Early Childhood E-News

Early Intervention Helps!

Parents are often the first to notice that their child may not be developing the way that other children do. Receiving early intervention services can help a child. Read one mother’s journey as she seeks early intervention services for her son. Find it in the Summer 2010 Early Childhood Connection newsletter here

Planning Can Help Make the First School Day Successful

If your child will attend school for the first time in the fall, you can help make the important transition—and new experience—easier. The following tips are geared to a child entering kindergarten, but most apply to those beginning preschool, as well.

• Take photos of the school and spend time over the summer reviewing the pictures and talking about going to school. Some parents have created a simple storybook with the pictures for their child.
• Help your child meet other children in the class. Call other parents to arrange for summer play dates with children who will be in the classroom or at the school.
• Help your child adjust to small groups. Try to provide some opportunities such as a story hour at your local library.
• Visit the school shortly before sessions begin. Create an opportunity for your child to meet the teacher and spend time walking through the school. Show your child how to find the classroom and bathroom, and (for kindergarteners) the cafeteria, and school office, as well.
• Spend time playing on the playground at the school. Allow your child to walk around the school grounds to become familiar with the building
• If your son or daughter will ride the bus, point out the drop-off location.
• Shop for a new backpack and save it for going to school. Make the first day of school special. Take a picture of your child as he or she leaves home.

You can also read books with your child about starting school. Here
are several:

• “David Goes to School” by David Shannon (Scholastic)
• “Off to School, Baby Duck!” by Amy Hest (Candlewick Press)

• “Vera’s First Day of School” by Vera Rosenberry (Henry Holt)
• “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come” by Nancy Carlson (Viking)

Early Childhood Workshop

Understanding and Addressing Challenging Behavior

Parents of young children from birth to age 5 with developmental delays and /or disabilities will learn about brain development and behavior, different temperament types, stages of development and strategies to provide children with acceptable ways to get their needs met.
Aug. 23, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (PACER)
Call to register at 952-838-9000 or register online.

Encourage Early Literacy with These Guides

It’s never too early to start teaching your child literacy skills—including things such as listening, speaking, enjoying books, and learning to use writing tools, such as crayons and markers.“Practice Guides Especially for Parents” can help families provide their infants, toddlers, or preschoolers with fun and exciting literacy learning experiences. “Practice Guides Especially for Practitioners” also are available. The guides are from the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL), a research-to-practice technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research to Practice Division. CELL is a major initiative of the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute. More

Tots 'n Tech newsletter offers assistive technology ideas

The Tots 'n Tech Research Institute (TnT) produces a newsletter with information and resources regarding the use of assistive technology with infants and toddlers. The June 2010 issue focuses on using assistive technology to help children socialize. Read about several helpful ideas, including how to use a cue card to ease transitions from one activity to another. To subscribe to this newsletter, follow this link http://tnt.asu.edu/home/news or visit the Tots 'n Tech home page and select Newsletters.
TnT is a inter-university collaboration between Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), Philadelphia, and Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe. TnT's mission is to provide up-to-date information and resources about adaptations, including assistive technology, to use with infants and toddlers.