Will your child be starting first grade in Pembroke Pines ? If so, then both of you are probably excited about this next step, and you may realize that now is a time of rapid development for your student. Read on to learn how your child can benefit from being introduced to social awareness and acceptance while he is in first grade.

Noticing Differences

Children become aware of differences between themselves and others around age 2 or 3. At these ages, they begin to differentiate between boys and girls, show curiosity in differences in hair and skin color, and become aware of obvious disabilities. Additionally, children start to develop racial identities and attitudes at a young age, and research suggests that kids as young as 3 who are exposed to racism and prejudice may embrace and accept these views, even if they don’t understand the feelings behind them. For these reasons, it can be beneficial to introduce first graders to the concepts of social acceptance and awareness at this stage in their development.

Reversing Biases

The bright side for any concerned parent is that biases which children pick up can be reversed and unlearned through positive exposure to diversity. Children have an inherent affinity for fairness, and harnessing this desire and using it as a springboard for conversations about bias and discrimination can help build social awareness and acceptance in children. On the other hand, research has shown that when not addressed, children will notice differences and may develop prejudices, even if they are not discussed by parents. Because of this, not talking to and teaching first graders about bias can allow discriminatory notions to become entrenched in their developing minds.

Learning Elementary Strategies

First grade is an ideal time to teach understanding, awareness, and social acceptance to children. For this purpose, experts recommend 5 strategies that can be beneficial to elementary school-aged children. Using children’s literature, teaching anti-bias lessons, exploring solutions, incorporating the news and media, and giving examples that they can recognize and understand are all ways in which first graders can be introduced to and taught social awareness and acceptance.

Summer camp offers kids a great way to enjoy the season while staying active, engaged, and surrounded by friends. Is your child enrolled in summer day camp in Pembroke Pines ? If so, then watch this video for tips on what to pack.

First, consider using a rolling cooler for easy traveling to and from summer camp and the car, as well as keeping your child’s snacks and lunch cool throughout the day. You may also want to pack wet wipes, a bathing suit, an extra set of clothing, a towel, bug spray, sunscreen, water, napkins, and utensils when sending your child to summer day camp.

Are you searching for the right preschool in Pembroke Pines and wondering what to look for in a quality program? If so, then you could benefit from learning about the importance of communication-rich environments for child development.

Providing children with a variety of experiences can be critical for the growth of their language and communication skills. For this reason, you should look for a preschool program that will help promote your child’s development by providing him with an environment that is language and communication-rich.

Your child’s preschool program should offer multiple language models over the course of the day, use developmentally appropriate language, model appropriate forms of grammar, and include daily drawing and writing activities. Additionally, your child’s preschool instructor should respond to every communication attempt made by children in the classroom, encourage families to visit the classroom, frequently read to the children, and respond to children based on their focus and intent. Selecting a program with these qualities can help promote the development of your preschooler.

Toys can be a fun distraction for children, but they can also be educational and support their development. Is your child currently in pre-kindergarten in Pembroke Pines ? If so, then she is probably experimenting with her developing physical skills, asking many questions, and displaying a longer attention span. Continue reading for tips on selecting educational toys that can support your child’s education at this age.

Pick Toys That Allow Her to Create

Encouraging your child’s creativity is an excellent way to help her learn and develop. For this reason, you should look for toys that give your child something to create with. Some great examples of creative materials to offer your pre-k student are colored construction paper, crayons, markers, paintbrushes, finger paint, scissors made for children, scraps of cloth, paste, playdough, and chalk.

Choose Toys That Encourage Problem-Solving

At this age, you can support your child’s education and development by providing her with toys that demand problem-solving skills. Puzzles with 12 or more pieces and collections of objects that can be sorted in various ways, such as by color, size, quantity, and shape, are great educational toys for children in pre-k. You might offer her colored blocks, different sized bowls, and everyday items from around the house for these activities.

Select Picture Books That Are More Advanced

Now is the time to make the step up from the picture books that your child loved as a preschooler. As you peruse your options, choose books for your pre-k kid that have fewer pictures and more words than she is accustomed to.

Opt for Toys That Help Your Child Play Pretend

At this stage in her development, you can help your child by providing her with toys that encourage and help her to play pretend and stimulate her imagination. Consider giving your kid child-sized furniture, play food and appliances, dolls or stuffed animals to accessorize, dress-up clothes, puppets, construction sets, and blocks for building structures.

How much sleep a child needs and how it’s divided between daytime naps and rest at night depends on the child’s developmental stage. If your kid is of preschool age, then you may realize that this is an important time for child development. Growing properly requires plenty of sleep, making nap time an important part of her schedule whether your child is at preschool or at home. To learn about the benefits of nap time for children and why it’s so critical in a preschool setting, take a look at this infographic from Tanglewood Academy in Pembroke Pines . Please feel free to share this information with your friends and fellow parents.