A Spanish-language edition is now available of the book, Easy Ways for Families To help Children Learn. Designed to help parents become and remain more active partners in their children's education, Easy Ways suggests simple learning activities for preschool through sixth-grade children that busy families can incorporate into the day.

"Our children's experiences from the earliest days of their lives set the foundation for their learning," the book reminds parents. "In order to maximize their potential later, children must have rich learning experiences from birth."

However, parents don't need to spend money or be a trained teacher to help their children learn at home, the authors note. Children are constantly learning through observation, interactions, and play, and from their parents' example.

Easy Ways was first published in English in 1998, and revised this year. The Spanish edition is translated from the newly revised English-language edition. The 52-page book includes activities for preschool children as well as grades K-6 and offers information on early literacy and expanded sections on mathematics and science learning. The revised English-language edition will be available soon. Both versions contain a collection of learning activities that don't require a lot of supplies, planning, or time, but help parents turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities for their youngsters. The activities spring from everyday occurrences: doing household chores, riding in the car, or shopping at the grocery store. The book opens with what the authors call "a simple strategy for success," a handful of simple but powerful activities that all parents can do with their children every day, such as reading to them for at least 10 minutes and showing an interest in what is happening at school by asking about homework and any papers that are sent home. Strategies parents can use to help their children view themselves as able learners are also outlined, and ideas for making kids feel proud and special are included.

Because, as the book points out, reading is the key to learning in all school subjects and the foundation of success in the world outside school, the authors devote one section to this important subject and offer tips parents can use to establish reading routines and encourage writing skills. Another section of the book emphasizes math and science activities and suggests ways parents can highlight the "real-life" applications of these subjects for kids.

The activities are divided into general age ranges—preschool through second grade, and third through sixth grade—and emphasize different subject areas such as reading and cognitive skills, mathematics, science, and social studies. Following are just a few of the activities:

• When grocery shopping, take with you labels from used cans or boxes of items that are on your shopping list. Let prereaders find the items on the grocery shelves by matching the labels.
• Make children aware of fractions by asking questions like "would you rather have your sandwich in halves or fourths?" Help them see that one-half and two-fourths are equal.
• On a road trip, pack paper and crayons and help your kids draw the outline of the state you are traveling in. Then have them mark the route with cities and towns you pass through and natural features such as rivers, lakes, and mountains.
• Encourage your child to keep collections, such as shells, seeds, and rocks. Collections provide an excellent opportunity to sort, classify, and organize.
• Keep an atlas or globe within easy reach and whenever world affairs come up in a family discussion or on the news, ask your child to locate that country.

The book closes with television and movie viewing tips and an inventory of games, supplies, and tools parents can stock up on for reading, writing, science, and math activities.

Easy Ways for Families to Help Children Learn and Maneras Fáciles para que las Familias Ayuden a los Niños en el Aprendizaje are available online as PDFs. Both the English version and the Spanish version can be purchased online as well.

| What's New On The Web | Front Page | NW Report Index |