Born Learning:
Making Everyday Moments into Learning Opportunities

In partnership with United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Council continues to promote Born Learning, a public engagement campaign dedicated to helping parents and caregivers create early, fun learning opportunities for young children, to ensure school readiness and continued success throughout their lives.  Born Learning helps parents, grandparents and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning experiences. The Council provides training to parents and child care staff, and has free materials available for both caregivers and parents that provide fun activities, games and ideas to use with children. The Council also has a portable Born Learning Trail and a Born Learning Hopscotch Mat available for loan to programs for special events.   Contact Susan Edelstein at susane@cccwny.org to borrow these fun learning tools.

Born Learning Tip: Traveling in the Car

Connection to learning: Are we there yet? Use the time in the car to enhance your child's natural curiosity and find ways to interact and connect with your child. What interests your child on car trips? Is it looking for signs that you are almost home or it is talking while you are together? Is it repeating new or silly words or sounds? Is it saying nursery rhymes, singing or watching for when the traffic lights change? Rather than finding toys to amuse and distract your child, use driving time to connect and enjoy being together. Here are some ways to do that:

For your young baby (birth to 8 months)
Use car travel as a time to sing. Play a tape or CD or sing songs you know or love. Singing about everyday activities helps children enjoy the sounds of language, and helps babies begin to associate words with good experiences. Singing also creates a sense of togetherness.

For your older baby (9 - 18 months)
Think of yourself as your child's greatest plaything. Your voice, your face, the things you do, and your actions are the things that intrigue him/her the most. Children have a natural curiosity for the things humans do. Remember, you and your time are the most valuable gifts you can give to your child. Talk to your older baby and as they 'babble' back to you, pronounce their words correctly. This helps them remember and speak the correct words.

For your toddler
Look for trucks as you drive along and see who can yell out "truck" first. Listen to what your toddler says and repeat his/her words, adding new words or rhyming with words he/she says. The games help children learn to watch carefully and to categorize.

For your preschooler
Use car time to talk about your child's day. Ask specific questions ("Did you draw in preschool?" or "Did you eat a cheese sandwich?") rather than general ones ("How was your day?") because they are easier for young children to answer. Help your child talk about past experiences to enhance memory. Talk with your child about where you are going in the future ("We are going to the market on the way home") to help him or her develop thinking and planning skills.