Welcome to the fourth lesson which is all about the transition from the preschool stage to the elementary stage of your child’s life!
Transition to Elementary Age
From about age 5 to age 11, your child will be in the elementary stage! Whether or not your child went to preschool, the transition to elementary school will be a change. We hope you find our tips and tricks helpful and that this lesson will help you feel more prepared as you send your child off to elementary school!
We would also love to hear from you in the comments about things that you learned as well as other helpful insights you have for other parents also going through this transition!
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Development Changes & Suggestions for Parents
There is a lot that a parent needs to know regarding their child who has now entered the Elementary School age. Below we have shared what the book “Teaching, No Greater Call” has said about the development that occurs in five to eleven-year-olds as well as some things that parents can do for their children during this time.
Here is the link to the full manual TEACHING, NO GREATER CALL
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Elementary School
It is argued that elementary school is the most important part in every person’s educational life (Kerr, 2017). Elementary school is where children learn to read, count, and develop critical thinking skills (Kerr, 2017). Elementary school is also a major time when children are developing social skills, as well as independence (Kerr, 2017.
If you’d like to read this full article on why elementary school is so important, here’s the link: http://www.the-education-site.com/why-is-elementary-education-so-important/#:~:text=Elementary%20school%20is%20the%20most,to%20act%20on%20their%20own
Reading
As mentioned in the article above, elementary school is where most children learn to read. Parents can help their children’s reading skills by reading with them at home! This video has some great tips on how to read with your child at home.
Bullying
A common challenge children face at elementary school is bullying. If you suspect that your child may be being bullied, this short video gives a few tips on what you can do as a parent to help your child.
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Sports and other Physical Activities
Starting at a young age, children need a way to get out all their energy and excitement, and one way they can do this is by participating in sports! This can be through a school system, a city league system, or it can even be just for fun! From kidshealth.org, Amy Anzilotti shares this quote pertaining to children and playing sports. She says, “Kids get many benefits from playing sports. But before signing your kids up to play, consider each child's age, personality, and abilities to help make sure that being involved in sports is a good experience for everyone.” Ultimately the decision should be made by your child regarding whether or not they want to play a sport, but if they choose to do so, here are some things parents should know and do to help their child start in sports!
Benefits
Some benefits of playing sports include the following
Learning new skills
Being part of a team
Learning to work with coaches
Learning the value of practice
Enjoying competition
When Should They Start Playing Sports?
There is no right or wrong time that children should start playing sports, but most children usually start between the ages of 6 and 8. This is the time when they are developing the attention span and the skills that are required to participate in sports! Because they are so young, their brains are still maturing which will allow them to easily pick up on various sports. Just make sure that when choosing to put your child in a sport, choose a league that is fun, safe, and encourages the child and pushes the child to always be learning and growing.
What Sport is the Right Sport for Them?
Kids should be able to try lots of different sports to figure out what style they like the most. Here is a list of different styles of sports, and various options that they might like:
Individual sports- Tennis, Karate, Fencing, Swimming, Dancing
Team Sports- Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Hockey, Lacrosse, Volleyball
Ball Play Focus- Baseball, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Volleyball
Movement Focus- Dancing, Ballet, Gymnastics
“Whatever your kids' interests, help them get 60 minutes of physical activity every day” (Anzilotti, 2019).
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Activity
Have a book themed day.
Act out your favorite book.
Create and play a game based on your favorite book.
Write and illustrate your own book.
Read books to other people.
Make treats based on a book.
Make a craft from a book.
Do a book scavenger hunt.
Draw a scene from your favorite book.
Make reading silly.
For more information on each activity, visit https://www.playpartyplan.com/reading-games-and-activities/
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Next Week’s Lesson
We hope you enjoyed learning about the elementary stage! Next week’s lesson will be about the transition to the adolescence stage. If you have children about to start middle school, this lesson is for you. Also, if you know anyone who might benefit from our lessons, please invite them to check out our blog!
References
Anzilotti, A. W. (Ed.). (2019, February). Signing kids up for sports (for parents) - nemours kidshealth. KidsHealth. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/signing-sports.html
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1999). In Teaching, no greater call: A resource guide for gospel teaching (pp. 110–111). essay.
Kerr, Sherryl (2017). Why is elementary education so important? Education versus literacy. http://www.the-education-site.com/why-is-elementary-education-so-important/#:~:text=Elementary%20school%20is%20the%20most,to%20act%20on%20their%20own.
Vigil, Britni (2020). 10 fun reading activities. Play party plan. https://www.playpartyplan.com/reading-games-and-activities/
So much useful information! I loved the tips on how to read with your child and how to make reading more fun.
ReplyDeleteI thought the article about elementary school being the most important part of educational life was interesting. I had not thought about how much children learn in elementary that helps them become responsible and independent.
ReplyDelete