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Early Learning

Resources (Birth – Grade 3)

Family Tip Sheets

The Office of Early Learning (OEL) has created Tip Sheets for families, with hopes that school districts and educational centers will provide them on a monthly basis or as needed to the families in their prekindergarten programs. Each Tip Sheet covers one area of learning, and provides strategies, activities that can be done at home, and additional resources. They are listed below by title/topic.

Healthy Bodies & Healthy Minds

Getting Ready for School: Healthy Bodies & Healthy Minds

Meeting the health and nutrition needs of your preschool child and establishing regular routines is important for your child’s success in school. The Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds tip sheet provides families with strategies for starting the school year.

Play

Getting Ready for School: Play

Play is an important part of your child’s development. Play helps build children’s brains and bodies, and they learn about everyday life. Participating in your child’s play helps build strong bonds between you and your child. It’s fun to play together!

Math

Getting Ready for School: Math

There are many opportunities for children to learn about math in their everyday routines at home. At home, children can practice counting objects, identifying shapes, make patterns, and sorting objects.

Science

Getting Ready for School: Science with Your Child Everyday

Young children are natural born scientists! They are curious. When they play, they observe, experiment, ask questions and try to figure out how things work. Observing, experimenting, asking questions, and trying to figure things out are all key skills for school and life. You can support your little scientist!

Reading

Getting Ready for School: Read with Your Child Every Day

Reading books aloud with children in any language can introduce them to new information, expand their imaginations, and build their vocabulary. When your child sits with you and listens to a book you are sharing, you also are strengthening your parent-child relationship.

Writing

Getting Ready for School: Writing With Your Child Everyday

Writing is one of the most complex skills children will develop! Learning to write requires children developing knowledge about print, the alphabet, and how sounds are represented by letters. It also requires fine motor skills to hold a pencil and to control how it moves. Writing is a very complex skill, but you can support your child to become a writer!

Outdoors

Getting Ready for School: The Outdoors

Children need time outdoors each day to develop a variety of skills. Weather permitting, find a safe space outdoors that allows children to run, jump, skip, and explore nature. Outdoors, children can move in ways that use their whole body, such as rolling, without the confines of walls that indoor play spaces have. While outdoors, children learn through their senses and movement. Their senses are naturally stimulated through the ever-changing sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of the world.

Feelings/Emotions

Getting Ready for School: Helping Your Child Learn About Feelings

Young children need to learn how to identify and use language to express their feelings, how to calm themselves down when feeling strong emotions, and how to recognize what others are feeling. Children who learn these social and emotional skills will be more successful in school and life.

Transitions

Getting Ready for School: Smooth and Successful Transitions

Transitioning from one early childhood setting to another or starting school in a formal setting for the first time can be overwhelming for both children and adults. Meeting new people, adjusting to a new routine and classroom environment can make children excited, anxious, or nervous. Whether your child is transitioning into a prekindergarten program or to kindergarten, it is important to talk with them and prepare them and yourself for the new experience. Having a plan and being prepared before the first day of school can help lessen the anxiety and pressure around the first day of school.

Talking with Your Child

Getting Ready for School: Talk with Your Child Every Day

Good communication skills are important for your child to be able to express what she or he needs, wants, thinks and feels. Talking with your child in any language helps your child develop good speaking, listening, and early literacy skills. It also strengthens your parent-child relationship.