Acknowledgements - gapitc

Lots of Leaves!
On a fall day, take your child outside your home or to a nearby playground to
see the leaves that have fallen from the trees.
Ask your child, “What are some things we could do with so many leaves?”
Follow your child’s lead and try out some of the ideas.
Some ideas might be to make a big pile of leaves and jump in, stuff leaves into a
scarecrow for the garden, make a nest for squirrels, paint the leaves, make a fall
wreath, or fill small bags with leaves and make balls to toss.
Variation: In winter, encourage your child to use his imagination and think of
what to do with “so much snow!”
As you encourage your child to play, explore, and pretend, you are “feeding” her brain,
which is most active during the first three years of life.
When your child seems to be “getting into everything,” this is a good sign that points to
his natural curiosity which is the foundation for learning.
Because of your child’s curiosity and ability to move so quickly, you will want to continuously
check your home and surroundings for potential hazards.
Model curiosity yourself by asking “what if” and “I wonder why” questions aloud to your
child.
Children’s attention spans are still relatively short. Some days they will move from one
activity to another in a short period of time. Other days they will focus for extended
periods while looking at a favorite book or playing with a favorite toy.
To help your child learn to follow through with a task, plan activities that involve short
periods over the entire day; for example, helping to bake a cake from a recipe, then waiting
for it to cool before adding frosting and sprinkles.
Children will learn to be more creative in their expression if they have open-ended materials
(clay, paper, and crayons) rather than closed materials (coloring books, dittoes).
Encourage your child to try new things such as games, songs, or swimming, but avoid
forcing him to participate. If he is reluctant, let him know that it is okay to watch for a
while before joining in.
Help your child feel comfortable with new experiences by planning some to do together.
For example, take a trip on a bus to a place you have not been before.
Be sensitive to your child’s level of frustration. Encourage her to keep working at a challenging
task or skill, but know when to step back as well.
Allow your child to try out ideas, even if you know they will not work. When your child
tries but does not succeed, encourage her to think about what she will try next. Being
successful is less important than learning to accept the experience of failure and going
on to find other creative solutions to problems.
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