BOOK CLUB - Explore The Beach

National Geographic Kids has many books that are perfect for curious children, but a good one for the summer is Explore The Beach. Before your next beach trip, read the book with you child to get them excited about all the things that they might discover by the shore. To see more National Geographic Kids books, click here.

LITERACY & NUMERACY - Vocabulary Building

Building a child's vocabulary is crucial for their language development and early reading skills. Did you know that the number of words that a child knows when he or she enters kindergarten is the most important predictor of their success or failure? The good news is that building your child's vocabulary can be easy and fun. A few ideas are below.

Use rich language in your daily conversations with your child and try incorporating new words. For example, instead of saying that the ocean is blue, you could say that is looks turquoise.

Read as much as you can! Reading aloud with your child can grow their vocabulary and it introduces many words and concepts that might not be used in everyday life.

Play word games in the car while you are traveling. For example, try asking your child to name the opposites of words like hot, big, or fast. Another idea is to play "categories" and to go back and forth with your child listing things like ice cream flavors, types of fruit, or even things that you find at the beach.

ARTS & CRAFTS - Sea Garden Stone

Does your child love collecting seashells and sea glass at the beach, but then doesn't want to part with their treasures once it is time to go home? Turn their sea treasures into a stone for your garden that can remind them of the beach all year.

Materials Needed:

a garden stone kit  •  shells and/or sea glass 

Instructions:

Gather the materials above and read the instructions on your  garden stone kit. 

Follow the instructions that came with your kit, but instead of adding the decorative contents that came with the kit to the stone, add your own shells or sea glass.

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE - Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is a normal part of child development and can be different for each child. For example, it is common for children to feel anxious when saying goodbye to their parents on the first day of school, but it is also common for anxiety to pop up during the school year, even for a child who managed the start of school well. 

Katie Knuppel, Fay’s Head of Primary School, suggests that one way to manage separation anxiety related to school is for you and your child to create a drop-off routine together and practice it before the first day. Whether it’s a high-five and one hug, or a kiss and a special handshake, you can come up with a fun drop-off routine that sends your child into school feeling confident and avoids any last-minute clinging or sadness.

FIELD TRIP - Local Summer Concerts

During the summer, many towns and organizations host free concert series, and these events are perfect for children to let loose by singing and dancing. A list of local concert series is below, but also check out Fay's own Sunset Playdates series that features children's musicians, popsicles, and fun on our playground. 

Southborough Summer Concert Series

Hopkinton's Sunday Concerts on the Common

Westborough Summer Concert Series

PARENTING ADVICE - Five Ways to Make Sure Your Child is Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the first formal step in your child’s educational journey, but like most childhood firsts, it can raise a lot of questions for anxious parents. How will I know whether my child is ready for kindergarten? What does my child need to know before the first day? However, parents should know that there are many simple activities that they can incorporate into preschooler’s everyday routines that will help prepare them for kindergarten. You might even be practicing these skills already without realizing the benefit!  

Kindergarten at Fay School

Kindergarten lays the foundation for a child's entire learning experience. At Fay, our small class sizes and differentiated approach help each kindergartener establish the skills they will need for a successful educational journey. Our teachers focus on each child’s literacy, numeracy, science understanding, and social-emotional development, supported by a team of expert specialists who coordinate instruction in art, music, French, and Spanish, and P.E. Our teachers also focus on fostering a love of learning, and they know that when students believe that their learning matters, they give their all.