Use the Simple Steps to Success!

This is Week of the Young Child. It’s a time to celebrate young children and families through activities that focus attention on the programs and events that meet their needs.

We already had a great start to Week of the Young Child with Grace Fitness’ virtual program this past Saturday. Thank you to fitness educator Zakiya Jenkins for giving a workout that was fun for the whole family on Kick-Off Saturday.

As we continue through the week, we encourage you to use the Simple Step to Success as you celebrate Week of the Young Child with your family. We’ve listed each step below, tying in an activity with the day’s theme for Week of the Young Child. You can also click on each step to see a list of tips, books, and resources that relate to each of these important activities. We encourage you to read, write, sing, play, and talk with your child not just each day this week, but every day.

Music Monday – SING songs and dance together. Songs help introduce new vocabulary to children, as many songs have unique words used to make rhymes. Songs often break words into smaller parts, helping children hear and learn different sounds. Songs also make for great memory boosters, helping children remember everything from their heads, shoulders, knees, and toes to their ABCs.

Tasty Tuesday – READ recipes together in the kitchen. Reading is one of the most important activities you can do with a child. When a child is read to, they are more likely to want to read themselves. Recipes are a great opportunity to introduce your child to new sounds and words. Recipe books with pictures can help children connect those words and concepts while improving math skills.

Work Together Wednesday - TALK while using with blocks, toys, or other building materials create a pillow fort, a block city, or a stick sculpture in the yard. As you work together, ask your child questions and let them try different building techniques. This helps them build their vocabulary and express themselves creatively. Simple instructions can also help build listening skills!

Artsy Thursday - WRITE, draw, and sculpt with pencils, crayons, paint, play-doh, and more to create your perfect masterpiece. These activities help build fine motor skills that your child will need to control a pencil. Drawing pictures and telling stories helps children understand that marks on a page carry meaning. Even scribbles are a great way to start, as those lines and curves can provide confidence to create shapes.

Family Friday - PLAY your favorite game with your family and enjoy a wonderful weekend. Try open-ended games and activities, like a “dress up” session where you play pretend, or a sock puppet show, where you can put on a dramatic performance with your child. Through play, children develop their imagination, practice vocabulary, and learn to communicate and engage with others.

For more tips and tricks, go to our Simple Steps to Success page!