Before He Starts

Te Ao Hou, December 1962, Page 55

Before He Starts Here are some ways you can help him to learn to read before he comes to school. It helps if he has had some picture book to look at, some simple toys to play with, and if he has had things explained to him. (Does your three or four-year-old ask ‘Why?’ all the time? If he doesn't he ought to.). Another useful thing is to take the new child along to school yourself two or three times before he actually starts; this helps him to get used to the idea that soon he will be going to stay there all day. Read your children stories, or tell them about what things were like when you were small—or if you haven't got time for this, get one of the other children to get a book from the Infant Mistress to read the small ones (it helps to keep them quiet too). Use Kindergarten of the Air and the Children's Session on the radio, join the Infant Mother's Club or the P.T.A. If you possibly can, take Sonny to a Play Centre—you may find there's one near your home, perhaps one that's just being started, as many are these days.