Since the beginning of time, mothers have sought to provide

their young children with a variety of pleasurable play experiences,

if for no other reason than that an occupied child is a happy,

satisfied child. However, in recent years mothers have become

increasingly aware of the importance of play in training and in

teaching the child to meet the demands of the world more success-

fully.

The Head Start program and others like it awakened a

realization of the importance of the play opportunities that are

provided in the home environment. Research has clearly indicated

that a rich home environment providing a variety of firsthand

play experiences can have a great impact on the child s potential

learning ability.

In recent years several books have been published containing

mountains of theoretical advice to parents, and a few of these

books contain a scant list of ideas for activities for the child. As

parents have become familiar with the basic principles of enriching

the child s environment, they have expressed a need for more

practical how-to ideas. This book contains a snort review of the

child-development principles involved in teaching skills to the

young child, and an extensive collection of firsthand, skill-oriented

activities that can be administered to the young child in the home

with basic materials.

It is the author s hope that such firsthand, experience-oriented

activities will provide parents with the necessary ideas to give their

children the essential ingredients for optimal development and

enable the child to successfully meet the challenges of formal

education.