Al-Azhar University ‫جـامعـة األزهـر‬

Faculty of Humanities ‫كلية الدراسات اإلنسانية‬

Women’s Branch, Cairo ‫فرع البنات بالقاهرة‬

‫قسم رياض االطفال‬
The kindergarten Department

Basics of childhood
education in English

Prepared By

Prof Safaa Mostafa Darwish

Professor and head of the kindergarten
Department-College Vice Dean
For postgraduate studies
Dr Shaimaa Abd El Aziz Mohammed Abu Zaid
Lecturer –Faculty of Humanitarian Studies
Kindergarten Department
2019 – 2020

Importance of Early Childhood Reading/Education

Children are constantly learning, right from birth. The
experiences they have daily help to shape a foundation for
their mental development and growth for years to come. This
is our greatest opportunity and our greatest weakness.
The Importance of Reading
"Children who have not developed some basic literacy skills
by the time they enter school are 3 - 4 times more likely to
drop out in later years." -National Adult Literacy Survey,
(1002) NCES, U.S. Department of Education
Reading with young children is an easy way to connect with
them and teach them invaluable words and language skills.
Books with pictures and age-appropriate words hold a young
child's attention, and adding sound effects of funny voices
can make reading time even more special.
Developing reading skills at an early age exposes children to
words, ideas and text before entering school.
Babies
Infants begin learning from birth. Newborns and babies learn
new sounds and sights daily, and are especially keen on
hearing a mother, parent, or caregiver's voice. Talking,
reading, singing and cooing with your baby often can provide
the comfort and stimulation she needs.
Toddlers
Toddlers absorb the world around them. Playing, talking and
interacting is how toddlers develop socially, emotionally and
intellectually. Finding activities to cultivate interactions for
child and caregiver is most important to building a comforting
environment that is conducive to learning.
Preschoolers
Preschool-age children learn numbers and counting, shapes,
colors, animals and words that vital to their early education.
Playing, talking and engaging youngsters in fun activities that
get them thinking and learning before they enter a classroom.

Children’s Theatre
There are several theories as to what constitutes children’s
theatre. This diversity exists because the term is used as a literal
description of theatre that involves children in one way or the
other – theatre for children, theatre with children, and theatre by
children. This complexity means there is a need to specify the
sense in which the term is being used. There is no universal
agreement within academic discourse on the parameters in which
the term should be defined. While some scholars suggest age as a
defining factor, others think it should be decided by the
performers who design a piece of theatre based on their
knowledge of the children audience. What is children’s theatre?
What should be the level of involvement for children? This paper is
not a systematic review of the discipline and it is not an attempt to
re/defines children’s theatre. Rather, it is about a pedagogical
approach to creating a piece of theatre for children between the
age of 4 and 10 that can enable them to learn and be morally
developed while being entertained at the same time. In this paper
children’s theatre is the term that will be used throughout.

Benefits of Theater Arts:

1- When kids portray characters onstage, they practice putting
Empathy themselves in others' shoes.
2- Participation in drama boosts kids' feelings of academic
performance belonging and keeps them motivated at school.
3- Self-Esteem.
4- Building Bridges.
5-Goal –setting.

Importance of Children's theater:-

1-Theater can be influential in all aspects of life. Participating

in theater classes can stimulate student's creativity and thought
process.
2-The whole experience of theatre makes people more aware
and sensitive towards various issues.
3- It empowers the meek and makes people do away with their
reservations.
The Benefits of Theatre Education

1-Self-Confidence: Taking risks in class and performing for an

audience teach students to trust their ideas.

2- Cooperation/Collaboration: Theatre combines the creative ideas

and abilities from its participants.

3- Problem Solving.

4- Fun.

5- Trust.

6- Memory.

7- Social Awareness.

8- Aesthetic Appreciation.

why is drama good for students?

Like all the arts, Drama allows students to communicate with
and understand others in new ways. ... Drama is an important
tool for preparing students to live and work in a world that is
increasingly TEAM-ORIENTED rather than
hierarchical. Drama also helps students develop TOLERANCE
and EMPATHY.

Why performing arts are important?

Increased Confidence
Drama and the performing arts provide children the
opportunity to build on their cognitive skills. This is extremely
intrinsic importance of arts in education, as it allows your
children the ability to shift through other disciplines, if they
choose, as they grow older.
How do you define Theatre?
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art
that uses live performers, typically actors or actresses, to
present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live
audience in a specific place, often a stage. ...
Modern theatre includes performances of plays and
musical theatre.

what are the 4 types of stages?

The most common types of stage arrangements are listed
below.
1- Open Air Theater.
2- Hippodromes.
3- Platform stages.
4-Black-box or studio theaters.
5 –Arena theaters.
6- Theaters in the round.
7-Thrust stages.

How do you introduce drama in the classroom?

Methods for Incorporating Drama in the ESL Class
1-act out the dialogue from their textbooks.
2-Perform Reader's Theather.
3-Act out the story.
4-Write the dialogue for a scene.

Definition of Children's Literature:

"Children’s literature is good quality trade books for children
from birth to adolescence, covering topics of relevance and
interests to children of those ages, through prose and poetry,
fiction and nonfiction"

 "A Story is a Doorway" ~ by Richard Peck

A story is a doorway
That opens on a wider place.
A story is a mirror
To reflect the reader's face.
A story is a question
You hadn't thought to ponder,
A story is a pathway,
Inviting your to wander.
A story is a window,
A story is a key,
A story is a lighthouse,
Beaming out to sea.
A story's a beginning,
A story is an end,
And in the story's middle,
You just might find a friend.

Should we teach children how to read literature?

a. Think about your own experiences of reading
literature. Have educational experiences increased
your enjoyment of specific texts? If so, how? If not,
why not?
b. Read the following statements and see if you agree or
not.
1. Children are naturally capable of taking pleasure in
what they read.
2. Readers are made, not born (Chambers, 1983, p.
30).
3. Literature is more experienced than
taught (Glazer, 1986, p. 51).
4. Critical analysis of literature somehow destroys
pleasure in it.
5. Many people don’t focus their teaching of literature
on the enhancement of pleasure because they
believe that pleasure is private, too dependent on
individual tastes and feelings to be taught
(Nodelman & Reimer, 2003, p. 32).
6. Literature must be discussed. It is only by
discussing with others who have experienced a
book that new meaning can be effectively
constructed (Bicknell, p. 45).
7. Children need teachers to demonstrate how to enter
into and explore the world of literature, just as
children learning language need adults who show
 them how the language functions in the everyday
world (Peterson & Eeds, 1990, p. 12).

What should teachers do to help children read

literature?

a. Think about your own experiences of reading

literature. Did any of your teachers teach you how to
read literature when you were a child? If so, how?
b. Read the following statements and see if you agree or
not.
 Ask children to understand every word written in a
text.
 Ask children to derive meaning from context as they
read,
 Ask children to always read closely and analytically.
 Allow children to feel free to read against a text.
 Encourage children to see their reading of
literature as a source of questions to think about
rather than answers to accept.
 Ask children to parrot the responses or
interpretations of other people, particularly those
with authority over them, to prove that they
 understood the “right” things about a book they
read.
 Encourage children to have their own ideas
about what they read.
 Encourage children to exchange their
viewpoints with others and respect the
differences.
 Provide children with diverse experiences of
literature.
 Help children to read with an awareness of
ideological implications, that is, of the ways in which
texts represent or misrepresent reality and work to
manipulate readers.

Definition of Poetry (Russell, 2005, pp. 176-177)

 Poetry is the most emotionally charged means of

written expression and it consists of words arranged
in patterns of sound and imagery to spark an
emotional, and intellectual, response from us.
  Poetry is the language of the imagination,
of feelings, of emotional self-expression, of high
art.
 Prose explains, but poetry sings.
 The language in poetry
is musical, precise, memorable, and magical.

 Folk literature includes all

the myths, legends, epics, fables, and folktales passed
down by word of mouth through the generations. The
authors of traditional literature are
usually unknown or unidentifiable.

 These stories have endured because they

are entertaining, they embody the culture’s belief
system, and they contain fundamental human
truths by which people have lived for centuries.
Knowing the characters and situations of folk literature
is part of being culturally literate.

 Folk literature, regardless of its place of origin, seems

clearly to have arisen to meet a variety of human
needs:
 1. The need to explain the mysteries of the natural
world
2. The need to articulate our fears and dreams

3. The need to impose order on the apparent

random, even chaotic, nature of life
4. The need to entertain ourselves and each other

Technology and child

Technology changes the way kids socialize and interact with

others, which can have huge impacts on their mental and
emotional well-being. ... However, all types of technology can
actually have negative effects on children when used in
excess, because they lower children's frequency of
interacting with their peers.

How Technology Affects Child Development

10 Effects of Technology on Child Development

1. Harms Attention Spans
Perhaps the concern raised most often when it comes to
children and technology is the impact on attention span. The
research supports this concern. Jim Taylor, Ph.D., wrote in
Psychology Today that heightened technology exposure
might actually be changing the way children’s brains are
wired. Why? Because unlike an adult’s brain, a child’s brain
is still developing, and as a result, malleable. When children
are exposed to technology at high rates, their brain may adopt
an internet approach to thinking – quickly scanning and
processing multiple sources of information. Developing
brains are particularly vulnerable to this, and where previous
generations may have spent much more time reading,
imagining or participating in activities that require focus
attention, brains in children exposed to high volumes of
technology may adapt to frequent visual stimulation, rapid
change and little need for imagination.

2. Reduces Self-Soothing and Self-Regulation

Anyone who has raised a toddler would acknowledge the
beauty of distraction in calming a toddler in a tantrum. But
parents today have a tempting distraction always available:
technology. And although in the immediate handing over a
cellphone or tablet may calm a raging preschooler,
the American Academy of Pediatrics states that the
distraction of mobile devices may negatively affect children’s
opportunity to learn how to self-soothe and regulate in those
moments.

3. Increases Aggression
Multiple studies, including one by the Seattle Children’s
Research Institute and the Journal of Youth and Adolescence,
found a correlation between simulated violence, often found
in popular video games, and heightened aggression. Exposure
to violence was found to make children and teens more likely
to argue with peers or teachers, and less empathetic and
impacted by actual violence.
4. Stagnates Physical Activity
Time spent with technology means time spent sitting. Even
with portable devices, the activity itself requires users to be
mostly still. Given the vast amount of time children are
reportedly spending with technology now, this also means
that active indoor or outdoor playtime has now largely been
replaced by this sedentary activity. In extreme cases, children
or teenagers may even forgo other vital activities, likely
eating or sleeping, when engaged with a video game or other
media.

5. Hurts School Performance

Limited attention spans can also impact how children perform
in the classroom. One experienced English teacher told the
New York Times that students “lack the attention span to
read assignments on their own,” due to cellphones and social
media. “You can’t become a good writer by watching
YouTube, texting and e-mailing a bunch of abbreviations,”
said Marcia Blondel.

The article also stated that technology habituates brains to

constantly switching between tasks, which can lead to
reduced attention spans. Michael Rich, executive director of
the Center of Media and Child Health in Boston, says that
children’s brains get are rewarded for jumping to the next
task rather than staying on task, which made lead to “a
generation of kids in front of screens whose brains are going
to be wired differently.” Anecdotally, some teens admit they
prefer the immediate gratification provided by a quick video
over slogging through an assigned novel.

Other research suggests the presence of a computer, even if

intended for educational purposes, may simply serve as a
distraction. In fact, Jacob L. Vigdor, an economics professor
at Duke University and researcher, found that when left to
themselves, children most often used home computers for
entertainment instead of learning. Adult supervision is
critical.

6. Limits Interpersonal Interactions

Leaning on a mobile device to distract children can reduce
their interpersonal interactions. Whether the need at hand is
reconciling with a friend or sibling, entertaining themselves
on a long trip, or settling down at night, if children are
constantly armed with technology, they’re never to navigate
an interaction with a friend, parent or sibling that may be
critical to solving the problem long-term. For older children
and teens, technology may serve as a diversion from
troubling issues: not fitting in at school, parents arguing at
home, etc. But instead of learning to navigate these issues
children and teens may find that technology can give the
illusion of shelter – without arming them with the
interpersonal skills needed to navigate uncomfortable
situations in adult life.

7. Affects Emotional Development

Even in the hands of only parents and caregivers, technology
may have an impact on childhood development. Observation
is the primary way children learn, as they listen to learn
language, observe conversations, read facial expressions and
watch how others navigate emotional situations. Rampant
screen time seeps away intentionally, connected time with
children that are critical to emotional development. For older
children and teens, a heavy reliance on technology to
communicate hinders their people skills, and may even
develop a sense of detachment from others’
feelings, according to Dr. Gary Small, head of UCLA’s
memory and aging research center.
For young children, the impact may be felt as screen time
replaces time previously devoted to play, peer interaction and
exploration, which are thought to foster empathy, problem -
solving skills, curiosity, intelligence, and listening
skills, says Catherine Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist
affiliated with Harvard. Researchers from Boston
University also posit that mobile phone use may prevent
children from developing empathy, social and problem-
solving skills.

8. Helps Visual-Spatial
In particular, video games have been proven to help develop
peripheral visual skills, according to Science Daily. More
broadly, general visual motor skills (tracking objects or
visually searching for something) may improve with
technology use.

9. Helps Multi-Tasking
When applied appropriately (as opposed to driving and
texting, for example) a well-honed ability to multi-task that is
brought on with technology use equips children with a
necessary skill for modern adult life, according to
PsychCentral.

10. Aids Learning

Internet users flex their decision-making and problem-solving
brain functions more frequently, and are more likely to
handle rapid cyber searches well. And, technology may
present the next wave of vocational training for students who
may not thrive in traditional academic subjects. For
example, the New York Times tells the story of Woodside
High’s audio class, filled with at-risk students who are
engaged, participating and learning. Not only is the
technology-driven class inspiring students to show up, it’s
providing occupational learning, and presents an opportunity
to trigger interest in other subjects. Technology can also
support education in more traditional ways, with engaging
games to boost vocabularies or through electronic books.

As with nearly everything in life, technology is not a problem

when used in moderation. However, the numbers suggest
most haven’t yet struck a consistent healthy balance, as
reported averages are well above what the American
Academy of Pediatricians recommends for electronic media.
Considering the AAP recommends no exposure before age 2,
and a limited 1-2 hours per day with entertainment media, it’s
safe to say most children are exceeding the suggested limits.
We need to pursue a technology balance for our children, to
capitalize on the benefits and alleviate the negative effects of
technology in childhood development.

What is computer system for kids?

A computer system is a set of hardware and software

which processes data in a meaningful way. ... Even the
simplest computer is really a computer system because
at least two components (hardware and software) have to
work together. But the real meaning of "computer
system" comes with interconnection.
 How many hours should a kid be on electronics?

Kids and teens age 8 to 18 spend an average of more than

seven hours a day looking at screens. The new warning from
the AHA recommends parents limit screen time for kids to a
maximum of just two hours per day. For younger children,
age 2 to 5, the recommended limit is one hour per day.

What screen time can really do to kids brains?

For young children, extended screen time can have a

negative, lasting impact. The timespan between birth and age
3 is dubbed “the critical period” in the medical community due
to the changes happening in the brain. Too much screen
time during this age range can leave their still-
developing brains permanently damaged.
How much TV should a 5 year old have?

However, most five-year-olds can watch up to three hours of

television a day with few ill effects on their language skills.
Reading to young children was found to have a positive on
language skills later in childhood.

Does TV affect children's brain development?

Children do not have to watch television to be affected by it.

... Young children are less able to focus on active, hands-on
play while the television is on. Background TV can threaten
cognitive and language development and may be linked to
attention problems later in childhood.

Why Is TV bad for kids?

First, TV is a bad influence on kids, because children who

watch more TV are more likely to be overweight. ... This
evidence shows that kids who watch more TV are more likely
to be overweight. Secondly, television is a bad influence
on kids, because watching TV at an early age can
affect children's brain development.

How does TV affect children's education?

TV viewing may replace activities that we know help with

school performance, such as reading, doing homework,
pursuing hobbies, and getting enough sleep. One research
study found that TV's effects on education were long term.
The study found that watching TV as
a child affected educational achievement at age 26.

Does TV affect children's behavior?

Researchers found that children who watched more than two
hours of television per day from age 2 1/2 until age 5 1/2
were more likely to develop sleep, attention, and
aggressive behavior problems than those who watched less.

What TV does to a child's brain?

With brain imaging, the effects of regular TV viewing on
a child's neural circuits are plain to see. Studies suggest
watching television for prolonged periods changes the
anatomical structure of a child's brain and lowers verbal
abilities.

How electronics could be affecting your child's health?

Teens who use electronic devices for more than two hours
per day report significantly more mental health symptoms,
increased psychological distress, and more suicidal
ideation. Children using devices for more than 2 hours per
day have increased risk of depression, and that risk rises as
screen time increases.

Should I let my child watch TV?

Yes, watching TV is better than starving, but it's worse than
not watching TV. Good evidence suggests that screen
viewing before age 18 months has lasting negative effects
on children's language development, reading skills, and
short term memory. It also contributes to problems with sleep
and attention.

Does TV affect children's sleep?

Study: TV Viewing Negatively Affects Toddlers' Sleep. A

new study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that
watching television before bedtime, or
watching television with violent images, can lead
to sleep problems including difficulty falling or
staying asleep, or nightmares.

When can a child watch TV?

Forty-three percent of children under age 2 watch TV every
day, and 18 percent watch videos or DVDs every day. Kids
are slower to start a task they see on screen vs. live. The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV before
age 2 -- and no more than 2 hours after.

Does TV cause autism?

TV Implicated in Autism Rise. Oct. 18, 2006 -- Too

much TV time for toddlers may trigger autism, according to a
study by Cornell business professors. Over the past few
decades, there's been an amazing increase in the number of
children diagnosed with autism.
Does TV cause speech delay?
There are more studies out there that continue to show that
watching TV early and often increases your child's chances of
having a speech delay. That could mean late talking and/or
problems with language in school later in life. ... All of
which can play into your child's ability to learn language as
well.
Does TV Affect Intelligence?

Television (TV) viewing is known to affect children's verbal

abilities and other physical, cognitive, and emotional
development in psychological studies. ... We also confirmed
negative effects of TV viewing on verbal intelligence quotient
(IQ) in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

Can Cartoons cause autism?

WASHINGTON — there is no Harvard study that says a

British children's television cartoon causes autism, despite
what a social media post claims. In fact, there's at least one
peer-reviewed study that hints that a children's television
show may help autistic kids.

Can you fix autism?

There is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, and there's

currently no medication to treat it. But some
medicines can help with related symptoms like depression,
seizures, insomnia, and trouble focusing. Studies have
shown that medication is most effective when it's combined
with behavioral therapies.

Does TV kill brain cells?

Study: Watching too much TV could lead to early death.

Watching television isn't just slowly killing your brain cells; it
may be slowly killing you. Researchers found that people
who watched three or more hours of television a day were at
twice the risk of an early death than those who watched less.

What causes autism during pregnancy?

The risk of autism is associated with several prenatal risk

factors, including advanced age in parent, diabetes, bleeding,
and use of psychiatric drugs in the mother during
pregnancy. Autism has been linked to birth defect agents
acting during the first eight weeks from conception, though
these cases are rare.

Can autism go away?

There is no known cure for autism. But recent research
might make parents wonder if it ever goes away — either
through therapy or through a child simply growing older.
Researchers looked at parent's reports on 1,420 children who
once had an autism diagnosis.

What are the chances of having a child with autism?

In general, the risk of having a child with autism spectrum

disorder (ASD) is about 1 in 68, or 1.5%. But the risk goes up
to approximately 20% for families who already have
a child with ASD. If a family has one child with ASD,
the chance of the next child having ASD is about 15%.

Terms & Definition of Kindergarden:

Kindergarten - nursery
school

Kindergarten teacher
Kindergarten programmes

Pre – kindergarten

Pre - kindergarten Classes

Pre - kindergarten
Teachers
SOS -
Kinderdorf International

Appreciation
Autism
Children with special
Needs
Co-operative Play
Collaborative Teaching
Creative
Critical Thinking Skills
Culture
Curriculum
Integration
Bullying
Kinematic breeding
Cultural media
Kidnapping risk
Sexual harassment
Cultural Identity
Performance arts
Body language
Psychological needs
Hearing impaired
kindergarten children
Emotional Development
Development
Disability
Early Childhood
Early Learning Programs
Gifted
Individual Differences
Language Acquisition
Language Arts
The Learning
Environment
Literacy Skills
Media Specialist
Motive
Pedagogy

Physical abuse
 Play
Pre-academic Skills
Reinforcement
Solitary Play
Talk Pictures
Uniqueness

Pioneers in Early Childhood Education

1- Johann Comenius (1592–1670)

** Wrote the First Picture book for Children called: "Orbis
Pictus"(The world of Pictures,1658)
** He advocated learning based on the Principles of nature –
development is from within so children should be allowed to learn
at their own pace .
** He is most noted for three significant contributions: books with
illustrations, an emphasis on education with the senses and the
social reform potential of education.

2- Locke: John Locke (1632-1704)

**Based his Theory of education on the scientific method. He

theorized the concept of tabula rasa, the belief that the child that
the child is born neutral ,rather than evil and is a"clean slate" on
which the experiences of parents ,society , education , and the
world are written.
**The Purpose of education for Locke was to make man a
reasoning creature.

3-Pestalozzi :Johann Heinnrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827)

**He,too,used nature study as a part of the curriculum and

believed that good education meant the development of the
senses.
**He was pragmatic putting forth ideas practices for teachers on
educating and caring for the child.
**He stressed the ideas of an integrated curriculum that would
develop the " whole child".
**He wanted education to be the hand, the head and the heart of
the child.

4-Froebel:Friedrich Wilhelm August Frobel (1782- 1852)

** He is known as the "father of kindergarten" not only for giving it

a name but for devoting his life to the development of a system of
education for young children.
** The German word Kindergarten means "young Children"
** He started his kindergarten in 1836 for children aged about 2-6 .
** He believed that play was the highest phase of child
development.
**His kindergartens included blocks , pets and finger plays.
** He developed the first educational toys which he termed
"Gifts".

5-Montessori: Maria Montessori

(1870- 1952)

**First Female Physician in Italy worked with young children from

the slums of Rome; they were poor and mentally retarded
children.
** She designed materials, classrooms and learning methods for
young children could achieve with proper motivation and
environments.
**Her materials were self-correcting and emphasized self-help
skills.
**She focused on sequential steps of learning.
**Her materials and approach to teaching and learning are widely
used today.

6-Dewey: John Dewey

(1859- 1952)
**The First American influence on American education.
**Dewey believed that children were valuable and childhood was
an important part of their lives.
**He believed that programs for children should be "child –
centered"
**Children should have real-life experiences and programs should
be set up so that children were allowed to make choices (They
must learn to learn in a democratic society)
**Expansion of Kindergarten in American.
7-Patty Hill: Patty smith Hill
(1868- 1946)
**An Innovator and a leader in the "Progressive Movement".
**She wrote the song "Happy Birth Day"
**Founded the National Association for Nursery Education (NANE)
now the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC).

8-McMillan Sisters: Rachel & Margaret

**It is believed that Nursery School in the U.S. blossomed because

of the dedicated work of these sisters.
**They opened clinic for children of the slums of England and later
added education, their theory of fresh air, sleep and bathing
proved successful when the children of their school weren't
affected during an outbreak of the measles.
**This Concept of Nursery schools extended to the U.S.
 9-Abigail Eliot: Abigail Adams Eliot
(1892-1992)

**Work let to her helping to establish Pacific Oaks College where

she integrated Froebel's gifts, Montessori's equipment and the
McMillan's fresh air concept.
 10 Important Things about Children

10 Important Things Your Child Should Learn by Age 10:

By becoming a parent, each person assumes a great

obligation. Undoubtedly, everyone wants their child to grow
up kind, honest and brave. But all these qualities do not arise
from the air. In addition to giving a good education, you must
give an example to follow.

Here, we put together 10 things that it is better to teach your

child before he or she turns 10 years old.
1. You should respect both girls and boys. They are equal

Respect is a quality that you definitely need to instill in your

child. Including respect for other children, regardless of their
gender. Because rights do not have stature, big and small we
deserve a Good Treatment, let's treat all children with respect!
2. Don't be afraid to make a mistake

Learning from the mistakes of others is a talent that very few

have. To err is human, to learn is divine. It is important to
know how to learn from your failures. Making mistakes is
natural and no need to worry about it too much. You have to
go ahead ultimately. Teach your child not to fear losing and
making mistakes.
3. Knowledge is more important than grades

Parents spend their time scolding children for every grade

that does not match their expectations. But not always a
rating is an indicator of knowledge. Maybe your son is just
cheating. As a child, the idea that knowledge is much more
important than qualifications is a must.
4. Your parents are not your enemies. You can always
seek their help.

Not everyone knows how to be friends with their child.

Besides, he already has friends. All you need are good parents
who know the measure in everything. Show your child that he
can trust you. Sermons or shouting are not the best way to do
it.

5. Always be ready to stand up for yourself

Many times, parents imply that friends, the teacher or simply
other people have more authority than the child. This gives
rise to many complexes and the impossibility of defending
their opinion. Tell him that respect is important, but it is also
necessary to express his point of view and defend himself
correctly.

6. Don't do something you don't like for someone's

approval
Your child does not always understand that popularity is not
the most important thing in life and seeks to be popular at all
costs. Show him with your example that it is more important,
to be honest than to like everyone, sacrificing your principles.

7. If you don't understand ask questions

Asking questions is natural. And it's much better than sitting

down making a smart face, not understanding a single word
in reality. Your child needs to learn it from a young age. Teach
your child for not being afraid to ask if they cannot
understand something properly.

8. Tell your teacher if you don't feel well

Neither the bad grades nor the anger of the teacher should
be the reason why your child is afraid to express that he feels
bad. Health is above all. And it is better that you explain it to
your son as soon as possible.

9. Respect for the environment

How many times do we complain that the streets are dirty,

the parks are full of garbage and the grass is trampled? To
teach your child that nature must be reawakened, you must
start with yourself and set an example. Only in this case will
the result be evident.

10. Learn to say "No"

Teach your child to say "no". Whether to adults, their

teachers, their friends or even yourself. Because you are
raising a person, not a subject who must always obey. The
ability to say "no" is something your child will need in adult
life.

FamiSafe - The Best Parental Control for Parents

The ability of children to use mobile phones today is
surprising. They have an overwhelming ease from very early
ages. It is harmful to their moral and ethical growth. That is
why it is very important that children are protected. As
parents, it is very useful to know about the most reliable
parental control app FamiSafe to strengthen parental control
effectively.

Healthy eating for Kindergarten Children

 What is healthy food for kindergarten?
Consider these nutrient-dense foods:
 Protein. Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs,
beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.
 Fruits. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned,
frozen or dried fruits — rather than fruit juice. ...
 Vegetables. ...
 Grains. ...
 Dairy.
 How do you explain healthy eating to a child?
They include:
1. Start with breakfast. Eating a balanced breakfast with protein
is a great way for your child to start their day. ...
2. Make mealtimes a priority. ...
3. Get kids involved. ...
4. Make small shifts to healthier foods. ...
5. Limit sugar. ...
6. Be smart about fat. ...
7. Make fruits and veggies more appealing.
How do I get my 5 year old to eat healthy?
8 Tips for Parents:
1. Offer a range of healthy foods. ...
2. Don't expect children to "clean their plates." Serve
appropriate portion sizes, but do not expect your child to
always eat everything served. ...
3. Offer regular meal times and sit together. ...
4. Limit processed food and sugary drinks. ...
5. The best drinks are water and milk.
How do you explain healthy eating to a child?
They include:
1. Start with breakfast. Eating a balanced breakfast with protein
is a great way for your child to start their day. ...
2. Make mealtimes a priority. ...
3. Get kids involved. ...
4. Make small shifts to healthier foods. ...
5. Limit sugar. ...
6. Be smart about fat. ...
7. Make fruits and veggies more appealing.
How do I get my 5 year old to eat healthy?
8 Tips for Parents:
1. Offer a range of healthy foods. ...
2. Don't expect children to "clean their plates." Serve
appropriate portion sizes, but do not expect your child to
always eat everything served. ...
3. Offer regular meal times and sit together. ...
4. Limit processed food and sugary drinks. ...
5. The best drinks are water and milk.

Why is healthy eating important for a child under 5?

Children's Section: Healthy Eating for the under 5's
Children require regular meals and snacks to give them the
energy and nutrients they need to grow and fight off
illness. Eating family meals together will encourage them to
enjoy a variety of foods.

What are 5 benefits of healthy eating?

In this article, we look at the top 10 benefits of a healthful

diet, as well as the evidence behind them.
 Weight loss. ...
 Reduced cancer risk. ...
 Diabetes management. ...
 Heart health and stroke prevention. ...
 The health of the next generation. ...
 Strong bones and teeth. ...
 Better mood. ...
 Improved memory.
Which fruit is good for child?
10 Foods for the Growing Child
 Berries. Strawberries and blueberries are rich in vitamin C,
antioxidants and phytochemicals. ...
 Eggs. High in protein and vitamins, eggs are one of the
richest sources of choline – an essential nutrient that aids
brain development. ...
 Cow's milk. ...
 Peanut butter.
 =============================================

How can schools promote healthy eating?

Encourage Healthy Eating Behaviors and Promote
School Lunches
1. Eat school lunch yourself. When students see you eating
school lunch in the cafeteria, they may be inspired to follow
suit. ...
2. Focus on how different foods make them feel. ...
3. Teach students about their body's need for nutrients. ...
4. Plan a “field trip” to your school's kitchen. ...
5. Show students where to find more information.
6. Why is healthy eating important for students?
 The Importance of Eating Healthy for Students.
Research has shown that students are able to learn better
when they're well nourished, and eating healthy
meals has been linked to higher grades, better memory
and alertness, and faster information processing.
Why healthy eating is important?

Eating well is fundamental to good health and well-

being. Healthy eating helps us to maintain a healthy weight
and reduces our risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol and the risk of developing cardiovascular
disease and some cancers.

Which food is good for children's brain?

These 7 foods can help kids stay sharp and affect how
their brains develop well into the future.
 Eggs. The protein and nutrients in eggs help kids
concentrate, says Los Angeles-based chef Beth Saltz, RD. ...
 Greek Yogurt. ...
 Greens. ...
 Fish. ...
 Nuts and Seeds. ...
 Oatmeal. ...
 Apples and Plums.
 ==============================================
What are the 10 most healthiest foods?


The Top 10 Healthiest Foods on Earth (And How to Eat

Them)
 SPINACH. This nutrient-dense green superfood is readily
available - fresh, frozen or even canned. ...
 BLACK BEANS. Filled with super healthy antioxidants, black
beans digest slowly - keeping you feeling full for longer. ...
 WALNUTS. ...
 BEETS. ...
 AVOCADO. ...
 DARK CHOCOLATE. ...
 RASPBERRIES. ...
 GARLIC.

 Why is a healthy diet important for a child?

 By giving your child a healthy balanced diet, you are

ensuring that they are getting all the essential vitamins,
minerals and other nutrients that children need
for healthy growth and development. ... Calcium and
Vitamin D: Essential for the normal growth and
development of bones in children.

Can Food Affect Children's Behaviour?

 Child behavior and food have been found to be closely

linked. Studies show that certain foods can cause or at
least worsen behavioral issues like ADHD and other
learning disorders. ... For this reason, parents
 whose children have behavioral disorders should
consider this list of common food triggers
of behavior problems.

How does junk food affect children's learning?

Children Who Eat More Fast Food Show Less Academic

Improvement, Study Shows. Fast food has long been linked
to obesity, but a new study suggests that it may also affect
children's educational achievement. ... Researchers found
that students who ate more fast food overall had slower
growth in academic achievement.

What is the healthiest breakfast?

Here are the 12 best foods you can eat in the morning.
1. Eggs. Eggs are undeniably healthy and delicious. ...
2. Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is creamy, delicious and
nourishing. ...
3. Coffee. Coffee is an amazing beverage to start your day. ...
4. Oatmeal. Oatmeal is the best breakfast choice for cereal
lovers. ...
5. Chia Seeds. ...
6. Berries. ...
7. Nuts. ...
8. Green Tea.
 9. What is food?

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional

support for an organism. Food is usually of plant or animal
origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals.

What are the 7 things you need for a balanced diet?

There are seven essential factors for a balanced diet:
carbs, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, minerals and water.

How does healthy eating promote child development?

Children need a wide variety of nutrients (e.g., protein,

complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, minerals and vitamins)
to assist in their daily growth and development and to
protect them from childhood illnesses. Daily exercise also
helps children to build stronger muscles and bones and limit
excess body fat.

What means healthy eating?

Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that give
you the nutrients you need to maintain your health, feel
good, and have energy. These nutrients include protein,
carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. Nutrition is
 important for everyone. ... No food or diet can prevent you
from getting breast cancer.

Healthy habits that could add more than a decade to your

life?
 Not smoking.
 Maintaining a healthy weight.
 Doing at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day.
 Eating a healthy diet high in fruit, vegetables and whole
grains, and low in red meat, saturated fats and sugar.

What are healthy habits?

Healthy Habits of Fit People
1. Start off with a breakfast to FUEL your day. Remember
learning that breakfast was the most important meal of the
day? ...
2. Drink lots of water. ...
3. Set a deadline. ...
4. Don't leave your healthy-eating goals to chance. ...
5. Remain consistent. ...
6. Eat whole, real foods. ...
7. Fill your home with healthy, nourishing foods. ...
8. Take your workout with you.
 Are bananas bad for children?

Bananas Are Packed With Important Nutrients

Lots of foods contain potassium, and so a child who eats a
healthy diet isn't likely to become deficient in the nutrient (a
condition called hypokalemia). Bananas also boast a
variety of other minerals, as well as certain vitamins,
including vitamins A, B6, B12, folate.

Is cheese good for kids?

Cheese is mostly made up of protein and fat and is
a good source of calcium. Studies show that
eating cheese and other dairy products is linked to better
overall diet quality. ... Cheese provides children with high-
quality protein, which is needed for proper growth.

Do kids need meat?

Foods derived from animals are rich in protein, fatty acids,

iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and vitamins D and B12. But
research shows that children who are raised as vegetarians
grow and develop at the same rate as meat-eaters

What is healthy food for school?

School meals should include more fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains, low-fat milk instead of high-fat milk, sensible
limits on calories, and less unhealthy fats and salt,
and healthier snacks and beverages.
 Why is proper nutrition important for children?
Young children need to develop healthy eating and physical
activity habits early on. ... Parents and caregivers know
the importance of nutrition to a child's physical and mental
development to grow and develop. However, they also need
to be good role models. Meal and snack times teach sharing
and socializing skills.

Which fruit is good for brain?

Avocados are almost as good as blueberries in
promoting brain health, says Pratt. "I don't think the avocado
gets its due," agrees Kulze. True, the avocado is a fatty fruit,
but, says Kulze, it's a monounsaturated fat, which contributes
to healthy blood flow. "And healthy blood flow means
a healthy brain," she says.

What should you not eat?

Here are 11 foods to avoid when you're trying to lose
weight.
 French Fries and Potato Chips. Whole potatoes are healthy
and filling, but french fries and potato chips are not. ...
 Sugary Drinks. ...
 White Bread. ...
 Candy Bars. ...
 Most Fruit Juices. ...
 Pastries, Cookies and Cakes. ...
 Some Types of Alcohol (Especially Beer) ...
 Ice Cream.
 =====================================
 What are the benefits of healthy development?
Healthy habits help prevent certain health conditions, such
as heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. If you take
care of yourself, you can keep your cholesterol and blood
pressure within a safe range.
...
Combats diseases
 Metabolic syndrome.
 Diabetes.
 Depression.
 Certain types of cancer.
 Arthritis.


Can food dyes cause behavior problems?

 Artificial Food Dyes and Hyperactivity

 The dyes that are known for causing symptoms include
Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Red 40. Hyperactivity
and food dyes have been linked in studies. ... Clearly,
some food triggers behavior problems, but the good
news is that certain foods can actually improve these
issues.
 What foods cause behavior problems?

Common Food Intolerances

 Dairy.
 Eggs.
 Gluten - Protein in Wheat, Rye, Oats and Barley.
 Sugar (Particularly if your child has candida, a yeast
overgrowth which can effect behavior, common in children
with neurobehavioral disorders like ADHD and Autism.)
 Shellfish.
 Soy.
 Foods High in Salicylate.
 Can food allergies cause behavior issues?

 They can cause a diverse range of symptoms including

fatigue, slowed thought processes, irritability, agitation,
aggressive behavior, nervousness, anxiety, depression,
ADHD, autism, hyperactivity and learning disabilities.

Why are kids menus so unhealthy?

Why do so many meals get a failing grade? The answer is

pretty obvious. They contained sugary beverages, fried foods
(including French fries and fried chicken), burgers, and full-fat
cheese, in addition to other unhealthy ingredients. The
calorie counts, fat, sugar, and sodium levels often exceeded
standards.
 Is junk food bad for children?

Fast food consumption is

definitely harmful to child health. Children who eat fast
food have higher intake of energy, fat, saturated fat, sodium,
carbonated soft drink, and lower intake of vitamins A and C,
milk, fruits and vegetables than those who do not take fast
food (P<001)
Handicap in kindergarten
Early Signs of Learning Disabilities in Preschool & Kindergarten

Most children who have ADHD are not diagnosed until the
elementary school grades. With younger children, it is harder to
distinguish normal rambunctious, inattentive, and uninhibited
behavior from behavior that is abnormal and symptomatic of
ADHD.
Early identification of ADHD or any related developmental
problems, and early intervention, can make a huge, positive
difference in the life of a child and his family. They can
significantly minimize the social, behavioral, or learning difficulties
the child experiences as a result of the disorder, and prevent a lot of
struggle down the road.
Preschool and kindergarten teachers are in the best position to
catch early signs and symptoms of a developmental delay or
disability, and to identify children who are at risk for struggles in
learning and school. Teachers need to be aware of symptoms — and
share their observations and concerns with parents and other school
specialists (such as the school’s multi-disciplinary team).
A child with ADHD may have other developmental weaknesses or
delays in some areas — speech-language, motor skills, or academic
readiness, shown by difficulty in learning and remembering ABCs,
numbers, shapes, and letter-sound associations. It is important to be
aware that children with ADHD often have co-existing learning
disabilities, such as dyslexia. Some warnings of LD in preschool
and kindergarten include the following:
Language

1. Slow development in speaking words or sentences (“late

talkers”)
2. Pronunciation problems
3. Difficulty learning new words; slow vocabulary growth
4. Difficulty finding the right word to use when speaking
5. Difficulty understanding and following simple (one-step)
directions
6. Difficulty understanding questions
7. Difficulty recognizing or learning rhyming words
8. Lack of interest in storytelling
9. Immature grammar (syntax)

Emergent Literacy Skills

1. Slow speed in naming objects and colors

2. Limited phonological awareness (rhyming and syllable
blending)
3. Difficulty understanding that written language is composed of
phonemes (individual sounds) and letters that make up
syllables and words
4. Minimal interest in print and limited print awareness
5. Difficulty recognizing and learning the letters of the alphabet
6. Difficulty learning the connection between letters and sounds
Cognition

1. Trouble memorizing the alphabet or days of the week

2. Poor memory for what should be routine (everyday
procedures)
3. Difficulty with cause and effect, sequencing, and counting
4. Difficulty with basic concepts, such as size, shape, and color
Motor Skills

1. Clumsiness
2. Poor balance
3. Difficulty with fine motor skills and manipulating small objects
(stringing beads, tying shoes, buttoning)
4. Awkwardness with running, jumping, or climbing (delayed
gross motor skills)
5. Difficulty with or avoidance of drawing, coloring, tracing, or
copying
Social Behavior

1. Trouble interacting with others, plays alone

2. Easily frustrated
3. Hard to manage, temper tantrums
4. Has difficulty following directions
 Attention and Behavior

1. Distractibility and inattention

2. Impulsivity
3. Hyperactivity
4. Difficulty changing activities or handling disruptions to
routines.

Types of handicap in kindergarten

Specific Learning Disabilities:-

 Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
 Dyscalculia.
 Dysgraphia.
 Dyslexia.
 Language Processing Disorder.
 Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities.
 Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit.
 ADHD.
Kinetic education
 It is the same with your child, so praise them for doing their
work and for their persistence. Sometimes something more is
needed. An incentive is simply something that motivates one
to action. If an incentive is what it takes to get your child
motivated to do their homework, then, by all means, try it.

What are your child's strength?

Personal strengths are positive personality traits like

kindness, curiosity, creativity, resiliency, thoughtfulness, and
empathy. Personal strengths usually come naturally.
Enhancing strengths: personal strengths mostly come from
inward, but you can enhance these strengths by acting as a
positive role model.

What are your child's challenges?

Learn about these common challenges and some steps

you can take to manage them and help your child thrive.
 Self-Esteem Issues.
 Guilt.
 Perfectionism.
 Control Issues.
 Unrealistic Expectations.
 Impatience.
 Friendship Issues.
 Attention and Organization Issues.
Music and art in kindergarten
 Musical Crafts for Kids
 Recycled Outdoor Music Station via My Nearest and
Dearest. ...
 Homemade Kids Drums via A School of Fish. ...
 Fancy Shaker Eggs via Mama Smiles. ...
 Cardboard Guitar via Makedo. ...
 PVC Pipe Xylophone via Frugal Fun for Boys. ...
 Cardboard Castanets via Whimsy Love. ...
 Tin Can Howler via Housing a Forest.

Fine Arts for Preschoolers and Toddlers - Sound, Music,

and Art

Teaching fine arts to young kids is a fun way to get them interested in a
variety of activities and expand their interests. In fact, that is one of the
main reasons that we personally love learning by theme because it
exposes my toddler to the vast world that we live in and expands her
appreciation for many aspects of life and activities that she can learn to
love even more. Fine arts for preschoolers and toddlers means that they
diving into imaginative and intellectual concepts even as young children!
The definition of culture means a particular set of customs,
morals, codes and traditions from a specific time and place.
An example of culture is the Ancient Greek
civilization. Culture is defined as a high degree of taste,
knowledge and interest in arts, literature and other scholarly
fields.
 What are 5 examples of culture?

Examples of this kind of culture include:

 An appreciation for opera.
 A love of classical music.
 Enjoying the ballet.
 Attending art exhibits.
 Reading fine literature such as the classics.
 An appreciation for gourmet food and wine.
Why is culture important?

In addition to its intrinsic

value, culture provides important social and economic
benefits. With improved learning and health, increased
tolerance, and opportunities to come together with
others, culture enhances our quality of life and increases
overall well-being for both individuals and communities.
What is culture in your own words?

Culture is a word for the 'way of life' of groups of people,

meaning the way they do things. ... A culture is passed on to
the next generation by learning, whereas genetics are passed
on by heredity. Culture is seen in people's writing, religion,
music, clothes, cooking and in what they do.
Is religion a culture?

From this perspective, religion and culture are inseparable,

as beliefs and practices are uniquely cultural. For
example, religious rituals (one type of practice) unite
believers in a religion and separate nonbelievers. ... Simmel
(1950) believed that religious and cultural beliefs develop
from one another.
 Playing

Play is the work of children. It consists of those activities

performed for self-amusement that have behavioral, social,
and psychomotor rewards. It is child-directed, and the
rewards come from within the individual child; it is enjoyable
and spontaneous.
 What are the 5 characteristics of play?

The Five Characteristics of Play—And of Montessori

Work
 “Play is self-chosen and self-directed; players are always free
to quit.” ...
 “Play is an activity in which means are more valued than
ends.” ...
 “Play is guided by mental rules.” ...
 “Play is non-literal, imaginative, marked off in some way from
reality.” ...
 “Play involves an active, alert, but non-stressed frame of
mind.”
What is play based learning in kindergarten?

About Play-Based Learning

They actively explore their environment and the world around
them through play. By exploring ideas and language,
manipulating objects, acting out roles, or experimenting with
materials such as blocks, natural items, playdough and paint
– these are some of the ways children learn through play.
 How do you incorporate a play in kindergarten?

*You might like our Alphabet Centers & Activities for Pre-
K & Kindergarten!
1. 10 Ways to Incorporate More Play in the Classroom. ...
2. Create play-based learning centers. ...
3. Use Manipulatives. ...
4. Play Games. ...
5. Take Play Breaks. ...
6. Take Your Learning Outside. ...
7. Use Puppets. ...
8. Act it out.
 What are the expectations for kindergarten?

Kindergarten Expectations
 Develop positive self-esteem.
 Learn to work and play with others.
 Learn to work independently.
 Learn to follow directions and classroom expectations.
 Demonstrate respectful and responsible behaviors.
 Be polite and kind.
What are some goals for kindergarten?

First, consider the goal of a good kindergarten program.

Kindergarten provides your child with an opportunity to learn
and practice the essential social, emotional, problem-solving,
and study skills that he will use throughout his schooling. The
development of self-esteem is one of the
important goals of kindergarten.
 How do kindergarten students engage in learning?

10 Rules of Engagement
1. Start Class with a Mind Warm-Up. ...
2. Use Movement to Get Kids Focused. ...
3. Teach Students How to Collaborate Before Expecting
Success. ...
4. Use Quick writes When You Want Quiet Time and Student
Reflection. ...
5. Run a Tight Ship When Giving Instructions. ...
6. Use a Fairness Cup to Keep Students Thinking.
 Why is play important for preschoolers?

Play allows children to use their creativity while developing

their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and
emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain
development. It is through play that children at a very early
age engage and interact in the world around them.

How can I improve my social skills for kindergarten?

5 Ways to improve social skills in kids:

1. Encourage eye-contact. When talking to somebody,
encourage your children to look into their eyes and talk for
effective communication and to build confidence. ...
2. Teach them emotions. ...
3. Make them communicate. ...
4. Give them the environment. ...
5. Prepare them for higher social skills.
 10 Ways to Incorporate More Play in the Classroom

If you have been here awhile, you know I am a huge

proponent of play in the classroom. I am truly blessed to
teach in a school where my kindergarteners play every day in
the classroom and it is encouraged and supported. However,
I know that isn’t the case for so many early childhood
teachers around the world, so when I received this post – 10
Ways to Incorporate More Play in the Classroom, from
Andrea, I knew it would be so valuable for teachers looking to
increase learning through play in any way they can!
10 Ways to Incorporate More Play in the Classroom

We know we need more play in our classrooms, but we are

pushed to meet academic standards. Prepare students for
testing we are told. Many teachers are discouraged from
allowing students to “just play.” Fortunately, it IS possible to
incorporate more play, meet academic standards, and maybe
even convince others of the value of play while we are at it!

Here are 10 ways you can incorporate more playful

learning in your classroom – starting today!

1. Create play-based learning centers.

This is an easy way to sneak play into your daily

routine. Whether traditional play centers (sand, dramatic
play, blocks, etc.) or a collection of bins on a shelf, having
play materials available is the first step to adding more
play into your routine.

If you don’t yet have centers, start with a few bins and add
things like puppets, blocks, puzzles, and games. Switch the
contents often and connect them to classroom learning.

For instance, you might have:

o Puppets for characters in a book you read together

o Blocks with task cards relating to what you are learning in
math (ex. build a castle that has 6 triangles)
o A matching game of science concepts (ex. match the
animal with their habitat.)
 2. Use Manipulatives

Young children are concrete learners who learn by

doing. This is why play is such a powerful tool!

Instead of using pencil and paper to teach new concepts, use

manipulatives.

They don’t have to be fancy teacher-store items either. I

once had a class whose favorite manipulative was a big
bucket of old keys!

3. Play Games

Use games to practice and review concepts. They don’t have

to be complicated or even competitive.

Young students love:

o Guessing games
o Eye spy
o Hide-and-seek type games
o Solving puzzles together

4. Take Play Breaks

We know our students need breaks, and recess is often too

short.

After a bit of hard learning, reward your students with a play

break.
Pull out your learning centers and let them have a few
minutes to relax and re-energize for your next lesson.

5. Take Your Learning Outside

There is lots of learning that can be done outside, no matter

the weather.

My students have :

o Created snow sculptures to represent the characters in a

book
o Practiced writing words in the snow and mud
o Collected seeds, flowers, and grasses and sorted them,
measured them and divided them into fair shares
o Found shapes in the playground structures
o Gone hunting for letters and words

6- Use Puppets

Dramatic play is natural for children and puppets and stuffed

animals that talk are quickly accepted as teachers and
friends. What’s more, students will often listen and
respond to a puppet in a way they never would for a
teacher!

Puppets in my classroom often:

o Approach the students with a problem for them to solve

o Ask the students to teach them something (a great way to
assess what your students have mastered, and reinforce
a concept for struggling learners at the same time.)
o Introduce a new song, game, or activity
o Reinforce rules and manners
 7. Act it Out

Instead of having students retell a story – act it out!

You can also act out:

o Scientific processes
o Mathematical operations
o Concepts such as fractions, patterns, and ordinal
numbers
o Letter formation
o Sentence structure
o Social problem solving
o and whatever else you can come up with!
Students love to be chosen to be actors and they will be fully
engaged in learning!

8. Play With Your Students

When students are playing, don’t be shy – join in!

Playing together builds bonds with your students and creates

a classroom community of shared learning and fun.

Plus, as a participant in the play, you have the ability to

scaffold the student’s learning and to stretch them and
challenge them and help them to grow!
 9. Make Learning an Adventure

Imagine two intros to a lesson.

The first: “Today, we are going to learn about African

animals.”

The second: “Today we are going to go on an

adventure! We are going to take an airplane and fly to a
place halfway around the world. While we are there, we
are going to meet some weird and wonderful creatures
that live in this amazing place. Are you ready to begin
our journey?”

In the first lesson, the teacher might show some photographs

of each animal and talk about each one. In the second
lesson, the students actually pretend to get on a plane, land
in Africa, and view the photos of animals placed around the
classroom in the role of explorers in a new land.

Both lessons will teach the same content, but one feels like
playing. The best part – to the students, a journey to a new
place in their imagination is almost the same as being there,
and they will remember the lesson months later.

10. Create Parent Buy-In

Parents love their children and want them to learn – and so

do you!

If parents (or administration) are giving you a hard time about

play in the classroom, try to show them all the learning that is
happening.
Through my classroom blog I will often include a photograph
of playful learning in action. I explain exactly what the
students are learning and how I am assessing their learning
through play. (In the days before blogging I used to do the
same thing in my weekly newsletter.) This has gone a long
way towards gaining support for play in the classroom.

No matter what, don’t give up! The power of playful

learning is worth fighting for.

How do you encourage playful learning in your

classroom? What is your favorite way to play with your
students?
Language in kindergarten
What is the meaning of kindergarten method?

Kindergarten, which literally means a garden for children,

comprises a range of early childhood educational practices.
... Kindergarten methods of teaching use different
instructional designs to help children learn at their own pace
while in a social and collaborative environment.
Why is it called kindergarten?

The word kindergarten comes from the German language.

Kinder means children and garten means garden. ... He felt
children needed to be nurtured and caringly tended to like
plants in a garden. Hence, he founded an early education
program for young children, which he called kindergarten.

Who gave the concept of kindergarten?

Kindergarten itself is a German invention, and the

first kindergartens opened in the United States were by
German immigrants. They adopted the ideas of educational
theorist Friedrich Froebel, who opened the
first kindergarten in the world in 1837 in Blankenburg,
Germany.
 Developmental characteristics

Physical Developmental Characteristics. Physical development

refers to bodily changes including growth, improved gross and fine
motor skills, and biological maturity. In early adolescence, the
young adolescent body undergoes more developmental change
than at any other time except from birth to two years old.
What are the 5 characteristics of development?

Child development includes:-

1. physical
2. emotional
3.social
4 cognitive.
5. communicative aspects.
Cognitive abilities and intellectual aspects when achieved
faster and of higher standards the child is of a higher IQ .
What are the 5 developmental domains?

“Those domains are social, emotional,

physical, cognitive and language.” The five critical domains
inform the JBSA CDPs' approach to early childhood
education, but they also can provide a blueprint for parents
as they facilitate their children's development.
What are the characteristics of development in
adolescence?

Characteristics of
young adolescent physical development include: •
Restlessness and fatigue due to hormonal changes. A need
for physical activity because of increased
energy. Developing sexual awareness, and often touching
and bumping into others. A concern with changes in body
size and shape.
What are the characteristics of growth and development?

Different characteristics of growth and development like

intelligence, aptitudes, body structure, height, weight, color of
hair and eyes are highly influenced by heredity.
What are the characteristics of growth and development?

Different characteristics of growth and development like

intelligence, aptitudes, body structure, height, weight, color of
hair and eyes are highly influenced by heredity.
 Importance of stories

Stories play a vital role in the growth and development

of children. The books they read and the characters they get
to know can become like friends. It's also good
for children to understand that books are a useful source of
information and that good reading skills are important for
success in their future lives.

Storytelling is a creative form of expression where imagination is

translated into words. It requires interactive words and actions with
variations in tone, to narrate a story that keeps the listeners hooked
until the end. A good storyteller also encourages the listener’s
active imagination, letting them become the co-creators of the tale.

Storytelling can take various forms such as dance, puppetry,

musicals, comedy, poetry, and more. It requires patience,
persistence, and multiple trial-and-error attempts to master this
skill.
How To Tell Stories To Children: 5 Easy Ways Of Narrating
A Story

Not knowing how to tell a story to a child can be frustrating,

especially when your little one wants a bedtime story every night.

Young minds are always exploring something, are bored easily and
move from one topic to another so quickly that you struggle to
catch up. So how do you capture the child’s attention and get them
to stay with you, without boring them?
Here are a few tips to help you with that:-

1. Understand the listener: The first and foremost step is to

understand your audience: knowing what they want will help
you create and narrate a compelling story. So ask yourself what
your child likes: superheroes, prince and princesses, aliens or
historical figures?

2. Construct your message: The next step is to define a message

that you want to convey through your story. What should the
children take away from the story? Is there anything specific
you want them to learn from this story? Build your stories based
on these questions.

3. Include creative words: The usage of innovative and

impressive vocabulary works best when you are narrating a
story to children. But limit the usage of words that are difficult
to comprehend for a child.
4. Inspires curiosity: Pausing a story when it gets most
interesting makes the listener eager to know what happens next.
It makes the children curious and encourages them to ask
questions, which also helps in their learning, growth, and
development.

5. Kindles imagination: It is one thing to be curious and another

to become imaginative. A well-narrated story takes you to
various parts of the world, both real and mythical. Stories with
an element of fantasy and magic help in improving the
imagination and creative thinking of the listeners.

6. Improves concentration: Listening to stories helps improve

the attention span and concentration levels too.
7. Introduces new vocabulary: When you include new
terminology every time you narrate a story, children learn them
and try to understand the meanings of these unfamiliar words.
This helps them improve their vocabulary.

8. Enhances the learning process: Stories have a unique way of

improving the learning process, both at an academic and
personal level too. Storytelling can engage the children in a
creative learning process that makes understanding even the
toughest of topics easy.

9. Develops emotional intelligence: This is the key to success at

various stages of human life. The development of emotional
intelligence refers to the awareness of and control over one’s
emotions and expressions. Stories help you in achieving that in
a simple yet beautiful manner.

10. Teaches empathy: The ability to think for others, placing

yourself in other’s shoes, and understanding their feelings
makes one a better individual. Stories can teach you to become
more empathetic towards others and be sensitive to their needs.

11. Improves communication: When your imagination and

thinking are clear, they reflect in communication. Listening and
understanding the stories can enhance communication at
different levels.

12. Lowers stress and anxiety: Stories not only entertain, but
captivate you as they transport you into different worlds in the
imaginary realm. Listening to such delightful stories and
experiencing the magic and fantasy in their minds can lower
thestress and anxiety levels in children.
13. Sharpens memory: Whether a story is long or short, kids tend
to remember the plot, characters, and other aspects of it for as
long as they can. This is good for the kid’s memory skills but
can prove disadvantageous to the storyteller, as the kids will
remember if you are repeating a story. Wink! Wink!!

14. Makes academic learning easier: Certain academic subjects

have a direct or indirect connection to various stories. This is
one of the many ways in which stories can make academic
learning easier for children. The creative thinking ability that
they develop by listening to stories also makes academic
learning effective.

15. Encourage a budding storyteller: Listening to intriguing

stories may inspire children to one day pen down their own
narrative or become a storyteller themselves.
 The benefits of storytelling

Sparking a passion for reading from a young age is so

important for a child's development, and it's fun!

Children instinctively love books and stories as they are

introduced to wonderful ideas, places, and creatures they
haven't before encountered.

Through stories children are able to learn more about life, the
world, and themselves. Aside from creating a bonding
opportunity, there are so many benefits to reading with your
child.
 Cultural understanding
Telling stories allows children to experience different worlds,
countries, and traditions. It can help develop an appreciation
of the rest of the world and different cultures.

Storytelling has been proven to help develop a sense of

empathy as children are encouraged to put themselves in the
position of the story's protagonist; to consider their actions
and reactions and why they may have made them.

Curiosity, imagination and communication

Reading to a child can increase their willingness to express
themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings.
Ask them to talk to you about the plot and characters in the
story; to suggest how each of the characters might move the
story forward and to tell you why they think the character has
behaved in a particular way.

When storytelling, you should actively encourage children to

ask questions and to talk about how they feel.

Reading is the perfect way to broaden their vocabulary, as a

child will pick up new words as they hear them. If they don't
understand a word, they will more than likely ask for an
explanation, so always encourage this kind of questioning.

Storytelling also encourages children to be creative and use their

imagination to picture the setting, the characters, and the
story as it unfolds. Rather than being given the imagery to
 accompany the words, which is the case when watching a
film, the child is able to build the world within which the story
is set for them.

Focus and social skills

Through storytelling children are encouraged to listen to
others, whether it be the storyteller or others listening to the
story. They learn to be more patient and to let others speak;
they begin to understand that others may not interpret things
in the same way they do.

Their focus and listening skills are developed as they

concentrate on what the storyteller is saying as, if they do not
listen, the will miss out on part of the plot.

Storytelling provides children with a window to new worlds.

It gives them the opportunity to learn new ideas and
information; without realising it, they are learning valuable life
lessons through hearing an engaging, exciting story.?
Early learning programs
What is Early Learning?
People confuse early learning with daycare or babysitting.
Early learning is so much more than that. Early learning or
early education- these are terms that are used to describe
programs that provide education for children outside their
own home before kindergarten. We know that children are
actively learning wherever they are–at home, in early learning
programs, and communities. Parents are undeniably
children’s first and most important teachers, but young
children need meaningful learning opportunities to develop
skills, sense of self and a foundation for learning throughout
life. Children who participate in early learning programs
develop a love for learning, and families benefit too!
Children who attend high quality early learning programs
develop competencies in:
oHealthy eating and wellness habits
o Fine and gross motor development

o Self-help/self-regulation

o Creative expression through the arts

o Planning and reflection

o Eagerness/curiosity for learning

o Persistence

o Social skills with peers and adults

o Greater identity of who they are

They also gain other essential skills such as:

o Listening and understanding
o Increased vocabulary
o Speaking in sentences/conversation
o Emergent writing
o Mathematical thinking, counting and measuring
o Scientific thinking and inquiry
o Understanding of people, places and environments
 Early literacy
o

o Problem solving

Interested in learning more about how to help your child

grow and learn as well as get parent tips along the way, then
check out the Office of Early Learning (OEL) “Parent Pages.”

Early Childhood Development Program

Goal
The goal of the Early Childhood Development program is to
assure that every child enjoys the right to develop his or her
early childhood to the fullest. The program does this by
 Preparing comprehensive quality criteria for institutions
that are active in the field of early childhood.
 Preparing a diagnostic study of the reality of the role of
nurseries in the governorates of Giza and Qalyubiya.
 Increasing the absorption rate of 4 to 6-year-olds in
kindergartens.
 Preparing and carrying out the training of cadres about
the comprehensive quality criteria.
Geographical Scope
The program is active in the following governorates: Cairo,
Giza, Qalyubiya, Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailiya,
Suez, Aswan, New Valley, South Sinai, and al-Gharbiya.
Target Group(s)
The program targets children aged 0 to 8 and all those
working with children of this age group.
Achievements
The Early Childhood Development Program has:
 Formulated the overall quality criteria for early childhood
institutions (10).
 Prepared a study on the importance of incubators in the
governorates of Giza and Qalyubiya.
 Offered courses for nursery teachers and trained cadres
about the overall quality criteria.
 Prepared an experimental program to stimulate the
enrolment of young children aged 4 to 6 in kindergarten
classes (target: 60% by 2010).
Challenges

 The program is working on the establishment of multi-

functional centre that would organize a training course
about the comprehensive quality criteria for kindergarten
teachers and managers. It also wants to offer a
professional development course for kindergartens
teachers and tutors.
 The ECD program works for the formulation of a small
sub-committee within the Commission of Early Childhood
in order to prepare the program to increase the number
of children enrolled in kindergarten classes, in
 accordance with the framework outlined in the State's
plan.
Partner(s)
Partners in the Early Childhood Development program
include the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Ministry of
Education, several NGOs, the General Office Diwan of the
Governorates, volunteers, Kindergarten Colleges, and
businessmen
 Development in kindergarten

Development. Your child continues to develop a wide range

of skills in kindergarten, including physical, social,
emotional, language and literacy, and thinking (cognitive)
skills. ... They also support children's development of self-
regulation—being able to manage their feelings and behavior.
 DEVELOPMENTAL
CHARACTERISTICS
Each child develops at his or her own pace. The information that follows outlines some of the
general characteristics children demonstrate at various age levels. Not all children will progress at
the same pace or rate. Also listed are suggested toys and equipment for each age grouping.
Remember that these are only suggestions. Keep in mind that each child is an individual and will
have his or her own likes, dislikes, strengths and interests. Get to know the children in your care
and have age-appropriate toys and equipment available based on your knowledge.

BIRTH TO 18
MONTHS

Characteristics: Suggested Toys and Equipment:

 Grasps objects  Rattles

 Mouths objects  Nursery mobiles
 Reacts to sound  Soft animals
 Reacts to movement  Crib-gym exercisers
 Needs to be held, hugged  Nested boxes or cups
 Kicks, creeps, crawls, rolls  Picture books
 Recognizes familiar persons  Push-pull toys
 Reacts to facial expressions  Musical toys
and other body language  Pounding toys
 Shatter-proof mirrors
 Imitates
 By 18 months is climbing and
walking Required Equipment:
 Coos, babbles, laughs, jabbers,
imitates words  Cribs
 Diapering area
 Car seats
 Age appropriate seating for:
- feeding
- play

All items used must be larger than 1½ inches in diameter to avoid risk
of choking.
 18 MONTHS TO
3 YEARS
Characteristics: Suggested Toys and Equipment:

 Picks up and carries objects  Riding toy to straddle

 Throws
 Climbs, runs, jumps
 Mouths objects
 Points to and names items
 Jumps, hops, skips, runs
 Uses two or more words in
sentences
 Assembles simple puzzles
 Builds with blocks
 Scribbles, draws
 Follows simple directions
 Aware of emotions
 Easily frustrated
 Capable of self-help skills
 Wagon to climb into
 Child-sized play furniture
 Blocks
 Dress-up clothes
 Stuffed animals
 Dolls and doll furniture
 Simple puzzles with large pieces
 Large crayons
 Simple musical instruments
 Push-pull toys
 Snap together-pull apart toys

All items must be larger than 1½ inches in diameter to

avoid the possibility of choking.
 3 YEARS TO 6
YEARS
Characteristics: Suggested Toys and Equipment:

 Socializes  Puppets
 Independent  Creative and dramatic play
 Follows two or more step clothes and props
directions  Transportation toys
 Cooperates  Puzzles
 Draws, colors, writes  Blocks
 Jumps, hops, skips, runs  Large crayons and paper
 Throws and catches balls  Books
 Pretends, acts out  Records, musical instruments
 Communicates verbally and non-  Peg-boards, large pegs, and
verbally beads
 Shares  Art materials
 Longer attention span  Stacking and interlocking blocks
 Questions and toys
 Able to identify emotions  Sports equipment
 Capable of self-help skills  Riding toys
 Understands simple jokes  Dolls and doll furniture

Supervise children closely when they play with

small toys to avoid the possibility of choking.
 6 YEARS TO 9 YEARS

Characteristics: Suggested Toys and Equipment:

 Develops hand-eye coordination  Board games

 Problem solving skills  Tabletop games
 Masters muscle control  Fashion dolls
 Able to express self through  Doll house
complete sentences  Typewriter/computer
 Constructs complex structures  Transportation toys
 Understands consequences of actions  Construction sets
 Understands simple concepts  Puzzles
 Draws complex pictures  Marbles
 Recognizes and writes symbols  Handicraft items
 Able to control emotions  Art materials
 Able to work independently  Books
 Increased attention span  Sports equipment
 Riding toys
 Dramatic and creative play clothes
and props
 Puppets

9 YEARS OLD AND

UP

Characteristics: Suggested Toys and Equipment:

 Model kits
 Advanced communication skills  Dramatic and creative play
 Developed problem solving skills clothes and props
 Creative and imaginative  Sports equipment
 Independent  Art materials
 Recognizes social responsibilities  Board games
 Curious  Jigsaw puzzles
 Able to follow complex directions  Handicrafts
 Increased attention span and  Puppets
 Books
ability to concentrate
 Items for experiments in:
 Able to think abstractly - Planting
 Capable of reading for - Science
content and pleasure - Cooking
 Ready to be part of the community  Card games
 Collectibles
- Cards
- Dolls
- Stamps
Individual Differences
What is individual differences in child
development?

According to Borich & Tombari (1997), “Individual

differences are the variations we observe among
members of any group in a particular characteristic,
such as temperament, energy level, friendship
patterns and parent-child attachment.”

What are the different aspects of individual

differences?

Characteristics that define individual differences can

be classified into four main categories: Learning
Style, Aptitude, Personality and Emotional
Intelligence.

What is meant by individual differences?

DEFINITION OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

Individual differences stand for the variation or
deviations among individuals in regard to a single
characteristic or number of characteristics. It is
stand for those differences which in their totality
distinguish one individual from another.
 How do you deal with individual differences in the
classroom?

1. Differentiate instruction. ...

2. Capitalize on learning styles. ...
3. Incorporate multiple intelligences into curriculum. ...
4. Capitalize on student interests. ...
5. Involve students in educational goals. ...
6. Use computerized instruction. ...
7. Group students effectively. ...
8. Consider outside placement options.

What is individual differences theory?

A theory of mass communication that proposes

that individuals respond differently to the mass
media according to their psychological needs,
and that individuals consume the mass media to
satisfy those needs.

Who gave the concept of individual differences?

Individual Differences
One of the earliest definitions of intelligence was
given by Binet and Simon in 1905 who defined it as
the “ability to judge well, to understand well, and to
reason well”.
 What are the consequences of individual
differences?

Consequences of individual differences:

People differ in productivity.
Quality of work varies because people vary in their
propensity for achieving high-quality results.
Empowerment is effective with some workers, but
not with all.
A given leadership style does not work with all
people.

What is the individual behavior?

Individual Behavior. Advertisements. Individual

behavior can be defined as a mix of responses to
external and internal stimuli. It is the way
a person reacts in different situations and the way
someone expresses different emotions like anger,
happiness, love, etc.

How do you cater for individual differences in

the classroom?

The Education Department (1994) suggests that

teachers may cater for individual differences by
the following: Providing pupils with a different
amount of input or support • providing additional
support for less able pupils • Using graded
worksheets suited to different learning styles or
abilities.
 What is individual differences in educational
psychology?

Individual differences are the more-or-less

enduring psychological characteristics that
distinguish one person from another and thus help
to define each person's individuality. Among the
most important kinds of individual differences are
intelligence, personality traits, and values.

What are individual differences in the

workplace?

Individuals bring a number of differences to work,

such as unique personalities, values, emotions, and
moods. When new employees enter organizations,
their stable or transient characteristics affect how
they behave and perform.

Who started the study of individual differences?

Its first president (and one of its founders) was

Hans Eysenck. The society investigates the major
dimensions of individual differences in the context
of experimental, physiological, pharmacological,
clinical, medical, genetical, statistical, and social
psychology.
 Why are individuals different?

An important contributor to the differences

between individuals derives from their plasticity. ...
Conditional plasticity appears to have evolved from
repeated challenges from the environment so that
the organism responds in a particular manner to the
environment in which it finds itself

What is the meaning of educational

psychology?

Educational psychology is the branch

of psychology concerned with the scientific study
of human learning. ... It is informed primarily
by psychology, bearing a relationship to that
discipline analogous to the relationship between
medicine and biology.
 Early literacy skills in kindergarten

Key predictive skills and abilities include:

 Oral language. Listening comprehension, oral
language vocabulary.
 Alphabetic Code. Alphabet knowledge,
phonological/ phonemic awareness (the ability to
discriminate sounds in words), invented spelling.
 Print Knowledge/Concepts. Environmental print,
concepts about print.
Solitary Play
Solitary play, also known as independent play, is
one of the earliest stages of play where
children play alone because they have not
developed socially to be able to play with others yet
or because they choose alone time.
 Stages of Development of Social Play

Mildred Parten (1932) research is still cited today. She

researched the development of social play in children (2-
5 years of age). She discovered that a child’s development
of his/her social skills is reflected in the way they play.
She also found that once a child has developed the
ability to participate in a particular stage of social play,
he/she will use different variations and combinations of
that stage, and earlier stages, throughout play.
Stages of Development What it looks like: What age it typically
appears:
Solitary play Children play alone, with Birth-2 years
their own toys. They do not
get close to or interact with
other children.
Solitary play should be
encouraged
because it builds skills for
working independently.
Parallel play Children continue to play on 2 ½ to 3 ½ years
their
own, but they are beside
children and may be using
the same toys.
Associative play Children begin to truly 3-4 ½ years
play with others. They
share play materials but
may be following their
own
story line.
Cooperative play The highest level of social 4-5 ½ years
play where children play in
groups and everyone is
cooperating to achieve a
common goal. This type of
play involves negotiation
among children. This
happens when children
change “roles” in the play
and/or take turns making
suggestions about the plot.
Games with rules A part of cooperative play 6 + years
that involves winners and
losers. These games involve
child-controlled rules and
are not the same as
competitive games, like
sports.
These games show an
understanding of the social
rules in our culture.
Onlooker Play When a child watches other Birth +
children playing but
makes no attempt to
join in.
What about Sharing?
Learning to share is a skill that takes several years to
master.
Sharing can also refer to playing or working together,
cooperatively. Adults can mode to children how to work
together with others on crafts, during meal preparation
or meal time when sharing a meal, problem-solving, or
playing a game that involves turn-taking and sharing
pieces (e.g., like a spinner or a key).
Stages of What it looks like: What age it typically
Development appears:
First Stage Everything is “mine.” 2-3 years of age

Second Stage Learn that some things 3-5 years of age

belong to others.
Third Stage Children learn they can 4-5 years of age
lend a toy and get it
back.

Children can learn to

share more readily
when they experience
their toy come back to
them and when they
see other children share
with them.

Children and adults all

need the knowledge
that their things will be
respected.
Special toys and
comfort items (like a
blanket or stuffed
toy) do not need to be
shared.

When children (and

adults!) are tired or
grumpy, they may
return to the first stage
of sharing!
 Co-operative Learning

Cooperative play
allows children to interact with others, express their
thoughts, and try out new ideas. It also promotes
social growth and sharing. It is a way to help
children recognize that they have personal worth
independent of whether or not they win a game or
contest.
 What age is cooperative play?

As children progress through the play stages they

around 4 or 5 years old come to the cooperative
play stage. It is quite apparent in the later preschool
years when children have acquired the skills to
interact together for the purpose
of play. Cooperative Play is often described as a
more organized kind of play.

Why is cooperative play important?

During play, children learn skills that help them

interact with other children and adults, and they also
gain knowledge about the world around them.
... Cooperative play is especially important because
it allows children to learn social rules such as
sharing, turn taking, cooperation, and dealing with
disagreements.

What are the 5 stages of play?

 Social Stages of Play
 Unoccupied play. I know this can be hard to believe,
but play starts at birth. ...
 Solitary play. This stage, which starts in infancy and
is common in toddlers, is when children start to play
on their own. ...
 Onlooker play. ...
 Parallel play. ...
 Associative play. ...
 Social play.
What is the difference between associative play
and cooperative play?

associative play: two or more

children playing with blocks building the same
thing, talking with each other but not working
together to create something. Cooperative play:
two or more children are playing with blocks
building the same thing, talking with each other and
working together to create something.
What are examples of cooperative play?

Try activities that require children to work together

to reach a common goal (problem-solving, like a
treasure hunt). Play with construction toys (blocks
or Lego). They offer wonderful opportunities for
children to work together to achieve a result. Jigsaw
puzzles can encourage children to work together.
 What are Piaget's stages of play?

Piaget's Stages of Play

According to Piaget, children engage in types
of play that reflect their level of cognitive
development: functional play, constructive play,
symbolic/fantasy play, and games with rules
(Johnson, Christie & Wardle 2005).

What are the characteristics of cooperative

play?

In cooperative play, everybody wins. Play is how

young children learn. Through play, children
develop the skills they need to expand their
physical, emotional, social, and cognitive abilities. In
effect, play = learning.
 How do you encourage cooperative play?

Here are some tips and tricks for encouraging

your child to play cooperatively:
1. Take Turns. Babies begin to engage in back-and-
forth interactions -- the building blocks to
cooperation -- at around 6 to 9 months. ...
2. Do Chores Together. ...
3. Model Empathy and Cooperation. ...
4. Encourage Free Play. ...
5. Play Cooperative Activities.

What age is parallel play?

It usually involves two or more children in the same

room who are interested in the same toy, each
seeing the toy as their own. The children do
not play together, but alongside each other simply
because they are in the same room. Parallel play is
usually first observed in children aged 2–3.

Why is play important in early childhood?

Play allows children to use their creativity while

developing their imagination, dexterity, and
physical, cognitive, and emotional
strength. Play is important to healthy brain
development. It is through play that children at a
very early age engage and interact in the world
around them.
 What are play skills?

Play is the way that children learn about the

environment, their bodies. And their place in the
world around them. Social skills are the skills we
use every day to interact and communicate with
others. They include verbal and non-verbal
communication, such as speech, gesture, facial
expression and body language.

What is functional play in early childhood?

Any repetitive action that the child finds enjoyable is

considered functional play. Throwing objects,
opening and closing things, stacking blocks and
then knocking them over, filling and dumping
containers, pushing a toy back and forth, and
banging objects together are all examples
of functional play.

What did Piaget say about play?

Piagetian theory holds that play, in and of itself,

does not necessarily result in the formation of new
cognitive structures. Piaget claimed that play
was just for pleasure, and while it allowed children
to practice things they had previously learned,
it did not necessarily result in the learning of new
things.
 Why is imaginative play important?

It provides an opportunity for kids to practice and

develop their language and social skills simply by
being with and talking to other children. It boosts
development of problem solving and self-regulation
skills. Imaginative play with peers can create
situations in which not everyone gets what they
want.

What are social skills in early childhood?

What are social skills? Social skills are
the skills we use every day to interact and
communicate with others. They include verbal and
non-verbal communication, such as speech,
gesture, facial expression and body language.

How does play help brain development?

Play is needed for healthy brain development.

Childhood play stimulates the brain to make
connections between nerve cells. This is
what helps a child develop both gross motor skills
(walking, running, jumping, coordination) and fine
motor skills (writing, manipulating small tools,
detailed hand work).
 What causes poor social skills?

Causes of deficits
 Alcohol. Social skills are significantly impaired in
people suffering from alcoholism. ...
 ADHD and hyperkinetic disorder. People with
ADHD and hyperkinetic disorder often have
difficulties with social skills, such as social
interaction. ...
 Autism. ...
 Anxiety and depression. ...
 Anti-social behaviors. ...
 Behavior therapy.
What are the 7 essential life skills?

The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child

Needs
 Focus And Self Control.
 Perspective Taking.
 Communicating.
 Making Connections.
 Critical Thinking.
 Taking On Challenges.
 Self-Directed, Engaged Learning.
What are social skills examples?

Six examples of social skills

 Effective communication. The ability to
communicate effectively with others is a core social
skill. ...
 Conflict resolution. Disagreements and
dissatisfaction can arise in any situation. ...
 Active listening. ...
 Empathy. ...
 Relationship management. ...
 Respect.

Why is unstructured play important?

Unstructured play allows children the freedom to

explore, create and discover without predetermined
rules or guidelines. It's been shown to foster
cognitive development while boosting physical
development and social and emotional
development.

What are signs of social awkwardness?

Physical signs and symptoms can sometimes

accompany social anxiety disorder and may include:
 Blushing.
 Fast heartbeat.
 Trembling.
 Sweating.
 Upset stomach or nausea.
 Trouble catching your breath.
 Dizziness or lightheadedness.
 Feeling that your mind has gone blank.
Why are the first 3 years important to a child's
development?

The early years, especially the first three

years of life, are very important for building the
baby's brain. Everything she or he sees, touches,
tastes, smells or hears helps to shape the brain
for thinking, feeling, moving and learning. ...
Rapid language learning continues into the
preschool years.

What are signs of social awkwardness?

Physical signs and symptoms can sometimes

accompany social anxiety disorder and may
include:
 Blushing.
 Fast heartbeat.
 Trembling.
 Sweating.
 Upset stomach or nausea.
 Trouble catching your breath.
 Dizziness or lightheadedness.
 Feeling that your mind has gone blank.
 Why is my child socially awkward?

For example, a child may have trouble respecting

others' space or say things other children find
perplexing or even a bit odd. Children often pull
back from a socially awkward child, not because
they wish to hurt a child's feelings, but because
something about the child makes them feel
uncomfortable.
 Grammar

Grammar is the business of taking a language to

pieces, to see how it works. Grammar
explanation encourages a teacher-fronted,
transmission-style.
 Nouns
A noun is the word that refers to a person, thing or
abstract idea. A noun can tell you who or what.
There are several different types of noun:-
 There are common nouns such as dog, car, chair etc.

 Nouns that refer to things which can be counted

(can be singular or plural) are countable nouns.

 Nouns that refer to some groups of countable nouns,

substances, feelings and types of activity (can only

be singular) are uncountable nouns.
 Nouns that refer to a group of people or things are

collective nouns.
 Nouns that refer to people, organizations or places

are proper nouns, only proper nouns are capitalized.

 Nouns that are made up of two or more words are

called compound nouns.

 Nouns that are formed from a verb by adding -ing

are called gerunds

EXERCISES:
1. The book was heavy.
2. The child is happy.
3. The box was empty.
4. The synopsis is accurate.
5. The tomato was being baked.

ANSWERS:
1. The books were heavy.
2. The children are happy.
3. The boxes were empty.
4. The synopses are accurate.
5. The tomatoes were being baked.
 Verb
The verb is perhaps the most important part of the
sentence. A verb or compound verb asserts something
about the subject of the sentence and express actions,
events, or states of being. The verb or compound verb is
the critical element of the predicate of a sentence.
In each of the following sentences, the verb or compound
verb is highlighted:

Transitive Verbs followed by Adverbs

back up: support I will back up your story.

If you run into difficulties,
bail out: rescue
who will bail you out?
break in: make I broke in my new hiking
something new fit for use boots.
breathe in: inhale We breathed in the fresh air.
I breathed out a sigh of
breathe out: exhale
relief.
She brought back her library
bring back: return
books.
We gradually brought her
bring around: persuade
around to our point of view.
Bringing up children is never
bring up: raise
easy.
We buttered him up, hoping
butter up: flatter that he would agree to our
proposal.
I think it is time we called in
call in: ask to assist
an expert.
call off: cancel We called off the meeting.
call up: telephone Why don't you call him up?
cheer on: cheer, I will be there to cheer you
encourage on.
They chopped down the dead
chop down: fell
tree.
The mayor asked everyone to
clean up: tidy
help clean up the city streets.
The goalie fended off every
fend off: repel
attack.
ferret out: find with We managed to ferret out the
difficulty information.
figure out: solve, I can't figure out what
understand happened.
fill in: complete Please fill in this form.
fill out: complete I filled out the form.
We filled up the glasses with
fill up: make full
water.
I gave back the bicycle I had
give back: return
borrowed.
Skunk cabbage gives off an
give off: send out
unpleasant odor.
hand down: give to The tradition was handed
someone younger down from father to son.
hand in: give to person in The students handed their
authority assignments in to the teacher.
hand on: give to another I am not sorry to hand the
person responsibility on to you.
We had to hand the evidence
hand over: transfer
over to the police.
hang up: break a After receiving a busy signal,
telephone connection I hung up the phone.
He is so enthusiastic; it is
hold back: restrain, delay
hard to hold him back.
 I am sure we can iron out
iron out: remove
every difficulty.
knock out: make Boxers are often knocked
unconscious out.
The public lapped up the
lap up: accept eagerly
story.
The company laid off seventy
lay off: put out of work
workers.
leave behind: leave, not I accidentally left my
bring umbrella behind.
Tell me what happened. Don't
leave out: omit
leave anything out!
We will let him down if we
let down: disappoint
don't arrive on time.
live down: live so that This will be hard to live
past faults are forgotten down!
look up: find We looked up the word in a
(information) dictionary.
make up: invent She likes to make up stories.
pass up: not take I couldn't pass up such an
advantage opportunity.
pension off: dismiss with He was pensioned off at the
a pension age of sixty.
The new program will be
phase in: introduce
phased in over the next six
gradually
months.
phase out: cease The practice will gradually be
gradually phased out.
You may pick up the papers
pick up: collect
at the office.
When the guest speaker is
pin down: get a
pinned down, we can set a
commitment
date for the conference.

play down: de-emphasize
point out: draw attention
to
polish off: finish
pull down: demolish
pull off: succeed
put away: put in proper
place
put back: return to
original location
put off: postpone
reel off: recite a long list
rope in: persuade to help
rub out: erase
rule out: remove from
consideration
scale down: reduce
sell off: dispose of by
selling
set back: delay
shout down: stop from
speaking by shouting
He played down the
importance of the news.
She pointed out the
advantages of the proposal.
We polished off the rest of
the apple pie.
Many old buildings are
pulled down to make way for
new ones.
Do you think she can pull off
her plan?
It is time to put the toys
away.
Please put the book back on
the shelf.
We cannot put off the
meeting again.
She reeled off a long list of
names.
We roped in everyone we
could to help with the work.
Be sure to rub out all the
pencil marks.
None of the possibilities can
be ruled out yet.
Because of lack of funds, we
had to scale down our plans.
We sold off all the books and
furniture.
This could set back the
project by several years.
The crowd shouted down the
speaker.
shrug off: dismiss as He attempted to shrug off the
unimportant mistake.
single out: select from You have been singled out
others for special attention.
I quickly sized up the
size up: assess
situation.
It will take some time to sort
sort out: organize
out this mess.
sound out: talk with to We attempted to sound him
learn the opinion of out.
They stammered out their
stammer out: stammer
apologies.
He summed up the
sum up: summarize discussion in a few well-
chosen words.
I attempted to summon up
summon up: gather
my courage.
We tried to take in the new
take in: absorb
information.
take out: invite to a May I take you out for
restaurant supper?
They will take over at the
take over: assume control
beginning of June.
Let us talk it over before we
talk over: discuss
decide.
tear up: destroy by
She tore up the letter.
tearing
I need some time to think it
think over: consider
over.
What will they think up
think up: invent
next?
track down: search for We finally tracked him down
and find at the bookstore.
 Why don't you trade in your
trade in: give as part
old vacuum cleaner for a new
payment
one?
try on: test clothes by I tried on the new suit, but it
putting them on didn't fit me.
Would you like to try out my
try out: test by using
fountain pen?
The event was so popular that
turn away: refuse
many people had to be turned
admission
away.
turn back: reverse Every fall the clocks must be
direction turned back by one hour.
turn off: deactivate by
I turned off the radio.
using a switch
turn on: activate by using
Please turn on the light.
a switch
The soup has been watered
water down: dilute
down.
wear out: gradually
My jacket is wearing out,
destroy by wearing or
although it is only a year old.
using
I wrote down the
write down: make a note
instructions.
write off: cancel, regard They were forced to write off
as several irretrievable debts.
write up: compose in I used my notes to write up
writing the report.
 Adjectives

Adjectives describe or give information about nouns.

The good news is that the form of adjectives does not
change; it does not matter if the noun being modified is
male or female, singular or plural, subject or object.
Some adjectives give us factual information about the
noun - age, size color etc. (fact adjectives - can't be
argued with). Some adjectives show what somebody
thinks about something or somebody - nice, horrid,
beautiful etc. (opinion adjectives - not everyone may
agree).

EXERCISE:

1. Yesterday she heard ________________ news. (to

surprise)
2. The ______________ tools must be returned by five
o'clock. (to rent)
3. The ______________ rabbit stayed perfectly still. (to
frighten)
4. We had a ________________ experience. (to frighten)
5. The play is ________________. (to entertain)

ANSWERS:

1. surprising 2. rented
3. frightened 4. frightening
5. entertaining
 Preposition

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to

other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the
preposition introduces is called the object of the
preposition.
A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or
logical relationship of its object to the rest of the
sentence as in the following examples:
The book is on the table.
The book is beneath the table.
The book is leaning against the table.
The book is beside the table.
She held the book over the table.
She read the book during class.
In each of the preceding sentences, a preposition locates
the noun "book" in space or in time. A prepositional
phrase is made up of the preposition, its object and any
associated adjectives or adverbs. A prepositional phrase
can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. The
most common prepositions are "about," "above,"
"across," "after," "against," "along," "among," "around,"
"at," "before," "behind," "below," "beneath," "beside,"
"between," "beyond," "but," "by," "despite," "down,"
"during," "except," "for," "from," "in," "inside," "into,"
"like," "near," "of," "off," "on," "onto," "out," "outside,"
"over," "past," "since," "through," "throughout," "till,"
"to," "toward," "under," "underneath," "until," "up,"
"upon," "with," "within," and "without."

Each of the highlighted words in the following sentences

is a preposition:
The children climbed the mountain without fear.
In this sentence, the preposition "without" introduces the
noun "fear." The prepositional phrase "without fear"
functions as an adverb describing how the children
climbed.
There was rejoicing throughout the land when the
government was defeated.
Here, the preposition "throughout" introduces the noun
phrase "the land." The prepositional phrase acts as an
adverb describing the location of the rejoicing.
The spider crawled slowly along the banister.
The preposition "along" introduces the noun phrase "the
banister" and the prepositional phrase "along the
banister" acts as an adverb, describing where the spider
crawled.
The dog is hiding under the porch because it knows
it will be punished for chewing up a new pair of
shoes.
Here the preposition "under" introduces the prepositional
phrase "under the porch," which acts as an adverb
modifying the compound verb "is hiding."
The screenwriter searched for the manuscript he
was certain was somewhere in his office.
Similarly in this sentence, the preposition "in" introduces
a prepositional phrase "in his office," which acts as an
adverb describing the location of the missing papers.
 Conjunction

You can use a conjunction to link words, phrases, and

clauses, as in the following example:
I ate the pizza and the pasta.
Call the movers when you are ready.

Coordinating Conjunctions

You use a coordinating conjunction ("and," "but," "or,"

"nor," "for," "so," or "yet") to join individual words,
phrases, and independent clauses. Note that you can also
use the conjunctions "but" and "for" as prepositions.
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted
words is a coordinating conjunction:
Lilacs and violets are usually purple.
In this example, the coordinating conjunction "and" links
two nouns.
This movie is particularly interesting to feminist
film theorists, for the screenplay was written by
Mae West.
In this example, the coordinating conjunction "for" is
used to link two independent clauses.
Daniel's uncle claimed that he spent most of his
youth dancing on rooftops and swallowing goldfish.
Here the coordinating conjunction "and" links two
participle phrases ("dancing on rooftops" and
"swallowing goldfish") which act as adverbs describing
the verb "spends."
 Subordinating Conjunctions

A subordinating conjunction introduces a dependent

clause and indicates the nature of the relationship among
the independent clause(s) and the dependent clause(s).
The most common subordinating conjunctions are
"after," "although," "as," "because," "before," "how,"
"if," "once," "since," "than," "that," "though," "till,"
"until," "when," "where," "whether," and "while."
Each of the highlighted words in the following sentences
is a subordinating conjunction:
After she had learned to drive, Alice felt more
independent.
The subordinating conjunction "after" introduces the
dependent clause "After she had learned to drive."
If the paperwork arrives on time, your cheque will
be mailed on Tuesday.
Similarly, the subordinating conjunction "if" introduces
the dependent clause "If the paperwork arrives on time."
Gerald had to begin his thesis over again when his
computer crashed.
The subordinating conjunction "when" introduces the
dependent clause "when his computer crashed."
Midwifery advocates argue that home births are
safer because the mother and baby are exposed to
fewer people and fewer germs.
In this sentence, the dependent clause "because the
mother and baby are exposed to fewer people and fewer
germs" is introduced by the subordinating conjunction
"because."
 Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions always appear in pairs -- you

use them to link equivalent sentence elements. The most
common correlative conjunctions are "both...and,"
"either...or," "neither...nor,", "not only...but also,"
"so...as," and "whether...or." (Technically correlative
conjunctions consist simply of a coordinating
conjunction linked to an adjective or adverb.)
The highlighted words in the following sentences are
correlative conjunctions:
Both my grandfather and my father worked in the
steel plant.
In this sentence, the correlative conjunction "both...and"
is used to link the two noun phrases that act as the
compound subject of the sentence: "my grandfather" and
"my father".
Bring either a Jello salad or a potato scallop.
Here the correlative conjunction "either...or" links two
noun phrases: "a Jello salad" and "a potato scallop."
Corinne is trying to decide whether to go to
medical school or to go to law school.
Similarly, the correlative conjunction "whether ... or"
links the two infinitive phrases "to go to medical school"
and "to go to law school."
The explosion destroyed not only the school but
also the neighboring pub.
In this example the correlative conjunction "not only ...
but also" links the two noun phrases ("the school" and
"neighboring pub") which act as direct objects.
A To Z of Positive Words

Able Ageless
Abundance Agree
Accelerate Agreeable
Accept Aid
Acclaim Aim
Accomplish Alacrity
Accrue Alert
Ace Alight
Accord Alive
Achieve All right
Action Always
Accolade Amaze
Accredit Amazing
Activate Amiable
Active Ambition
Add Amity
Addition Amuse
Adept Anew
Admirable Appealing
Adorable Applaud
Advance Appreciate
Advantage Aspire
Adventure Approve
Affable Arouse
Affirm Ascend
 B
Beatific Blessed
Beatify Blessing
Beatitude Bliss
Beauteous Bloom
Beautiful Blossom
Beautify Bonafide
Benefaction Bonanza
Beneficial Bonus
Befriend Boost
Benefit Bountiful
Benevolent Bounty
Beauty Bright
Beloved Brighten
Best Brill
Bestow Brilliant
Better Bubbly
Betterment Budding
Big Buddy
Bijou Build
Bless
 C
Calm Compliment
Can Confidence
Capable Confirm
Care Congenial
Celebrate Congratulat
e
Certain Conscious
Charitable Consciousne
ss
Charity Consider
Charm Considerate
Charmer Constant
Charming Constructive
Cheerful Content
Cheers Contribute
Chirp Cool
Chirpy Cooperate
Choice Cope
Chortle Cordial
Chuckle Correct
Cinch Cosy
Civility Could
Classy Courage
Clean Courteous
Clear Creative
Comely Credit
Comfort Cuddly
Comfortab Cushy
le
Comic Cute
Comical
 D

Decency
Decent
Delectable
Delicate
Delicious
Delight
Desirable
Do
Dreamy
Dynamic
 E

Eager Engage Equity

Ease Engaging Equivalent
Easily Engross Erudite
Easy Enhance Especial
Economic Enjoy Essence
Ecstasy Enlighten Essential
Edify Enlist Establish
Educate Enliven Esteem
Effective Enormous Ethic
Efficiency Enough Ethical
Efficient Enrapture Euphony
Elate Enrich Euphoria
Elegant Ensure Eureka
Elevate Enterprise Evolution
Eligible Enterprising Exalt
Emphasis Entertain Exceed
Emphasize Entertainme Exceedingly
nt
Emphatic Enthral Excel
Enable Enthuse Excellence
Enchant Enthusiasm Excellent
Encourage Enthusiastic Excite
Endear Entire Exotic
Endearment Entrust Expert
Endeavour Equal Expertise
Endorse Equality Exquisite
Endow Equally Extensive
Energetic Equilibrium Extraordinary
Energize Equitable Exult
Energy
 F
Fabulous Flexible
Fair Flower
Faith Focus
Faithful Fond
Fame Fondly
Family For
Fancy Foresee
Fantastic Foresight
Fare Forever
Fascinate Forgive
Fast Forgivene
ss
Favour Forward
Favourite Frank
Feasible Free
Felicity Freedom
Fellowship Fresh
Festive Friend
Fetching Friendly
Fine Friendship
Finesse Fruitful
First Fulfil
Fit Fully
Fitting Fun
Flamboyant Funny
Flash
 G
Gallant Goodness
Galore Goodwill
Game Gorgeous
Generat Gosh
e
Genero Grace
us
Genial Graceful
Genius Gracious
Gentle Grand
Genuine Grandeur
Gift Grateful
Gifted Gratify
Giggle Gratitude
Gist Great
Give Greet
Glad Greeting
Glorious Grow
Glory Guarantee
Glossy Guest
Glow Guidance
Go Guide
Going
Good
 H
Handy Homely
Happily Honest
Happy Honestly
Harmonious Honesty
Harmonize Honeyed
Harmony Honorary
Healthy Honour
Heart Honourable
Heaven Hooray
Heavenly Hope
Hello Hopeful
Help Hopefully
Helpful Hospitable
Helping Hot
Highly Humane
Hilarious Humanitari
an
Hilarity Humorous
Hip Humour
Holy
 I
Idea Ingenuity
Ideal Initiate
Ideally Initiative
Immense Innocent
Immerse Innovate
Immune Input
Impartial Inspiration
Impeccable Inspire
Impress Inspired
Impressive Interest
Improve Interested
Improvement Interesting
Increase Invitation
Incredible Invite
Indeed Inviting
Ingenious
 J

Jest
Joke
Jolly
Jovial
Joy
Joyful
Joyous
Jubilant
Jubilation
Juicy Just
 K

Keen
Keep up
Kind
Kind-hearted
Kindly
Kiss
Kudos
 L
Large Lively
Lark Lovable
Laugh Love
Lavish Lovely
Learn Loving
Learned Loyal
Learning Lucid
Leisure Luck
Leisured Lucky
Leisurely Lucrative
Liberate Luminous
Liberation Luscious
Life Lush
Light Lustre
Lighten Lustrous
Light-hearted Luxuriant
Likable Luxuriate
Like Luxurious
Liking Luxury
 M
Made Mediate
Magnificent Meditate
Magnify Mellow
Magnitude Mercy
Maintain Merit
Majesty Method
Major Miracle
Majority Miraculo
us
Make Morale
Manage Most
Manifest Motivate
Manner Much
Many Multitude
Marvellous Must
Master
Matter
 N
Neat
New
Newly
Nice
Nicety
Nifty
Nippy
Nirvana
Noble
Nod
Normal
Notable
Note
Noted
Notice
Noticeable
Nourish
Now
Nurse - Nurture
 O
Obliging
Offer
OK
On
Onward
Oodles
Oomph
Open
Openly
Open-minded
Opportune
Opportunity
Original
Outgoing
Outstanding
 P
Pacify Perfection Practical
Palatable Persevere Praise
Palpable Perspecti Precious
ve
Paradise Placid Prize
Paragon Pleasant Pro
Pardon Please Produce
Par Pleasurab Producti
excellence le ve
Passion Pleasure Proficien
t
Passionate Plenitude Progress
Passive Plenteous Promote
Patience Plenty Promotio
n
Patient Plus Prosper
Peace Plush Pukka
Peaceable Poise Pure
Peaceful Polite Purify
Peak Positive Purity
Pep Possible
Perfect Potential
 Q

Quality

Quiet
 R
Radiant Reliable
Rapture Relief
Ready Remarkab
le
Real Remedy
Really Reputable
Reason Respect
Reassure Responsib
le
Receive Rest
Reception Restful
Receptive Restore
Reciprocat Result
e
Recomme Reward
nd
Refreshing Rewardin
g
Regard Rich
Relax Richly
Release Right
 S
Sacred Simplify Sufficient
Sacrosanct Simply Sumptuous
Safe Sincere Super
Safety Smart Superabundant
Salubrious Smashing Super
Satisfaction Smile Superior
Satisfactory Sociable Supple
Satisfy Social Supply
Save Special Support
Saving Spectacular Supporter
Saviour Splendid Supporting
Self-assertive Splendiferous Supportive
Self-confidence Splendour Supreme
Self-discipline Steady Sure
Self-esteem Straightforward Sweet
Self-help Succeed Swell
Sense Success Swift
Sensible Successful Sympathetic
Share Succinct Sympathise
Simple Suffice Sympathy
Simplicity Sufficiency
 T
Tact Timeless
Teach Timely
Teacher Top
Teaching Training
Team Tranquil
Testament Tranquillity
Testimonial Transcend
Testimony Transient
Thank Transparent
Thankful Triumph
Thanksgiving Triumphant
Therapeutic True
Therapy Trust
Thorough Trustworthy
Thoughtful Trusty
Thrill Truth
Thrive Try
Tidy Tuition
 U
Ultimate
Ultra
Unconditional
Uncritical
Understand
Understanding
Unequalled
Unequivocal
Unerring
Unfetter
Unflagging
Ungrudging
Upbeat
Upgrade
Uplift - User-friendly
Upstanding
Urbane
Useful - Utmost
 V

Valid

Validate

Valuable

Value

Venerable

Veracious

Verify

Versatile

Very

Viable

Vibrant

Virtue

Virtuosity

Virtuoso

Virtuous

Vitality

Vivacious

Vivid
 W
Warm Wise
Warmth With
Welcome Witty
Well Won
Wellbeing Wonder
Wholeheart Wonderful
ed
Wholesome Wonderment
Wholly Wondrous
Will Workable
Willing Worth
Win Worthwhile
Winner Worthy
Winning Would
Winsome Wow
Wisdom
 X
x-ray
x-celefone
Extra
Exclusive
Excellent
 Y

Yea
Yeah
Yearn
Yes
Yippee
Young
Youth Youthful
 Z

Zeal
Zealous
Zest
Zoo
Zebra
Child protection laws
Child abuse laws exist on the federal, state and local
levels. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment
Act (CAPTA), passed by the federal government in
1974 and reauthorized in 2010, is the largest body of
legislation with regard to the fair, ethical, and legal
treatment of children and is intended to keep them
free from all forms of abuse including physical,
sexual, emotional, and psychological.

Federal laws provide standards and guidelines;

however, most child abuse issues are governed by
state laws and regulations. All states have enacted
laws for the protection of children from abuse and
neglect. Among the issues addressed in state law are
mandatory reporting, responding to child abuse and
neglect, and statutes of limitations for criminal and
civil prosecution.
 What are the child protection policy?

Child protection is the protection of children from

violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. ... At the
level of prevention, their aim includes supporting
and strengthening families to reduce social
exclusion, and to lower the risk of separation,
violence and exploitation.

What are the 5 P's in child protection?

3) Children's (NI) Order 1995 The 5 key principles

of the Children's Order 1995 are known as the 5
P's: Prevention, Paramountcy,
Partnership, Protection and Parental
Responsibility. All of the above are self-explanatory
– 'Paramountcy' refers to the 'needs of the child' to
always come first.

What are the 12 rights of a child?

The 12 rights of the child. ... 4) Every child has

the right to have the basic needs of people such as
food, shelter, water, clothing and health care. 5)
Every child has the right to have everything he or
she needs for a better life. 6) Every child has
the right to be educated.
What is the difference between child protection
and safeguarding?

In practice, Safeguarding is the policies and

practices that schools and Governing Bodies
employ to keep children safe and promote their
well-being. ... Child Protection is a term used to
describe the activity that is undertaken
to protect specific children who are suffering or
likely to suffer significant harm.

What are the 3 R's in child protection?

The Three Rs of Safety - Early, Open, Often.

Why are child protection policies important?

They can make sure that schools and

communities protect all children and
prevent child maltreatment. They can protect girls
and boys from violations such as abuse, sexual
exploitation, trafficking and work in hazardous
conditions, as well as harmful practices,
including child marriage.
 What is the child protection policy in schools?

When your child is in school, the school is

responsible for keeping them safe from harm and
abuse. The school should create a safe learning
environment, identify pupils who are suffering or at
risk of harm and take suitable action.
The school also needs to train staff in child
protection.

How long can a child stay on a child protection

plan?

Under current law, if your plan covers children,

you can now add or keep your children on your
health insurance policy until they turn 26
years old. Children can join or remain on a
parent's plan even if they are: Married. Not living
with their parents.

What does it mean if a child is on the Child

Protection Register?

The Child Protection Register is a confidential list

of children in each area who are believed to be in
need of protection. Children are usually placed on
the register following a case conference where the
professionals decide that they are still at risk.
 What is the aim of child protection?

The overall aims of the Child Protection Plan are:

To ensure the child is safe and prevent him or her
from suffering further harm by supporting the
strengths, addressing the vulnerabilities and risk
factors and helping meet the child's unmet needs;
To promote the child's welfare, health and
development.

What are the four categories of child rights?

Lesson aims/ key question To categorise Children's

Rights into four types: survival, protective,
developmental and participative.

How many rights does a child have?

The Convention has 54 articles that cover all

aspects of a child's life and set out the civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights that
all children everywhere are entitled to. It also
explains how adults and governments must work
together to make sure all children can enjoy all
their rights.
 What are four main aspects of child rights?

Children's rights includes their right to association

with both parents, human identity as well as the
basic needs for physical protection, food, universal
state-paid education, health care, and criminal laws
appropriate for the age and development of the
child, equal protection of the child's civil rights, and
freedom .

What are the 4 types of child neglect?

Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for

a child's basic needs. It is abuse through omission;
of not doing something resulting in significant harm
or risk of significant harm. There are four
types of neglect: physical neglect, medical neg-
lect, educational neglect and emotional neglect.

What are the 4 types of abuse?

The World Health Organization distinguishes four

types of child maltreatment: physical abuse; sexual
abuse; emotional (or psychological) abuse; and
neglect.
 Physical abuse.
 Sexual abuse.
 Psychological abuse.
 Neglect. - Physical.
 Psychological. - Emotional.
 How do you protect and promote children's
rights?

The aim of the Children's Act is to:

1. protect children and promote their rights.
2. put the best interests of children first.
3. allow children to take part in decisions which affect
them.
4. preserve and strengthen families.
5. Recognize the role of the community in the lives of
children.

What are the 6 principles of safeguarding?

Six Principles of Adult Safeguarding

 Empowerment. People are supported and
encouraged to make their own decisions and
informed consent. ...
 Prevention. It is better to take action before harm
occurs. ...
 Proportionality. The least intrusive response
appropriate to the risk presented. ...
 Protection. ...
 Partnership. ...
 Accountability.
 What are the 12 rights of a child?

The 12 rights of the child. ... 4) Every child has

the right to have the basic needs of people such as
food, shelter, water, clothing and health care. 5)
Every child has the right to have everything he or
she needs for a better life. 6) Every child has
the right to be educated
Teaching aids in kindergarten
All For Kids Pediatric Therapy, LLC June 2010
Information compiled by Jackie Brown, OTR/L and Laura
Hart wig

Educational Materials and Kid Websites –

FREE

www.activityvillage.co.uk - tons of stuff from

coloring pages, puzzles, games, origami, craft
ideas, kid jokes, game piece printables,
seasonal stuff, and etc..
www.allkindsofminds.org – Tons of resources for
parents, ideas for academics, articles,
resources, and lots more geared for children
with learning disabilities.
www.childcareland.com/free.html - tons of file folder
games, and etc… (You can purchase from this
site other activities not under the “free” section.)
www.childcarelounge.gotop100.com – top 100
nd
preschool – 2 web sites – very cool 
www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html - Free
online games and activities that focus on
auditory processing, reading, vocabulary, and
spelling skills. Awesome site!! 
www.filefolderfun.com – free membership required
then access to lots of file folder games you can
print out and put together. Also, tons of ideas
for others on the member forum boards
www.handwritingforkids.com – customize
worksheets for your student – handwriting and
math
www.handwritingworksheets.com – Customize
handwriting worksheet for your kid in print or
cursive or several other formats. Really Cool!
www.kinderprintables.com – activities, recipes for
play-doh, puzzles, early academic, and etc..
www.make-stuff.com – Huge resource for craft and
make it ideas including recipes for kid
concoctions and gift ideas… Lots of fun!
www.mes-english.com – cool site Tons of
activities and lots of pictures with vocabulary...
can customize for your kiddo… developed for
students learning English but perfect for visual
learner
www.ooeygooey.com – Lots of great tactile
activities, and it explains the importance of
tactile and messy play and how it relates to
learning.
http://www.patrickecker.org – This site was
developed by a teacher to help kids
communicate. There are activities to print
including file folder games and mini books
along with concept activities. It also has several
picture libraries for building PECS boards and
communication pictures… Very Cool!
www.positivelyautism.com/downloads_foldergames.
html - several file folder games to print out
http://printables4kids.com – Free printable
educational and for fun color pages, mazes,
activities, pencil games, and etc.. Some cool
stuff also listed by themes.
http://schoolexpress.com – 16,000 + free
worksheets to print off. WOW!!
www.starfall.com – This is a reading and phonics
nd
site for elementary prek-2 grade with
interactive books and phonics games. Many of
the elementary schools in the Anchorage
School Dist use this site. 
www.thetoymaker.com – Tons of patterns for paper
toys to print off, cut out, and glue. There is
everything from animals to fairy wands. Lots of
fun! All For Kids Pediatric Therapy, LLC June
2010 Information compiled by Jackie Brown,
OTR/L and Laura Hartwig
 Educational Materials and Kid Websites-cost
www.a-zlearning.com – A great resource with tons
of activities for reading, vocabulary, and
th
phonics for grades prek-6 . You can also look
up activity by theme or season. $84.00 year…
do a free trial and then get on e-mailing list for
the specials they do several times a year.
www.brainpop.com- Online games and activities for
th
various math subjects geared for grades K-6 .
www.childcareland.com – preK-2ish -tons of
activities for various costs including lacing
cards, games, and file folder activities. Prices
vary
www.heidisongs.net – educational songs on DVD or
nd
CD with additional activities that teach preK-2
grade reading skills and math – cost varies but
very reasonably priced.
www.ixl.com – Online math program for grades
th
prek-6 great for kids with skills at different
levels. Also shows alignment with AK state
standards. Tracks the student answers and
generates questions to fit the student’s level.
$79.00 a year for 1 kid ($20 more a year for
each additional student in a family)
th
www.myfilefoldergames.com – grades prek-5 - a
huge package of file folder games and activities
with a 1 year membership - $30.00
www.PECS4Autism.com – Tons of activities for
visual kids from early grade all the way through
 middle school including social skills and
academic. Uses real life pictures and very well
done. All activities were developed by a mom
for her kids. Not just for Autism but any kid.
Price varies
www.Raz-kids.com – online interactive and
animated books by levels from prek – grade 6
… very cool The student/parent can read
the books or the program will read them to you.
$79.00 year.. Do a site trial and get on their e-
mail list for specials and discount subscriptions.
www.rocknlearn.com – This is very fun stuff for
th
grades K-6 or even older for remediation
activities. Videos done to rock music with cute
characters, animation and factual information
for subjects such as phonics, science, math
including higher level such as money and
fractions, social studies, and test taking
strategies. These guys have received tons of
awards and have these videos you can rent
from you-tube.com before purchase. Worth
checking out!! Prices vary
www.scholastic.com – has printables and leveled
reader subscriptions that are very useful. Many
of the scholastic workbooks are in the
printables section. The cost varies.
Recommend the yearly subscription, just a few
monthly payments pays the yearly cost. All For
Kids Pediatric Therapy, LLC June 2010
Information compiled by Jackie Brown, OTR/L
and Laura Hartwig
 Curriculum Examples
www.explorationeducation.com – Science kits for
science grades K- High School (approx 36
lessons) - The format of this program is great.
There is a DVD and each lesson is talked about
and shown visually. There then is an
experiment and an activity sheet that goes with
each lesson. These lessons are geared very
age appropriately and the kit has everything,
minus household things like water and baking
soda, you need to do the experiments. One of
the best science programs I’ve seen that isn’t
overly abstract especially for early elementary.
The upper levels looks good too, I just haven’t
had my hands on them. Prices vary but
reasonable.
Handwriting Without Tears – Anchorage school
nd
district handwriting curriculum for preK-2 . This
program works well for most kids. It has many
components and is a multi-sensory program.
You can purchase individual parts of the
curriculum at Chickabitty Books.
www.hwtears.com – Handwriting Without Tears
– program for handwriting with materials
Kumon Workbooks – prek to later elementary -
Material is presented in a simple easy to
understand format that are colored and fun.
These are available at Barnes and Nobles,
Borders, Over the Rainbow, and Amazon.com
and others I’m sure… Amazon often runs these
as buy 3 get 1 free.
Loops and Other Groups –available on various
websites- a Kinesthetic Writing System- Great
for teaching cursive.
www.mathuSee.com – grades K- High School -
Visual Math Program with instructional DVD
and manipulatives for each level. - This is
awesome for any kid a multi-sensory see it & do
it type program that is affordable. Really nails
the foundation in math before going on. It may
seem to run “slow” but when kids go on they
have mastered the skills. They use this with
both gifted and remedial kids. Price varies
depending on program. Often Chickabitty
Books, or Back 2 School have these programs
in the used section and I believe that
Chickabitty carries them New.
SRA Numbers Words – This is a great program
but really pricy. I got ours off e-bay but also
check Amazon Used. Look on the SRA
Numbers Worlds website to see what level your
student needs. They are leveled as A, B, C,
etc.. The CD-ROM that goes with this program
is $79.00. It has all the levels from prek to the
upper elementary level on it and is a really good
math game program that kids seem to like.
Touch Math - www.touchmath.com - preK-upper
elementary -basic math skills to multiplication
and division, money, fractions, and time. Uses
touch points on numbers for a multi-sensory
approach -This is an awesome program!! Many
of the schools in the Anchorage area have this
program often you just have to ask for it to be
 used with your kiddo. It is very pricy to order the
full kits. Sign up for their catalog and you can
get free samples in the mail. Also the
downloadable packages on line are affordable.
Just pick and choose what best meets your kids
needs. They have a new Kinder software
program that looks great for kids starting off.
Zoo Phonics – www.zoophonics.com – a beginning
phonics program – AWESOME!! This program
teaches a hand motion for an animal for the
sound of each letter… Example “f” is fish and
there is a hand motion for a fish. This is a
fantastic multi-sensory approach to phonics, a
true see it, hear it, and do it type program.
Many of the Anchorage school district schools
also have this program, and often you just have
to ask. Buying from the site can be pricy, but
often you can find it on e-bay, or at Back 2
School in the used section. Really to get started
all you need is the letter cards and the
video/DVD of the animal motions. (You could
even get creative and make your own animal
motions ) All For Kids Pediatric Therapy, LLC
June 2010 Information compiled by Jackie
Brown, OTR/L and Laura Hartwig
 Websites to Order various Learning Supplies
and Materials
(that ship to Alaska for somewhat reasonable
cost)

www.amazon.com – Tons of stuff and free shipping

for most orders over $25.00

www.currclick.com – Tons of educational resources

from preK – High School, also online group
classes. They have very reasonable prices on
most things.

www.happyscribecopybooks.com – leveled
handwriting activities to copy in print & cursive.
Theme based with cute and useful sayings and
facts… Very reasonably priced you download
and print as many copies as you want.

www.hearthsong.com – toys & games, crafts

www.irlen.com - Irlen Overlays- Variety of color

overlays that help some children with learning
disabilities with reading
www.lakeshorelearning.com – lots of educational
manipulative stuff (shipping 20%) Sign up for
their e-mails and you’ll get sale notices that
help set off shipping costs.

www.learningresources.com – educational stuff.

www.orientaltrading.com – lots of craft projects,

holiday related crafts

www.superduperinc.com – speech and therapy stuff

– free shipping to AK

www.teach2talk.com – very good DVD series that

are geared toward autism and language.
These are kind of spendy but good stuff.

Local Stores:

Back 2 School – Has a used section if you’re up to

digging. They will order things if they don’t have
them in stock.
Barnes and Nobles
Borders
Chickabitty Books – Has new and used. Cindy the
owner is very helpful will order things for you if you
ask or tell her what your looking for.
Classic Toys

JoAnn’s – Use the 40% off coupon to save $$ (They

will also accept Michael’s coupons)
Michaels – Use the 40% off coupon to save you
some $$ (They will also accept JoAnn’s coupons)
Over The Rainbow Toys All For Kids Pediatric
Therapy, LLC June 2010 Information compiled by
Jackie Brown, OTR/L and Laura Hartwig
Things to Think About when Teaching your
Kids

1- Observe your child and really find out

what interests them. What makes them
the happiest? What do they really enjoy
doing? Learning has to be fun.

2. How does your child learn? Do they

learn by hearing it, seeing it, doing it, or a
combination of styles? Most kids do better
with a combination but often have strength
in one area.

3. Think about your child’s strength’s and

build on those… If writing is hard limit the
amount of time writing is required. Do the
same activities but “take away” the hard
parts some of the time. Think about what
you’re trying to accomplish. If it’s spelling
use pre-written letters and let them spell
without writing. If your focus is reading and
cutting is hard pre-cut the pieces ahead of
time for a reading lesson. Don’t make
every part of the lesson hard.
4. Look for learning activities in daily life.
Examples… Sorting by size can be putting
the silverware away or stacking the big
cups together and the little ones together.
Do color sorting when doing laundry. Do
math while cooking dinner… We have 3
forks but there are 4 people how many
more do we need to set the table?

5. Make simple goals and only stick to a

few key ones. You can always make new
goals. Keep record of what you’re doing to
encourage you to keep on keeping on. It’s
really cool when your child has met a goal
you’ve been working on. You can always
add to them when they’re mastered. Ex:
Mary will read 10 words by the end of July.
Then make a list and check them off as
she knows them. If she reads 10 by July
10 make another goal. Not only will you
see the progress but you can take the
sheet, along with saved samples, to school
in Aug and show what was accomplished
over the summer.
 6. Ditch preconceptions of “school” and
be flexible. (SEE JACKIE’S LIST) Take
breaks, do the un-traditional, play, have
fun, use your imagination. If your kid is
doing something fun, figure out how to
incorporate learning. If something doesn’t
work after a couple times try something
else. Stuff and curriculum doesn’t work for
each kid, even if someone says it’s great it
may not be for your kid. Remember this is
a journey! You are allowed to change
course. You need to let your child show
you how he’ll learn best and chances are
you’ll see them soar!

All For Kids Pediatric Therapy, LLC June 2010

Information compiled by Jackie Brown, OTR/L and
Laura Hart wig.
7. Ask for help!! Your child’s therapists,
other parents, and on-line resources are
there to help. If you get “stuck” or
something just isn’t working talk to
someone and brain storm for a solution.

8. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!
 “When kids play, they remember. They may
not be aware they are learning, but they sure
are aware they are having fun. When you have
a good belly laugh with your siblings or
parents or friends it stays with you. And the
great thing is that is comes so naturally…if we
only let it.”
--Rebecca Krook, play facilitator for kids with
disabilities.

50 Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for

Teaching Kindergarten
50 Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for
Teaching Kindergarten
- You join a special club when you become a
kindergarten teacher. There are only a few of us who
have what it takes to manage the littlest students moving
in a hundred directions at once. Teaching kindergarten is
also a special opportunity to introduce children to school
and instill in them a love of learning. In honor of you
who teach this grade, we’ve scoured our WeAreTeachers
HELPLINE group on Facebook to bring you 50 of the
best ideas and tips for teaching kindergarten.

1. Start at the very beginning.

“Don’t assume they know how to do anything. Teach

them everything. How to knock at the bathroom door,
how to close it behind them, how to wash hands, throw
away towels … routines, routines, routines.” —Shannon
T.
 2. Prepare yourself for kids with a wide range of
skills.

“Be ready for kids who are readers, kids who have never
seen letters, and everything in between. I love my
kinders dearly and find so much joy in watching their
little light bulbs go on for the first time! They’re a
different bunch to be sure, but they’re a blast!” —Maggie
V.

3. Use a washable stuffed animal as a class pet.

Low maintenance (essential for teaching kindergarten),
high fun! Kids will love taking turns bringing it home to
care for it over the weekend.
4. Keep activity sticks on hand so you never have a
terrifying “What do I do with them now?” moment.

One of the most repeated pieces of advice in our Helpline

group about teaching kindergarten was that you should
always overplan for this age group. These activity sticks
are a fantastic safety net when you suddenly find that
your lesson went twice as fast as you expected.
5. Keep your kids moving all day long!

“Plan lessons/activities that last no more than 15

minutes, with some kind of movement activity in
between. (Moving from the circle to the table counts, as
does clapping a pattern, or head, shoulders, knees, and
toes.)” —Anne H.
6. Take your class on a mini-adventure on the first
day.
“I teach routines, rules, but I also go on some kind of
‘adventure.’ My adventure is going through the school to
find where everything is, the bathrooms, the nurse, the
front office, the cafeteria (which we practice going
through the line), library, etc. I’ve done fishing where I
have fish (or a jungle animal if that was my theme)
hanging at each place and they collect them in a bucket
as we go around taking turns and collecting through the
whole school. They love it.” —Dana H.

7. Choose amazing read alouds for the first week of

school.
7. Use these strategies for writing instruction.
 8. Keep little fingers cleaner with this trick!

“Glue sponges! There are several videos online for

making them. So awesome to not deal with the bottle of
glue mess or those littles who can’t close the bottle and
spill glue in their supplies!”
—Anita D.

10. All hands on deck!

“Get at least one extra set of hands for at least the
beginning of that first day. They will all come in and
need/want your attention, and there is so much to do. As
a retired teacher, I go in for the first hour every day for
the first week of school just to help with ‘crowd’ control.
Just an extra pair of hands that knows what it’s like to be
a teacher.” —Judy N.

11. Plan your circle time well.

12. Read the perennial kindergarten favorite The
Kissing Hand.

“It relates to their first day of school and has many

activities.” —Betty B.

13. Help the parents of your students on the first day.

This is a tough transition for them, too!
“You will have a room full of parents on the first day, so
to have a smooth goodbye I wrap a box with Kinder Bear
(any stuffed bear) inside. After the kids are sitting on the
carpet I tell them that I have a friend I’d like them to
meet, but that he’s shy. I pretend to listen to the bear and
tell the kids he wants you to say bye to mom & dad so he
can come out and play. The parents will ‘get’ the
message and leave and the students will be eager to meet
Kinder Bear!” —Denise B.
14. Use anchor charts.

Creating anchor charts for and with your students helps

them learn and remember lessons about topics like
friendship, shapes, counting, letters, beginning writing,
and more.

15. Keep in mind how close to “baby” your students

really are.
“Remember they are 60-month-olds! That always gives
me perspective the first few weeks teaching
kindergarten.” —Michelle K.
16. Teach kids how to make friends.

Some of your students will do this naturally. Some of

them will need your help. How to be a friend is one of
the most important lessons they can leave their first year
of school with.
17. Find fun ways to teach all of the routines your
little ones will need to know all year long.
“For my lines in the hallway I say ‘There’s a cloud with
marshmallows falling down (wiggle fingers like they’re
falling from above), everyone, catch a marshmallow!’
Pretend to catch and say ‘now put it in your mouth and
chew chew chew chew and keep your finger on your lips
so it doesn’t fall out’ until you get to the cafeteria,
playground etc. They’ll walk around with their cheeks
puffed up pretending to chew. Some might say they ate
it, so tell them to catch another or it’s too big to eat the
whole thing and keep chewing! I’ve heard teachers say
‘catch a bubble.’ It’s the same concept. When I need
instant silence I say, ‘Catch a marshmallow!’ and there is
quiet immediately.” —Heikel F.

18. Routine, routine, routine.

Veterans who’ve been teaching kindergarten for years
said this again and again on our helpline: Probably more
than any other age group in elementary school,
kindergartners thrive on their routine. “Plan fun and easy
activities for the first week so you can keep focused on
the routine.” —Sarah S.

19. Combine multiple objectives into a single lesson.

Teach children number sense and fine motor skills at the
same time. The kids will love using the hole punch and
will be improving their number sense at the same time.
20. Make keepsake drawings that will show growth
from the beginning of the year.

“I would have them do a self-portrait the first day and

then another one the last week and watch the difference!
You will want to start and demo one of yourself just to
give them an idea of what to do. You might be surprised
at the results and your parents will save it forever—mine
did. I still have one I drew as a kinder or first grader.” —
Julia A.
21. Start the year with firm expectations and clear
routines.
“Don’t worry about the curriculum. Just focus on the
routines and rules. One of the best bits of advice I got
from a professor was that the kids WANT to love you so
don’t be afraid to be strict with the rules and set down
your boundaries right out of the gate. I’ve been teaching
for 20 years, and I learned that the hard way. Have fun,
play games, let them see your playful side but take the
time to let them know what is expected of them.” —Julie
S.

22. Host a pajama day.

Have your kids come to school in their jammies and plan

a whole host of fun activities for the day.
 23. Classic kindergarten reads can help your kids
adjust.

“Read The Night Before Kindergarten and take a LOT of

time to set rules and routines.” —Erica F.

24. Bring technology (in small doses) into the

classroom.
Check out Mrs. Wideen’s Blog to find great ideas for
using technology when teaching kindergarten. She
recommends apps and lessons for iPads.
25. Keep in mind that the kids have expectations too!

“Kids go to their first day of kindergarten expecting to

learn how to read that very day. So you have to do some
choral reading of big books or poems so that they know
that they have begun to learn to read. Just one big book.
Read it many times that day. If they go home seeing
themselves as scholars on the first day of school, you
will have set the tone for the whole year.” —Becky N

26. Take care of yourself.

Teaching kindergarten requires a different kind of
energy. Eat well and try to get an extra hour of sleep if
you can. “When I switched from teaching second grade
to teaching kindergarten, I was exhausted for the first
two months. It’s physically taxing.” —Karen E.
27. Laugh with your kids.

Kindergartners love to laugh as much as the rest of us!

These 25 books will add some humor and levity to your
day.
28. Sneak in the learning with games.
“I like playing ‘I have, who has’ games. I take their
picture on the first day of school and create an ‘I have
who has’ game with their photos, it’s a great way for
them to learn names, plus I use their picture for
everything” —Lisa G.

29. Connect with a community of educators outside of

your own school.
Teaching is hard! Join our WeAreTeachers
HELPLINE or WeAreTeachers ChatFacebook groups
and connect with other teachers to talk about challenges
and triumphs and ask questions.

30. Organize your instruction around themes.

When you structure your lessons thematically, you
provide your kids with more “hooks” for learning. Check
out this blog by Fun-a-Day for some great ideas.
31. Give your kids visual cues to help them follow
your directions.

“I have my kids line up on numbers. They stay on the

same number all year. This saves so much time. We can
line up in less than 15 seconds. Their toes touch the
number but don’t cover it so I can see it.” —Debbie N.
32. Be kind to your wallet.

Check out the Dollar Store for deals on all sorts of things
for kindergarten. This blog has tons of recommendations.
33. Fill your classroom library with these classic
kindergarten books.

34. Teach with centers.

Teaching with centers is one of the easiest ways to work
through your curriculum while teaching kindergarten.
And kids love them! Check out these awesome tips for
managing centers from The Printable Princess.
35. Put together an irresistible reading nook in your
classroom.
If there’s one thing you want your kindergartners to walk
away at the end of the year, it’s the message that reading
is fun! Make reading time extra special for them by
setting up one of the awesome spaces from this article.

36. Count the days of school and celebrate when you

reach 100!
There are so many different fun ways to celebrate the
100th day of school. We’ve got a whole collection of
ideas for you on our WeAreTeachers 100th Day Pinterest
board.

37. Build a word-a-pillar.

Keep track of important sight words in a fun way!

38. Use “space people” to help your beginning writers
learn to use spaces between words.

Put an astronaut stick down when you get to the end of a

word so you know where to start the next one!

39. Celebrate Dr. Seuss Day wholeheartedly.

Kindergartners are the perfect crowd for all things Dr.
Seuss. WeAreTeachers has a whole board dedicated to
the event on our Pinterest page.
40. Organize your classroom well.

Sometimes teaching kindergarten doesn’t give you even

a second to catch your breath. You need to be able to
find everything you need for your lesson without a lot of
fuss, otherwise, you’ll lose them. Keep your classroom
organized so that you can always find what you need for
your next lesson.
41. Bring your sense of humor.

Kindergarten teachers must have a sense of humor. The

kids will likely be making you smile all day long with
their adorable sayings, but make time to find some
teacher humor too. This post from The Kindergarten
Connection should do the trick.
42. Keep a “sub tub” on hand for those days when
you just can’t make it into school.

Fill it with all the lessons and activities your sub will
need in case you have an unexpected absence.

43. Teach kids exactly how to listen.

Don’t expect that they will come to you knowing what
that looks like.
44. Teach word families.

The method is tried and true among kindergarten

teachers. Here is a blog that lays out seven simple steps
for using word families to teach reading.
45. Incorporate LOTS of art.
Hands-on learning is best for little ones. Check out this
blog for 20 fun and interesting projects.
46. Take sensory breaks and brain breaks.
It’s a proven fact. Brain breaks promote learning for all
age groups, but especially kindergarten. Here are 40
ideas from Lemon Lime Adventures.

47. Find fun hands-on ways to teach number sense.

Number sense is key in kindergarten. You’ll want to

cover it again and again.
48. Use music for EVERYTHING.
“Music is needed and is a good way to transition. Find a
morning song and an afternoon song (can be the same
tune with different words) to start and close your day. It
makes a world of difference.” —Anne H.
“Check out HeidiSongs DVDs for letters, sounds, sight
words.” —Lisa T.

49. Plan fun annual events for your students and their
families.

Whether it’s a Mother’s Day tea, a fall feast, or a spring

BBQ, kindergartners love traditions. And they love to
include their families.
50. And last, but certainly not least, give them lots
(and lots) of time to play.

“Playtime teaches kids how to get along with others so

that they can effectively learn in a classroom. It’s so
important, especially in kindergarten.” —Michelle S

.
Songs for Children
Raising a child in Islam
 Introduction

The key to a pristine Islamic society starts with

the family, for it is the nucleus of a healthy society.
The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of Allah
be upon him, gave detailed steps on raising a family
properly; no doubt, it is a great responsibility. He
said: Parenting is indeed an immense task;
specifically, parenting in the West. What should a
parent consider, how should they raise their
children? In this article we will explore a few
practical tips that should be in the minds of every
parent.
Create a Proper Homely Environment

Children raised in a ‘happy’ home usually become

stronger, better Muslims. They more
easily adopt the Islamic ideals and uphold common
courtesy and etiquette that should be
the standard for every Muslim.
To ensure that a home is ‘happy’, the parents
themselves should uphold proper Islamic
ethics. As well, parents must communicate with
each other, in a clear, open manner. When
children see that their parents are communicating in
this method; neither of their parents
become agitated, angry or violent, it would provoke
children to share their feeling and
thoughts and they will feel safe and secure. This
step is absolutely imperative, as one of
the lead causes of problems starts with the lack of
this. If a child feels that they cannot
communicate with their parents, they will seek
attention elsewhere, be it from friends, who
may influence this child in a very negative manner.
Drug addictions, unlawful pre-marital
relations and worse may be the result.
The next step that should be taken to ensure this
environment is to love your children
and show them that you love them. The Prophet,
may the mercy and blessings of Allah be
upon him, kissed his grandson, Al-Husain, in the
presence of al-Aqra bin Habis, may Allah
be pleased with them both. Al-Aqra said: oeI have
ten children and I have never kissed any
of them!” The Prophet, may the mercy and
blessings of Allah be upon him, then said:
oeThe one who shows no mercy, shall not be
shown any mercy.”
Children who feel loved will return the compassion
they receive. This is evident from
the Prophet’s manner in dealing with children. One
day while the Prophet was praying, he
prolonged his prostration and the Companions
began to worry; after some time, the
Prophet resumed the prayer as normal. Of course,
the Companions asked the Prophet
about the prolonged prostration; they said: oeO
Messenger of Allah, you prolonged the
prostration and we thought that you had either
received revelation or that something bad
had happened to you!” He smiled and said: oeIt is
neither of the two, but my
grandson climbed on my back and I disliked
shortening his enjoyment.”
Another step for a ‘happy’ home is to have both
parents equally involved in raising the
children. Too often we witness one of the two
parents becoming more involved, while the
other becomes distant. A child brought up with the
love and affection from both parents
would prosper far greatly on a mental, psychological
level than one that only has one
parent.

Listen to your Children

In a Western society, it is absolutely imperative to

have an open line of communication
with your children. Children need to be heard and
understood and parents need to view
what they say without becoming judgmental.
If children feel safe to open up to their parents when
they have problems, if they feel
‘welcome’ to ask questions when they are in doubt,
this would strengthen the bond
between parents and their children, it will also
distance negative influences that may
impact the child at this critical stage of growth.
Many parents speak to their children, but forget to
listen, leaving their children to their
own devices and forcing them to make their own
decisions when they need guidance. The
more you involve your children at home, the less
likely it is that they will go down the
wrong path, InshaAllah.
Listening to your children is a very important tool at
the disposal of the parents; it
serves as a ‘reality check’ for children are a mirror
of their parents’ behaviour.
One of the best ways to cement this relationship
between children and parents is
through the biography of the Prophet, may the
mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Stories can be read before bedtime and the children
can be asked what they liked most
about the story. They can also be asked to
implement basic lessons from the stories in
their own lives. They will be able to make better
decisions for themselves, stand up against
Wrong-doings, and will also be able to express
themselves effectively.
7 Habits of Successfully Raising Muslim
Children

The Fundamental Goal

The goal to raise a Muslim child should be distinct
and different from the goals of raising children in
general. The society teaches that children should be
raised for particular purposes whereas the Islamic
society also teaches raising children for some
purposes. There may be some overlapping which is
natural but the goal of the Muslim parent in raising
Muslim children should be to raise righteous
Muslims. That should be clear; to raise righteous
Muslims. Not merely children who identify
culturally with Islam because Islamic and Muslim
children maybe at variants. Muslim culture may
include many other things which may not be part of
Islamic culture. Often, the goals people have set for
themselves is to raise children who conform to the
culture they have inherited. The message being sent
across here is raising them in accordance with true
Islamic culture. And as such they should be raised
righteous Muslims. Parents should have high goals
and expectations from their children. For a true
Muslim, the highest goal is Paradise.
Abu Hurairah reported: The Prophet said,
“Seven are (the persons) whom Allah will give
protection with His Shade on the Day when there
will be no shade except His Shade (i.e., on the Day
of Resurrection), and they are: A just ruler; a
youth who grew up with the worship of
Allah, a person whose heart is attached to the
mosque, two persons who love and meet each other
and depart from each other for the sake of Allah, a
man whom a beautiful and high ranking woman
seduces (for illicit relation) but rejects the offer by
saying; ‘I fear Allah’, a person who gives a charity
and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left
hand might not know what the right has given and
a person who remembers Allah in solitude and his
eyes wells up.” 1.
This should be our goal as parents; to raise children
who will grow up worshiping Allah . The reality is
that most people have high expectations, which is
purely focused on the dunya like pursuing
medicine, law, engineering among other professions
which would only earn them money and prestige.
These goals are worth achieving from the academic
perspective and are very much needed by the
Muslim community for a healthy survival, especially
in this time. However, they should not take
precedence over the primary goal, i.e, paradise.
Parents should desire paradise as the biggest goal
for their children.
As Allah says in the Quran,
َ‫َالذِين‬
َّ ‫ِّمِنْ َألَتْنَاهُم َومَا ذُرِِّيَّتَهُمْ بِهِمْ َألْحَقْنَا ِبإِيمَانٍ ذُرِِّيَّتُهُم وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ آمَنُوا و‬
‫ع َملِهِم‬
َ ‫يءٍ مِِّن‬ ْ َ‫ش‬
And those who believe and whose offspring
follow them in Faith, to them shall We join
their offspring, and We shall not decrease
the reward of their deeds in anything.
 1. Taqwa and Piety:

The first habit for those who want to successfully

raise Muslim children is taqwa and piety, and from
the child’s perspective the parents should be
righteous. Then the question arises; when should
Islamic upbringing begin? The reality is
that tarbiya starts before the child is born. A
student once asked his teacher about raising his
child who was at that time a year old. The teacher
replied, “You have already missed the boat because
it starts with the parents”. Parents desiring
righteous children should themselves be righteous;
they should work on themselves, their relationship
with Allah , their knowledge, their character, etc.
This habit does not refer to the principle of being a
good example but refers to the principle that if
people are themselves righteous, Allah will make
their children righteous as one of the fruits
of taqwa. For example, in the Quranic story of
Khidr and Musa ُ‫السالَم‬
َّ ِ‫عَلَ ْيه‬, Khidr rebuilt the wall
belonging to the orphans because their father was a
righteous man. Some of the early scholars used to
tell their children that, “Indeed I make nawafil for
your sake.”
They used to recite the verse:
َ‫أَبُو ُهمَا وَكَان‬
‫…صَالِحًا‬.
And their father was a righteous man.. 3
so that the righteousness of the parents would affect
the children for their benefits. Parents should make
sure that their own aqeedah is intact; they should
have a close relationship with Allah and put
their aqeedah in practice. It is not enough to know
about the academic details, but the qeedah should
be lived too. For example, Muslims in knowing the
fundamentals of tawheed, know that one of Allah’s
name is Ar Razzaq; The Provider. Therefore, they
should seek their provisions through halal sources
and leave the outcome to Allah . We need to have
the right belief with respect to Allah’s attributes and
names. Knowing them and internalizing them is to
live with the fact that Allah is Ar Razzaq. What
does that mean? It means that people will not
sacrifice their life to come for the sake of the
provisions in this life.
What happens today is that people’s main focus
is dunya and that is given precedence. They put all
their energy into it at the expense of their children
and their religion. Therefore, most Muslims today
are caught in riba indirectly or directly. Some send
their children to foreign countries to secure their
future; examples as lawyers, doctors, engineers,
basically an economic grounded future. In many
cases, the priority is making money and saving it
and Allah is forgotten. They do nothing for the
pleasure of Allah . In some better cases they only
pray the five (5) daily Salah and nothing else. But in
order to secure your future both
in dunya and aakhira, one needs to have taqwa, as
Allah says,
‫علَى يَتَوَكَّلْ َومَن‬
َ ِ‫الله‬
َّ َ‫حسْ ُبهُ فَهُو‬
َ ۚ َّ‫اللهَ إِن‬
َّ ُ‫ۚ َأمْ ِرهِ بَا ِلغ‬
 And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then
He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will
accomplish his purpose. 4
Parents have to live Islam, act in accordance with it,
with its aqeedah, its creed.
Another factor is to practice the Sunnah, to live in
accordance with the life of the Prophet
Muhammed and avoid innovations in Islam
because the Prophet said, “The worst of things
are those that are newly invented; every newly-
invented thing is an innovation and every
innovation is going astray, and every going astray
is in the Fire. 5 We should understand that bida’h in
general is a satanic shortcut which sways a person
to do what Allah has commanded not to do. For
example, “You just pray to this saint, and you have
guaranteed results. If you pray to Allah, your
prayer won’t be answered, but this is a shortcut.”
These satanic innovations destroy a person’s
religion and such a person could not possibly be
given righteous children because Allah gives
righteous to the righteous. It is not that Allah in
His greatness cannot give righteous children from
unrighteous parents or the opposite because we
know Prophet Nuh ُ‫السالَم‬
َّ ِ‫ عَلَ ْيه‬had an unrighteous son
as mentioned in the Quran. However, we are talking
about the norm, and not the exception. Therefore,
parents should themselves keep away from sins.
The Prophet gave an example of
the saghaair when he said, in an
authentic hadith that there was a group of people
who went to the desert where they wanted to make
a fire. Each of them found little pieces of wood,
which they collected together, and thus they were
able to make the fire. The Prophet said that this is
how minor sins work. They keep throwing the
minor sin on the pile until it becomes a major sin.
So parents, in order to ensure their chances for
getting righteous children should make themselves
righteous.
2. Dua’:
It is the weapon for every Muslim. It is the right of
the children that their parents pray for them even
while they are unborn. Parents should
make dua’ before and after meeting (sexual
intercourse) themselves. And Allah ascribes to the
righteous worshipers to making the dua’,
‫ُرةَ َوذُرِِّيَّاتِنَا أَزْوَاجِنَا ِمنْ لَنَا َهبْ رَبَّنَا‬
َّ ‫َأعْ ُينٍ ق‬
“Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and
our offspring who will be the comfort of our
eyes.” 6
This was the way of the prophets. We find Prophet
Zakariya ُ‫السالَم‬
َّ ِ‫ عَلَ ْيه‬praying;
ِِّ‫سمِيعُ إِنَّكَ ۖ طَيِِّبَةً ذُرِ َِّّيةً َّلدُنكَ مِن لِي هَبْ َرب‬َ ِ‫الدعَاء‬ ُّ
“O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good
offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of
invocation.” 7
Allah answered his prayer saying;
‫تَقِيًّا وَكَانَ ۖ وَزَكَاةً َّلدُنَّا مِِّن وَحَنَانًا‬
And (made him) sympathetic to men as a
mercy (or a grant) from us, and pure from
sins (i.e. Yahya (John)) and he was
righteous. 8
So parents should make sincere dua’ for righteous
children. A dua’ which comes from the bottom of
the heart, with certainty that our dua’ will be
answered. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger
of Allah said, “Call upon Allah with certainty that
He will answer you. Know that Allah will not
answer the supplication of a heart that is heedless
and careless.” 9
When making dua’ for righteous children, the dua’
should not only be about just taking it from the
Quran or the Sunnah and simply repeating it
ritualistically. It is about reflecting on the dua’ and
saying it from within the heart to touch the soul.
Furthermore, sincere dua’ will only be accepted
from the righteous.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger as
saying: “0 people, Allah is good and He therefore
accepts only that which is good. And Allah
commanded the believers as He commanded the
Messengers by saying: “O Messengers, eat of
the good things, and do good deeds; verily I
am aware of what you do” 10. And He said: ‘ 0
those who believe, eat of the good things
that We gave you” 11. He then made a mention
of a person who travels widely, his hair disheveled
and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards
the sky (and thus makes the supplication):” O
Lord,0 Lord,” whereas his diet is unlawful, his
drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful and
his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his
supplication be accepted?” 12
When talking about making sincere dua’, the
necessary conditions that are needed for a dua’ to be
accepted must be observed and be taken into
consideration so that they can be fulfilled as much
as possible. The optimum times should be chosen
for making the dua’ and also the other conditions
must be fulfilled as much as possible. Another
aspect of dua’ is by choosing the right names for the
children; by choosing the names of righteous people
of the generations before us, and this becomes a
particular kind of dua’ for the children. Also, if
names with good meanings are chosen for the
children, it signifies instilling good omen in them;
omen which is permitted.
Prophets permitted this element of omen taking
when he forbade all others. So choose good names
for your children and not traditional, tribal or
national names but names of good meanings. The
Prophet recommended Abdullah and
Abdurrahman; also children could be named after
the Sahabas so that when a child asks of the
meaning of his name, something good could be told
to him, either in its meaning or about the Sahaba
after which the child is named.
3. Being an Example:
It is the right of every Muslim child that his parents
are of good examples. Religiosity and character
plays a major role in the bringing up of righteous
children. One cannot get away by telling children to
do some things while they themselves don’t do it.
Allah says in the Quran,
َ‫أَن ُفسَكُمْ وَتَنسَوْنَ بِالْبِرِِّ النَّاسَ أَ َت ْأمُرُون‬
Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness
and each and every act of obedience to
Allah) on the people and you forget (to
practise it) yourselves. 13
The saying “Do as I say and not as I do” does not
apply. Yes, the children may be forced on that basis,
but they will not learn and adapt to righteousness
that way, instead they will turn into hypocrites; they
will do it only because they have been told to do it.
If the mother is modest and shy, wears hijab, is
gentle, exerts herself to worship Allah , then the
children will be that way but if she yells, screams
and hits, they will do the same and if she controls
her anger, so will the children. If the parents are
not affectionate and kind, especially the mother, the
children will not be either. If the mother backbites
or lies, so will the children. Often parents teach how
to lie. For example, if someone calls the house and
they don’t want to talk to the caller, they say, “Tell
the person I am not here.” They have just taught
their child how to lie. The mum might tell the
children to hide things from their father, and that
also teaches them how to lie. Parents should make
themselves the best possible examples of good
character because character is something which can
mostly be learnt by example.
The Prophet summed up Islam as being a religion
of good character. Malik reported: The Messenger
of Allah said, “I have been sent to perfect good
character.” 14 He therefore stressed on the
importance of good character which we should be
an example of. The Prophet made dua’ in the
Salah – “O Allah guide me to the best of manners
because no one can guide me to the best except You
and keep me away from the worst of manners
because no one can keep it away except You.”
So dua’ is made to help us develop good manners
and we have to make the effort ourselves, to be
mannerly upright even if it means pretending. If
one pretends to be good mannered, eventually that
mannerism will be acquired. For some people, good
manners like controlling one’s tempers, being
patient, speaking politely comes naturally.
Prophet said, “Whoever pretends to be patient
(with a desire to be patient) Allah will give him
patience.” 15
So character can be achieved through one’s pretense
of practicing it, because one may know intellectually
that his anger should be controlled, yet once in a
provoking situation, he still expresses his anger in
an uncontrollable way. In such situations therefore,
there will be the need for him to force himself to
pretend as if he is not angry, while desiring Allah ;
that Allah will help to achieve the good character
of controlling hot tempers. Parents should make
children know Islam, which may seem strange
owing to the non-Islamic world that exists outside.
Therefore, they should be the greatest influence on
their children. This is one of the strongest methods
the Prophet used to raise the generation of the
Sahabas. When he arrived in Madinah, he taught
them from the very beginning to acquire whatever
they needed of Islam from him. He was the guide.
4. Attachment Parenting:
It is the right of the children to be loved. This begins
with breast feeding the child. The mother should
keep the child close to her and maintain a physical
contact. Allah prescribes two (2) years for
breastfeeding. The Western world strayed away
from it but now it has returned to the same claiming
the importance of breastfeeding a child.
Breastfeeding provides a warm beginning for the
child, which makes him be in a direct contact with
the mother, important for the psychological
development of the child. Scientifically, it is proven
that the first five (5) years are the most crucial years
in forming the future personality of the child. Most
of the problems of teenagers come from the early
period of childhood; therefore, children need love
from the early years of their childhood to have
stable lives ahead.
‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his grandfather
that the Messenger of Allah said, “Anyone who
does not show mercy to our children nor
acknowledge the right of our old people is not one
of us.” 16 This was his way. In those days some
considered kissing and cuddling children as not for
the men.
It was narrated that Aisha (may Allah be pleased
with her), said: “Some Bedouin people came to the
Prophet and said: ‘Do you kiss your children?’ He
said: ‘Yes’. He said: ‘But we, by Allah, never kiss
(our children)’. The Prophet said: ‘What can I do
if Allah has taken away mercy from you?'” 17
The guiding of children should be done in a loving
way as possible. Quality time and personal attention
should be given to them. Lines of communications
should be developed with them, not just a brief
passing time, but real time so as to ensure an
effective and a healthy parent-child relationship.
When dealing with children, one should know what
to focus on and avoid being harsh. Soft and kind
approaches should be adopted when dealing with
the children even in situations where they fall short
rather than using harsh and ugly words on them. It
is important to bond with the children and to
develop a strong bond with them.
5. Education:
It is the right of the Muslim children to be
Islamically educated. Most of us agree to the fact
that they must be educated, but the focus is not
Islamic. We always hope seeing them acquire high
degrees and becoming various professions, which
all are out of Islamic Knowledge and Islam
respectively. When the Prophet said seeking
knowledge is compulsory upon every Muslim, he
meant Islamic knowledge. Gaining other knowledge
is beneficial; one should not see it otherwise, but
Islamic knowledge is the most important, which
should begin from the early stages, and should be
the foundation on which the child’s life in general is
built. The first word a child should learn if
possible should be Allah , rather than baba
and mama. When the child is at the stage of
recognizing, memorizing and putting words
together, he should be taught ‘Allah is above’,
among other short sentences concerning Allah
and/or Islam. Also the child should be taught that
He knows and sees everyone. In general, the love
and the fear of Allah should be instilled in them
from the very beginning. Their upbringing should
revolve around the faith of ‘La ilaaha illalah’
(there is no god worthy of worship except
Allah); thus making this statement part and parcel
of their daily conversations.
The existence of paradise and hell should be
discussed with them even in their early years in life.
Also, they should be reminded more often, of the
result of disobeying Allah , which is being
punished in the hell fire and dwelling in it forever.
Western upbringing negates this particular claim in
the sense that children are not supposed to be
subjected to horrible and scary teachings except
love, but the reality is such teachings rather draw
them closer to Allah the more, which make them
righteous and faithful servant as they grow up, and
importantly, Allah teaches about paradise and
hell so the child should be aware of it. It should be
fed to them in a simple manner that doing good
things takes one to paradise and doing bad takes
one to hell. There is no need going into the real
details of paradise and hell, but simply they just
should know that there is a good and a bad place
and should always try to avoid the bad place, in this
way, they will be doing righteous deeds all the time.
They should know about the Day of Judgement, so
they would know that they will be held accountable
for everything they do while on earth. They should
also be made known of the fact that Allah sees all
that they do even in secret.
Also, the love for the Prophet because that is
part of the Shahadah (the Islamic creed); which
explains “There is no god worthy of worship except
Allah and Prophet Muhammed is the
messenger of Allah” should be the greatest
symbol of their lives, and their heroes should be the
Prophet and the other prophets too, not
superheroes or superman. The children should be
made to know about the Prophet in a way of
telling them stories (as children naturally love
stories) about his lifetime on earth, his way of life,
how he ruled, how Islam was sent through him, how
he led people to righteousness, etc., and even stories
of the Sahabas. This would only be possible if
parents go about in an interesting way like using the
stories of the Prophet and the Sahabas as bed
time stories, weekends storytelling topics, etc. On
the other hand, the children should be enlightened
on formal education for aqeedah and akhlaaq.
They should start observing the obligatory Salah
even if they are young, because the Prophet said
that children should learn how to perform Salah at
the age of seven (7). Knowing Salah does not
necessarily mean knowing the actions of it. You, as
parents, get the reward when your children pray,
fast and make hajj, the same way you get the
punishment when they don’t, therefore, parents
need to teach their children from the very basics of
salat, that is; teaching them the names of the
various obligatory salat, how to
perform wudhu (ablution), what comes next after
ablution, what to be said before, in-between and
after the salat, teach them of their awrah, etc.
We should take advantage of their retentive
memories in their early years and involve them in
memorizing the Quran if possible. What greater
favor can parents do for their children than
impacting knowledge of the Quran in them! This
should be done in an affectionate way by not
teaching them the Quran with force and a stick over
their head. Unfortunately, this is the method
employed in many Quran teaching schools, and it
destroys how passionate they are about learning the
Quran because that zeal gets cooled off once they
are being maltreated. Even though they do need
some pressure to boost them up, but not to the
extent as being seen around the Muslim world.
Most of the children leave the madrasahs teaching
them the Quran scared due to the way they are
being beaten to memorize the Quran. Parents
should also make ruqya on their children before
they go to bed and they should also learn
the Muwadhatayn and do it for themselves.
Their daily experiences should be used to teach
them about Islam in the sense of teaching the girls
about modesty, hijab, chastity, the roles of women
in Islam, etc., and teaching the boys about
responsibility, the roles of fathers and husbands in
Islam among others. Parents should always try as
much as possible to manage ideal Islamic homes
where the children will get easy access to Islamic
libraries, books, tapes, CD’s, etc. Children are
attracted to visuals, thus having these sufficient
ranges of Islamic media will always make learning
about Islam interesting and fun for them, and
gradually their interest in visuals other than Islamic
ones will die off and will have no interest in any
destructive scenes from the western media.
6. Providing a Positive Environment:
It is the right of the Muslim child to be provided
with a suitable environment and an Islamic
household. Having an Islamic household does not
mean having Ayatul Kursi or inscriptions of the
Quranic verses on your walls; this does not
constitute an ideal Islamic households, but the
activities and allocation of schedules in homes make
households Islamic. All the necessary Islamic
materials and elements should be made available in
every Muslim household for the children to remain
in an Islamic- friendly environment. Parents should
maintain a peaceful environment at home; the
household should be free of conflict. Even though
conflict between a husband and a wife is inevitable,
but when those moments strike, parent should
handle it in such a way that their children will have
no knowledge of it. Children should not see their
mother acting disobediently to their father, the
same way they should not see their father abusing
their mother; this kind of attitude from parents only
sends negative vibes to the children and that affects
their upbringing and personalities.
Parents should always come to an agreement and be
consistent in dealing with children. There should
not be cases where the mother says a different thing
from what the father says; that will gradually
develop some form of enmity and favoritism in the
family. As parents, when dealing with your children,
you must always have a unified approach. The
recitation of the Quran should be heard more often
in the home. Prophet said that only the righteous
should eat your food. They should be a part of your
home. Non Islamic magazines or books should not
be present in the Islamic households.
Providing suitable environment for children
involves the outside homes too, thus parents should
be selective in choosing schools for their children;
parents should make it a must to enroll them in
Islamic schools, even if it has a lower academic
standard than the regular western schools. The
Islamic knowledge for their upbringing is more
important than any other knowledge; therefore it is
worth enrolling them in Islamic schools of low
academic standard and recognition than enrolling
them in non-Islamic schools of high academic
standards where at the end, they will be utterly
devoid of Islamic knowledge. Most Muslim parents
think they do their children great favors for
enrolling them fully in western schools, reason
being so the children could compete for higher
positions when they grow up but in the same
regard. If Muslim parents so want their children to
acquire some western knowledge, they can appeal
that ideology with Islamic institution authorities for
a bit of western education curriculum to be included
to the school (the Islamic schools) syllabus so that
the children will come out gaining both Islamic
knowledge and western education knowledge.
7. Systematic Discipline Method
Parents need to device a systematic way of
disciplining their children. Some Scholars say that
children should not be hit till they reach the age of
10. Because the Prophet said a child should offer
Salah at 7, and if he does not spank him at ten (10).
If children are not to be spanked for Salah, being
the most important thing, until ten (10), then surely
for the lesser important things, they should not be
spanked either. This is the reasoning behind the
views of the Scholars. But practically raising kids,
even those who raise righteous kids, may have to hit
the children even before they are at age ten (10). But
the point is it should be done as the last resort, not
when you are angry. The child should not learn to
avoid Mum and Dad when they are angry but to
avoid the deed they got spanked for. Parents should
be consistent on how they deal with them. In this
environment where children can be taken away
from their parents, parents have to be very prudent
when disciplining children, on the other hand
parents have to use as much positive enforcement
as possible, that is, reward them for good, and make
them feel that there is good in being good. A part
from being able to discipline children
systematically, parents should be able to know the
character of their children in their early ages.
People have researched on this. Children at age two
(2) become rebellious, at age three (3) they love to
play, at age four (4) they ask many questions and
want answers, at age five (5) they love to imitate
and copy, at age six (6) they like to stand out and be
noticed, and so on and so forth. Different ages see
the growth of different characters. So if parents
become aware of these changes, they can deal with
it in the appropriate manner. It is natural for
children to develop these characters at these times,
so parents should always be prepared on working
on them. These are natural developments that come
along with the growing process of every child thus,
parents should be aware of it before starting with
the parenting journey, for no parent can best raise
their kids when they have no idea of these natural
development.
These are the seven (7) primary habits of those who
have successfully raised righteous children. It is
very important for parents to visualize in their
mind’s eye how they fit in this scale, and emulate
these examples. Before taking into practice these
habits, parents should first work on themselves and
take into consideration the following; are we pious
parents? Does our way of life attract righteous
children? If parents are of positive behaviors and
are worth raising righteous children, then the seven
habits above should be practice while asking Allah
for patience in executing these habits.
Did we make dua’ for our children? Did we trust
Allah ? Were we good examples ourselves? Were
we compassionate and attached to them, so that
they could be open to us with their problem? Did we
give them what they need to understand Islam and
practice it? Did we educate them Islamically? Did
we create for them a positive environment in which
a righteous child could be raised? If all these
questions still surface after applying these habits
and the answer to them is yes, and you still have
unrighteous children at hand, then it should be seen
an exceptional situation; probably a test from Allah
.
But all the same, parents should ask themselves the
following questions; did we indeed follow these
habits the best way? Were we consistent in
following the rules and the regulations set for our
children? Did we violate any of these set rules? Did
we employ the right mechanism for disciplining our
children? Did we abuse them? Did they grow up to
hate us? Did we scar their minds? What kind of
parents were we? Be your own judge and judge
sincerely!!!.
May Allah grant all parents and yet-to-be parents
patience and strength to raise righteous children,
and grant His Ummah the ability to manage good
Islamic homes, and make our homes ideal Islamic
households suitable for all Muslim children.
Aameen!!!
All Perfections belong to Allah .
 ‫برنامج فنون أدائية لتنمية هوية الطفل املصرى الثقافية‬

‫هدف البحث إلى تحديد أبعاد هوية الطفل المصرى الثقافية ‪,‬تحديد أنشطة فنون االداء‬
‫المناسبة لتنمية هوية الطفل المصرى الثقافية ‪,‬قياس فاعلية برنامج الفنون االدائية لتنمية‬
‫هوية الطفل المصرى الثقافية ‪.‬‬

‫وجد فروق ذات داللة إحصائية بين متوسطى رتب درجات أطفال المجموعة التجريبية‬ ‫‪-1‬‬
‫فى القياسين القبلى والبعدى لتطبيق أنشطة برنامج الفنون االدائية على مقياس الهوية‬
‫الثقافية المصور لطفل الروضة لصالح القياس البعدى‪.‬‬
‫وجد فروق دالة إحصائيا بين متوسط درجات أطفال المجموعة التجريبية وأطفال‬ ‫‪-2‬‬
‫المجموعة الضابطة فى القياس البعدى‪ ,‬لتطبيق أنشطة برنامج الفنون االدائية على‬
‫مقياس الهوية الثقافية المصور لطفل الروضة لصالح المجموعة التجريبية‪.‬‬
‫ال توجد فروق ذات داللة إحصائية بين متوسطى رتب درجات أطفال المجموعة‬ ‫‪-3‬‬
‫التجريبية فى القياسين البعدى و التتبعى لتطبيق أنشطة برنامج الفنون االدائية على‬
‫مقياس الهوية الثقافية المصور لطفل الروضة ‪.‬‬
‫نسبة التحسن لدى متوسطات درجات أطفال المجموعة التجريبية فى أبعاد مقياس الهوية‬ ‫‪-4‬‬
‫الثقافية المصور لطفل الروضة أعلى من المجموعة الضابطة‬
 Performing arts program
to develop the cultural identity for Egyptian
child

Preparation
:
Shaimaa Abdel Aziz Mohamed Abu Zaid

Lecturer of kindergarten Department –

Faculty of Humanity Studies Al-Azhar University-
cairo
Study Abstract

The research aims to:-

Determining the dimensions of the cultural identity for

Egyptian child, determine the performance arts activities
that are appropriate for developing the cultural identity
for Egyptian child and Measure the effectiveness of the
Performing Arts program in developing the cultural
identity for Egyptian children.

The research sample consists of forty (40) children

(male& female) in kindergarten from
5: 6 years, Divided between tewenty (20) children
experimental group and 20 children Control group
method.
The researcher used tools:

1-stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale 5th Form.

2- An illustrated measure of the cultural identity for

kindergarten children.

3- Note card for kindergarten teachers to measure the

cultural identity of a kindergarten child.

4- Performing Arts Program.

Search results for:
1- There are statistically significant differences between
the average scores of children of the experimental group
in the pre and after measurement to apply Performing
Arts Program activities on the scale of cultural identity
illustrated for kindergarten children. (After scale).
2- There are differences with statistically significant
between the children of the experimental group and the
children of Control group in after measurement to apply
Performing Arts Program activities on the scale of
cultural identity illustrated for kindergarten children for
experimental group.
3-No statistically significant differences between the
average scores children of the experimental group
children in the after and tracking measurement to apply
Performing Arts Program activities on the scale of
cultural identity illustrated for kindergarten children .

5- The percentage of improvement for averages

degrees for experimental group children in
dimensions of scale the cultural identity for
kindergarten child is higher than the control group.
 key words:-
1- Performance arts.
2- Cultural identity.
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