Links for Parents

Routines

Does your child have a routine that the/she follows at home?  I always encourage parents to develop a routine at the beginning of the school year if they do not have one already.  We have a consistent routine that we follow in our classroom. This is for the benefit of the children in the class. Children who have a routine have less anxiety about the day, feel safer, happier, and research says that they also do better in school . Above is a great link that talks about the importance of routines. The speaker, Bob Sornson, is the founder of the Early Learning Foundation  and has worked with the teachers in all of our Bedford elementary schools.

Sensory 
Do you have a child who chews on everything? I like these Therapeutic Lego Chews because they are textured and are disguised to look like a fun toy or necklace.
Here is a great article to help you better understand your child with sensory needs.

Developing Self Regulation

Even in first grade, some children are still working on self regulation skills.  Self Regulation skills are learned gradually. It is important that  teachers and parents work together to help children in this area. Research says that children with self regulation skills preform better in school and it is the gateway to developing a sense of empathy.

Behavior

We use Love and Logic in our school. Here are some great "one liners" that you will hear me use at school. You can use these at home too!The above video is an example of Love and Logic.


Math
Does your child need more practice with his/her math facts? Create your own math worksheets at this site. Math Aids

Reading
Reading at home is extremely important! Research shows that children who read frequently develop stronger reading skills that follow them their whole life! I love the graphic below that I found on Pinterest. Here are some more literacy facts

Educational Websites for Kids
Kids love technology! Turn screen time into learning time with these awesome websites! Here are my favoriet sites for kids.
Starfall  (Literacy activities for all levels)
ABCYA  (Literacy and Math! Too easy? Try a grade higher!)
Wonderopolis ( For kids who love science want a reading challenge)
Spelling City (Awesome spelling practice. The free version is wonderful.)
Brain Pop JR. (Check out the free video of the day!)
Moby Max (I will send home your child's username and password. Our school pays for a subscription.)
Voki is a fun way to practice typing skills and editing skills. The free version is great!

Parent Resource 
You can find high quality information for parents at the NAEYC website for families. They cover most early childhood topics and are truly the "go to" for quality, research-based information for all early childhood teachers.