Preschool Education

Until a few decades ago, recess breaks at school were the norm.  Morning recess, lunch, then afternoon recess gave kids time to have a break from the classroom. Now, many schools don't have periods known as recess.  Yes, there might be organized PE, but what about the childhood play of being able to play for 15 minutes with your friends, talk to them and run around with them.  Time for socialization, which is essential to development.

Kids in elementary school need to expend their energy in order to concentrate better in the classroom.  Studies have shown that by having breaks, children can perform better on-task and will be less restless. It helps a child's attention span.  Also, the benefits of being outside, in the sunlight, are both mental and physical.  Letting kids run around, without a structured play plan, is stress-reducing. 

We worry about our children becoming obese, well this is one more reason to make sure schools keep recess or reinstitue recess.  Speak up at your PTA meetings and let your children's teachers know your feelings about recess.  Think how hard it is for an adult to sit for even an hour in a meeting.  Kids do need Recess.

By Sharon Pierce McCullough

Kinesthetic learners will jump right in when given the opportunity to play theater games.

Even the simplest games can build a child’s confidence and skills. Theater games utilize two of children’s biggest assets, imagination and energy, to build on their ability to focus, creatively problem solve, and cooperate. Before today, I had worked with teenagers and children as young as eight, but since I have a 3 year-old, I decided to try some theater games with her playgroup and modify them for preschoolers.

My general format was:

* Introductions: We said, “Hello, my name is…and I like…” filling in our own names and something alliterative that we like. Older kids can turn this into memory game in which you repeat everyone who has gone before you and then add your own. For a younger or more shy group, you can choose a “hello song” in which the whole group sings hello to each child in turn.

* Warm Up: There are so many great theater warm-ups. We played pass the energy ball. Shay Shay Coolay, Zip Zap Boing, anything that gets the group up and moving is good.

* Imagination Game: We used a tunnel and when kids emerged from the tunnel, they pretended that everything was really heavy, or silly, or that they had turned into something with wings. With older kids, you could introduce simple scenes here.

Some children are biting at the bit to learn how to read and other children could seem to care less.  But the sooner you can instill a "love of reading" into your child the more successful he will be at an earlier age.  But just like any habit that one develops, it is often nourished by the example someone has set.  Considering that parents are their child's primary teachers until they start school, a parent can help their child develop an interest in reading.

How can you go about planting those reading seeds?

• Look at books with your child and encourage him to look at his books while you look at yours.
• Reread favorite stories with your child.
• Point out and name objects in stories and pictures.
• Read nursery rhymes together and point out how some words rhyme. 
• Let your child watch you write, letting him know you are writing words.
• Look for "letters" everywhere you go.
• Take your child to library storytime.
• Check out books at your local library, making it a fun event.
• Play games letting your child put 3 events in order.

Of course, there are many other activities you can create if you just consider that letters and words are everywhere.  Children feel such a sense of accomplishment once they start reading even a few words and once they get a taste of reading, they usually strive to read more and more.  Remember, however, that reading should be fun and enjoyable.  Let kids proceed at their own speed and they will soon find out the joy of reading by themselves.

One of the most important things you can do to help your child develop into a well-rounded individual is to nurture their awareness of self and how they interact with their peers and siblings.  Children should learn, at an early age, how to make simple choices and solve simple problems.  They need to learn that everything isn't about only them and that they need to be respectful of others.

How can you help your child's Social Development?

• Arrange for play with other children
• Let kids participate in conversations
• Teach your child good Manners, especially Please and Thank You
• Play Games with your child
• Encourage completion of activities such as Puzzles and Worksheets
• Teach your child to Share and Take Turns
• Talk about Fears and Feelings - Puppet play is good for this
• Let your child make Simple choices
• Explain how Talking rather than Fighting can solve conflicts
• Follow routines at home
• Give your child simple Responsibilities (setting table etc.)
• Make your child take responsibility for Cleaning up his own Toys
• Teach your child to Solve easy Problems by asking questions

The most important part of social development is learning to interact with other people and knowing how to be respectful of those people, even your peers.  Unfortunately, some children are never taught to take responsibility and are never allowed to make their own choices.  These children grow up with a sense of entitlement and they struggle throughout life trying to make decisions.  Make the effort while your child is young to help them develop well socially as well as physically.