THE PRE-K PARENT POST Ready to learn...Ready for school Activities for Georgia's Pre-K children and families Third Edition "When my child writes, the letters are backwards, upside down, and all over the page. Should I work with him at home?" Writing develops as part of the total language experience. When children hear stories and watch adults write words, they become eager to try getting their own thoughts down on paper. Even though they may not be able to form letters correctly yet, they should be encouraged to try without being forced or corrected too much. As parents, you play an important role by modeling good writing, by writing the words your child "dictates," and by reading his words back to him. Provide the writing materials and look for the desire and interest. Then seize the moment and have fun! You may be amazed to see his progress from scribbling, to more controlled letter formation, to writing his name. All of those backward, upside down letters will disappear as your child's experience with letters and words increases. At the age of four, children are developing the physical skills needed to write effectively later. By allowing children to hold, squeeze, and grip crayons, markers, and pencils, we provide many opportunities to strengthen the muscles necessary for writing and develop coordination. Playing with small blocks, fastening buttons, manipulating tiny handles and other tools, helps in this development. The goal in the preschool years is to give your child plenty of chances to practice hand-eye coordination and develop fine motor skills. A feeling of accomplishment arises when your child can finally write his name! FEATURED WEB LINK www.rif.org Learn more about creating a literacy-rich home. This site is for educators and parents, as well as children. 1 Alphabet Under Construction By Denise Fleming One energetic little mouse working as hard as he can creates an entire alphabet. Nailing, carving, gluing, and tiling, he whips through the alphabet like a mouse-sized cyclone. Look for this book, or a similar one, at your local public library. Many different people play special roles in our children's lives. Take time to share this letter from the "Featured Friend" to help children understand the significance of different community roles. FEATURED FRIEND Morty the Mail Carrier Hello boys & girls! My name is Morty, and I deliver mail. I work hard in good weather and bad to make sure mail arrives on time. Sometimes I sort and bundle the mail. Other times I deliver it to homes. Perhaps one day you can visit your local post office branch and see what happens behind the scenes to get a letter to your mailbox. Your friend, Morty 2 ACTIVITIES Fine motor skills are movements that use small muscles of the hands, fingers, toes, eyes, lips, wrists, and tongue. They will help your child with handwriting, learning self-help skills, playing musical instruments, using tools, and speech. FINE MOTOR FUN: ~Let children try to pick up a variety of materials such as lima beans, raisins, cotton balls, or pompoms using tongs and tweezers. An eyedropper can be lots of fun too. See how many drops it takes to fill up a bottle cap. ~Have your child use a plant sprayer to spray plants. ~Have your child peel a hard-boiled egg. Content Standard: Children will participate in activities that foster fine-motor development. DINING bananas popsicle sticks Frozen Bananas Peel the banana and cut it in half across the middle. Insert a popsicle stick in the end, place on wax paper, and freeze. Talk to your child about how the consistency of the banana changed. Content Standard: Children will acquire scientific knowledge related to physical science. MEANINGFUL MATH An egg carton cut in half is a great holder for small items. Multi-colored "O" shaped cereal is a fun way for children to sort by color. Have them put the different colors in separate sections. If the egg carton is Styrofoam and you are feeling more adventurous go ahead and pour milk into each compartment and enjoy your math project! Content Standard: Children will sort and classify objects. 3 A MINUTE FOR MANAGEMENT ON... GIVING CHOICES Giving children choices allows them to develop independence while building self-esteem. Sometimes, we offer children too many, inappropriate choices. Make certain you give children valid choices. Don't make offers that can't be followed. EXAMPLES: It is time to get ready to go to Grandma's house, and you want your child to dress up. Instead of: "What do you want to wear today?" (This allows her to choose something unsuitable to wear.) Try: "I laid out your special clothes to wear at Grandma's house. Would you like to get dressed all by yourself, or would you like me to help you?" Instead of: "What would you like for breakfast this morning?" (Annie says "cereal", but too late you realize that you are out of cereal.) Try: "Would you like oatmeal or cheese toast for breakfast?" INCLUSION CORNER Activities To Encourage A Child's Development: Parents play a key role in their child's development during the first five years of their lives. They are developing so many important skills, like thinking, speaking, moving, and interacting with others. As they grow children will be able to understand and do more. To encourage their development, try these easy activities at home. Read books daily to children, and talk about the pictures in the books as you read. During trips to the store, have your child help you pick out items. Use this as a time to talk about different colors, shapes, and sizes. Give your child the opportunity to talk about their day. Turn off the radio in the car and listen to them. Take your child for a walk, even if it is just down the street. Make it fun by jumping, running, skipping, and hopping. This is also a great time for exposure to the outdoors. During meal preparation, have your child help cut up, mix, or get items out of the refrigerator for you. Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning 10 Park Place South, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-656-5957 or 1-888-4GA-PREK www.decal.state.ga.us 4