4H clubs are designed to help children to learn about many different interests that could become too costly for one person to pursue. Read more here: http://www.4-h.org/about/youth-development-organization/

Make sure you check out one of the various county 4H fairs in New Jersey.  Throughout July and August, there are 4H fairs just about every weekend.  Check out the link below to find one near you!
http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/fairs/

Be sure to check out http://wonderopolis.org.  They have a wonder of the day that you can sign up for.  You can add your comments and hear what others are thinking and wondering.  Today's wonder of the day is "What is Chlorine?"

Video: Soeder, John. (July 19, 2013). What is Chlorine? Wonderopolis. retrieved on July 19, 2013. from http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php

    Ever sit and think, "These books are too easy for my daughter/son to read."  You're not alone.  It is common for first graders to breeze through the books that are sent home with them.  There is a reason for this.  It is called independent reading.  In first grade your child is just learning how to read and more importantly to enjoy reading.  We should be doing everything in our power to make that process pleasurable for them. 
     When you are learning how to do something, if there are too many roadblocks, you tend to shut down and begin to associate a negative feeling to that skill.  This is a crucial time in your child's life and it is all of our responsibility to nurture it. 
    If you'd like to encourage your child to read a harder selection, I suggest you pay attention to their cues: 

• Are they getting too frustrated? 
• Are they "depending" on your support too much in order for it to be considered "independent" reading? 
• Are they proud of themselves for their reading?
• Are they reading and comprehending?   Can they answer questions about the story?

     If you find they are too frustrated, depend on you too much, aren't proud of their ability to read, or aren't comprehending the story, you may be pushing too hard and building a wall that will be very hard to break down.  

    Make reading as pleasant as possible and you will develop a good reader.