Play, Grow, and Glow

Reading with our families supports building the foundation for a lifetime love of reading. When we read together, we learn about each story element; characters, setting, events, problems, and solutions. We also begin to recognize individual letters while learning that these letters form words , phrases and sentences. Eventually, we begin to retell the story on our own using the pictures and what we remember from listening.

We were so excited to engage in our own concert of familiar songs with one of our playgroup moms who is a music therapist. Did you know that research demonstrates that music ignites all areas of a child’s development and school readiness skills? Intellectual, social emotional, motor language, and overall literacy is developed through music as the body and mind work together. Providing multiple opportunities for children to engage in music during their early development assists with learning the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music builds motor skills while also practicing self expression. Finally, music strengthens memory skills.

Engaging in art activities is one of our favorite playgroup activities. We enjoyed observing what happens to paint during spin art. As the speed increased, the colors moved in all different directions and created wonderful designs.

Outdoor play benefits your child's motor, cognitive, and social- emotional skills.

Nature offers plenty of free props to inspire play ( pebbles, grass, flowers, leaves, sticks, etc..)

Steps for encouraging pretend play outdoors:

1. Look for spots with lots of features both manmade and natural. Children are more active when there are things to interact with.

2. Offer tools that encourage your child to interact with the environment. Shovels, sand toys, ball, and trucks help your child use the nature around them. Invite your child to discover new ways to pretend.

3. Look for new play options. New places present different possibilities for pretend play. Visit a local beach, pond, trail, or garden. Talk about what your child might want to pretend when you get there.

4. Prompt active play when you're outdoors. Point out interesting things in nature. Ask questions to stimulate thinking and pretending. Teach words that help your child identify things in nature. Describe what they are seeing and experiencing.

Let your child get dirty, tired, and muddy!

During the months of July and August, the free Sparkler App- will host Camp Sparkler.

The theme for Camp Sparkler is Stories from Around the World. Each week a favorite story from a specific culture will be read aloud by a person/persons from the culture being featured. After listening to the read aloud, families and children engage in play cards related to the theme.

Last year, our favorite stories were The Two Frogs :A Japanese Folktale and Why the Cheetah's Cheeks are Stained?

Use the free Sparkler app to complete this play card activity.

You can download the app from the Apple store or the Google Play store. Use code MILFORDFRC when registering for your free account.

Instructions

1. When I say, “You are my sunshine,” it means you are special to me!

2. Let’s sing “You Are My Sunshine” together.

3. As we sing, let’s draw pictures of the bright Sun. I’ll write S-U-N beside my picture!

Words To Use

Sun - a star giving light and heat to Earth and other planets Shine - to give out light Bright - shining

Simplify

Sing to your child — he/she/they might not want to join in at first. Ask Your child to color in yellow and orange — the colors of sunlight — rather than drawing a “sun.”

Stretch

Your child can draw the person who is his/her/their "sunshine" in the middle of his/her/their sun picture.

Song To Sing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhntWIIbWBs&feature=youtu.be

Why

Singing simple songs and representing words with pictures helps to build the child's language skills.