Everything You Need to Know About Kindergarten Readiness! Read Our Checklist!

Is your child ready for kindergarten? Let’s find out!
 
At Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area we know how to identify when a child is ready to move on from preschool. Typically their fine motor skills, gross motor skills, social skills, and academic skills are vastly improved compared to when they were toddlers.
 
According to Scholastic, here’s what you should look in your child to know when their ready to start kindergarten:

1. Enthusiasm toward learning
Do they ask questions? Do they take initiative?

2. Solid oral-language skills
Can your child retain new words and use them in a conversation?

3. Ability to listen
Can your child follow directions? Can your child understand rhyming words or finish sentences to familiar stories?

4. Desire to be independent
Can your child hang up his or her coat? Fasten or unfasten buttons? Eat neatly and pour into a cup?


5. Ability to play well with others
Does your child share with other children? Can your child problem solve when a problem occurs?

6. Strong fine motor skills
Can your child color, cut with scissors, or hold a pencil?

7. Basic letter and number recognition
Can your child recognize most numbers and letters by sight?

After reading through this list of kindergarten readiness items, do you feel your child is ready for this next important step in their education? If you don’t think they’re ready, it’s important to take time after school to help practice some of these special developmental skills. You should also consult with your child’s teacher or the director of their preschool to ensure their readiness.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Make Teaching Letters at Home Easy!

Learning letters can be a challenge for anyone, but it’s almost never impossible. If you believe, you can achieve!

We recommend these great letter activities that you can do at home that were created by Lori, found on a Conversations in Literacy Blog. 

Highlight: Rice Boxes

Photo Credit: Conversations in Literacy Blog

Materials

• Rice
• Big spoon
• Letters
• Letter match-up worksheet

Directions:

Find a letter in the rice and match with the corresponding uppercase or lowercase letter.

This activity will develop the building blocks needed to understand how to read and write. This letter recognition activity helps develop your child’s cognitive senses for memory, reading, and writing.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Saline, Ypsilanti, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced Based Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

3 Essential Tips to Childproof Your Smartphone!

Has your smartphone been broken too many times to count? We know the feeling! With the number of times juice has been spilled and the accidental tumbles your child has had with your phone in hand, it’s amazing it has made it this far! Sometimes we wonder if kids are the top reason your phone needs to be repaired or replaced. 

At our preschool in the Ann Arbor area we understand your

frustration. You want your child to be able to play the educational apps on your phone but at the same time you hope your phone is durable enough that it won’t break. We’ve come up with a few ideas to help you save some money:

• Buy a strong case! Is it waterproof? Scratchproof? Shatterproof? 
• Lock your screen with a passcode or fingerprint for entry.
• Enable parental controls to enforce restrictions.

Do you have other ways to help protect your phone? We’d love to hear from you! Please post your ideas in the comment section below.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Mom’s Health Factors Help Determine Risks For Preterm Labor

Babies are miracles of life, especially premature babies. Thanks to advances in medicine, it’s become ever more likely this day in age, to deliver healthy babies as early as 24 weeks.

Babies who are born premature sometimes face long-term health risks and vulnerabilities. However, it’s important to point out that premature babies aren't always riddled with problems -- a lot of cases turn out to be healthy births that lead to healthy babies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "in 2014, preterm birth affected about 1 of every 10 infants born in the United States." At little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area, feel that it's important to educate the general public on some of the things that can increase your risk for premature labor, if you're not already aware, including:

• Smoking
• Overweight or underweight
• High blood pressure
• Preeclampsia
• Diabetes
• Blood clotting disorders
• Drinking alcohol or using drugs
• Impregnated by vitro fertilization
• Family history

It’s important to know the risk factors so you can help minimize any potential risk and harm to your baby. If you have any further questions about premature labor risks contact your health physician.
 
Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. We have infant, toddler, and preschool programs available. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Ways to Ease Separation Anxiety

Separation can be hard for many children, but it’s a normal stage in development. Our teachers at our preschool in the Ann Arbor area understand the difficulty separation has on parents and their children. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of things you can do to help your child ease through this important challenge in their lives.

1. Allow your child to get comfortable with change. Change is scary even for grown-ups! It’s important to communicate that both you and your child are safe when you’re apart.

a. Find things your child enjoys at preschool

b. Talk about the good things about your child’s preschool in Ann Arbor while at home and on the way to preschool.
 
c. Ask your child what they enjoyed when you pick them up and what they plan to do when you drop them off.
 
d. Help your child label their feelings and give them better ways to comfort themselves.
 
e. Describe different emotions to them, ask if and when they feel those emotions. Talk about how it’s okay to have these feelings, and that we can change them if we try. Singing a happy song can help make your child feel happy instead of sad or angry. A pair of sunglasses or a super hero mask may also help make them feel brave when they’re scared.

View this as a learning opportunity to establish trust, emotional regulation, and resilience. By learning these skills now, they have a chance to fine tune them before they’re in a larger class in kindergarten.

2. Establish a routine!

a. Bedtime routine – Getting enough sleep the night before never hurts the next morning. Read a story about preschool or tell a story about it. Talk about positive things at school.
 
b. Morning routine

Wake up at the same time every day, allow your child to pick out their outfit, chose a comforting tool for the day (a blanket, family photo, photo album, stuffed animal, etc.). Drive the same route to school, pointing out landmarks, and ask what landmarks comes next. Discuss their plan for the day. Give them a job – make them in charge of pushing the button to open the door to the building or entering the door code.
 
c. Drop-off routine/ Goodbye routine
Keep it short. Walk into the classroom and allow them to put away their coat and comfort tool. Decide beforehand how you’ll say goodbye; hug, high five, secret hand shake, song (silly laughter never hurts). A teacher will lead them to an activity of their choice (maybe what was discussed in the car?)
 
d. Classroom routine
Teachers can discuss with them what the plan is.
Example: Breakfast, then story, outside, then blocks or art, lunch then nap, snack then story, outside then Mom or Dad come to get you.

Please tell the teacher who will pick up your child and at what time, this way we can communicate with your child and be consistent.

Little Angels Preschool in the Ann Arbor area has been serving Ypsilanti, Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. We have infant, toddler, and preschool programs available. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

Can Your Child Express Their Feelings Well? Try this Activity at Home!

Is your child vocal about their feelings?
 
Can they explain critical parts of a story?
 
Can your child recognize feeling words like sad, hurt, confused, loved, etc.?
We recommend this great activity to practice vocabulary and expression that we found on FamilyEducation.com:
 

Materials
•  Your child's favorite book

Directions
•  You can take a favorite story a step further after you read it by asking the child what a particular character felt like at some point in the story.
•  Help to extend vocabulary as your child searches for ways to explain feelings.

Extensions
•  Make a list of words together that describe what a character felt.
•  Ask the child if there is another way the story could have ended.
•  Ask if there is another way a character could have acted.
•  Ask the child how they feel about a particular part of a story.

This is a fun activity to do toward bedtime to boost your child’s understanding of the characters in their favorite story. The earlier your child develops analytical and logical thinking skills, the easier reading will become!  

Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have been serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!

What is Good Playdate Etiquette?

Does your child go on playdates?
 
Or, do you host playdates?
 
Either way, you’ve come to right place if you’re looking for the 411 on playdates! Playdates are a great way for children to socialize, learn, problem solve, discover and make lifelong friends.

We’ve collected a few great tips provided by Parents Magazine to help make playdates fun for every child and easier for parents, including:

1. Limit the number of people you invite, so your child can have one-on-one fun without anyone feeling left out.
2. Drop off your child only when you know he or she is ready and most comfortable.
3. Be on time dropping off and picking up your child.
4. Insist on helping with the cleanup!
5. Have your child “Thank” as soon as they’re old enough to talk.
6. Accommodate your child’s food allergies by bringing your own snacks.
7. Have fun activities planned out in advance if you’re hosting.
8. Make the effort to alternate locations.
9. Check with the other parent on restricting certain privileges like TV and computer use.

What do you find that works for you on playdates? Do you have tips for fellow parents? Let’s start the conversation on our blog in the comment section.

Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti have been serving Saline, Ann Arbor, Milan, Pittsfield Township, and the surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Your child will gain positive self-esteem, confidence and a healthy sense of value through Experienced-Based-Learning at our daycare center. Call (734) 998-0233 to schedule a tour!