Helping Your Child Succeed in School: Ages 5 to 9

How Much Does It Weigh?

For children ages 5 to 7

Build your child's interest in math and science by helping him to observe, estimate and weigh objects at home.

Using simple bathroom and kitchen scales at home prepares children for using equipment in school to weigh and measure.

What You Need

• Bathroom scale

• Show your child two objects such as a five-pound bag of sugar and a ten-pound bag of potatoes and ask him to guess which weighs the most. Show him how to use a scale to weigh the objects. Have him record the weights.

• Next show him several objects and ask him to guess how much each weighs. Have him write his estimates, then weigh the objects.

• If you choose, have your child estimate his own weight, as well as that of other family members and use the scale to check his guesses. 

Start to Finish

For children ages 5 to 7

Organization has to be learned. Help your child learn to plan, begin and finish a job.

Students who can plan a task are usually more successful and can do it in a shorter amount of time.

What You Need

• Pencil and paper
• Items used to do a job around the house, such as watering plants or setting the table.

What to Do

• Together with your child, select a job he usually does around the house, such as watering the plants. Ask him to make a chart like the one below, then write down or tell you the "Plan," "Do," and "Finish" steps needed to do his job well. Look over these steps together and talk about possible changes.

  Plan	Do	Finish
  Get supplies 1. watering can 2. paper towels	1. fill can 2. water plants 3. wipe up spills 4. pick off dead leaves	1. throw away used towels and dead leaves 2. put away can

• List the "Plan," "Do," and "Finish" steps of one or two jobs that you do around the house. Ask your child to help you think of ways that you can improve each step.

• When you give your child a new task, help him to plan the steps so that he can do the job well and have a sense of accomplishment.

Where Did I Put That?

For children ages 7 to 9

Older children also need help getting organized. Creating a special place for school items will help make mornings smoother for both your child and you.

Keeping all school items in one place helps teach children how much easier life can be when they are organized and plan ahead.

What You Need

• Cardboard box
• Crayons or markers

What to Do

• Find a sturdy cardboard box or carton large enough to hold notebooks and other school things. Let your child decorate it with pictures, words or artwork and her name. Agree with the child about where to put the box. You might suggest a spot near the front door or the place where she does homework.

• Let your child know that her school things should go in the box as soon as she comes home from school. All homework and anything else she needs for school the next day also should go into it.

• Let your child make a rainy day box and put it in a different place (or make it a different color). Have her fill it with "treasures" - games, books, photographs, souvenirs and keepsakes. Invite other members of the family to put surprises in the box from time to time (no snakes or frogs, please!).

• Show your appreciation when your child keeps things in order. 

My Place

For children ages 7 to 9