This first step is to lay a strong foundation on which to build your children's education.
These sections are organized by age level, but the information is not confined to that age group. Articles are updated frequently. Consider looking at other age ranges as well. Also, make sure to check out the Archives.
These sections are organized by age level, but the information is not confined to that age group. Articles are updated frequently. Consider looking at other age ranges as well. Also, make sure to check out the Archives.
Look Up, Look Around
Seeing things around us is more than just glancing. Children need to be helped to observe, to see unexpected things that might stimulate curiosity and lead to new thoughts, ideas and even questions. Children learn from birth through everyday play and exploration in a safe and stimulating environment. Babies watch your facial expressions and try to imitate them. Young children learn through observing you as you go about your daily activities and experimenting to see if they can do what you do. Observe your children as they play to learn even more about yourself.
All ideas come through some sort of observation. It sparks an attitude; some object or emotion causes a reaction in the other person. Graham Chapman
Unless caring adults help children to see things around them, to move their eyes, the children could end up with brain-related vision problems such as not moving or tracking correctly with their eyes, not seeing things in the space around them, and recognizing dangers accurately and quickly. Parents need to help younger children pay attention because if children are interrupted, they may not remember. If you teach them to observe, you help them to focus and recall.
By observing where they live, children learn their place in the neighborhood, their city, state, and country. Children are not aware of their place in this world unless parents help them to know. They can learn the time of the year, the seasons, festivities, and holidays if you help them to observe how those in your community celebrate these events.
The website lifehack.org/794671/observational-learning has ideas for all ages about how to use observation to benefit every stage in life. Parents can guide their children to develop curiosity and the desire to learn more by paying close attention to what they observe. Having a playful attitude as children grow brings joy to exploring and learning.
“Observation, more than books and experience, more than persons, is the prime educator,” according to Amos Bronson Alcott. Help your children to be “super observers."
Counting Pennies
Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. Benjamin Franklin
What a fun way to teach children about money! In our spare change jar, there are probably more pennies than any other coin. We seem to always have pennies and it is a great place to begin to teach small children about money. Children counting pennies are beginning to learn about money.
When children are able to understand that money buys things, you may give them coins to buy their favorite cereal or fruit at the grocery store and actually give the cashier the money for their purchase. Another lesson may be that they do not need to buy something every time they go into a store. Sometimes, your family’s needs are more important than what your children want.
Children learn about money by watching how their parents use money. If they see parents using cash to buy things in the grocery store, they learn that the money or coins they can now identify are useful for getting things. Children as young as three can see money as a way to get the things they want. At this age, children can have their own money as parents or grandparents give them money to put into a clear glass jar. As the children grow, they can use three jars in which to put their money and parents can teach them to save, spend and share as they decide where to put their money.
Parents can teach children to wait patiently. Something you may do is give them one nickel, but if they wait for a time, you will give them two. Teach them to wait to buy things.
The website--parents.com/kids/responsibility/money-management/money-milestones-for-kids-an-age-by-age-guide/ is a great way to help you know the right age to begin to teach your children about money. There are many other sources on the internet to help you also.
Money is necessary and useful, and what you teach your children about it will determine their using it wisely in the future.
Impulse Control
Social and emotional skills parents/caregivers are expected to teach at home include the following: self and impulse control, expressing their feelings with words, being able to listen and pay attention, asking for help when needed, being aware of other people’s feelings and having pride in their accomplishments, (www.danvilleschools.net) Impulse control is one of the skills with which we can help our children. Children cannot be aggressive toward others, destroy others property, or be mean to their animals. They cannot be allowed to act compulsively. Children must get enough sleep which may be the reason for their out-of-control behavior. If parents notice that there are certain situations or actions that trigger undesirable reactions, they should also help their children’s teachers be aware and seek professional help from teachers, school counselors, or family doctors if necessary. Helping children control their emotions and impulses demands parent and caregiver direction and time. Books which may help are Angry Octopus by Lori Lite (strategies and methods), The Secret to Clara’s Calm by Tamara Levitt (handle anger through meditation) or The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (words to express their feelings.)
“Act Early” is the message from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Their website--www.cdc.gov/actearly/pf/checklists/Checklists-with-Tips_Reader_508.pdf--provides the expected behavior and accomplishments for children from birth through 5 years of age. Their suggestions for what parents can do at each of these stages of development are especially valuable.
Children need balance in their lives which parents and caregivers can give. Creating routines, providing the right amount of nourishment in the form of fruits and vegetables with fewer calorie-rich snacks, limiting the amount of time children are on screen, providing time for physical activity, enough sleep, and family time at meals and conversations are needed for children to grow successfully.
You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. Anonymous
An Easier Way to Teach Literacy
Reading poetry is one of the easiest ways to interest children in learning. Poetry for children captures the essence of childhood: the fun, the laughter, the hope and the inquisitive nature of exploring their world. Exposing childen to poetry early is a great way to build reading skills and a love for poetry. Children will learn new words, practice reading aloud with expression, and be exposed to rhymes. Children's poetry makes reading fun which may ignite a passion for the spoken and written word (familyfriendpoems).
Reading poetry has many benefits. It creates enthusiasm for reading and is used to work on reading skills, such as rhyming, letters and their sounds, syllables, even parts of speech. Poems are versatile. You can find poems about almost any subject you can think of--any season, any special day, any subject your children need to learn. Poems are more manageable amounts of text for young children. Reading poetry increases a child's confidence and oral language skills and increases their reading fluency. Their vocabulary expands as they learn new words and their meanings.
Alphabet Poems for Shared Reading and ABC Sound and Letter Recognition Poem Book are two books that may be fun to use for learning essential reading skills. Familyfriendpoem.com offers poems for every age and stage.
Reading funny poems can become a family activity and provide much enjoyment for all.
Seeing things around us is more than just glancing. Children need to be helped to observe, to see unexpected things that might stimulate curiosity and lead to new thoughts, ideas and even questions. Children learn from birth through everyday play and exploration in a safe and stimulating environment. Babies watch your facial expressions and try to imitate them. Young children learn through observing you as you go about your daily activities and experimenting to see if they can do what you do. Observe your children as they play to learn even more about yourself.
All ideas come through some sort of observation. It sparks an attitude; some object or emotion causes a reaction in the other person. Graham Chapman
Unless caring adults help children to see things around them, to move their eyes, the children could end up with brain-related vision problems such as not moving or tracking correctly with their eyes, not seeing things in the space around them, and recognizing dangers accurately and quickly. Parents need to help younger children pay attention because if children are interrupted, they may not remember. If you teach them to observe, you help them to focus and recall.
By observing where they live, children learn their place in the neighborhood, their city, state, and country. Children are not aware of their place in this world unless parents help them to know. They can learn the time of the year, the seasons, festivities, and holidays if you help them to observe how those in your community celebrate these events.
The website lifehack.org/794671/observational-learning has ideas for all ages about how to use observation to benefit every stage in life. Parents can guide their children to develop curiosity and the desire to learn more by paying close attention to what they observe. Having a playful attitude as children grow brings joy to exploring and learning.
“Observation, more than books and experience, more than persons, is the prime educator,” according to Amos Bronson Alcott. Help your children to be “super observers."
Counting Pennies
Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. Benjamin Franklin
What a fun way to teach children about money! In our spare change jar, there are probably more pennies than any other coin. We seem to always have pennies and it is a great place to begin to teach small children about money. Children counting pennies are beginning to learn about money.
When children are able to understand that money buys things, you may give them coins to buy their favorite cereal or fruit at the grocery store and actually give the cashier the money for their purchase. Another lesson may be that they do not need to buy something every time they go into a store. Sometimes, your family’s needs are more important than what your children want.
Children learn about money by watching how their parents use money. If they see parents using cash to buy things in the grocery store, they learn that the money or coins they can now identify are useful for getting things. Children as young as three can see money as a way to get the things they want. At this age, children can have their own money as parents or grandparents give them money to put into a clear glass jar. As the children grow, they can use three jars in which to put their money and parents can teach them to save, spend and share as they decide where to put their money.
Parents can teach children to wait patiently. Something you may do is give them one nickel, but if they wait for a time, you will give them two. Teach them to wait to buy things.
The website--parents.com/kids/responsibility/money-management/money-milestones-for-kids-an-age-by-age-guide/ is a great way to help you know the right age to begin to teach your children about money. There are many other sources on the internet to help you also.
Money is necessary and useful, and what you teach your children about it will determine their using it wisely in the future.
Impulse Control
Social and emotional skills parents/caregivers are expected to teach at home include the following: self and impulse control, expressing their feelings with words, being able to listen and pay attention, asking for help when needed, being aware of other people’s feelings and having pride in their accomplishments, (www.danvilleschools.net) Impulse control is one of the skills with which we can help our children. Children cannot be aggressive toward others, destroy others property, or be mean to their animals. They cannot be allowed to act compulsively. Children must get enough sleep which may be the reason for their out-of-control behavior. If parents notice that there are certain situations or actions that trigger undesirable reactions, they should also help their children’s teachers be aware and seek professional help from teachers, school counselors, or family doctors if necessary. Helping children control their emotions and impulses demands parent and caregiver direction and time. Books which may help are Angry Octopus by Lori Lite (strategies and methods), The Secret to Clara’s Calm by Tamara Levitt (handle anger through meditation) or The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (words to express their feelings.)
“Act Early” is the message from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Their website--www.cdc.gov/actearly/pf/checklists/Checklists-with-Tips_Reader_508.pdf--provides the expected behavior and accomplishments for children from birth through 5 years of age. Their suggestions for what parents can do at each of these stages of development are especially valuable.
Children need balance in their lives which parents and caregivers can give. Creating routines, providing the right amount of nourishment in the form of fruits and vegetables with fewer calorie-rich snacks, limiting the amount of time children are on screen, providing time for physical activity, enough sleep, and family time at meals and conversations are needed for children to grow successfully.
You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. Anonymous
An Easier Way to Teach Literacy
Reading poetry is one of the easiest ways to interest children in learning. Poetry for children captures the essence of childhood: the fun, the laughter, the hope and the inquisitive nature of exploring their world. Exposing childen to poetry early is a great way to build reading skills and a love for poetry. Children will learn new words, practice reading aloud with expression, and be exposed to rhymes. Children's poetry makes reading fun which may ignite a passion for the spoken and written word (familyfriendpoems).
Reading poetry has many benefits. It creates enthusiasm for reading and is used to work on reading skills, such as rhyming, letters and their sounds, syllables, even parts of speech. Poems are versatile. You can find poems about almost any subject you can think of--any season, any special day, any subject your children need to learn. Poems are more manageable amounts of text for young children. Reading poetry increases a child's confidence and oral language skills and increases their reading fluency. Their vocabulary expands as they learn new words and their meanings.
Alphabet Poems for Shared Reading and ABC Sound and Letter Recognition Poem Book are two books that may be fun to use for learning essential reading skills. Familyfriendpoem.com offers poems for every age and stage.
Reading funny poems can become a family activity and provide much enjoyment for all.