Wednesday, September 18, 2013

NEWSLETTER #5 - PAPER, PENCILS, AND PROPS


Paper, Pencils, and Props

Dear Parents,

Did you know that every time your child scribbles, that’s the beginning of learning to write?  Those little squiggles and lines will turn into letters, words, and stories one day!  Here are some great tools that will give your child the opportunity to explore and develop small motor skills.
*Note!  Monitor the use of these materials and set rules and limits to where and when they can be used.

1.    Keep pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils, notepads, paper, spiral notebooks, and so forth in a basket or old briefcase.  Encourage your child to play with these items inside at a table or outside at a picnic bench.
2.    Make play dough, tape, water colors, a hole punch, safety scissors, washable markers, construction paper, stickers and other art media available to your child.  (This would actually be a better birthday gift than a toy!)  You might want to store these in a plastic tub or backpack to make them convenient to get out and clean up. 
3.    Value your child’s work by framing it or hanging it on the refrigerator.
4.    All children enjoy drawing with chalk on the sidewalk.  Or you could place a chalkboard in your garage or basement.
5.    Save forms from magazines or junk mail for children to write on.
6.    A magic slate, dry erase board, seasonal pencil, note cards, and other props will engage your child in writing.

Happy writing!