Learning starts long before kindergarten. In fact, your child has been learning since birth. Children learn on their own. And they learn from people. When children go to school, some things will be fun to learn. Learning can also be hard work.

Most parents want their children to do well in school. It can help to know that school learning is not just about ABCs and numbers. To do well in school, children need to:

• feel good about who they are and what they can do
• be able to talk and listen
• enjoy books
• keep on trying
• ask questions
• get along with others

There are many everyday ways you can help your child with those things. And, of course, children learn best from the people who care about them.

Children Need to Feel Good about Who They Are and What They Can Do

Make time with your child, even just a little bit every day. You help your child feel loved when you talk, listen, and want to be nearby.

Give your child small jobs to do. That helps your child feel proud of what he or she can do.

It can be easy to talk only about things your child does wrong. Be sure to look for times when your child does something well or something nice.

Help Your Child Like Books

Teachers say the most important thing you can do is to help your child like books.

Read with your child on your lap or close to you. When your child holds any book at school, those warm feelings come back.

Make reading part of the bedtime routine.

If your child can't listen to a whole book, look at just a few pages and talk about the pictures.

Children like to hear favorite books over and over. They may want to say some words with you or try to read the book. That's the start of reading.

Help Your Child Keep Trying and Not Give Up

If your child can't do something, help your child do one small part of it.

Talk about things that were hard for you to do when you were a child -- like tying your shoes or learning to write. It takes time for everyone to learn most things.

When you talk about a problem, don't just complain. Let your child know that you are working on it. Even if you cannot fix it, your child will know it's good to keep trying.

Playing Helps Your Child Learn

Give your child paper and crayons, pencils, markers, and scissors. Scribbles and drawings are the start of writing.

When children play, they learn that things can be used in different ways. Give your child things like an empty box that can be a bed, a truck, or a house.

When children play with friends, they sometimes fight. Help them "use words" and talk to each other about the problem. Learning to get along with others will help your child at school.

Make sure your child has some quiet time. Turn off the tv and radio. Then it's easier for your child to think of ideas and play about them.

In Everyday Ways You Can Help Your Child Get Ready for School

Talk with your child. Listen to what your child says. Then your child learns how to use words and how to take turns.

Listen to your child's questions. It's okay if you don't know the answer. Wanting to know things is a big part of learning.

Make rules and routines. Children manage better when they know what to expect. That also helps them with rules at school.

Here are Some Things to Do with Your Child:

• Sing songs and say nursery rhymes. That helps your child hear different sounds in a fun way. Your child needs to hear sounds for reading and writing.
• Sort socks or put away spoons and forks with your child. Part of learning is seeing that some things are the same and some things are not the same.
• Show your child that numbers help when you make a phone call or when you count the forks for dinner.
• Read out loud the signs you see. Write notes and lists. Then your child sees that reading and writing are important.

For more information on helping your child with learning from Fred Rogers, please visit our Family Communications web site.

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