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From the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County...

(This is for 4 y/os.)

Concept Development tips:Parents can help by:
Providing age-appropriate toys that require thinking (puzzles, blocks, sorting toys)

Offering paper scraps, boxes and other hhold items for creative use

Counting objects around house (crackers at snack, for instance)

Playing games w/ words such as: Put the ball ON the char. Get pot from UNDER sink..

Play Simon Says (works w/ teaching body parts.)

Health & Safety tips:
Parents can help by:

Making sure child has regular medical check ups

Making trips to dentist and regular tooth brushing important

Establishing a set bedtime

Let your child exercise

Take your child to swimming lessons

Encourage and model healthy eating

Teach simple safety rules

Keep a watchful eye on your child and remove hazards

Have home fire drills

Practice when to use 911

Physical Development Tips:

Take your child to a park to play outside

Let your child dress him/herself

Provide opportunities to use scissors (cut pictures from magazines)

Provide opportunities for crayons, markers, pens and pencils

Let your child experiment w/ balls, trikes and jump ropes

Language Tips:

Talk with your child about his interests

Use questions that have more than one answer (What do you think? How would you feel?)

Play rhyming games

Listen to your child

Get down at eye level

Encourage family members to listen

Encourage child to share ideas by asking questions and offering suggestions

Writing Tips:

Provide materials and spae for writing

Fous on what your child can do

Display your child's writing efforts

Answer your child's questions

Accept trial and error (sribbles, pictures)

Make signs to label objects in room

Let your child see you write

Encourage your child to read writing to you

Provide magnetic letters for child to practice forming words

Encourage cchild to invent own spelling for words

Remember to respond to the message and content and not how it appears on the surface. Writing is not just copying.