Top 10 Books For Kindergartens To Start Their Reading Journey.

Early childhood is a time to nurture and to watch your child comprehend and relate to the World. Books are a great tool to accentuate reading and the greatest gift you can give your child is the love of reading.

Exposure to books introduces your child to a wide array of emotions, vocabulary, increases creativity & assists in the overall development of the child.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission's Little Lamps ensures that books are an integral part of learning at the preschool & suggests the top 10 books for kindergartens to start their reading journey.   

1. Dr Seuss’s ABC - Dr Seuss

Dr Seuss makes learning alphabets so much fun! Ranging from Aunt Annie's Alligator to a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz this book is bound to make the littlest toddler sing the ABC'S.

2. Love You Forever - Robert Munsch

This book tells us the evolving story of a mother who sings a loving lullaby for her small baby who later grows into a naughty teen and finally a responsible adult.The lullaby depicts the extent of her love for him and the book ends with twist that goes to show that love is a never ending cycle.

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

This award winning picture book, is a story about a caterpillar who has a constant craving for food. He manages to eat everything from chocolate cake to cherry pie before he spins himself into a cocoon.

4. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See ? - Bill Martin Jr.

Brown bear,Brown bear,what do you see?-this is an illustrated book that highlights the conversation between a narrator & various animals such as a blue horse, a purple cat and a black sheep.

5. The Rainbow Fish - Marcus Pfister

The Rainbow Fish is a story about a beautiful rainbow colored fish who finds lots of friends & happiness once he learns to share. It shows us about the importance & happiness that one can get by sharing.

6. Guess How Much I Love You - Sam Mcbratney

This is story of two Nutbrown hares (Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare) where the little brown Hare usually asks his daddy- Guess how much I love you & the answer ranges from as far as he can jump all the way to the moon.

7. Go Away Big Green Monster - Ed Emberly

Go away big Green Monster is a die cut book where toddlers can turn pages and watch the green monster grow as well as watch him diminish and disappear. It is a great way to help them overcome the fear of monsters and other common night-time fears.

8. Hooray For Fish - Lucy Cousins

This book explores the fun underwater world with 4 friends and a riot of color. This bold and brightly colored book is an all time favorite with little ones always joining in for the chorus-Hooray for Fish!

9. Where The Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak

This short story revolves around Max, who gets into great trouble for dressing up as a wolf & ruining the house. The adventure begins when out of nowhere an ocean appears in his room and he is taken to an Island which is inhibited by the 'Wild Things' .

10. Goodnight Moon - Margaret Wise Brown

Goodnight moon is great bedtime storybook for tiny tots in an adorable poem format, where a bunny wishes good night to various objects in his room including a red balloon and a doll house.

Pre-School Checklist

   
   To choose the right preschool for your child can be overwhelming for any parent.

A preschool is your child's first exposure to the outside World and parents need to know what to look for in a preschool. A preschool not only educates the child , laying the foundation for future academic development but also creates a nurturing environment that teaches young children soft skills and assists in the all round development of your little one. 

What are the basic criterion you should look at while choosing a school for your young child.

What Is The Qualification & Experience Level Of The Teacher ?

Teachers are the first adults outside of family who will be responsible for the child. Well trained and experienced teachers balance teaching with nurturing. Teachers trained who work with small children are also able to communicate better with her brood, sometimes in a more efficient manner than the parents as well.

The Director Of The School :

The Director is in charge of running the school, setting up the curriculum, hiring the teachers and managing the operations. She might not be present in your child’s day-to-day schooling, but you might want to understand the director’s philosophy, discipline, teaching values and her vision for the school.

The Infrastructure & Hygiene Of The School :

Preschools should be designed keeping children in mind, providing a safe & hygienic environment and a colorful ambiance to stimulate the growth and development.

Safety

Unfortunately we live in troubled times and it is important to understand the school's approach to your child's physical and emotional safety in the hours that they are in the school.

What Is The Strength Of The Classroom ?

One has to look at the total number of children in the class as well as the teacher to student ratio. A smaller class strength is essential to preschool to ensure that they have access to all study material and are also able to easily transit from the home environment to the school environment. Teachers will also have ample time to work with every child individually, ensure a focused teaching approach and help bring out their skills & talents.

Is There An Arts Focus To Encourage Creative Expression?

Studies have proven that artistic expression dramatically increases the early brain development and improves the overall academic performance. Children joyfully respond to music, dance and art which are essential learning tools, to bring out the artist in every child.

Curriculum Of The School :

Children should have access to various activities throughout the day. Physical activity is critical for the development of a child's gross motor skills and also promotes health and well-being. The School must provide ample time for playing, working with materials, outdoor and extra curricular activities to develop your little ones as fine leaders of tomorrow.

   These are some important factors to consider while touring the preschool circuit. The pre-primary years are important foundation building years in a child's life, Sadhu Vaswani Mission's Little Lamps tick marks on all of the above. The curriculum has been carefully designed using a multitude of modern teaching techniques and integrated with imbibing a well thought of value system in your little one.

 For more information on Little Lamp, and to apply please visit http://www.svmlittlelamps.com/

Mother Toddler Programme

  My daughter was 9 months old when my friend asked me, when will I enroll my little one to a preschool. The thought of preschool for a 9 month old and the idea of letting go my of daughter had me confused.

  This is the dilemma every parent goes through. Have you ever wondered why Preschool is so important?

"I was born as a mother, the day my child was born."

  Motherhood is the only high stress - high risk profession that comes with absolutely no training. Every mother struggles to understand developmental milestones in their children, the mother toddler program helps embrace this.

  After birth it takes up to two years for the neurons in the cerebellum (which control movement) to fully mature. Maria Montessori identified the primary sensitive periods from birth to three years of age, to be movements, language orientation and order. It is with this observation that she infers that toddlers were always moving and exploring with hands eyes & ears. She developed an entire method of education for infants, toddlers and older children.

  The Mother Toddler programme at Little Lamps aims to create a safe and friendly environment for the little ones to socialize and acquaint themselves to a new world of learning. The curriculum is customized for your growing toddler aiding the mother to bond better with her child, supporting their needs in a most comfortable way.

  Babies and toddlers are very sensitive to order, at Little Lamps we have created an environment with a set of activities and materials, in an order to assist them in developing mental order. These activities helps the child meet his physical, socio - emotional, cognitive, language and kinesthetic needs.

Mother Toddler Programme At  Little Lamps Aims At :

Emotional Development : Early years are also the time of intense bonding with parents and facilitators. Toddlers learn the give and take of human relationships in the first months of cooing back & forth. The programme at Little Lamps provides a fun, safe & nurturing environment, attempting to build the child's self-confidence and  express their thoughts. The child understands relationships with self, peers and loved ones.

Math Concepts & Language Development : Toddlers exposed to simple math concepts will do better in math later in school. The material provided at  Little Lamps nourishes curiosity and enjoyment of activities. The programme aims to develop logical and mathematical reasoning, vocabulary building and communication skills.

Motors Skills : Early years are critical for the development of fine and gross motor skills. Toys and objects help self directed learning, to improve their motor skills. Equipment such as ladders, balancing beams, a jungle gym,  beads, shape sorters and stacking rings are set up to engage toddlers in sensory perceptual activities, rhythmic movement and organized games.

Cognitive Skills : The activities at Little Lamps are  based on the pedagogy that aids child development, enhancing his memory and grasping of events along with logical thinking and appropriate responses.

Creative Thinking : Story narration and role play helps the child develop imagination and understanding. Music, art & craft  are some of the activities that fosters creative development in a child.

  The Mother Toddler Programme at Sadhu Vaswani Mission's Little Lamps is designed to accomplish specific development and innate needs of the child. This program aims at making learning a fun filled activity, for the growing child while involving the mother at every step. The programme is designed and executed by trained professionals.

   The academic year starts in January 2016 and application forms are available at www.svmlittlelamps.com .