Development
Especially for Preschoolers: Write Right
Preschoolers are just starting to understand the difference between writing and drawing. Many can write their names and some letters. To be ready to learn adult spelling, they need lots of writing practice. Even using spelling and letter shapes that are not always correct. What is the practice?Invented spelling is having preschoolers write using whatever…
Read MoreEating Healthy. Growing Strong
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Academy of Pediatrics have joined with the best-selling children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle to help families learn about healthy eating habits.The Very Hungry Caterpillar eats many foods on his journey to becoming a butterfly. You can help your child on his or…
Read More10 Ways to Motivate Your Child to Learn
Fill your child’s world with reading. Encourage him to express his opinion, talking about his feelings, and make choices. Show enthusiasm for your child’s interests and encourage her to explore subjects that fascinate her. Provide him with play opportunities that support different types of learning styles – from listening and visual learning to sorting and…
Read MoreGiving children access to print materials is associated with positive behavioral, educational, and psychological outcomes
What impact, if any, does access to print materials have on children’s educational outcomes? Children’s book distribution programs were created to provide greater access to high-quality, age-appropriate reading materials to children from low-income homes as one effort to address the achievement gap. In 2010, Reading Is Fundamental commissioned Learning Point Associates to conduct a meta-analytic…
Read MoreSensory Processing Disorders
Sensory Processing (sometimes called “Sensory Integration”) refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. A child with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses. This can create everyday problems such as, motor clumsiness, behavioral problems,…
Read MoreHealthy Habits for TV, Video Games, and the Internet
No doubt about it — TV, interactive video games, and the Internet can be excellent sources of education and entertainment for kids. But too much screen time can have unhealthy side effects. That’s why it’s wise to monitor and limit the time your child spends playing video games, watching TV, and playing games on the…
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