Greetings

Hello everyone, welcome to our September newsletter! As always, we provide an overview of what is happening within our childcare community. This month, we will focus on the magic reading creates in the minds of young children.

Let’s all welcome the beginning of spring and with it, let’s explore the magical world of reading for young children! With longer days ahead of us filled with sunshine, the weather will definitely be conducive to more reading, books, stories and storytelling! In this newsletter, we’ll give parents and early childhood educators tips, activities and ideas on how to make reading irresistible for youngsters. 

The Power of Reading Aloud

As children begin their language journey on reading, reading aloud helps children learn to associate words and spellings to its sound and pronunciation. Reading aloud exposes children to a rich variety of vocabulary and different sentence structures but also helps them develop pre-reading skills. These skills can include phonemic awareness and print awareness. 

It can definitely be a magical moment for children when they discover and unlock the connections between the words they hear and the ones they see on print as well as connect it to the pictures on the books they see and read, to a degree. 

Reading aloud along with a child can have a great impact on a child’s language development, imagination, and overall academic success. 

Choosing the Right Books

There are so many wonderful books to choose from but aside from considering the physicality and content of a book, it is also important to consider what topics a child is interested in. While toddlers and infants with their shorter attention spans may be fit for beautiful board books filled with colours, shapes, and repetitive texts, preschoolers might find those already boring. 

Meanwhile, preschoolers may find more complex stories, relatable characters and engaging illustrations more inviting and interesting. Aside from these factors, ensuring there is a variety of genres available–ranging from classic fairy tales and fables to modern picture and story books–exposes children to diverse stories and perspectives. 

Being in a multicultural society, having books that mirror a child’s own culture and experiences will also help him or her showcase their culture while sharing it with their peers, influencing cultural relativism.

Another factor to consider when choosing books is the amount of interaction children have with the book. Interactive traditional books with built-in mechanisms such as lift-the-flap books or pop-up books and those with added textures or even voice-overs make reading more fun and engaging. These features also help children in their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Engaging Children in Reading

Asking questions about the story not only helps in keeping children engaged and interested in the story, it also makes reading an interactive and non-monotonous activity. Encourage children to ask questions as you go on, make predictions or guesses, and share their thoughts and feelings about the story. This helps children think beyond the simple story, reading between the lines and fostering critical thinking skills. 

Another way to make children invested in the stories they hear and read is to connect it to their own life experiences. You can point out the similarities and differences between characters, events, settings, and other notable plot devices to their life to help children connect the dots and build meaningful connections. This not only makes the reading experience more relevant and enjoyable but also builds comprehension skills.

Celebrating Children’s Reading Milestones

As children progress in their reading journey, it’s important to celebrate and acknowledge their achievements. Whether that’s having a milestone wall or memory book to commemorate their milestones, it’ll surely help a child remember their first wins while reading while encouraging them to continue further to reach their reading goals.

The Milestone Wall or Book can contain their first word, book, and/or reading goals at the moment. You can also put in their favourite characters, or objects that inspired their curiosity. 

The Takeaway

Every child’s journey into reading is a unique pathway and experience. Don’t be afraid to explore other reading materials and opportunities to invite them into the magical world of reading. 

Reading’s magic unlocks a myriad of possibilities, worlds, and ideas. Read aloud, choose the books that interest them, engage children, and celebrate their reading milestones to encourage them to develop a love for reading. Happy reading!

0-12 month development

Do we really need to burp babies? Here’s what the research says

Authors: Karleen Gribble and Nina Jane Chad

Burping a baby, especially after a feeding, has been a traditional process for many cultures. Burping can help remove trapped gas that a baby has inadvertently swallowed while feeding. However, a research conducted in India showed burping didn’t really show burping in lessening babies crying, instead it increased babies spitting up. 

Read more about the study and know whether you should continue to burp your baby or not here.

1-2 year development

What Is a ‘Velcro Baby’? These Videos Show That It’s a Sticky–but Normal–Situation

Author: Beth Ann Mayer 

Do you have a clingy baby in your arms, making it hard for you to do chores of any kind? Experts say being clingy for young children simply means a survival instinct. Being with their primary caregiver gives them a sense of peace and security, that’s why they rarely want you out of their sight and reach. While some advise you to gradually decrease time spent with your velcro baby, these experts say increasing not only the time but the quality of time spent in the company of your velcro baby will help them feel more secure.

Learn more about velcro babies and what you can do to build a better relationship with them here.

2-3 year development

We’re told to limit kids’ screen time. But how does it actually affect their health?

Author: Nick Fuller

Experts have recommended parents limit their kids’ screen time but parents are still asking about how it directly affects their children’s health. Well, the results are out and researchers say children with a higher screen time are more prone to mindless eating and overeating. Not only that, they actively seek out junk foods instead of healthier, organic options due to the amount of junk food ads they come across their screens.

Read more about the direct effects of longer screen time on your kids here

3-4 year development

Late bedtimes and not enough sleep can harm developing brains – and poorer kids are more at risk 

Authors: Emily C. Merz and Melissa Hansen

In this article neurologists have found out how sleep can contribute to a child’s later mental health outcomes and academic achievements. They have also laid out recommendations on how many hours of sleep a baby, toddler, schoolchildren, and teenagers should be getting on a daily basis.

Read on and find out where your child is getting enough sleep and its consequences here.

4-5 year development

How To Explain Where Babies Come From to Kids

Author: Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH

It might be because they’re going to have a sibling soon, their friend has a baby sibling of their own or saw a baby when your little one asked where babies come from. It’s one of those first trick questions that usually stumps parents. But experts say asking what they already know can be your starting point in explaining how babies are made in an age-appropriate way.

Find more tips on how to best answer how babies are made in a kid-friendly way here.

How To Create a Tasty and Fun Archaeological Experience

Give children a sense of what archaeologists do at their jobs but add a delicious twist. This ref cake treat with multiple layers and hidden dinosaurs gummies will both be a sensory and tasty treat for children. Let them have a field day, digging for hidden dino gummy fossils buried in the layers.

Get the recipe for this tasty and fun archaeological experiment here.

Water Cycle in a Bag

In this STEM experiment, children will harness their observation skills to detect the different processes water undergoes that transforms it from its liquid form to air and back to liquid again. Seeing it with their own eyes helps children familiarise themselves with the scientific method, recording their observation and seein the concepts in action. 

Learn more about how to facilitate this water cycle in a bag experiment here.

What do ants like to eat?

Another great STEM experiment that’ll harness children’s observational skills, have them brainstorm what ants or other friendly insects like butterflies, but maybe not bees as they can sting, would love to eat. Place their suggestions on the tray and observe from a safe distance. Better yet, if you have binoculars, have them take a look through it for that extra scientist feel! 

Find out more about how you can safely conduct this observation experiment here.

Make a Bubble Machine

Fewer things can delight young children than making these ephemeral things called bubbles. In this STEM activity, get children to make a DIY bubble machine that will have them creating interesting bubble sculptures in no time. 

Find more STEAM concepts you can discuss with this activity here.