A Child's World- Early Age Education and Care Centers

Encourage Your Kids to Learn this Summer

Whether they’re in daycare, pre-k, or elementary school, kids typically look forward to the summer months. Unfortunately, the summer months are notorious for initiating the “summer slide,” or the regression of skills learned in school. You don’t need to spend hours working on flashcards with your child to prevent the summer slide. Instead, look for fun activities that foster cognitive development.

Watch this video to hear about some fun summer ideas to try with your child. The expert in this video discusses some pool activities and emphasizes the importance of reading regularly with your child.

For more ideas on boosting your child’s brain power, talk to the educators of A Child’s World Newtown. Contact our daycare and pre-kindergarten at (888) 861-7857 or visit us on the Web.

Advantages of Attending an Accredited Early Education Center [INFOGRAPHIC]

Choosing an early education center for your child is a major decision—this will be the first educational institute that your child will attend and will set the tone for the rest of his or her academic career. Selecting an accredited early education center can provide a number of advantages. These centers are evaluated by the accrediting institution, staff members, and parents to ensure that they are meeting the highest standards for education programs, indoor environment, health and safety, and more. Take a look at this infographic from A Child’s World, a NECPA-accredited preschool in Newtown, to find out more about accreditation standards and advantages. Be sure to share the infographic with fellow parents!

Ways for Parents to Help Their Children Develop a Love of Reading

Many parents begin reading with their children before they are even born, and with good reason. Even unborn children can benefit from hearing speech and language patterns. It’s also never too late to pick up a book with your child. Reading with your youngster regularly will prepare him or her for pre-kindergarten and the rest of his or her academic career. Talk to your child’s pre-k teachers about ways to foster a love of reading and try applying the following tips:

Nurture Your Child’s Interests

By the time your child reaches pre-kindergarten, you will notice that he or she displays an interest in certain topics. Pre-k kids might become fixated on trains or dinosaurs, for example. Take your child to the local library to find books about the topics your child is interested in; children who select their own reading material might be more interested in it.

Try Interactive Reading Activities

Reading can be an interactive experience that engages your child’s interest while promoting speech and language skills. While looking at picture books, point to various illustrations and ask your child what he or she thinks the story might be about based on those images. After you’ve finished reading a story, ask your child what he or she thinks might happen in a sequel. These activities foster your child’s narration skills, creativity, expressive language skills, and critical thinking abilities. As an added bonus, it encourages your child to become more engaged in the story and more eager to read another one.

Set Good Examples

Children learn by example, so let your child see you reading frequently. Encourage your child’s older siblings to read often, too. Fill your home with various reading materials, from coffee table books to magazines to novels. Set aside a few shelves in your child’s room for his favorite books.

At A Child’s World in Newtown, our educators will nurture your child’s love of reading and instill an understanding of basic language skills. Give us a call at (888) 861-7857 or visit our website for more information on our pre-k curriculum.

What Does Brain-Based Learning Mean?

Early childhood education has come a long way since the early “Fun with Dick and Jane” books. Some pre-kindergarten programs have employed a brain-based approach to learning, which takes recent research into consideration. A brain-based approach uses specific activities to stimulate areas of the brain for optimal cognitive development. 

A combination of these activities, environmental stimuli, physical activities, and arts and crafts will help your child reach his or her full potential and set the stage for lifelong success. An example of these activities might include integrating sign language into a lesson plan on basic math skills. A pre-kindergarten program that uses a brain-based approach also encourages children to learn by exploring the world around them. For example, the program might utilize themed classrooms with nature centers to create an environment that stimulates a child’s curiosity.

A Child’s World in Newtown prides itself on offering a wealth of enrichment activities for our brain-based approach. Enroll your child in our pre-kindergarten or child care program today by calling (888) 861-7857. 

Understanding How Children Develop Pro-Social Behavior

Young children learn social skills from interactions with others in their child care or pre-kindergarten program. Gradually, your child will develop pro-social behavior, which refers to any action or response for the purpose of another person’s benefit. Empathy, sympathy, and altruism are all part of pro-social behavior. By nurturing ideal behavior in your child, you can help him or her engage in positive interactions.

Pro-Social Behavior Development Theories

There are two main theories of pro-social behavior development in children. The first is neurological in nature. The regions of the brain that become stimulated when a person is rewarded are also stimulated when that person performs an altruistic act. These areas of the brain, called dopaminergic centers, encourage the formation of habits. If your child shares a toy with another child at a daycare center, he or she will be motivated to do it again because it feels good to share. The second main theory is social cognition, which refers to your child’s ability to sense the needs and wants of other people. Perceiving another person’s emotions is the first step in engaging in altruistic behavior toward that person.

Parental Modeling of Ideal Behaviors

Children learn pro-social behaviors from their environments, including their daycare centers and homes. Parental modeling of pro-social behaviors is critical for habit formation. When your child stubs a toe, for example, you comfort him or her with a hug and positive words. Encourage your child to do similar actions for other people by explaining the feelings of others. For example, point out that Sarah is crying because she wants a turn on the slide and suggest to your child that he or she offers Sarah a turn.

Creation of Positive Verbal Environments

Another component of pro-social behavior development is your child’s own sense of self. Nurture your child’s self-perception by creating positive verbal environments. Interactions with a child should promote self-value for that child. Encouraging positive feelings in your child will help him or her feel the same about others.

The educators of A Child’s World strive to nurture each child’s empathy and social behavior skills. Call our Newtown location today at (888) 861-7857 to learn more about our daycare centers and pre-kindergarten programs.