Remember Learning doesn’t have to take place in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room!
Get ready, get set and learn!
October 7, 2005
Creating a Warm Fuzzy Book: Self Esteem
This activity is a companion to last week’s lesson on self-esteem. Last week we talked about teaching a child about themselves through creating "All about Me" collages. This week were going to discuss the esteem part of self-esteem. Oftentimes, a child’s early years are tough ones. How many times have we heard someone saying, "Kids can be so cruel?" Whether it’s teasing about a child’s hair color, skin color or family background, young children often have to work hard to keep positive about themselves. Today’s lesson is one that can be done in the home – and even in the classroom. Today we’re going to create a “Warm Fuzzy Book” for the child in your life.
Parents, create your Warm Fuzzy Book for your child by compiling a list of all of the things that are positive about your child. Include comments from brothers, sisters and other family members. Add pictures and art to decorate your book. You can even go to the craft store to buy fuzzy fabric to cover the book. The purpose of the book is for those times when your child is feeling down about themselves. You can pull out the book and remind the child of just how wonderful they are! Teachers – you can do this activity in the classroom, making Warm Fuzzy Books for all of your students. Compile positive statements from each student into one student’s book. Once the entire class has their own book, have the children sit in a circle and share one nice thing about the child next to them. A daily positive reminder will go a long way to building a child’s sense of self and their self-esteem. Today’s book is also a great way to show kids that they are not alone in the process of growing up. Leo the Late Bloomer teaches children what to do when they just can’t seem to "get it right."
Book Selection
Leo the Late Bloomer (Hardcover)
by Robert Kraus, Jose Aruego (Illustrator)
October 14, 2005
Leaf Match: Teaching young children early mathematical skills!
Mathematics can be an imposing subject for some young children. That’s why it is important to start introducing basic mathematics principles to kids at an early age. If your child isn’t very fond of math or math activities, you can introduce simple games to get them interested. Fall is a great time because tree leaves can provide us with free tools to use with our children. In addition to using leaves for math projects, you can explore different colors and their patterns with children by viewing different colors of leaves. It’s also a great opportunity to teach young children about the different seasons. So, how do you use leaves to teach basic math skills? One way is to explore pairing and matches with the Leaf Match game.
Select a variety of different types of leaves – different sizes, shapes and colors. Be sure to select at least two of each type of leaf. Put the leaves all into one big pile and have your child sort through the leaves to match up the pairs! It’s that simple. You can also teach basic counting skills by having your child count how many leaves you collected. When outside, stop at a tree and encourage your child to count as many leaves as they can see. For children who are a little more advanced, have the child count the number of leaves they collected from each type of tree and graph the results! (By the way, this is a great activity to do with your child while you have them help you to rake the leaves in the yard)!
This week’s book selection showcases a great book to help kids get excited about math. Remember, learning doesn’t have to take place just in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
Monster Math (level 1) (Hello Reader, Math) (Paperback)
by Grace Maccarone, Marge Hartelius (Illustrator)
October 21, 2005
How Big is a Pumpkin?
Just as it’s important to prepare kids to read by the time they enter school, it’s also just as important to help them develop early math skills. This activity will help even the most mathematically challenged adult to work on an interesting math concept with their young children. To complete this activity, you will need a pumpkin of any size, yarn, scissors, and a ruler. You’ll use all of these items to practice basic measurement skills.
So how big is a pumpkin? Let’s find out. To do this activity with your child, gather your pumpkin, yarn and some scissors together. To begin the activity, have your child look closely at the pumpkin. Provide scissors and yarn to each child participating in the activity and then suggest that each child cuts off a piece of yarn that he or she thinks is long enough to fit all the way around the pumpkin. Don’t let them measure or touch the pumpkin. Instead have them take a good look at the pumpkin and then try to guess its size using the yarn.
Was the child right with his or her size estimation? Here’s how you find out. Once the children have each cut the lengths of yarn, you should wrap a separate length of yarn around the pumpkin and then cut it to fit. Tape the yarn to the table – and here’s where the measurement comes in. You guessed it – have each child lay his or her piece of yarn next to the piece you cut to fit around the pumpkin. Encourage the children to decide if their yarn is too long, too short or just right. Remember…. Learning doesn’t have to take place in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
Big Pumpkin (Paperback)
by Erica Silverman (Author), S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)
Too Many Pumpkins (Paperback)
by Linda White, Megan Lloyd (Illustrator)
October 28, 2005
When your child is angry: Working on self-control
Developing social skills and managing anger are two key items in a child’s early life. To succeed in school, and later in adult life, children need to be able to deal with their anger constructively. Getting along with others is critical to developing important friendships with other young children. Self-control is actually a developmental issue and there are many things a parent can do to support the process. A great program offered by Family Communications (the producers of Mister Rogers) and by WQLN is called “What do you do with the mad that you feel?” The message of the materials from this initiative is that it’s OK to be angry but it’s not OK to hurt others. It’s important for parents to know that when children do get angry they sometimes have the tendency to bite or to kick. That does not mean that the child is “bad.” It just means the child doesn’t know how to show they are mad – or they don’t have the words to show us how they feel.
The first way to start talking about emotions with your child is to put a face on what they are feeling. You can locate pictures that represent various emotions. Many young children are already very aware of electronic “smiley faces.” You can use these faces, representing various emotions, as conversation starters (we’ve included a few samples below). When your child is showing that they are frustrated by kicking, hitting or screaming, ask them how they are feeling. If the child responds with “I don’t know,” they are really trying to say that they don’t know how to describe what they are feeling inside. Pull out your pictures of different faces with different emotions and have them point to the one that shows how they are feeling. This is the first step in helping a child control their impulses: recognizing what is wrong. This activity will only work though, if you have already talked with your child at a time when they aren’t upset or out of control. Make sure you have an initial discussion where the child helps put feelings on the various faces. They will then likely remember the name of that feeling when you show them the picture while they are upset.
Once per month on Ready, Set, Learn, we’ll focus on very specific activities geared towards helping children develop their emotional intelligence. We’ll cover biting and kicking, physical anger and how to handle children who use outbursts to get attention. Just like reading and writing, a child’s emotional development are critical to growing up healthy. Remember…. Learning doesn’t just have to take place in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
First Experiences: Making Friends (Paperback)
by Fred Rogers (Author)
Get ready, get set and learn!
October 7, 2005
Creating a Warm Fuzzy Book: Self Esteem
This activity is a companion to last week’s lesson on self-esteem. Last week we talked about teaching a child about themselves through creating "All about Me" collages. This week were going to discuss the esteem part of self-esteem. Oftentimes, a child’s early years are tough ones. How many times have we heard someone saying, "Kids can be so cruel?" Whether it’s teasing about a child’s hair color, skin color or family background, young children often have to work hard to keep positive about themselves. Today’s lesson is one that can be done in the home – and even in the classroom. Today we’re going to create a “Warm Fuzzy Book” for the child in your life.
Parents, create your Warm Fuzzy Book for your child by compiling a list of all of the things that are positive about your child. Include comments from brothers, sisters and other family members. Add pictures and art to decorate your book. You can even go to the craft store to buy fuzzy fabric to cover the book. The purpose of the book is for those times when your child is feeling down about themselves. You can pull out the book and remind the child of just how wonderful they are! Teachers – you can do this activity in the classroom, making Warm Fuzzy Books for all of your students. Compile positive statements from each student into one student’s book. Once the entire class has their own book, have the children sit in a circle and share one nice thing about the child next to them. A daily positive reminder will go a long way to building a child’s sense of self and their self-esteem. Today’s book is also a great way to show kids that they are not alone in the process of growing up. Leo the Late Bloomer teaches children what to do when they just can’t seem to "get it right."
Book Selection
Leo the Late Bloomer (Hardcover)
by Robert Kraus, Jose Aruego (Illustrator)
October 14, 2005
Leaf Match: Teaching young children early mathematical skills!
Mathematics can be an imposing subject for some young children. That’s why it is important to start introducing basic mathematics principles to kids at an early age. If your child isn’t very fond of math or math activities, you can introduce simple games to get them interested. Fall is a great time because tree leaves can provide us with free tools to use with our children. In addition to using leaves for math projects, you can explore different colors and their patterns with children by viewing different colors of leaves. It’s also a great opportunity to teach young children about the different seasons. So, how do you use leaves to teach basic math skills? One way is to explore pairing and matches with the Leaf Match game.
Select a variety of different types of leaves – different sizes, shapes and colors. Be sure to select at least two of each type of leaf. Put the leaves all into one big pile and have your child sort through the leaves to match up the pairs! It’s that simple. You can also teach basic counting skills by having your child count how many leaves you collected. When outside, stop at a tree and encourage your child to count as many leaves as they can see. For children who are a little more advanced, have the child count the number of leaves they collected from each type of tree and graph the results! (By the way, this is a great activity to do with your child while you have them help you to rake the leaves in the yard)!
This week’s book selection showcases a great book to help kids get excited about math. Remember, learning doesn’t have to take place just in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
Monster Math (level 1) (Hello Reader, Math) (Paperback)
by Grace Maccarone, Marge Hartelius (Illustrator)
October 21, 2005
How Big is a Pumpkin?
Just as it’s important to prepare kids to read by the time they enter school, it’s also just as important to help them develop early math skills. This activity will help even the most mathematically challenged adult to work on an interesting math concept with their young children. To complete this activity, you will need a pumpkin of any size, yarn, scissors, and a ruler. You’ll use all of these items to practice basic measurement skills.
So how big is a pumpkin? Let’s find out. To do this activity with your child, gather your pumpkin, yarn and some scissors together. To begin the activity, have your child look closely at the pumpkin. Provide scissors and yarn to each child participating in the activity and then suggest that each child cuts off a piece of yarn that he or she thinks is long enough to fit all the way around the pumpkin. Don’t let them measure or touch the pumpkin. Instead have them take a good look at the pumpkin and then try to guess its size using the yarn.
Was the child right with his or her size estimation? Here’s how you find out. Once the children have each cut the lengths of yarn, you should wrap a separate length of yarn around the pumpkin and then cut it to fit. Tape the yarn to the table – and here’s where the measurement comes in. You guessed it – have each child lay his or her piece of yarn next to the piece you cut to fit around the pumpkin. Encourage the children to decide if their yarn is too long, too short or just right. Remember…. Learning doesn’t have to take place in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
Big Pumpkin (Paperback)
by Erica Silverman (Author), S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)
Too Many Pumpkins (Paperback)
by Linda White, Megan Lloyd (Illustrator)
October 28, 2005
When your child is angry: Working on self-control
Developing social skills and managing anger are two key items in a child’s early life. To succeed in school, and later in adult life, children need to be able to deal with their anger constructively. Getting along with others is critical to developing important friendships with other young children. Self-control is actually a developmental issue and there are many things a parent can do to support the process. A great program offered by Family Communications (the producers of Mister Rogers) and by WQLN is called “What do you do with the mad that you feel?” The message of the materials from this initiative is that it’s OK to be angry but it’s not OK to hurt others. It’s important for parents to know that when children do get angry they sometimes have the tendency to bite or to kick. That does not mean that the child is “bad.” It just means the child doesn’t know how to show they are mad – or they don’t have the words to show us how they feel.
The first way to start talking about emotions with your child is to put a face on what they are feeling. You can locate pictures that represent various emotions. Many young children are already very aware of electronic “smiley faces.” You can use these faces, representing various emotions, as conversation starters (we’ve included a few samples below). When your child is showing that they are frustrated by kicking, hitting or screaming, ask them how they are feeling. If the child responds with “I don’t know,” they are really trying to say that they don’t know how to describe what they are feeling inside. Pull out your pictures of different faces with different emotions and have them point to the one that shows how they are feeling. This is the first step in helping a child control their impulses: recognizing what is wrong. This activity will only work though, if you have already talked with your child at a time when they aren’t upset or out of control. Make sure you have an initial discussion where the child helps put feelings on the various faces. They will then likely remember the name of that feeling when you show them the picture while they are upset.
Once per month on Ready, Set, Learn, we’ll focus on very specific activities geared towards helping children develop their emotional intelligence. We’ll cover biting and kicking, physical anger and how to handle children who use outbursts to get attention. Just like reading and writing, a child’s emotional development are critical to growing up healthy. Remember…. Learning doesn’t just have to take place in a classroom. It can happen right in your own living room! Get ready, get set and learn!
Book Selection
First Experiences: Making Friends (Paperback)
by Fred Rogers (Author)
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