Welcome to the parent's corner!
As an early childhood educator, I want to help you understand how children learn, what developmental milestones are, and how you can support your child's growth at home.
We're going to talk about language, thinking skills, physical development, social skills, emotional development, and independence.
If you want to know how to help your child learn, grow, and prepare for kindergarten and beyond? and If you are a parent who want to give your child the best possible start in life
You've come to the right place!
We're like to support beyond teaching children their ABCs and 123s, we're going to explore why the early years of childhood are so important and how early learning can help children build a strong foundation for their future, by focusing on the whole child. That means supporting children's physical, social, emotional, language, and cognitive development.
Children learn through play! Learning doesn't always look like sitting at a desk. Sometimes, the most meaningful learning happens when children are having fun!"
When your child builds with blocks, listens to stories, sing songs, create art, participate in music and movement, and work on puzzles; help children develop important skills, like learning to solve problems, recognize patterns, count objects, and cooperate with others. These activities will help children succeed throughout lives journey.
Supporting the whole child
Parents, you are your child's first teacher!
Before your child enters a classroom, they are already learning from you. They learn from the conversations you have, the routines you create, the encouragement you give, and the love you show.
You don't need expensive toys or complicated lessons. Everyday moments can become wonderful learning opportunities."
At home learning can also look like; counting apples while preparing a snack, talking about colors while getting dressed, singing the alphabet together, or read a bedtime story.
Learning opportunities can be found anywhere; learning is in everything you do and everywhere you go!
Your child doesn't have to know everything today. Your child doesn't have to develop at the same pace as any other child. But every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, explore, and discover their potential.
Remember, you play an essential role in your child's journey!
Keep encouraging your little learners, keep asking questions, and keep helping your child/children to discover just how wonderful learning can be!
Because when we invest in our children today, we're helping build a stronger tomorrow!
Age appropriate milestones
Infants: Birth to 12 Months
- Early communication and responding to sounds.
- Exploring objects through the senses.
- Developing movement and coordination.
- Building relationships with familiar caregivers.
Toddlers: Ages 1–2
- Developing early words and communication.
- Exploring the environment.
- Practicing walking and other movement skills.
- Beginning to participate in simple routines.
Two-Year-Olds
- Developing language and pretend play.
- Exploring objects and solving simple problems.
- Practicing early independence.
- Learning to express feelings with adult support.
Three-Year-Olds
- Engaging in conversations.
- Enjoying stories and asking questions.
- Recognizing similarities, differences, and simple patterns.
- Practicing social interaction and cooperation.
Four-Year-Olds
- Telling stories and describing experiences.
- Exploring letters, numbers, shapes, and patterns.
- Developing coordination and creative skills.
- Practicing cooperation and emotional regulation.
Five-Year-Olds
- Developing language and pretend play.
- Exploring objects and solving simple problems.
- Practicing early independence.
- Learning to express feelings with adult support.
Developmental Growth Areas
Language and literacy: Recognizing letters and the letter sound, learning to communicate, enjoy listening to stories, and learning new words.
Cognitive development: Children are strengthening their thinking skills, exploring, solving problems, recognizing patterns, and understanding numbers.
Physical development: Children are developing balance, coordination, and control of their hands and fingers. Developing large-muscle skills such as walking, running, and jumping, as well as small-muscle skills such as grasping crayons and using utensils.
Social development: Learning to interact with others, develop friendships, take turns, and cooperate.
Emotional development: Learning to recognize feelings, express emotions, develop confidence, and begin managing frustration.
Self-help and independence: Learning to feed themselves, wash their hands, put away toys, and participate in everyday routines.
Language and literacy: Recognizing letters, enjoying books, listening to stories, and communicating with others.
Early mathematics: Counting, recognizing shapes, comparing sizes, and noticing patterns.
Social development: Learning to share, cooperate, make friends, and participate in group activities.
Emotional development: Learning to identify feelings, manage frustration with support, and ask for help.
Physical development: Strengthening the muscles needed for activities such as running, climbing, drawing, and using classroom materials.
Independence: Practicing everyday routines, such as washing hands, putting away belongings, and caring for personal needs with age-appropriate assistance.
At home activities
Language and literacy
What children are learning:
Children are starting to develop longer conversation skills, asking questions, learning new words, and talking about things that happened.
Activity: Read and Talk!
Choose a picture book and sit with your child.
Ask questions such as:
- "What do you see on this page?"
- "What do you think will happen next?"
- "How do you think the little boy feels?"
- "Can you tell me what happened in the story?"
Encourage your child to answer in their own words. Give them time to think, and build on to what they say.
Cognitive development
What children are learning:
Children are exploring how things work, recognizing similarities and differences, solving simple problems, and developing early mathematical concepts.
Activity: Let's Sort!
Gather a few safe toys or household objects.
Ask your child to put the red objects together, group objects that are the same shape, or sort large items from small ones.
You can ask, "How did you decide which objects belong together?"
The goal isn't simply to get the right answer. It's to encourage your child to think and explain.
Physical development
What children are learning:
Children are developing balance, coordination, and control of their hands and fingers.
Activity: Move and Create!
Invite your child to:
- Jump like a frog.
- Walk along a clear, safe path.
- Roll and catch a large ball.
- Draw lines and circles with crayons.
- Build a tower with blocks.
Supervise movement activities and adapt them to your child's abilities.
Social and emotional development
What children are learning:
Children are beginning to understand other people's feelings, participate in play with other children, and taking turns.
Activity: How Do You Feel?
Show your child pictures of happy, sad, angry, and surprised faces.
Ask, "How do you think this person feels?"
Then ask, "What could we do to help someone who feels sad?"
Children need support learning to manage emotions. Expecting a young child to control every feeling independently is unrealistic.
Self-help and Independence
What children are learning:
Children are learning to feed themselves, wash their hands, put their toys away, and participate in everyday routines.
Activity: My Little Helper!
Invite your child to help put toys away, place dirty clothes in a laundry basket, or wash their hands with assistance as needed.
Give simple instructions, demonstrate each step, and praise their effort.
Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection!