Let's Learn with Kindergarten Here I Am! June 2023

Welcome to Kindergarten, Here I Am

Each month, the Kindergarten, Here I Am newsletter will provide information to help your kindergartner have a successful school year.

Activities: Each activity is linked to the PA Early Learning Standards for Kindergarten. These standards are being used in kindergarten classrooms across Pennsylvania. When you and your kindergartner do activities together, you build their knowledge and experience.

Books: The books each month will help support the activities and may help your kindergartner better understand a particular concept. Print the list of books, then visit your local library to find the books mentioned each month, or ask your librarian to help you find a similar book.

Tips and Resources: Each month you can find tips and resources to help your kindergartner build the skills they need for Kindergarten. You can share your favorites with your friends and family.

Do you know a friend who would like to get the Kindergarten, Here I Am newsletter? They can sign up!

Your child may not begin Kindergarten for a few months, but you can help them learn throughout the summer. Try these activities, then visit your library to check out a book about it. Click here to print this list .

We are learning Language and Literacy

Do it!

Play "I Spy." Say, "I spy something with my little eyes something that starts with 'h' or ends with an 'n'." If your kindergartner has difficulty, encourage them to find something that is a specific color or shape. Change the game to develop the senses by playing "I hear with my little ears," "I feel with my little hands," "I taste with my little mouth," or "I smell with my little nose."

Read it!

S Is for S'mores: A Camping Alphabet by Helen Foster James. Q Is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game by Mary Elting

We are learning Partnerships for Learning

Do it!

Find a book at your local library that shows how to do magic tricks. (Or print this month's book list and take with you!) Have your kindergartner learn a magic trick to perform for their family.

Read it!

Magic Shapes by Patrick George. Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson.

We are learning Social and Emotional Development

Do it!

Make a card and take your kindergartner to share the card with a friend. Ask your kindergartner to describe to the friend how the treat or card was made. Find pictures of things your kindergartner likes to do and help them create a picture book. Pictures can be of their favorite toys or activities they enjoy.

Read it!

The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth.

We are learning Health, Wellness and Physical Development

Do it!

Create an physical activity routine to do with your kindergartner. Use a calendar to keep track of how many minutes you both do physical activities each day.

Read it!

Sofa Boy by Scott Langteau. One Two Three PULL! by Sophie Schmid and Sabine Praml.

What Can You Do With Monthly Book Lists?

Each month Kindergarten, Here I Am provides a list of books that compliment the activities. What can you do with this list?

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 kindergartner. Help your kindergartner circle or cross out the books on the list as you read them.
Make a short video of your kindergartner 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!
Share the list with your friends who have children. You can forward this email to them!
Visit PA's Promise for Children where you can share this list via social media, like Facebook or Pinterest.
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 so they'll know which books are being read in your classroom.

How do you use this book list? Share on the PA's Promise for Children's Facebook page or send it to Mary at marhal@pakeys.org.

Join the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip!

On June 5, 2023, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) kicks off the second annual 12-week virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip. Throughout the summer families, teachers, and early childhood education partners are invited to follow along and discover activities and resources to support early learning and literacy.

Through the virtual road trip, get information about Pennsylvania libraries and State Parks with fun resources, activities to do with a child, and book recommendations to support early literacy and language. All activities align with the PA Early Learning Standards and can be done anywhere.

The resources for 2023 include:

Summer Literacy and Learning Road Trip Map: Use the map (available in English or Spanish) to follow along with the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip. Print the map and your child can use the different types of animals to follow along on the Road Trip.
My Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip Travel Journal: My Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip Travel Journal (available in English or Spanish) is a great way to help your child explore books and fun activities. Each week, discover something new with your child, then help them complete their Travel Journal. With a child, identify three favorite books they read and favorite things they've done during the week. Each week, learn about a different library, get book recommendations, and find fun activities to do at a Pennsylvania State Park.
Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip Book Bingo: Visit your local library and read the books on the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip Book Bingo sheet. With your child, mark off books as they’re read. When they get five in a row, they win! For a greater challenge, read all of the books.
Bird Behavior Tic-Tac-Toe: Visit a State, County or local park observe the birds with your child, or get a book about birds from the library. Circle the behavior of the birds they see. Match three across, down, or diagonally and they win! For a greater challenge, see if they can observe all the behaviors.

Families Invited to Participate in Professional Photo Shoot - Stipend Provided!

The Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Team at the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) invites pregnant and parenting families of children birth to age six to participate in a free professional photo session!

Photos of Pennsylvania children and their families play an instrumental role in conveying the importance of high-quality maternal and early childhood services in Pennsylvania and outreach to families, professionals, legislators, business leaders and other partners throughout the state. All Pennsylvania families with children age six and younger are invited to participate, including those who reflect the diversity of Pennsylvania's population that include, but is not limited to, differences in identity such as race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, geographic location across the Commonwealth and experiences navigating Pennsylvania's maternal and early childhood services OCDEL’s use of photos include, but is not limited to advertising (television, online, billboard and print), social media, printed displays, and materials such as annual reports, PowerPoint presentations, etc. at the local, state, and national level. Please note that names and locations of families are never shared when OCDEL features photos.

Each participating family will receive electronic access to the professionally produced photos of their family taken during the photo session. They will be able to download and save the photos, print them, share them on their social media accounts (like Facebook or Instagram), or email them to family and friends. Siblings and grandparents are welcome and highly encouraged to participate, too!

Each participating family will receive a stipend of $150 for completing the approximately 1-hour photoshoot. Mileage reimbursement will be provided at a rate of 65.5 cents per mile driven to and from the photo session location. ECCS is also able to reimburse other modes of transportation utilized to get to the photo session location, such as public transportation, Uber or Lyft with receipts. Tolls will also be reimbursed with receipts.

The ECCS team will be hosting photo sessions at the following locations and dates.

June 27, 2023 - King of Prussia, Montgomery County
July 17, 2023 – Cranberry Township, Butler County
July 19, 2023 – Wilkes – Barre, Luzerne County
July 25, 2023 – Harrisburg, Dauphin County

There is no cost to participate with the ECCS photo session. Space is limited and registration is required.

If you would like to participate, please complete this registration form no later than June 15, 2023.

For questions, please contact Sadia Batool at c-sabatool@pa.gov.

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning focuses on creating opportunities for the commonwealth's youngest children to develop and learn to their fullest potential. The ECCS team at OCDEL is working to promote equitable, sustainable, comprehensive, and integrated maternal and early childhood systems of care to best support Pennsylvania’s young children and their families. Learn more about the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) project.

Plan Now for July 4 Pennsylvania State Parks Fish-For-Free Day

A Fish-for-Free Day is a great way for families to catch the fun of fishing! The July 4, 2023, Fish-for-Free Day allows anyone (Pennsylvania resident or non-resident) to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways with no fishing license required. All other fishing regulations still apply.

Don't have the equipment for fishing? Check out the Borrow a Rod & Reel Fishing Tackle Loaner Program. The public can go to the locations identified and borrow rods, reels and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. This equipment is borrowed in much the same way books are borrowed from a library. Those wanting to borrow gear complete a form and the loan is made. At the end of the loan period the equipment is returned to the site.

Camp BOOK IT!

Families, join Camp BOOK IT! and keep rewarding your kids all summer long. Track and reward your kids' reading for June, July and August in the digital dashboard at the BOOK IT! website. When they meet their monthly reading goal, they'll receive a free one-topping Personal Pan Pizza® from Pizza Hut! BOOK IT! will also share fun activities and book recommendations each week to keep the fun going throughout the summer. Enroll today!

Tune In! A Book-Based Music Adventure

Imagine making music with your body, inventing simple instruments with recycled materials, playing conductor, building community through call-and-response singing and group dances, creating a music time capsule, drawing to music, designing an album cover, exploring voices and songs of social change, and writing original jingles, parodies, and raps.

Tune In gives kids a chance to learn more about music and music genres, to hear about great performers and composers, and to write lyrics and compose songs. It features music from around the world — from classical to salsa to hip hop.

Tune In combines hands-on activities with great fiction, poetry, and picture book biographies — books such as Charlie Parker Played Be Bop and Celia Cruz: Queen of Salsa — inspiring kids to read about musicians and composers from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Kids will have a chance to record original music and take the stage through a welcoming Open Mic. Kids and adults are also invited to create a collage-style Music Mural together that documents all the explorations, discoveries, and joy of the 5-day camp.

Tune In is designed for educators, summer program leaders, and families — and it's free! Join in to explore, create, read, write, and learn — all about music. Learn more!

Two-Bite Club

Getting kids to try a variety of foods may feel like a daunting task to some. If you deal with picky eaters, try introducing them to MyPlate's Two-Bite Club, developed by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The resource comes with a printable book that encourages kids to try new foods and also provides fun certificates to celebrate new tasting milestones. Available in English and Spanish.

Help Paying for Internet Services

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household. See if your household is eligible.

Pennsylvania's KinConnector

Pennsylvania's KinConnecto r provides guidance, advice and support for kinship care families though out Pennsylvania in numerous ways, including:

Connecting caregivers to health, financial, and legal services;
Connecting caregivers to training and parenting support Identifying local physical or behavioral health services;
Identifying support groups, and guiding caregivers on how to apply for federal, state, and local benefits such as CHIP and Social Security, and other services designed to support caregivers; and
Providing access to a compassionate KinConnector who will listen and provide supportive guidance.

Now’s the Time to Catch-up on Routine Vaccines!

Make sure your kindergartner is on track for routine checkups and recommended vaccinations. Whether your kindergartner is behind on a vaccine, missing several, or completely unvaccinated, now is the time get caught up on childhood vaccinations! This is totally doable. It’s not necessary to start over if you are concerned about vaccines being missed! Read more.

Should Your Kindergartner Drink Juice?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy on juice recommends that kindergarten aged children (4-6 years) limit juice to no more than 4-6 ounces per day. This is the amount in a typical juice box. Children should also not be allowed to carry a cup or juice box throughout the day. The evidence is clear that over-consumption of juice can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Click here to see what other options there are for kindergartners when thirsty.

Six Tips for Summer Safety

Sun shining, warmer temperatures--it's almost time for summer fun! Help keep your kindergartner safe while having fun this summer season with these six tips.