and dental care
and has had all
the necessary immunizations. Gets plenty
of rest.
* Runs, jumps, plays outdoors, and does
other activities
that help develop large muscles and provide
exercise.
* Works puzzles, scribbles, colors, paints,
and does other
activities that help develop small muscles.
Social and Emotional Preparation
My child:
* Is learning to be confident enough to
explore and try new
things.
* Is learning to work well alone and to
do many tasks for
himself.
* Has many opportunities to be with other
children and is
learning to cooperate with them. Is curious
and is
motivated to learn.
* Is learning to finish tasks (for example,
picks up own
toys).
* Is learning to use self-control.
* Can follow simple instructions.
* Helps with family chores.
Language and General Knowledge
My child:
* Has many opportunities to play.
* Is read to every day.
* Has access to books and other reading
materials.
* Has his television viewing monitored by
an adult.
* Is encouraged to ask questions.
* Is encouraged to solve problems.
* Has opportunities to notice similarities
and differences.
* Is encouraged to sort and classify things
(for example, by
looking for red cars on the highway).
* Is learning to write his name and address.
* Is learning to count and plays counting
games. Is learning
to identify shapes and colors.
* Has opportunities to draw, listen to and
make music, and
to dance.
* Has opportunities to get firsthand experiences
to do
things in the world--to see and touch objects,
hear new
sounds, smell and taste foods, and watch
things move.
Notes
Text Notes
The following notes refer to the text
portion of this
booklet.
Pages 1-12 draw from Powell, Douglas R., (1991).
"Strengthening
Parental Contributions to School Readiness and
Early School
Learning."
Page 3. The National Education Goals Panel.
Page 3. Katz, Dr. Lilian G., (1992). "Readiness:
Children and
Their Schools," in ERIC Review, Volume 2,
Issue 1. U.S.
Department of Education.
Pages 6-7. Rich, Dorothy, (1988). Megaskills.
Houghton Mifflin,
Boston.
Pages 8-9. Belbas, Nancy, Smerlinder, Julienne,
and Stranik,
Mary Kay, (1986). Middle of the Night Baby Book,
The Body
Press, Tucson, AZ, 70-71.
Pages 10-11. Binkley, Marilyn R., (1988). Becoming
a Nation
of Readers: What Parents Can Do. U.S. Department
of Education,
Washington, DC.
Page 11. Charren, Peggy, and Hulsizer, Carol,
(1986). The
TV-Smart Book for Kids and Parents' Guide for
The TV-Smart Book
for Kids. E.P. Dutton, New York.
Pages 15-44. The following publications were
used to develop
the "What to expect" and the "What
they need" features found
throughout the activities section:
Karnes, M.B. (1979, 1981). Small Wonder! 1
and Small Wonder!
2. American Guidance Service, Circle Pines, MN.
Miller, Karen, (1984, 1984, 1985). Things to
Do with Toddlers
and Twos, More Things to Do With Toddlers and
Twos, and Ages
and Stages. Telshare Publishing Co., Inc., Chelsea,
MA.
MYM/MELD, (dates unavailable). Parent/Child
Activities
(when baby's three months old or younger), Toys
and Games
for Babies (3-12 months old), and Toys, Activities,
Books, Etc.
(for toddlers). Brochures. Minneapolis, MN.
North Carolina Department of Human Resources,
Child/Daycare
Section, (date unavailable). Children, Children,
Children:
Understanding Them--Helping Them Grow. Series
of brochures on
child development.
Oklahoma State Department of Health, (date
unavailable). For
Parents' Sake. Oklahoma City, OK.
Sears, William, M.D. (1989). Your Baby: The
First Twelve Months.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge,
NY.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
(1988). Picturing
Development, Washington, DC.
University of California, Cooperative Extension,
Parent Express,
A Month-by-Month Newsletter for You and Your Baby.
Page 47. "Good Television Habits"
is drawn in part from Belbas
and Charren.
Pages 48. "Choosing Child Care" is
drawn in part from National
Association for the Education of Young Children
brochures.
"Activities" Notes
The activities were adapted in part from
the following
sources:
Bananas Guide, written by staff of BANANAS
Child Care
Information and Referral Service for Families
in Alameda County
(1982).
Becoming a Nation of Readers: What Parents
Can Do.
Early Learning Fun Pre-School Readiness Kit
by the E.L.F. Task
Force (1976). West Aurora Public Schools, Aurora,
IL.
Encouraging the Artist in Your Child by Sally
Warner (1989). St.
Martin's Press, New York.
Growing to Love Books by the New York Public
Library's Early
Childhood Project.
Helping Children Learn About Reading by Judith
A. Schickedanz,
a brochure from the National Association for the
Education of
Young Children.
Middle of the Night Baby Book.
More Than 1, 2, 3--The Real Basics of Mathematics
by Janet
Brown McCracker (1987).
More Things to Do With Toddlers and Twos.
101 Amusing Ways to Develop Your Child's Thinking
Skills and
Creativity by Sarina Simon (1989).
1001 Things to Do With Your Kids by Caryl Waller
Krueger
(1988). Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN.
Parent/Child Activities (when baby's three
months old or
younger).
Playtime Learning Games for Young Children
by Alice S. Honig
(1982). Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY.
Small Wonder! 1, Small Wonder! 2.
The New Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
(1989). Penguin
Books, New York.
Things to Do With Toddlers and Twos.
What We Can Do
To Help Our Children Learn:
Listen to them and pay attention to their problems.
Read with them.
Tell family stories.
Limit their television watching.
Have books and other reading materials in the
house.
Look up words in the dictionary with them.
Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.
Share favorite poems and songs with them.
Take them to the library--and get them their
own library cards.
Take them to museums and historical sites,
when possible.
Discuss the daily news with them.
Go exploring with them and learn about plants,
animals, and
geography.
Find a quiet place for them to study.
Review their homework.
Meet with their teachers.
Do you have other ideas?
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