Family Matters Newsletter - September 2007

Ready…Set… Read

Karin Niedfeldt, Colorado State University Extension - Chaffee County

Have fun helping a preschooler develop reading readiness skills. Make reading development activities a daily habit.

Listening and talking - talk about what you are doing. Label things, say the name, and explain how they work. Play with words. Practice sounds and words. Encourage your child to speak in complete sentences. Take turns in conversations. Listen as much as you talk.

Sounds - Say a word slowly and ask how many sounds do you hear? Practice sounds, showing how your mouth, tongue and teeth look in a mirror. Ask what words sound like this sound or another word?

Reading – Set a special time aside for daily reading. Pick a favorite spot in your home for a family reading location. Read and re-read favorite books. Point out repeated words or phrases. Ask what was their favorite part? Encourage them to re-tell the story in their own words.

Show a child how to hold a book to read. Do not worry if your child does not sit still while you are reading, they are still listening. Pre-read a book prior to reading it to a child. This will make it easier for you to show the pictures. Answer questions or use different voice tones for characters.

Letter and Word Recognition - Read ads, cereal boxes and menus to preschoolers. Search house for everything that begins with a letter or a sound. Post labels around the house of items’ names. Try tongue twisters, songs, alphabet books, rhymes, poetry or magnetic letters. Put a child’s name in print and post in different places.

Matching - Fold clothes together. Play shape and size games. Collect real objects that go together. Cut puzzles out of greeting cards or cereal boxes.

Sequencing - Help children follow directions. Use short, clear sentences. Create cards illustrating a story. Ask the child to place them in the correct sequence.

Comprehension - Ask questions about what they see and do. Can you now tell me the story?

Each child develops reading readiness at a different pace. Do not be discouraged if your preschooler is not at the level of another child. If you are concerned about how your child’s language is progressing, visit with early childhood professionals, teacher, or your doctor. Have hearing and vision checked regularly.

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Healthy Food Choices –“Grazing”

Many preschoolers would choose to snack all day long. A child who “grazes” might never feel hungry for a regular meal.

Here are reasons to discourage grazing: A child who is hungry at mealtime may be more inclined to try new foods and eat healthy foods.

Children who graze are often snacking on higher calorie food and drinks. This may put them at risk for excessive weight gain.

A child who snacks frequently, especially on sweets, is more likely to get cavities.

A regular routine of meals and snacks helps discourage grazing. Kids like it because they know what to expect. For example, if kids start to feel hungry during story time, it helps when they also know that it’s always snack time afterwards.

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Active Kids

It is important to give your child as many opportunities as possible to be active. Make sure your child is involved in a variety of activities, sports, and games. Let your child choose the activities that feels right. Typically, kids won’t mind a daily dose of fitness, as long as it’s fun.

The National Association for Sports and Physical Education recommends that school age children get 60 minutes or more of physical activity every day and avoid periods of inactivity of 2 hours or more.

  • Incorporate physical activity into the daily routine. From household chores to an after dinner walk, keep your family active every day.
  • Allow enough time for free play. Kids can burn more calories and have more fun when left to their own devices. Playing tag, riding bikes around the neighborhood, and building snowmen are some favorite childhood pastimes.
  • Keep a variety of games and sports equipment on hand. It doesn’t have to be expensive - an assortment of balls, hula-hoops, and jump ropes can keep kids busy for hours.
  • Be active together. It’ll get you moving and kids love to play with their parents.
  • Limit time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching TV, going online, and playing video games.

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Safe Kids: Avoiding Heat Exhaustion

Children are more prone to heat illness than adults. They have more body surface area per pound of weight. Learn to recognize the early warning signs of heat stress. Your knowledge could save a child’s life.

If you begin to see your child suffering from increased breathing and pulse rates, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and/or headache, it’s time to take action. These symptoms may be followed by pale, cold clammy skin and/or cramping in the stomach or legs. However, it appears that the most telling sign for a child suffering from heat exhaustion is a very warm body temperature but a lack of perspiration, resulting in hot, dry skin.

When children complain of thirst, feeling hot, or just seem irritable in the heat, they may have early dehydration. Get the child out of the sun into a cool, comfortable place. Have the child start drinking plenty of cool fluids such as water or sports drinks. The child should also take off any excess layers of clothing or bulky sports equipment. You can put cool, wet cloths on overheated skin.

Do not for any reason leave a child in a car unattended. The temperature in a car can reach well above 120 degrees in as little as ten minutes depending on the temperature and humidity. If you leave your child in a car in the heat unattended — even if the windows are cracked — you are taking the risk of losing your child.

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