Exceptional Student Services 8700 S. Kyrene Road
Tempe, AZ 85284
Integrated Preschool Family Handbook
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KYRENE INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL
There are 12 Integrated Preschool locations within the Kyrene School District.
Information about locations can be found at:
https://www.kyrene.org/Page/1023
Dr. Sandra Laine, ESS Director……480-541-1150
Amy Dill, Integrated Preschool Coordinator……480-541-1180
Sue Hummell, Integrated Preschool Secretary…….…..480-541-1156
District Office….………..480-541-1000
Transportation…….…….480-541-1717
The Kyrene Integrated Preschool follows the school district calendar.
KYRENE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Children are unique and diverse with individual strengths and needs.
Each child’s diversity is embraced and valued.
High quality early education programing and planning is vital to children’s
development and success.
Interactions that are meaningful and rich occur between the teachers, the
children and their parents foster learning opportunities.
Learning through rich language and play opportunities as well as hands on
experiences are crucial to children’s development and growth.
Dedicated professionals help children reach their fullest potential by
providing access to and facilitating a variety of learning opportunities.
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KYRENE INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION
The Kyrene Integrated Preschool is an integrated program where children
with differing abilities play and learn together in the same classroom. Our
program is designed to serve preschoolers aged three to five (not eligible age
for kindergarten) who display a range of developmental skills and abilities.
Some children may be delayed in one or more of the following categories:
speech/language impaired, hearing impaired, vision impaired, or
developmentally delayed. These delays may affect the following areas of
development 1) cognitive abilities, 2) motor abilities, 3) sensory abilities, 4)
psychosocial skills, 5) language skills, and 6) adaptive behavior. Our typically
developing children (those not displaying delays) come from the school
community and pay tuition to attend the program. Typically developing peers
need to be potty trained before entering our program. Every effort is made to
place typically developing peers at the school of choice. If the school of choice
is full, a spot will be offered at another site, or the child will be placed on a
waiting list for the preferred location.
The Kyrene Preschool adheres to the Program Guidelines for High Quality
Early Education as developed by the Arizona Department of Education:
https://cms.azed.gov/home/GetDocumentFile?id=5879561caadebe0c98a8050
9
In order to support children’s development and facilitate learning our preschool
programs are play-based, child centered, and language-rich.
Preschool Day
Our preschool programs meet four days a week. All sessions meet three hours
per day. During the preschool day the children participate in a rich variety of
activities during which they experience many opportunities for learning. We are
strong advocates for play! Our staff views play as a natural avenue through
which children learn. Each day the children may participate in circle time, small
group activities, independent work time, snack, and movement activities. The
children are given opportunities to make choices and then given a chance to
talk about their activity choices.
In the area of guidance and discipline our ultimate goal is that each child
develops self-control and appropriate ways of solving problems. Within the
classroom setting we set clear, consistent and fair limits. We listen to the
children and help them find ways of resolving their conflicts. We model
problem-solving skills and regard mistakes as opportunities to learn. As part of
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this learning process, we always look for ways to redirect children to
appropriate activities, take opportunities to teach the appropriate skills and
help them make alternative choices. In some instances, a child may be
removed from a situation for a short period of time. The child is then given the
opportunity to rejoin the group and appropriate behavior is modeled and
encouraged. At all times our emphasis is on using positive guidance, teaching
and treating all children with dignity and respect.
CURRICULUM
Arizona Early Learning Standards
Our preschool programs use the Arizona Early Learning Standards to guide the
skills we teach in our classrooms. This document is also referred to when
writing Individual Education Program objectives and needs. You can view a copy
of the document at this website:
https://cms.azed.gov/home/GetDocumentFile?id=5ba5462a1dcb2507f8788ea1
Scholastic Big Day for PreK
This program is a comprehensive curriculum. There are eight themes that
deliver learning in an integrated manner to address all domains of
development. These domains include oral language, literacy, mathematics,
science, social studies, art and physical development. Lessons and concepts
are taught through intentional play experiences and teacher led activities.
Hand Writing Without Tears
This is a multi-sensory, developmental approach to teaching prewriting shapes
and letter formation. This program is used to supplement writing in the Big Day
for PreK curriculum.
PROGRESS REPORTING
Progress Reports for All Students
All students in the preschool program will receive progress reports two times a
year. Once in January and once in May. The skills reported on correlate with the
Arizona Early Learning Standards.
Report of Progress for Students with an Individual Education Plan
In addition to the progress reports above, students who have an Individual
Education Plan (IEP) will receive a Report of Progress two times a year. Once at
the end of each semester. This report will be to report progress on IEP goals.
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KYRENE INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM
PROCEDURES
Registration
All preschoolers preparing to attend the Kyrene Integrated Preschool must
complete a registration packet before entrance. This packet may be picked up
at any school office but must be turned in to the school office where the child
will attend preschool classes. At the time of registration, parents will need to
provide the original or a certified copy of their child’s birth certificate, proof of
residence (utility bill that shows your name and address) and their child's
immunizations record.
Tuition
Children attending our preschool as typical peers pay a monthly tuition. Full
tuition is paid each month, July through April. A nonrefundable yearly
processing fee of $50.00 will be required at the time of registration. Tuition for
the 2018-2019 school year is $325.00 per month. Payment options are
available.
You may pay in person at the District Office, mail in your tuition with child’s
first and last name on check, arrange an automatic credit card withdrawal or
pay online by simply logging into your account. Tuition is due on the 1st
of
each month. A $35.00 late fee will be assessed to all payments not received
at the District Office by the 5th day of each month. Cash is accepted if you
pay in person at the District Office with the exact amount.
Tuition may be mailed or delivered in person to: Kyrene School District,
Customer Service, 8700 South Kyrene Road, Tempe, Arizona 85284. Please DO
NOT send tuition payments into the classroom or school office.
If it is not possible for you to pay tuition, your child will not be able to remain
in the program. The tuition money is essential in maintaining a quality
program. Therefore, partial refunds will not be given if your child does not
attend a full month. Also, a full month’s tuition is paid during months when
breaks from school occur.
The Kyrene School District tax ID number is 86-6000494.
Arrival/Dismissal
Parents are asked to bring their children to the preschool classroom no earlier
than five minutes before the start of class. All children must be signed-in and
signed-out by an adult each day. Each classroom will provide a sign-in/out
sheet for this purpose. This sheet requires (first initial-last name) signatures
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and arrival/pick-up times. Each preschool site will develop an arrival and
dismissal plan to meet the site’s specific needs. Please park in designated
areas, not in the bus zone. Please be on time to pick your child up after class.
The staff has many duties and responsibilities that begin as soon as students
leave.
Attendance
Regular preschool attendance and being on time for class are both appreciated
and expected. If it is necessary for your child to be kept home, please call and
report the absence to the school attendance number in the front of this
handbook.
Transportation
Transportation by the school district is provided only to students receiving
special education services who require transportation in order to be able to
receive specialized instruction because their parents are unable to transport.
This is in accordance with the law. Transportation is provided only within the
district boundaries. We always appreciate parents providing transportation at
the preschool level in that it allows for daily verbal communication between
staff and parents.
Parents of our typical peers are responsible for transporting their children to
and from preschool. Parents may form carpools at their convenience.
Appropriate Dress
At preschool, we play actively and do a lot of moving around. Please dress your
child in clothes suitable for preschool activities. We encourage rubber-soled,
closed-toe shoes. We paint frequently and use other “messy” materials, and
although we try to keep clothes clean, accidents do happen. We appreciate
your help in selecting appropriate clothes for your child to wear. When the
weather changes and the children start to wear jackets and sweaters, please
mark their name or initials on the tag.
Spare Clothes
Please send a set of spare clothes for your child to be kept at school.
Backpacks
Each child will need to bring a backpack to school each day. A full sized
backpack is preferred as the back pack will be used to transport items between
home and school. Art work tends to get crumpled in a smaller pack. Please
mark the pack with your child’s name.
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Hand Washing
One of the most important routines at preschool is helping the children learn to
wash their hands with soap when entering the classroom, after using the
bathroom, blowing noses, returning from outside play, and before eating.
Having a hand washing routine not only helps in limiting the spread of germs
but helps build a good lifelong habit. We appreciate your help in reinforcing
this routine at all times.
Individual Education Program
As required by law, every child who qualifies for special education services, who
is placed in our program will have an Individual Education Program (IEP). The
IEP is written collaboratively by parents and the preschool staff. The IEP
contains important educational information including goals that are reviewed in
writing semi-annually, and the IEP is revised annually if the child continues to
qualify for placement in the program.
Diapers/Wipes
If your child is in diapers, you will need to be provide diapers and wipes. You
may send a supply to be kept at school or may send them daily in the backpack
Parent/School Communication
The preschool staff will communicate with you via written notes, phone calls,
email and personal contacts when the child is dropped off or picked up, and at
pre-established conference times. Newsletters will be sent home to keep
parents up to date on preschool activities. Twice a year a progress reports will
be sent home. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions or
concerns/compliments.
Parent Events
Throughout the school year we will plan several events for our parents and
families. Required events that all teachers provide:
Meet the Teacher Night in conjunction with the district
Curriculum Night in conjunction with the elementary school
Parent-Teacher Conferences-two times a year for each child in
conjunction with the elementary school. For students with IEPs, the IEP
meeting may count as one of your conferences.
Optional events that will vary by teacher:
Programs/Performances
Class Celebrations
School Wide Events
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Toys/Objects from Home
Specific guidelines in this area may vary from site to site and your child’s
teacher will share his/her preference with you. We do have two requests for all
school sites 1) toy weapons are not allowed at any time and 2) we discourage
your child from bringing an valuable or breakable items because the preschool
staff are not be responsible for lost or damaged items.
Wednesdays
Our preschool classes are not held on Wednesdays. The preschool staff spend
Wednesdays meeting many different responsibilities. Those responsibilities
include:
preschool staff meetings
team planning at school sites
parent meetings
trainings or in-services
data review
writing student reports
Accident/Illness Emergency Medical Procedures
In the event of a medical emergency, a staff person will stay with your child to
provide care and comfort. If needed, the school health office will be contacted
and if necessary 911 will be called. You will be notified of any medical
emergency as soon as possible. Posted in the classroom are all necessary
emergency numbers, along with the preschool and school staff certified to
perform CPR and First Aide.
Evacuation Drills
Unannounced evacuation/fire drills are conducted at least once every 30 days,
as required by law. Emergency Evacuation plans are posted in each classroom.
Withdrawals
We ask that when possible you give a two week notice if your child will be
leaving the program. Please notify your child’s teacher, the school office and
the preschool office. You will need to complete a withdrawal form in the school
office.
Field Trips
Class field trips provide educational experiences for children in settings outside
of the school. Field trip planning and organization is up to the discretion of the
preschool staff and will follow school board policy. Parents/guardians will be
informed in advance when children will be going on a field trip. A Field Trip
Permission Form and a Field Trip Emergency Medical Information and Consent
Form must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian, phone calls
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granting permission are not sufficient. This is a requirement of our insurance
carrier. Kyrene Preschools carry liability insurance.
Health Screening
All children in the preschool program will be screened annually for vision and
hearing. Should a problem be suspected parents will be notified.
Lice checks may occur at different times during the year if: 1) a parent or
teacher suspects a problem, or 2) a classmate or sibling of a classmate has lice.
In the case that a child is found to have lice, the parents will be notified to pick
the child up so that they can begin treatment.
The Department of Health Services requires public notice of any outbreak of
communicable diseases or infestation. Parents will be notified and a notice will
be posted in the classroom.
HEALTH INFORMATION
Liability Insurance
Per the DHS regulation R9-5-308, documentation of our liability insurance
coverage is available for review on the facility premises.
Inspection Reports
Inspection Reports are available on-site at each location. The specific location
on the inspection reports can be found posted at each site.
Pesticide Application
Parents are notified at least 48 hours before a pesticide is applied on a facility’s
premises by any of the following including but not limited to: posting the notice
on the main door to the facility, posting the notice at the parent table, in-
person communication, via e-mail, over the phone, etc.
Immunizations
Arizona Department of Health Services requirements for children enrolled in
childcare or preschool programs calls for proof of ALL immunizations in order
to attend. Parental recall or verbal history of any disease is not accepted. A
child who is missing vaccines required for his age can start, but must get a
dose of each vaccine due within 15 days of enrollment and bring a copy of the
record completed by the clinic to the school office.
Additionally, we require that current copies be provided annually for re-
enrollment. For further information about immunization requirements, please
contact your physician or the Arizona Immunization Program at 602-364-3630.
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Families may also refer to Kyrene’s website for links and information.
https://www.kyrene.org/Page/1005
Medication
A Medication Consent Form is available at the program site for the
administration of medication and must be completed by the parent/ guardian
and will remain on file. A staff member is responsible for administration of all
medications, including storing, supervising a child’s ingestion of a medication,
and documenting all medications administered.
Illness
DHS requires that program staff inform families of potentially infectious
illnesses. To assist our compliance with this regulation, please notify the
teacher when a child’s absence is due to a potentially infectious illness.
Children who are ill with diarrhea, continuous cough, vomiting, red throat,
unexplained rashes, swollen glands, head or stomach aches, have had a fever
within the last 24 hours, or who did not attend school that day should not
attend a licensed program. If a child becomes ill while at school, the
parent/guardian will be promptly notified and asked to pick up the child. The
parent/guardian will need to pick up the child within one (1) hour of receiving
notice. After one (1) hour, authorized individuals listed on the DHS Emergency
Information Card will be contacted to come pick up the child.
In the case of an emergency and/or serious injury, as determined by the school,
paramedics may be called and the parent/guardian will be notified immediately.
The parent/guardian will be responsible for all costs incurred in such
emergencies.
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KYRENE PRESCHOOL VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES
Volunteering in the Classroom
We always welcome parent volunteers. Volunteers are very helpful and the
children really look forward to having family members in the classroom. Your
child’s teacher will work with you to develop a volunteer schedule. Volunteer
activities in the classroom may vary, tasks may include: reading to a small
group of children, facilitating play, completing prep work (cutting, copying,
etc), assisting in small group activities, or helping with an individual child.
If you can’t volunteer in the classroom you can still be a part of the classroom
by helping the staff with prep work at home.
Due to DHS requirements if you are working in the classroom you will not be
able to run a group or play area unless there is a DHS licensed preschool staff
member in the same location.
Requirements for non-parent volunteers
Fingerprinting by the Kyrene School District is required for all non-parent
volunteers. Non-parent volunteers are held to the same requirements as
parent volunteers
General Tips for Volunteers
Confidentiality is extremely important when working in a classroom.
Please don’t share information about other children with anyone outside
of the classroom.
In accordance with Department of Health Services (DHS) volunteers will
not be alone with children. This includes alone at a table or in a play area
with any child other than your own. A staff member will always be in the
same location as you and the child(ren).
If a child is having difficulty with a task, we try not to do the task for
them but assist them in doing it.
If in doubt about the wisdom of an activity a child is engaged in, redirect
the child or check with a staff member.
When conversing with a child, we try to draw attention to the process of
the activity, not the product. (Example: “You are rolling the play dough,
it is long.” rather than, “You made a snake.”) as well as ask open-ended
questions (“Tell me about your tower,” rather than “How many blocks
are there?” )
Don’t worry if your child acts differently with you in the room. This is a
common occurrence. The staff will deal with this as the need arises.
Dress comfortably - you may need to play on the floor or sit in small
chairs.
Please relax. Enjoy yourself and have a great time!
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Etiquette While Visiting:
Please make arrangements for times and days to visit with your child’s
teacher.
Please do not direct questions or conversation towards the adults
working with the children. This allows us to maintain our routine with our
students.
If you are visiting with another person, please refrain from conversations
as this may disrupt learning and teaching.
If you have questions, please make arrangements to talk with the teacher
at a mutually agreeable time.
Please make child care arrangements for siblings; as is required by
Kyrene District guidelines. Siblings are not allowed to visit classrooms.
If you wish to have an outside provider or therapist visit, please work with your
child’s teacher to have someone accompany the visitor in the classroom. This
ensures that questions can be answered without disrupting the class routine.
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TRANSITION FROM PRESCHOOL TO
KINDERGARTEN
General Facts for all Children
You have a child going to kindergarten in the fall! This page will answer some
common questions.
Who goes to kindergarten? In the Kyrene School District ALL children
who are five by September 1st go to kindergarten.
What about kindergarten readiness? In order to come to kindergarten
in Kyrene, the only expectation is that your child turns five by September
1. It is each school's responsibility to be READY for your child when he
or she comes!
Where do children go to kindergarten? Most children go to
kindergarten at their home school (the school in their immediate
neighborhood and where school boundary lines are drawn). Kyrene does
offer open enrollment for families that prefer to go to a school other than
the home school. Enrollment is granted based on space and capacity by
grade level or program. For open enrollment information, please visit:
http://www.kyrene.org/Page/1202
When does the kindergarten enrollment process start? All Kyrene
schools hold a kindergarten orientation to help familiarize families with
kindergarten and the registration process. Kindergarten registration is
similar to preschool registration, the same forms are required.
What will my child learn in kindergarten? The Kyrene School District
follows the Arizona K-12 Academic Standards. In addition, Kyrene has
adopted curriculum that is followed. For information regarding Kyrene’s
curriculum go to:
https://www.kyrene.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=40951
Information on the Arizona K-12 Academic Standards can be found at:
www.azed.gov/standards-practices/
How do I get specific questions answered about kindergarten? In
addition to talking with your child’s preschool teacher, you can attend a
kindergarten information session at your home school.
What can I do as a parent to support my child as we make this
transition? Talk with your child about kindergarten and their new
school, attend community events at your home school, attend
kindergarten orientation in the spring and attend meet the teacher night
the week before school begins.
What if my child has special needs? We have the answer to this
question! Please continue reading!
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Process for Children with Developmental Delays
This page describes the process we will follow as we transition children who
have developmental delays, have a current IEP (Individual Education Plan) and
attend preschool in one of our integrated preschool programs.
1) The transition process will involve you, the preschool staff who works
with your child, and a team of people from your child's home school (the
home school team will include the home school psychologist, a special
education teacher, a speech/language pathologist and possibly a building
administrator. A kindergarten teacher will join the team for some of the
meetings).
2) The transition process begins in January when the home school team is
notified that your child will be attending kindergarten starting in the fall.
3) During the January and February we will schedule the first meeting (called
a RED-Review of Existing Data) with you, the preschool staff, and the
home school team. The purpose of this meeting is to make introductions
and walk through the transition process with you. At this meeting we will
answer your questions, review all the existing data we have on your child,
and talk about your child's strengths and needs. We will then determine
if there is other information we need to gather, or if additional testing is
needed. A schedule and timeline will be set to complete the tasks and a
second meeting (called a MET-Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team) date will
be determined.
4) During the months of March and April all tasks related to the transition
will be completed and the MET meeting will be held. At this meeting we
will review any additional data we have gathered and as a team we will
determine if your child qualifies for special education services in
kindergarten. If your child continues to qualify for special education a
new IEP (Individual Educational Program) will be written, and your child's
kindergarten program will be described.
5) The work is done! Have a great summer and come back in August
knowing your child is set for a great start as a kindergarten student in the
Kyrene School District!
It is a celebration when a child is dismissed from special education services! If
your child is dismissed, he/she will be able to remain in the program as a
typical peer with tuition waived for the remainder of the month in which they
are dismissed and the following month. If you wish to continue in the program
longer, the family will have to pay the tuition. Please contact the Integrated
Preschool Secretary within a week of dismissal from special education to set up
an account. Transportation will no longer be provided
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INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS
Reading is one of the best activities you can do with your child. It provides
opportunities for the development of many skills including: language,
vocabulary and concepts. It also builds a love for reading and lends itself to
developing story retell, sequencing skills and being able to answer
comprehension questions.
Gross Motor Skills
Create an obstacle course using outdoor spaces, furniture or other
household items that includes climbing under and over, jumping or
hopping. Include special movements (ie: walk around the tree, crawl
under the rope or table, hop to the chair)
Promote balance by having your child walk on a line or a curb
Practice going up and down stairs
Use a balloon or beach ball to practice catching and hand-eye
coordination
Play ball
Go to the park
Ride a bike
Wheelbarrow walk (your child has his/her hands on the floor supporting
their weight, you pick up their feet and they use their hands to walk
across the floor)
Make games out of motor movements (ie: hop all the way to the car,
move like animals)
Dance
Fine Motor Skills
The bathtub is a great place to work on building muscles and coordination
needed for writing. Activities you can do in the tub include:
Using a turkey baster, syringe or eye dropper to squirt water or fill
container with water
Have your child draw in shaving cream on the walls of the tub
Use a spoon to fill containers with water
Use tub crayons to draw in the tub
Other Activities:
Use an upright surface for drawing (such as an easel or chalkboard)
Use a spray bottle to squirt plants, the wall or sidewalk
Use tongs or tweezers to pick up cotton balls or other objects
Play with play-dough
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Hide small toys in play-dough for your child to find
String noodles, cereal or beads
Tear paper and magazines
Build with blocks and Legos
Puzzles
Sidewalk chalk
Paint with water on the sidewalk or outside walls
Attach clothes pins on a container or ribbon
Cutting straws, play-dough, ribbon, cardstock
Cognitive Skills
Start collections with your child (leaves, buttons, shells, lids etc.). Use these
collections to
Count
Sort
Pattern
Compare
Describe
Put in order by size
Measure things using a ruler and non-standard units of measure, you can use a
shoe to measure how long your kitchen is, or block to see how long your arm
is.
Hide objects in a bag and describe them by how they feel.
Put out a few objects, have your child close their eyes while you remove an
object and then they tell you which one is missing.
Around the House and Self Help
Involve your child in cooking. Not only is it fun, but it reinforces many skills
including counting, language, health, measuring and fine motor skills. Be sure
to talk about what you are doing using words like shake, roll, measure, more,
less, first, next, etc.
Helping around the house:
Set the table
Put the dishes in the dishwasher
Sort the laundry
Wipe the tables
Water the plants
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Clean up. You can make it a game or more fun by breaking the task into
smaller chunks or making it a competition (clean up all the shoes, clean
up all the cars, I’ll do the blue ones, you do the green)
Feed the pets
Pull up covers on the bed
Self-Help
Get dressed independently/pick out own clothing
Use the toilet and wash hands
Clean up spills
Use a spoon and fork to feed self
Pour drinks and serve food
Number Sense
Subitizing: This is the ability to see a group of objects and instantly know how
many there are, such as on a dice.
To help your child with this skill play lots of board games or games with
dice.
Counting with tagging: Being able to count objects and keep track as they
count (ex: counting the number of cars they have by saying one number for
each object-not counting an item more than once or skipping an object)
To help your child with this skill count various things in their life (how
many gold fish crackers you are giving them, count out how many forks
you need for dinner, number of cars that are blue, green, etc). You might
need to help them with strategies for keeping track such as moving the
items as they count them, putting them in a line or other organized
fashion to count them.
Knowing one more and one less:
To help your child with this skill ask them real life questions such as, “I
see you have 5 blocks. How many would you have if you lost one?” “You
have 3 pieces of candy, how many would you have if I gave you one
more?” You can use objects (manipulatives) such as counters or beans to
help your child figure out these problems if they can’t do them in their
head.
If your child asks you for 5 crackers, give them four. If they don’t figure
out right away that you need to give them one more. Ask them leading
questions such as, “How many do you have?”, “How many do you want?”,
“Did I give you enough?”, “How many more do you need?”
Counting on: The ability to know what number comes next in a sequence.
To help your child with this skill you can have them add to the counting
sequence. You would say, “what number comes after 5?” “What number
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comes before 3”. As your child gets proficient with smaller numbers you
can move to bigger ones. You can have your child ask you the questions
too. Sometimes give the wrong answer to see if they know you are
incorrect and can help you get the correct answer.
Have your child pick a number out of a bag and have them tell you what
number comes next and what number comes before.
Playing board and card games help to develop math skills. Some favorites are:
Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Cootie, Dominoes, Hi-Ho-Cherrio.
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual
sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Before children learn to read print, they
need to become more aware of how the sounds in words work. They must
understand that words are made up of speech sounds.
(http://www.begintoread.com/articles/phonemic-awareness.html)
The BEST thing you can do to build your child’s phonemic awareness is to read
aloud to your child.
Rhyming Activities
Read a book with rhyming words and stop just before you get to the word
that rhymes
(ex: from Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss “I do not like them in a
house. I do not like them with a __________” let your child fill in the blank.
Ask your child to hand you a toy, puzzle piece or tool by using a rhyming
word (ex: “Can you please hand me the loon (spoon) so I can eat my
cereal?”)
One person names a word and then you both see who can make the most
rhymes from it. Nonsense words are perfectly acceptable in this game
(ex: people, meeple, steeple, creeple, cheeple).
Read and teach your child Nursery Rhymes. Substitute rhyming words for
words in the poem by deleting the first sound and letting your child
supply the new sound/word. (ex: Hickory, dickory, dock Lickory, Lickory,
Lock The mouse ran up the clock. The mouse ran up the zlock.)
Book Suggestions:
There’s a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss
Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss
Is Your Mama a Llama by Deborah Guarino
Down By The Bay by Raffi
Eek! There’s a Mouse in the House by Wong Herbert Yee
I Can’t Said the Ant by Polly Cameron
One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
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Oh My Gosh, Mrs. McNosh bySarah Weeks
What rhymes with eel? by Harriet Ziefert
Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? By Nancy White Carlstrom
I Knew Two Who Said Moo: A Counting and Rhyming Book by Judi Barrett
Playing with Sounds and Beginning Sounds Activities:
Find a word in a book and see if you can come up with other words that
start with that sound, for each word a person comes up with they get a
token.
Roll a dice and see if you can come up with the number of words rolled
on the dice that begin with the same sound-you can use scrabble tiles to
pick the letter sound you are using (ex: you roll a three and the letter you
drew is a z-come up with zoom, zoo, zebra).
Pick a letter and see what different people’s names would be if their
name started with that sound (ex: /K/ Kori, Kandy, Kara, Kenjamin).
Have a scavenger hunt around the house, at the store, in the yard, at the
park, in the car, or any place at all for things that begin with the same
sound as the child's name, piece of food, toy, parent’s name or some
other sound.
Book Suggestions:
Alliteration
A My Name is Alice by Jane Bayer
Four Fur Feet by Margaret Wise Brown
Six Sleepy Sheep by Jeffie Ross Gordon
Faint frogs feeling feverish and other terrifically tantalizing tongue
twisters by Lilian Obligado
Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss
Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Some Smug Slug by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Wacky Wedding: A Book of Alphabet Antics by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Rosie’s Roses by Pamela Duncan Edwards
K is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo by Giles Andreae
Poems of A. Nonny Mouse by Jack Prelutsky
Busy Buzzing Bumblebees and Other Tongue Twisters by Alvin Schwartz
Playing with sounds
The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian
The Hungry Thing Returns by Jan Slepian
The Hungry Thing Goes to a Restaurant by Jan Slepian
Sing a Song of Popcorn by B. deRegniers, M. White, and J. Carr
Roar and More by Karla Kuskin
Stop that Noise! By Paul Geraghty
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Ook the Book: And Other Silly Rhymes by Lissa Rovetch
Oodles of Noodles by Lucia Hymes
If I Had a Paka by Charlotte Pomerantz
Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses by Nancy Patz
Slop Goes the Soup: A Noisy Warthog Word Book by Pamela Duncan
Edwards