Preparing for Preschool
Get answers to your questions about your child's readiness for school, and find tips on handling the transition.
12 Back-to-School Books for Kids of All Ages
Starting the school year is a universally exciting and nerve-wracking time for kids (and their parents!). Whether your child is off to preschool, kindergarten, middle school, or any grade in between, find some classic and new back-to-school stories that will help prepare and excite him for the year ahead! Looking for more? Use our Book Finder tool to search for new books for kids of all ages! read more
Action Steps for Families
Action Steps for FamiliesThere are a number of steps that you and other family members can take to help prepare your young children to become readers and to support the reading habit once they are in school. These include: read more
Activities for Age Two
Activities for Age TwoThese activities will teach children new words and story content, and will enrich and expand children's language and emergent literacy skills. read more
ADHD and Preschoolers
It's not at all unusual for parents to suspect that their preschooler might be exhibiting signs of ADHD. read more
Another Year of Preschool?
Find out what benefits another year of preschool might have for a four-year-old. read more
Are We Pushing Our Grandson Too Hard?
Special teaching programs for preschoolers are not necessary. Find out what is. read more
Are You Fostering Independence in Your Preschooler?
Take this quiz to find out if you're helping or hindering your child's journey toward self-sufficiency. read more
Artistically Gifted Three-Year-Old
At three years of age, a child is too young to be enrolled in any special programs, despite advanced fine motor and visual skills. read more
As Simple as A-B-C
As Simple as A-B-CSharing the alphabet with your child helps him begin to recognize the shapes of letters and link them with sounds. He will soon learn the difference between individual letters -- what they look like and what they sound like. What you need: read more
Baby Bookworms! 7 Tips for Reading Aloud to Babies & Toddlers
Did you know that reading to your baby can boost his brain power? The American Academy of Pediatrics announced a new policy in June 2014 advising that parents regularly read aloud to kids from infancy through at least age 5 because it stimulates development, supports the parent/child bond, and helps build language, literacy, and social/emotional skills at a critical time in children's lives. Plus, it's just plain fun! read more
Before Preschool
There are lots of fun, educational activities for children who have a year at home before entering preschool. read more
Does Your Preschooler Have Dyslexia?
Does your little one have a problem learning? Find out if you should have her evaluated for a reading disability. read more
Does Your Preschooler Have LD?
Does your little one have a problem learning? Find out if you should have her evaluated for learning disabilities. read more
Family Reading Time
Family Reading TimeA quiet time for everyone to read on their own may be the only chance you get to see the morning paper. But it's also a time that your little one can "read" her books or magazines. read more
Family Stories
Family StoriesFamily stories let your child know about the people who are important to him. They also give him an idea of how one thing leads to another in a story. What to do: The first activities in this list work well with younger children. As your child grows, the later activities let him do more. But keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them. read more
Feeling Pressured to Put Child in Preschool
Long before the notion of preschool, kids flourished and matured as they creatively explored the worlds of their home, family, and nature. read more
Fun with Names
Fun with NamesUse your child's name to develop an interest in the world of printed letters and words. What you need Paper Pencil, crayon, or marker What to do read more
Getting Students Ready to Learn
Getting Students Ready to Learn Brought to FEN by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Educators continually complain that students are not ready to learn. They show up for school underfed or malnourished, angry or apathetic, stressed, threatened, and sleepy. Naturally, this makes the roles of both teacher and learner much more difficult. This article considers how educators and parents can better prepare their children's minds and brains for school. read more
Guess the Rhyme
Guess the Rhyme>Children love to guess at words that rhyme. What you need: A book of nursery rhymes Books with repeated phrases or short rhyming poems read more
How to Raise a Reader
How to Raise a Reader Just as your little one develops language skills long before being able to speak, she also develops literacy skills long before being able to read. What you do, or don't do, has a lasting impact on your child's reading skill and literacy. Children develop much of their capacity for learning in the first three years of life, when their brains grow to 90 percent of their eventual adult weight. When you talk, sing, and read to your child, links among his brain cells are strengthened and new cells and links are formed. read more
How Well Do You Know Preschoolers?
Take our quiz to find out if you have the right expectations for your three- or four-year-old. read more
I'm Thinking of a Sound
I'm Thinking of a Sound>Playing with the sounds of words will help your child listen to sounds and words, and understand the importance of language. What you need: Names of objects What to do: 1. Say to your child, "I'm thinking of the sound sssss, as in sat. Can you tell me a word that begins with sssss?" Your child names one word. "Can you tell me another word that begins with sssss?" read more
Is Preschool Necessary?
Preschool can be a great time for children to have social experiences with their peers and to be positively influenced by other caring adults. read more
Is Your Child Ready for Preschool?
Is Your Child Ready for Preschool? Some preschoolers who have only been exposed to in-home caregivers (parents, nannies, and sitters) have difficulty making the adjustment to organized day care. First of all, it means separating from you or other day-to-day caregivers for several hours. But it also means getting used to other adults feeding her, helping her in the bathroom, and changing her if she has an accident. read more
Look for Books
Look for BooksThe main thing is to find books you both love. They will shape your child's first impression of the world of reading. What to Do: 1. Ask friends, neighbors, and teachers to share the names of their favorite books. 2. Visit your local public library, and as early as possible, get your child a library card. Ask the librarian for help in selecting books. (Also see the resources section at the end of this book.) read more
Make Your Own Picture Dictionary
Make Your Own Picture DictionaryA letter dictionary is a long-term project. What you need: read more
Mom Questions Preschool for Child
Preschool isn't a necessity when a child has a stimulating, creative home environment and lots of self-directed play. read more
My Favorite Words Book
My Favorite Words BookThis book of favorite words helps your child learn to recognize words. What you need: read more
