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Infant - Month #43


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Encouraging a Life Long Learner

By Lindsey Hill, edHelperBaby

Your Little Einstein
           As the beginning of your child's fourth year approaches, he continues to experiment with letter and word sounds, to count objects that come into sight, and to show a desire to write his name. Continuing to support these skills is essential for developing a natural curiosity for the world around him.

 		   

An Eye on the Issue
           By the age of four, a typical child should be able to complete various activities in regard to cognitive and language abilities. Keep in mind, however, that every child completes milestones at differing ages. If you are concerned about your child's abilities, please consult your pediatrician.
  • Cuts a picture with blunt scissors
  • Counts to 5
  • Recognizes many letters and numbers
  • Uses a vocabulary of 1500 words
  • Speaks in 4-5 word sentences
  • Uses past tense
  • Learns and sings simple songs
  • Understands cause and effect
  • Involves imaginary playmates
  • Has an increased concept of time
  • Distinguishes between two objects
  • Holds a pencil or marker in hand properly
  • Tries to write name
  • Draws with whole arm
  • Draws shapes within pictures
  • Folds paper if shown
  • Matches triangles, squares, circles, hearts, and stars

 		   

Just Try-It
           Try out these unique ideas to help your child reach his four-year-old milestones. Be sure to consider your child's interests before beginning any learning activity. If she's learning with her strengths in mind, she'll be more involved and the learning will be more efficient. With an average attention span of about 5-7 minutes, be sure to keep your little one moving from activity to activity!
  • Hand her the "junk mail" and a pair of kid-friendly scissors and allow her to cut out objects that intrigue her.
  • Go on a treasure hunt through magazines, books, advertisements, and newspapers for letters in her name as well as other letters and numbers.
  • Glue cut-out letters and numbers onto a piece of colorful paper and have your child trace the letters or numbers with her finger and then try to write them with a pencil or marker.
  • Create a song to memorize spelling her name or to remember her phone number and address.
  • Establish a learning time in your home that remains the same each day.
  • Read to your child everyday and be sure to encourage independent reading as well.
  • Encourage your child to "write" thoughtful notes to family and friends.
  • While riding in the car, count telephone poles, blue cars or trucks, or red traffic lights.
  • Find and discuss shapes all around you.
  • Pump shaving cream onto the kitchen counter and have your child "write" or draw with his finger.

 		   

Parent Chit Chat
           Reading with Cory has always been an important activity in our daily routine. In fact, Cory will often choose new books over new toys when given a choice. Before he independently reads for ten minutes in his room, my husband, Cory, and I read at least three books or stories each night. We all select one book and read the book we chose. Being an elementary teacher, I'm used to reading aloud with children, stopping to discuss the details as I read, and encouraging active thinking as my students listen to the story. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't welcome the discussions quite as easily. When it's his turn to read, Cory stops him at each flip of a new page. Cory's curiosity about how things work and why something is the way it is trumps reading the story from beginning to end. With these comments, he's connecting our readings to his day and in one to two quick sentences, retells the story. We are continuing to encourage "interrupting" while we're reading because it does promote active reading as a life-long skill.

       Our favorite book in the Book Basket selection is Dick and Jane Play School by Grosset and Dunlap. The book comes with three pieces of chalk and an eraser, and Cory loves writing on the chalkboard within each page to draw shapes and write his name with Dick and Jane at school. This is a must have for every intrigued little learner.

 		   

Book Basket
           Open the pages of these unique learning books aimed for infants to age five!
  • Dick and Jane Play School; Grosset and Dunlap
  • My First Numbers Book; Eric Carle
  • ABCD3D; Marion Bataille
  • Museum ABC; Meltropolitan Museum of Art
  • Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables; Lois Ehlert
  • Chicka Chicka Series; Bill Martin Jr.
  • I Spy Series; Jean Marzollo

 		   

Exploration Station
    http://www.edhelper.com/K3Themes.htm

       From learning to recognize letters and numbers to reading sight words and writing his name, you'll find endless ideas and reproducible activities geared toward your three-year- old at our edHelper site.

 		   

Food For Thought
           Motivate your little one with edible learning items! Use foods such as letter or number shaped sugar cookies, alphabet shaped cereal, and cooked spaghetti to encourage letter recognition and their sounds as well as number recognition and counting.

 		   

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