Parents: Here are some examples of the skills your child will learn and practice during a typical day in a family day care setting.

Activity: Finding Toys or Learning Materials toWork With By Self or With Others

Cognitive: Makes decisions about interests and abilities.

Self-Help: Finds toys by self /sets up environment for play.

Social/Language: Learns to share, barter, manage, conflict, and ask for help.

Emotional: Learns about acceptance and rejection.

Expresses needs.

Activity: Block Play

Physical: Learns to balance blocks and line them up (small motor coordination).

Cognitive: May count blocks, sees pattern and design. Learns to build and plan structure. Matches blocks that look alike.

Social: Learns to share and cooperate.

Activity: Dramatic Play

Social: Plays adult roles. Develops self-image and coordinates with others.

Language: Learns to express self in another role.

Cognitive: Decides appropriate dress and appearance for role; uses visual perceptions to assess self, others, and play environment. Learns and remembers behaviors to imitate. Develops abstract thinking abilities.

Self-Help: Dresses self. Sets up play environment and finds props.

Activity: Setting the Table

Cognitive: Counts silverware, glasses, and napkins, or places one object by each setting. Follows pattern of place settings.

Social: Cooperates with other children. May teach younger children to help.

Physical: Picks up and places objects (small motor coordination).

Activity: Sitting Down to Eat

Physical: Pours milk, passes the dish (small motor coordination).

Cognitive: Measures to pour. Understands directions.

Social/Language: Learns appropriate table conversation and manners.

Activity: Story Time or Listening to Music

Cognitive: Listens and retains information. Follows story line (sequencing) with eyes and/or ears. Recognizes words, pictures, instruments, and rhythms.

Activity: Fingerplays and Songs

Cognitive/Language: Learns words, gestures, and melody (sequencing, repetition, speech and listening skills). Follows directions.

Physical: Coordination movements (large motor).

Activity: Dance

Cognitive/Language: Listens to music and rhythms. Learns to understand simple movement directions and their relationship to the music.

Physical: Coordinates movements (large motor).

Activity: Climbing/Riding

Cognitive: May count the rungs to the top of a climbing structure; plans his climb. Maps out direction and distance to ride; watches for others in path.

Physical: Large motor coordination, balance.

Social: Takes turns, interacts.

Activity: Sand Play

Cognitive: Measures sand and maps out roads (spacial relationships).

Physical: Pours, dumps, pushes, gathers, scoops, packs (small and large motor).

Social: Shares, interacts, and cooperates.

Activity: Putting Away Toys

Cognitive: Sorts toys, follows directions.

Physical: Places objects on the shelf, replaces lids, opens and shuts doors.