Early Childhood Education Assignments

Dear Early Education Families:

It is our primary responsibility to ensure that all students are safe. With recent events taking place, we want to ensure your child has the ability to continue to learn and grow whether it be at school or at home. While older students may turn to online teaching, research tells us that young children learn best through play. That said, we have attached assignments and other key items to this webpage. Below are helpful tips, suggestions and websites to ensure your child continues to develop socially, emotionally and academically while away from school.

Read Every Day-Read with your child each day for 20 minutes. Preschool children who are exposed to language by hearing words that are read to him or her and in conversation tend to do well in school. In addition, studies show that students who love learning and do well in school were exposed to reading at an early age; beginning at birth, in the home.

Establish Routines-Provide a consistent, predictable and structured routine for your child. Keeping a consistent routine will ensure your child has a smooth transition back to school after periods of extended breaks.

Spend Time Playing-Research tells us that young children learn best through play. When children are provided uninterrupted time to play and pretend they develop important problem solving and critical thinking skills that will be important for school success. Play also allows students the opportunity to practice turn taking, build language, increase vocabulary and make sense of the world around them. Be sure to engage in play with your child.

Websites for Young Children:
1. Starfall-Starfall offers a variety of activities that benefit students between the ages of 3 and 8.  Complete the activities with your child. Use this time to ask and answer questions.

2. PBS Kids-Offers a variety of activities, stories and learning games using your child’s favorite characters.

3. Funbrain Jr-Offers a variety of activities, games and printables to help make learning at home fun.

4. National Association for the Education of Young Children-This website will provide helpful articles, ideas and suggestions that can be used to maximize learning for your child.

5. Scholastic Learn at Home- Offers online books, videos, and activities relating to various daily themes.  

Everyday Activities to Engage In:

• Go on a nature walk-https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/turn-any-walk-nature-walk

•  Letter/Number Recognition Activities-hide letters around the house, go on a letter hunt, create letters out of simple household items

•  Phonemic Awareness Games-sing songs and nursery rhymes, read books, find objects that rhyme around the house, rhyming matching games

•  Math-count everything, notice numbers around the house, look for patterns in the environment, go on a shape hunt, practice sorting when doing laundry or everyday chores around the house by size, color, shape, and attribute, spend time cooking

• It is important to know that learning can take place whenever in any environment. In addition to the websites and resources included within this letter, we have attached helpful worksheets, printable books and other materials that can be used to support learning while at home. It is important to spend time with your child completing the worksheets. Students should not be left alone to complete a worksheet on their own. The key is to ensure you are taking time to observe and talk about the world around you. Children should spend time engaged in activities that allow them to grow in the areas of reading, writing, phonemic awareness, math, literacy, science and social emotional learning. Learning at home can be fit into your regular routine at home. The goal is to focus on simple life skills, routines and basic academics.

  Please reach out to your child’s teacher regularly for support. While we may not be at school, we want to be sure we are accessible and able to be reached for questions and conferencing. If you are in need of the email address for your child’s teacher or parent educator, please email the Director of Early Education at lpayne@rgsd.k12.mo.us.

  In Partnership,

  Dr.Lanor Payne
  Director of Early Education Riverview Gardens School District

Sample Preschool Schedule for Home