It is ideal for the skills that we are working on at school to be reinforced at home whenever possible. Here are some tips…

When taking a walk:

• Hold hands (no strollers/wagons) – we are building gross motor muscles and endurance.
• Talk about things you see- trees, animals, cars, houses(colors, shapes, sizes)

Example- Look at the brown dog on the porch.

• Talk about sounds you hear- birds, dogs, horns, trains, etc.
• Count objects you see- cars/flowers/bikes
• Take big steps/small steps, jump over cracks in the sidewalk, walk on the curb

At meal times:

• Sit at the table together. Meals should be given to your child at a table-not while they are walking around or playing. This encourages socialization, correct posture and the ability to use utensils and open cups.
• Talk about your day, the taste of the food- is it soft, crunchy, count items on your plate- you have three peas.
• Encourage use of utensils- spoons (scoop), forks (poke). Do not spend extra money on yogurt tubes or squeezable applesauce- At school, we squeeze them on the plate and use a spoon to eat them!
• Use an open cup- put a small amount of liquid in to minimize spillage. Using an open cup helps develop different oral motor skills necessary for speech production.
• Try new foods
• Have you child help put items on the table and allow them to help clean up

(At school- we put our garbage in the garbage can and cup/plate in the sink).

When playing:

• Toys are not always necessary- sing songs together(act them out), play row you boat-by holding hands and rowing back and forth, tickle games are always fun
• When using toys- comment on what’s happening, ask questions, tell your child what your going to do (“I’m going to put the red block on top”, “My car is going fast”).
• Follow your child’s lead
• Encourage back and forth interactions, turn taking and sharing of materials.
• Have FUN!!!

Brought to you by Bornhava’s Teaching Team