Looking for some ways to help your child at home? Here are some suggestions!
Math:
Count, Count Count! Count the stairs as you are walking up them, count how many toys you have as you are cleaning them up, count the groceries as you put them away, count how many road signs you see on the way to Grandmas. Count by 1's and 10's to 100. **Children are not expected to write numbers to 100 in Kindergarten.
Pattern! Put things in an AB or ABC pattern!
Play Board Games! Many games have basic math skills built into them! Playing games like Sorry, Connect 4, puzzles, card games, Candy Land, Monopoly, Battleship, and Yahtzee not only teaches your children basic math skills, but also social skills such as taking turns and playing fairly!
Cook with your child! Cooking involves a lot of counting and measuring, as well as following directions!
Look for shapes! Find squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles. Also find spheres, cubes, cones and cylinders!
Reading:
"Children are made readers in the laps of their parents."
Read, Read, Read! Read to your children and have them read to you! Make reading fun. Beginning readers may only "read the pictures." This is an important form of reading! They are looking at the details in the pictures to help them figure out what is happening in the story.
Look for words they know! Even if they can only pick out two word they know such as "I" or "a" let them read those words as you read the rest of the story!
Explore books together! Give your child an opportunity to explore new books by visiting a library or bookstore. This gives them a chance to find topics and books that interest them.
Ask Questions! Ask them to make predictions, ask them to tell you who the characters in the story are, what happened in the beginning, middle and end as well as what the setting was. Have them retell the story to you without looking at the book.
Be an example! Children learn by example, so let your child see you reading books, the newspaper, cookbooks etc.
Point out words in your everyday life! Find words in stores, streets, around the house etc.
Don't immediately tell unknown words to your child! Ask them what would make sense in the story? What is the beginning sound? Use picture clues!
Rhyme! Play rhyming games, use real or silly words.
Independence
Here at school, we encourage children to be as independent as possible. Our goal is to help teach them to problem solve and find solutions on their own. Here are some things you can do at home to help guide them towards independence.
· When they ask a question, respond with “What do you think?” or “You decide.” Be sure to be ok with whatever they decide, if you want something done a specific way, you will have to tell them, but allow them to start making their own choices that make sense.
· Have them verbalize their needs. You usually know what they want or need before they ask. Make them ask you anyway in a way that you understand. (Pronouncing words correctly, speaking clearly, in sentences that make sense.) At my job, I can’t just go up to my boss and hold out a paper and look at him. I must use words to explain what I’m thinking or wondering. Help teach this life skill by making them tell you what they want or need.
· Give them jobs at home! Have them pick out their own clothing (after a talk about what would be appropriate for the weather and temperature) or help fold laundry. They could help clear the table and pick up their things when they are done using them. Encourage them to take initiative when something needs done just to do it.
· Allow them time to free play! Our lives are so busy and we have many scheduled activities, we often forget the benefits of giving kids time that is unstructured. Allowing them to decide how and what to play will help build confidence in making decisions.
· Let them get frustrated! When they don’t know what to do on their own, they learn problem solving skills and the chance to do it themselves before an adult takes over. All that they learn when adults do it for them is that we can do it better than they can. Allowing them time to problem solve builds confidence and proves to them that they can solve the problem.
· Slow down & do it right! Make sure they slow down and do the job the right way! When they have to do it over so it is neat, they will take their time at school to make sure their work is correct.