Dr. Laurie Noe, Coordinator of Early Childhood Education at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, CT states that, “Parent involvement in reading with their young children is a significant indicator of success.”

When talking with children about their day always try to focus on the positives.  After reading a bedtime story, play a wishing game with your children.  Say the following rhyme when going to sleep at night to put them in a positive mood.  “Star light, star bright, I wish I may I wish I might, have this wish come true tonight.” Have the children make a positive wish for themselves, a family member or a friend.

Infants: Read the nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” Have the children pretend they are the stars by laying down on their back and pulling their arms and legs close to their tummies then pushing them out as far as they can, while you sing.  If they are very young you will have to help them pull and push their arms and legs in and out.  This activity helps infants build muscle tone.

Toddlers: While singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” have them raise their hands high like stars and wiggle their fingers to “twinkle.”   Encourage them to do opposites by lowering their hand and wiggling their fingers low.  Then have them wiggle their fingers and “twinkle” their hands in front of them, way out to the side, and then behind their backs all the while singing.  All these activities help to develop spatial relationships.

You will find the five original stanzas of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” in my book Teaching with Heart…

Preschoolers: Encourage children to be shining stars by doing random acts of kindness. When reading a bedtime story at night review your child’s daily activities but don’t ask, “What happened in school today?” because the typical answer will be “Nothing.”  Ask instead, “What happened that was fun today? “Did you do anything to help somebody else?”  Create a “Shining Star” board when children do something to help someone else.  Put their names on a star and hang it up on the board as a shining example.  Model this behavior and point out to them when you do things nice for others, like making a dinner for a sick friend or neighbor.  When someone does something nice for your children encourage them to “pay it forward” by doing something nice for somebody else.  Use things that they do to help around the house or in school, and things that they do for family members like making a card for grandma for no special reason.

I heard about a five year old boy who decided he had enough toys and asked the other children to bring food for the homeless to his birthday party.  He is a shinning star!