FRIDAY FOLDER: September 4

Weekly Highlights:

Historic Anaheim Campus

 Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus 

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

CHALK TALK: preparing your child for kindergarten, part 5 - playing well with others

As your child becomes more social with other children, it’s important to help him or her learn to engage positively with peers. Providing the child with the right tools to handle different social situations will help reinforce values related to playing well with others. Here are some tips for this important life lesson:

• Play-dates - Whether it’s a parents-of-preschoolers group or signing your child up for a sports or dance class, there are plenty of opportunities in your community to help children socialize. The more opportunities for children to play together, the faster they will develop the necessary social skills needed in the classroom.
• Golden Rule - Teaching children to treat others as they want to be treated is an important step towards explaining the abstract concept of respect. Remember, your child doesn’t have to like everyone, but he or she does need to show respect to everyone.
• Team Activities - Involving your child in team activities will help foster his or her ability to work collectively with others. Including your child in household chores and projects, establishing a weekly game night, or enrolling him or her in a sports activity, allows your child to engage with others to accomplish a specific task, which helps them learn the value of connecting with others.
• “I Need a Break” - Let your child know that it’s okay to say “I need a break” and to walk away from frustrating or hurtful situations. What to Do When Your Child Won’t Play Well with Others states that “[w]hen kids are frustrated and feeling like they want to lash out at others around them, this simple sentence can be a way for them to back out of the situation and signal to the adults around them that they need a little time alone.”
• Kind Words - Encourage proper manners and the use of “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” and “Sorry” when your child is interacting with others. These simple practices in etiquette will take your child far as he or she begins to make friends.

How to Help Your Child Make Friends notes that leading by example and inviting your friends over for activities is a good way to demonstrate social skills and the importance of friendship to your children. Visit Fairmont’s Early Childhood Education Pinterest board to find more great resources for preparing your preschooler for kindergarten!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Aprendoyeduco.Com 

CHALK TALK: preparing your child for kindergarten, part 4 - building oral language skills

Being an effective communicator is an important component to everyday life, which is why helping your child build oral language skills is vital to their development. Teaching little ones to effectively communicate verbally is an important step in growing up. Below are several benchmarks for children entering kindergarten:

1. Politely converse with peers and initiate conversation with adults
2. Show a steady increase in vocabulary
3. Use adjectives in conversation
4. Communicate specific needs, such as “I am hurt” or “I need to use the restroom”

Though there are many communication skills for children to learn, incorporating some of these activities will aid their progression:

• Read, Read, Read - Reading to your child is an excellent vocabulary building exercise. Encourage your child to ask questions about words that he or she does not understand. Be sure to take time to pause while reading to ask critical thinking questions such as “Do you think that character made the right choice?”
• Be the Example - Remember that when you communicate with others in front of your child, you are setting an example. When children observe adults following the rules of conversation (taking turns talking, speaking in calm tones, not interrupting), they will imitate.
• Incorporate New Words - Children are constantly absorbing new words and phrases. Use these new words in context during a regular conversation. This repetition, along with providing examples to show how the word is used in a sentence, will not only help your child commit the word and its definition to memory, but will also encourage your child to use new words when talking with others.
• Play “I Spy” - Playing “I Spy” with your child will help him or her develop spatial awareness and learn to describe location, color, and size. Encourage your child to add more details to the game by listing certain attributes such as “I spy something green on the floor near the table.”
• Talk About Feelings - When your child is upset, ask him or her to describe their feelings. Helping to identify specific emotions and learning to handle them is a very effective communication tool for children and adults alike.
• Tell Stories - Set aside some time to tell stories with your child. Begin by telling your own short, imaginative story, then encourage your child to do the same. Ask questions once the story ends, like “What color was the giant fish?,” or “What would have happened if this character did this instead?” Asking questions will help your child focus on recalling specific elements of the story and providing more clarification.

As children progress through their education, the ability to clearly articulate ideas becomes more prevalent and follows them into adulthood. All children learn at their own pace, but be sure to encourage their learning and growth by taking some time each day to help foster these communication skills.

Visit the Fairmont Early Childhood Education Pinterest board for more great ideas for your young learner!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Karate of Mansfield   

CHALK TALK: preparing your child for kindergarten, part 2 - following directions

As discussed in the previous blog, a preschooler’s ability to actively listen and carry out instructions is one of the key indicators that the student is ready to progress to kindergarten. While it’s not uncommon for preschoolers to occasionally struggle with carrying out instructions, here are some great tips to prepare your child: 

• Use Keywords - If you find you’re having to repeat instructions, try using just one or two words to direct your child. Instead of saying “Please take your plate to the sink when you’re done,” try saying “Plate to the sink” in an encouraging tone when your child has almost finished eating. You may find that a one-word reminder will get your child’s attention quicker than repeating directions over and over. 
• Helping Hands - Ask your child for help in the kitchen or while doing other light chores. Giving your child simple directions about making a sandwich or sorting laundry will help foster confidence and knowledge, as well as encourage him or her to follow directions. It’s advisable to give your child no more than three steps to complete a task. 
• Treasure Hunt - Ask you child to retrieve specific items from around the house such as a yellow sponge or two blue shoes. The child will have to concentrate on the task for at least a minute, encouraging him or her to focus. For an added challenge, create a small obstacle course that your child must complete before bringing the item to you. This might include running three circles around the tree, hopping over the garden hose, then somersaulting. If you have more than one child, this treasure hunt can be turned into a fun race!

Helping your child learn to follow directions will help ensure a rewarding classroom experience. Following directions directly correlates with fostering independence. Once a child has mastered a set of directions, they can be trusted to complete the task on their own. This builds self-reliance and self-confidence, both of which are important as children grow and develop. Visit Fairmont’s Early Childhood Education Pinterest board for more great ideas and tips!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

 Image Contributed by Everyday Life

CHALK TALK: helping your child prepare for kindergarten, part 1 - developing good listening skills

How will you know when your child is ready for kindergarten? What skills are essential for succeeding in the classroom? This six-part series will help prepare your preschool student for kindergarten. Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for the rewarding road to elementary school!

Early childhood education teachers have observed six main skill sets that are common in children who have successfully transitioned to kindergarten. The first of these is the ability to be a good listener. Good listening skills are vital, and children who have developed this skill are more apt to follow directions, interact respectfully with adults and peers, and contribute to a positive learning environment. The good news is that listening is a skill that can be developed over time. Here are some activities to do at home:

• Play games such as “Simon Says,” “Red Light, Green Light,” and “I Spy” to help your child focus on listening and responding appropriately.
• Interactive reading will encourage critical thinking and gauge how much information your child is retaining. While reading aloud, pause and ask questions such as “What do you think will happen next?” or “Do you think that was a good idea?”
• Sit quietly outside with your child to identify sounds. This is a great way to teach children to be still and concentrate in order to listen properly.   

Another key to creating a good listener is by setting a positive example. Demonstrating active listening while your child talks will model what their response should be when adults or peers are speaking. Using proper eye contact, body language, and voice tone while conversing will help your child understand how to engage properly in a social setting.  

Incorporating games that encourage children to react with words or actions will help them develop a sense of what it means to be an active listener and encourage appropriate behavior in the classroom. Tune in next Monday to learn some handy tips for teaching your child to follow directions!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Sharon Skelton

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 5

Highlights of the Week

 North Tustin Preschool Promotion

Historic Anaheim Preschool Promotion

 Anaheim Hills Preschool Promotion

Congratulations to these young learners as they advance to kindergarten! Fairmont is so proud of its early childhood education program, and of the students who continue to pursue an excellent education!

Weekly Newsletters

Anaheim Hills Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

North Tustin Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

THE FAIRMONT FIVE: developing fine motor skills

Fine motor skills are essential to human growth and success. Providing your toddler as many resources as possible to train their bodies is incredibly beneficial for kindergarten preparation. In the classroom, children need to hold scissors and writing utensils properly. Creating simple activities and devices for your child to play with at home will aid dramatically in speeding your child’s hand-eye coordination and developing fine motor skills.

1. Playdough - A simple ball of playdough can provide hours of entertainment as toddlers squish, twist, and mold different shapes. An inherently creative medium, children will automatically use their imagination to build a variety of structures. As a bonus, incorporate dry pasta, pebbles, buttons, etc. for added creativity and motor function!
2. Sensory Bins - Create a simple sensory bin for your child using a plastic storage container and layer of sand, rice, oatmeal, or other malleable elements. Mix small toys, shells, pebbles, legos, etc. into the element and encourage your child hunt for the buried items. When your toddler is ready to advance, have them dig for items and pick them up using a spoon.
3. Sensory Boards - Secure a variety of open-close items to a pegboard for your toddler to practice opening and closing. Items such as latches, zippers, door knobs, and wheels help aid critical thinking and strengthen motor skills.
4. Hole in One - Using empty water bottles and small pebbles or craft pompoms, encourage your child to practice picking up small items and placing them through small holes. Another version of this exercise is to provide your toddler with a colander and pipe cleaner to see how many pieces they can thread into the colander.
5. Threading - Develop your child’s concentration and coordination by give them some large beads and string to thread. As a bonus, get them used to seeing patterns by showing them how to thread beads by color or shape.  

Making activities more challenging by using clothespins or tweezers to move small objects will greatly aid in your child’s progression towards kindergarten. Early exposure to writing utensils, safety scissors, and shoe laces will also help to give your toddler a boost in classroom readiness!    

Visit the Fairmont Preschool Pinterest board for more developmental ideas and classroom preparation for your young child!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Hands On As We Grow

CHALK TALK: the many benefits of music in early education

Music fosters creative thought and much more!

Fairmont’s early childhood education programs offer a sensory rich environment for heightening a child’s senses, which is essential for providing the foundation of a well-rounded education. Music plays a major role in this effort by helping our young learners grow in many areas of personal and academic development. 

Whether listening to Beethoven, banging on drums or dancing to a song, music helps students gain confidence for learning and trying new things. At the same time, they exercise their language, vocal, and fine motor skills. When singing folk songs or dancing to famous jazz tunes, children have the opportunity to explore the richness of American culture and its history. 

Besides nurturing creativity, confidence, and a better understanding of history, musical activities such as sing-a-longs help children feel they are members of a community.  Hands-on music participation and appreciation incorporates lessons in math, reading, and writing.  For example, learning how to keep a steady beat, rhythm, and melody involves engaging mathematical concepts such as sequencing, counting, and patterning. 

The whole family can engage in music appreciation in the home, car, and at concert venues. Fairmont’s Music Department Chair Adela Stella encourages parents and grandparents to take children to see summer concerts in the park to experience the excitement of live performances.

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by KinderMusik