Ready Set Learn

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Helping your
preschooler get
preschooler get
ready for school
ready to learn
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Section 1: Talking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Section 2: Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section 3: Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 4: Feelings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 5: Getting Along with Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section 6: The Wider World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Section 7: Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 8: TV and Electronic Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 9: Vision and Hearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Section 10: Healthy Teeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 11: Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 12: Healthy Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 20
I Want to Know More About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Dear Families:
Welcome to Ready, Set, Learn. This booklet is designed to support you in helping your
preschooler get ready for success in school and become a lifelong learner. As your child’s first
and most important teacher, you play a vital role in your child’s education. Starting Kindergarten
is an important milestone in life. Many things contribute to a child’s success in school. Some of
these are:
Confidence,
Relationships with friends,
Language development,
A child learns to
The ability to communicate needs, wants and prepare for school
thoughts to adults and children,
The ability to follow instructions and routines, and
through play.
A setting that encourages creativity, motivation,
cooperation and persistence.
A child learns to prepare for success in school through everyday activities and play. While many of
today’s families balance many responsibilities, spending time with your child (playing, snuggling,
reading, and talking) will make a big difference.
As British Columbians, we celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our society. Before entering
Kindergarten, your child’s learning may be enriched through participation in many cultural and
family traditions.
Together with your child, enjoy and learn from the ordinary things in life as you go about your daily
routines.
In 2007, the British Columbia Early Learning Framework was created by Government to create
a common vision for children’s early learning. The information in this booklet includes activities
which support all early learning areas as outlined in the Framework. For more information on the
Framework, please visit http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/early_learning_framework.htm
Translations of this booklet are available online in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Japanese,
Korean, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/literacy/rsl/.
This Ready, Set, Learn booklet offers information about the typical development of a preschooler,
including tips for supporting your child’s learning in key areas of development. Remember these
are just guidelines. Children learn at their own pace. If you have concerns about your child’s
development, talk to your doctor or public health nurse. A child with special needs may develop
differently and may have goals that are more appropriate to their needs and abilities. Refer to
information provided by your doctor or other health professionals for specific special needs
support information.
Ready, Set, Learn — Page 1

1 Talking
Your Preschooler and… Talking

Language development is a cornerstone for being ready to learn in school. Language is
the main way that your child will communicate with the world around them, expressing
their needs and wishes. Generally, between the ages of three and five your child’s
vocabulary will almost double to about 1,500 words. Around age three, a child can use
four-to-five-word sentences beginning with words like “I” and “you”. Most three-year-olds
will begin using “what”, “where” and “how” to ask many questions, and will know social
words like “hello”, “please”, and “thank you”. The best way to support speech is simply
to talk with your child and listen to them. Most preschoolers have the language skills to
be part of family and play groups. Take advantage of opportunities that arise in everyday
living to talk with each other.

Try some of these with your preschooler:
1. Talk with your preschooler about the day’s activities or about plans for the following
day. Discuss the day’s events at bedtime.
2. Point out names of things to your child as you ride in the car or walk to the store.
3. Listen carefully to your child. Show that you are interested in your child’s ideas and
ask questions about what you hear from him or her.
4. Use rhymes to increase interest in language. Play rhyming games and read rhyming
stories and poetry.
5. Sing songs. Make up simple songs about everyday activities like having lunch and
sing them together with your child.
6. Have fun with tongue twisters. Help your child learn to say, “Peter Piper picked a
peck of pickled peppers.”
7. Expand your child’s sentences. If your child says, “Daddy cook soup,” respond with,
“Yes, Daddy is cooking vegetable soup for lunch.”
8. Ask your child to tell you a story about a picture he or she has drawn.
9. Talk about colours: “Look at that blue car”, “Are you going to wear your red dress?”
10. Play word and sound games: “How many words do you know that start with the
same sound as your name?”
11. Make up stories together.

2 Books
Your Preschooler and… Books

Helping your child learn to enjoy books is crucial. There is a strong link between what
preschoolers know about books, words, sounds and letters and their readiness for
school. At three years old, your child will typically have an increasing interest in books and
the written word. Preschoolers need to be encouraged to love books. You should enjoy
sharing books with your child, but don’t try to teach reading at age three. Some children
will learn naturally on their own, but most children won’t start actual reading until they
are in Kindergarten or Grade 1. Make sure your child doesn’t get frustrated. Encourage
questions and use humour. Over time, encourage your preschooler to help tell the stories
in books, particularly with favourite ones. Read for fun, with your child and on your own.

1. Set aside a special time each day to read to your child. Pick a special spot in your
home where it is quiet and you and your preschooler are comfortable.
2. When sharing books, ask questions about the pictures: “Where do you think the
woman is going?” Pause to discuss the meanings of new words.
3. Snuggle with your preschooler while you read. By feeling safe and nurtured, your
child will learn more easily.
4. Encourage your child to select and look at books on their own. Sit down beside your
child and read your own book to show that books are enjoyable.
5. Encourage repetition. There will be favourite books your child will want to look at
over and over again. Being familiar with words and letters helps children learn.
6. Get your preschooler a library card. Go to the library regularly and explore the
children’s section together. Encourage your child to choose books to take out.
7. Plan a book exchange party. Invite your child’s friends and their parents over and
ask them to bring five books they want to trade. It’s a good way to have different
books at home without spending too much.
8. Introduce books into your day-to-day activities. Have a reading picnic, play dress up and
act out a book, or read your recipe out loud as you cook or prepare food with your child.
9. Share books that show people of different cultures, genders, ages and abilities.

3 Numbers
1 2 3
Your Preschooler and… Numbers
Being familiar with numbers, time, distance and shapes will help your child develop the
math skills they will need at school. Remember that, like all learning, numbers should be
fun and connected to real life. Many children learn better by counting the stones on the
beach or apples in a grocery bag than by looking at flash cards.
Typically, three-year-olds will be able to count to ten. Most preschoolers will be able to
sort objects into groups and to name different shapes (such as triangle and square).
At age three children are generally beginning to understand time, measurement like
weight and height, and distances like near and far.

1. Count as a part of everyday routines with your child: “Please get me six spoons for
lunch.” “How many letters are in the mailbox?”
2. Discuss the order of events to help your child understand time: “This morning at
10:00 we are going to the store. After lunch, you will have time to play.”
3. Make a calendar with your child. Write in special days (his or her birthday, the trip to
the library) and have your child mark off each day until it arrives.
4. Help your child learn your family’s phone number and address.
5. Collect objects (buttons, stones, blocks) and sort them by shape, colour or size.
6. Talk about shapes. Identify shapes in the world around you and talk about them with
your child: “That window is square.” “That cookie is round.”
7. Start a growth chart for your child. Talk about the ideas of weight and height.
8. Ask your child to guess how many cups of water it will take to fill a pitcher or bowl
then fill the pitcher and check the guesses.
9. Use words that give direction when asking your child to do something: “Look under
the box.” “Put it beside your bed.”
10. Make a counting book. Glue groups of small objects (like buttons or feathers) on
pieces of paper and then bind the pages together to make a “book”. When browsing
through the book together, help your child count the different groups of objects.

4 Feelings
Your Preschooler and… Feelings

Your child’s emotional development is also an important part of getting ready for school.
Since birth, your child has been developing many emotions, from sad, to happy, to
angry. Entry to school will be helped by learning to handle feelings appropriately. As part
of emotional growth, your child will typically develop deeper qualities like caring, self-
esteem, flexibility and may better understand others’ feelings.
All of these things will help him or her meet the challenges of school. Generally, your
preschooler will begin to talk more about feelings and understand both negative and
positive emotions. Being able to cope with frustration and anger typically improves
between age three and Kindergarten. Preschoolers may begin to develop a sense of self-
esteem and confidence

1. Talk about feelings and what might cause them: “You are feeling really happy. Is it
because we’re going to the park?”
2. Expand vocabulary using new words to describe your child’s feelings like
“disappointed”, “frustrated”, “excited” and “surprised”.
3. Listen to and accept your child’s concerns. Reassure and comfort with a cuddle,
showing the love that you have for your child.
4. Encourage your preschooler to talk about him or herself: “Tell me three things that
you like to eat.” “Can you think of something that makes you happy?”
5. Pause while reading a book and ask your preschooler how a character might be
feeling.
6. Show how to handle emotions positively yourself. Suggest to your child different
ideas for coping with emotions and how you do it.
7. Address inappropriate behaviour immediately and calmly. Preschoolers usually

have fewer tantrums, but may fight over things like toys. Help cope with tantrums by
discussing afterward what helps your child feel better when experiencing frustration
or anger.
8. Model patience and persistence in all your tasks. Children will learn to stick with
things by acting like their parents.

5 Getting Along with Others
Your Preschooler and… Getting Along with Others

Up until now, your preschooler has been mostly concerned with his or her own needs.
Usually around the third birthday, this “egocentric” view of the world begins to change.
Typically, your child will be more interested in playing with friends, although friendships
may be short-lived. Your child may be able to show empathy, take turns, and begin to
understand the idea of sharing. As well, more and more preschoolers are able to follow
rules and instructions and are interested in seeking approval from adults. It is important
to set basic rules and stick to them consistently. Getting along with both children and
adults so that your child may do well in a group environment is a very important part of
helping your child get ready for school.

1. Most preschoolers look for approval. Give approval (with encouraging words and
actions like smiling) for taking turns and waiting for a turn as a part of your child’s
everyday routine.
2. Introduce your preschooler and friends to simple games that require taking turns,
such as card games like Go Fish.
3. Give simple one or two-step instructions to follow and then praise your child for
listening and completing the task. Be delighted and supportive when your child
behaves well.
4. Model respect by saying things like “please” and “thank you” to your child.
5. Encourage your child to have regular responsibilities around the home. An activity
such as choosing clothes independently allows your child to get used to routines
and expectations as a part of the day.
6. See how others do it. Reading books about friends with your child is another way to
introduce your child to socializing.
7. Provide lots of opportunities for your child to interact with friends. Set up play dates
with friends on a regular basis. Encourage your child to say “Hello” to playmates
when he or she sees them.
8. Keep play dates short – one to two hours, and small – one to two friends. Make
available a variety of activities that children will enjoy.
9. Be available. Supervise your child. Don’t just leave the children to play by
themselves and hope for the best. Be close by in case they can’t solve their own
conflicts, stop playing together, or need a change of activity.
10. Take your preschooler to another child’s home. Provide the experience of playing
away from your child’s own home and learning the rules of another family.
Depending on your child’s comfort level, consider leaving your preschooler in
the home of trusted friends without you, first for a short time and then for longer
periods.
11. Invite your own friends over. Since young children pay close attention to what adults
do and often imitate their behaviour, model for your child by inviting adults to visit in
your home. Have a double play date with a friend who has children.

6 The Wider World
Your Preschooler and… the Wider World

Preschool children are naturally curious about the world - about where they live and the
people around them. Supporting a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world
and the people in it is important to your preschool child. It helps them to become good
citizens. Your own curiosity, more than your knowledge, will encourage your child’s interest
in the wider world.
Preschoolers enjoy helping in day-to-day activities of their families. For example, by
including opportunities to assist with household chores they see how they are a valuable
contributor in their family. As children are provided opportunities to care for their
environments (e.g. gardening, cleaning, recycling, water conservation, etc.) they will
develop an understanding of how their own actions may affect nature and the planet. Talk
to your child about different ways they can take care of the planet.
During the preschool years, children start to develop an understanding of rules and
behaviours. Help your child to begin understanding fairness to themselves and others
through your conversation with them and by your example.
B.C. is very culturally diverse – some families are new to B.C., while other families
have lived here for many generations, including a rich history of Aboriginal people. Your
preschool child will benefit from opportunities to learn about their own heritage and
culture and the culture of others.

To encourage care of the earth:
1. Go for neighbourhood nature walks; take turns pointing out interesting things to
each other such as birds, cloud formations, trees, and green spaces.
2. Preschoolers love to collect things. Bring along a container when you go outdoors
so your child can collect treasures along the way – seeds, leaves, rocks – and bring
them home to examine.
3. At the grocery store, help your child point out items that can be recycled (like cans
or cardboard boxes) and show items that are made of recycled materials (like paper
products). Help them make artwork and crafts using recycled materials. Actively
recycle at home.
4. Encourage help with household chores if your child is interested. Tearing lettuce,
folding clothes, making beds and setting the table may be work for you, but these
tasks can be fun for your preschooler — and will set patterns for responsible
behaviour as they grow up.
5. Help your children understand where food comes from. Show them food being
grown in neighbourhood gardens or at local farms, orchards, or greenhouses.
To encourage an understanding of diversity:
1. Attend a variety of community events that are taking place near your home.
2. When talking about diversity, point out human similarities first, then help your child
appreciate people’s differences. You could say, “everybody needs food, shelter and
love, but people have different ways of doing things. Our family’s way is just one
way.”
3. Encourage your child to consider other’s feelings. You could ask your child, “what do
you think it would feel like if other children would not let you play?”
To encourage understanding of culture:
1. Explore your child’s own culture through stories and song, food and celebration.
2. Find an opportunity to introduce and appreciate other cultures. You could visit
the library and find and read books about other cultures and cultural celebrations
or listen to music from different cultures: French, Latin, Indian raga, Aboriginal
drumming, etc. Local libraries have a great selection of multi-cultural music.

7 Play
Your Preschooler and… Play

Play is the “work” of children. Most of your child’s early learning takes place through
play. Through play, your preschooler will explore and discover the world and his or her
role in it. In playing, your preschooler is having fun which can nurture a love for learning.
By providing a variety of different play activities and exposing your child to different
types of situations, you will be sure the brain receives the stimulation it needs to thrive.
Typically, a child of three will engage in imaginary play, tell stories and create characters.
Your preschooler will play alone most of the time, but may be increasingly able to play
with others. A sense of ownership may be developing. At age three, children can typically
throw, catch, and kick a ball as well as pedal a tricycle – be sure your child wears an
approved and well-fitting helmet whenever on a tricycle. Many three-year-olds will have
the hand-eye coordination to try more complex activities.

1. Family members are your child’s favourite playmates. Make time to laugh and play
together. Make play a part of the things you do with your child every day. Enjoy!
2. Balance your child’s schedule. It is important that your child have access to both
structured activities and free playtime.
3. Keep a variety of books and odds and ends from around the home on hand for down
times. If you have them in your home, puzzles or art supplies can be enjoyable.
Rotating toys allows your child to experience something new.
4. For imaginative playtime, have some of your old clothes for “dress up” and have
every day objects that will allow your child to create his or her own “pretend” stories.
Clothes and shoes with different openings are good to practice lacing, zippering,
buttoning and tying.
5. Pretend along with your child. Encourage the imagination. At a make-believe tea
party, ask: “Is your cup of tea too hot?”
6. Provide opportunities for your child to make personal choices about play activities.
Decision-making will increase your child’s sense of confidence and enjoyment.
7. Set up opportunities for your child to be messy with glue, flour and water playdough,
water or paint. Encourage your child’s creativity by proudly displaying their creations.
8. Play outside. Encourage your child to delight in some fresh air and fun activities like
playing in the garden or at the park.
9. Use bean balls or bags to play throwing and catching games with your child. These
can be made at home by sewing up scraps of cloth with dried beans or peas inside.
10. Make sure your preschooler is safe while playing. Use age appropriate toys and
materials and play equipment and a well-fitting helmet if using bike or scooter.

8 TV and Electronic Media
Your Preschooler and… TV and Electronic Media

TV, computers and video games are a major influence in our world. Electronic media may
become increasingly important in your child’s daily life as he or she grows older. However,
there still is a great deal not known about its impact on children’s development. If you
have them in your home, too much TV and too many electronic games may become a
negative influence in your child’s life. Electronics should not take the place of books,
creative play, or exercise.

1. Set and enforce limits. For a preschooler, a total of one hour of TV and computer
time per day is a reasonable limit.
2. Set a good example. Spend your free time reading, listening to music, or exercising.
3. If your children are watching TV, sit down and watch with them. Comment on what
you are seeing, or ask your child a question about what is going on. Children should
sit at least three meters away from the TV screen.
4. Watching TV or playing computer games before bed stimulates brain activity and
can keep your child from falling asleep. Reading a book with your child before bed
may be more relaxing.
5. Be selective as to content. Look for programming that has some age appropriate
educational value. Avoid shows that are violent or scary.
6. Keep electronics in a family area so that you can monitor their use and interact with
your child while playing or watching.
7. Talk about the negatives. If you see something violent or scary, be sure to talk about
it with your preschooler. For example, if you see a house fire on the news, tell your
child: “Gee, that fire was scary, but look, no one was hurt.” Reassuring explanations
can eliminate a lot of fear and confusion as your child learns more about the world.
8. If available, use a VCR to record children’s programming to have on hand.
9. Keeping the television off during meal times will make conversation a priority, which
contributes to language development and learning.
10. Limit computer use. Using the computer does not necessarily help your child get
ready for learning. If you choose to allow your child to use a computer, look for
games and software for preschoolers that allows you and your child to experience
the computer together.

9 Vision and Hearing
Your Preschooler and… Vision and Hearing

Hearing and vision will be an important part of your child’s learning when they go to school.
Good vision helps a child see and understand what is happening around them. Actions like
reaching, running, catching and balancing all involve skill in eye-hand coordination. Watch
for signs that your child may have an eye problem and see your family doctor or optometrist
if you are concerned.
Good hearing is important for speech and language development. Children who have trouble
hearing find learning to read more difficult. By age three your child will hear and understand
most of what is said and will listen to stories and can answer questions. Watch for signs
that your child may have trouble hearing. See your family doctor if you are concerned. Some
ways to protect your child’s hearing are to keep your child in a smoke-free environment as
smoke causes increased ear infections, and when cleaning the ears, don’t use cotton swabs
or anything in the ear canal.
Signs that your child may have an Signs that your child may have trouble
eye problem are: hearing are:
• holding objects very closely; • regular ear infections;
• avoiding picture books, puzzles or • not responding to sound well, or

other near distance activities; responding better when speech is
loud;
• tilting the head, using an unusual
• having trouble telling where sounds
posture or covering one eye when
are coming from;
looking at something;
• developing speech late.
• too much blinking, squinting or eye
rubbing;
• complaining of headaches;
• drooping upper eyelids or eyes

turned in or out;
• red, burning, itchy eyes;
• trouble catching, building,

balancing or doing other eye-hand
coordination activities.

1. Play games such as throwing and catching a ball and balancing or building blocks to
help develop eye-hand coordination.
2. Show how important it is to protect the eyes to avoid eye injuries. Model using eye
protection around dangerous materials or equipment. Store poisons out of reach of
your child to help prevent eye injuries.
3. Sunglasses are recommended for children, as well as adults. Be sure they offer 99-
100% UVA and UVB protection.
4. Show your child the proper way to handle sharp objects like toys with pointed ends.
Provide simple rules for your child, such as, “We walk, not run, when we have sharp
objects in our hands.” If possible, provide children’s blunt scissors for your child to
use instead of sharp ones.
5. Talk, sing and read to your child — enjoy playing with sounds — all the activities listed
on page 3.
6. Washing hands well helps to prevent ear infections. Show your preschoolers how to
take care of their health by washing their hands with soap and warm water. This will
help when they are ready to go to school.
7. Show your child ways to protect his or her hearing by avoiding loud sounds, or
wearing ear protection when around loud sounds, including loud music.

10 Healthy Teeth
Your Preschooler and… Healthy Teeth

Teeth are important to the total health of your child. Even though baby teeth are replaced by
adult teeth, they are needed to help your child speak clearly, eat well and have a healthy smile.
Baby teeth also hold space in the mouth until the adult teeth come in typically around age 12
or 13. By age three, most children have 20 teeth. Tooth brushing helps prevent tooth decay and
it needs good hand skills — skills not fully gained until age five, so preschoolers need your help
to brush their teeth in the morning and before going to sleep at night. One way to make tooth
brushing a healthy habit in your family is to brush your teeth at the same time as your child.
1. Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush. Fluoride is a

proven way to prevent cavities. Some children’s toothpastes do not have fluoride, so
check the labels before you buy.
2. Practise putting the right amount of toothpaste on the brush with your child. Keep
the toothpaste out of reach of younger children. The flavour of some fluoride
toothpastes may tempt your child to use more than needed, and just a little fluoride
is all that’s needed to help protect your child’s teeth.
3. Make a game of brushing teeth or make up a tooth brushing song like “Brush,
brush, brush your teeth” to the tune of “Row, row, row your boat.”
4. Flossing is also important. Use a floss pick or string floss once a day to floss your
child’s teeth. It is best for an adult to do the flossing for a young child.
5. Choose tooth-friendly snacks like cheese cubes and cut up fresh vegetables and
fruit. Sugars and starches feed bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities. Sources
of these include:
• soft drinks (pop), juice and other sweets;

• sticky foods such as dried fruit and candy;
• sweet foods such as cookies, granola bars, chocolate, cake, pastries, doughnuts,
muffins and sweetened gum;
• starchy foods such as crackers, noodles and chips.
If you offer these foods, do so at a snack or meal or have children brush their teeth
right away.
6. Help your preschooler have good feelings about going to the dentist. Ask your public
librarian for children’s books about going to the dentist and read them together.

11 Physical Activity
Your Preschooler and… Physical Activity

Being physically active is important for your preschooler’s healthy growth and development.
Helping preschoolers to build physical activity into their daily routine helps to create an active
lifestyle that will stay with them for life. Physical activity builds strong bones, strengthens
muscles and the heart, and helps develop flexibility, good posture and balance. An introduction
to a range of activities will get your preschooler ready for safe physical activity at school. An
easy way to increase your child’s physical activity level is to choose activities to do in many
5 -10 minute periods throughout the day. At three years of age your child should be able
to jump off the ground with two feet, hop on one foot for a few steps, use pedals to ride a
tricycle, dance to music in rhythm, and catch a large ball. It is important to recognize that
young children develop these skills at their own pace and adults should be patient while
preschoolers learn.
1. Play active games with your child such as tag or hide-and-go-seek; throw, kick and
hit a ball; or go swimming together.
2. Walk with your child to the park or playground to be active together. Teach
playground safety to your child (waiting their turn, sliding feet first and staying away
from moving swings and bottoms of slides). When playing outside, protect your child
from the sun by using sunscreen with at least SPF 15.
3. Preschoolers can be active inside, too. Run and jump while dancing.
4. Walk with your child to a friend’s house, to a corner store, or around your
neighbourhood.
5. Encourage preschoolers to do things on their own by allowing them to help carry the
groceries, or do simple housework and gardening tasks. These can be fun for your
child, and also help to increase physical activity.

12 Healthy Snacks
Your Preschooler and… Healthy Snacks

The preschool years are important years for learning to taste and enjoy an expanding number
of foods prepared in different ways. Children need a variety of foods from each group of
Canada’s Food Guide every day to help them learn, play, and grow. See page 21 for a Website
link that explains Canada’s Food Guide. Children have small stomachs, so they need to eat
every two or three hours. Plan for three meals a day with healthy snacks in between.
At meal and snack times, children learn both eating and social skills. Children’s appetites
go up and down through growth spurts so let them choose whether or not to eat and how
much. Sit down with your child at meal time and snack time and eat with them. Children
learn by watching your example.
Offer foods from two or more foods groups of Canada’s Food Guide for a healthy snack. Limit
choices such as pop, chips and candy that are high in sugar and/or fat.

1. Plan healthy snacks with your child before your child gets hungry. If you know you
will be away from home during snack time — pack a snack that can be safely kept in
your bag or carry along an insulated cooler bag.
2. Involve your child in food preparation activities. Children who help shop for and
make snacks are more likely to eat them. For example, your child can wash fruit
for a snack. When you are grocery shopping, let your child choose a new fruit or
vegetable to try.
3. Offer your preschooler a choice: “Would you like carrot sticks or broccoli trees?”
4. Avoid “grazing” (constant snacking) or “sipping” drinks all day. This is tough on teeth
and children need good appetites to do well at mealtimes. To prevent grazing say,
Okay, snack time is almost over. Let’s finish up so we can go play again.”
5. Choose from some of these popular and easy snack choices:
• toast triangles with peanut or nut butter;

• whole grain pita and hummus;
• fig cookies with milk;
• bean and cheese burrito “bites”;
• milk or soy smoothie with fresh or frozen berries;
• veggie sticks with cottage cheese for dipping;
• fruit sections and milk;
• plain yogurt with fruit pieces;
• thinly sliced meat rolled around bread “fingers”;
• smoked salmon and wholegrain crackers;
• hard cooked egg sandwich quarters on whole wheat bread;
• serve milk or water to drink with meals and snacks. If children are thirsty at
other times, offer water. Your child does not need fruit juice. If you offer juice,
limit to 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-125mL) each day. Offer only pasteurized 100%
vegetable or fruit juice

I Want to Know More About…
There are lots of resources available with more information on helping your child get
ready to learn. Here are some recommendations:
BC Child Care Resource & Referral Programs

These programs offer quality child care referrals, resources and support to all child care
providers and parents in over 170 communities across the Province of British Columbia.
The website provides a list of contacts for local Child Care Resource and Referral Programs.
www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/cc_resource.htm
BC Council for Families

The BC Council for Families offers training, resources and publications designed to
strengthen and support families. Call to request a catalogue of resources or check the
Council’s website. Publications may be ordered on line or by phone, or fax.
Call: 1-800-663-5638 or 604-660-0675 in Vancouver.
www.bccf.bc.ca
BC HealthGuide Handbook and First Nations

Health Handbook
The BC HealthGuide Handbook has 190 health topics, including advice on when to see a
health professional. The First Nations Health Handbook provides information and specific
resources for First Nations people in BC
www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthguide.stm
www.healthlinkbc.ca/first_nations_healthguide.pdf

BC HealthGuide OnLine
BC HealthGuide OnLine provides reliable, medically approved information on more than
3,000 common health topics, tests, procedures and other resources to BC residents.
www.healthlinkbc.ca
Dial-A-Dietitian
Dial-A-Dietitian provides a free nutrition information line for British Columbians. It
specializes in quality nutrition information based on current scientific sources. Registered
dietitians provide brief nutrition on the phone consultation by calling 8-1-1.
www.dialadiatition.org
HealthFiles
Easily understood fact sheets on public health and safety topics, these are updated
regularly with B.C. specific information.
www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/index.stm
BC Public Library Services

This is an online list of contacts for local public libraries provided by the BC Ministry of
Education.
www.bcpl.gov.bc.ca/public/contacts.php
This Virtual Reference Desk for Public Libraries of British Columbia provides Internet links
and an online catalogue for BC Public Libraries.
www.bcpl.gov.bc.ca/VRD
Child and Family Canada Virtual Library

This public education website provides quality, credible resources on children and families.
Information is also available in French.
www.cfc-efc.ca
Eating Well With Canada’s Food Guide

This Internet resource describes how you can use Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide to
make wise food choices for everyone aged two and older.
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

Family Resource Programs
The BC Association of Family Resource Programs is a not-for-profit organization which provides
interactive programs for families with children up to six years old.
www.frpbc.ca
Health Canada
The latest health information including headlines, advisories, warnings and recalls of
products, links to health organizations and an A-to-Z index including information for Aboriginal
peoples. The website is in English and French.
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
Invest in Kids
“Comfort, play, and teach.” The Invest in Kids website has all sorts of ideas for supporting
your child’s development at different stages, in English and French.
Call: 1-877-583-KIDS.
www.investinkids.ca
Mental Health Information Line

Provides taped information on provincial mental health programs as well as symptoms,
causes, treatment, support groups and publications relating to a number of mental illnesses.
Staff can provide local contact information for parents. This is a 24-hour line.
Call: 1-800-661-2121 or 604-669-7600 in Vancouver.
Ministry of Children and Family Development: Early

Childhood Development
Regional offices can provide information for families on local childhood development
resources. Check the blue pages of your phone book for local listings. Links to early childhood
development programs and information are available on the Ministry website.
www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/index.htm
Poison Control Centre

This centre provides information on poisons and treatment.
Call: 1-800-567-8911 or Vancouver Emergency: 604-682-5050

Public Health Authorities
Public Health provides services and supports for preschoolers’ health and development
within each Health Authority. Contact the Public Health unit in your area for questions related
to nutrition, hearing, dental, speech, immunization, and overall health and development.
For the public health unit in your area, look under the blue pages in your telephone book.
www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/socsec/index.html
(P.A.L.S.) Parents As Literacy Supporters

P.A.L.S is a highly successful, culturally responsive family literacy program, active at more
than 200 sites in school districts and Aboriginal communities around the province.
www.2010legaciesnow.com/pals/
StrongStart BC Centres
This website provides information on StrongStart BC early learning centres in British Columbia.
StrongStart BC early learning centres are free early learning programs for preschool-aged
children attending with their families and caregivers.
www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/strongstart_bc/
Toddler’s First Steps

This resource, available online or from your local public health unit, assists parents and
caregivers of children six months to three years of age in understanding what contributes
to their child’s healthy growth and development.
www.health.gov.bc.ca/children/initiatives/toddler.html
ReadNow BC
ReadNow BC is a government action plan that promotes literacy programs and resources
to help all british Columbians improve their reading skills.
www.readnowbc.ca/
LEAP BC (Literacy, Education, Activity and Play)

LEAP BC™ resources, for families, caregivers and early learning practitioners, support
healthy child development through activities involving physical movement, healthy eating,
language and early literacy.
www.2010legaciesnow.com/leap_bc/

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eady, et,

earn Helping your

Section 5: Getting Along with Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Section 6: The Wider World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10

Section 8: TV and Electronic Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Section 9: Vision and Hearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Section 10: Healthy Teeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Section 11: Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Section 12: Healthy Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 20

I Want to Know More About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 1

Your Preschooler and… Talking

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 2

11. Make up stories together.

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 3

Your Preschooler and… Books

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 4

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 5

Try some of these with your preschooler:

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 6

Your Preschooler and… Feelings

Try some of these with your preschooler:

7. Address inappropriate behaviour immediately and calmly. Preschoolers usually

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 7

Your Preschooler and… Getting Along with Others

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 8

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 9

Your Preschooler and… the Wider World

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 10

To encourage care of the earth:

To encourage an understanding of diversity:

To encourage understanding of culture:

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 11

Your Preschooler and… Play

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 12

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 13

Your Preschooler and… TV and Electronic Media

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 14

8. If available, use a VCR to record children’s programming to have on hand.

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 15

Your Preschooler and… Vision and Hearing

• avoiding picture books, puzzles or • not responding to sound well, or

• drooping upper eyelids or eyes

• red, burning, itchy eyes;

• trouble catching, building,

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 16

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 17

Your Preschooler and… Healthy Teeth

Try some of these with your preschooler:

1. Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush. Fluoride is a

• soft drinks (pop), juice and other sweets;

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 18

Your Preschooler and… Physical Activity

Try some of these with your preschooler:

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 19

Your Preschooler and… Healthy Snacks

Ready, Set, Learn — Page 20

5. Choose from some of these popular and easy snack choices:

• toast triangles with peanut or nut butter;