Play, Learn, and Grow Together! Preschool News

The Gift of Mother Goose Nursery rhymes help children learn to read! Research shows that learning nursery rhymes helps

children learn pre-reading skills. Children who learn to pick out rhyming words (for example, cat

and hat) can learn to read more quickly and more successfully than other children. Here are two quick rhyming games you can play together!

Say a word such as cat and ask your child to think of a word that rhymes with it. Try

mouse and house or boat and coat . Rhyme together whenever you can!

When you say a nursery rhyme, stop before you get to the last rhyming word. Ask your

child to fill in the blank. You could say, "One, two, buckle my shoe, three, four, shut

the ______.

March 2012

Quick tip: Hand washing is the quick easy way to keep germs away and stay

healthy! Remind your child to wash hands often—just like at school!

Make Meal Time Family Time! It’s a time for learning and sharing.

Family meals are a time when everyone at home sits down and eats together.

Regular mealtimes provide a comfortable routine for children and a time to

build good family memories.

At mealtime, children learn how to take turns listening and talking.

Teach by showing. Kids learn table manners by watching how other people eat.

Make rules simple and clear—if children know what you expect, it is easier for

them to manage. Some families have rules like:

Wash your hands before you eat.

Wait to start eating until everyone is at the table.

If you don’t like a food, just say “No thanks” not “Yuck!”

Ask before you get up from the table.

Tips for family meals:

If this is new for your family… try it out for one

meal a week to begin!

The food doesn’t have to be fancy, it’s about

spending time together.

Turn off the T.V. and loud music

Be patient if there is a spill. Don’t let accidents

spoil your meal.

Praise good behavior.

PACT Time Don’t forget about

PACT time!

Children enjoy

sharing part of their school day with a special grown-up!

PACT time is a

great way to spend some quality time with your child.

Try the tips at

home for a fun, easy learning activity.