Parent+Information

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Parents-click on the play button to hear about ways you can get involved in your child's learning!

__**Ways to Support Your Child's Learning at Home **__

**1.** Count! Count anything! Some things that you can have your child count are: spoons, forks in the drawer, number of flowers in the garden, number of kids at the party, number of cars in line, etc. **2.** Have your child count out groups of objects into little piles. (pennies, buttons, paper clips)  "Can you put 15 fish crackers in your snack container for tomorrow?" **3.** Play with scrabble letters or magnetic fridge letters. Think of a name, animal, plant, etc. that starts with that letter. **4.** Play Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Checkers, etc. **5.** Play simple cards games such as Crazy Eights, Old Maid, etc. **6.** Provide hands on experiences related to basic facts to 10. For example, "If you have two crayons and I give you two more, then how many will you have?" **7.** Teach your child to dial the phone. Make a phone book of Grandma and Grandpa and Cousin Fred's phone number.

**8.** Teach your child to set the timer on the microwave.

**9.** Discuss the numbers on a clock and start teaching time on the hour.

**10.** Teach your child to do simple dot to dots. Look in coloring books for easy dot to dots. **11.** Have your child memorize his/her phone number. Any phone number can be sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**12.** Provide experiences related to drawing, coloring, cutting and gluing in order to develop fine motor skills. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Also, provide activities to strengthen hand muscles using Legos or Playdough.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**13.** Have your child do the switching of the TV channels. Use the remote control to point out the numerals and name. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**14.** Find numbers and letters to discuss wherever you go! (Room numbers, elevator buttons, street numbers, road signs, price tags, business signs.)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**15.** Start teaching your child to write his last name and names of other family members.

=__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">READ! __= <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Reading aloud...
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Why Is Reading With Your Child Important? **
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">stimulates your child's imagination
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">develops your child's interest in reading and in books
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">improves your child's listening skills
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">builds vocabulary
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">helps your child to understand stories and 'book language'
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">creates a bond between you and your child
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">provides your child with a positive role model

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Helpful Hints __ > <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">If your child asks for a story to be read again--Read it again! The repetition assists your child in gaining word recognition, story sequence, vocabulary, story book language, etc. Most importantly, your child is enjoying the story! > Choose stories that both of you will enjoy. Think about what your child's favorite things are or what they like to do. > Read traditional tales and rhymes such as __The Little Red Hen__ and 'Old Mother Hubbard' as well as stories that play with language such as __Dr. Seuss' ABC's__. Also, don't forget about stories that you can sing such as __The Five Little Ducks__ by Raffi. Books with lots of repetition, predictability, and rhyme are perfect for young readers!
 * //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Read a favorite story more than once. //
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Focus on enjoyment.//
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Read from a variety of genres.//

__**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Is your five-year-old on track? **__ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Below are some general development milestones to help you understand your child's progress over the school year. Keep in mind that every child is different and may not fit perfectly into this framework.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Where They Are** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The average five-year-old is good, helpful, and conforming. He/she:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Attempts only things he knows he can do.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Needs attention, affection, and praise.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Is energetic and fidgety.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Has a short attention span.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">May show opposite extremes of behavior.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">May become less well-behaved as the school year progresses

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Where They're Going** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> School isn't just academics. Your child's teachers are also helping him/her grow socially. At five-years-old, your child is learning to understand himself/herself. You can help by encouraging he/she as they:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Develop a positive, realistic self-image.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Learns to respect himself/herself.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Begins to understand his/her own uniqueness.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Gains awareness of his/her feelings.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Learns to express feelings.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Learns how to participate in groups.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Begins to learn from his/her mistakes.