Heaven's playground
Every month I will be updating and adding things to this page in order to help Moms of young children and preschool teachers. I hope to be able to share ideas and techniques that I found useful during my ten years of teaching along with raising my own two sons. If you have ideas or things you would like to share, please email me and I will post them to this page.
Each month I hope to give you at least one idea in each of the following areas:
January 1998
As a new year begins, this is a great time to begin some learning experiences with your child that you can carry on though out the year. One of the most important tools is the calendar. By introducing the months of the year and the days of the week you will not only be teaching your child how to count, but also the idea of "what comes after or before". I know of a few songs that teach the days of the week. You may know one of your own, or you may want to obtain a copy of the Barney goes to school video tape. There is a fun song on the video that children love. You might also use the calendar to help a child learn about the concept of passing time, for example: if you have a birthday or an important family day coming up.....mark that day on the calendar and mark off each day as it passes. This will help him/her become aware that time is passing as we approach the grand event.
You can make a trip to the grocery store or market a wonderful learning experience. As you pass the produce department, stop and simply explain or question your child (according to his/her age) difference you see.....for example: colors, sizes, weight difference, and smells. Also, encourage your child to touch and feel the fruits and produce... explain to them about rough and smooth. These are important sensorial experiences that will come in handy in their learning development.
As you prepare your dinner table, this too can be a 'learning' time. Audibly count how many members there are in your family, using names as you go.....for example: "There is Daddy, Mommy, Steven, and Chris". As you count, place your hand on each person's chair. Essentially, the child will be counting chairs, but you will be counting people. Which makes the learning experience more personal to your child.
It is always a great idea to try and look your child in his/her eyes whenever you are talking to him/her. Get down on their level. This helps them to focus on what you want to say to him/her. This also helps you to see if they are understanding what you are saying. You will be able to tell "if they get it" by looking in his/her eyes. If you are having a hard time getting an older preschool to understand directions, simply ask them to tell you what you just said. If they are able to verbalize it and the information is NOT what you wanted, you can then correct it and repeat the process until each of you is understood. If you have an infant, you should be communicating in this manner already. My sons and I use to play the "Who's Eyes Are Bigger" game. Simply make your eyes big or squint, or what ever, and your baby will imitate you. You know, some people say that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. :)
I hope that you have read the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear to your child. If not, go out to the library and get it. You can spend many a night reading this lovely story to your child and before long, he/she will be 'reading' it to you. Now, I don't want you to take me literally...... but a child of three or four can imitate 'reading' just by holding the book the right way and turning the pages correctly. He/she may even be able to 'retell' the story in sequence. All of these skills are important learning steps into reading. Enjoy with your child as he/she learns to love the activity of reading. What a wonderful thing to share! :)
There are many great sites here in cyberspace that have art activities for children. My opinion of art and learning is that it should be free and created by and for the child. Workbooks and papers are fine for older children, but young children need the freedom to explore and do not have the skills needed to do some 'preschool' activities. A favorite activity of preschoolers that I have worked with is making a collage. This is a simple and inexpensive activity. Only materials from around the home should be used.
Have available all kinds of things from your home that you might consider junk in a large shoe box. For example: bits and pieces of old Christmas or Birthday gift wrap, yarn, string, ribbon, large buttons, fabric, construction paper....the list could go on and on depending on what you have available.
Provide glue or glue sticks (that are non-toxic) for your child to use. Or, you may just want to put the glue on yourself.
Use cardboard or construction paper as a base for your child to "build" on, depending on the weight of the items being used.
Many children will spend a good 30 to 40 minutes at this activity depending on the age and interest of the child and the items that are available.
Have fun with your child! YOU create too!
AND ALWAYS PRAISE THE CHILD FOR THE EFFORT MADE!!!!!! EVEN IF IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE!!!!!!!!!! It is the experience, not the finished project that matters in art :)
Changes in temperatures, weather warm to warmer, or warm to cool, or cool to cold, are another way you can talk to your child to help him/her learn about science. If your child is old enough to understand, explain why it is colder in January than in June. Introduce the concept of seasons. Go to the library and get a good picture book NOT a science book on how the weather changes. If you live in a warm climate, talk about the subtle changes..... winds blowing, rain, etc.
The very best field trip to take with your child at the beginning of the year is to your public library! Both you and your child/children can start the new year developing a wonderful, lifelong habit that will benefit both of you. Many libraries today are not just homes of good books, but audio/visual materials, not to mention computers and other learning tools.
Well, this is the end of my first edition of Heaven's Playground. I hope you found something that you can use with your young one. Please remember......he/she is not your own.....they belong to us all. :)
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