September 2019 Fun activities, aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, to help prepare children for school success! View as Webpage

We're in the living room!

Babies Put on a music or sing a nursery rhyme and help your baby clap her hands, wiggle her feet, bicycle her legs. Show and help your baby to clap hands, wriggle fingers, twirl, and bob up and down.   Read more! Toddlers Save clean containers of all shapes and sizes, like yogurt containers, margarine tubs, and plastic spice jars for your toddler to play with. Talk about which ones are big, and which are little. Encourage and help him put the small container inside the big container or to add items (like blocks) into the containers. Talk about when the items are in and when the items are out of the containers. Let him practice putting the lids on and taking them off.  Read more! Preschoolers Low-adhesive tape, like masking or painter's tape, can be used to make a road map in the living room. Working with your preschooler, ask her where the roads should go. Will they go over a sofa? Under a table? Behind a chair? Once created, she can use toy vehicles, dolls or toy animals to follow the roads. Ask her where the roads lead and what she will find at the end. Read more! Kindergartners Share with your kindergartner a measuring tape and show him the numbers. Have him measure different items in the living room and ask questions about the sizes of the different items. How tall is the coffee table? Is it taller than the chair? Which is smaller - a book or a picture frame? How does he know which is smaller? Read more!

12 Family and Friend Books Ciencia Magica enla sala de estar    by Richard Robinson Please, baby, please    by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee Who’s in my Family    by Robie H. Harris More More More, Said the Baby: Three Love Stories    by Vera Williams Annie Rose is My Little Sister    by Shirley Hughes Lion in the Living Room    by Caelaach McKinna & A. R. Stone Crazy Hair Day    by Barney Saltzberg Toot & Puddle You Are my Sunshine    by Holly Hobbie Guess How Much I Love You    by Sam McBratney Max’s First Word    by Rosemary Wells Hunter’s Best Friend at School    by L. M. Elliott Harold and the Purple Crayon    by Crockett Johnson Print this list!

Featured Article: Transitions with Young Children Stopping play to get ready for bed, weaning a baby from a bottle or breast, or starting a new school or child care program. These are all examples of transitions, when one activity or involvement stops, and typically another begins. Transitions in children’s lives range from small transitions, to large transitions and all types in between.  When a child experiences challenges with transitions, families may see in their child whining, crying, difficulty sleeping or eating, or tantrums. Visit PA's Promise for Children to see what can impact a child's transition and some helpful tips to make transitions easier for you and your child. Watch the video below  to see how your child’s temperament may impact their behavior and what you can do to support your child. Did you miss a past featured article in Learning is Everywhere? Now you can find all the Featured Articles in one location!

Read Along with PDE's Book Nook The PA Department of Education (PDE) recently launched an initiative aimed at promoting literacy even when school isn’t in session. With the PDE Book Nook, PDE unveiled a weekly video featuring a prominent Pennsylvanian reading a children’s book to an at-home audience. The initiative kicked off with Secretary Pedro Rivera reading the book, Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes , one of his personal favorite books to read to young audiences. The PDE Book Nook features several officials from the Wolf Administration reading books related to the work they lead, such as Trooper Brent Miller reads Richard Scarry's A Day at the Police Station DOH Secretary Rachel Levine reads Charlotte Cowan's Katie Caught a Cold Executive Deputy Secretary of Education Dr. David Volkman reads Natasha Wing's The Night Before the Fourth of July Corrections Secretary Secretary John Wetzel reads Becky Birtha's Far Apart, Close in Heart: Being a Family when a Loved One is Incarcerated Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell reads Sesame Street's The Monster at the End of This Book Commissioner for Libraries Glenn Miller reads Lindsay Barrett George's Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse The videos are accessible on PDE’s  Twitter ,  Facebook , and  YouTube pages. Visit your local library to borrow a copy of the book and read along!

There's still time to apply for Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking, Early Intervention There's still time to apply to be a part of Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking, Early Intervention (C2P2 EI)! Families of children who receive Infant-Toddler Early Intervention or Pre-School Early Intervention services are invited to apply to be a part of  Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking, Early Intervention (C2P2 EI) . Families will learn to navigate the Pennsylvania Early Intervention System, identify best practice supports and connect with community resources. Applicants should be Pennsylvania family members who: Have a child—infant to school age—who receives Early Intervention services. Desire to advocate for themselves and others by building leadership skills. Are willing to COMMIT TO ALL FOUR 2-day trainings. Training are to be held in Harrisburg and will occur October 11-12, December 6-7, March 6-7, and April 3-4.  Travel and child care expenses are reimbursed, and meals and overnight lodging (for those traveling 40+ miles) are available. Please consider applying and share the  flyer  and  application  with families and friends. Contact Cathy Roccia-Meier at 215-204-1772 or  [email protected]  for more information.

Is Your Family Ready for an Emergency? September is National Emergency Preparedness Month. Use this month to help your family prepare for an emergency like floods, fires, winter storms and more.  Check out these resources to help your family prepare for emergencies.  Pennsylvania Emergency Preparedness Guide: This guide will help you become better prepared by learning about different kinds of emergencies, how to create emergency plans and kits for your home, your vehicle and your workplace, and how to plan ahead if you have a special need. Family Communication Plan for Parents and Kids: Guidelines to help your family determine who would be your out-of-state point of contact, and where you would meet away from your home. Emergency Supply Kit Checklists for Parents and Kids: Checklists designed to help parents and kids prepare for emergencies. Helping Children Cope: Tips to help children recognize their reactions during and after emergencies, and also help children cope with their emotions.

Buckle Up for Safety Make sure your child travels safely! Available are  one page graphics   from the Centers of Disease Control that demonstrate how to avoid the most common mistakes while using rear and forward-facing car and booster seats for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and older children.

The Monster in Your Home There may be a monster in your home and it's right in front of your eyes! It's your television or tablet!    Spending time watching TV or using a tablet means your child may not be engaged in creative or learning activities, like reading, playing or just being a kid.   Many homes have one or more TVs or tablets. Too often, a child's free time may center around what's playing on TV or on the tablet. Watching excessive, or inappropriate shows or games can lead to:  violent and aggressive behavior,  obesity,  poor body concept and self-image, and later,  substance abuse and early sexual activity.  Get tips to help your family tame the monster in your home and take control of your family's TV or tablet habits.

Helping Your New Kindergartner Did your preschooler enter Kindergarten in the fall of 2019?   Sign up for the FREE monthly Kindergarten, Here I Am eNews !  Each month get activities, tips and resources you can use to help your kindergartner prepare for and have a successful Kindergarten year.

Our Favorite Pinterest Pins Button Pumpkin and Fall Activities for Toddlers 10 Best Preschool Fine Motor Activities for Pre-writing Skills     30 Books about pumpkins 6 Cheap School Lunch Ideas for Under $1 Infographic: How Children Develop Skills Through Play   Are you following the   FUNctioning Families     board on Pinterest?

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 Pennsylvania Department of Education  |   Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Pennsylvania Keys to Quality  |   Pennsylvania's Promise for Children Early Intervention Technical Assistance

We are where you are.

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