In a Montessori preschool, Winnetka children are like a blank page eager to be filled with knowledge. Picture books about exciting places and adventurous people encourage them to learn everything from social skills to problem-solving. Until you know what interests your child, provide a broad assortment of subjects and styles, to give that absorbent mind options to explore.
Letter of the Day
Keep a set of magnetic letters in a box or bag, and ask your preschooler to select one without looking each morning at breakfast. That will be the letter of the day, and the purpose of the game is to think of words that start with that letter. At first, you will be providing most of the words, but as your child gets the hang of it, she will be vocalizing letter sounds to think of her own ideas. This game is easily scalable throughout childhood by changing from letters to increasingly difficult words.Be a Reader
You are the very best example of the things you want to see in your child. By including books and reading into your everyday life, you encourage your young son to do the same. You can also make a habit of reading road signs, words printed on TV, or using closed captioning on movie night. Learning by association is an excellent way to build reading and vocabulary skills.Provide Variety
Try not to impose limitations on what your child has access to read. There are many books that are not appropriate for all ages, but within a given age range you should try to be open-minded to subjects you may not be as excited about as your child. Cars, dinosaurs, farms, and factories are only the tip of the iceberg, and children should be encouraged to explore and discover.
Talk About Words
Engage your child about words and language (part of the Montessori curriculum) and how important they are. Talk about words and culture, words in different languages, big words, little words, and always keep a dictionary at hand. If you make it obvious that words are the key to solving mysteries, your child will be more inclined to find books an enjoyable activity. In our Montessori Preschool, Winnetka children are provided with numerous opportunities to read and learn about language. Unlocking barriers to communication is a major part of the Montessori Method, an academic function that spans many different subjects.
