Recipe for Learning:
1 or 2 busy parents or caregivers- some also busy young children
- a house, apartment, or childcare center
- a few regular, ordinary household activities such as:
laundry, dishes, getting groceries, vacuuming, or making meals
Mix the children in with the adults and the activities. Serve up some learning.
Helping your child with readiness for kindergarten is something that you can do at home. There’s opportunities for all kinds of language, science, physical, math, pre-reading and writing, social and emotional learning. For instance, making meals. Very young ones can get underfoot, but you can give a little one a plastic dish with a few small toys such as cars or blocks and a big spoon to ‘stir’ them up–in a safe space–just like you are doing. Talk with your child about stirring and ask what s/he is making. This encourages language use and development. Older munchkins, where appropriate, can maybe stir the lettuce in the salad bowl or pour the berries into the muffin batter. Again, there’s lots of important language happening along with the social aspect of doing something together and feeling involved. More than just kindergarten readiness, this helps little ones feel important and included at the same time that it dishes up learning. Is this a recipe that you can use?
