How to Teach Literacy to Infants and Toddlers

It is amazing what kids pick up.  I always hoped my kiddos would pick up on the good stuff and not the bad stuff in their environment (and I really hoped they could tell the difference somehow!).  Here are some tips to help your little ones learn about literacy starting way before they will learn to read.

• Play with your baby and use some games and nursery rhymes.
• Talk with and respond to a child when dressing, feeding, playing and resting.
• Use a variety of techniques, methods, and routines that encourage literacy, like songs, fingerplays, stories, books, conversations and art activities.
• Speak to and with children often and expose them to a variety of vocabulary words.
• Supply objects and articles for individual and group interactions.
• Repeat exposures to stimulating environments so children become familiar with graphic forms and written symbols.
• Write and read in the presence of children and supply large crayons and paper for toddlers to scribble, scrawl, or mark.
• Read to children.  Learning to read easily is positively correlated with being read to frequently.  Read to infants and toddlers in one-on-one pairings or in very small groups.  This helps them develop eye focus and listening skills, and it stimulates imagination, language skills, and sensory awareness.  When talking and reading, use simple language and eye contact and respond to their cues and vocalizations.  Promote reading techniques that encourage physical closeness, positive involvement, and enjoyable times together, and provide appropriate books for adults to read to children. 
• Recognize that children learn at different rates and many factors impact this process.

Helping Your Child Learn

Everyday experiences are great opportunities for learning.  You can teach about shapes by cutting cheese into triangles and squares, or about textures as you play outside and feel the grass, rocks, and, if you can stand it, dirt and mud.  You don't need to buy expensive toys.  Often, what children like best are household items such as pots and pans, wooden spoons, and plastic containers.

Children also learn about making friends and getting along with others as you take a walk and talk with neighbors.  They learn self-control when they have to wait their turn to go down the slide at the playground.  They build self-confidence when they're able to feed themselves.

TV plays a limited role in learning.  Although children may learn some concepts from educational programming, and enjoy watching these shows, research tells us that children learn best from interactive, hands-on experiences - touching, feeling, manipulating, problem-solving - with people they care about.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for children under 2.  If you do choose to allow your child to watch, here are some suggested guidelines.

• Watch with your child.  Make TV watching an interactive experience.  Dance and sing together.  "Extend the learning" by talking about what he's viewing and connecting it to the real world.  If the show deals with the theme of sharing, point out how this comes up for your child in his daily life.  If he's learning about colors, talk about the different color houses you see as you take a walk.
• Don't use TV/video to put your child to sleep.  This makes it hard for him to learn to fall asleep on his own.  Instead, establish a bedtime routine that includes soothing activities such as reading and singing softly to him before you put him down.
• Limit viewing time.  A 30- to 60-minute-a-day limit for any "screen time" (meaning time spent in front of a TV or computer screen) is reasonable for 2- to 3-year-olds.

You matter.  What you do makes a difference.  You teach your child self-control when you remain calm in stressful situations, such as being stuck in traffic.  Your child learns about responsibility when you pick up the litter you see on the playground.  You model helping others when, together, you take care of the neighbor's cats.  Children learn manners and respect for others when they see you thank the grocery store clerk.  They learn about trust when you keep your word.

Your beliefs and values shape what you teach your child.  Ultimately, what you teach your child reflects the values that are most important to you and your family.  For example, one parent may not like her child playing with his food, while another may see this as an acceptable way to explore and learn about different textures.  A family's beliefs and values can have a particularly strong influence on attitudes about potty training, sleep practices, the degree of independence parents encourage in their child, and how children are taught to express their emotions.  Being aware of your values and how they influence your parenting will help you make good choices as your child grows.

Ready . . . Set . . . Summer!

Here are several community events to get your summer off to a good start!

June 2 - 8 enjoy free soft serve ice cream cones at Burger King!

June 2 - Free Family Fun (the first Monday of every month) at Station Park in the Village.  Look for the party by the fountain.  The theme for June is Princesses and Pirates Play.  Bring your camera, there will be princesses and pirates everywhere!

June 6th and 20th - Clearfield Center Street Cinema at 7:00 pm
June 7th and 21st - Clearfield Center Street Cinema at 4:00 pm

June 7 - Bountiful Pond Cops and Kids Free Fishing Day.  No license required.  Lunch provided.  Free fishing from 10:00 am to noon.

June 7 - National Trails Day.  Hit the trails in honor of National Trails Day.  Kaysville Parks and Rec. will be hosting a trail walk from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on the Rail Trail/Webb Crossing at Flint Street and Webb Lane.

June 14 - Arts and Music in the Park at Kaysville's Heritage Park.  The events begin at 6:00 am with Zumba in the park and the day ends with the movie "Frozen" beginning at dusk.  Lots of events and activities throughout the day for all ages.

June 23 - 28 - Syracuse Heritage Days at Founders Park.

Join Kaysville Parks and Recreation to promote a healthy community by walking 100 miles this summer in celebration of Davis High's 100 years.  

If you know of any other activities, please share!

Successful Transitions

MANAGING TRANSITIONS FOR KIDS WHO STRUGGLE

(Some of us can “shift” between activities better than others)

v WHENEVER POSSIBLE, PLAN AHEAD

Ø Be emotionally prepared.  (What are your buttons?) What are your child’s likes/dislikes?  What helps your child transition between activities? (If he’s playing with hotwheels, can he carry one to the next activity?) Know what buttons the child tries to push to get out of transitioning (hitting, biting, head banging, etc.).  Remain calm and matter of fact.  It might sound like this:

§  You went potty so we need to change your diaper.

§  We need to clean up so we can eat.

§  I know you like that game/activity, but we have to…

Ø Be physically prepared.  Be prepared to follow through.  If you make requests and don’t follow through, kids learn this quickly.  They learn to ignore your requests (unless it’s motivating!) and noncompliance becomes an issue.

v USE ROUTINES

Ø Routines are predictable. Children who struggle with transitions like predictability.  This keeps them more physically regulated throughout the day and reduces “surprises” that result in outbursts or tantrums. 

v GIVE A WARNING (AND BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW THROUGH) This allows the child to prepare for what’s coming.

Ø Verbal prompt:  Tell the child what is going to happen. (In two minutes, we are going to clean up and get ready for…)  Or singing the clean-up song…(an auditory cue that works really well with some kids.)

Visual prompt:  Some children hyperfocus on toys, video screens, etc.) and need to “see” what you are saying as well as hear it.   (Hold up two fingers making sure the child sees them while giving the verbal prompt).  They aren’t trying to ignore you.  They just love what they are doing at the moment and are totally engrossed in it.

Ø Physical prompt:  Be prepared to help your child physically transition if the visual and verbal prompts don’t work, especially when you are introducing these strategies.  It may take some rehearsal.  This may look like:

§  Helping a child put toys away (Showing them how to do it).

§  Physically guiding the child through the process.  (No wrestling matches!)  Be respectful.

v BE CONSISTENT IN YOUR DISCIPLINE:  You are the model! If your behavior is inconsistent, (calm and relaxed one moment, then irritated and yelling the next moment), you can’t expect more from your child.

Try not to think of yourself as the “Enforcer” but as your child’s guide.  Your child will learn how to remain calm during difficult transitions if they see you remain calm.  

Behavior

This post was submitted by Carol Trillia, a Developmental Specialist with Davis Early Intervention

A cute habit can turn into a challenging behavior in the future…

For example it is cute for a baby to have a special blanket,  but not a toddler dragging a king size blanket all over the Mall! A small cuddly is much better…

Another example is bringing your child to bed at night, it is sweet when they are tiny but when they become bed hogs it is not fun…

Breaking an annoying habit is much harder, than not starting one in the first place…

Where I am going with this is all children thrive on boundaries, it makes them feel loved and secure…  A child without any boundaries feels just as unloved as an abused child…

When they are little we tend to think some behaviors are so cute and very funny... However, cute or not cute, it is important to establish "NO" since cute today can be dangerous, annoying and even embarrassing  tomorrow.

The beauty of toddlers is they have an incredibly short attention span! So they are  very easy to re-direct. Humor is wonderful!

Example: toddler grabs  something , it is easy to just say,  " that  is mommy's, here is your…" and give them an immediate replacement,  be convincing and funny!   

Children don't know that the knick-knack came from great grandma…  Toddlers are curious and want to explore! So setting up a safe environment is important.

It is also important to set boundaries, "No is No!" and will always be "no"  as children grow up they will have to comply with more and more boundaries , so it makes it easier for a child to learn from a young  age rather than all of a sudden have a very rude awakening in  nursery school, pre-school,  or even school, where rules and expectations are set pretty much in stone!

Children, like adults, like to feel in control of their world, so give them lots of control!

Give choices during the day "do you want the red cup,  or the green cup!", "do you want juice or milk", "do you want Cheerios or Rice Crispies!"   

Every time they make a simple choice you earn points! When you need your child to comply with something important you can cash in your points.

You: "we need to go to bed" ,  toddler "no, go bed", You, "You chose the red cup, the Chereos and the milk, so  now it is mommy's turn to choose!" and you cash in!

Transitions are also hard for toddlers! So the five minute rule is wonderful

You, " we will be going to bed in five minutes", give a little time (most toddlers don't wear watches!) then "we will go to bed in three minutes, let's start to put your toys away…!" then "Oh! Oh! one more minute! hurry! hurry! time is almost up!  then,  "Time is up!  time to go to bed"  your toddler will be much happier and ready to transition to a new activity,  since he/she has had time to process and get  ready… 

I hope these simple strategies help you and your toddler!

Carol Trillia

Amazing Experience

This is going to be one of those sentimental posts, not an informative post.  Friday and Saturday were the National Championships for Clogging at Lagoon.  Dancers prepare all year for this weekend!  They begin in August learning new steps then putting the steps together to create a dance.  They select the music to dance to and decide what they want the costumes to look like.  Then spend the next nine months perfecting their dance and performing at qualifying competitions leading up to Nationals.  This is a major production in the clogging community!

Since my daughter-in-law is a clogging instructor at a local studio and my son and daughter also clog, I found myself at Lagoon on Saturday to cheer them on and enjoy the fruits of their labors.  We arrived an hour before showtime for my daughter and had the unexpected opportunity to see the Rhythm-N-Motion Rock Stars take the stage for their exhibition number "Singin' in the Rain". They took the stage in their rain slickers and clogging shoes and carried umbrellas filled with glitter to the cheers of the entire audience.  The Rock Stars are a team of adults with Down syndrome and they are amazing!  They really rocked the stage!  I think they received more audience support than any single team there, because usually it is only the people from the dancer's studio with their phones recording and giving whoops and hollers.  This team stole the show because of their awesome ability and willingness to perform.  It was amazing to look out over the audience and see so many phones taking pictures and recording the talents of these women.

I loved seeing the support for the Rock Stars on Saturday.  I love the support that is provided for everyone of the kiddos we work with as we celebrate their accomplishments and cheer one another on.  This is another amazing community accomplishing great things!

Sleep

This information was submitted by Carol Trillia, a Developmental Specialist with Davis Early Intervention

Sleep

In order to ensure good sleeping patterns in infants and children it is important to start with a consistent routine.

Most  babies will be able to sleep through the night once they reach 10 lbs. at about 3-4 months of age,  as long as there are no medical conditions that will interfere with these natural patterns.

In order to establish good sleeping patterns it is necessary to establish a good  sleep wake routine.

Here are some tips on things that will help your infant or toddler be ready to go to bed and get a good night sleep.

Going to bed at the same time every night is essential, falling asleep and waking at the same time organize sleep rhythms  by cuing the brain when to release sleep and wake hormones.

• ·        Have a regular bedtime  routine  as in : bath, read a book or other calming activity. "the drop in body temperature after getting out of the bath signals the brain to go to sleep"
• ·        Nightly relaxation rituals help condition the mind/body to shift into relaxation mode.
• ·        Stick to a regular bedtime as closely as possible .
• ·        Turn TV and other electronics off 2-3 hours before bed. Do not let child fall asleep watching TV
• ·        It is important for the environment to be quiet, dark and cool. Noise and light are very alerting. If the room is to warm it is hard for the child to relax and calm. 62-70 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.
• ·        Turn off night lights. Research had shown that light interferes with the production of Melatonin the hormone that promotes sleep.
• ·        If the child wakes at night, stay calm, do not turn lights on and do not engage in talking to the child this will fully awake him/her and will make it harder to go back to sleep. Calm  and reassure by shushing quietly, rocking and putting child back in his/her bed.
• ·        Unless it is medically indicated after 5 months the child does not need a night feeding. If the child needs a bottle to calm try warm water instead of milk.

Carol Trillia EIS