The Weekly Update #1
August 25th, 2025
Dear Natick Preschool Families,
As the leaves begin to change and cozy storytime moments return, I’ve been thinking about how books help our children see the world—and themselves—with wonder. At preschool, we nurture early literacy not through worksheets or drills, but through joyful, shared experiences: singing, storytelling, pretending, and reading together. When children connect reading with comfort, curiosity, and belonging, we build the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Our work as a school community is much the same—it’s about growth, reflection, and “tinkering toward utopia,” as a valued and wise colleague once coined. Great programming is never finished; it evolves as we listen, learn, and strive to make something wonderful even better.
In that spirit, I deeply value your insights and partnership. Over the coming weeks, there are two opportunities for families to share their voices and get involved (both are linked in the section below for your engagement/response):
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Preschool School Council: We’ll be launching our first meeting within the next month, and I’d love to include interested family members as part of this advisory and planning group.
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Family Feedback Survey: Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey, designed to help us understand the glows and grows in your preschool experience so far.
Your feedback and participation help ensure that Natick Preschool continues to be a place where every child—and family—feels seen, supported, and inspired to learn.
With gratitude and excitement for the season ahead,
Cori
Reading with your preschooler is one of the most powerful ways to support their growth. Early literacy isn’t about worksheets or flashcards—it’s about joyful, shared experiences with books, stories, and language. When children connect reading with warmth, fun, and curiosity, they build the foundation for lifelong learning.
Tips for Raising a Joyful Reader
Make reading part of your routine: Snuggling up with a story before bed or reading together after snack time helps your child associate books with comfort and predictability.
Follow your child’s lead: Let them choose books—even if it’s the same one again (and again!). Repetition helps build vocabulary and confidence.
Read with expression: Use silly voices, sound effects, or dramatic pauses to bring books to life. Your enthusiasm is contagious!
Celebrate all kinds of “reading”: Looking at pictures, turning pages, pretending to read, and retelling favorite stories are all important early literacy skills.
Create a print-rich environment: Keep books in baskets around the house, label everyday items (chair, door, toy bin), and let your child see you reading too. Children learn that print has meaning and purpose.
Engaging Your Child Through Conversation
Asking thoughtful questions while reading together can do more than make story time fun—it helps build vocabulary, deepen understanding, and encourage your child to think critically about what they hear. Try mixing in different kinds of questions:
Prediction Questions: Invite your child to look ahead and use clues from the story. “What do you think will happen next?”
Character Questions: Explore how characters feel and act to build empathy. “How do you think this character feels?”
Connection Questions: Help your child relate the story to their own life. “Has anything like this ever happened to you?”
Clarification Questions: Support vocabulary and comprehension. “What does that word mean?”
Reflection Questions: Encourage your child to share their thoughts and takeaways.
“What was your favorite part?”
Using questions like these during story time can spark conversations, strengthen comprehension and thinking skills, and make reading together even more meaningful.
Want to Learn More? Resources for Families
I’ve also included links below for anyone who would like to explore more tips and strategies. And as always, please reach out if you have questions or would like additional ideas!
Reads and videos for Grown-ups:
For Kids: Songs and Clips to Watch Together
Between the Lions: “Cliff Hanger” Adventures (PBS). Playful stories that celebrate words.
Sesame Street: “The Word of the Day” (PBS). Fun vocabulary-building clips.
StoryBots: Songs About Letters and Sounds (Netflix/YouTube). Engaging early literacy content.
Storytime Together
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, read by Keith Carradine — Storyline Online (SAG-AFTRA Foundation). Silly and interactive stories, read by your favorite SAG-AFTRA actors.
Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney — Brightly Storytime. A comforting, rhythmic classic.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle — Animated read-alouds available online.