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Do Children Really Learn from Sensory Play?
The short answer to this question is Yes! YES! YES!  The long answer is well... long so in the interest of time, sensory play gives children the opportunity to explore many concepts. Concepts include but are not limited to, texture, weight, gravity, colors, shape, size, speed and more. More importantly sensory play is a type of experiential learning that means children are learning through real life experiences which are the BEST way for a child to build new skills and understanding of concepts. 

Beyond all of that amazingness ... Sensory play can so easily be connected to include other concepts and themes it can help a child learn nearly ANYTHING!
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What is Sensory play?
Play that involves a variety of textures such as sand, corn, rice, water, paint, and so on. There are really no limits on where sensory play begins and ends! 

Children gather experiences and develop loads of skills with this type of play!

Manipulating the various textures in a sensory bin can occupy children for hours and you'd be shocked to see how creative you can get with these types of play experiences.  See below for a list of basic items you can easily fill a sensory table with. 

Rice
Water
Sand
Kinetic Sand
MadMattr (this stuff is really amazing!)
Dried corn 
Dried beans
Obleck (Cornstarch +Water) 
Shredded paper
Polyfil (pillow stuffing)
Snow
Ice
Gravel
Easter Grass 
Yarn
Noodles

Once you have your material selected you can add themed or random little items into the a bin or sensory table, add your child's favorite play dinosaurs, cars, or figurines too. You can make a sensory bin themed for a season by hiding just about anything in there! Cups, spoons, and scoops are an essential addition as well! Check out this list of amazing sensory bin themes!

​Click each link below for a suggested material for each theme!

Valentines (heart shaped anything)
Colors (Choose a color and place only those colored items in the bin) 
Dinosaurs
Animals
Lemonade (slice lemons and float them in water for yummy lemon scented bin!)
Hide plastic eggs with surprises inside
Letters
Numbers
Cars 
Nature - Grass/Moss/Sticks
Cutting - Use varied textures of paper and add some kid safe scissors for a cutting experience

It all sounds messy but we promise it is worth it!  Now for containing the mess! 

While a dedicated table for sensory play is the ideal way to go there are more affordable options available if you are on a budget.

​A wash basin works great as a sensory bin you can also use storage bins that are not currently being used! 

A sensory table is a fantastic option and we LOVE all of these choices below. 

If you are on a budget there are plenty of options available that you can find easily. A wash basin works great as a sensory bin you can also use storage bins, cookie trays or large oil drip pans.  

Thanks for stopping by the  Digital Preschool Blog!! 

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Do you ever feel like your child isn't paying attention or understanding what you are reading to them? Chances are they may be missing out on certain parts of the story. In order to keep children actively participating in the reading experience it is essential to ask them questions about the book you are reading to them. As children grow comprehending what they read is just as important as their ability to sound out and memorize words.

Comprehension skills can be worked on for years - long before children and doing the reading on their own! 

     Reading comprehension is one of the most common reasons children in have difficulty with reading. What can you do about it? Ask questions. When you read your child, a book make sure you stop every three to four pages and ask them a question about what is happening in the book. 
Here are some questions you can ask: 

1. Who are the characters?
2. Where does the story take place?
3. Retelling the story.
4. Ask specific questions about the book you are reading.
5. What is your favorite part? Why
6. What do you think is going to happen next?​

Reading to your child is extremely important and if you are  asking questions during your reading time you are making sure your child is getting as much as possible out of each story.

When you ask questions, you are making sure that your child understands the book that was read to them which will help them be able to do the same thing when they start reading on their own. Mastering the ability to comprehend a book as an easy early step you can help your child with long before they begin Kindergarten.
 
Remember you can find book recommendations and other ways to help your child become a reader at www.digitalpreschool.com

Thanks for reading!

Below are some of our favorite books!  Adding a new book to your library can be a great way to jumpstart reading at home! Find even more suggestions by clicking HERE! ​

​Click here for a printable version of our high five story retell chart!

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Preschool Printables
Free preschool Printables
Reading tips for toddlers
Preschool Reading Guide
Day Care Printable
How to read to your baby 
Homeschooling tips for Preschool
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 Why?
Reading with your child is one of, if not the most important thing you can do during their early childhood years.  We understand that fitting reading time in can be hard.  School, work and activities often fill our days leaving little time for "extras".  At the end of the day you just want to sit down and be done but there is so much value to even just a few minutes spent reading every day. Reading exposes your child to language, photos, art and much more. Plus multiple scientific studies have proven that the number of words spoken to a child by the age of 5 is one of the best indicators of a child's future academic success (read more on this here: 32-Million Word Gap.)

Show that it is Important!
Reading to your child is a great way to show your child how important reading is. It exposes them to new language. It teaches them about things that they might not otherwise be exposed to in their natural environment. A child who loves to read at an early age is more likely to succeed in school. Here are some tips for fostering a love of reading.

5 Tips
We've prepared a simple sheet with some super easy tips on making reading a priority in your household. These are great reminders for all parents, even seasoned ones! Feel free to PRINT this page for your own reference! 

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Make it an Adventure
Reading should be FUN!  Use books as a way to create mini adventures at home! You can easily explore new places, time periods and people with books.  When children see people around them reading for pleasure and to them, they learn to love books.
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Make Books Accessible
Don’t be afraid to keep picture books around your house, children should be able to easily access them, play with them and touch them. Board books are a wonderful option for young hands. 

Routine
The earlier you establish a reading routine the more likely your child will continue to want to read with you. Find a time in your day that works! Many families enjoy reading right before bed but that might not be the best option for you. Early in the morning as you wake from bed might be a better fit, or right after lunch. 

Read every day! It will pay off! 

Reading Tip Printable
Reading with toddler Printable
​Free reading Printable

“It’s just daycare, right?” As a Director of an Early Childhood Center, I can’t tell you how much I hate it when people say that. Early Childhood Education is a child’s first educational experience and their first opportunity to learn and grow. This is the critical time in a child’s life when they either develop a love of learning or not. How do we make a child love learning? We teach them through play! They think learning is awesome because they get to play but in reality, they are learning so much! What they learn in their first few years of life will set them up for the rest of their lives. ​

What do they learn? They learn how to be independent, to explore, to inquire and to wonder. They learn how to come up with new ideas and test those ideas out. Yes, we teach them how to count and know the alphabet but much more than that we teach them how think critically and be independent. 

Early Childhood Education is the first step to helping your child succeed. Children who attend Early Childhood programs overall do much better later on when they enter a more structured school. Simply put, they get a head start. This is why numerous States spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer’s dollars to provide Early Childhood Education to the children in their community. In NYC, children starting at the age of three can attend school for free. 

If you are wondering what to do if you can’t afford preschool and your state doesn’t provide it? Digital Preschool offers online Early Childhood programs for children ages two to five as well as for parents to learn the skills to teach their child themselves. Check out our programs and resources. 

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​Get started learning with Digital Preschool today!