music soothing away a jangled daystories that have a beginning, a middle and an end are not really...
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Articles found on pages 1-2 are
courtesy of “Growing
Together” - newsletter for
parents of preschool children .
Most people like and
respond to music—it is one of
the most natural things in the
world.
All cultures—primitive and
advanced—sing, dance and
play instruments.
Still, no one knows exactly
why music makes us smile, or
why it calms children. It just
does.
To relax both you and your
children, soft, gentle music
usually works best.
One little suggestion that
sometimes works at naptime is
to tell children they don’t have
to sleep, but they do need to
be quiet and listen to the
music.
At other times, music can
be a source of great fun with
simple games you make up
yourself. Kids will love it if you
participate too.
Here are a few not-so-common
ideas to get started:
* Roll around the clock.
Put on a song with a good, strong
beat and get down on the floor
and roll.
It sounds silly and it’s even
sillier to see a bunch of kids and
adults rolling around on the floor.
Some people have even been
know to laugh out loud!
Singing along and rolling at the
same time is perfectly acceptable
for any age!
* March to the beat. Give
everybody a hat and noisemaker
(make your own from simple, safe
kitchen items) and march in time
to the music.
This is an excellent experience
for learning about rhythm and
matching movement with sound.
* Line dancing. Hold hands and
teach little ones a few simple steps
you can all do together.
If you know the words to the
song, sing along. Kids LOVE to sing
and dance with mom or dad!
Remember the Bunny Hop? If
you do, teach it to the kids. (If you
don’t remember, Google™ Bunny
Hop.)
This is great fun and a good way
to channel all that extra energy.
In this issue:
• Soothing Away a Jangled Day
• Nature For the Very Young
p. 1
• Listening Helps Settle Arguments
• Preschoolers Love Stories
• ‘Tell Me More’
• Learning to Classify is an Everyday Job
p. 2
• Reach Out and Read Reading
List p. 3
• Calendars p. 4-5
• Smart Start Happenings p. 6-7
• Early Education Activities p. 8-9
• Board of Directors p. 10
CARTERET SMART START
A young child learns best from
direct, personal experience.
A toddler may be able to point to
a picture-book duck and say,
“Quack! Quack!” But until she
encounters a real, waddling,
swimming duck, her understanding
of a duck will be limited.
If nature learning makes you
think only of forests and seashores,
remember that many valuable, first-
hand experiences can easily be
provided close to home.
With a plastic squirt bottle, a
child can gently mist a spider’s
web, instantly creating the beauty
of early morning dew—and an
opportunity to marvel at the
spider’s unique
talent for creating an
engineering marvel.
A child can rub baby oil onto
favorite stones, deepening their
colors and making them shine.
Sit down carefully and watch the
busy work of ants as they scurry to
and fro. You can wonder out loud
about what they’re carrying, where
they’re going, and what they’re
going to do when they get there.
Why not set up a bird feeder
near a window? Even small babies
enjoy the sight of colorful, fluttering
wings.
An older child can help prepare
a peanut butter and birdseed ball
for the feathered visitors.
Even the idea of a bath can
be made fun and interesting by
considering how other
creatures take a bath—the
robin who jumps into the
outside birdbath or a handy
puddle and the cat who
patiently and carefully washes
her face each morning with
her paw and tongue.
Most parents know more
about nature than they think—
and the child in your home is
just waiting to hear the
fascinating stories you have
to tell.
November/December
2019
Science & Nature
Nature For the Very Young
Music
Soothing Away a Jangled Day
Bookshelf
Preschoolers Love Stories Most picture books with real
stories that have a beginning, a
middle and an end are not really
designed for preschoolers but
rather for five and six-year-olds.
However, given a little help, a
two or three-year-old may use
certain books longer and get
more out of them than the older
child.
A well-chosen story book
becomes first a workbook, then
an idea book, and eventually a
familiar story through which the
child has adventures and
discovers possibilities for himself.
While an older child may
wander off on his own
explorations, the child who is
willing to be a lap-sitter benefits
greatly from the discoveries he
makes in books.
The first trip through the book
should consist almost entirely of
conversations about the pictures.
Watch to see what interests your
child, and what he does and does
not understand
as you go
through the
pages.
M o v e
through the book at your child’s
pace, as rapidly or as slowly as he
wants.
With your finger, point out
what’s happening. Speak and
read with expression in your
voice. This make the reading
more interesting and provides
clues to the meaning of the
pictures and words.
Ask questions that invite the
child to participate actively:
Where is that bear?
There he is!
What is the bear doing?
What is he riding?
He’s riding a bike!
Oops! He fell off!
Once the child is familiar with
the basic words and
concepts in a book,
he is ready to
become aware of
the story.
If the text is really simple, read
it. If not, just tell the story in
words and events that he can
understand.
As you talk about what
happens in the story, the child
gradually discovers that one thing
leads to another. Important
phrases are….and now….and
then….and suddenly…..and after
that….and then what do you think
happened?
Once you’ve set the pattern,
you can read and tell the story
again and again.
A good book that’s loaded with
language and rhythm and ideas
will enrich every aspect of your
child’s life, and will especially
enrich your times together with
books.
PAGE 2 SMAR T ST AR T STUFF
Language
‘Tell Me More’ Language is more than the
words we use to communicate
with one another—it is a shared
experience where one person
speaks and the other person
listens.
Through active listening, you
can give your child the message
that she is important and that
what she has to say is important
to you.
First, you must listen to what
she tells you—about her day, what
she had to eat, what didn’t work
out, what was funny.
Then you can ask
her questions that
encourage her to tell you more.
Finally, you must be patient by
waiting for her response to your
questions—she may have difficul-
ty finding the words she needs.
We’ve all had the experience
of talking to a poor listener. Just
because they’re smaller doesn’t
mean children can be fooled—
they know when they’re
not being heard.
When times are busy,
schedules must be met, and
there’s no time to listen, say so.
“I’m sorry, Sally, but we’re in a
rush right now. Let’s remember
to talk about this again before
bedtime.”
And remember to do it.
Shared conversations keep the
lines of communication open and
active.
“A well-chosen story book
becomes first a work-
book, then an idea book,
and eventually a familiar
story through which the
child has adventures and
discovers possibilities for
himself.”
Academics
Learning To Classify is an Everyday Job
“What’s this?” “What’s that?”
When children ask “what?”
questions, they are learning how
to classify things, to see how
things are alike and how they are
different.
Why is classification im-
portant? Because without it, we
wouldn’t be able to tell aspirin
from arsenic! It’s classification
that tells a child how to think
about the world, where to look for
a crayon, what part of a catalog
will have a picture of a bicycle. It
tells a child that she can expect
to find bears in the animal crack-
ers and jelly next to the peanut
butter on the shelf.
How does a child learn classifica-
tion? Almost every minute she’s
with you, she hears and sees you
using the idea of same and differ-
ent. Let her help you sort socks
and silverware. Talk about the
different shapes of street signs or
the different feels of fabrics.
Let everyday experiences be your
classroom!
PAGE 3 SMAR T ST AR T STUFF
SMAR T ST AR T STUFF PAGE 4
1 Fi
ll a
cle
ar
pla
stic
co
nta
ine
r w
ith
sm
all
me
tal
ob
jects
, su
ch
as
bo
bb
y p
ins,
p
ap
er
clip
s a
nd
bo
lts.
T
ry t
o
lift
the
ob
jects
wit
h
a m
ag
ne
t.
2 T
alk
ab
ou
t te
levis
ion
sh
ow
s,
vid
eo
s a
nd
CD
s yo
u w
atc
h.
Wh
at
co
uld
yo
u d
o in
ste
ad
of
wa
tch
ing
TV
?
3 It’
s N
ati
on
al Sa
nd
-
wic
h D
ay. D
raw
a p
ictu
re
of
the
sill
iest
sa
nd
wic
h
yo
u c
an
th
ink o
f.
Da
ylig
hts
Sa
vin
gs
Tim
e b
eg
ins
tod
ay.
4P
ain
t a
pic
ture
. M
ix
pa
ints
as
yo
u g
o t
o m
ake
ne
w c
olo
rs.
5 El
ecti
on
Da
y. H
ave
an
ele
cti
on
of
yo
ur
ow
n…
.vo
te f
or
be
st c
oo
kie
,
be
st c
ere
al,
etc
.
6T
ickle
so
me
on
e’s
fe
et.
7
Blo
w t
hro
ug
h y
ou
r lip
s
an
d m
ake
a n
ois
e lik
e a
ho
rse
.
8Sin
g a
s yo
u m
ake
bre
ak-
fast
to
ge
the
r.
9 Pr
ete
nd
th
at
yo
ur
kit
ch
en
is
a g
roce
ry s
tore
. S
et
foo
d ite
ms
ou
t o
n t
he
ta
ble
, a
nd
ta
ke
tu
rns
be
ing
th
e s
ho
pp
er
an
d t
he
ca
sh-
ier.
10
Wh
at
is y
ou
r
fav
ori
te s
ou
nd
?
Wh
y?
11
Ve
tera
ns’
Da
y
Is s
om
eo
ne
in
yo
ur
fam
ily a
ve
tera
n?
12
Pu
t to
ge
the
r a
pu
zzle
wit
h y
ou
r ch
ild
.
Be
fore
yo
u b
eg
in, h
ave
he
r co
un
t th
e p
iece
s.
13
It’s
Na
tio
na
l K
ind
-
ne
ss D
ay. T
alk
ab
ou
t a
tim
e y
ou
did
so
me
thin
g
kin
d f
or
a f
rie
nd
or
fam
ily
me
mb
er.
14
Po
ur
dry
oa
tme
al in
to
a p
an
to
ma
ke
a m
inia
ture
san
db
ox.
15
Ask
Mo
m t
o h
ide
co
lor
cir
cle
sh
ap
es
aro
un
d
the
ho
use
fo
r yo
u t
o f
ind
.
16
Put
a s
urp
rise
un
de
r
som
eo
ne
’s p
illo
w.
17
It’s
Ta
ke
a H
ike
Da
y!
Go
on
a n
atu
re
wa
lk w
ith
Mo
m o
r D
ad
, a
nd
ta
lk a
bo
ut
the
dif
fer-
en
t a
nim
al so
un
ds
yo
u
he
ar.
18
Mic
ke
y M
ou
se’s
Bir
thd
ay.
19
Pla
y m
usi
ca
l ch
air
s.
2
0 D
o y
ou
ha
ve
a
mu
seu
m in
yo
ur
co
mm
un
i-
ty?
Se
e if
the
re a
re s
pe
cia
l
pro
gra
ms
for
ch
ild
ren
.
21
Ro
ll a
ba
ll o
n t
he
flo
or
wit
h y
ou
r n
ose
.
22
Co
llect
sma
ll it
em
s
such
as
bu
tto
ns
an
d le
ave
s
wit
h M
om
. D
rop
th
em
in
to
a g
lass
of
wa
ter.
W
ill t
he
y
sin
k o
r fl
oa
t?
23
Na
me
fiv
e t
hin
gs
tha
t
go
up
.
24
Ga
llop
to
be
d
ton
igh
t.
25
Re
ad
“I K
no
w a
n
Old
La
dy
Wh
o S
wa
llow
ed
a
Pie
” b
y A
liso
n J
ackso
n
tog
eth
er.
26
Na
tio
na
l C
ake
Da
y.
Ma
ke
on
e t
og
eth
er
an
d
he
lp M
om
fro
st it.
C
an
yo
u
wri
te y
ou
r n
am
e in
fro
st-
ing
?
27
Ma
ke
so
me
de
co
ra-
tio
ns
an
d p
lace
ma
ts t
o u
se
on
Th
an
ksg
ivin
g.
28
Ha
pp
y T
ha
nksg
ivin
g!
Wh
at
are
yo
u t
ha
nkfu
l fo
r?
29
Ca
n y
ou
win
k o
ne
eye
?
Try
it.
30
Dra
w a
pic
ture
of
a r
ea
lly
fan
tast
ic b
ug
!
PAGE 5 SMAR T ST AR T STUFF
1Sit
ne
ar
a w
ind
ow
an
d e
njo
y t
he
su
nsh
ine
.
2
Flll
a b
ag
gie
wit
h h
air
ge
l a
nd
a d
rop
of
foo
d c
olo
r-
ing
. M
ix t
og
eth
er
an
d u
se
yo
ur
fin
ge
r to
wri
te!
3 H
ave
a r
ed
-th
em
ed
me
al to
da
y.
4D
raw
la
rge
co
lore
d s
ha
pe
s
on
wh
ite
pa
pe
r.
Ta
pe
to
th
e
flo
or
an
d p
lay h
op
sco
tch
.
5 Pr
acti
ce
cu
ttin
g w
ith
scra
p p
ap
er
or
old
ma
ga
-
zin
es.
6U
se a
clo
the
spin
to
pic
k
up
sm
all
ite
ms
an
d d
rop
the
m in
a c
up
. C
ou
nt
the
m
too
!
7M
ake
a h
ap
py f
ace
an
d a
sa
d
face
on
th
e f
ron
t a
nd
ba
ck o
f a
pa
pe
r p
late
.
8H
ow
ma
ny w
ord
s ca
n
yo
u t
hin
k o
f th
at
rhym
e
wit
h “
tre
e”?
9Sit
on
th
e f
loo
r o
pp
osi
te
ea
ch
oth
er
an
d r
oll
a b
all
ba
ck a
nd
fo
rth
.
10
Wh
at
tim
e d
oe
s th
e
sun
co
me
up
?
Go
do
wn
?
11
Pic
k a
co
lor
of
the
da
y
an
d lo
ok f
or
thin
gs
of
tha
t
co
lor.
12
Ba
ke
so
me
co
okie
s.
13
Giv
e y
ou
r n
eig
hb
ors
ca
nd
y c
an
es.
14
Lo
ok a
t a
wo
rld
ma
p o
r a
glo
be
. W
he
re m
igh
t it
be
sn
ow
ing
tod
ay?
15
Ma
ke
fin
ge
r p
ain
ts
wit
h s
oa
p f
lake
s, w
ate
r
an
d f
oo
d c
olo
rin
g.
16
Sin
g a
fa
vo
rite
so
ng
.
Sin
g it
fast
, sl
ow
, lo
ud
an
d
qu
iet.
17
To
da
y is
Wri
gh
t B
roth
-
ers
Da
y. T
ry t
o m
ake
a p
ap
er
air
pla
ne
to
ce
leb
rate
.
18
It’s
alm
ost
win
ter.
Re
ad
a b
oo
k a
bo
ut
win
tert
ime
.
19
Ma
ke
up
a s
tory
ab
ou
t a
sn
ow
ma
n.
20
Ma
ke
a g
ing
erb
rea
d
ho
use
wit
h g
rah
am
cra
ck-
ers
, fr
ost
ing
, a
nd
ca
nd
y.
21
Ta
lk a
bo
ut
yo
ur
fam
ily’s
ho
lid
ay t
rad
itio
ns.
22
Fir
st D
ay o
f W
in-
ter.
Ha
nu
kka
h b
eg
ins.
23
Ma
ke
yo
ur
ow
n
sno
w w
ith
1 c
up
of
ba
kin
g
sod
a a
nd
sh
avin
g c
rea
m.
24
Pra
cti
ce
cu
ttin
g w
ith
scis
sors
by m
akin
g s
no
wfl
ake
s
to h
an
g u
p in
th
e h
ou
se.
Ch
rist
ma
s E
ve
.
25
Ch
rist
ma
s D
ay
2
6K
wa
nza
a b
eg
ins.
27
Re
ad
“O
wl M
oo
n”
by
Jan
e Y
ole
n.
28
Vis
it t
he
lib
rary
’s s
tory
ho
ur.
29
Ma
ke
so
me
bro
wn
ies.
T
alk
ab
ou
t
wh
at’
s h
ap
pe
nin
g t
o t
he
b
att
er
as
it b
ake
s in
th
e
ove
n.
30
Ta
lk a
bo
ut
the
fa
vo
r-
ite
th
ing
s yo
u d
id in
20
18
.
31
Th
e n
ew
ye
ar
arr
ive
s
at
mid
nig
ht.
W
ha
t ti
me
is
“mid
nig
ht”
?
Wh
ere
is
tha
t o
n
the
clo
ck?
20
19
PAGE 6 SMAR T ST AR T STUFF
SMAR T ST AR T STUFF PAGE 7
We are participants in the State Employees Combined Campaign
Board of Directors
Cynthia Chamblee Shannon Henry* Jodi Justice Sarah Mitchell
Alice Chavez Cindy Holman Lisa Kittrell Katharine Moorehead
Donald Crooms Kathryn Hunsucker Elizabeth Lewis* Gwen Roberts*
Zac Everhart* Jennifer Johnson Rebecca Marson* Paula Stanley*
*Denotes members of the Executive Committee
Smart Start Staff
Linda Van Pelt Cynthia Jackson Lisa Culpepper Interim Executive Director/ Child Care Resource & Referral Director Early Education Outreach Coordinator Program Manager Dolly Parton Imagination Library Affiliate Coordinator
Constance Sowers Rene Fox Tara Willeford Office Manager Technical Assistance Specialist Family Support Specialist Ratio Reduction Coordinator Reach Out and Read Coordinator Baby Steps Coordinator
3328-A Bridges Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
Phone: (252) 727-0440
CCR&R: (252 727-0445
Fax: (252) 727-0460
www.carteretkids.org
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