The Charlotte Jewish News - June-July 2011 - Page 14
Sciwels
How to Keep Your Preschooler Motivated and Engaged
Over the Summer
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As you probably know,
preschoolers do not need a desk or
pens and paper to learn. These lit
tle ones learn through all of their
senses. They play, explore and ask
questions, all of which helps them
become life-long learners. As par
ents how do you keep your chil
dren engaged and entertained dur
ing the summer months? Here are
some simple ways to enjoy the hot
days together and keep your chil
dren motivated, so they’re ready
to jump back into the school rou
tine once the fall arrives.
Reading is the single most
important thing you can do with
your child. Read, ask questions as
you read, and ask your child to
“guess” what the ending will be or
even to make up his or her own
ending to the story. Making pre
dictions is an excellent way for
preschoolers to develop their lis
tening comprehension skills.
Preschoolers also love to fill in the
blanks while they’re reading.
Repetition, rhyming and illustra-
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tions are all great tools that
preschoolers use to “read.”
Preschool children do not need to
be engaged in a formal reading
program, but instead should be
exposed to print as often as possi
ble to develop “reading readiness”
skills.
Parents can build letter and
sound recognition throughout the
day very easily too. When driving
in the car, ask your (older) pre
schooler to find things that start
with a particular letter of the
alphabet. Or, use the first letter of
your child’s name and see if he or
she can find five things outside the
car window that start with the
same sound. This activity also
works well in the grocery store.
For younger preschoolers, looking
for objects that are all the same
color is another fun activity.
The summer is a great time to
fine-tune some social skills that
are so important during the pre
school years. Take every opportu
nity to help your little one under
stand the people around them.
Helping them become respectful
individuals will help them now
and long after they leave pre
school. Talk to them about peo
ple’s feelings - “Look at your
brother and look at his Ifown.
What do you think he is feeling
and why?” Help them identify
these feelings and be able to dis
cuss them. Have plenty of play
dates and act as a facilitator; be
involved just enough to encourage
purposeful play and appropriate
interactions, but do not intervene
when it is unnecessary. Conflict
resolution helps children develop
social skills and learn how to get
along. Allow your preschooler to
work out a simple conflict without
you if possible, and then praise
them for the “kind words” they
used or the way they compromised
with a friend.
As September rolls around, you
will be looking for ways to pre
pare your child for the school rou
tine again. Research shows that
children thrive on routine and a
predictable environment. Even
though summer is here and your
schedules will be changing, main
taining some key routines in your
preschooler’s day will make each
transition easy for the whole fami
ly-
* Keeping a regular bedtime is
key. Even if you adjust your
child’s bedtime to accommodate
the looser summer schedule, be
sure to stay consistent. A restful
child makes for a happier child
jps
Th« Jenyfsh
Th« Jenyfsh Sardli
during the waking hours.
* Morning routines should stay
consistent too. Your school day
routine should not change in the
summer, like eating breakfast,
then brushing teeth, and getting
dressed (of course some lazy,
relaxing days are always a treat).
* Limit screen time. Even in the
summer, computers, iPads, and
TV time should be limited. Many
experts believe that less than ten
hours a week is appropriate for
preschoolers.
* Encourage family time. If
family dinners are the norm in
your family, try to stick with that.
Preschoolers count on these pre
dictable interactions. If the school
days are too hectic to plan dinner,
maybe summer will allow you
some extra time to create a new
family ritual.
Most of all, enjoy your little
wonders. They are at a fantastic
age and truly just want to please
you and have fun. Guide them,
offer them plenty of opportunities
to have unstructured free play and
ask them lots of questions.
Treasure these wonderful
moments. ^
Springtime at CJDS
Spring is an exciting time at the
Charlotte Jewish Day School.
While many other schools and
their students are suffering from
Spring Fever and winding down
their year, we are celebrating
Celebrating our Seventh Year at this Location
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Charlotte, NC 28209
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Grandparent’s Day and looking
forward to several out of town
fieldtrips.
On Friday, May 6, about 200
grandparents and grand “friends”
gathered together with CJDS stu
dents to celebrate Grandparent’s
Day. Musical performances,
prayer, sign language and a jump
rope presentation were all show
cased by our multi-talented stu
dents.
A third grade student at the Schiele
Museum
Mariashi Groner welcomed all
of our guests and introduced this
year’s honorees of the Barbara
and Jerry Levin Visionary Award,
Patty and Bill Gorelick. “Jerry and
Barbara Levin knew [that the sur
vival of Judaism rested in the chil
dren], so they stood behind the
day school here in Charlotte and
when their last grandchild gradu
ated from the day school, they cre
ated a legacy, an award that would
be given to an honoree each year
as the Barbara and Jerry Levin
Visionary of the Year in Jewish
Education.” She went on to say,
“When our little CJDS was still up
on the hill, I don’t think there
were too many people imagining
the school becoming a community
day school. But Bill Gorelick did
n’t really worry about those little
details. He knew that a Jewish
Day School was an important part
of a community’s puzzle, and he
was determined to make it hap
pen. And, anybody who knows
Bill knows that when he decides
that something has to happen, it’s
going to happen. Thank you, Patty
for supporting, advising, and
cheering all that Bill does for the
community.” The highlight of this
presentation was the speech given
by Adelaide Gorelick, one of Bill
and Patty’s grandchildren and a
2008 graduate of CJDS. “.. .1 have
no doubt that CJDS has put me on
the course of my parents and
grandparents, giving to those who
are in need of my giving. I am so
honored to be part of a family who
values tzedakah so much. I would
also like to congratulate my
grandparents for receiving such a
huge honor from such an impor
tant school...” Congratulations to
(Continued on page 16)
Barbara and Jerry Levin presenting
the 2011 Barbara and Jerry Levin
Visionary Award to Bill Gorelick