The Complete Home Learning Enablers and Other Helps: For Ages 2 to 15

By Cynthia C. Jones Shoemaker PhD

Good, solid information is hard to get. How hard is it for you to come up with ideas to boost learning for children at home? Dont be taken in by expensive educational materials and toys that might not be up-to-date, age-appropriate, or geared toward your childs learning style. A childs most important first teacher is the parent. With our preschool, primary, and upper grades programs, we involve the parents in the individual educational needs of their child or children. Please take some time to review the materials and learn more about simple educational materials and tools that you can use with your children at home to boost their IQ and vocabulary. This program only requires a few minutes each day too, as often as you would like.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503566583

Cynthia C. Jones Shoemaker PhD

Dr. Cynthia C. Jones Shoemaker’s years of research and graduate teaching in the fields of child development, early childhood education, family types, ages, and stages helped her include in most of her books the importance of parent involvement and critical thinking skills. These are keys in her four Learning Enablers Manuals for different age groups. Her doctorate in human development with a minor in management were enhanced by her thesis work with two hundred children, showing that a few minutes, even weekly, with a child can raise the IQ. She has raised four children and has twelve grandchildren. She is presently chief academic officer and university coordinator at the So. MD Higher Education Center.

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Copyright © 2015 by Cynthia C. Jones Shoemaker, PhD

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5035-6981-2

                 eBook           978-1-5035-6658-3

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Rev. date: 05/14/2015

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Table of Contents Section I

49 Home Learning Enablers

12 for Ages 4 to 12 Months

12 for Ages 12 to 24 Months

20 for Ages 24 to 36 Months

23 Parent Papers

15 Group Program Enrichment Papers

For Ages 12 to 36 Months

Table of Contents Section II

Home Learning Enabler Parent Involvement

26 Home Learning Enablers for Age 3-4 years

26 Home Learning Enablers for Ages 4-5 years

26 Home Learning Enablers Kindergarten

30 Home Learning Enablers First Grade

30 Home Learning Enablers Second Grade

21 Home Learning Enablers for Grades 3-4

Parent Papers

Understanding Three-to-Ten Year Olds

Reading and Talking to Young Children # 1-#3; Reading to Young Children; Thinking, Reading and Talking to Young Children

Developing Your Child’s Self Image # 1-3

Discipline: A Learning Process # 1-#3; Helping a Child develop Self Control; Children Need Adults for Guidance Discipline: A Learning Process

Thinking and Language Skills #1: Creativity, Memory Stretching and Observing Creativity, Memory Stretching and Observing

Thinking and Language Skills # 2: Comparing, Classifying, and Imagining

Thinking and Language Skills #3: Cause and Effect, and Summarizing

Thinking Skills #4: Looking for Assumptions and Telling the Reason Why

Thinking Skills #5: Problem Solving and Decision Making

Thinking Skills #6: Understanding and Organizing

INTRODUCTION Organization of the Program Enrichment Papers for Group Activities with Ages 3 to 5 Years

Enrichment Papers for Group Activities with Ages 3 to 5 Years: Listing of 40 Activities

Understanding Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen Year Olds

Table of Contents Section III

Home Learning Enabler Parent Involvement Introduction

15 Home Learning Enablers for Ages Seven to Ten Years

22 Home Learning Enablers for Ages Eight and Nine Years

12 Home Learning Enablers for Ages Ten and Eleven

Parent Papers

Understanding Seven to Ten Year Olds

Understanding the Eleven Year Old

Understanding The Twelve Year Old

Understanding the Thirteen Year Old

Understanding The Fourteen Year Old

Understanding Fifteen Year Olds

Around the World in 180 Days

31 HLEs for World History and Geography

ECEA INSTITUTE

Education, Continuing Education, and Administration Institute

Box 396 Marbury, MD 20658

Dear Reader:

Thank you for your order. The ECEA Institute is pleased that these activities will be reaching parents and children. The Feedback Sheet after each section is included for your own use for a record of things done with your child.

Enjoy the Manual,

The ECEA Institute

Learning Enabler Parent Involvement Introduction

In a review of 28 studies, it was found that in order to maintain the gains young children made in early childhood programs, parent involvement was a must. It was also found that if parents were given specific, curriculum-related activities in a sequence, these gains were maintained the most effectively. The following Learning Enabler (HLE) activities will help you provide just such activities for your children.

The following five features were evident in the 28 programs that showed immediate and lasting gains for children due to parent involvement:

1. Building trust, if you have any questions.

2. The curricular emphasis in materials used for home teaching.

3. The ratio of parent to teacher for instruction in home teaching activities (one-to-one was best).

4. The structure (or sequence) of the home teaching activities, from easier to harder, was found to be of top importance for the most stable gains.

5. The specificity or detail and definition of the home teaching activities. The Home Learning Enabler series involves numbers two, four, and five of these features that help guarantee lasting effectiveness. Building trust in one-to-one situations also occurs in most good programs.

The Home Learning Enablers are an attempt to encourage home learning by providing instructional materials in the homes of children to prepare them for later school achievement.

A relatively inexpensive form of encouraging parents’ interaction with their own children is weekly, one-page Home Learning Enabler activities that suggest brief, enjoyable parent-child interactions in the home. Learning then occurs in the reciprocal process between parent and child, which is the heart of this program.

For the informal learning opportunities that parents can take advantage of at home, It is reasonable to assume that If educators need instructional materials, parents need materials too. Thus, the home learning activities described are designed to encourage verbal responses between parent and child.

Learning Enablers

After Learning Enabler activities were developed, they were tested weekly by parents and their children. The Learning Enablers include a complete set of activities for ages infant through fifteen years old in the Complete Home Learning Enabler Manual. The Infant Toddler HLE Manual includes activities For the very young ages 4 months to 36 months.

The step-by-step Home Learning Enablers are unique in that they utilize household objects as systematic instructional materials. This has proven to be an easy, inexpensive mechanism for involving parents. Although this program was pilot tested in Maryland, it easily could be used nationwide and abroad.

A distinct sequence is followed in each activity. First, the name of the activity gives the parent a hint as to the content. The Reason section tells the objective or purpose of the activity and provides a line or two of explanation about what the activity teaches. An attempt is made here to be as specific as possible without using educational jargon, long words, or long sentences.

Activities have been purposefully written at an easy reading level.

The What You Need section lists needed materials. These lists are meant to suggest items that are simple, inexpensive, and already available in the home.

Another unique feature of these Enablers is the Time Needed section, in which the time requirement is always shown clearly; beginning activities, especially, are kept short, about 3 to 10 minutes each. Parents are tired after a day’s work, and three-, four-, five-, six-, and seven-year-olds have short attention spans. The activities have been timed, so they are as close in approximation to the time listed as possible.

The What To Do section gives a simple step-by-step approach to the activity. An effort is made to be brief and clear in this section. The Did It Work? section provides the parent with some evaluation information by describing observable signs of the success of the Enabler activity. Finally, the Easier and Harder Ideas section provides ways to adapt the activity by making fairly minor changes. An easier adaptation for younger children is provided in number one, and a harder adaptation for older or more able children is given in number two. These ideas also encourage parents and children to creatively adapt Enabler activities and then share these suggestions with friends and neighbors and their children.

Where is Thumbkin?

Home Learning Enabler # 1

4-12 Months

REASON: To build observation and listening skills. To talk about fingers, which your child has just discovered.

MATERIALS: None.

TIME NEEDED: 3 minutes.

HOW TO

1. Sing the song Where is Thumbkin to the tune of Frer Jacques. The words to the song are: Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? Here I am, Here I am (Put your right and left thumb out). How are you today sir? Very well, I thank you. Run away, run away (Put your hands behind your back).

2. For the next four verses, substitute as the other finger names: pointer, tall man, ring man, and pinky.

3. Sing this at other times, such as riding in the car, or at bath time.

4. Encourage your child to hold up a finger (hard to do).

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy this song? Does he or she even stop crying when you sing it?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can play pat-a-cake with his or her hands (and yours).

2. An older child can learn more finger plays. Also This little Pig went to Market with toes is popular.

Can You Grab It?

Home Learning Enabler # 2

4-12 Months

REASON: To encourage your child to move forward to grab an interesting or pretty item.

MATERIALS: A scarf, colorful dish towel, and piece of material or yarn.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes.

HOW TO

1. 1. Lay your baby on his or her stomach on a quilt, pad or rug on the floor.

2. Wiggle the bright colored scarf or towel in front of your baby.

3. Say your baby’s name. Wiggle and pull the scarf or towel away as you say the name.

4. Put your child’s hand on the item as you pull it away.

EVALUATION

Does the baby catch on and reach for the strip? Praise your baby.

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby can watch the brightly colored object move.

2. An older baby can grab onto a spool tied on the end of a piece of yarn.

Sock Ball Up

Home Learning Enabler # 3

4-12 Months

REASON: To practice observation. To build eye-hand coordination.

MATERIALS: Two pairs of socks rolled up in a ball. Bright colors are good, but any color (like dad’s) will do.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes.

HOW TO

1. 1. Toss the sock ball up and say up.

2. Drop the ball down and say down.

3. Give the ball to your baby to toss or drop. Say up or down when he or she tosses or drops it.

4. Take a sock ball for each of you to toss up, drop or roll.

5. Use more sock balls another day.

EVALUATION

Does your baby enjoy this? Be sure to praise him or her.

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can be encouraged to roll or move the ball in any way.

2. An older child can match the socks to make the balls.

Paper Balls

Home Learning Enabler # 4

4-12 Months

REASON: To develop eye-hand coordination. To build listening skills.

MATERIALS: Crumpled gift wrap in balls. Square flat pieces of any discarded paper, about one foot square.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes.

HOW TO

1. 1. Show your baby the ball(s) of crumpled gift wrap. Toss one up and watch it.

2. Show your baby the flat paper. Crumple it into a ball. Hold it near the baby’s ear while you do another one.

3. Give your baby a flat piece of paper and both of you make a ball.

4. Toss the balls.

5. Put the balls in a box to keep or in the trash basket when you are done. Let your baby help.

EVALUATION

Does your baby show interest and want to do it again?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby can watch you toss the brightly colored gift wrap balls up and catch them.

2. Hide a toy or other object in the box of paper balls. Let your baby find it. Rotate hidden toys.

Make a Shaker

Home Learning Enabler # 5

4-12 Months

REASON: To build listening skills. To develop eye-hand coordination. To talk about inside and outside.

MATERIALS: A coffee can, oatmeal box, shoe box or other container with a top. A small toy or object to go inside.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes.

HOW TO

1. Show your baby the container. Let him or her watch you as you put the toy or object inside (say inside) (Put a rubber band around the shoe box to hold it closed).

2. Shake your new shaker. Let your baby shake it. Talk about how it sounds.

3. Open the container and let your baby take out the toy or object. Talk about outside.

4. Make another shaker. Both of you shake or roll the shaker.

EVALUATION

Does your baby enjoy this? Watch for object permanence around 8 or 9 months as your baby realizes the object is still there, even when it can’t be seen.

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby will enjoy having an object disappear under a pillow. Move the object from under one pillow to under a second pillow. Most babies will look for it under the first pillow, even if they see you move it.

2. An older child can make a rhythm band with a shaker and two wooden spoons for rhythm sticks. You can also tape sand paper to two blocks to make sanding blocks with which to keep time to music. Then tape, shake, and sand to the rhythm of some music.

Bag Ball

Home Learning Enabler # 6

4-12 Months

REASON: To develop observation skills and eye-hand coordination.

MATERIALS: A small ball, the paper ball and sock ball can also be used. A ziplock plastic bag or a paper lunch bag.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes.

HOW TO

1. Put one of the balls inside the ziplock bag and seal it. Show your baby how you can push the ball around inside.

2. Let him or her push it around.

3. Show your baby the real ball and roll it around outside the bag.

4. Next, put it inside the bag and both of you roll it.

5. Try the ball inside the paper bag. Talk about how it sounds. Play Hide and Seek with it. Roll it around inside the paper bag by feeling it.

EVALUATION

Does your baby enjoy this? Want to do it again?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby can just push one of the balls around.

2. An older baby will enjoy trying different objects inside the ziplock bag, pushing them around.

Bath Time Cups

Home Learning Enabler # 7

6-12 Months

REASON: To practice sequence skills. To hear the words large and small. To build eye-hand coordination.

MATERIALS: A set of plastic mixing bowls and a set of plastic measuring cups.

TIME: 3-5 Minutes at bath time.

HOW TO

1. At bath time, put the measuring cups on the edge of the bathtub, in order.

2. Next put the mixing bowls on the side of the tub, in graduated order. Talk about large and small.

3. Give your child the cups and the bowls to play with.

4. Show your child how to scoop up water with a cup and pour it into the bowl.

5. Later ask him or her to hand you the large one.

EVALUATION

Does your child show an interest in the row of cups or bowls?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. 1. A younger child can just play with the cups in the bath and stack them.

2. 2. An older child can use one of the cups to fill one of the bowls up. Talk about half full and all full.

Toy House

Home Learning Enabler # 8

6-12 Months

REASON: To build eye-hand coordination. To practice the new understanding of knowing things are still there even when they can’t be seen. (This is called object permanence). To hear the words out and in.

MATERIALS: A shoebox and a small toy or object that the baby can handle: a spool, a cup, a rock or block for example.

TIME: 3-5 Minutes

HOW TO

1. 1. Cut a door in the end of the shoebox, that is a flap that can be folded back to open, or pushed flat to close. Turn the shoebox upside down to make a house.

2. Put the toy or cup inside the door with the door open. Let the baby see it. Take it out and hand it to her or him.

3. Put it back inside the house.

4. Take it out and ask your baby to put it in.

5. Ask you baby to take it out. Next time close the door and repeat the putting in and taking out.

EVALUATION

Does your child think this is fun and try to put the toy in by him or herself?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can play the game with you hiding a toy under a pillow. A baby too young will think the toy is gone forever.

2. An older child can put other toys, measuring cups or spoons in the toy house, and take them out.

Baby Faces

Home Learning Enabler # 9

6-12 Months

REASON: To build eye-hand coordination. To practice observing and identifying.

MATERIALS: Duplicate pictures of family members and of your baby. A baby picture cut out from a magazine. Cardboard, tape or glue.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 Minutes

HOW TO

1. Glue or tape the magazine baby picture and the other photographs on separate (cut up) pieces of cardboard.

2. Place your baby’s picture face down. Turn it over and say peek-a-boo.

3. Let him or her turn it over and you say peek-a-boo. Do this with the magazine baby picture too.

4. If your baby is interested do this with Daddy or Mommy’s pictures next. Say, I see Daddy.

5. Do this with other family member’s pictures (or pets).

EVALUATION

Can your baby turn the pictures over? Does he or she enjoy the game?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can just look at the pictures while you say the name of the subject.

2. An older child can look at the pictures in a photo album while you say the names. Also talk about other things in the pictures (a tree, a house, the beach) and use the album for a story book.

Hide the Book

Home Learning Enablers # 10

6-12 Months

REASON: To build listening skills and vocabulary understanding of two or three words: book, toy, under.

MATERIALS: Child’s book, pillow and a familiar toy(s).

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 Minutes

HOW TO:

1. Show your baby the book and say book. Hand the book to your baby.

2. Hide the book under the pillow while your baby is watching.

3. Ask him or her to find the book.

4. Do it again. You find the book for your baby if the or she needs help.

5. When your baby can find the book, hide a different toy under the same pillow. Say the name of the toy and ask your baby to Find the bear, etc.

EVALUATION: Does your child enjoy this? Does he or she understand the word ‘book’ you use?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. Does your baby look for something he or she can’t see? This is called object permanence. If not wait one to two weeks and try again.

2. An older child can tap your correct hand when you hide a small object in your hand. An older child can also go into the next room to find the BOOK under the PILLOW.

Baby’s Quilt

Home Learning Enabler # 11

3-12 Months

REASON: To develop learning by the senses. To talk about colors.

MATERIALS: A quilt with different colored squares or shapes.

TIME NEEDED: 5 Minutes

HOW TO

1. Lay out the quilt. Point to the different colored squares and talk about them.

2. Let the baby feel the squares as you touch and talk about them.

3. Talk about how the quilt feels: smooth, bumpy or different at the edges.

4. Say two or three of the color’s names several times. Colors are easy for little ones to mix up so stay with two or three only.

EVALUATION

Does your baby enjoy feeling the quilt?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby will enjoy finding something you hide under the quilt.

2. An older child can play with 4-inch squares of cardboard to which you staple or glue different kinds and colors of fabric. Invite him or her to lay them out in a quilt of his or her own design. Pictures can be glued on to some of the cardboard squares also.

Put on My Own Oven Mitt

Home Learning Enabler # 12

3-12 Months

REASON: To gain an awareness of the words on and off.

MATERIALS: An oven mitt and a man’s hat.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 Minutes.

HOW TO

1. Put the oven mitt on your hand and take it off. Say on and off.

2. Encourage your baby to put his or her hand in the mitt (any way he or she can).

3. Talk about your baby putting it on and taking it off. Help the baby.

4. Lay the mitt down and ask your baby to put it on.

5. Give your baby the mitt to play with.

EVALUATION

Does your baby get his or her hand into the mitt at all?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger baby can watch you put on the man’s hat and then try that.

2. An older baby can practice putting one foot in a big shoe or a large slipper. Talk about on and off.

Dear Parent:

Did you know that you are your child’s most important teacher? Would you take 5 minutes this week and do the following activity with your child? Please fill in the sheet below with your ideas and comments, and keep it as a record of things you did with your child. Thank You

___________ Date: ___________

Feedback Sheet

For: ___________ Grade: ___________

(Child’s Name)

1. Did you or someone else do the activity with the child?

      Me _____Other _____

2. How many times did you do the activity?

      Once _____More than once _____

3. How much time did the activity take?

_____ 15 minutes or less

_____ 30 minutes or less

_____ More than 30 minutes

4. Did you enjoy this activity with your child?

      Yes _____ No _____

5. Do you feel your child understood it?

      Yes _____ No _____

6. Do you feel your child needs more help in this area?

      Yes _____ No _____

7. Please share any adaptation you may have of this activity, or describe a new activity. (Write on the back, if necessary.)

      Thanks for cooperating!

      Signature

(Activity name, age, and number)

Parent Papers

Understanding Infants and Toddlers (to 24 months)

When you’re a first time parent you need to know it will be O.K. in six months as one mother said. Child development moves so quickly that whenever a stage seems unpleasant (such as colic, or the terrible twos) the child will move on to a new stage, perhaps even before you can figure out what to do. The smile of mastery is a wonderful thing on a baby’s or a child’s face. A six month old smiles as he or she masters the upper arm muscles and flaps his or her arms. Watch for these smiles as they mark milestones. In two months (or so) this child will be crawling.

In every description of stages, whether physical, intellectual, social or emotional add plus or minus three to six months to stages you read about for a particular child. The sequence is often more important than the exact chronological age of the child, and even the sequence may vary. There are milestones for development and the Gesell Institute has a book series with good descriptions that have been validated and re-validated over many years. Since the weeks and months of babyhood are well covered, these Parent Papers just give brief descriptions.

An infant is:

Developing motor skills: the developmental sequence goes from head to toe and from the inner body to the outer body or fingertips. Thus arm movements precede leg movements as can be seen in a 6 to 9 month old learning to crawl by dragging the body along by the arms. Fingertip control comes long after upper arms and then lower arm control. Ages 4-5-6 are still working on eye-hand coordination. Leg control follows arm control.

A toddler is:

Very much into large muscle coordination, having finally graduated from crawling, then cruising (around the furniture) to that all-important first step and a new view of the world.

Infants and toddlers are:

• Developing language by listening all the time. Around one year they watch an adult’s mouth as you speak and even touch it. Reading briefly to a child from picture books (if you can get him or her to sit still) is priceless at these ages.

• Showing some baby teeth though on a varying schedule. In twins the same age, one may have two teeth and the other six teeth at 7 months of age.

• Gradually acquiring some skill in feeding themselves, holding the bottle until it’s given up for a cup, and picking up finger food of all kinds to eat from the high chair tray.

• Characteristic behavior might include:

• Playing alone, with little awareness of others. Loving toys that hide the item when dropped through a slot and then have it reappear. Large muscle toys are a big hit.

• Imitating syllables and then language

Being constantly active with an attention span of 30 to 60 seconds. They show tiredness by becoming restless and irritable.

Gradually learning what is acceptable and what is not (such as electric plugs and safety issues like steps). Much repetition is required, more the younger the child. Seems to have a need to explore. Brightly colored toys are cheaper than TV remote controls and other adult toys.

Infants and toddlers special needs include:

• A need for love, affection and cuddling from parents;

• They need time, patience, and understanding from adults;

• They need simple, regular routines;

• They need the opportunity for interaction and language development with adults: talking, singing songs, and hearing others talk.

Can You Top This?

Home Learning Enabler # 1

12-24 months

REASON: To build eye-hand coordination. To develop understanding of the words on and off.

MATERIALS: Unbreakable containers with lids such as a shoebox, a pan and a plastic container for leftover food.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1. Show your child the shoe box and its lid and how to put the lid on and off.

2. Let him or her do it.

3. Show two more containers and invite your child to put the tops and remove them.

4. Talk about on and off.

5. Talk about other things in the home that have lids that open or come off.

EVALUATION

Can you child take a lid off or put it on then you ask him or her to?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can practice with just one container. Put a toy or something interesting inside.

2. An older child can try two or three different containers on different days.

Work up to five and see if he or she can match the lids with the containers.

Face Puzzle

Home Learning Enabler # 2

12-24 months

REASON: To build recognition. To develop verbal interaction skills.

MATERIALS: Paper plates or cardboard pieces. One or two pictures of faces from a magazine and glue.

TIME NEEDED: 5-6 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Draw a face on the paper plate. Show it to your child. Then cut it in half on an uneven cut and show your child the puzzle. Put the top half with the chin on top of the forehead half and invite the child to correct it.

2. Glue a face on each of the two or three other paper plates or pieces of cardboard.

3. Make two or three piece puzzles of these.

4. Put another one together incorrectly.

5. See if your child can put it together in the right way.

EVALUATION

Can your child put the top and bottom of the face in the right places?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can play with the face, uncut.

2. An older child can make puzzles with 4 to 8 pieces from other magazine pictures.

Hidden Noisemakers

Home Learning Enablers # 3

12-24 months

REASON: To build listening skills and understanding of new words.

MATERIALS NEEDED: A child’s music box (or two or 3), a bell and a timer.

TIME NEEDED: 5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1. Have each item make its noise in turn (ring the bell, set the timer, wind up the music box).

2. Talk about the sounds they make and say the name after each noisemaker.

3. Hide the items behind a living room chair, under a pillow or anywhere out of sight.

4. Ask your child to go get one item after you make the sound with it. Bring it to you.

5. Praise your child and help your child find the right sound-maker.

EVALUATION

Does your child find the out of sight noisemaker at least some of the time? If not try this again when he or she is two to four weeks older.

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can do this with just one noisemaker that is hidden while the child watches.

2. An older child can help think up new noisemakers: pebbles in a pill bottle? Water in a plastic jar? A harmonica?

Can You Name This?

Home Learning Enabler # 4

12-24 months

REASON: To practice listening skills and following directions.

MATERIALS: An assortment of objects the child knows such as: a spoon, a block, a cup, a spool, a clothespin, a rock. In addition, an empty paper bag.

TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Tell the child the name of an object and ask him or her to put it in the bag. Do this with each object. Do this more than once.

2. Put one of the objects some place else, and ask the child to put it in the bag. Place the other objects around the room and ask your child to get each one.

3. Place the objects in a row and ask your child to put a certain one in the bag.

4. Substitute other objects: a ball, a book, a stuffed animal, or baby bottles. Name them and ask your child to put them in the bag.

EVALUATION

Does your child identify the right object when you say the name? Does your child think this is fun and smile?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. Tie a string to one of the objects and pull it across the room. Ask the child to name it and go get it.

2. An older child can do this outside. Use a stick, a rock, a leaf, some grass or other objects. Name the objects and put them in the bag several times, if this is fun for your child. Talk about the objects.

Stacking Spools

Home Learning Enabler # 5

12-24 months

REASON: To build vocabulary and eye-hand coordination. To have fun with rhythm.

MATERIALS: Spools of thread with or without thread on them. Try to have at least several of the same size.

TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1. Roll the spools to your child and talk about roll, push, tap, and stack.

2. 2. Clap two spools together and say the word clap. Clap them to the tune of a song or nursery rhyme you sing. Ask your child to tap spools too.

3. 3. Clap and say one-two one-two. Ask your child to clap spools while you clap your hands or tap your feet. Let him or her clap hands and tap feet while you clap spools.

4. 4. Stack the spools in sets of two. Talk about sets of two. Let the child do this next.

EVALUATION

Can your child clap spools in rhythm with a song? Can he or she stack two spools? (This is hard!)

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. 1. A younger child can enjoy rolling the spools back and forth.

2. 2. An older child can make a necklace by stringing spools on a necklace.

Indoor Sandboxes

Home Learning Enablers # 6

12-24 months

REASON: To develop eye-hand coordination. To develop an awareness of different materials.

MATERIALS NEEDED: A large pan (13 x 9, or 9 x 9) that fits inside a larger container (such as an aluminum roaster or a gift box). Larger container serves as a tray to catch spills. Beans, rice or Styrofoam pellets. Also, measuring cups and a wooden spoon.

TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Place smaller pan inside the larger pan or box on a table. Push your child’s high chair up to the table. Fill the small pan with beans, rice or pellets.

2. Let your child feel the pouring materials. Then show your child how to fill up the cups and pour them into the box.

3. Talk about the cups, all full, half full and empty.

4. Talk about how it feels: Sandy, gritty, smooth, cool.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy feeling the pouring material? Does he or she ask to do it again?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can do this in the bathtub with plastic containers and measuring cups. Put blue food coloring in one cup, yellow in another. Talk about the names of the colors. Pour them together and talk about green. Another day try red in one and yellow in another. (This will not color the child or the toys in the bathtub or the bathtub.)

2. An older child can use more elaborate measuring cups and talk about one fourth, one third and three thirds make a whole.

3. This whole activity can be done outside with a real sandbox, with sand in any box or on a beach.

Playhouse

Home Learning Enabler # 7

12-24 months

REASON: To develop large muscle and small muscle skills. To builds language abilities and pride of possession.

MATERIALS: A large box from an appliance or furniture store. A card table or any table with a blanket over it also will do.

TIME NEEDED: 5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Tell your child you are making him or her a house. Put some pillows inside it to make it comfortable. You can even put a flashlight inside for light. Cut windows and a door in the sides if you are using a box.

2. Invite your child to go inside and come outside. Practice with these words. Let him or her do it.

3. Add some toys or books to the inside. Let your child carry objects inside too.

4. Wave bye-bye when he or she goes in the house. Ask you child to wave byebye back.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy the playhouse? Does he or she carry things in and even take a nap inside?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child will enjoy a half house with only half the table covered with a blanket.

2. An older child will enjoy using a doorknob. This can be made with a spool attached with a long nut and bolt, and taped for safety. Think of more details to add with crayons or markers. Shutter? A door knocker?

Get the Beat

Home Learning Enabler # 8

12-24 months

REASON: To build listening skills and eye-hand coordination. To build self- esteem by praising a toddler’s natural sense of rhythm.

MATERIALS: An empty coffee can with the lid on it or an empty oatmeal box make good drums. Two round blocks or two wooden spoons make rhythm sticks. Rocks or dried beans in a container make shaker.

TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1. Give your child a wooden spoon or a six inch long round block to beat the drum coffee can or oatmeal box. Beat to the tune of a familiar song, like Happy Birthday.

2. Next, try the shaker to the songs you sing to him or her.

3. If music on the radio has a strong beat, shake the shaker or beat the drum to the tune.

4. Count 1-2, 1-2 or 1-2-3, 1-2-3 with the beat. Some music may have a 1-2-3-4 beat. Count it too.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy keeping time to the music?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can rock to the music with his or her body.

2. An older child can enjoy listening for your counting pattern and repeat it: 1-2, 1-2-3, 1-2. Then you repeat a pattern that he or she makes up.

Key in the Slot

Home Learning Enabler # 9

15-24 months

REASON: To build small muscle control. To develop problem solving skills.

MATERIALS: An empty coffee can with a plastic lid. Three to five metal or plastic (toy) keys.

TIME NEEDED: 5 Minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Cut a rectangular hole in the plastic lid so that the keys will drop through easily.

2. Ask your child to pick up a key and drop it in the slot.

3. Talk about the sound it makes.

4. Ask him or her to put in more keys. Talk about the number that have gone in.

EVALUATION

Is your child proud when he or she gets the key in the slot?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can put just one key in and roll the can to make a noise.

2. An older child can use the coffee can for a back and put coins in it to save.

How Big?

Home Learning Enabler # 10

14-24 months

REASON: To learn the words big and little. To learn comparing and thinking skills.

MATERIALS: A big and a small shoe, a big and a small box, and a big and a small spoon (or other large and small sets of the same item).

TIME NEEDED: 5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Talk about big. Ask your child how big he or she is. Then say So big? and hold your hands up high.

2. Talk about the big shoe, the big box and big spoon.

3. Ask your child to give you the big spoon or box. Use only the word big, as you child is just learning English and changing the word to large is confusing.

4. Another day, talk about little. Then show the little box, little spoon, little shoe or other object. Now, compare the big and little shoes, spoons and boxes.

5. Repeat this with the same sets of objects, before trying new sets of objects.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy picking out the big objects?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can work with just one pair of big and one pair of little objects.

2. An older child can work with sets of three and learn which object is middle- sized. Next, try sets of four.

Can I Carry This?

Home Learning Enabler # 11

15-24 months

REASON: To develop large muscle and small muscle skills and balance. To understand the words light and heavy.

MATERIALS NEEDED: Styrofoam meat tray, plastic spoons, forks, or other lightweight objects. A block or clothespins are also good.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Place the items on the tray and ask your child to carry it a short distance.

2. Ask your child to bring the tray back without dropping anything.

3. Praise your child for a success. If an item drops off, tell your child to pick it up and put it back on the tray.

4. Add other items, one at a time, and try more trips. Make suggestions to help your child balance the tray. Talk about light and heavy items.

5. Praise your child.

EVALUATION

Is your child able to carry the tray with three or four items? Does he or she take pride in this new skill?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can play with the unbreakable items and play float and sink with them in the bathtub.

2. An older child can carry a real tray of unbreakable objects to the dinner table.

Sink and Float

Home Learning Enabler # 12

15-24 months

REASON: To build eye-hand coordination, awareness of the sense of touch, and some awareness of colors.

MATERIALS: Items that would sink or float in the bathtub: a block, clothespin, washcloth, paper towel, pebble, plastic spoon, cotton balls and a sponge.

TIME NEEDED: 3-5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT:

1. Talk about things floating and float one or two items at batch time. Floating toys can be used also.

2. Talk about things sinking and sink one or two.

3. Talk about how wet and heavy the dry wash cloth feels when it gets wet. Try this next with the sponge. Let your child squeeze the sponge.

4. Look at the water dripping from the sponge or the washcloth and talk about how it feels.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy noticing new things about water?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can choose a color of food coloring to add to the bath water. (This won’t color the child). Add first one color (blue?) and then another color (red?) and watch a third color form (purple).

2. An older child can dip a cotton ball in the colored water and watch the cotton change color. A plastic dish of colored water in the sink can be used also. Dip a stalk of celery in the colored water and observe what happens.

My Home, My Room

Home Learning Enabler # 13

14-24 months

REASON: To develop skills in following directions. To build vocabulary.

MATERIALS NEEDED: None

TIME NEEDED: 5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Take your child by the hand and walk to his or her room. Talk about this is your room.

2. Then walk to the bathroom and talk about the name of that room.

3. Ask you child to go back to his or her room.

4. Walk with him or her to the parent’s room and talk about the name of that room.

5. Talk about these three rooms until your child is able to go to the specific room that is requested.

EVALUATION

Can your child go to the correct room after a few days?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can learn the name of just one room. Ask the child to crawl or walk to it.

2. An older child can learn the names of three more rooms after the first three are mastered.

Knots in the Fabric Strip

Home Learning Enabler # 14

14-24 months

REASON: To develop eye-hand coordination. To understand all gone and in and out.

MATERIALS: Shoebox, strip(s) of fabric one yard long or a scarf, knotted every three to four inches.

TIME NEEDED: 5-10 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Make a hole in the center of the shoe box lid, about one inch across. Put the strip in the box. Let the end of the strip come up through the hole.

2. Pull out one or two knots. Tell you child you are pulling it out.

3. Ask him or her to pull it out.

4. When it’s all out, open the box and talk about all gone.

5. Put the strip back in and talk about in the box. Work up to your child stuffing it back into the box.

EVALUATION

Does your child enjoy this? Does he or she want to do it again?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can pull a strip out from under a blanket.

2. An older child can work with a thick piece of yarn with knots in it. Work up to asking for two knots or three knots. Show your child two and three. (Stay under five for now).

Go Get Three Things

Home Learning Enabler # 15

18-24 months

REASON: To build listening and observation skills. To develop skill in following directions.

MATERIALS: A shopping bag and three (or more) things, such as a book, a shoe, a bell, a block, a button, or a familiar toy.

TIME NEEDED: 5 minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Put one or more objects in each room. Let your child watch you.

2. Give your child the shopping bag.

3. 3. Tell your child to go to the (fill in the blank for the room) ____________ and get the (fill in the blank for the object) ___________________.

4. Go with your child if necessary.

5. Work up to two rooms, and then three rooms.

6. Take the objects gathered out of the bag and ask your child to name them.

7. Ask your child to return the object to the room it came from.

EVALUATION

Can your child get the correct object? Does he or she know the name of the room?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can go get one thing.

2. An older child can go to other rooms with more objects. Work up to doing errands such as Go get me the red spool in the middle drawer. Do this outside with a rock or a stick by the tree or by the steps.

Dear Parent:

Did you know that you are your child’s most important teacher? Would you take 5 minutes this week and do the following activity with your child? Please fill in the sheet below with your ideas and comments, and keep it as a record of things done with your child. Thank You

___________ Date: ___________

Feedback Sheet

For: ___________ Grade: ___________

(Child’s Name)

1. 1. Did you or someone else do the activity with the child?

Me _____Other _____

2. How many times did you do the activity?

Once _____More than once _____

3. How much time did the activity take?

_____ 15 minutes or less

_____ 30 minutes or less

_____ More than 30 minutes

4. Did you enjoy this activity with your child?

Yes _____ No _____

5. Do you feel your child understood it?

Yes _____ No _____

6. Do you feel your child needs more help in this area?

Yes _____ No _____

7. Please share any adaptation you may have of this activity, or describe a new activity. (Write on the back, if necessary.)

Thanks for cooperating!

Signature

(Activity name, age, and number)

Parent Papers

Understanding Two-Year-Olds

Every child is different, as every parent knows. Still, it is helpful to know what other children might be doing developmentally at a particular age. If your child does not fit this particular age group, read the Parent Paper that discusses older children or read other materials about younger children. By exploring and keeping in mind the general stages of child development, you may be able to better understand your child’s everyday behavior as well as his or her occasional behavior.

Did you know that you (the parent) are your child’s most important teacher? Research has shown this repeatedly, and research also shows that the most important thing for a child’s success and development is for an adult to think he or she is wonderful.

General Characteristics of the Two-Year-Old:

• Demonstrates unevenly developed motor skills. Large muscle coordination is good (the child can walk and climb), but small muscles and eye-hand coordination are still not well developed.

• Goes through rapid language development. Vocabulary increases from a few words or short sentences to up to 2,000 words by age four.

• Gradually acquires skills in dressing and feeding self.

• Goes through changes in sleep patterns. He or she is gradually giving up daytime naps, but still needs a rest period and about 12 hours of sleep at night.

• Has almost a complete set of baby teeth.

• Often has begun to establish toilet habits and usually will be able to handle his or her own needs by age four.

Characteristic Behavior:

• Plays alone, or plays beside, but not with, others.

• Does not share or take turns too well.

• Often says no, but gradually becomes able to accept adult limits. Wants adult approval and likes to be close to mother and father.

• Helps around the house and is beginning to understand his or her surroundings and the demands of daily life. Likes to feel familiar with things and have a sense of security.

• Imitates language, manners, and habits.

• Constantly active and shows tiredness by becoming irritable or restless. Seems to have an urgent need to explore.

• Gradually learns what is acceptable and what is not. Much repetition is important.

• Demonstrates great curiosity and asks countless questions.

Special Needs:

• A need for love and affection from parents. Two-year -olds also need guidance and a pattern of behavior to follow.

• A need for time, patience, understanding, and genuine interest from adults.

• Needs for simple, clear routines and limited choices.

• A need for opportunities to learn sharing and taking turns, to learn to play cooperatively with other children.

Match the Juice and the Fruit

Home Learning Enabler # 1

24-36 Months

REASON: To build vocabulary and to develop learning by the senses.

MATERIALS: An orange and orange juice or an apple and apple juice.

TIME NEEDED: 5 Minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Show your child the orange (or apple) and tell the name of the fruit. Ask your child to smell it. Tell the color of the fruit.

2. Cut it open and smell it again. Your child can lick it or take a bite.

3. Pour a small cup of orange juice (or apple juice) to match the fruit you are using. Talk about how the juice comes from the fruit (this is hard to believe). Smell both the juice and the fruit. Talk about colors.

4. Drink the juice and eat the cut-up fruit.

5. Do this at different times with a pineapple and pineapple juice and a tomato and tomato juice.

EVALUATION

Does your child understand that the fruit and the juice are related?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. Place the fruits beside each other and ask your child to hand you the orange.

2. Place the fruit in separate brown bags and ask your child to hand you the orange by smelling the bag. Do this with other fruits. Bananas have strong smell and work well for this also.

Scream Outside

Home Learning Enabler # 2

24-36 Months

REASON: To practice using our inside voice and outside voice outside (only).

MATERIALS NEEDED: None

TIME NEEDED: 3 Minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. When (and if) your child screams inside the home, say that’s an outside voice, use your inside voice inside the home.

2. Practice whispering, also during this conversation.

3. The next time you are outside, remind your child to scream. Any loud noises will do. Your child will find this much less interesting when told to do it.

4. Do more singing inside the home and in the car, to learn more acceptable ways to use our voice.

EVALUATION

Does your child think it is funny to be asked to scream outside? Is the screaming reduced inside?

EASIER AND HARDER IDEAS

1. A younger child can scream softly outside.

2. An older child can learn new words to an old song. Learn your phone number to the alphabet song. Next, learn your address to the alphabet song tune.

Roll the Ball

Home Learning Enabler # 3

24-36 Months

REASON: To build eye-hand coordination. To develop critical thinking skills in comparing.

MATERIALS: Two balls, one of which is fairly large, a large piece of cardboard

(perhaps the side of a carton).

TIME NEEDED: 2-3 Minutes

HOW TO DO IT

1. Sit on the floor and roll the large ball to your child. Let him or her roll it back to you.

2. Roll both balls to your child. Talk about which one goes farther. Talk about which one goes fastest.

3. Put a marker (a piece of tape perhaps) and see if each ball goes farther than before. Or does it not go as far?

4. Prop a piece of cardboard against a stair and roll the large ball down it. What happens? Does it go farther? Do the same with the small