Doing these activities together will encourage your child's curiosity and interest in learning, and will help prepare your child for school. Here are some tips for getting the most out of these hands-on explorations.
Encourage everyday play.
When children build with blocks, they're learning engineering skills. When they sort toys by color, they're practicing math concepts. When they do something just to see what happens, they're using the scientific method of observing, asking questions, predicting, and experimenting. Look for "teachable moments" in everything your child does.
Explore and learn with your child.
Young children learn through active, hands-on play. Set aside time to join your child in these parent-child activities. Be a learning partner. Share your own enthusiasm and curiosity with your child.
Talk and listen.
Children also learn by talking about what they notice and what they wonder. Notice what catches your child's interest. Ask questions, encouraging your child to talk through thoughts and ideas. What do you notice? Why do you think that's happening? What do you think would happen if...? What else could you try? Talk about what makes you curious, too: I wonder if...
Remember that it's OK to say, "I don't know."
You don't need to be an expert to help your child build a good foundation in engineering, math, and science. Learning is all about being curious, observing closely, trying things out, and searching for answers. You might say, Let's see if we can find out together. Then do some experimenting. Or go to the children's room in the library and look for more information.
These activities make use of everyday materials found in and around your home. Be sure to check that materials are safe and appropriate for your child to handle. Help your child learn how to avoid accidents, and supervise closely when you are cooking together or exploring outdoors.
Curious George is a production of Imagine, WGBH and Universal. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. Television Series: ©2016 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. The PBS KIDS logo is a registered mark of PBS and is used with permission. Proud sponsors of Curious George® on PBS KIDS® are Kiddie Academy and ABCmouse.com.
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