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

SNACKTIME – ensure a happy and safe summer by keeping your child hydrated with H2O

Children do not cool down as efficiently as adults, so it is important that they drink lots of water. Taking a few simple precautions will help protect children and allow them to enjoy a safe and fun summer!

Preventing Dehydration – How frequently should children drink fluids? How much is enough?

The best way to prevent dehydration is to make sure children drink plenty of water at all times. They should consume more fluids than they lose. During continuous physical activity, a child can lose up to a half-liter of fluid per hour. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that an 88-pound child should drink about five ounces (or two kid-size gulps) of water every 20 minutes as well. Children and teens weighing about 132 pounds should drink nine ounces of water. Drinking extra water before organized sports or other strenuous activities is highly recommended.

Hydration Habits for Good Health

• Schedule beverage breaks every 20 minutes during any physical activity, especially in hot weather. If possible, take all hydration breaks in a shady spot.
• Pack frozen water bottles in a cooler to keep other bottles of water cool.
• When choosing drinks for kids, avoid soda and other drinks that have caffeine, which contributes to water loss in the body. Again, water is the preferred choice for hydration.
• Sports drinks should be limited to athletic competitions to replace electrolytes.
• If your young child refuses to drink water, offer a high water content fruit such as watermelon or a frozen treat such as popsicles.
• Remember that thirst is not a good early sign of dehydration. By the time a child feels thirsty, he or she may already be dehydrated.
  
  

Good hydration habits are as important as good eating habits. Encouraging frequent beverage breaks and choosing liquids wisely will help protect against dehydration.

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Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD

Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company
Image Contributed by Pacificsprings.com.au

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 12

Weekly Highlights:

 Swim Day with North Tustin

 Swim Day with Historic Anaheim

Swim Day with Anaheim Hills

With the first week of summer camp completed, campers had a great time swimming, dressing up in surfer attire, and playing together during the beach party hosted by the Anaheim Hills campus! Next week campers will enjoy a whole host of new activities such as surfboard canvas art, tie-dye camp shirts, and a Friday field trip to the Camelot Theme Park in Anaheim! 

Visit the Fairmont Summer Programs' Facebook page or Fairmont Flickr for more summer photos!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

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

CHALK TALK: decoding STEM

 STEM is a new buzz word in the education field. But what exactly is it? Simply defined, STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The STEM Education Coalition states that incorporating a STEM-based curriculum is critical if the United States wants to remain a global economic and technological leader.

The goal of this education initiative is to create a STEM-based curriculum for all students. However, Fairmont Private Schools is proactive in providing students with a STEM-rich curriculum. Fairmont currently boasts robust, competitive robotics clubs at the junior high and high school levels, as well as advanced mathematics programs, and the Advanced Science and Engineering Program (ASEP) for high school students. A total of 24 awards were earned by Fairmont junior high students at the 2014 Orange County Science and Engineering Fair. Fairmont students are also introduced to technology in the classroom, working with iPads and Interactive Whiteboards from preschool through high school.

Despite the national push for more technical training required for STEM-related jobs, it is important to maintain a balance between study of the humanities and study of the technological fields. During the 2011 release of a next generation iPad, Steve Jobs explained that “it’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough — that it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our hearts sing.” Fairmont believes that both liberal arts and STEM focuses are important, thus, Fairmont students are enriched with opportunities to learn musical instruments, participate in theater productions, read classical literature, create wonderful works of art, and engage with curriculum that examines history, sociology, and more! 

After graduating from Fairmont Preparatory Academy, 87% of Fairmont seniors are accepted to US News & World Report’s list of top 100 American colleges and universities, many entering the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These successful outcomes result from a well-balanced education that enable students to flourish academically and artistically.    

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Teacher Reboot Camp

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