Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again. 

 

Why do so many preschools spend so much time teaching children Nursery Rhymes and nonsense songs? Well, simply put, it’s because it’s good for the children! To many parents, it seems like these silly rhymes and songs are meant to just entertain a child. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth! These things teach children to rhyme and rhyming is a key part of phonological awareness. 

 

Why is rhyming so important?

 

1. Rhyming teaches children how language works. By combining different sounds to make both words and nonsense words children begin to take ownership over their language. 

 

1. Rhyming lets children experience the rhythm of language. This will eventually lead to children being expressive in their reading. 

 

1. Rhyming helps prepare children to make predictions in their reading. I.e. Twinkle Twinkle little star. How I wonder what you ____. 

 

1. Rhyming is also important for writing. It helps with teaching children word families, like -at and -an. 

 

1. It’s fun! It’s a fun way to help engage children in their learning. 

 

How can you teach rhyming?

 

• Keep it short. You don’t need to spend hours and hours on rhyming words. You can incorporate them into your child’s everyday learning.
• Books books and more books. 
• Sing silly songs and do finger plays
• Try “The Name Game” 

Screens are all around us. Everywhere we go and everything we do usually involves a screen of some sort. While there are some amazing apps and shows that can help reinforce learning and promote creative play, how much screen time is appropriate for your preschooler?

 

Pediatricians and Early Childhood Educators agree that children ages 2 through should have no more than 1 hour of screen time per day.  The only exception to this would be for video chatting with grandparents and other family friends as it helps children build social skills. 

What are some ways to have a better screen time for your child?

• Be with your child and interact with them. Talk to them about the things they are learning and seeing. 
• Research games and apps before getting them for your child.
• Keep devices with screens out of the child’s room after bedtime. 

 

Leave us a comment and tell us your favorite app for your preschooler! 

 

Early Childhood Educators every where have been talking about the importance of sensory play and the fact that screens have begun taking it away. But why exactly is sensory play so important? Well sensory play….

 

1. Builds Never Connections

Research has shown that as children actively use their senses in conjunction with one another, it helps build the pathways between the nerves in the brain.  This will lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks.

 

2. Supports Cognitive Development

Children first learn new things via their senses. Every time they encounter something cold, hard, wet, or bumpy, for example, it reinforces their understanding of what types of things have these characteristics.

 

3. Improves Social Skills

Partaking in sensory play with their friends and classmates children will communicate with each other both verbally and non-verbally.  Together they will uncover new ways to manipulate a substance or object.

 

4. Strengthens Fine Motor Skills

Sensory play usually involves touching, pouring, pinching, sorting and moving actions.  Children mainly use their hands to explore and in doing so, build upon their fine motor skills.

 

5. Enhances Language Skills

By engaging in sensory play children will discover new ways to describe the objects in the world around them.

 

6. Has a calming effect

Sensory play is a great tool for anxious or frustrated children.  It gives them something different to focus on besides what is upsetting them.

Is your child a picky eater? Check out these tips for coping with a picky eater and helping them try new foods.

 

Coping with picky eating:

-Let them pick out the produce.

This will help give them a sense of control over the foods they eat.

 

-Let them help you prepare meals.

 

By helping you prepare the meals they will see exactly what goes into their food, and will be more excited to eat!

 

-Offer choices. (i.e. Broccoli or cauliflower)

 

This can help them feel less stressed out by being forced to eat.

 

– Enjoy family meals together.

Your picky eater is far more likely to try new foods if they see their parents and siblings eating it as well.

 

-The whole family gets the same foods.

Give everyone the same foods. Don’t make a separate meal for your picky eater.

 

 

Helping your picky eater try new foods:

– Start with small portions.

Don’t put a mound of new food on your picky eaters plate and expect them to eat it. Start small.

 

 

-Only give one new food at a time.

By only introducing one new food at a time, your picky eater will feel less overwhelmed.

 

 

-Be a good role model.

 

If you want your picky eater to try something new, set a good example. Try the new food with them and let them know what you think of it!

 

 

-Introduce the new foods at the start of the meal.

Encourage your picky eater to try their new food first. This will help them with knowing that once they try it they have a familiar favorite food to eat after.

 

-Sometimes, it takes time!

Don’t expect your picky eater to instantly like a new food. Sometimes you have to introduce the new foods several times before they like it! Remember your taste buds change every few years!

Looking for something new and exciting to do with your preschooler? Our students LOVE this Dinosaur Hunt Game!

What you will need:

-You will need to print off and color 10 of the attached dinosaurs (or really any dinosaur you child likes)

-Label the Dinosaurs 1-10

– The Rhyme also attached to this post!

 

How to play:

Simply hide the different numbered Dinosaurs around your home. Once they are hidden read the rhyme aloud to your child have them look for the correct numbered Dinosaur.

Dino Hunt!