The first five years of a child's life are a time of tremendous physical, emotional, social and cognitive growth. Children enter the world with many needs in order to grow: love, nutrition, health, social and emotional security and stimulation in the important skills that prepare them for school success. Children also enter the world with a great capacity to learn.
Research shows clearly that children are more likely to succeed in learning when their families actively support them. Families who involve their children in activities that allow the children to talk, explore, experiment and wonder show that learning is both enjoyable and important. They motivate their children to take pleasure in learning and to want to learn more. They prepare them to be successful in school - and in life. There is a strong connection between the development a child undergoes early in life and the level of success that the child will experience later in life. When young children are provided an environment rich in language and literacy interactions and full of opportunities to listen to and use language constantly, they can begin to acquire the essential building blocks for learning how to read. A child who enters school without these skills runs a significant risk of starting behind and staying behind.
You and your family help to create the critical foundation by talking, listening and reading to your child every day and by showing your child that you value learning and education. This preschool section includes activities for families with children from infancy through age 5. Most of these activities make learning experiences out of the everyday routines in which you and your child already participate. The activities are designed to be fun for both you and your child as well as to help your child gain the skills needed to get ready for school. Enjoy them!
Getting Ready to Learn
How well children will learn and develop and how well they will do in school depends on a number of things, including the children's health and
physical well-being, their social and emotional preparation and their language skills and general knowledge of the world.
Follow these guidelines ...
Activities for Children
These activities are designed to help you prepare your child to learn and develop. Most of the activities are simple and easily can be made part of your daily routines. As you do the activities, remember that repetition is important, especially for very young children.
More about activities ...
What About Kindergarten?
The activities in this section will help your child get ready for kindergarten. As the first day of school approaches, however, you may want to do a few more things to set your child on the path to school success.
What to do ...
Taking Charge of TV
By the time they begin kindergarten, children in the United States have watched an average of 4,000 hours of TV. Most child development experts agree that this is too much. But banning TV from children's lives isn't the answer.
How to take charge ...
Choosing Childcare
Choosing the right kind of childcare for your baby, toddler or preschooler is important for your child's safety and well being. It is also important because these early experiences affect how prepared your child is for school. Here are some tips to guide you in choosing childcare:
How to choose ...
Ready-for-School Checklist
This checklist can help to guide you as you prepare your child for school. It's best to look at the items on the list as goals toward which to aim. They should be accomplished, as much as possible, through everyday routines or by enjoyable activities that you've planned with your child. If your child lags behind in some areas, don't worry.
Ready-for-School checklist ...
