Preschool in Ypsilanti Recommends the 4 Absolute Best Ways to Prevent Biting

Does your child bite?

Have you struggled to come up with a solution?

Is your child getting into trouble at school as a result?

Biting is very common among toddlers, so don’t worry (at least not too much)! It can be frustrating for any parent asking hard questions like: Should I discipline my child? Laugh it off and say “they’re just playing”? It’s a hard choice to make for any parent. To prevent your child from biting, it’s helpful to understand why they’re doing it. 

According to NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), children bite for a number of reasons including:

1. Relieve pain from teething.
2. Explore cause and effect (“What happens when I bite?”).
3. Experience the sensation of biting.
4. Satisfy a need for oral-motor stimulation. 
5. Imitate other children and adults.
6. Feel strong and in control.
7. Get attention.
8. Act in self-defense.
9. Communicate needs and desires, such as hunger or fatigue.
10. Communicate or express difficult feelings, such as frustration, anger, confusion, or fear (“There are too many people here and I feel cramped”). 

It’s important to be able to spot your child feelings before the situation arises so you’ll be well prepared to handle the situation.

NAEYC suggests there are plenty of things parents can do to prevent biting, including:

1. Have age-appropriate expectations for your child’s behavior based on his or her current skills and abilities.
2. Make sure your child’s schedule, routines, and transitions are predictable and consistent.
3. Offer activities and materials that allow your child to relax and release tension.
4. Use positive guidance strategies to help your child develop self-control.
5. Provide items to bite, such as teething rings or clean, wet, cold washcloths stored in the refrigerator. This helps children learn what they can bite safely, without hurting anyone else. 

Give these recommendations a try. Your child will take your lead. Set a good example and teach them proper manners. Biting hurts. For example, tell your child how the other child is feeling: “Look, Timmy’s crying because you hurt him.” Keep it simple, so your child will understand.

If you decide to try some of these things with your child, we’d like to know how it works for you. In addition, are there any other alternatives that already work for you that you’d like to suggest to other parents? Please let us know in the comments! At Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, and the surrounding areas, we’re dedicated to our students’ health and well-being.

Achieving Kindergarten Readiness Milestones in Preschool

Kindergarten can be an exciting time for children and parents, but it can also be scary. Knowing if your child is ready to learn in a new environment can be tricky, and knowing what to look for is sometimes difficult.

During this important time, it’s likely you have a lot of questions.

“How do I know if my child is ready for kindergarten?”

“What should I be doing to make sure they’re learning at home?”

“What skills does he/she need to be successful?”

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, or have more concerns about kindergarten readiness, your Ypsilanti preschool teachers and daycare professionals want to help!  

Here are several areas that Pre-K students, parents, and teachers should be focusing on, according to Ann Barbour, a professor of childhood education at California State University, Los Angeles:

Self-Care

By the time kindergarten starts, your child should be able to get dressed by themselves, and know basic self-help skills like using writing utensils, etc.

Using Language to Express Needs and Wants

It’s important for your child to be able to talk with adults and other children. They should also be able to play well with their classmates, so make sure to talk with them about sharing and making friends. 

Shape, Color and Letter Recognition

Your child should be able to write basic letters, especially the letters in their own name. Shapes and colors are important and easy to work on at home. Alphabet magnets are a great way to teach your child basic spelling, and using food dye and cookie cutters can be a fun way to learn both shapes and colors.

Eagerness to Learn

Showing curiosity and a willingness to learn new things is an important development for young children. Teaching your kids that learning can be fun instead of scary will help them

Most kindergarten readiness skills are already being taught in preschool or daycare, but your child can benefit from continuing to learn at home. The more you can do to prepare for kindergarten, the less scary it will be for the both of you.

According to Barbour, “you can also help your child prepare for the actual transition to kindergarten by talking about what will happen.” Much of the preparation is about making sure that your child is comfortable and happy.

Kindergarten readiness involves both you and your child, and your Ypsilanti preschool professional can help! Make sure to find out what your Pre-K teachers have planned for your child, and find out what you can do to make their learning experience as beneficial as possible.