Message in a Backpack

A young girl with a backpack walks through a door with her parent.  Both are seen from behind.

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Message in a Backpack™ is a column that appears in Teaching Young Children. Print these documents out and send them home with children as a resource for their families!

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parents on the computer with their child
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 2, 2024

Message in a Backpack™. Planning a Trip? Encourage Your Child to Help

No matter where you’re going—whether running errands around town or to a big gathering far away—you can encourage your child to practice their literacy skills as you plan together.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Deborah Farmer Kris
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children reading together
Article
Teaching Young Children
July 1, 2022

Message in a Backpack™ Using Sentence Stems at Home: Tips for Families

When reading together, families can support early language and comprehension skills by offering short sentence stems, or sentence starters, to help children share what they are thinking and learning.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Michele Coulombe, Erin Zuccaro
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two teachers looking at a childs art project
Article
Teaching Young Children
July 1, 2021

Message in a Backpack™ Guiding Your Child’s Behavior

Challenging behaviors often happen when children feel they don’t have another way to express their feelings or another way to get what they need. Here's how to stay calm, patient, and consistent as you help your child understand your expectations.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Keri Giordano
Members Only
Young child experimenting with various materials
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2021

Message in a Backpack ™ پیام در کوله پشتی ™ Choosing the Best STEM Activities for Your Child انتخاب بهترین فعالیت های علم ، فناوری ، مهندسی و ریاضی برای کودک خود

يحب الأطفال الصغار استكشاف العالم من حولهم - وتعد أنشطة العلوم والتكنولوجيا والهندسة والرياضيات طريقة رائعة لمساعدتهم على القيام بذلك.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Rosemary Geiken
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Children playing with toys.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2021

Message in a Backpack ™ Developing Your Preschooler’s Spatial Thinking

Research suggests that preschoolers’ early mathematics learning—including spatial-thinking skills—is related to later success in both reading and math. Here are some tips for supporting your preschooler’s spatial thinking!

Authored by

Authored by: 
Ashley Lewis Presser, Jillian Orr, Mollie Levin
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A child pouring ingredients into a bowl.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2021

Message in a Backpack ™ Choosing the Best STEM Activities for Your Child

Young children love to explore the world around them—and STEM activities are a great way to help them do it. With so many STEM ideas to choose from, how do you find what is best for your child?

Authored by

Authored by: 
Rosemary Geiken, Sandy Chilton
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mother and two young girls doing yoga in the living room
Article
Teaching Young Children
September 16, 2020

Message in a Backpack™ Helping Your Child through Change

We gathered insights from individuals with various perspectives and roles in early childhood. Here, you will read excerpts of what some of them would share with families about supporting children during this period of rapid change.
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