Just to share some articles I just read:
<font color="0000ff">How to Teach Your Preschooler Numbers</font>
Teaching your child numbers is a good way to give him a head start when he enters preschool. Counting to three, five or even ten is a big accomplishment for a preschooler, so reinforcing numbers and counting each day will help him retain that knowledge and feel very proud of himself.
1. Step 1
Incorporate counting into everyday activities, like counting her books or crayons. Count the number of chairs outside on your deck and count items at the grocery store, like five bananas in a bunch or two apples in the bag.
2. Step 2
Read number books to your child each day. Make sure the pages feature the number of objects for that specific number and count them on each page.
3. Step 3
Hang a number poster, like one you would see in a preschool classroom, in your child's play area and go over it often. Choose a poster that includes objects for your child to count.
4. Step 4
Play counting games with your child. Ask him to do an activity a certain number of times, such as jumping up and down three times or touching his toes two times.
5. Step 5
Use an abacus when you feel your child is ready to move beyond the first three or five numbers. An abacus lets your child be in control of the counting and can help him learn larger numbers and addition.
6. Step 6
Sing common songs with your child, like "Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" or "The Ants Go Marching."
7. Step 7
Use flashcards to help your child identify numbers. Recognizing numbers is an important skill your child needs in preschool.
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<font color="0000ff">How to teach your preschooler to share</font>
What to expect at this age
"You can't have it!" your preschooler shouts as he grabs his toy truck from his playmate. No sooner have you smoothed out that squabble than another erupts. "No!" he yells as his visitor heads toward his rock collection. Why doesn't your child know how to share?
Well, he knows; he just isn't very consistent about doing it. Your preschooler may spend hours a day playing with other children, he can take turns in games, and he's less self-centered than he was a year or two ago. But he's still impulsive and doesn't have a very good grasp of time, so waiting while his playmate takes a turn with a coveted toy is trying for him. On the other hand, many preschoolers love to draw pictures for teachers, make presents for parents, and share snacks with friends. "Preschoolers are just learning that it feels good to give and that it's fun to share with friends," says Roni Leiderman, associate dean of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. You can sow the seeds of sharing by encouraging these displays of generosity and by gently discouraging your child's less-charitable impulses.
What to do
Make sharing fun. Teach your preschooler cooperative games in which players work together toward a common goal. Do puzzles together, taking turns adding pieces, for instance. Share projects, too: Plant the garden, paint the fence, or hose down the car with him. Finally, give him things to share with his buddies now and then, like a special snack for preschool or a roll of stickers to divvy up during a playdate.
Don't punish stinginess. If you tell your preschooler that he's selfish, discipline him when he doesn't share, or force him to hand over a prized possession, you'll foster resentment, not generosity. "To encourage sharing, use positive reinforcement rather than admonishment," Leiderman says. Keep in mind, too, that it's okay for your preschooler to hold back certain items. As he matures, he'll learn that sharing with friends — who are becoming increasingly important to him — is more fun than keeping things to himself.
Talk it up. When kids squabble over toys, help them figure out what's really going on. If a friend is holding something back, explain to your child how his buddy might be feeling. For instance: "Josh really likes that toy, and he doesn't want anyone to play with it right now." Help your preschooler put his own feelings into words too. When he's not acting especially generous, ask him what's up. Maybe you'll discover that there's a shortage of train tracks at his preschool or that he especially prizes his Pokémon cards because they were a present from Grandpa.
Teach your preschooler to problem-solve. If your child has a death grip on a toy truck that his playmate wants, chances are he's thinking, "It's either him or me." The concept of sharing the truck may not even have occurred to him. Encourage your preschooler to take turns with the truck (setting a kitchen timer to mark each child's turn may help), reassure him that sharing isn't the same as giving away, and point out that if he shares his toys with friends, they'll be more inclined to share theirs with him.
Set the stage. Before a playdate, ask your preschooler if there's anything he'd rather not share, and help him find a good place to keep those special toys. Then ask him to think of some things that would be fun for him and his visitor to play with together, such as toy walkie-talkies, art and craft supplies, building blocks, and sports equipment. That will put him in a sharing frame of mind when his guest arrives. Ask his pal to bring along a toy or two of his own as well, since your preschooler may be more generous if he's not the only one doing the giving.
Respect your preschooler's things. If your youngster feels that his clothes, books, and toys are being manhandled, it's unlikely that he'll give them up even for a moment. So ask permission before you borrow his colored pencils, and give him the option of saying no. Make sure that siblings, friends, and babysitters respect his things too, by asking if they can use them and by taking good care of them when they do.
Lead by example. The best way for your preschooler to learn generosity is to witness it. So share your ice cream with him. Offer him your scarf to fashion into a superhero's cape, and ask if you can try on his new cap. Use the word share to describe what you're doing, and don't forget to teach him that intangibles (like feelings, ideas, and stories) can be shared too. Most important, let him see you give and take, compromise, and share with others.
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<font color="0000ff">How to Teach a Preschooler to Read</font>
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, studies show that preschool education is linked with academic achievement, reduced grade retention, higher graduation rates and enhanced productivity in adult life. These are important reasons to teach a preschooler to read.
Preliminary Steps to Teach a Preschooler to Read
1. Step 1
Talk to and listen to your preschooler. When you do any kind of activity with your child, talk about it. Talk about eating, playing and friends or family.
2. Step 2
Take your preschooler to new places and expose her to new experiences. Talk about what you see and what is new.
3. Step 3
Teach your preschooler new words. Say the names of things out loud as you encounter them. Label household items so the preschooler gets a visual image as you talk about it.
4. Step 4
Explain new things and how they work in basic, easy to understand language.
5. Step 5
Read many books to your preschooler. Select his favorite books and reread them a lot. You want this to become predictable so that your child will recognize words and repeat them.
6. Step 6
Ask your child what will happen next in a story and offer praise when she guesses correctly. Relate a story of your child's own life.
Perform Letter Techniques to Teach Reading
7. Step 1
Show your child his name in print. Then write it, repeating each letter as you jot it down. Display the name many places where your child will see it. Persuade your child to write his name.
8. Step 2
Teach your preschooler to learn the alphabet song.
9. Step 3
Bring to attention words and letters in everyday settings to your child. Point to signs, mail and packages, then request your child to begin saying these common things on her own.
10. Step 4
Use games to teach reading. Suggest finding words in magazines or using magnetic letters, available at eBeanstalk.com, to spell out words on a refrigerator
<font color="0000ff">How to Teach Your Preschooler Numbers</font>
Teaching your child numbers is a good way to give him a head start when he enters preschool. Counting to three, five or even ten is a big accomplishment for a preschooler, so reinforcing numbers and counting each day will help him retain that knowledge and feel very proud of himself.
1. Step 1
Incorporate counting into everyday activities, like counting her books or crayons. Count the number of chairs outside on your deck and count items at the grocery store, like five bananas in a bunch or two apples in the bag.
2. Step 2
Read number books to your child each day. Make sure the pages feature the number of objects for that specific number and count them on each page.
3. Step 3
Hang a number poster, like one you would see in a preschool classroom, in your child's play area and go over it often. Choose a poster that includes objects for your child to count.
4. Step 4
Play counting games with your child. Ask him to do an activity a certain number of times, such as jumping up and down three times or touching his toes two times.
5. Step 5
Use an abacus when you feel your child is ready to move beyond the first three or five numbers. An abacus lets your child be in control of the counting and can help him learn larger numbers and addition.
6. Step 6
Sing common songs with your child, like "Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" or "The Ants Go Marching."
7. Step 7
Use flashcards to help your child identify numbers. Recognizing numbers is an important skill your child needs in preschool.
*********************************************
<font color="0000ff">How to teach your preschooler to share</font>
What to expect at this age
"You can't have it!" your preschooler shouts as he grabs his toy truck from his playmate. No sooner have you smoothed out that squabble than another erupts. "No!" he yells as his visitor heads toward his rock collection. Why doesn't your child know how to share?
Well, he knows; he just isn't very consistent about doing it. Your preschooler may spend hours a day playing with other children, he can take turns in games, and he's less self-centered than he was a year or two ago. But he's still impulsive and doesn't have a very good grasp of time, so waiting while his playmate takes a turn with a coveted toy is trying for him. On the other hand, many preschoolers love to draw pictures for teachers, make presents for parents, and share snacks with friends. "Preschoolers are just learning that it feels good to give and that it's fun to share with friends," says Roni Leiderman, associate dean of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. You can sow the seeds of sharing by encouraging these displays of generosity and by gently discouraging your child's less-charitable impulses.
What to do
Make sharing fun. Teach your preschooler cooperative games in which players work together toward a common goal. Do puzzles together, taking turns adding pieces, for instance. Share projects, too: Plant the garden, paint the fence, or hose down the car with him. Finally, give him things to share with his buddies now and then, like a special snack for preschool or a roll of stickers to divvy up during a playdate.
Don't punish stinginess. If you tell your preschooler that he's selfish, discipline him when he doesn't share, or force him to hand over a prized possession, you'll foster resentment, not generosity. "To encourage sharing, use positive reinforcement rather than admonishment," Leiderman says. Keep in mind, too, that it's okay for your preschooler to hold back certain items. As he matures, he'll learn that sharing with friends — who are becoming increasingly important to him — is more fun than keeping things to himself.
Talk it up. When kids squabble over toys, help them figure out what's really going on. If a friend is holding something back, explain to your child how his buddy might be feeling. For instance: "Josh really likes that toy, and he doesn't want anyone to play with it right now." Help your preschooler put his own feelings into words too. When he's not acting especially generous, ask him what's up. Maybe you'll discover that there's a shortage of train tracks at his preschool or that he especially prizes his Pokémon cards because they were a present from Grandpa.
Teach your preschooler to problem-solve. If your child has a death grip on a toy truck that his playmate wants, chances are he's thinking, "It's either him or me." The concept of sharing the truck may not even have occurred to him. Encourage your preschooler to take turns with the truck (setting a kitchen timer to mark each child's turn may help), reassure him that sharing isn't the same as giving away, and point out that if he shares his toys with friends, they'll be more inclined to share theirs with him.
Set the stage. Before a playdate, ask your preschooler if there's anything he'd rather not share, and help him find a good place to keep those special toys. Then ask him to think of some things that would be fun for him and his visitor to play with together, such as toy walkie-talkies, art and craft supplies, building blocks, and sports equipment. That will put him in a sharing frame of mind when his guest arrives. Ask his pal to bring along a toy or two of his own as well, since your preschooler may be more generous if he's not the only one doing the giving.
Respect your preschooler's things. If your youngster feels that his clothes, books, and toys are being manhandled, it's unlikely that he'll give them up even for a moment. So ask permission before you borrow his colored pencils, and give him the option of saying no. Make sure that siblings, friends, and babysitters respect his things too, by asking if they can use them and by taking good care of them when they do.
Lead by example. The best way for your preschooler to learn generosity is to witness it. So share your ice cream with him. Offer him your scarf to fashion into a superhero's cape, and ask if you can try on his new cap. Use the word share to describe what you're doing, and don't forget to teach him that intangibles (like feelings, ideas, and stories) can be shared too. Most important, let him see you give and take, compromise, and share with others.
*****************************************
<font color="0000ff">How to Teach a Preschooler to Read</font>
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, studies show that preschool education is linked with academic achievement, reduced grade retention, higher graduation rates and enhanced productivity in adult life. These are important reasons to teach a preschooler to read.
Preliminary Steps to Teach a Preschooler to Read
1. Step 1
Talk to and listen to your preschooler. When you do any kind of activity with your child, talk about it. Talk about eating, playing and friends or family.
2. Step 2
Take your preschooler to new places and expose her to new experiences. Talk about what you see and what is new.
3. Step 3
Teach your preschooler new words. Say the names of things out loud as you encounter them. Label household items so the preschooler gets a visual image as you talk about it.
4. Step 4
Explain new things and how they work in basic, easy to understand language.
5. Step 5
Read many books to your preschooler. Select his favorite books and reread them a lot. You want this to become predictable so that your child will recognize words and repeat them.
6. Step 6
Ask your child what will happen next in a story and offer praise when she guesses correctly. Relate a story of your child's own life.
Perform Letter Techniques to Teach Reading
7. Step 1
Show your child his name in print. Then write it, repeating each letter as you jot it down. Display the name many places where your child will see it. Persuade your child to write his name.
8. Step 2
Teach your preschooler to learn the alphabet song.
9. Step 3
Bring to attention words and letters in everyday settings to your child. Point to signs, mail and packages, then request your child to begin saying these common things on her own.
10. Step 4
Use games to teach reading. Suggest finding words in magazines or using magnetic letters, available at eBeanstalk.com, to spell out words on a refrigerator
