LifeLongmontLearning.com

This new year, resolve to give your young child a great start on their future by nourishing their minds with your attention. Research shows that a child’s brain grows at its most rapid pace during the first three years of life. 

Many people believe that children learn to read and write in kindergarten or first grade. But developing literacy skills begins at birth through everyday loving interactions—sharing books, telling stories, singing songs, talking to one another, or pointing out and naming objects. Even painting, drawing or picking up things serve a purpose. These activities help develop hand muscles and coordination—skills necessary for learning how to write.

There are many everyday, informal opportunities for adults to be involved in children’s lives and to be their first teacher.  Some ideas are:

• While folding clothes, teach your child colors by talking about the color of each piece of clothing.
• While at the grocery store, teach your child shapes by talking about the shapes of the fruit, vegetables, boxes and cans.
• While out on a walk, teach your child letters by stopping at street signs and naming the letters.
• And most of all, talk to your child all of the time.  Communication with your child is the best teacher.

There are also formal opportunities for adults to be involved with their young child.  These include:

• Attend a free reading program at our local library. 
• Participate in preschool classes and activities offered through public and private agencies and community groups. 
• Enroll your child in a quality child care center or preschool program. For Boulder County’s child care referral service, contact www.bouldercolorado.gov/cyfhhs/childcare.

LifeLongmontLearning is a community-based, City-sponsored movement to increase access to learning opportunities available in our area that can help all Longmont children and adults succeed in school and throughout their lives. Making sure that everyone has access to lifelong educational opportunities is the foundation of a sustainable community with a healthy economy and a high quality of life for all.

Submitted by: Amy Ogilvie, Executive Director, Wild Plum Center