We're Learning in the Grocery Store! |
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Babies
Select different food items as you prepare a meal and describe to your baby what they are seeing. Use different words to describe the colors, shapes, smells and noises they may experience. Tell them what you plan to do with the items. Use facial expressions to enhance your experiences. Read more.
Toddlers
With items in your pantry or cabinet, have your toddler help you decide which item is largest, smallest, heaviest, etc. For example, compare the size of a lemon and a grapefruit, or a can of soup and a can of tuna, and help them decide which item is larger or smaller. Read more.
Preschoolers
Talk about grocery items that were purchased and are now at home. Help your preschooler describe each item--hard, soft, rough, smooth, red, green, etc. How many different words can they use to describe the item? Create a shopping page on paper or a tablet with pictures and descriptive words. Read more.
Kindergartners
Have your kindergartner create a grocery list. Draw or cut out from a magazine different types of food. Talk about where different foods come from--do they grow in the ground, on a bush, or on trees--and if they are fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. Which item is their favorite to eat? Read more.
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11 Books About the Grocery Store |
Grandpa's Corner Store by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Out and About at the Supermarket by Kitty Shea
Put It On the List by Kristen Darbyshire
A Visit to the Supermarket by Blake A. Hoena
Our Corner Grocery Store by Joanne Schwartz and Laura Beingessner
A Busy Day at Mr. Kang's Grocery Store by Alice K. Flanagan
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda
Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey and Miriam Latimer
What's in Grandma's Grocery Bag? by Hui-Mei Pan
Just Shopping with Mom by Mercer Mayer
Maisy Goes Shopping by Lucy Cousins
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What can you do with the monthly book lists? |
Each month Learning is Everywhere provides a list of books that compliment the activities. What can you do with this list?
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Make a short video of your child reading or giving a book review of one of the books on the list. What was their favorite part of the book? Share the video with family and friends. Tag PA's Promise for Children on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
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Share the list with your friends who have children. You can forward this email to them or they can sign up to get the email.
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If you are a teacher, print this list and give it to the families of your students, or post this list where families can see it. They'll know which books are being read in your classroom.
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If you are an early learning community partner, host a special reading event for families using the monthly book lists. Each month has a different focus--find them at PA's Promise for Children. Include an activity from the monthly list to engage families.
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Print the list and take it to your local library. Your librarian can help you find the books on the list. Then read the books with your child. Help your child circle or cross out the books on the list as you read them.
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Enroll Now for PA Pre-K Counts |
Quality pre-kindergarten can give your child a strong start in school and in life. Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts provides free half-day or full-day pre-kindergarten for at-risk children throughout Pennsylvania.
Children and their guardians must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the PA Pre-K Counts program:
- They must be residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- They must meet the income eligibility requirements of at or below 300% of the federal poverty level for their family size
- The child must be between the age of 3 and younger than the Kindergarten entry age for the district in which they reside.
Once these eligibility requirements are met, enrollment procedures are based on local community needs. These procedures may contain other considerations for enrollment, such as; diagnosed disabilities or developmental delays, English as a second language, or any other factor that the program deems as a priority to ensure that their communities’ needs are being served.
There are PA Pre-K Counts classrooms in many Pennsylvania counties. To find PA Pre-K Counts programs near you, contact your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) and they can help you locate your local PA Pre-K Counts program. Find your ELRC at www.raiseyourstar.org. |
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The Importance of Independent Play |
Sara, 18 months old, stacks blocks on top of each other, then knocks them down, only to build them again.
Chen, two and half years old, takes books off the shelf, looking through pages and sharing the story with stuffed animals.
Jamal, four years old, hooks play trains together and runs them along imaginary paths.
What do all of these have in common? They’re all examples of independent play!
Research has shown the importance of play. Play can enhance brain structure and function and promote executive function (the process of learning). While interaction with adults and other children during play builds important cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills, independent play also has benefits. When a child plays alone, it can foster imagination and creative play, build persistence and problem-solving skills, and teach patience and resilience. Find out how you can help your child develop independent play skills.
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Is Your Child Registered for Kindergarten? |
It's not too late to register your child for Kindergarten! Registering your child now means that you, your child and your child's school will be ready when Kindergarten begins.
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Renewing Your Medicaid or CHIP Coverage |
Did you get information in the mail about renewing your Medicaid or CHIP coverage?
If you and/or your children get health coverage through the state, you must complete a renewal every year. If this renewal is not completed, you and/or your children could lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
When this packet arrives, you have to complete and return it by the date printed on the packet. You can send it in by mail or deliver it in-person at any local County Assistance Office. You can also complete your renewal by phone at 1-866-550-4355 or online at dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS.
Don't risk losing coverage – be ready to renew and complete your packet when you receive it!
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National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day |
Often when we think of children's health, we think of things related to physical health, such as colds and flu, asthma, or broken bones. But children are much more than their physical bodies, and children's health encompasses more than physical health.
The well-being of the whole child includes a healthy mental and emotional state as well. Just as children suffer from physical illnesses and injuries, they can also suffer from emotional and mental disorders. Your child's health can also affect how well they learn!
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day on May 11, 2023, is a day for everyone to learn about and promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth their families.
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The Our Kids....To Infinity & Beyond! on Facebook is for family members who have, and professionals who work with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The focus is on advocacy, self-advocacy, self-determination. This is a safe place to ask questions, get advice, or share stories!
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Our Favorite Pinterest Pins |
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Do you have a preschooler? |
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The PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) provides families access to high quality services to prepare children for school and life success.
Find more information about Quality Early Learning in Pennsylvania
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