October 2023
Early Childhood Community Liaison Newsletter
Message from the Liaison (Brooke Sieg, PCSD 6)
Liaison Program Schedule and Information
All programs are FREE and open to children of ALL ages!! Attending any of these programs is a great way to support and extend the learning your child is already doing at his/her preschool or at home. Please note that parents must remain in the classroom for the duration of each program and are expected to be active participants with their child(ren). Be sure to download the October schedule below!
Literacy Corner (Katie McCue, PCSD 6 Early Childhood/Elementary Literacy Coach)
Did you know that language and literacy development begins even before birth, and continues throughout our entire lives? Parents and families play a huge role in this development. Plus, here’s some great news: The most important thing you can do to support your child’s language and literacy development is to simply be “tuned in”. First, be tuned in to what you observe in your child as you spend time with them in regular, daily activities (both the mundane activities of life and special events and experiences you plan). Second, be tuned in to what to expect at each phase of your child’s language and literacy development.
Check out the links below for great resources to help your child develop their literacy skills. Please reach out with any questions: katiemccue@park6.org.
Writing Stages
2 yr old- uses whole body, arms up, fist grip, scribbles
3 yr old- can cross midline, draws shapes, can use helper hand and writing hand, shoulders get more relaxed, work more with arm instead of shoulders
4 yr old- start to understand which hand is dominant, closed shapes with corners (higher level skill), diagonal skills, more relaxed posture
5 yr old- appropriate grip, more control, use hand muscle
Mindful Math
When and How to Teach Your Toddler about Colors and Shapes
Teaching your toddler about shapes and colors is an important step in their early development, because it helps them to define and organize much of the world they see around them. Whether your child is looking at a rectangular building, a circular plate, a green tree or a blue sky, being able to recognize shapes and colors is a vital component of their cognitive development, and it will establish a strong foundation for subsequent educational concepts such as math and logic. Although no one doubts the importance of teaching colors and shapes, many parents have questions regarding when and how to introduce these concepts. Below are some tips and ideas regarding which time frames and methods are most useful for teaching your toddler about colors and shapes.
Teaching Colors: When and How
It is important to remember that each child is different, so there’s really no one specific developmental timeline that will work for all children. Generally speaking, 18 months is a great time to begin teaching your child about colors, but it’s not uncommon for children between 2 to 3 years old to be in the beginning stages of learning these concepts. Regardless of when you start, it is important for you to review colors with your child on a regular basis, even up to kindergarten age. Here are some simple activities you can try to help reinforce concepts of color:
* Name that color: Colors are everywhere, so this game is very easy to play. Simply point to an object, name what color the object is, and then ask your child to find something else that has that same color. For example, you might say, “I see a red truck over there. Can you find something else that’s red?” Or, if you’re walking through a crowded parking lot, ask your child, “Which car on this row is blue?”
* Any experiments with food coloring are always a smash hit. You can take some recyclable water bottles, fill them with water and then ask your child to add a few drops of a particular food coloring to the bottle. Experiment with color mixing as well – e.g., allow your child to make green water by combining drops of yellow and blue food coloring in a bottle.
* Kirstylee Moody, author of the popular early childhood educational blog Moms Have Questions Too, has put together an excellent (and exhaustive!) resource for teaching colors to your child at this link.
Teaching Shapes: When and How
The most prevalent age for teaching kids shapes is around 2 years old. By the time your child is 2 1/2 or 3 years old, they should be able to identify the majority of basic shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, and rectangle). From there, you can move on to more advanced shapes (e.g., diamond, heart, star, oval, etc.). Here are some simple yet highly effective activities you can use to help your child learn shapes:
* Shape sorting games: You can transform simple household items into learning tools by allowing your child to sort them into various groups based on their shape. Start out with a pile of objects on the floor, and then encourage your child to sort them into separate piles based on shape (e.g., round, rectangular, square, etc.).
* Help your child draw shapes using finger paint, or by drawing in sand. Guide his/her hand as they draw the shape, making sure to emphasize the name of the shape over and over again as he/she completes the drawing. You can also draw the same shape in different sizes, so that you can help your child differentiate between a “big” circle and “small” circle, for example.
* Go for a shape walk around your neighborhood, or at a local park. Bring a small cardboard cutout of each shape, so that your child can compare it to what they see around them. They might notice that the triangular rooftops of some of the houses match their triangle cutout, or that the manhole cover on the street matches their circle cutout. Whenever your child finds a new shape, make a tally mark on the respective cardboard cutout to keep track of his/her discoveries.
Your child will interact with shapes and colors all throughout their life. Keep the above ideas and tips in mind to help them get a good head start on these fundamental concepts!
Book Nook (Holly Baker, Cody Public Library)
Have you made the Cody Kids’ Library a part of your weekly schedule? Please do! There are always lots of kid-friendly things going on for all ages, in addition to about 25,000 kids’ books, magazines, movies, CDs, Playaways, and WonderBooks! The library also has board games, puzzles, STEM kits, and even seeds available!
You’re probably starting to think about Halloween, and what costumes you’ll use this year. The library wants to help! We’ll be hosting a “Costume Swap” on Friday, October 6th. Just bring in any clean, gently used costumes for any age that you no longer need anytime that first week in October. Then, stop by Friday, October 6th between 9 and 5 to find something new and different! Children’s Resource Center will be returning with their amazing Toddler Playgroup the second Thursday morning of each month at 10:00 beginning October 12th. Your toddlers will love it, plus it’s a great time for adult networking!
If Paw Patrol is popular at your house, you’ll want to put Friday morning, October 13th at 10:00 on your calendar! Marshall will be coming, along with a Cody firefighter and equipment. Bring your camera for great photo ops!
Your public library is open Monday-Thursday 9:00-7:00, Friday + Saturday 9:00-5:00. Call us at the kids’ desk (307) 527-1884 with any questions.
Counselor Corner (PCSD 6 Livingston Elementary School Counselor, Kambrie Simmons)
One of the most important social/emotional lessons that our children can learn is how to be kind and serve others. This is a concept that I teach to every grade level in elementary school. While there have been many children's books written about this topic, one of my favorites is "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" by Carol McCLoud. This book uses a simple analogy that we are all born with invisible buckets that hold our good thoughts and feelings about ourselves. When we are happy our buckets are full, and when we are sad our buckets are empty. The magic starts when we realize that we can fill others' buckets by being kind to them--and when we fill their buckets, our buckets start to fill up too! This analogy helps to normalize that everyone feels sad and happy and these are okay feelings. But it is also important to recognize that when we are feeling sad, there are things that WE can do to help fill our own buckets. Plus, it teaches children to be aware of others and have a sense of responsibility for helping those around them. There are several books written about being a 'bucket-filler' and this one is especially appropriate for preschool-aged children. Give it a listen!
Follow up this book by asking your preschooler questions like:
How do you feel when your bucket is full?
Who fills your bucket?
How can we fill (family member's) bucket?
You can also affirm your child's positive choices with statements like:
When you (name behavior), you fill my bucket.
Yesterday I saw you (name the child's behavior).You filled up (name's) bucket.
Visit this website for more family ideas to encourage bucket-filling in your home!
Fire Safety (Sam Wilde Fire Marshal / Deputy County Fire Warden Park County Fire District #2)
Our annual open house will be Saturday, October 14th from 10:00–2:00. We’ll have volunteer firefighters on hand to answer questions about fire safety. There will be refreshments, games, and lots of handouts. At 12:00 that day, we will be doing a side by side home fire sprinkler demonstration, which is really great to see if you haven’t seen it yet! Hope to see lots of families there!
DFS Info (Department of Family Services)
WY Home Matters
The Department’s values – safe at home, opportunities for success, and supporting the people who support the families – provide the foundation for WY Home Matters, a framework that guides how the Department works across divisions, systems, and with communities to engage and serve children, youth, vulnerable adults, and their families. This framework is built on a belief that children and vulnerable adults do best when they can stay safely at home.
The Department recently completed a three-year strategic plan based on its values and the WY Home Matters framework. This strategic plan, which can be found here, is a roadmap for Department’s work over the next three years.
If you have questions or comments on the WY Home Matters framework or the Department’s strategic plan, please e-mail wyhomematters@wyo.gov.
Park County Sheriff's Office
SAFETY BRIEF
School Bus Safety
“Students who are returning to school may rely on school buses to get them to and from school safely.School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every state, stop-arm laws exist to protect children from other motorists.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states. The NHTSA also points out:
If you are driving, remember these simple rules:
- Yellow flashing lights on a school bus mean slow down — don’t speed up — because the bus is preparing to stop. There are likely students waiting to get on the bus or parents waiting nearby to pick up children.
- Red flashing lights mean stop — and wait at least 20 feet behind the bus — because children are getting on or off the school bus. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving.
- Even when lights aren’t flashing, watch for children, particularly in the morning or mid-afternoon, around school arrival and dismissal times. Be alert as you back out of a driveway, or drive through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.
- If you are driving, especially in a neighborhood, always look out for pedestrians, everywhere.
Parents – talk bus safety with your children:
Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Teach them to play it SAFE:
- Stay five steps away from the curb.
- Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for you to board.
- Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
- Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.
And…
- If you must cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least ten giant steps ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
- Use the handrails to avoid falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with draw strings, and book bags with straps don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
- Never walk behind the bus.
- If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.
Bicycle Safety
- Always wear a correctly fitted helmet, and securely fasten the chin strap.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic and follow traffic signs and signals.
- Stay in the bike lane whenever possible.
- Never use electronics while riding – they are distracting.
Pedestrian Safety
- Use the sidewalk whenever possible, and if there isn’t a sidewalk, walk on the edge of the street facing traffic.
- Whenever they are available, use marked crosswalks to cross the street, and look left-right-left for vehicles or bikes before crossing.
- Make sure you never play, push, or shove others when you walk around traffic.
- Everyone should watch the road, not their phones.
By following these simple safety tips and teaching children to be safe in and around school buses and traffic, we can ensure the safety of our children during the school year. For more information on school travel safety visit the NHTSA’s website at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/.
Contact Info
Email: brookesieg@park6.org
Website: www.park6.org
Location: 919 Cody Avenue, Cody, WY, USA
Phone: (307) 272-0153
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057666729007