Getting Ready for Kindergarten - July (Activity a Day)

July - Water Fun

1st - Draw a star on a piece of paper. Have your child color the star blue.
2nd - Trace the letters in July.
3rd - Visit the library. Check out a book about celebrating July 4th.
4th - Count the number of stars and stripes on the American Flag.
5th - Name and point to parts of the body; eyebrows, neck, chin, ankles, and thigh.
6th - Play hopscotch. Say the numbers as you hop on them.
7th - National Chocolate Day! - Make something chocolate and enjoy.
8th - Play a game of leap frog together. Measure how far your child can hop.
9th - Paint the side of the house, drive way or sidewalk with a bucket of water and a sponge.
10th - TV Off Day! - Read a favorite book or play a game together.
11th - Talk with your child about ways to make new friends.
12th - Do exercises together. Reach for the sky, touch the ground, twist around.
13th - Pour water back and forth from different size cups over a sink or outside. What happens?
14th - Practice spelling you last name. Then practice writing it.
15th - Hold a can of soup in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. Which weights more?
16th - Go outside with a bucket of water and a sponge. Toss the wet sponge back and forth.
17th - Make a list of words that start with the sound of /w/, like water.
18th - Practice using scissors. Cut pictures from ads to make a summer collage.
19th - Play "I Spy" outside. What can you spy that is blue?
20th - Find shadows outside. Trace your child's shadow with chalk on the sidewalk.
21st - National Hot Dog Day - Eat a hot dog with all the things you like!
22nd - Sing the Alphabet Song.
23rd - Play a hiding game. Take turns hiding objects in, on and under things.
24th - Star gaze at night. What shapes can you see?
25th - Make your favorite colored jello together. Try blue - do you like it?
26th - Bounce a ball. How many times can you bounce it in a row?
27th - Do jumping jacks. How many can you do?
28th - Make a list of summer words like flip flops, sand, popsicle, and sun.
29th - Go outside and blow bubbles. Use different size wands to experiment.
30th - Sing Row-Row-Row Your Boat

Don't forget to share your favorite activities!

posted by:
Cara Retz
http://www.playsmartstore.com/
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Getting Ready for Kindergarten - June (Teach)

June - Safety First

Teachable Moments

A teachable moment is an unplanned event during the day that adults can use as a learning opportunity for children. When a child displays an action or behavior that can be used as a learning tool, parents and providers should capitalize on the moment, and provide the opportunity to extend or expand the child's learning.

Teachable moments are important for children because they provide meaningful contexts to introduce or expand on something you want children to learn about. This way they can be used to open conversations with children - to find out what they're thinking about. Conversations with the children will help in the development of their language, communication and reasoning skills.

posted by:
Cara Retz
http://www.playsmartstore.com/
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Getting Ready for Kindergarten - June (PE & Health)

June - Safety First

Physical Education and Health

Responsible Personal Heath and Safety Practices

Adults need to model, guide and encourage a safe life style for young children in the areas of physical activities and experiences. By doing so, children develop a sense of personal care and safety - which begins to create independence.

posted by:
Cara Retz
http://www.playsmartstore.com/
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Getting Ready for Kindergarten - June (Safety)

June - Safety First

Safety and a Preschooler

Safety is a very important subject. If children are not aware of how to do things properly, they could hurt themselves or others. Children need to understand this is why we have rules like, "Don't cross the street without looking both ways" or "Don't run with sharp objects".

There are several different areas of safety that you can talk about with your child. Use the list below to help start some great conversations around staying safe.

-Accidents
-Calling 911
-Fires
-Streets
-Playgrounds
-Electricity
-Poison
-Dogs and other animals
-Bikes, scooters, skates
-Strangers
-Cars

posted by:
Cara Retz
http://www.playsmartstore.com/
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Getting Ready for Kindergarten - June (Books)

June - Safety First

Books To Read This Month

Please Play Safe! by Margery Cuyler
The Busy Body Book by Lizzy Rockwell
Watch Out for Banana Peels by Sesame Street
What Pete Ate from A to Z by Maira Kalman

Websites to Visit

http://www.first-school.ws/
http://www.sesamestreet.org/
http://www.familylearning.org.uk/

Parent Tip of the Month
Read the story Little Red Riding Hood. Talk about strangers and safety.

posted by:
Cara Retz
http://www.playsmartstore.com/

playsmartstore@gmail.com