Week of the Young Child 2018

Sieda Family Support Services is celebrating the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Week of the Young Child™ from April 16th through 20th. The Week of the Young Child™ is an annual celebration of early learning, young children, and their teachers and families.

Sieda Parent as Teachers (PAT) in Mahaska County has the “Pint Size Picasso” to celebrate “The Week of the Young Child.” Toddler and preschool student artwork was brought to school to be displayed. The art is now on display on the Oskaloosa Square and in the Penn Central Mall. The goal of Sieda Parents as Teachers (PAT) is to show the community how creative the children in the area truly are by sharing their art around town. We encourage families to do a Family ‘Art’ Walk‐A‐Thon to locate their child’s artwork. Oskaloosa Child’s Art Walk-A-Thon 2018 Locations

This week, we encourage families with young children to participate in the following fun themed days:

Monday, April 16 is Music Monday. Sing, dance, celebrate, and learn!

Through music, children develop math, language, and literacy skills – All while having fun and being active!

TRY THIS: Find the beat to connect music, movement, and math. Practice clapping, drumming or stomping to the beat of the music while counting.

Tuesday, April 17 is Tasty Tuesday. Healthy eating and fitness at home and school!

Cooking together connects math with literacy skills, science, and more. With the rise in childhood obesity, you can encourage healthy nutrition and fitness habits at home and in the classroom.

TRY THIS: Measure your ingredients while making your snacks! Ask children if they’d like the same or different amounts of each ingredient.

Wednesday, April 18 is Work Together Wednesday. Work together, build together, and learn together!

When children build together they explore math and science concepts and develop their social and early literacy skills. Children can use any building material—from a fort of branches on the playground to a block city in the classroom, or a hideaway made from couch pillows at home.

TRY THIS: Practice organizing blocks by size! Try building a block tower with large blocks on the bottom and little blocks on top!

Thursday, April 19 is Artsy Thursday. Think, problem solve, and create!

Children develop creativity, social skills and fine motor skills with open-ended art projects where they can make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. On Artsy Thursday celebrate the joy and learning children experience when engaged in creative art making. Use any materials—from crayons to paint, clay to crafts!

TRY THIS: Bring art outdoors! Offer dark and light paper, chalk and pastels, and suggest children create their own versions of the day and night sky!

Friday, April 20 is Family Friday. Sharing family stories!

Engaging and celebrating families is at the heart of supporting our youngest learners. Applaud family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers.

TRY THIS: Invite parents to a Family Friday breakfast, where children can prepare and share breakfast treats with their families!