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Getting Ready A Calendar of Day-to-Day Family Activity Ideas A perpetual calendar of activities for parents to help their young children be prepared for kindergarten Distributed by: Delaware Department of Education Early Development and Learning Resources Group The activities in this calendar are linked to the Delaware Early Learning Foundations: Preschool. The activities are intended for preschool children three through five. They have been developed to be completed with adult participation. Adults should carefully consider the activities that would be most useful for the children’s developmental levels and interests. Special Acknowledgements: National Association for the Education of Young Children; Public Broadcasting System; Parents Connect; Childfun, Inc.; Preschool Express, Jean Warren; Mommyandme.com; Literacynetwork.verizon.org; Reading Rockets; Parent, Teacher Community Class, Spring 2008, Delaware Technical & Community College, Owens Campus, Lauren Rose – Instructor; Reading & Writing in Early Childhood, IFST 306, Spring 2008, University of Delaware, Anabelle O’Malley – Instructor; Reading is Fundamental; Ooey Gooey, Inc.; Parents as Teachers; National Center for Family Literacy; Children’s Book Council; Nemours Health & Prevention Services; Mother Goose Programs; Read Aloud Delaware, Ginny Ferrara-Dellose; Sandra Mullett, Minnie Alfree, Debbie Amsden and Jim Lesko. Thank you to the kindergarten students who contributed to the art work in the calendar from the following schools: Forwood, Jenny Smith, North Georgetown, Carrcroft, Lord Baltimore, and Woodbridge. Thank you also to the following kindergarten teachers for their help with the art work: Tara Sutton, Joanne Gichner, Joan Deisher, Kristen Blair, Helen Capodanno, Susan Sorrells, Cathy Drew, Tracey Ostroff, and Susie Whitcroft. The final production and distribution of this calendar was supported in part by the United States Department of Education, Fund for Improvement of Education program. A special thank you to the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood for the final preparation and production of the calendar. The calendar can be found on the internet at: http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/earlychildhood or www.dieec.udel.edu If an authored verse has been used without attribution and permission, the omission is unintentional; please contact the Delaware Department of Education, Early Development and Learning Resources Group at 302.735.4295. ͸ȀͳͲ Learning Links The internet can be a rich source of information for parents. Below is a listing of internet sites that may be of interest. There are sites that offer information about activities to do and see in Delaware. Many sites provide information about how to better understand children and how they grow. Also included are sites that offer activities that parents can do with their children that are fun and support learning. Places to Go, Things to See and Do! Activities for Fun & Learning http://www.destatemuseums.org www.readingrainbow.com http://www.publiclibraries.com/delaware.htm www.fun.familyeducation.com http://candoplayground.org www.rif.org/parents/resources/monthly.mspx http://www.dechildrenstheatre.org www.sesameworkshop.org http:///www.destateparks.com/bcsp/bcsp.asp www.childfun.com http://www.delawaretheatre.com www.readingrockets.org http://www.destateparks.com/wilmsp/wilmsp.htm www.pbskids.org www.theideabox.com www.everydaylearning.net Resources and Information www.starfall.com www.ymcade.org www.parentsconnect.com www.babycenter.com www.preschoolexpress.com www.trelease-on-reading.com www2.scholastic.com www.pnc.growupgreat.com www.readingrockets.org www.fun.familyeducation.com www.parentsasteachers.org www.mommyandme.com www.familyeducation.com www.zerotothree.org www.famlit.org www.literacynetwork.verizon.org www.parents.com Resources on Child Development www.extension.org/pages/Just_In_Time_Parenting_eNewsletters dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dms/epqc/birth3/files/growingtogethercalendar.pdf Snowflakes Merry little snowflakes do their very best (Hold hands above head and wiggle fingers and slowly lower hands) To make a soft white blanket so buds and flowers may rest. (Put both hands together and move to side of face like sleeping) But when the bright spring sunshine sun says it has come to stay, (Move arms from side to over head making a circle for the sun) Those merry little snowflakes quickly run away. (Run in place) Artwork by Delaware Kindergarten Student Based on “The Mitten” by Jan Brett Learning Link Reading is Fundamental Reading is Fundamental (RIF) www.rif.org RIF’s “Leading to Reading” site provides booklists, online January stories and songs, resources, and interactive activities to turn children into life-long readers. Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Read “The Mitten” by Have child trace hands Measure & weigh your Put a food pyramid From magazines, cut Read “Sadie & the Jan Brett to make mittens. Have child each month. poster in the kitchen. out pictures of things Snowman” by Allen child cut mitten with Keep a chart & post. Discuss healthy food to eat. Separate Morgan. Make safety scissors. choices. healthy from popcorn snowman— www.mypyramid.gov/kids non-healthy foods. see recipe below. Help your child build a Using paper and pencil Ask your child to think of Take a walk when it Provide pencils, crayons On kitchen calendar, model of their draw a design of the other places in the house or snows. Listen, see, or paints & ask your draw pictures or use neighborhood the two of child to make a picture stickers to note the bedroom using small bedroom & compare you could map out. smell and feel the building blocks. the model. snow. of themselves. weather each day. Limit the time your child Let your child help sort Take your child to the Have your child paint glue Place pairs of magnetic watches TV to one household things like library. Sign up for a on a piece of paper. Let letters on the refrigerator or laundry. Sort by color, size & them sprinkle some rice, cookie sheet. Mix up letters hour - then go outside library card & check and play together! even family member! sand or glitter over the glue and have your child find the out a book. to create a textured picture. matching partners. Cut up vinyl placemats As you read a book, Musical freeze. Dance or Read a story from the Pour salt or sand onto a from the dollar store show with your finger move while playing a Once Upon a cookie sheet or shoebox favorite song. When you and make puzzles. how we read words left lid. Have your child write stop the music everyone Time list. their name using his finger. to right. freezes in that position. Kids’ Kitchen Reading Tips Read the story, Sadie & the Snowman by Allen Morgan. Then make the following recipe. Yum! A child’s own library can build their love for books. Popcorn Snowman Here are some tips from Reading is Fundamental 3 Tablespoons of margarine or butter (RIF) to help children set up their own libraries: 1 (10 oz.) package of regular marshmallows or 4 Cups of mini marshmallows • Find a special place for books. Use a box, basket, 6 Cups of popped Popcorn plastic stacking cubes or other sturdy containers if 1. M elt margarine or butter in a large saucepan over low heat. your child’s room doesn’t have a bookshelf or Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. bookcase. Remove from heat. • Let your children choose the books they want to 2. Add popcorn and stir until well coated. add to their collection. A book-buying trip to a 3. Form 1 large ball, one medium-sized ball, and one small ball thrift store or bookstore is a fun Saturday activity. and make a snowman. Decorate with raisins, carrots, nuts, gumdrops, or favorite fruit or candy. Five Little Monkeys Five little monkeys jumping on the bed One fell off and bumped his head Mamma called the doctor and the doctor said No more monkeys jumping on the bed Repeat verses, subtracting a monkey each time. Artwork by Delaware Kindergarten Student Based on “Caps For Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina Learning Link Ooey Gooey, Inc. www.ooeygooey.com Ooey Gooey, Inc. has a great collection of articles and low-cost recipes that bring high-energy, exciting and February informative hands-on activities to young children. Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Read “Caps for Sale” by Play copycat and have Create a “play box” Read a familiar story or Have your child make Esphyr Slobodkina your child mimic what (Example: Post Office: nursery rhyme. Leave off the Valentines for some collect papers, pens, stickers last or familiar word for your special friends. you do. Then mimic & junk mail.) Play “make child to complete. your child’s actions. believe” with your child. Show your child how a Read a story from the Show your child how Bake cookies or Provide your child with a Play Simon Says. calculator functions. Once Upon a to make shadows by variety of colored scarves & muffins with your music. Be the audience while Let them experiment Time list. shining a flashlight on child. your child moves to the beat with the numbers. a wall. or join in the fun! Talk with child and make a Write your child’s name on a Write numbers 1-5 on index Have your child string riga- Make a “My Favorite list of favorite animals & sheet of paper. Slip it into a cards. Have child count out toni or other pasta shapes Things” book with pages insects. Have them pretend plastic page protector. Have small crackers or cereal & onto a piece of string or for each family member. to move like the one you your child trace it using place on top of card. ribbon. Count the number. Read together. name from the list. crayons. Wipe off & repeat. Have your child use an Teach child to wash hands Have your child use a Use the colored dots Help build your child’s egg beater to whip up while singing the entire song paper punch & punch to create a picture or vocabulary by going on a of “Happy Birthday.” This is fieldtrip to the park, some bubbles in a pan the amount of time needed dots out of colored design.

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