How May I Help My Child?
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Research continues to show the importance of family involvement in a child’s success in school. Panther's Den Learning Center values the role of the family in making a difference in the lives of young children. Children learn from the people and places all around them. You are truly your child’s first teacher and play an integral part in his or her development. Our curriculum encourages families and teachers to work together, guiding children’s learning in powerful and fun ways.

• Be Involved, we invite you to play an active role in creating a partnership with your child’s teacher.
• Volunteer in your child’s class.
• Provide materials and/or information requested in the Family Newsletter.
• Communicate with your child’s teacher about his or her strengths, needs, and interests.
• Make use of all family components sent home.
• Share your knowledge, culture, strengths, hobbies, and interests with your child’s class.

The Power of conversation talk to your child as much as possible every day. Having conversations develops language skills, social skills, and introduces new vocabulary. Instead of asking, “What did you do in school today?” Try asking what he or she liked most about school today. Then, share what you liked most about your day. Play and have fun! Play is important for children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. When children have opportunities to practice new skills, the development of these skills advances. Below are some simple ways you can encourage your child’s development through play. Toddlers (12–24 months)

• Sing children’s songs and recite nursery rhymes; encourage your child to join in.
• Help your child to turn pages while reading together.
• Build with blocks, cardboard boxes, empty food boxes, etc. Suggest child to knock down the tower and build another.

Twos

• Encourage your child to name objects inside and outside.
• Allow child to freely explore drawing and painting.
• Children can help in the kitchen: pouring, stirring, shaping, etc.

Threes

• Reinforce manners (say “please” and “thank you”).
• Brainstorm imaginative adventures together.
• Count objects together (crackers, cereal, blocks, etc.).

Fours

• Provide opportunities to sequence objects.
• Read stories with vivid illustrations and rhyming words.
• Promote experimentation: test out your child’s theories.

All Ages

• READ together!
• Make-believe play strengthens memory, language, logical reasoning, imagination, and creativity. have a tea party, act out a story just have fun.
• When asking questions, wait 3–5 seconds to give child time to process the question.
• Acknowledge and describe what children can do.
• Support their efforts to try new activities rather than focus on performance.

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