Playgroups

Playgroups are a great way to give your child some socializing opportunity before school starts. Social skills are very important skills to develop. "In the olden days," Kindergarten was a lot about social skills and a little about academics. These days, Kindergarten is a lot about academics and very little about social skills. Teachers just don't have time to teach the curriculum and social skills all in one school year.

This is really too bad; social skills are vitally important for success in life. Knowing this, we parents can and should do things to help our children learn social skills. There are a lot of good skills that are best learned in a group environment, and with peers who will stand up to you. A playgroup is a great way to accomplish this.

There are so many ways to make a playgroup work. I will share how we do things around here and you can take that and tweak it so you make it work for you.

A note before I go forward. Some of you probably have children who are past the age to really do a playgroup and might be now going into guilt-trip yourself mode. Know that Brayden (my oldest) never did a formal playgroup and he is just fine. Not the perfect social guy, but not lost forever either. There are lots of ways to work social skills into your day, and playgroup is just one of them. I will say, though, that I will be sure to do a playgroup with McKenna after doing one with Kaitlyn.

AGE
The first question you might ask is at what age do I do a playgroup? Of course this gets the response of "whenever you and those you are doing it with want to"--but I will naturally provide you with my own thoughts on it.

I do it the year before preschool, which I do the year before Kindergarten. So for us, playgroup is as a 3/4 year old.

There are major benefits to this age range. One is that most 3/4 year olds will be good for other people most of the time. That means that when it is your turn to host playgroup, you will have 5-6 children who listen relatively well. Imagine chasing 5-6 two year olds around....just close your eyes. Multiply your two year old by 5 and let your mind go with it....

See? 3/4 sounds nice, right?

Another benefit is that most 3/4 year olds are potty trained. Parents can have their child go potty before leaving the house and then again when they get home. Sure, some will need to use the potty while at playgroup, but it actually is rare. Plus, you won't be changing 5-6 dirty diapers...again, a nice perk to the 3/4 year old age group.

If you wanted to do a playgroup for two year olds, I would suggest you at least start the process with the moms all there the whole time--but that is more of a play date--which is a fabulous thing to do for children.

Another benefit of the 3/4 year old is that they are less selfish than a toddler and are capable of putting the "why" we do what we do into their brains. They are better prepared to go play without and adult watching and correcting every bad choice because they are able to make a lot of good choices on their own.

A personal reason I like 3/4 is that I like my kids to be home with me under my influence the vast majority of the time until they are 3. Once they hit three, I am more willing to let them play without me around because I know they are capable of some moral reasoning. Up until that point, I want to be that voice in their head teaching them right and wrong. Plus, they are little for only so long. Once they are gone, they start being gone more and more. I know I might sound crazy, but it is honest and I am always honest :)

FREQUENCY
Frequency is up to you. We do once a week. Again, I am taking baby steps on letting my kids be away from me. With once a week, the kids look forward to it. They don't get burnt out by leaving home too often.

We take turns which house it is at. We rotate through the children, so in a playgroup of five kids, you host it once every five weeks.

LENGTH
We do 1.5 hours--from 10-11:30. It is a perfect length for doing a short lesson, some fun learning activity, read a couple of stories, have free playtime, and a snack. They don't get bored, which is good. A group of bored children turns into a group of bored fighting and destructive children. I think you could reasonably do two hours and make it work, also. That might be nice for other moms because it would give them more time to get things done while the child is gone.

CONTENT
Another major question with playgroup is what do you do?

There are lots of options. We went through and did one letter a week, then when letters were done, we did colors. You could mix colors and shapes to cover more content, too.

So what I do is look at what the letter is and choose a theme to go with that letter. For example, my first week was "D" so I did Dinosaurs.

The format I do looks like this:

1. Start by reading a book that goes along with the chosen theme
2. Next, do a learning activity that goes along with the chosen theme. So for dinosaur week, I buried dinosaurs in the sandbox and we excavated them. 
3. I also have a coloring page relevant to the theme on hand in case a child is super fast and needs something else to do. At the beginning of the year, attention spans were shorter so the coloring page helped give us another activity to do. By the end of the year, coloring pages were rarely needed.
4. I might throw other activities in there. I like to try to cover a gross motor activity, fine motor, letter, etc.--but most people don't want to take things that far.
5. Next is free play. 
6. Then we do a snack. I try to make it coordinate with the theme if possible, but young children rarely appreciate the gesture, so you don't need to worry about doing this :)
7. Then I read another story or two until it is time to go home. 

A note on letters, children don't need to learn the letters in alphabetical order--especially when you are doing it all a week apart. When creating your calendar, I suggest assigning letters to weeks that will work for themes going on at the time. For example, doing "L" in the fall for Leaves or "L" around Valentines for love. "P" for Pumpkins, "T" for turkey, "S" for snow, "R" for reindeer...

CHILDREN

So who do you have in your playgroup? 

First, I suggest you have children who are all close to the same age. We have children ranging from November of 06 baby to July of 07 baby. Let me tell you, there is a HUGE difference at this age between the November and July child, in every way. The November child started playgroup knowing all of her colors, letters, shapes, etc. She had a great attention span. The July child started not identifying any, and to get him to sit still for five minutes was an accomplishment. 

There are some children who are mature for their ages and children who are a little immature for their ages. Sometimes you can mix school years, but for the most part, things will go more smoothly the closer in age you can keep the children. It is hard to have activities stimulating enough for the older kids and not over the heads of the younger children. This is a challenge teachers, especially teachers of the young grades, are familiar with, so if there are moms with teaching experience, this will be old hat for them.

I also suggest you try to find moms who have the same vision of playgroup that you do. Some might be more relaxed and just want to let the group of kids get together and play for the whole time. Others might want it more structured like school--have it be a pre-pre-school situation. Make sure the parents all are on the same page and upfront about what playgroup will look like at their house so parents all know what they are agreeing to.

It might even be a good idea to find a group of 10 moms who want to do playgroup and splitting into two groups of five based on ages and playgroup preference--if you can do so without hurting feelings.

An extra activity we did at one playgroup--pin the nose on the pumpkin

My Name is...

When we started working on spelling and writing my oldest daughter's name (and currently learning to recognize the letters in my middle's name), we tried an activity that we used to start the year with when I taught Kindergarten.

You also get the benefit of teaching glue skills ("a tiny dot, not a big splot" is what I tell her). Fun! (Note the slight sarcasm. Gluing can be very frustrating, so if you aren't up for it, I recommend a glue stick. Or glue in a lid and a cotton swab.)

I demonstrate first, and then let her go for it.

Write out their name as it should look on paper, twice. Cut up one of the names so they have blocks to glue. Demonstrate gluing and checking order of letters. I had her do it first without glue. Then I mixed up the letters and let her try it again. Once I saw that she had that part down, we moved on to gluing. She knows how to spell her name, but gets 2 of the letters mixed up. Gluing she loooooved, so this was fun practice for her.

For my barely 2 year old, it was a good chance to work on letter recognition and get some one-on-one instruction in another area while my oldest didn't need as much help.

Reading Sight Words

Sight words are words you have to read by sight. You cannot sound these words out. As your child becomes more familiar with sight words, he will be able to 

So just how do you teach your child to read sight words?

First, start by reading to your child regularly--daily for at least 20 minutes. Do this no matter the age of your child (that means from young to old). 

Second, run your finger along the words as you read. As your child starts to become interested in reading, he/she will follow along and might just start to pick up on some commonly read words.

But you can't simply read. It does take more.

A common approach is flash cards or word lists. This is one method that has its place. Above, you can see the sight-word flash cards I made for Brayden. They are simply notecards with the words written on the back.

My favorite approach is the Bob Books Sight Words books. These are new. I did a review on these books on one of my other blogs. The great thing about these books is that the child is reading the words in context, and reading the new sight word over and over again. This means the child really gets to know that sight word well by the end of the book. It is read capitalized, lowercase, at the beginning of sentences, in the middle of sentences, at the end of sentences....it is more than memorizing a list. It is learning a word in the purpose it was intended--to read it. Bob Books sight words do include some words that can be sounded out. The Bob Books Sight Words set also comes with pre-made flash cards for extra practice. These flash cards have the word on one side and a sentence with the sight word in it along with a picture on the other side.

So there you have a few simple ways to teach sight words. Need help knowing what sight words are? Here are some lists:

Saxons Phonics Sight Words for Kindergarteners (15)

• My
• You
• Into
• From
• One
• Said
• Have
• Four
• Love
• What
• The
• To
• Of
• Do
• Was

Bob Books Sight Words for Kindergarteners (30)

• Ran
• Saw
• To
• Can
• Jump
• On
• A
• Fly
• Has
• Is
• Look
• Who
• As
• Had 
• Was
• In 
• Not
• Some
• Did
• Do 
• She
• Get 
• Go
• Off
• Over
• They
• Went
• Goes
• Down
• Home

Developing Reading Skills: For Kindergartners

According to the National Institute for Literacy, these are skills that your child should develop while in Kindergarten. These will be things for you to watch for during your child's Kindergarten year. If you seem some areas lacking, spend time on it at home. If you are homeschooling, make sure you introduce opportunities for these skills to develop.

• The child listens carefully to books read aloud.
• The child knows the shapes and names of letters of the alphabet and writes many uppercase and lowercase letters on his own.
• The child knows that spoken words are made of separate sounds.
• The child recognizes and makes rhymes, can tell when words begin with the same sound, and can put together, or blend, spoken sounds.
• The child can sound out some letters.
• The child knows that the order of letters in a written word stands for the order of sounds in a spoken word.
• The child knows some common words, like a, the, I, and you on sight.
• The child knows how to hold a book and follows print from left to right and from top to bottom of a page when read to.
• The child asks and answers questions about stories and uses what she already knows to understand a story.
• The child knows the parts of a book and understands that authors write words and text and that illustrators create pictures.
• The child knows that in most books, the main message is in the print, not the pictures.
• The child predicts what will happen in stories.
• The child can retell or act out stories.
• The child knows the difference between made up fiction and real nonfiction books and the difference between stories and poems.
• The child uses what he knows about letters and sounds to write words.
• The child writes some letters and words as they are said to her and begins to spell some words correctly.
• The child writes his own first and last name and the first names of some family members and friends.
• The child plays with words and uses new words in her own speech.
• The child knows and uses words that are important for school work, like colors, shapes, and numbers.
• The child knows and uses words from daily life, like street names and names for community workers (teacher, mail carrier, etc.)

Something that strikes me is that many of these skills are accomplished by doing the things listed in the toddler and preschooler sections (posted previously). You can see how these simple skills you teach your child when she is young help her as she gets older.

Kindergarten: Start Off Right

 

That first day of school can be scary--for mom and child! I have compiled some tips for starting this adventure right.

Here are some tips from the Utah State Office of Education for a successful beginning for Kindergarten.

• Go to orientation. If your school doesn't have an orientation, see if you can make an appointment to visit the school and meet the teacher before the first day of school.
• Talk about fun. Talk about the fun things your child will get to do at school, including, story time, making new friends, and recess.
• Good Routine. Make sure you have a good routine of 10-12 hours of sleep at night and eating a healthy breakfast in the morning.
• Ask and Tell. Teach your child the after-school plan. Does he ride a bus home? Do you pick him up? Will you carpool? Tell him exactly where to go and what to do. Once you have explained it all, have him explain it to you.
• Label. Label all outerwear.
• Independenct Dresser. Have your child wear clothes that can be put on and taken off independently. You know what your child can and can't handle alone. Have him wear shoes, pants, and jackets that he can handle on his own.
• Appropriate Clothing. Make sure clothing is appropriate for sitting on carpets and playing outside.
• Reassurance Item. You can pack an item to send with your child to remind him of home. A favorite stuffed animal, a family picture, or a note are some examples.
• Keep It Simple. Don't overschedule time after school. Your child will likely be tired.
• Check the Backpack. There might be forms you need to fill out in the backpack.
• Celebrate. Celebrate the end of the first day--but remember your child might be tired :)
• Routine. Have a routine for after school. This might include a snack, playtime, and some quiet time with a book.
• Ask Questions. Ask your child about his day. Who did you play with? What did you do today? What stories did you read? What did you play with? What did you make? As your child answers these questions, you can ask follow up questions.

From Kaboose.com

• Independence. Make sure your child can use the restroom independently as well as put his coat and shoes on indpendently.
• Talk About Books. As you read books to your child, talk about it. What was his favorite part? What did he like when xyz? I think this sounds like a  good way to get your child used to answering questions about what happened.
• Get Supplies. Go together to get supplies needed for the school year. I remember last year, Brayden and I went shopping and bought a couple of shirts for his new year of preschool. I remember doing that with my mom and it was a fun tradition for us.

From PBS.org

• Talk About It. The night before, talk about what will happen and review all plans (like where to meet). Let your child talk about how he is feeling about this new adventure.
• Get Up Early. Make sure everyone who needs to be up is up with enough time to have a relaxing morning getting ready.
• Don't Be Anxious. Your child doesn't need to worry about you being worried and missing him. Keep your worries and sadness to yourself.
• Read Books. Read books about going to school.

From Me:

• Ask Around. Ask other moms who have been there their tips on how to start of right. It would be especially helpful to ask moms who have had children start in the same school your children will start in.

Skills For Kindergarten

Brayden had his first entrance exam for Kindergarten about two months ago. I wasn't in the room. Naturally I tried my best to overhear what I could, but I really couldn't hear much. I do know the examiner went through shapes, colors, counting (counting objects), and letters. There might have been more. Brayden got 100% on it, and the teacher seemed surprised to see that.

Here are some ideas of skills to help your child be ready for kindergarten, whether you plan to send your child to school or homeschool. There will be things on this list your child is able to do well. There will be others she can't do at all. Just be sure to give plenty of opportunity to practice. Also remember it doesn't all come at once. You can't expect perfection in your first practice session. Keep things natural and enjoyable.

Activities found on learning blogs like this one and in busy books are great for creating this environment for learning. I will comment on what Brayden is and isn't able to do so far. He is one month away from turning five.

SELF-HELP SKILLS

• Eats Independently: Check
• Uses Restroom Independently: Almost check. He does fine for peeing. I had him wiping his own bottom for pooping, then we moved and he decided he didn't like to do that and started holding it for days. A week ago, I told him he needed to start thinking about doing that himself again. He worries he won't be able to do it right. But he decided he was ready to learn and practice and has done it for a few days in a row. I am not sure we are out of the woods fully, but we are almost there.
• Washes Hands After Using Restroom: Almost check. Almost in that he almost remembers all of the time, but still needs reminders sometimes. But hey, lots of men get married and still need reminders right ;) (oh, and let me be clear, my husband doesn't, but my mom claims my dad did).
• Removes Outerwear Independently: Check
• Cleans Up After Self: Check
• Knows How To Care For And Use Books: Check
• Ask Questions When Necessary: Um, triple check
• Seeks Adult Help When Necessary: Check

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL SKILLS & APPROACHES TO LEARNING

• Curious and Tries New Things: Check. There are times he is nervous to try new things, but he eventually will.
• Takes Turns: Check. I wouldn't call him perfect at this at home. He is quite good at home, but not perfect. But with his peers, he is good at taking turns.
• Shares Materials: Check. Again, not perfect at home, but really close. He even shares everything with McKenna. When I think of where he was three years ago...it is quite amazing.
• Persists In Completing Tasks: Triple Check again. He has an amazing work ethic.
• Confident In Own Abilities: I would say so so. He has situations where he is fully confident in himself and thinks he is fabulous. He has been known to look in the mirror and tell himself, "I love you." He also has areas he is nervous and worries he will fail. I work with him to help him realize things take time and practice and that it is okay to mess up. A good illustration for this is soccer. For the first few games, he didn't want to kick the ball because he was afraid he would fall while kicking. He saw kids do just that and was nervous. We encouraged him a lot and by game four, he was kicking quite often.
• Listens While Others Talk: Depends on who "others" is. I know he is great for his teacher and authority figures. I think he has much room for improvement when it comes to his little sister. When they play together, he does pretty well, but if we are eating dinner and she is telling a story, he jumps in and corrects her or interrupts her, etc. This is an area I will focus on for improvement.
• Shows Concern For Others: Check
• Plays and Works Cooperatively With Others: Check
• Separates From Parent Without Undue Anxiety: Check. A year and four months ago, this would have been no unless he was with Grandparents. By the beginning of preschool (last fall), he was okay. He didn't freak out going to preschool or anything. Sometimes he would be nervous even to go to friends houses. He went and didn't cry, but I could tell he was reserved about it. So was I! lol. But today, he doesn't mind at all. And as a younger preschool-age, he didn't mind either.
• Knows Parent/Guardian's First And Last Name: Check
• Knows Own First And Last Name: Check

LARGE MUSCLE SKILLS

• Hops, Jumps, Runs: Check
• Bounces, Catches, Kicks, and Throws Balls: Check, though he isn't always graceful about it and I wouldn't call him perfect. But I think he is on track for his age.
• Can Run and Stop/Change Direction While In Motion: Check
• Participates In Simple Games: Check

SMALL MUSCLE SKILLS

• Can Control Pencils, Crayons, Scissors, Buttons, Books etc.: Check
• Hand-Eye Coordination like Building Blocks and Construction Playdoh: Check
• Simple Puzzles: Check

MATH SKILLS

• Counts To Ten: Check
• Creates Groups of Up To Five Objects: Check
• Places Like Items Together (red cars/blue cars): Check
• Plays With/Creates/Indentifies Shapes: Check
• Awareness Of Time (morning/night, before/after): Check
• Compares Objects Informally: Check

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

• Speaks In Complete Sentences: Check
• Speaks Clearly Enough To Be Understood By Unfamiliar Adults: Check
• Expresses Feelings and Ideas: Check
• Knows Poems and Songs: Check
• Listens Attentively & Responds To Stories and Books: Check
• Identifies Signs/Symbols/Logos In Environment: Check
• Identifies 10 Or More Letters: Check
• Writes Using Scribbles, Letter like Shapes, or Real Letters: Check

You can see that our biggest area with need for improvement is Socially. This is an interesting category because it is objective. You can subjectively tell if your child has songs or poems memorized, can count, can write, etc. But social skills are measured based on your own ideals/values.

My guess is his social skills would be to par with the majority of people out there for an almost five year old. But I tend to have high standards and want children who are very polite and motivated by the right reasons. I see room for improvement before I can say he is "checked" for "listening to others while they speak." He might not reach that check until he is much, much older.

He also needs help in accepting that he can't be perfect at something from his first try. I still work on this with his father on a daily basis (*wink*), so it isn't a battle I expect to win any time soon. But I do think it is an important lesson and I hope for him to accept it before too many more years pass by.

I think this is a great list to go over because it helps you see what needs to be worked on. Just typing it out helped me see better areas we need to make as target training areas.

These ideas came from a pamphlet written by my state office of education.