NEWS YOUR EMPLOYEES CAN USE

'The Serious Need for Play'
Parents will want to check out this Scientific American Mindcover story on the importance of play for healthy social, emotional and cognitive development in children. Especially important is time for unstructured, imaginative free play, as opposed to games and structured activities.

Play with a Purpose
Often parents believe they must choose between academics and play when selecting a preschool program for their young children. Rarely is the choice that simple because quality programs are based on an understanding that young children learn best through hands-on activities planned by knowledgeable teachers. Preschool - Academics or Play? explains how good programs incorporate play with a purpose.

Just What the Doctor Ordered
Parents and caregivers can reach for this list of doctor-recommended books for babies to pre-teens. Reach Out and Read selected favorite books that promote essential early literacy skills in celebration of its 20th anniversary this year.

‘Once Upon a Time’ Builds Reading Readiness
Story time helps young children develop important literacy skills, such as learning to point to pictures, turn pages, and recite favorite phrases or whole stories. Reach Out and Read has identified key developmental milestones for children six months to three years and older and tips for parents.

Watch Me Grow
From birth to five years, children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak and act. Positive Parenting Tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention helps parents and caregivers monitor children's progress and offers important safety information for each age.

Play is Serious Business
Play isn't just fun and games -- it's the foundation for learning and academic success. The Alliance for Childhood shows how play contributes to children's physical development, academic success, and social and emotional learning. "Time for Play, Every Day: It's Fun -- and Fundamental" offers tips on what parents and care givers can do to encourage play.

News You Can Use
Young children can noodle their way to solving minor everyday problems if parents and caregivers provide encouragement rather than rushing in with the solution. The National Association for the Education of Young Children provides more tips in Helping Toddlers Become Problem Solvers, a one-page resource for parents.

Hands-on Math Fun
Business leaders often sound the call for better math and science education. If you missed The Washington Post article on math education from pre-K to grade 2, here's the bottom line: whether it's counting crackers or sorting toys by shape and size, parents and early childhood educators can introduce early math concepts through play and other everyday activities.

News Your Employees Can Use
Finding a quality child care program can be a daunting task for families. "Choosing Quality Child Care," available in English and Spanish, points the way with tips on what to look for in a child care setting and checklists to use when interviewing or visiting child care providers.

Good News for Time-Starved Parents
Working parents often express frustration that they do not have time to undertake special activities to support their children's early education and school readiness. However, parents can turn everyday routines into fun learning experiences. Helping Your Child Love to Learn, a free downloadable publication from Fairfax Futures, offers tips about turning laundry time, grocery shopping and daily car rides into interactive activities that stimulate a child's curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. Available in English and Spanish.