Even Our Babies Have Class~

    ACADEMICS? Yes!!, We have a great academic program for children of all ages, including our babies.

EK has 2 Academic Programs to work from: The Learning Box & The High Reach Programs. Ek teaches American Sign Language to all children, especially our Babies, along with some key words of Spanish.

Babies are our best little learners. From "Psychology Today":

Can Babies Really Read? What Parents Should Know!

So much can change in your baby's world--and in yours--when you hold your baby in your arms and read a book to him or her. When doing research for Raising Confident Readers, I discovered some remarkable findings that might surprise parents. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about reading aloud to babies, and whether or not babies can read.

What's the Most Important Reason to Read to Your Baby?

The answer is love. "You will love your baby more by reading to her!" The most powerful enticement for early reading may be feelings--both the baby's and yours. When doing research for my book, I was surprised to learn that many bonding studies support the notion that early contact--touching, skin-to-skin contact, the parent's smells (and baby's pleasant scent), which are all part of early reading aloud, improve feelings of love and attachment and make you a better parent.

Not withstanding baby's vocabulary and later intellectual and academic success, joyful reading aloud with your baby in your arms is a wonderful way to bond. She loves your attention. Love your baby and read to him or her often.

Not withstanding baby's vocabulary and later intellectual and academic success, joyful reading aloud with your baby in your arms is a wonderful way to bond. She loves your attention. Love your baby and read to him or her often.

What Do I Do When my Baby Seems More Interested in Eating the Book than Reading It?

Rejoice! Your baby is using one of his or her best tools for discovering what a book is all about. He's using his lips, along with taste, and smell, which are all part of early book exploration! Be patient. He will soon be turning the pages and responding to books with joy, surprise, laughter, and curiosity!

What Kind of Books Do Babies Like Best?

Babies are eclectic--they love rhymes, poems, songs, fun stories, and caption or label books. Babies love to learn. Babies love lifting the flap and touch and feel books. They love to celebrate the musicality of language with rhymes, songs, and poems. They love finger plays--remember "This Little Pig Went to the Market?" Books should make baby smile and laugh. Lifting the flap and anticipating what's behind it is all about making predictions, an essential cognitive activity that drives the meaning making process in adult reading. Hearing narratives in babyhood enables babies to construct their own narratives in speech and drawing at a very early age. And don't forget, babies love illustrations and art. They can see colors by three months of age and register their favorites--bold primary reds, greens, blues, and yellows. Babies delight in looking at faces and photos of other babies. (It's innate!) The language in baby books should be clear, simple, and happy.

 What Are the Rules for Reading Aloud to Babies? 

• Keep books simple and provide lots of repetition.
• Use face-to-face contact.
• Make conversation with your baby/toddler about the book.
• Use elaborations, make connections.
• Use affirmations but don't make corrections or use force.
• Have fun!

When Do I Start Reading to my Baby?

Your baby's brain is ready for reading at birth. Even before birth, baby's brain responds to the musical quality of the sound, which she can hear in the womb. She will recognize her mother's voice within a few days after birth and you will see hints of response and sparkles of recognition during read-alouds--coo's and ooooh's and aaaah's around two months of age, and often a babbling repertoire around five months. If you imitate and show delight in the sounds she is making she will babble more!

When Do I Start Teaching Phonics?

You start teaching the precursors of phonics informally whenever you read aloud to your baby. Her specialized brain is already wired to recognize human speech, pay attention to word boundaries and focus on categorizing the individual sounds of the language spoken by the parent. Reading aloud in the first two years of life enriches the language data your child's brain is processing naturally. By reading favorite books you increase the repetition during a critical period of learning when repetition is helpful, and you provide more words and a richer grammar--all of which help your baby lay down more elaborate language circuits than by just talking to her.

~~EK has been using High Reach from the start, (18+ years) and now The Learning Box.  We have grown together, learning from one another. When High Reach added it’s Baby Program, we were thrilled and immediately added it to our Academic Program. EK believes in having the whole family on the same unit, the same theme each month, so siblings can talk about what they are learning at school. And of course, High Reach is the number one academic program, not only for Preschools, but also for Head Start Programs.    

What is the number one item/thing about Elite Kids Learning, that many other schools don't have?

Elite Kids is always changing and adapting to what we are learning.  Yes we do have policies and procedures like other schools & businesses, but since our owner works alongside her staff, when ideas come up, we can all talk about them,  and make changes, share ideas.   Other centers can't make changes like we do, they are corporate and therefore have no choice.  Elite Kids loves their children and more than anything, we want to be there for everything that your child needs today.  Elite Kids is always growing, adding new classes for the children, improving on safety and security, improving on academics and free play too! 

    ~Stop By Anytime, We Love Company~

Elite Kids Learning Academy Rewarded Runner Up for Best Of Kirkland