Inspiring your preschoolers to be readers and artists February 22, 2021 Jamie Le Sesne SpearsActivity Ideas Families Family Engagement Preschool No Comments by Jamie Le Sesne Spears, Family Engagement Specialist Even before your little one can read, their journey to becoming a reader begins with you! Story time is more than just fun for children; reading aloud is an essential part of supporting literacy and developing language skills. Encouraging your preschooler to participate in story time The need for reading aloud starts as early as infancy and continues well into your child’s school-age years. As your child grows older, this is a great opportunity to encourage additional participation during your read-alouds. Preschoolers can begin to: Hold the book.Turn pages.Read alongside you.Retell parts of the story.Point out letters.Ask and answer questions. Step up your read-alouds with art Moving down the path to reading, you can provide art experiences that engage with the books you read together. These experiences create a fun, engaging way to interact with the text. Your child can creatively retell parts of the story, make personal connections, and express their own thoughts. When you add adult questions alongside the art, you enhance their development even more. Your child can practice answering questions about a story, respond to the characters, as well as predict what may happen next. Good reads to encourage art and literacy You can enhance many books through art, but I have found that children’s books about art support both literacy and creative development. These children’s books about art both engage children and provide an easy transition into an art experience: Scribble Stones by Diane Alber A little gray stone discovers its purpose to bring joy and creativity to the world! Art Experience Go on a walk and gather a few stones (rocks). Take them inside and let your child wash and dry their stone. Provide markers, paint, or sharpiesEncourage your child to add “scribble” and “splatter” to their stone. Try adding stickers to add texture and patterns to their art. Question to Ask How can we use our Scribble Stone to give joy to someone else? The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas The color monster’s feelings are all mixed up! He learns to put his feelings in the right place by matching each feeling with a color. Art Experience Pull out different colors of construction paper, scissors, and markers/crayons. Draw or cut your own color monster. Give your color monster a feeling. Try making your color monster 3D by sculpting it with playdough! Question to Ask What color do you feel when … ? (i.e. I tell you “no” or you are playing outside) Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg This book teaches children that everyone makes mistakes and those mistakes can be created into something beautiful…and it’s a favorite of our Family & Community Engagement Manager, Tom Taylor! Art Experience Provide scrap paper, scissors, hole-punch, ruler, or markers/crayons. Encourage your child to take a mistake or create a mistake by cutting or tearing paper. Encourage them to transform that mistake into something new! Question to Ask What are some ways from the story that you can make an oops beautiful? If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy & Greg Newbold Everyone knows what a snowman looks like, but through beautiful illustrations, this story shows children that artists see snowman a little bit differently! Art Experience Take out your watercolors, paint, or markers. Provide a space that you do not mind getting a little messy. Encourage your child to create their own snowperson. Try recalling an artist and creating a snowperson in a similar style. Questions to Ask What was your favorite snowman from the story? What about it do you like? Additional Art+Literacy Resources 10 Inspiring Children’s Books for Budding Little Artists Reading Skills: What to Expect at Different Ages KidLitCrafts Blog
Choosing the Best Toys for Your Child December 9, 2020 Lauren GeorgeActivity Ideas Families General Infant and Toddler Pre-K Preschool No Comments by Lauren George, Family Support Specialist Children are explorers and inventors who learn by doing. Play gives children an opportunity to develop and practice new skills at their own pace by following their unique interests. With hundreds and hundreds of options in the store, and thousands online, choosing toys should be easy, right? The toys and non-toys your child engages with can shape his/her development in important ways while also keeping them entertained and exploring for hours. If you are anything like me, the real question is knowing which toys will spark my child’s interest, support their imagination, and won’t be broken in a week! Below are some ideas for choosing toys that will grow with your child, challenge them, and nurture their overall development – their thinking, physical, language, and social-emotional skills. Open-ended toys that can be used in a variety of ways Choose toys with no “right” or “wrong” way of playing that spark your child’s imagination and help her develop problem-solving and logical thinking skills: BlocksCars & trucksAnimalsBuilding materials Toys that will grow with your child Plan ahead for your child’s development by looking for toys that can be fun at different developmental stages and by children of different ages. I often choose first birthday gifts this way, thinking about what a toddler would need rather than buying something for “now.” These could include things like the open-ended materials listed above or: Outdoor toysTrain setsOversized trucksLarger investment pieces like a doll house or play kitchen Toys that encourage exploration and problem-solving STEM is a buzz word you might have heard before; it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Toys that promote STEM encourage exploration, problem-solving, and trial and error. Choose toys that give kids a chance to figure something out on their own—or with a little coaching. Look for toys that build their logic skills and help them become persistent problem-solvers. These toys help children develop spatial-relations skills (understanding how things fit together), hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills, which is all about using the small muscles in the hands and fingers. These skills are all essential for school success! Look for: PuzzlesShape sortersMagnetic buildersInterlocking blocksArt materials Toys that spark your child’s imagination Toddlers are beginning to develop pretend-play skills, and by age three your child’s imagination has taken off. For my son, he LOVED lawn tools. Choose items that will spark their imagination and let them take on “real world” roles. Pretend play builds language and literacy skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to sequence (put events in a logical order). Look for things like: Pretend mower and power toolsKitchen setBaby dolls (Yes, even for boys)CostumesReal items like old phones, keyboards, pots, and pans Toys that encourage your child to be active Children are developing A LOT in the first five years of life, doing all kinds of physical tricks as they become stronger and more confident with their bodies. Look for toys that help your child practice current physical skills and develop new ones. These toys can also help your child develop early writing and reading skills. BooksMagnetic alphabet lettersPlay doughMagnadoodlesArt supplies like markers, crayons, and fingerpaintsReal-life” props like take-out menus, catalogs, or magazines These toys fun for your child to look at and play with; and they also build familiarity with letters, text, and print. Avoid things like flash cards or early reader books—choosing materials your child can explore and use with their hands! Toys based on your child’s age Looking for more ideas for your child, based on his age? Check out these options! Toys for babiesToys for toddlersToys for preschoolers Parlakian, Rebecca. 2020. Zero to Three. “Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers.” Accessed December 8, 2020.
Healthy Eating and Cooking with Children March 16, 2018 Molly ManleyActivity Ideas Families Food and Nutrition Infant and Toddler Pre-K Preschool Providers School Age 3 Comments by Molly Manley, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Coordinator Looking for a way to learn and grow with your kids, while also promoting healthy eating? Get on your aprons, and get ready to whip up something delicious with your children or those in your care. Cooking with children can promote lifetime skills such as: Basic Math – Cooking involves counting, addition, shapes, sizes, and measurements. Science – Highlight growing food or changing forms, like liquids and solids. Language – Conversations with children while cooking will increase their language development and ability to follow instructions. Creating simple recipe cards with instructions is also a useful tool. Obtain children’s books from the library that pertain to the type of foods they will be eating. Art – Have children draw pictures of the foods they ate. Ask them to create a picture by painting with yogurt, or glue cereal to a piece of paper. GO ON A FOOD ADVENTURE Cooking with children also encourages them to explore new foods and how food gets to our tables. Discuss where food comes from, plant a garden, or take a field trip to the grocery store or a farm. This will give them a better understanding of what they are eating. It would also be a good idea to shop around for child size utensils, cups, bowls and pitchers. This will make it easier for the child to prepare and serve themselves. We are promoting self-help skills, and, if the child has a difficult time succeeding, it may prompt them to quit out of frustration. TRY OUT A NEW AND FUN RECIPE Below are three simple recipes to try with children. Fruit and Yogurt Muffin Ingredients: 1 Whole Grain English Muff ¼ cup of Yogurt- any flavor ¼ cup of fruit- bananas and berries work well Directions: Adult: Portion out yogurt and fruit for each child separately. Adult: Toast English Muffin. Child: Spread yogurt over English muffin using a spoon. Child: Add fruit to top. Pizza Rollups Ingredients: 1 tube of crescent rolls 1 jar of pizza sauce 1 package of string cheese – cut into quarters (1 ounce each) 1 bag of pepperoni- cut into quarters, unless using minis Directions: Adult: Unroll crescent roll dough, separate into 8 triangles. Child: Place 8 pepperoni pieces on each. Child: Place a piece of cheese on the short side of the triangle. Child: Roll up dough starting on the short side and pinch seams to seal. Adult: Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Cook at 375 for 10-12 minutes Serve with ¼ cup of warm pizza sauce Makes a 8 roll ups. Celery Snails Ingredients: 1 bunch of celery – washed and cut in halves Apples – cut into slices small enough to fit into celery Peanut or Almond Butter Directions: Adult: Wash and cut celery and apples to appropriate size. Child: Spread peanut or almond butter on celery pieces. Child: Insert apple into middle of celery. Cover image by Flickr user Andrew Seaman, Creative Commons license.
Putting down screens and picking up a book May 1, 2017 Kristin KahlFamilies Infant and Toddler Pre-K Preschool Providers School Age No Comments by Kristin Kahl, Knowledge Manager Next week is a fantastic opportunity for families. It’s both Screen-Free Week and Children’s Book Week! You read that right. I said fantastic opportunity, not scary-potential-for-disaster-when-my-kids-don’t-have-something-to-entertain-them-every-second. I get it. As a working parent of 6- and 8-year-old boys, sometimes this mama just needs a minute of peace. Most of the time, the Kindle does a bang-up job of being my right-hand man to help me get a load of dishes or laundry done. The Wii (who lives in the quiet recesses of the faraway basement) is a great friend whenever the boys are snapping at each other, and I need a way to get a little quiet time. This week is going to be different. So, I’m going to try to use entertainment other than screens for the kiddos. That’s where the books come in! The boys are old enough to be able to read on their own now. My 8-year-old is working his way through the Harry Potters and The Mysterious Benedict Society series. My 6-year-old feels like such a big kid when he reads the Magic Tree House chapter books. I think it’s also important for me to take some extra time out of my schedule to read with them. We have plenty of favorites I plan to break out, and many more waiting for us at the library. Thankfully, I work with really wonderful experts who have some great suggestions: http://www.childcareanswers.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/book_week_1_n.mp4 http://www.childcareanswers.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/book_week_2.mp4 OUR RECOMMENDATIONS I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom Skippyjon Jones series by Judy Schachner The Napping House by Audrey Wood Tea with Ruby by Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York The Lorax by Dr. Suess Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle Silly Goose by Marni McGee WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE? What about you? Tell us about your favorite children’s book in the comments section below. AN UPDATE FROM THE OTHER SIDE Well, I’m proud to report that our family survived Screen-Free week. As luck has it, it rained just about every day last week. Also, my third grader reported it was the worst planning ever because it also collided with Star Wars Day (May the Fourth). That meant that all six of the original movies were on TV, and the poor kid had to wait to watch them. Yet, we managed to get in some great board game nights and family reading time. My favorite moment was when my kindergartner decided he wanted to attempt to read The Mysterious Benedict Society like his big brother. Although he could pronounce all the words, he didn’t know what they all meant. So, my third grader sat down with him and acted as a human dictionary for a good while they read it together. It warmed this mama’s heart – thanks Screen-Free week! Cover image by Flickr user Katie Levesque, Creative Commons license.
How to Respond to Superhero Play March 23, 2017 Candice WisePre-K Preschool Providers 1 Comment by Candice Wise, former Early Childhood Development Specialist and current Partnerships for Early Learners Inclusion Specialist I have a few children in my group who want to play superheroes all the time. Just about every day, Elijah constructs an L-shaped Lego and points it in the air. Other children shout “Shoot, Elijah! Shoot!”. It seems that I am constantly reminding them to stop running indoors, kicking the air pretending to be Spiderman. Does this sound familiar? Many teachers express concerns about this type of play behavior in their child care settings. Some admit to me that they feel frustrated repeating the same phrases while noticing very little change in the behavior. Redirection doesn’t seem to work, and many have noticed that the children still sneak and play. If you can relate, you may ask yourself “What can I do?”. My response, along with many other researchers? “Join the party!”. Superhero play is commonly defined as a type of imaginative or dramatic play where children can use action figures, costumes, or props to imitate and pretend to be their favorite super hero character. This type of play’s main theme is a form of “Good guy versus bad guy” – a game that many of us played throughout our childhoods. D.E. Levin[i] stated that most young children look for ways to feel powerful and strong and that play is a safe way for children to achieve this sense of power. Rarely in a super hero movie or animation does the heroine show weakness – she wins more often than not. With this being true, then it would be quite appealing for a child to play and admire superheroes, especially if he is searching for ways to feel strong and powerful. SUPERHEROES ARE EVERYWHERE Currently, superhero play receives lots of attention. Within the last fifteen years, many Marvel and DC comic super hero characters have been brought to the big screen by major movie companies. These movies have shown trends of blockbuster sensations attracting generations of family members. Fisher-Price and Hasbro now have a superhero squad geared specifically for children between the ages of three to eight. Not only do we have classic super heroes, we also have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Power Puff Girls, Wolverine, and more. At this point, I’m sure even you may have a favorite or two or can remember pretending to be a favorite character. IT’S NOT SO BAD TO BE THE GOOD GUY Children playing their favorite superhero character imitate the actions they see. So, children will run, jump from furniture, crawl, and create weapons with block and props. They are able to describe in great detail how the superhero saves people from evil, which can all be used as roles, language, and plot for their story and play[ii]. Like all other play, teachers and caregivers have an opportunity to respond to this emerging interest of dramatic play by listening, observing, and helping children facilitate their play. There has been research and success in programs that have lifted the ban on children’s superhero play. A few strategies to support it include: Set reasonable limits and rules. Make sure children understand which behaviors are not acceptable. Have children work with you to create the super hero play rules. Help children develop plots that don’t involve fighting. Involve yourself in the play. Allow time for open communication with children. Talk to children about real heroes and what it means to be a hero. Discuss the positive sides of being a superhero – don’t just focus on their power. Encourage the imaginative and creative aspects of super hero play. Practice conflict-resolution in the classroom. Make sure children can make choices and have power over their own lives. Keep the lines of communication open with families. In the end, you can move beyond the aggressiveness of superhero play by building on themes that focus on the benefits of helping others and overcoming challenges. So rev up some power and join in the fun to create learning opportunities that help children develop and evolve into creative beings. [i] Levin, D.E. (2003). Teaching young children in violent times: building a peaceable classroom. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MA: Educators for Social Responsibility [ii] Source: Heidman, S. & Hewitt D. (2014) When Play isn’t fun Helping Children Resolve Play Conflicts. Sandra. Readleaf Publishing Cover image by Flickr user Imagens Portal SESCSP, Creative Commons license.
Let’s Put a Ban on Sharing October 31, 2016 Shannon FordPreschool No Comments by Shannon Ford, MA, ECE Professional Development Coordinator Here’s one of my all-time favorite scenes playing out in preschool: seeing a child run up to another and happily handing over a toy. I don’t mean just any toy, but the same toy these two kiddos were wrestling and crying over just five minutes ago. Happily, did you say? Yes, happily. These children have learned to take turns and wait. They haven’t learned to share. The notion of true, altruistic sharing doesn’t begin until elementary-school age according to William Damon, author of The Moral Child. While sharing is the desired behavior in our society, it’s ineffective to force it at the preschool level. We expect children to be “nice,” but in the process we are teaching them the wrong lessons. Here’s an example: Three-year old Johnny is playing with a train. His classmate, Alex comes up and reaches for it. Johnny: “Hey, that’s mine!” Alex: “But I want it!” Johnny: “I had it first!” Alex (crying to his teacher): “He’s not sharing!” Teacher: “Johnny, be nice. We have to share. Alex hasn’t played with the train yet. If you can’t share, I will have to put the train away.” What was learned by each child in the above scenario? Johnny learns sharing means giving up something he likes. Sharing makes him mad. He also learns his classmates get what they want when they grab. Alex learns that he gets what he wants when he whines and grabs something. If he demands, he shall receive. However, in today’s society especially, this doesn’t mean that children don’t need to learn delayed gratification skills. On the contrary, they need them now more than ever. Children who must wait until the other is done playing with a toy are learning just that—I will get what I want, but I can’t have it now. I must wait. Much of the technical assistance I offer in preschool classrooms involves guiding children through the process of taking turns. Here’s what Johnny and Alex’s scenario should look like: Three-year old Johnny is playing with a train. His classmate, Alex comes up and reaches for it. Johnny: “Hey, that’s mine!” Alex: “But I want it!” Teacher: “Alex, I see Johnny has the train right now. (To Johnny) Johnny, are you finished playing with the train?” Johnny: “No.” Teacher (to Alex): “Johnny is not finished playing with the train yet. You can ask him if you can have it when he’s finished.” Alex (to Johnny): “Can I have it when you’re done?” Johnny nods his head yes. The teacher guides Alex to another play experience. She will check in with Johnny and remind him Alex is waiting to play with the train when he’s finished. By utilizing the “can I have it when you’re finished” turn-taking strategy mentioned above, children build trust, and they learn delayed gratification skills and how to control their impulses. They strengthen their conflict resolution skills and increase their emotional intelligence. They learn that it feels good to give something away to a classmate. In the last scenario, the seeds of true generosity are being planted. We can wish all day long our three-year olds could share, but developmentally, they simply aren’t ready. Instead, encourage them to take turns and watch the spontaneous generosity blossom. Cover image by Flickr user SEIU Education Workers United, Creative Commons license.
Options to Help You Afford Preschool June 20, 2016 Marla SegalFamilies Pre-K Preschool No Comments by Marla Segal, Pre-K Project Manager Working in the early childhood field, the most common comment I get from parents is how expensive it is to send their child to preschool. I definitely agree that it can be, but there are a few options that may help. Several of these funding sources for preschool are geared toward low income families: Head Start is a federally funded program that focuses on the healthy development of low income families. To qualify, families must make less than 100% of the federal poverty guidelines ($24,300 for a family of 4 in 2016). Head Start also provides services for families experiencing emergency situations. Programs may be half-day or full-day, depending on the community. On My Way Pre-K is Indiana’s pre-K pilot program. It is offered in five counties in Indiana: Allen, Lake, Vanderburgh, Marion, and Jackson. Families must be below 127% of the federal poverty guidelines ($30,797 for a family of 4 in 2016). There is an application process for families that occurs once a year, typically beginning in mid-January. Funding is limited, so, depending on the number of applications received, a randomized lottery may occur in your county to select families. Children must be four years old by August 1st of that year to qualify, however, Marion County also accepts three-year olds. The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) is a federally funded program that helps low-income families who work or go to school. CCDF allows parents to select a child care of their choice that participates in the CCDF program. This means parents can research those high-quality child cares that may also offer preschool programing within their curriculum. Unfortunately, several counties may have a waitlist for families to receive funding. Title I is another federally funded program that is given to public schools that have high percentages of low-income families. Some school districts support their own preschool programs with Title I. Call your local school district to see if they offer Title I to preschoolers and find out their requirements. For those families that are not officially considered low-income, a few programs are available to help lower preschool costs. Preschool Co-Ops are preschool programs whose tuition can be a little friendlier on your wallet, but it does come with some hard work. Co-Ops keep their tuition low because they look at parents as the key to running the program. If you begin looking into co-ops, investigate every aspect and make sure it will work for you and your family. Tuition Assistance Programs are offered at some preschool programs. Typically the amount of scholarship you receive is based off on your gross monthly income. These types of programs also may require you to be working or going to school. Child Care Answers can help locate programs in your area that may offer tuition assistance. No matter the funding source that may work best for you, the most important thing for parents is to research and visit the programs they are interested in to ensure a good fit for the family. Several high-quality programs accept different funding sources – Child Care Answers can help you locate programs in your area to help make the search a little less stressful. Cover image by Flickr user kynan tait. Creative Commons license.
Teaching Children the Meaning of “I’m Sorry” May 16, 2016 Shannon FordPre-K Preschool No Comments SAYING ”SORRY” SHOULD BE ABOUT OBSERVATION AND ACTION by Shannon Ford, MA, ECE Professional Development Coordinator Every day, scenes like this unfold in preschools around Indiana, but saying sorry rarely makes the situation better. Plus young kids are rarely truly sorry. Instead, “I’m sorry” is being used like a magic wand—say it and I’m off the hook! Knock over a block tower? Steal his swing? Write on her paper? Just say “sorry” and I’m free to continue on my way.As I walk into the preschool classroom, I see two children actively engaged at the water table. All of a sudden, Hannah starts screaming and crying, “She splashed me!” Erica immediately chimes in, “I’m sorry. I said that I’m sorry,” and continues dumping and filling in the water table. The teacher rushes over and asks Erica if she said her sorry as she guides Hannah to the paper towels so she can dry her face. In her book, It’s OK Not to Share, Heather Shumaker suggests instead of forcing “sorry”, we need to teach children to stick around, take responsibility, and understand that their words and actions can impact other children. Which is more meaningful? Erica could say “I’m sorry”, or, Erica could get a paper towel, help Hannah dry her face, and say “I will try my best not to splash you again.” Preschoolers are still learning about cause and effect. They are egocentric. They do not have the cognitive ability to feel empathy or understand the true meaning behind “I’m sorry.” Sure, we want a classroom of children who are caring. However, forcing children to say “sorry” before they understand its meaning only gets in the way of teaching empathy. William Damon, author of The Moral Child, says moral awareness in children needs to be guided, but it cannot be imposed. When teachers demonstrate empathy, it helps children develop compassion. When teachers give children the scripts necessary to observe and take action, they are developing compassion in a way that is real and meaningful for them. Let’s imagine our situation differently this time. As I walk into the preschool classroom, I see two children actively engaged at the water table. All of a sudden, Hannah starts screaming and crying, “She splashed me!” The teacher rushes over and says to Erica, “You splashed Hannah with your scooper. She is crying because she didn’t want to be wet. How can you make it better for Hannah?” Erica thinks for a second. “I can get her a paper towel.” Erica gets a paper towel, hands it to Hannah, and she dries her face. The teacher then says, “Tell Hannah you won’t splash her again.” Hannah says this to Erica and the teacher repeats, “Erica says she won’t splash you again.” Hannah feels safe now; her feelings and emotions have been addressed. Erica took responsibility and came up with a way to make it better. Compassion unfolds naturally. Eventually preschoolers will say “sorry” and really mean it. Until then, lead them towards deeper skills by encouraging them to observe and take action. Shumaker, H. (2012). It’s OK Not to Share. New York, NY: Penguin Group. Cover image by Flickr user Donnie Ray Jones, Creative Commons license.
Books to help your child learn to share August 15, 2015 Candice WiseFamilies Infant and Toddler Pre-K Preschool School Age No Comments by Candice Wise, former Early Childhood Development Specialist and current Partnerships for Early Learners Inclusion Specialist There comes a time when parents realize that one of the goals of parenting is to help their young child learn how to share with others. There is no magical age that all children are willing to do this. Some children will be willing to share at a very young age, while it takes others a little bit longer. This can be somewhat alarming and frustrating for parents to understand when it is appropriate to expect their young child to share. It may feel uncomfortable to hear your child grab and shout “Mine!” with siblings and/or peers on play dates. When young children refuse to share their toys, they aren’t being selfish – they’re behaving typically. Sharing is a skill that can take several years to develop. Children struggling to share their possessions are common childhood experiences. SHARE SOME “SHARING” BOOKS One way you can help your child learn about sharing is through reading books about this topic. Reading books about sharing will provide a fun and interactive bonding experience that will help your young child identify the importance and rewards of learning to share with others. To make the most out of this experience, talk about the characters in the story and help your child identify how the characters solve conflict through the scenarios. The following is a list of popular books that you can find at your local library or book store: I Can Share by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5) Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney (Ages 2-5) Mine! Mine! Mine! By Shelly Becker (Ages 3-5) Mine! A Backpack Baby Story by Miriam Cohen (Ages Infant-2) Sharing How Kindness Grows by Fran Shaw (Ages 3-5) The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (Ages 3-8) Cover image by Flickr user Blue Skyz Studios, Creative Commons license.
