April marks a special time at Raising A Reader MA (RAR-MA) – the Week of the Young Child!
This annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a fun week that celebrates early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. At RAR-MA, we also see this special week as an opportunity to build on the connection between parents/caregivers and young readers. To help, we provided daily posts with resources that could be used to make this week one filled with learning and fun.
Here’s a look at what each of the days looked like on our social media pages with the resources that were highlighted:
It’s Music Monday of the Week of the Young Child! Tatiana Keane Forero, Program Manager, endorses exploring music and creativity in our Literacy Calendar which includes music-related activities like singing, moving, and dancing. Check out today, April 8th and make a snake. Also fill an old sock or a recycled paper towel roll with dried beans or corn. Shake it and listen. Is it a snake sound? – or a musical sound? Use everyday items such as scissors, tape, and pencils as these tools make our craft projects easy to construct.
It’s Tasty Tuesday of the Week of the Young Child! Amy Dolan, Program Manager, suggests you spend time exploring the various types of food that your family eats. Take time to bake a new recipe together, learn the history of a culture’s food, or use the items in your kitchen to create a fun craft and introduce measuring words and skills. Watch Raising a Reader Massachusetts’ “Make Your Own Funny Pancakes” video for inspiration.
It’s Working Together Wednesday of the Week of the Young Child! Guadalupe Panameno, Senior Program Manager, encourages you to enjoy building together to develop teamwork, design, strategy, and critical thinking skills. Gather the following materials: mini marshmallows and toothpicks. Give your child a pile of each and let them build to connect with the book Building with Dad. Ask them questions about the structure to expand it as they build. Look at our StoryGuide for example questions.
It’s Artsy Thursday of the Week of the Young Child! Claudia Chavarria, Program Manager, and Lamis Fawas, Community Ambassador recommend you celebrate the joy of creation by giving your young artist the opportunity to discover themselves through the exploration and manipulation of various materials, from pencils, paper, and crayons to paints and clay. Engage in a fun activity to connect with the book Dinosaur Bones. Enjoy this activity with your little one to support science related creativity, knowledge, and vocabulary.
It’s Family Friday of the Week of the Young Child! Isai Jimenez, Associate Program Director, shares Big Bug as a fantastic book that encourages families to name and compare objects they encounter- turning a simple outdoor excursion into an interactive learning experience, while fostering curiosity and appreciation for the environment. This StoryGuide is a companion for the book, which not only entertains but also promotes quality family time and a deeper connection to the world around us.