Encourage parents to read to their children each day. Show them how to enhance the reading experience by discussing the events of the story with their child and using their finger to point to words as they say them out loud. Provide a list of books for parents to introduce to their children, and encourage them to find books that their children love and want to hear over and over.
Recommend that parents give their children a few household chores to teach them responsibility and independence skills. Chores might include cleaning up toys when playtime is over, setting the table, preparing snacks, making their bed or sweeping the floor. Reinforce this homework assignment by asking students to clean up after themselves in the classroom as well. In addition, encourage parents to let children be more independent by letting them dress themselves, brush their teeth and comb their hair. Let parents know that children will probably need some help and guidance with some of these tasks.
Provide a list of locations within your community for parents to take their children for a field trip. This list might include local museums or theaters. In addition, give examples of how parents can turn any moment into an educational experience. For example, when dropping off a letter at the post office, encourage parents to take their children inside so that they can see how letters are moved from one location to another. When grocery shopping, parents should let their children help create the grocery list and then help to find those items on the shelves at the grocery store. Include the library, park and other local attractions on the list.
Young children learn best through play, so give parents some ideas for how to expand learning while their children play. For example, parents might give their children play dough and then ask them to make a specific shape. This will develop their child's fine motor skills while teaching mathematical concepts. When looking through a picture book, parents should ask their children to name different colors in the pictures, or to talk about what is happening in the picture, to teach color recognition and language skills. Most importantly, make certain that both parents and their children are having fun.