Stern Center Celebrates Week of the Young Child

by Suzanne Loring
 
One of the best things that parents can do to ensure their children’s future success in school and life is to read aloud with them every day. Reading aloud with your child helps increase vocabulary, improve listening skills, promote language and broaden perspectives about the world around them. 

This week, April 6-April 12 celebrates the Week of the Young Child, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), created to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Started in 1971, the Week of the Young Child recognizes that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children’s success in school and later in life. This year’s focus is Early Years Are Learning Years®.

Research shows that reaching a child during these early years is critical. Through our Building Blocks for Literacy® program (www.buildingblocksforliteracy.org), we at the Stern Center are working very closely with early childhood educators and care providers as well as parents to ensure they have the tools necessary to prepare their children for reading success when they enter kindergarten.

In addition to reading aloud, engaging children in fun activities in what would often be downtime (riding in the car, standing in line at the grocery store, waiting at the doctor’s office) helps to foster pre-literacy skills that will help children begin to decipher letters, sounds and words. Playing rhyming games and singing songs all contribute to a child’s brain development.

The Building Blocks for Literacy Activity Guide has a variety of simple activities and ideas like these that you can use at home or in your classroom to help promote early reading success.

NAEYC’s mission to promote early learning and awareness is inherent to the Stern Center’s mission. In celebration of the Week of the Young Child we want to acknowledge and thank the hard work of all the educators, instructors, child care providers, staff and parents that we work with on a daily basis. It is because of your dedication that our children will find success.

Suzanne Loring has a Master's degree in Journalism from Boston University and works as Communications Coordinator at the Stern Center. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two boys and a dog.