We are learning to be Friends

We begin to...
care about others.
share toys and take turns.
settle our own arguments.

We Have Many Emotional Needs

Sometimes we need help...
learning to trust.
controlling behavior.
learning to be independent.
expressing and understanding our feelings.
dealing with our fears & remembering our daily routines.

We are Starting to Do Things by Ourselves

We...
wash and dry our hands.
undress and dress ourselves.
know when we need to use the bathroom.
pick up and put away our toys.

Our Arms and Leg Muscles are Growing Quickly

We are beginning to ...
bounce, throw, and catch a ball.
hop, jump, and gallop.
climb, balance and ride a tricycle.

We Love Stories and Books

We learn when...
you read us books with pictures.
rhymes and repeating words.
you read us the same book over and over.
you read us new books, we talk about the stories.
we talk about the stories we read and heard.

Soon We Will Be Learning to Read

We..
like to see our name in print.
can recognize certain words.
want to know what words say.
are interested in what letters look like.

We are Learning to Respect Ourselves and Others

We need to be reminded...
that we are special - to take turns.
to be kind - to tell the truth.
to say"please" & "thank you."

We Enjoy Lots of Different Things

We really like to ...
play with "messy stuff" (play-dough, mud, glue).
sing and dance.
play with imaginary friends.
pretend to be grown ups.

We are Learning to Communicate

We...
often talk just to talk - use lots of words.
can tell you what we want or need.
usually speak clearly enough for others to understand.
follow simple directions.
understand and ask a lot of questions.

We Can Use Our Hands for Lots of Things

We...
build with blocks.
eat with forks and spoons.
use crayons, markers, and scissors.
spread food with a knife - "dish up" own food.

We Think We Can Write

We like to...
scribble and draw.
pretend we are "grown up" and write like you.
find or make letters out of sticks or pretzels.
write our own name.

We are Learning About Our World

We begin to...
learn our colors and shapes.
learn to count and sort objects.
learn about concepts like big and small, near and far, same and different.

Developmental Stages - Five and Six Years

We like to be with Others

We...
like to help.
like to play group games.
usually share and take turns.
value friends.
notice that everyone is not the same.

We are Developing a Conscience

We...
continue to learn about right and wrong.
see our behavior as good and bad.
care about others feelings.
like things to be fair.

We Like to Show You Our New Abilities

We...
are getting pretty good at throwing, catching, kicking, and bouncing a ball.
can climb, balance, run, hop, gallop, jump and skip.
like doing challenging tricks - so keep an eye on us.
are learing to tie our shoes.
want to ride a bike.

We are Growing as Communicators

We...
can carry on a conversation.
can listen and pay attention for longer periods of time.
may surprise you with the big words we know.
ask questions to get more specific information.

We are Becoming Writers

We...
may reverse letters when writing.
can write some words but spell many words like they sound.
are learning about capital letters and sentences.
want to share our stories with you.

We Like to Be Creative and Share Our Creativity With Others

We are able to...
create realistic art with different materials.
make up songs and dances.
act out stories and "put on" shows.
tell jokes.

Our Bodies are Growing Fast

We..
need both noisy and quiet activities.
tire easily but get over it quickly.
can get tired even when we sit.
can control our fingers better for cutting, drawing, and writing.

Stories and Books are Important to Us

We...
need you to read to us every day.
like to make up, tell, and write our own stories.
often choose books because of the author or subject.

We are Learning to Read

We...
know that the words tell the story.
may point to words as we read.
can read simple stories (but usually use the pictures to help us).
know alphabet letters and the sounds they make.

We Are Learning abou the World

We...
have a daily routine
need help selecting appropriate TV shows.
are influenced by commercials/advertising.
are still learning through hands-on play but can understand many things we cannot see or touch.
write numbers but somtimes write them backwards.
learn our address, phone number, and birth date.

We Love to be Hugged and Told "I Love You!" Every Day!