Going With the Program

Transitions, simply put in the preschool world, is moving from one place or activity to another.  Should be easy, right? Well, not so much for many young children.  The importance of learning to go with the program and follow the classroom routine is paramount to your child’s success as your child goes through school.  A child need to be “flexible” and “adaptive” to be ready to listen, learn, and follow the directions of the teacher.   

Try these simple steps to help keep your child “on track”:

1.       Create a “personal schedule” just for him.  The schedule can have picture cards or photos and be tailored to include his most challenging time of day.  For example, a child that is having trouble getting ready in the morning could have cards that show:  brushing teeth, getting dressed, and eating breakfast.   Downloading clip art can make this quick and easy.   You can use a poster board from a craft store for the board.

2.       If you child is under age 5, place the pictures in a vertical direction, as it will be easier for their eyes to scan in this direction.  For older children pictures placed horizontally are fine.

3.       Talk to your child before bed about “what will be happening tomorrow”.  Engage him in the conversation and have him place the pictures or cards in order on his schedule board.

4.       In the morning, ask him to check his schedule, do his job,re-check the schedule , remove or check off the job,  and move the next job up on the chart.

Children love completing their schedules.  It gives them a feeling of success when they are able to do all the jobs on the schedule.  Satisfaction in completing the schedule provides a natural reward that offers pride and a sense of achievement.  Rewards that boost self-esteem trump tangible prizes any day.

And, if you’re a busy mom or who doesn’t have the time to make the schedule board-here’s a website that sell them pre-made

http://www.pecsproducts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=53&osCsid=4f70efbd41ffeaff780e9ff74c3541c9

Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Happy New Year, everyone!
Back in the day, we used to refer to January as "Planuary".  It is a  time to start thinking forward.   If your child is turning 5, you may be thinking forward to next year, and thinking:   

"Is My Child On Track for School Success?"  Our Learning Boxes focus on targeting skills sets needed for Kindergarten.  We have six installments which gives your child just the right time to complete the full program.  Check us out at: 

 www.tipsandtoys.com

 Here are some guidelines for you to think about when deciding if your child is ready to move forward:

• Social/Emotional:  Studies have shown that social/emotional maturity is an important predictor for academic success. Make sure to consider your whole child, both academic and social maturity, when making your decision.
• Independent Learning: Your child should be ready to carry out a directed activity by himself.  
• Attention:  A 5 year old should be able to sit and pay attention to a task, not of their choosing. for 12 to 15 minutes.
• Play: At this age, your child should be able to incorporate other children's ideas and desires into their play schemes.  It is a time when children develop skills to work together.  
• Ability to Multi-Step:  Can your child complete a two to three step activity on their own? 
• Fine Motor Skills:  Getting ready to write requires good hand use and appropriate pencil grasp and beginning knowledge of letter formation.  This is a good time to have your child practice writing his name.
• Letter and Number Recognition:  Your child should be able to recognize many letters and numbers. 

If you are questioning your child's kindergarten readiness, here are a few tips:

1.  Preschool teachers are a wonderful resource.  They have been there and done that.  Many will  recommend that children with summer birthdays, who seem to be late bloomers, receive the "gift of time" and delay beginning Kindergarten for a year.
2.  Pediatricians are another great resource.  They can help advise you of steps you can take to guide you in your decision.
3.  Our Tips and Toys learning boxes are the perfect mix of fun and learning to give you the confidence that you are helping your child toward Kindergarten Readiness.
Check us out at:  www.tipsandtoys.com