How your child’s early experiences shape his learning success  Many studies over the past decade have shown that the early years, from birth to age 5, form an indelible blueprint for your child’s long-term learning success. Early behaviors and skills associated with successful reading development used to be described as readiness skills, but […]
A trusting relationship and plenty of playtime lay the foundation for successful readers. Â All parents want their children to be successful in school and throughout life. While literacy, which begins with oral-language skills, is the foundation of that success, it’s equally important to remember that both language and literacy development grow out of the […]
 How to tell if your child is developing on schedule or if there might be a problem.  There is a wide range of speech and language development that is considered normal. Early or later speech within that range is not linked to intelligence or reading ability. However, you should expect to see the […]
 Around the time your toddler reaches 18 months of age, you’re in for a treat he’ll begin learning words at an astonishing rate.  Development rates vary, of course, but generally a language explosion occurs around 18 months. At that time, most children start adding new words at an incredible rate, giving them a […]
Enhance bath-time learning with this homemade rainmaker. • Plastic milk container • Large sewing needle Punch holes in an empty plastic milk container. Using a large sewing needle, create an interesting pattern of holes around the bottom of the container. The more creative the arrangement is, the prettier your water streams will be. Fill the container with water. […]
 Let your child’s fingers do the reading. • fabric pieces and other materials with different textures • cardboard • glue • hole punch • yarn • copies of family pictures Cut out pieces of fabric. Glue each to a separate piece of cardboard. Punch holes in the cardboard and tie the pieces together with yarn to make a book. Encourage your child […]
Turn a simple container into an early reading experience.  • tubular container, such as a Pringles or oatmeal container • photos (family snapshots or magazine clippings) • clear contact paper Collect pictures about your baby’s life, highlighting his family: Mom and Dad, family members, friends, and pets. You can also cut out cars, houses, flowers, and other […]
A reflective look at how two halves make a whole.  • construction paper • markers, crayons • scissors • safety mirror Ask your child to draw a few simple pictures of familiar objects. Then cut the pictures in half lengthwise.  Let him place the mirror next to each half-picture. What does he see? Draw half a shape on a […]
