Newborns: Learning

A critical learning period for all children is the time from birth until they enter kindergarten. The articles below provide many activities, suggestions and background information to help your child learn during their first year. Related areas at KidSource Online include: Newborn Growth and Development and Newborn Learning Disabilities

Our rating system for these Learning articles is:

• - Best, in depth and most helpful overall
• - Very Good, but more specific in focus
• - Good reference material

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	Raising a Reader Children learn to love the sound of language before they ever notice the existence of printed words on a page. As parents and caregivers, you can help lay down the foundation for a love of reading and nurture children's development. Here are some things you can do to raise a lifelong reader.
	Read*Write*Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun Read Write Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun has been developed by national reading experts for you to use with children, ages birth to Grade 6. The booklet has three sections, one for activities for infants and preschoolers, the second for children through Grade Two, and the third for older children.
	Helping Your Child Learn To Read Another very good article with many activities for children from infancy through age 10 with many of these activities designed for parents and children to do together. You can show that learning is fun and important and can encourage a love of reading in your child.
	Early Childhood Growth Chart An Early Childhood Growth Chart for families and caregivers which gives age-appropriate activities to promote language development for young children.
	Helping Children Learn About Reading Some parents assume that learning to read starts with memorizing the alphabet and sounding out words, but actually the fundamentals of reading begin much earlier. Adults lay the foundation for reading every day, when they point out objects and describe what they are doing while dressing an infant, grocery shopping with a toddler, or cooking with a preschooler.
	Music Appreciation: A Universal Language For All Ages Children are natural musicians, and exposure to music during the early years enhances the learning process by promoting language development, creativity, coordination, and social interaction. Caregivers can play an important role in incorporating music and movement into a child's life.
	Five Ways to Stimulate Brain Power in Your Child Now, new brain research shows that there are specific things parents can do that will have a permanent and positive effect on a child's ability to learn.
	Early Ways To Predict Poor Readers The article describes how children who have trouble reading often have underlying speech and language problems. Being able to predict which children will have trouble reading would allow speech-language pathologists and others to begin to work with them before they fail.
	Helping children learn about reading Some parents assume that learning to read starts with memorizing the alphabet and sounding out words, but actually the fundamentals of reading begin much earlier. Adults lay the foundation for reading every day. The most important thing is that teaching children about reading becomes an activity that brings children closer to the caring adults in their lives. Here are some tips for families who want to help their children make connections between meaning and words.
	A Lesson from CPAs on the New Education Tax Breaks The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 includes some education-related tax provisions that can benefit families with children in college.
	Children and Bilingualism If you are considering teaching your child a second language at a young age, then this is a good reference article for you to read. In addition, it covers questions you may have regarding speech-language problems and bilingualism.