HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED Book One: HELP YOUR CHILD GET READY FOR SCHOOL WITH ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5. You can make the most of your child's natural curiosity. Teaching and learning happen when parents and children do things together.

SNEAK PEAK:

FOREWORD

"Why"

This is the question we parents are always trying to answer. It's
good that children ask questions: that's the best way to learn.
All children have two wonderful resources for learning --
imagination and curiosity. As a parent, you can awaken your
children to the joy of learning by encouraging their imagination
and curiosity.

Helping Your Child Get Ready for School is one in a series of
books on different education topics intended to help you make the
most of your child's natural curiosity. Teaching and learning are
not mysteries that can only happen in school. They also happen
when parents and children do simple things together.

For instance, you and your child can: sort the socks on laundry
day -- sorting is a major function in maths and science; cook a
meal together -- cooking involves not only maths and science but
good health as well; tell and read each other stories --
storytelling is the basis for reading and writing (and a story
about the past is also history); or play a game of hopscotch
together -- playing physical games will help your child learn to
count and start on a road to lifelong fitness.

By doing things together, you will show that learning is fun and
important. You will be encouraging your child to study, learn,
and stay in school.

This book is a way for you to help meet these goals. It will give
you a short rundown on facts, but the biggest part of the book is
made up of simple, fun activities for you and your child to do
together. Your child may even beg you to do them.

As it has been said:

"The first teachers are the parents, both by example and
conversation. But don't think of it as teaching. Think of it as
fun."

So, let's get started. I invite you to find an activity in this
book and try it.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Learning Begins Early

What Does It Mean To Be Ready for School?

Activities

Birth to 1 Year
Developing Trust
Touch and See!
1 to 2 Years
Shop till You Drop
Puppet Magic
Moving On
2 to 3 Years
Read to Me!
Music Makers
Play Dough
3 to 4 Years
Kitchen Cut-Ups
Scribble, Paint, and Paste
Chores
4 to 5 Years
"Hands-on" Maths
Getting Along
My Book

What About Kindergarten?

Appendices

1: Good Television Habits
2: Choosing Child Care
3: Ready-for-School Checklist
4: Notes

Learning Begins Early

The road to success in school begins early. Good health, loving
relationships, and opportunities to learn all help preschool
children do well later in life. But many parents wonder, "How can
I give these things to my child?"

This book is for all of you who have asked this question. It's
for parents, grandparents, and others who want to know what to do
to help young children get ready for school. Throughout the pre-
school years, you can do many simple things to help your child
grow, develop, and have fun learning. This book:

* Describes the qualities and skills that youngsters need to get
a good start in kindergarten or nursery school;

* Tells what to expect from pre-school children each year from
birth to age 5;

* Suggests easy activities that help children grow and develop;
and

* Explains how to encourage enthusiasm toward school and teachers
and make it easier for children to adjust to nursery school.

Special sections in the back of the book tell how to monitor
television viewing and find good programmes; and explain how to
find suitable child care.

Parents and care-givers are busy people. Most of us have many
responsibilities: jobs outside the home, laundry to wash, and
groceries to buy. When we are tired and under stress, it's often
hard to feel we are being the best parents.

But however busy we may be, there are lots of things we can do to
help our children get ready for school -- little things that make
a big difference. Many of them cost little or nothing and can be
done as you go about your daily routines.

Mothers and fathers aren't the only people who help children get
ready for school. Entire communities share this job. Businesses,
schools, government agencies, and religious and civic
organisations help out. So do day-care providers, doctors and
other health professionals, elected officials, relatives, and
neighbours.

TO BE CONTINUED... Buy now and enjoy the contents in full!