Talk about anything and everything! Playtime Talk about the colors, shape, and feel of the toys being used. Be descriptive when making requests such as “Can you pass me the round toy with the blue stripes?” Cooking & Eating Name the foods you can see and taste in each dish. Narrate the steps and name Read More
Parent Center
Books You’ll Love for Daily Doses of Literacy
Use these books to read, sing, play, talk, and write throughout the day! 1. READ Read to Your Bunny by Rosemary Wells (Infant, Toddler) A book that is both perfect to read to children and to encourage caregivers to continue to read to children. Reading with your children is one of the simplest ways to build Read More
Daily Doses of Literacy
Words are all around us. In the words we say, and the words we see. Opportunities for rich conversation exist in so many places! Helping your child get ready to read doesn’t require a fancy lesson plan – all it takes is for you to know that language is a critical piece of early literacy Read More
Ways You Can Help Your Child Develop Healthy Screen Habits
Set age-appropriate time limits for your child. Avoid digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months. For children 2 to 5 years of age, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programming. Make screen time shared time. Read, watch, and play with your child when they’re using Read More
Books (and Apps) You’ll Love About Digital Media
From eBooks to apps, here are a few places to start for picking high-quality media. Sesame Street eBook collection (Toddler, Preschool) Available for free at sled.alaska.edu for all Alaskans, courtesy of the Alaska Dept. of Education and Early Development. Includes new and classic stories with your favorite Sesame Street characters in both English and Spanish. Tumblebooks eBook Read More
Kids & Media: Growing Up Digital
Smartphones. Apps. Tablets. iPads. Televisions. Netflix. YouTube. It seems like everywhere we turn a screen is waiting for us. It’s no different for our children. As a parent you play an important role in helping your child learn how to use digital media – think of yourself as a digital curator, uniquely positioned to filter the Read More
Digital Media Activities
Parent Activities Write a family media plan. Take The Three C’s quiz to become more mindful about technology use. Do a quality check on the apps your child uses now using the following tips. Tips for Picking Quality Digital Media Pick apps or TV shows that give you or an older sibling an opportunity Read More
Activities for Building Persistence
One of the best ways to teach persistence is to TALK through a problem together. Think of times during the day you face a problem, and engage in your child in coming up with solutions. See if you can TALK through a problem once a day this week. Here are some examples of everyday problems Read More
Books You’ll Love About Problem-solving and Persistence.
Reading together about characters who persist through difficult challenges inspires a child to do the same. Here are a few of our favorite books about persistence and problem-solving. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper; illustrated by George and Doris Hauman (Preschool) This classic book has shown generations of young children the power of positive Read More
I Think I Can, I Think I Can
Learning to read is not easy. It takes patience, persistence, and focus. At some point you might find yourself helping your child sound out words. Some will come easy, others not so much. You might hear him yell “I can’t do it!” or see him slam the book shut. She may get frustrated. Or simply Read More
