Just as our preschoolers develop readiness to read, they also develop “math readiness” through play and games. It’s important for parents and teachers to recognize what they are doing, why they are doing it, and provide opportunities for them to learn and grow. The obvious activity related to math is counting! Pre-schoolers love to count. They often do so loudly, over and over and over. Sometimes they skip a number. Several things are going on here. One is sequencing, understanding that one item follows another in a fixed order. This is related to pattern recognition, and problem solving logic. The … Continue reading →

For many good quality pre-schools, January is not too early to begin registering students for the following year. If you intend to send your child to pre-school next September, or are just thinking about it, the time to look into pre-schools starts now. Don’t wait for the rush in spring. Good pre-schools limit class size, and many give preference to siblings of children already enrolled. If the pre-school is sponsored by a church, synagogue, or community center, preference may be given to members of the sponsoring organization. Call the schools you are interested in, and ask about visiting and registration. … Continue reading →

Ready for kindergarten? Or does your child need “the gift of time”? During the 1990s, there was an idea that it might be beneficial to delay the entry of some children into kindergarten. Usually the children affected might have been slow to develop self control, might show some social immaturity, or might not have the same skills with writing or letter recognition as their peers. An ability to listen, understand and follow directions, and function independently is also necessary in most public school kindergartens in the United States. When a child is clingy, immature, or not adjusted to separating from … Continue reading →

When is a child ready to read? How can you tell? It’s hard to be a parent of a preschooler and not hear the words “reading readiness” frequently. Pre school and Kindergarten teachers, child care providers, developers of software products, people who sell educational toys, – all want to show you how their activities are going to help your child be “ready” to read, and ultimately be a great reader. Children begin the process of learning to read when they learn to recognize symbols consistently. Letters, numbers, shapes – all these symbols have a name, and children delight in recognizing … Continue reading →

Put away the flash cards. Save your money on the software and workshops that will show you how to teach your baby or toddler to read. It’s not that they can’t or shouldn’t. You just don’t need special resources to teach a toddler or preschooler to read, as long as they are interested and motivated. All you need is your own love of books, and patience with endless questions. Most important, the child must really want to read and find information, satisfaction, and attention by reading themselves. In my childcare home, I encountered children who were born to read. I … Continue reading →