Helping Children Grow New Skills

While watching lots of new things sprout and grow this Spring, I have been reminded that new skills are a lot like plants. A seed doesn’t grow into a full flower immediately. It needs care and nurturing along the way. So, if you are working with your child to learn something new, like how to share, how would you raise that new skill from a seed into a flower?

Plant the seed. If you want your child to learn something new, you need to pre-teach your child what you want them to do. That is like planting the seed for the new skill. So, for example, if your want your child to share with their friends, you would want to break that skill down into simple steps. That might sound like “When you are playing with your friends and they ask if they can play with your toy, you can say ‘I will be done in two minutes’. Then you can play for two more minutes. Then you can give your friend a turn. That is sharing.”

Let the seed unfurl. Just like a seed doesn’t grow into a flower overnight, it can take time for a skill to develop. Your child is not likely to be able to do something perfectly the first (or second or even tenth) time that they try. They need time and often help to practice new skills. And you may need patience as they develop their new skills.

Feed the growing flower. Just like a growing plant needs water and sunlight, when your child is learning a new skill, they need praise and encouragement to motivate them to keep practicing and growing that skill. Letting your child know that you can see their effort (even if the skill is not yet fully developed) is very important, particularly if the skill is a difficult one.

So, if your child lets their friend know that they will share a toy but then forgets to actually give them the toy, you could say “I really liked the way you told your friend that they could play with your toy in two minutes. That was a great start. I can help you keep track of the two minutes so that you can give your friend a turn.”

Just like you would not criticize a flower for growing too slowly, if your child is taking some time to develop a skill, rather than telling them about what they are not doing, you can acknowledge that they are working hard. So, if your child is having a hard time remembering to share, you could say something like “I know that you want to be friendly and I know that it can still be hard to share your toy. Let’s try again next time and you and I can practice sharing before we see your friend again.”

Sometimes it can be easier for a child to practice a skill with their parent at home when it is quiet than in the middle of a game with a friend. Setting aside time to practice and role play with your child can be really helpful. And, just like some plants need more fertilizer than others, if your child is struggling with learning a skill, you may want to set up a star chart so that your child can track their progress.

Enjoy the flower! Once your child has fully developed the new skill, be sure to praise their hard work.

Just like growing a garden, helping your child learn new skills takes time and patience. Once the skills bloom, you will see that all of the hard work is worth it!

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
WhatsApp

More Content to Explore ...

Activities
OSLC IT

KITS Rocks!!

Spring is MARCHing our way!  Flowers begin to emerge, we get to plan and start our gardens, the sun begins to warm our skin, and

Español
Katherine Pears

¡Lean para divertirse este verano!

Todos los veranos decimos lo mismo: ¡La lectura es una de las maneras más importantes de ayudar a los niños a preparase para la escuela!

TFC CONSULTANTS, OSLC, ODI

Confidentiality Agreement

This year, we return to in-person training. We will be in spaces where multiple programs, in addition to KITS, operate. We are asking all attendees to agree with the Confidentiality Agreement below to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

As an employee, volunteer, visitor, or associate of TFC Consultants, Inc., Oregon Social Learning Center and OSLC Developments, Inc., I agree to the following:

  1. To refrain from discussing material relating to individual persons and/or families with, or in the presence of, persons other than those who have signed this confidentiality agreement.
  2. To refrain from disclosing the participation of individual persons and/or families in research, prevention, demonstration, evaluation, dissemination, and/or treatment projects at TFCC, OSLC and ODI to persons other than those who have signed this confidentiality agreement.
  3. To maintain confidentiality as outlined above, both during and after my association with TFC Consultants, Inc., Oregon Social Learning Center and OSLC Developments, Inc.
  4. To see that all files containing material relating to individual persons and/or families are locked, whether or not this material contains identifying information, and that information is released only to authorized persons.
  5. To immediately report any breach in confidentiality to my supervisor and/or the management of TFCC, OSLC and ODI.

KITS REQUIREMENTS

Coaching and Videotaping

KITS uses ongoing coaching to support educators in the implementation of the model. We do this through viewing groups on video, weekly team meetings, and fidelity monitoring. Your team will record KITS School Readiness and Parent Groups and upload each session to a secure online platform (such as Box.com). The videos are only used as a means to support KITS staff. We promise it’s not scary!

Your KITS team will meet every week to talk about what is working well and areas where you may be experiencing challenges. During these meetings, teams and coaches will work together to problem-solve challenges, offer support and encouragement, and celebrate successes!

If parents or students do not wish to be recorded, they can be seated out of view or for online parent groups they may turn off their cameras.

Ownership

‘Kids In Transition to School’ and ‘KITS’ are registered trademarks of Oregon Social Learning Center (OSLC) in Eugene, Oregon.

KITS Program Manuals are protected by copyrights owned by OSLC.

This means there are some limits to how you can use KITS:

  • KITS Program Materials can only be used as intended. Materials may not be modified and/or used for a different purpose.
  • KITS Program Materials must not be distributed to anyone outside of KITS, including colleagues.
  • KITS Materials may no longer be used if your school district or agency ends its contract with KITS.