make life a

game!

Give Your Child a Head Start

Carlynn McCormick

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Make Life a Game!

Give Your Child a Head Start

Word Corner Publishing

15020 Burwood Drive

Lake Mathews, CA 92570

Author: Carlynn McCormick

Illustrators: Tiber McCormick and Jay Emstrom

Photography: McCormick Library

Copyright 2009

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this work may be copied

or duplicated in any form without

permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-0-9631117-2-2

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Contents

How to Use this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction: The Magic of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter One: Action, Action, Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Chapter Two: The Great TV Debate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter Three: Mommy’s Little Helper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chapter Four: Reading Aloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Chapter Five: Explaining Word Meanings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Chapter Six: Pre-Reading Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Chapter Seven: The Alphabet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Appendix: Article—Right Answer—Wrong Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Poem—Story Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Article—A Parent’s Best Weapon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Parent Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

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How to Use this Book

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Make Life a Game1 was written to help parents prepare their young

children for playing the game of life. ________________________________________________________________________

To give your child the best start, present learning and every new challenge

as a fun game. Show your child that games really do exist where every

player is a winner!

This is simple and easy to do. Begin by applying the information and

games in each chapter, one-step at a time. Here is a quick overview of

what is covered:

Introduction—Fill your life and that of your child’s with a feast of fun

games. Make every day a game day; every day a fun day!

Chapter One—Ensure your child gets lots of daily physical activity.

Chapter Two—Keep those physical activities going; keep TV off.

Chapter Three—Make chores part of your child’s physical activity.

Chapter Four—Read aloud to your child and instill a love of books.

Chapter Five—Play word-meaning games with your child.

Chapter Six—Introduce pre-reading skill games to your child.

Chapter Seven—Sing the alphabet song; add alphabet recognition

games when your child is ready; keep in word games and pre-

reading games, story time and physical activities.

1 Make Life a Game has an accompanying workbook. You may print off as many workbook pages for your child as you wish. You might, for example, make a set of pages for your child to do at age two or three; then make another set for your child to do every six months or so. This is a way for you to record your child’s skill level and progress. You might also make pages for your

child to do on road trips or to wind down after an active day, etc. Most young children love playing the same game again and again and doing the same activity many times over.

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Individually We Stand

Ordinarily, it works best to apply the chapters in the Make Life a Game one

after the other, as mentioned above. However, every child and family is

unique! Therefore, the suggestions given in the book must fit your own

particular circumstances.

Your personal schedule will play a part in deciding how much time to

devote to the games. The time between chapters could vary, from hours

to days, from days to weeks or from weeks to months.

Another factor is your child’s age, attention span and interest level. One

might spend a whole year or more playing the alphabet and letter

recognition games with a two- or three-year old. Or, one might complete

these games in a few weeks with a four- or five-year old.

Then too, many children do best when change is added gradually. It might

take months, for example, to fully eliminate TV, or take time for your child

to catch on to the idea of doing chores

At the other end of the spectrum, some children enjoy a great deal of

variety and flourish in the face of change. If this describes your child, you

may be able to successfully implement the suggestions in chapters one to

five of the book all in the same day.

The way children learn is just as varied. Many children do best when they

are taught one small step, after another. They may need many months to

practice a single step—this is totally fine! Others may need big leaps to

keep them challenged—the more steps added at a time, the more

interested they are. This too is perfectly fine!

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In other words, you may find it best to follow the pattern described in the

book, or you may not: “Timmy” may do best learning the alphabet before

going on to recognize letter formation. “Jenny” may learn the alphabet and

letter recognition at the same time. “Joseph” may learn the alphabet, letter

recognition and letter printing in one fell swoop. The point is that each

child is an individual, unique onto himself or herself.

The information found in the books is not meant to be dictatorial2; it is

meant to be workable3.

The intention behind it is that you and your child have fun playing the

games together.

Enjoy!

—Carlynn McCormick

2 Dictatorial information: data to be followed in an exact manner as if being required by a dictator; not meant to be flexible. Never be so foolish as to take someone’s opinion as dictatorial

information. 3 Workable information: what works well for you—information that can be followed exactly or that can be changed or rearranged as you desire; meant to be flexible. I like the book because it is

filled with a lot of workable information that I can apply to my children.

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Introduction to Parents

The Magic of Life

There may be nothing more awe-inspiring than witnessing the birth of a

baby—seeing the “spark of life” connect to a human form.

And there may be nothing more gratifying than holding a tiny infant in your

arms—especially when the infant belongs to you! And the magic keeps

going.

How well I remember the babyhood of each of my children. Every morning,

the moment I awoke, my first thoughts were of the baby who had joined

our family. I jumped from bed filled with excitement over what new wonder

our baby would discover that day.

But the life of a child is two-fold: it has triumphs and failures—happiness

and tears—gains and travails. The idea, however, is for the adventure and

glories of life to far outshine any downside. That is what we want for our

children. That is what we strive for. That is the role of a parent.

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Is there an easy way to find “the glories”? There is, indeed!

Is there a secret formula? Yes, right out of the Genie’s bottle!

Is there a way to give children a good start? Oh, certainly!

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The answer to all three questions can be distilled from the ancient wisdom

of the Golden Rule:

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Treat the child exactly the way you would

want to be treated if you were a child.

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I wrote Make Life a Game from that viewpoint. In other words if I were a

young child I would want my parents to present life’s challenges and

learning experiences as fun games. I would like my parents to smile a lot

and not be too serious. And I would want them to love me and be kind to

me. I would want them to begin teaching me things right away and not

wait until I started school.

How would you want to be treated if you were small? Look this over for

yourself. Answer the question and you have the secret to being the

greatest parent you can possibly be!

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What is the best way to start teaching?

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Perhaps the best way to teach anyone anything is to present it as a game.

After all, life itself can be considered a game—a game we play for fun. If

we take life too seriously, however, if we fret or worry, we don’t have fun

and it’s no longer a game.

What we are going for when it comes to teaching children is more fun and

less seriousness.

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If you approach both work and play as a game, your child will mimic your

attitude. If you present every challenge and every new endeavor as a

game, your child will be ever so willing to play as well.

This is something my mother did for me. When I was about four years old

I told everyone who would listen that I wanted to be a Mommy when I grew

up. My mother cleverly used this goal of mine to present a game for

washing dishes. She told me each dirty plate, cup, saucer, etc. was a little

child that needed a bath. I begged her to let me bathe them and from that

day forward, I became the official family

dishwasher. A few years later, my

little sister wanted to play too, so I

let her rinse the dishes and we

created a number of new

dishwashing games. Now more

than forty years later, we still find it

relaxing to wash dishes by hand and

often forgo using our automatic

dishwashers. From babyhood to school-age—make

the magic of life an exciting game

Games help children develop a lifelong love of anything—household

chores, reading, writing, singing, mathematics—the sky’s the limit.

Helping children learn with games is not only easy it is a tremendous

amount of fun. That is what this book is about. It was written for parents

but a preschool teacher can adapt it for classroom use. Read it, follow the

instructions but above all, have a great time!

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This young girl loves playing the game of life and

sets an exemplary example for her baby brother

PERSONAL NOTE TO THE READER: The material is from the author’s

experience and viewpoint. Obviously, you are free to agree with it or

disagree. The author in fact stresses that before taking any of her

suggestions (or anyone else’s for that matter), be sure the suggestion

makes good sense to you personally.

The author has done her best to make the book’s content understandable.

Nevertheless if a question arises, please write or e-mail it to the publisher

and your question will be answered. Mailing address: Word Corner

Publishing, 15020 Burwood Drive, Lake Mathews, California 92570 E-mail: carlynnlee@hotmail.com

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Chapter One

Action, Action!

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Chapter One: Action, Action!

Why are action activities so important for young children?

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Run, jump, skip, or twirl around in circles—

movement is the spice of life for very young

children. Maybe Grandpa or Grandma can

sit for hours reading books or magazines,

but this is not the way of a child.

Children’s limbs and muscles are growing

and developing. They are, after all, in

training for the job of becoming adults.

First, however, they have a whole lot of

growing to do. They must spend time

practicing balance, dexterity and

co-ordination. This is how a baby goes

from timid teetering steps to sure I have a tractor like Grandpa’s!

sure footedness. A child needs to practice—

the best way to develop specific muscles is to use them.

Children should be encouraged to move their bodies in ways that will

contribute to good muscle development. Observe the necessity of this for

yourself. Is a young child happier when he is moving about than what he

is when he is restrained in a car seat? Why do you think this is?

My theory is that since a child’s muscles are growing rapidly they need to

be exercised throughout the day or the child can become antsy. If he is

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restrained when he needs to be moving, he may show his unhappiness by

crying, fussing, fretting or whining. His muscles are itching (so to speak)

because they need to be moved. When one’s muscles become fully

developed, the “itch” goes away and it is easier to sit for longer and longer

periods of time.

But the need for exercise never goes away. Even when an individual

reaches adulthood, the body must have some physical exercise or its

muscles will begin to deteriorate.

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How does physical action improve the mind?

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Look at it this way. A child has both a body and a mind; body and mind do

best when they complement4 each other. On a daily basis a child should

be given lots of opportunity to move the body and work the body’s

muscles. A child should be encouraged to walk, run, jump, skip, climb,

dance, pedal, skate, etc.

Then, when the body is winding down, right before it needs sleep, comes

the perfect time to present quiet activities that develop the mind,

imagination and creative urge. This is probably the very reason reading to

a child before bedtime has been such a popular activity down through the

ages.

Isn’t it logical that the more rapidly a child is growing, the more physical

activity that child needs during his or her waking hours? As a child’s

4 Complement: make complete or perfect; supply what is needed. Physical development

complements mental development.

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growth starts slowing down, only then can the child withstand longer

periods of mind developing activities. But even here, school goes awry for

children who are made to sit at a desk when their bodies are aching for

movement. Teachers might check to see if this is the cause behind

children who have difficulty learning to read.

In helping hundreds of young children learn to read easily and efficiently I

simply ensured they had lots and lots of physical activity. During reading

time they were encouraged to move about and use their bodies to act out

letters, sounds or words.

To see a child’s activity level first hand, go to a playground where lots of

children are at play. See how quickly some children go from swing to slide

to merry-go-round. See how others repeat an action over and over until it

is mastered. Perhaps you’ll even

witness a little boy’s first attempt at

making it all the way across the

monkey bars and hear him exclaim

his triumph—at such a time, who

cares about blisters! If you actually

go out and do this, it should quickly

become obvious to you that children

need to move. And you will

understand by your own observation

that muscle development is the

precursor5 to mind development.

Bike riding makes me happy!

5 Precursor: something that comes before something else.

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Suggestions: Outdoor Activity Bouncy-bounce: outdoor trampolines with safety nets are great for

jumping up to the sky!

Ball play: bouncing different sized rubber balls or tossing them into

child-size basketball hoops builds muscle co-ordination.

Climbing: another activity excellent for developing co-ordination. If

you are lucky enough to have one or more low-branched climbing

trees, such trees are always a hit with children! Children also

enjoy climbing ladders, sawhorses or planks.

Turning wheels: riding scooters and bikes develops both co-

ordination and balance. Tiny skates and skateboards are also

available for young children. (Don’t forget helmets, elbow & knee

pads.)

Wagons: great for moving dirt from one spot to another or for

taking favorite toys for a ride or for helping to move plants or take

weeds out of the garden.

Bubble blowing: another favorite with children. You can buy jars

of bubbles with wands and after the bubbles are gone, refill the jars

with dish soap or bubble bath for more sessions of fun.

Arm swing: throwing plastic horseshoes, hitting balls with plastic

golf clubs or coquet-mallets.

Other arm motion activities: rolling child-sized bowling balls or

tossing bean bags into an empty container—fun ways to develop

co-ordination.

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Sense of balance: walking on railroad ties, sidewalk cracks or low

ledges develops steadiness of foot.

Children’s parks: you will want to routinely take your child to a park

that has playground equipment, such as swings and slides and

merry-go-rounds or obstacle courses.

Beach or backyard: perfect for dirt-digging or making sandcastles.

Changing seasons: winter snow is magic time when it means

building snowmen or sledding. Autumn leaves raked in piles are

landing pads for jumping into. Spring is the smell of blooming

flowers and the joy of nature hikes. For sizzling hot summer days,

nothing is better than water play—from swim lessons to running

through sprinklers.

Our favorite fort

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Suggestions: Indoor Activities

Suggestions can be adjusted to work for groups. Some games can be

played at parties or when parents and children get together for play days.

Blow up balloons and let children swat them in the air. The idea is to

see how long a balloon can be kept midair. Or obtain some feathers

and see how long children can keep them midair by blowing on

them.

Show children how to rub balloons on their hair so the static

electricity will make the balloons stick to things. See how high up a

child can jump and at the same time stick a balloon to the wall.

Count how many seconds the balloons stay stuck to the wall.

Make an indoor obstacle course using tables, chairs, an empty

upside down waste basket, cardboard box, etc. Use commands to

go with the game such as “crawl under the table,” “go around the

chair,” “step over the wastebasket,” “step into the box,” etc.

Wad up balls of paper and have a pretend snowball fight.

Instead of putting empty cardboard boxes in the trash, cut off the

flaps and let children use them as boats or cars.

It’s fun riding in a

cardboard box

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Use a broom handle for a limbo stick; put on music and see how low a

child can go! You will need two people to hold each side of the broom

and lower it little by little.

Line up chairs to make a train—children can pretend they are going on

a trip. You might let them eat lunch or snacks on the “train.”

Take pillows off the couch and make a fort with them or use chairs and

blankets to make a fort.

Buy a tumbling mat or use a mattress for summersaults and

headstands.

Install a doorway bar so children can swing on it.

Play “follow the leader.” Or turn on music and dance around the house

or play song games such as the “Hokey Pokey.”

Play “follow me” by giving a direction (such as “stand on one foot” or

“turn around”). You do the action and have the children mimic you.

We like to play the copying game

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Chapter Two The Great TV Debate

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Chapter Two: The Great TV Debate ___________________________________________________________

Should my preschooler watch TV?

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Generally television should be off-limits for young children. Much has

been written about the destructiveness of TV. It has been blamed for just

about everything from violence to laziness.

But I feel the main liability of TV is that it can glue a child’s attention to a

screen. It can hold a child’s body in a chair when the child would be much

better off moving about. I do not feel it is natural for a young child to sit for

long periods of times. After all, preschoolers are supposed to be active

explorers. It is their mission to discover the “musical instruments” in the

pot and pan cupboard or the pleasure of digging in sand or of jumping off

rocks or hunting for lizards.

You might point out that selective viewing can open new worlds to children

that might not otherwise be possible such as viewing programs about

exotic animals or distant places. And this is true enough. However, there

will be plenty of opportunity to view such documentaries when the child is

older. Showing a still picture from the Internet of a hard to find animal such

as an ocelot6 is an exception to the rule. Looking at a still picture on a

screen is much the same as looking at a picture in a book.

A young child’s quiet time might best be spent snuggled in Mom or Dad’s

arms listening to stories. Or spent doing activities to improve eye-hand

6 Ocelot: a nocturnal (active during the night time) wildcat of Central America and South America having a dark-spotted buff-brown coat.

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coordination which is a fancy way of saying, “a child uses his eyes to

watch what he can make his hands do.” Examples of activities that

improve hand control are drawing, coloring, painting or cutting. One hand

usually dominates over the other, as in right- or left-handedness. (Some

individuals are equally dexterous with both hands). Whether children are

right or left handed they should practice eye-hand coordination. It is an

ability they will need when they learn to print their ABCs.

Activities such as making things in clay or building with blocks are equally

important as they require the right hand to work in coordination with the left

hand. Activities such as playing the piano or guitar require each hand to

do something different at the same time.

There are so many things a young child can learn to do. Therefore when it

comes to television watching, a child is better off creating something

himself than watching a screen where all the creating is done for him.

Off to explore the great outdoors

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TV watching can steal time from the

necessity of practice. A child (or

anyone for that matter) usually needs

to practice before he can create the

exact effect he wants to create.

An artist, for example, may work for

an extended period of time before he

finally captures on canvas what he so

easily envisions in his head. Dancers

and gymnasts practice daily to

present a performance that looks

effortless. Children can get better

and better at something the more they

practice. Making up dance steps

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What is “too much” TV?

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How much time do the adults or older children in your family spend in front

of a screen? Keep a record. Once you know the answer it is easier to

monitor the time.

Children who go straight to the TV when they wake up or who have little

interest in participating in activities other than watching shows or playing

video games are usually greatly lacking in physical activity. One

suggestion is to get everyone in the family to agree to spend as much time

being active as they do sitting in front of a screen. For example, you might

match thirty minutes of playing the latest electronic game with thirty

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minutes of shooting basketballs into a hoop. Putting a more active lifestyle

in place is a fun way to overcome “too much” TV or video game playing.

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What about TV and Epilepsy7 Warnings?

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Now I’m not trying to spoil anyone’s fun but for parents who do not have

the following information, I would be remiss to leave it out: researchers

have found that in rare cases, certain visual images, including flashing

lights or patterns found in some video games and cartoons can cause

seizures. Their findings show that children who have already had a

seizure or who have relatives with a history of seizures are the most likely

to be affected. Nevertheless, individuals who have never had a seizure

before and whose family members have never had seizures can be

susceptible if they have an undiagnosed sensitivity to pulsating flashes.

While new technology may someday replace the liability associated with

such games and cartoons, in the meantime, I believe parents would be

foolish to ignore the warning. Even if the possibility is only one-in-a-

thousand, why take a chance with something that is totally avoidable?

For those, however, who feel the joy of playing video games or watching

cartoons outweighs the odds, you should at least be aware of the

symptoms that could mean trouble. If your child or anyone of any age in

your family complains of any of the following symptoms while playing video

games or watching cartoons I suggest that you have them stop playing the

game or stop looking at the screen immediately and consult your doctor:

7 Epilepsy: a disorder of the central nervous system that is characterized by a sudden seizure—

loss of consciousness and convulsions.

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lightheadedness or dizziness

blurred vision

eye or face twitches

any involuntary (having no control over it) body movement

disorientation

dulling of consciousness

Here are some common sense preventative measures8 to take while

playing video games (or watching cartoons that have flashing lights or

patterns):

Take frequent breaks; don’t play for extended periods of time.

Look away from the screen every 10 or 15 minutes; don’t become

“hypnotized” by screen images.

Be alert; don’t play when you are drowsy or fatigued.

Be refreshed; don’t play when you haven’t had enough sleep.

Sit back; don’t sit too close to the screen.

8 Preventative measures: these measures are based on common sense but are in no way a guarantee that a seizure will not occur. The author is not a doctor. You should consult your family doctor for information on epilepsy, prevention of, and sensitivity to flashing lights or patterns.

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Chapter Three Mommy’s Little Helpers

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Chapter Three: Let your Child Help

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Should my preschooler do chores?

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Another point to take into consideration is

just how good it feels when we are able to

help someone else. This is a big part of

feeling wanted and needed—it helps us

know we have worth. And children must

know they are valuable contributing

members of the family just like everyone

else. They need to have jobs too!

Little Johnny and Susie are so pleased with

themselves when they get to show their

value by putting dirty clothes in the washer

or clean ones in the dryer, or by helping to dust Helping wash dishes

furniture or by putting the groceries away after

a shopping trip. There are hundreds of day-to-day chores that a child can

do. When we instill a good work-ethnic in a child at age two, think of what

a power house the child will be at age sixteen!

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Is there educational value in doing chores? ___________________________________________________________

There is a great amount of educational value that goes with taking on a

particular responsibility. Chores help children learn ways to better handle

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their environment. Chores give practical experience that allows children to

learn while they are performing. For example, putting pairs of socks

together can teach a child to count by twos; sorting laundry can help a

child differentiate between light and dark; helping Mom make cookies is a

lesson in measurement and reading; and planting seeds and watching

them grow demonstrates the cycle of life.

If you have a cat or dog, your child can have the job of telling you when

Fluffy’s or Rover’s water dish needs filling. You can teach your child about

feeding schedules and how to further care for and love animals.

Max is a good friend!

Remember that children learn first and foremost by example. They will

copy to the best of their ability the way you and the other people in their

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environment act; they will copy and say what they hear; they will copy and

do what they see. This is how manners and etiquette are learned.

Perhaps the three finest things parents can do for

their child is: (1) Make lots and lots of room for

physical activity. (2) Let their child contribute in

abundance. (3) Try to always set a good

example.

I watch Mommy sign “I Love You” and I can sign it too!

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Isn’t it easier to do it myself?

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A question I am often asked is, “Isn’t it a lot easier for me to do the work

myself than trying to get my child to help me do it?”

If you consider only that day or that hour, the answer is probably “yes.”

But if you consider the future and your child’s well-being, the answer is an

overwhelming “no,” it is not easier!

It is true that a two or three-year-old may not do the job to your standards,

but if you graciously accept his help and praise him for his attempts, he’ll

eventually get there. And please, don’t ever let your child see you re-doing

the work he has already completed. How would you feel if someone did

that to you? It would make you feel unappreciated and inadequate.

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Be patient with your child’s attempts to help. Show kindness and always

be appreciative of your child’s efforts. Nurture your child’s willingness and

he or she will grow competent and self-confident. And in times to come,

you will be paid back a thousand-fold.

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What happens when we don’t allow a child to help?

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When we fail to cultivate the willingness to work in a child and the pride

that comes with doing a good job, the child becomes inwardly unhappy.

When he gets older, he often resents being asked to do anything. But to

make matters worse, he is unable to fully enjoy his free time and can’t

usually figure out why.

The truth goes something like this: What makes loafing-time so valuable in

the first place is what you have already accomplished to earn it a “by the

sweat of your brow” so to speak. But if nothing is done to earn it, then it

stands to reason loafing time itself has no value.

This lesson can of course be taught, demonstrated, pushed through and

thrown in the face of an older child or even an adult. And the person might

even learn the lesson but why go through such difficulty when life can go

so smoothly by teaching the lesson from babyhood!

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Oops, I never let my child help. What do I do now?

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It is never too late, although somewhat harder, to teach a child the joy of

being able to take on and handle responsibility.

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I would start by explaining to the child that everyone in the family has a job:

dad, mom, child, etc. For example: “Daddy is an engineer who solves

problems for people. He likes this job and he gets money for doing it. We

use the money to pay for our house, to buy food and other things we want.

The job Mommy likes to do is to write stories. When I sell a story we have

more money to buy fun things. You have a job too. Your job is to learn

lots of things now so that when you grow up you can do something you like

and get money for doing it. But there are also jobs you, Daddy and

Mommy must do that don’t pay money but by doing them things are nicer.

These are jobs like keeping our bedrooms clean, making meals and

cleaning the kitchen, keeping all the rooms in the house clean and keeping

the yard looking nice.”

After giving the story that fits your particular circumstance, you should

make sure your child fully understands the situation. Then you can work

out together which chores your child would be willing to do and what is

realistic (if your child has never made toast, it would be too big a jump to

expect him to make a complete meal without first learning a number of

intermediate steps). After the chores have been decided and happily

agreed upon, you might want to write the agreement on paper and let your

child write or print his name. This will make the agreement more solid in

your child’s mind.

From that moment on, it would be understood that chores needed to be

done before privileges were granted. Since this will be something new for

your child, he might need to be gently reminded a number of times (no

nagging). If he forgets a chore, you would mention it in a matter-of-fact

tone (no pleading, accusing or making him feel wrong).

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It is very simple: your child keeps the agreement he made with you to do

the chores or no privileges; the moment chores are done, privileges are

granted. Again, since your child had not been expected to help earlier, it

may mean that in the beginning you will need to ignore some crying,

fretting, moaning or groaning.

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Why are learning activities a child’s most important job?

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Now it stands to reason that the most important job a child will ever have is

the job of growing up. This follows the body-mind concept discussed in

chapter one and the value of chores discussed in this chapter.

A chore of course can require physical action, such as feeding the

hamster, or it can require mental action such as in learning to read. It

should be explained to children that reading, writing, using numbers and

other mental activities will help them reach their goal of being successful

grown-ups. They should fully understand that their learning

accomplishments can be used to find ways to benefit the individual, the

family, the environment and the welfare of society.

I love reading about Mickey I like looking at books

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Make Life a Game is filled with simple games to play with your young

child. Games that will give your child a head start and prepare him or her

for school. You can set aside a special time to play one or two games. Or

if your schedule is filled to the brim, take advantage of everyday life

situations. You can make something as simple as driving to the store a

game that is fun, fun, fun!

The book gives parents a secret formula for making their children

happy. It answers the question “Is there an easy way for me to be the

best parent I can possibly be?” It tells parents:

The best books to read to your child

How running, jumping or skipping will help your child learn to read

When television is a “good guy” and when it’s a “bad guy”

When video games can be dangerous

How to protect your child from the danger

How chores prepare a toddler for school

How to explain abstract words to a two, three or four-year-old

The most important words your child should know

A super easy way to teach the alphabet

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