Search Results for: pre school

Is Your Child Ready for Preschool?

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Will this be the school year when your child begins attending preschool? That can be a tough decision for many parents. Some feel that preschool is very important in helping a child with social skills and to learn how school “works”. How can you tell if your child is ready for preschool? Here are some signs that indicate that he or she is ready to give preschool a try. Your Child is in Good Health. Preschool can be an exciting and fun growth experience for every child. Unfortunately, being around a lot of other children can expose your child to … Continue reading →

Pushing for Publicly-Funded Preschool

If you missed President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address five months ago, you may be wondering why his recent trip to Illinois attracted so many leaders in the world of early education. Obama spent much of his trip to Fort Knox College on Wednesday reiterating the importance of his proposal to give American children a publicly-funded preschool education. The president unveiled his goal of providing quality early education for 4 year olds in his State of the Union address earlier this year and he is not backing down on his commitment. “If you think education is expensive, wait … Continue reading →

The Preschool TV Battle is Heating Up

Your preschooler may be more powerful than you think. At least when it comes to watching television. According to Nielsen Media Research, children ages 2 to 5 spend an average of 32 hours in front of a TV each week. For cable networks this means big business.  In the past five years, a slew of channels dedicated to preschool programming have inundated the market.  Since 2000, Nick Jr. has continually garnered the highest Nielsen ratings.  The Viacom-owned channel is dedicated solely to preschool children and is home of the mega-hit show “Dora the Explorer.” Riding the wave of popularity with … Continue reading →

Stories Can Help Kids Prepare for Preschool

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Will your little one be attending preschool for the very first time? He or she might be feeling a mix of emotions about going to preschool. These emotions can range from excitement about being a “big kid” who goes to school, to fear about what, exactly, he or she will face in the classroom. One way to calm worries and build confidence is with stories. Little kids often view story books as something fun to read (or have read to them). They don’t realize it, but many are using the stories as a means to help them understand the world … Continue reading →

Should I get my preschooler a pet?

Pets and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly. Most children love animals and enjoy being around them. There comes a time in most children’s lives when they ask their parents for a pet. It could be a puppy, kitty, turtle or fish but at some point they will ask. The decision needs to be made wisely or you could head for disaster and teach your child the opposite of what you thought this beautiful experience would be like. You need to pick the right pet for your family and your lifestyle. You need to have a realistic view … Continue reading →

Converting an Oatmeal Box into Preschool Fun

Oatmeal boxes are a great size and shape for many purposes. Since you are buying oatmeal anyway you may as well put the box to good use. Here are some ideas. Letter Box: Place foam letters, magnetic letters and wooden letter beads in the oatmeal box. Have your child pull out letters for letter recognition. You can have your child write the letter or find an object which starts with that letter around the house. You can also fill the box with pictures of items and have your child match the image to the letter the word starts with. Number … Continue reading →

Cedar Point and Your Preschooler

Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio,  is normally associated with heart pumping rides and the thrill of going upside down at 70 miles an hour only to endure a drop that makes the hair on your arms stand on end.  That is hardly the experience you want your preschooler to endure.  It may surprise you to learn that Cedar Point is not only fun for adults and older kids but for preschoolers as well.  It is one of the best family fun parks around! Top Seven Things to Love About Cedar Point for Preschoolers My mini thrill seeker spent her … Continue reading →

To Preschool or Not to Preschool That is the Question

Did you know that many preschools begin accepting students when they are two and a half years old? It may seem like just yesterday that your little one said his first words and took his first steps. Could it really be time for preschool already? Maybe, but then again, maybe not. Deciding when a child is ready for preschool is not a simple task. There are some questions that you can ask yourself to assess whether now is a good time to send your child to preschool. For example, ask yourself whether your child is fairly independent, meaning that she … Continue reading →

Top 3 Favorite Preschool Crafts

Paper Lantern Supplies:  Construction paper:  Various colors  Glue  Scissors Hole puncher Pipe cleaners Decorative items:  Streamers, pom poms, stickers, ribbon, etc.  Instructions: Fold a piece of construction paper lengthwise.  From the folded edge cut slits from one side to the other.  Be careful not to cut all the way to the edge.  Unfold the paper.  In the opposite direction (the short side) glue or staple the top edges together and then the bottom edges together. Cut a strip of construction paper to glue to the top and bottom edge of the lantern.  You may cut it straight or get creative … Continue reading →

Must Have Preschool Books

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff A delightful story that you will surely be asked to read nightly.  Children will giggle with all the funny requests while learning sequencing.   Summary:   If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him the milk, he’s going to ask you for a straw. When he’s finished, he’ll ask for a napkin… The Tiny Seed by Eric Carl   A lovely story that teaches endurance and nature from a tiny seed as it embarks on a adventure.   Summary:   It … Continue reading →