EXTENSION REPORT

It is the time of year when parents of young children are registering them for school for next year. Parents want their children to grow up to succeed in life. One of the first places outside of the family that children have a chance to do well is in school. Being ready to learn is much more than knowing the alphabet and counting to ten. Readiness requires that children develop language skills, physical skills, self-control, social skills, and a desire to learn.

Language skills are an important part of school readiness. Young children need lots of practice learning and using words to talk about what they see, know, and do. They need good language skills to help them organize their thinking. Children learn to communicate important ideas and feelings, and to listen to and follow directions. Children learn to communicate through the example of adults talking and listening. Here are suggestions to help preschoolers develop language skills:

*Encourage them to talk about what they did each day.

*Ask them questions that require longer answers than just "yes" or "no".

*Read books and talk together about the stories.

*Encourage them to learn and use new words.

*Take time to listen attentively.

Another part of being ready to learn means that young children can control the movements of their bodies. Children who can control their large muscles and physical movements are less likely to hurt themselves when playing. Children develop these skills at different rates. Most children can learn these skills if they have the chance to practice and the encouragement of caring adults. Children do not automatically develop good physical skills. These skills require both maturation and practice. For example, toddlers do not have muscles mature enough to skip. Most preschoolers do, but they need to practice to be able to skip well. To develop good physical skills, preschoolers need the chance to be physically active each day.

Young children also need to be able to control the smaller movements of their hands and fingers. Control of these small muscles is important for children’s handwriting skill development. Children are using fine muscle skills when they grasp, touch, and feel objects of different sizes, textures, and weights. Learning how to manage buttons, snaps, zippers and other clothing fasteners also helps children learn to control these important muscles.

Adults help children develop important life skills when they teach them ways to be able to control themselves. Everyone experiences feelings of anger and frustration, sadness and joy. But young children have very little experience in being able to manage these feelings in ways that result in acceptable behavior. A large part of teaching children self-control involves understanding and the use of good discipline. Good discipline teaches children what good behavior is and why misbehavior is not acceptable. When young children misbehave, a way to teach them how to do better in the future is by having them experience reasonable consequences for their behavior. The reasonable consequence of fighting over a toy is to have the toy taken away for a while. When adults explain why misbehavior is not acceptable and respond with fair and reasonable consequences, they are showing children how to think things through and make good decisions about how to behave.

Knowing how to get along well socially makes it easier for children beginning school to make friends and fit in. Children who make friends do better in school and enjoy it more. Social skills develop from the interactions children have with the important people in their daily lives. Children learn how to treat others by the way they are treated. Their everyday experiences with family members and caregivers teach them how to relate to others. If children are treated fairly, with respect and consideration, they will gradually learn to treat others the same way. Social skills also develop from the opportunities that young children have to plan and interact with other children. Playing with peers offers children the practice they need to learn how to relate to others, to solve problems, and to deal with conflict.

Being ready for school means feeling excited about learning new things. Young children are naturally curious. When parents and caregivers respond positively to young children’s curiosity, children will develop a desire to learn. The desire to learn is influenced by events very early in life. As children grow, they are strongly influenced by the attitudes about learning from those around them. Parents and caregivers encourage children to value learning by giving positive attention to questions, interests, and activities, and by sharing with children their own interests.

Special thanks to Dr. Ellen Abell, Extension Family and Child Development Specialist for this information from the publication, Getting Young Children Ready to Learn. For a copy of this publication HE-722, visit the Alabama Cooperative Extension System website at www.aces.edu.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University).