February 2005

Playing to Learn

Children learn from the moment they are born. They learn from the people in their lives, their surroundings, and from what they do each day. Play is how children learn new skills, so play is important in their lives.

If you are a parent who is looking for child care, find a program that has many play activities, playthings, and materials that are right for your child's age.

Some things children do to develop thinking and reasoning skills are listening to stories, learning simple songs and finger plays, drawing pictures, role playing, doing puzzles, sorting objects by size, and learning opposites such as big and little.

When children move around, run, jump, climb, balance, and throw they are developing physically. They learn fine motor skills from cutting and tearing paper, drawing, painting, pasting, and play dough activities.

Children learn social skills from playing together, taking turns, pretend activities, and reading stories about others.

The Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Better Kid Care Program has information on children's issues for early childhood educators, child care providers, and parents on the Better Kid Care Web site at: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu

Language and Reading Skills

Children need to be talked to and read to from the time they are born. It helps them learn language skills. It is important for parents to do this at home and for caregivers to do it at child care. When looking for a child care program for your child, find one where the following happens:

The caregiver talks with the children throughout the day during routines and play times. This includes conversation as part of mealtime routines.
The caregiver pays attention to each child and answers questions when they are asked.
There are regularly scheduled reading times, plus opportunities to look at books.
There is a special place for reading and writing activities.
Books and writing materials are easy for the children to reach.
There are materials for writing that include pencils, washable, nontoxic markers, crayons, and different kinds of paper.
The caregiver points out printed words to the children on things around the center or home and things seen when taking walks outdoors.

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Nancy Wilson, Better Kid Care Program Assistant
Penn State Better Kid Care Program
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
e-mail: naw6@psu.edu
Phone: 814-863-5880
Fax: 814-865-7893