Helping Your Child Love to Read

Maya Angelou, writer, poet, and inspiration was born April 4, 1928 and died May 28, 2014.  This thought is one of her best, “I always knew from that moment, from the time I found myself at home in that little segregated library in the South, all the way up until I walked up the steps of the New York City library, I always felt, in any town, if I can get to a library, I'll be OK. It really helped me as a child, and that never left me.” Books and libraries nourish children when they are sad, lonely, and hungry for information.

On the Reading Path

  How do we get children on this path?  We can read to children daily. Cuddle up together to associate comfort with reading. Make a fort with blankets and chairs, climb in with a few snacks, a flashlight, and read.  Read before naps and bedtime or after a scrape.  Give children an LED flashlight to help read under the bed covers. Read together when children are out of sorts. Show children that you find comfort, knowledge, joy, and refreshment while reading a variety of materials.

  Take children to the library at least once a week. Libraries have a wealth of materials and programs. Check out a wagon full of books.

   In Toni Morrison’s new children’s book, “Please, Louise” she writes about a little girl who could be Maya Angelou.

  A little child looks out the window on a sad colorless day. The child dresses up in yellow rain gear and heads out somewhere with a little red wagon and a determined look.  She hurries past a man sitting on a curb, passes a frightening dog, an old rundown house, and an empty yard full of junk. A black crow cowers overhead.

Imagination

  Finally, the child reaches a destination. It’s a colorful room filled with sunshine and books, thousands and thousands of books. Filled with awe while exploring and choosing books, she settles to read on the floor.

  The next few pages show her imagination. Pages are filled with rainbows and pictures of adventures.  

  When she leaves, her wagon and arms are filled with books. Her world is not so scary. The dog is brown now and friendly. Her neighborhood is not as frightening, and the sun is shining while she reads to a dog on her porch.

   Idealistic, perhaps, but it is not if you have seen a child’s face who has discovered reading and has a nose in a book.

Photos: Maya Angelou Visits:York College http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maya_Angelou_visits_YCP!_2413_-_crop.jpg 
Storytime: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Story_Time.jpg daveparker at http://flickr.com/photos/92155448@N00/1299391810

Hall, Donna. ddc599.jpg. May 2008. Pics4Learning. 14 Jan 2013 http://pics.tech4learning.com

  For more information to help children become readers see grandparentsteachtoo.org and listen to pod casts at wnmufm.org “Learning Through the Seasons” and live broadcasts Tuesdays 4:30 pm and Saturdays 8:35 am EST.

& More Ideas and Activities... See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.

Econ Fun? Go To Garage Sales!

   What did you do with Grandma Dee this week? “We went garage sailing!” the cousins replied.  “We sail from one Garage Sale to another.” This fun time full of memories also teaches valuable economic lessons.

  On Thursday night the one cousin searches through newspapers, cuts out, and highlights Garage Sale times and addresses.  Friday Grandma Dee and cousins and choose some close to the neighborhood during their time allotment.

  Children prepare for the “sailing” by doing “special” chores like picking up sticks and pulling little maples trees out of the garden. Their parents help record their money on threejars.com, an on-line money education program that teaches wise spending, saving, and charitable giving. The young cousins may spend a total of two dollars if they find bargains.

What’s a Bargain?

  A bargain is in the eyes of the beholder, but there are guiding rules. It must be within or almost within the purchase budget.  If it costs more than you have, you may choose a different item or share the item cost with someone.

  High on the purchase lists are books, small cars, figures, board games, puzzles, stuffed animals, baby items for the new baby, sandbox toys, kitchen items like colander, LEGOS, other blocks, and sports equipment.

Buying Strategies

  The children make a general walk -through to see if any desired items are a good value for a good price. Is the item under consideration clean? Are all the pieces there and in working condition?  Is it something I want or need?  Will I use it one time or many times. Do I think I might find something better at another sale?  Once they leave a site they cannot go back.

  Anther rule is always using your best manners. At one site a cousin found a stuffed daschund dog.  At the check the owner stated that was his favorite dog. “Take good care of him.” The new owner kissed the dog’s nose and promised to give Biscuit the best new home ever.  New friends are made garage sailing, too.

  Not every purchase is for them. They are also encouraged to think of others.   Who could use a piggy bank or rattle?

  Next are lunch, conversation, and another time to make lasting memories.  Grandma and the young boys discuss each purchase. Of all the items displayed, why did they purchase that particular one rather than another? What are some things they decided against?  What made the purchases bargains?  Did they purchase anything for someone else? Do they have want or need -type purchases?

What money is left?  One cousin proudly holds up a nickel, and all look forward to next Friday, especially Grandma.

   For more economics and memory ideas with young children see grandparentsteachtoo.org or wnmufm.org “Learning Through the Seasons.”

Photos: Wikimedia Commons: Vintage treasures, going cheap -  http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/625227
Antique Shop, North Street, Horncastle - geograph.org.uk - 562128
 Dave Hitchborne - From geograph.org.uk

More Ideas and Activities... See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.

Blocks Help Build Math Skills

fdarling fotos

Some toys help children at every developmental stage. Blocks are examples of extremely valuable learning tools. Studies show that children who play with blocks are better in geometry and algebra in middle school.
   Probably the first blocks are cloth for young toddlers who still chew on materials. These save squishy blocks can be squeezed, thrown, and kicked. Older children get down to “serious” block play.  They learn how to hold on to blocks. They feel how heavy they are, can learn to sort them by the bright colors, carry them around, or float them in the tub.

Building Towers 

Toddlers can experiment with nesting, stacking, knocking down and laying blocks side by side on the floor.  Adults can get on the floor and stack and knock down towers with them. Children love the sound. They love to fill containers, dump, pick up, stack, and compare towers. Carry on a conversation while playing so they will add words to their vocabulary. Three year olds continue playing on the floor so that’s where adults need to be. They will start pretending, constructing buildings for cars, small animals, and figures. They will love to stack cans from the kitchen cupboard (carefully). 
Young children can be introduced to snap together blocks like Mega Bloks  (giant LEGO type blocks) or large cardboard blocks used for giant towers and houses big enough for family members. Preschoolers can play games of sorting by colors, size, and shape.  They can practice counting while they put away blocks and learn a one to one correspondence. Make a rectangle or square out of masking tape on the floor and help them fill it in with blocks like a puzzle.
           Moving Toward Robots

fdarling fotos

Four and five year olds are ready for large LEGOS, Trio blocks, and others to make imaginative houses, robots, space ships, and dinosaurs. Their play is all about exploring, constructing more complex structures, and following picture instructions. 
   Once children become obsessed with LEGOS they will need help organizing the pieces. Construct on a bed sheet so all parts can be found, scooped up, and sorted in smaller sized bins. Children will also need help learning it is normal for creations to fall apart.  They learn by putting structures back together and making them better. Offer help. Talk about frustration and taking a break from a project. Children will learn to be resilient, persistent, and determined. They’ll need a safe place for their partially constructed masterpieces away from younger children.
   Whether building sets or their own creations children learn complex patterns, classifying, sequencing, counting, fractions, problem solving, and cooperation. They learn how to be structural engineers working with gravity, balance, stability, and beauty—all this from blocks. Third graders on up are reader for Lego robotics.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities... See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.