Cognitive Skills (early academics)....

It is exciting to see so many children come into preschool knowing their colors/shapes...some even know some letters/numbers.   As a well rounded learner though, we want children to be able to use information that they know visually and use it in different ways. 

An example of this might be...  Melisa knows all of her colors!  YAY!!!  But...  can Melisa tell you common objects that are that color?  (Tell me 3 things that are yellow).  Another example might be...  Melisa knows LOTS of animal pictures and can name them all when asked.   But....  when asked questions like "What animals can fly? or live in the ocean? or can you ride?" can your child process that language to give you an answer?

Processing information, using knowledge creatively, problem solving ...These are important skills that children will need to use as they go through their school years and beyond. 

How can parents help....

***Read to their children-- the more vocabulary they hear and learn the more background knowledge they will have.  While reading, ask them questions and give them lots of time to respond (giving clues if they need it).  Not just "what is this" kind of questions but "Why do you think..."  "What else could she have done?" etc. 

***  Hang out!  Spend time playing, fixing things, cleaning together, baking, etc.  Help them to think or solve problems as you go. 

*** Play games in the car-- ("Hey, we just passed a farm!  What kind of animals might you find there?"  "The light turned red.  We need to stop.  Can you think of other things that might be red?"  etc.

The possibilities are endless....  Have fun and enjoy helping your child learn!