HOW KIDS DEVELOP
(Ages and Stages of Youth Development)
Children Show Common Characteristics of Youth Development
Certain characteristics are common to Children
at each age level. Although children differ in the
rate at which they develop, the order of the
stages does not vary. While it is extremely
important to remember that every child is
unique and special in his or her own right, some
needs and interests are universal to all children
to ensure successful development.
We all need to:
• Experience a positive self - concept.
• Experience success in what we attempt to do.
• Become increasingly independent.
• Develop and accept our own sex identity.
• Give and receive attention.
• Experience adventure.
 Be accepted by people of different ages-peers
as well as those in authority.
These needs continue from infancy through old
age. Other needs vary for different children and
different ages.
Age appropriateness refers to how well a youth
development program matches its educational
offerings with the universal, predictable
sequences of growth and change that occur in
children. Children’s development proceeds in
stages. Each stage is distinct, characterized by
abilities, attitudes, and priorities that are
qualitatively different from those of preceding
and subsequent stages.
From kindergarten through high school, youth
pass through four developmental stages.
Specialists often identify these stages as:
• Early Childhood: Ages 5-8
• Middle Childhood: Ages 9-11
• Early Adolescence: Ages 12-14
• Middle Adolescence: Ages 15-18
Please remember: Children develop at their
own pace, and all characteristics will not be
observed in all children at the same age or at the
same stage of development.
For each child, consider uniqueness, needs and
interests.
To do this, keep in mind the following two basic
development principles.
1. Age is not a perfect predictor of maturity.
Most children go through predictable order, but
ages at which they do this will vary enormously.
An activity that is well within the capability of
one child may be much too difficult for another
child exactly the same age. Providing a choice
of activities or providing multiple levels of
difficulty within one activity is the ideal.
2. Growth may proceed at different rates in
various developmental areas within an
individual child. A child who is advanced
physically may be average in terms of mental
ability and below average in terms of emotional
and social growth. A child may need different
experiences in each of these areas to reach his or
her full potential.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODEL
A supportive, caring adult helps youth discover what they are learning as part of their experiences and to
pursue deeper understanding to be able to apply what was learned in other life situations. 4-H youth
programs promote life skill development through use of a five-step experiential learning model.
Experiential learning can occur when youth are involved in a project or activity in which they:
 Look back at their experience critically
 Determine what was useful or important to remember
 Apply this new information in real life situations
 Are encouraged to think, work harder and ultimately learn more thoroughly than is possible
through just showing or telling.
Leaders can facilitate such learning through the Experiential Learning Model by:
• Setting aside enough time for reflecting on the experience
• Asking the right questions
• Planning developmentally appropriate experiences that lead to reflection
• Listening carefully
• Supporting each youth’s unique learning style
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROCESS
QUESTIONS
1. EXPERIENCE—The hands-on action step. Youth do their activity/project before they are shown
or told how to do it. Remember it is important to not rob youth of their discoveries. Youth must
experiment with new ideas, interests, projects, etc., first-hand.
The following ideas for questions can help you utilize the whole experiential learning process.
2. SHARE—Describe what was done.
Promote discussion by asking the following:
 What kinds of hopes and dreams did you have for your 4-H experience this year?
 What did you do? Where did you go? What was your goal for this project/activity when you began?
 What did you do to plan your project/activity? Tell me about your most/least favorite things about
working on your project/activity.
 What did you learn while doing this project/activity? How did you feel? What was easiest? What
surprised you?
 What did you learn about yourself? How did you share your project/activity with others?
3. PROCESS—Identify common themes and discover what was most important (the life skill)
about the project, activity, or service opportunity.
Use the following process questions:
 What did you learn about yourself by doing this project/activity? How did others help you?
 How did you make your decisions? What steps did you take?
 What did you learn about making decisions?
 What made this a good project/activity?
 What were some of the common themes or thoughts you had?
 What problems came up over and over? How did you handle them?
 What would you do if _________________?
 What was the most challenging part of your project/activity? Why? How did you solve it? What did
you learn from this project/activity that you didn’t know before?
 What suggestions would you have for someone else who wanted to do a similar project or activity?
 Why does it matter (to you or anyone else) that you did this project/activity?
 What life skill(s) were you developing through your project? Why is the life skill important?
 What did you learn through sharing with others?
 What new questions do you have about yourself and others?
4. GENERALIZE—So what?
Identify how to use what’s been learned in real life. These questions transition the experience or
“product” itself to the skill being practiced in real life. They explore the nature of the life skill and help
participants reflect on how the life skill has been developed through their experiences. Generalizing sets
the stage for applying the life skill in new situations.
• What key points have you learned?
• Have you had similar experiences related to this project/activity?
• Where have you faced similar challenges in your life?
• How is this life skill important to you?
• Where might this situation occur in the future?
• Discuss another time when you had fun and learned new things at the same time.
• Why is it important to have plenty of information before making decisions?
• Describe what you learned about your decision making skills?
• What did you learn about your own skill in communicating with others?
• How would you describe your skills regarding ________________?
• What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn about this life skill?
5. APPLY—What’s next?
These are the questions the experiential learning process has been building toward. Adults can help
youth show that they have gained knowledge and practiced the life skills learned rather than solely
focusing on the subject matter.
• How do you think the project/activity relates to your everyday life?
• Why was this project/activity important to you?
• What have you learned about yourself? Others?
• Are there principles or guidelines you can use in real-life situations?
• What similar situations have you experienced?
• How can you use these skills in different situations?
• In what ways do people help each other learn new things?
• How will you act differently as a result of this experience?
• List some ways you can learn new things?
• What are qualities that you think are important in a leader?
• If someone helped or mentored you in this project, what would you tell him/her you learned and what
difference it has made in your life? How would you express your appreciation?
On Their Own – Registration Form
Name of youth _________________________________________________________________
___I am currently enrolled in my county 4-H program.
Address __________________________________________________
Email contact: _____________________________________________
Daytime contact in case of emergency _______________________________
Food allergies _______ yes ______ no
If yes, please list:_____________________________________________
In our family we allow the following to happen when our child is home on their own:
_____ cooking with plug in appliances
_____ cooking with oven
_____ using internet
_____ having friends over
_____ calling friends
_____ video games
_____ going outside the home (family yard)
Return completed information to: (allow this space to be open for localizing by county)
Health form for non-member. (If participant is a 4-H member, contact office staff to obtain a completed
form)
Iowa 4-H Medical Information/Release Form
(Non 4-H Club Members - Youth)
Year:
Keep original in County Office.
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
Participant’s Name _________________________ Date of Birth ___________________ Gender ____
Permanent Address ______________________________ Home Phone _________________________
City, State, Zip __________________________________
MEDICAL EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Person to Contact First
First Backup Contact (Relative or Friend)
Name
Name
Relation to Participant
Relation to Participant
Daytime Phone
Daytime Phone
Evening Phone
Evening Phone
Email
E-mail
Name of Family Doctor
Office Number
Name of Dentist
Office Number
INSURANCE POLICY INFORMATION
The above-named participant is covered by health insurance.
Yes**
No*
* If no, initial this line stating that you do not have health insurance and are aware that Iowa State
University/University Extension/4-H does not carry any health insurance for you. _________________
** If yes, provide the following information which is required by Iowa State University to expedite treatment and to
facilitate the billing process.
Policy Holder’s (P.H.) Name _____________________________ P.H.’s Date of Birth ______________________
Address _________________________________ Relation to Participant ________________________________
City, State, Zip _________________________________ Occupation __________________________________
P.H.’s Employer’s Name/Address _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Insurance Company Name ____________________________________________________________
Policy # _____________________________________ Plan # _______________________________
HEALTH INFORMATION (Please Print)
Does the child have any of the following conditions or a history of any of the following conditions? (Check
all that apply.)
 Asthma  Bronchitis  Fainting Spells  Diabetes
 Ear Infections
 Heart or cardio-vascular problems/disease  Convulsions/seizure  Hay Fever
muscle or joint injuries  Migraine headaches
 Other condition(s):
 Chronic bone,
(Please list)_______________________________
Allergies or reactions: (Check all that apply.)
Aspirin Penicillin
Ivy/oak/sumac toxins
Dairy Gluten Peanuts
Insect bites or stings
Other (list) ___________________________
Is your child currently on any prescribed or over-the counter medication? (If so, please record the condition/ailment,
name of medication, dosage, time(s) of day, prescribing physician.)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Date of last tetanus shot (approximate if necessary):_________________________________
TO BE READ AND SIGNED BY PARTICIPANT
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS OF THE PARTICIPANT It is important to follow the directions of the adult leader(s) at
all times. I understand that as a participant I have the responsibility to help make the activity a safe experience for
everyone through my behavior and conduct. I also understand the danger of not following rules and directions and
agree to follow them.
Participant Signature _________________________________________ Date_____________________________
TO BE READ AND SIGNED BY PARENT OR GUARDIAN
I understand that my child must be healthy and reasonably fit in order to safely participate in 4-H recreation activities
and that I will inform the program leader(s) of any medication, ailment, condition, or injury that may affect his/her
ability to participate safely.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY PARENTAL PERMISSION*
The health history for my child is correct and complete to my knowledge. If an injury or other medical condition occurs
or arises, I hereby give permission to the ISU Extension staff or volunteer to provide routine first aid and seek
emergency treatment including x- rays or routine tests. I agree to the release of any record necessary for treatment,
referral, billing or insurance purposes. I understand that I am financially responsible for charges and hereby
guarantee full payment to the attending physicians or health care unit. In the event of an emergency where I cannot
decide for my child, I give permission to the physician/hospital selected by the ISU Extension staff or volunteer to
secure and administer treatment for my child, including hospitalization. (*If you cannot sign this section of the form for
any reason, contact the County Extension Director regarding a legal waiver in order to attend and participate.)
_________initial __________date
PUBLICITY/IMAGE/VOICE PERMISSION
The Iowa State University Extension 4-H Program normally takes photographs, video, and/or tape recording of our
programs. During activities, a photograph or video/audio recording may be taken of you or your child. Unless you
request otherwise, your initial below will be considered permission for Iowa State University and the 4-H Program to
photograph, film, audio/video tape, record and/or televise your image and/or voice or the image and/or voice of your
child for use in any publications or promotional materials, in any medium now known or developed in the future
without any restrictions. If you object to ISU using you or your child’s image or voice in this manner, please notify the
adult leader.
_________initial __________date
TRANSPORTATION
I am giving my permission for my child to be transported during an authorized activity or event. I give my permission
for: (Check all that apply.)
My child to ride with any adult volunteer driver.
My child to ride with an authorized adult volunteer driver who has completed an MVR check.
My child to ride in another youth’s (18 or younger) vehicle to 4-H activities.
My child to drive his/her vehicle to 4-H activities or events.
My child to transport other 4-H participants in his/her or my vehicle.
I understand that if personally-owned vehicles are used as transportation to and from Iowa State University (ISU) 4-H
events or activities, that the owner of the vehicle is responsible for any liability that might occur during the
transportation. ISU does not provide coverage for any property damage, personal injury or liability that may occur
while using personal vehicles. Vehicle owners are required to carry automobile liability insurance as required by the
State of Iowa.
_________initial __________date
4-H ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY (Please read carefully.)
I give permission for ___________________________________ to participate in the 4-H program. I understand that
4-H project activities/events may involve certain risks of physical activity and possible injury and that Iowa State
University and its 4-H program will provide each participant with reasonable care, but that ISU cannot guarantee that
my child will remain free of injury. In addition, some 4-H projects including but not limited to: shooting sports, horse or
livestock projects, water activities, and other sporting activities have a higher degree of risk. I nonetheless wish to
have my child participate in the 4-H program and ASSUME the RISK of participating. I agree to RELEASE from
LIABILITY, INDEMNIFY and HOLD HARMLESS the State of Iowa, the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa, ISU
and ISU Extension and their officers, employees and agents (hereinafter the RELEASEES) from any and all claim
and/or cause of action arising out of and related to any injury, loss, penalties, damage, settlement, costs or other
expenses or liabilities that occur as a result of my child’s participation in the 4-H program. This release, however, is
not intended to release the above-mentioned RELEASEES from liability arising out of their sole negligence.
Parent or Guardian Signature________________________________________ Date ________________________
(Must be signed by the parent or guardian if the participant is under 18 years old)
. . . and justice for all The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the
basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file
a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and
June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Gerald A. Miller, Interm Director, Cooperative Extension
Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.
4H-3039B-Y August 2010
AGENDA
10:00-10:30 AM
Welcome & Introductions
Youth introduce themselves & add: how old they are, do they stay home alone now, if so:
morning/afterschool or both.
10:30-11:30
Sessions 1 & 2
Family Rules/ Family Member Chores.........................................................................10 minutes
Morning routine/afterschool routine.............................................................................10 minutes
Boredom Poster Activity: youth will have 15 minutes to work on their boredom poster.
Hand out flip chart paper to each youth with markers on table center for groups to share.
Friends & Siblings: Getting Along...............................................................................10 minutes
Problem Solvers/Scenarios............................................................................................15 minutes
11:30 – 12:30
Handwashing lesson.......................................................................................................15 minutes
Youth will prepare lunch from assortment of deli meat/cheese/bread. Peanut butter/jelly. Yogurt
parfaits/pudding snacks. Carrots and veggie dip. Water bottles and flavor packets........45 minutes
12:30-2:00
Safety & Privacy: Emergency information....................................................................30 minutes
Door/Phone/internet safety............................................................................................30 minutes
Big/Small Emergencies game (A/B/C).........................................................................30 minutes
2:00-2:30
Make snacks and prepare tastings..................................................................................30 minutes
2:30-3:00
Evaluations completed by youth
Parent presentations: youth will present what they have learned today. Presentations will be brief and
optional.
Leader Notes – Part 1

Setting a welcoming tone for all kids is critical to the success of the day. We had kids cry at
drop off.

This is a time to guide conversation with kids to allow them to discuss their family. Ask lots of
open ended questions. Sense comfort levels in participants- don’t push for answers- and don’t
push for everyone to answer.

Routine Sections -Everyone on their own completes morning routine sections. Ask for a few to
share. Not everyone will share or want to. May need to give examples to get kids started on
these pages.

Rules – Kids could generally tell family rules. Make sure to ask kids for rules at home- report
out on page.

Jobs- This should go up on flip chart paper/ white board. Fill in some sample blanks to get kids
to understand the purpose of the page. Review page as a group.

Family Rules- Remind kids to complete this page with family. This is only successful with
family input.

Boredom poster- Many kids struggled to complete the boredom poster. Kids needed some ideas
to start them thinking. We also added hands on no tech activities for them to try to add to their
list: decks of cards for card houses, beading activity with solar beads, dominoes, buzz rings, chat
pack questions. This goes home with kids at end of camp. Kids also show these to family as
part of their ending presentation.

My Plan- They can fill out as well as they can. This needs to be completed at home with family.

Making Choices- Really emphasize the seriousness of staying home alone. Kids have the keys to
the family castle. Review the fact that you want to give choices to others that you are able to do.
Don’t give a choice that you can’t deliver.

Getting along with others- Kids will need prompting to be serious about what they like about
siblings- especially if siblings are attending together.

What if – Kids knew the right answers, but kids would joke about answers. Will need to prompt.
Leader Notes – Part 2

Do Mysterious Paper from Ricochet – focus on listening to instructions. Emphasize we don’t
always get to choose interpretation of instructions. We follow instructions established by our
family. We don’t this for our personal safety.

Read and talk about each section. Don’t skip parts. Super important.

Remind kids to complete family homework section/worksheet on safety and privacy.
Leader Notes – Part 3

Help page is a take home to do with family. We heavily reviewed the pieces. Not all kids know
where their parents/guardian worked. We also talked about if it is ok to call family members at
work. We discussed that sometimes family members can get in trouble if too many phone calls
come from home after school. Remind kids that they are in charge. We really emphasized not
hanging up the phone until told to do so.

Worksheet 2 – Kids completed this in pairs. We discussed results as a group.

Emergencies and first aid- read and reviewed each item. All knew “Stop/Drop/Roll”

If your event is during a weather challenge- like snow, tornado watch, etc. Bring up local
weather on computer or use map to show kids where they live. Some didn’t know the name of
their county where they lived.

Assign Family Homework- kids would openly share what they could answer about their home.

Spent lots of time reviewing safe spot outside of home. Some didn’t know where their safe spot
was. Everyone in a family needs to know to gather at the same place .

Reviewed family homework accident prevention – but still had kids take home and complete
with family.

Emergency Game was a hit! We sorted kids into teams of 3-4 members. The team had to be a
consensus answer. Each team had a set of cards. Team holds up 1 card and must defend answer.
At times, during conversation, team had disagreement. This was a great practical practice. Kids
will want to lead this at family celebration at end of program.
Leader Notes – Part 4

Squirt glow germ on hands of kids. Show kids their hands using a black light.

After reviewing the handout, have kids wash their hands. Check hands again with light. If still
glowing, have them wash their hands again. Have kids with skin allergies? Have them run the
black light. If you don’t have the materials, strongly review proper handwashing. Kids will
want to wash a couple of times to be “germ free”. Make sure to also review the importance of
taking care of the bathroom – sinks, etc.

We learned that most kids can’t use appliances. Very few could use the microwave. Most used
prepackaged food.

We learned that some kids weren’t familiar with how to prepare fresh fruit and eat it.

The first snack- we divided into pairs to complete tasks. Washing fruit, opening containers.
Kids really enjoyed preparing snacks. They also cleaned up from making snacks.

The banana pudding the kids were divided into teams of 4. We sorted supplies by groups and
were at small work tables. Kids made the snacks with very little adult assistance. All kids had a
turn stirring by hand the pudding. No mixers were used. Kids assigned jobs to their team to
complete the recipe. We planned for extra for family member who attends celebration. Kids
were very proud to prepare for their family.

Additional recipes – cereal mix-up and no bake cookies were from Pennsylvania and haven’t
been tried at our programs nor are the supplies needed to make these part of our supply list
provided in this guide.

*** Parent/ Family Celebration***

We practiced what the kids were going to share with their families. We had to remind them to
discuss the whole day – not just the emergency game. Have kids show boredom posters, try
snacks, etc.

For staff who present this, the celebration is time for parents to also learn what has really been
going on when their children are home alone. This celebration allowed staff to have individual
conversations/share concerns with parents based on responses from their children throughout the
day.

We received many positive responses from parents about this day camp. This is a topic that is
often assumed but not talked about. The skills of kids were at one end or the other end of a
spectrum. Very few in the middle.

This is also a time to highlight the parent guide and share the additional resources from ISU
Extension and Outreach.
Press Release:
We’ve all read the headlines… “9 year old saves the day by calling 911…” these are the feel
good stories that can happen when kids have adequate education from parents, teachers and
community partners in caring for themselves when they are home alone. But, not every story
goes that way when kids are home alone. Sometimes stories of children left home alone can
lead to tragedy.
According to Ann Torbert, 4-H Program Specialist and __________________ with Iowa State
University Extension and Outreach, “Youth left home by themselves without self-care skills
may find ways to occupy their time - that grownups in the home may not like or some may truly
be fearful staying home alone after school. These classes are skill building and also
incorporate ways for grownups in the home to support this step towards independence.”
According to a 2013 publication by Michigan State University, “US Census reported 7 million
school-age children across the US are left home alone during summer months.” Four state
have laws defining at what age a child can be left home alone – Oregon (10 years of age), N.
Carolina and Maryland (8 years of age) and Illinois (14 years of age). Eleven other states
suggest an age range of 8-12 years old. Iowa has no set age.
According to Latchkey Kids (www.latchkey-kids.org) the general rule most kids under age 12
are not mature enough to deal with emergencies. Much of this decision as a parent relates
back to the maturity of the child. How does a parent know if kids are ready for time at home
alone? Parents need to understand the maturity level of their children in three areas –
physical, intellectual and social/emotional. http://www.parentslikeus.com/on-their-own-ok/
______________________________________ will be the site location.
Cost is ______________ per youth and includes handouts, (lunch) and supplies.
Limited seats are available.
Registration is required for this event.
Contact: __________________________________________________ for more information.
Supply list for program for 20 youth participants. - Adjust as needed.
Lunch
• 2 loaves bread
• Lunchmeat (2 pkgs)
• Sunbutter/peanutbutter – 1 jar - check allergies
• 2 pgk cheese (wrapped)
• 1 jar mayo
• 1 jar mustard
• 1 jar jelly
• 2 large containers shaped crackers
• 2 cases water
• 8 boxes water flavor packets- we didn't buy juice. Flavor packets were enough.
• Veggies
• Dip
• 2 bags chips (baked)
Banana Parfaits
• 10 or so bananas (2 youth spilt a banana)
• 4 pkgs vanilla pudding
• 1 gallon milk
• 1 box graham crackers
Yogurt parfaits
• 5 large containers vanilla yogurt
• 2 quarts of strawberries
• 1 pint of blue berries
• 1 pint of red raspberries
• 1 bag granola
***** If you choose to make the no bake cookies and the trail mix, those supplies aren't part of
this list. You will need to add those.
Kitchen Supplies
• 100 small clear cups (for parfaits – look for punch cups)
• 100 spoons
• Plastic knives(used to cut fruit)
• 5 Serving Spoons
• 5 large containers – for fruit serving, making pudding, etc.
• 100 paper plates (these double as cutting boards for youth cutting fruit)
• Papertowels
• Measuring cups (dry and liquid)
• Measuring spoons
• Small ziplock bags
• Trash bags
• Dish soap (washing supplies)
• Sample size cups for parents to try youth work at end of day
** If you have funds you could consider making a portable kitchen – this would be more
ecologically friendly and would also teach youth the need to do dishes following working in the
kitchen. Our sites varied – so, we went with disposable and used a very tiny sink to wash out
serving containers and serving spoons between snacks.
Program Supplies:
• Flip chart paper or posterboard (boredom posters)
• Watercolor markers (for posters)
• Name tags
• Handwashing kit ( glow germ lotion and black light )
• Magic paper activity (and 20 sheets of paper)
• Copies of booklet
• Pencils
• Low Tech activities for “recess breaks” – things like: cards, dominoes, bead string ing for
bracelets, legos, etc. Be prepared to show kids how to play various card games, etc. Some of
our audiences had challenges dealing with creating boredom posters. This could be due to
kids being so scheduled – and they don’t get the opportunity to learn how to handle boredom
in an independent manner.
• Letters A, B, and C cards -one set per group (for up to 5 kids) for emergency game. Template
for this is at the end of this booklet.
 Copies of phone chart on cardstock. The master is at the end of this booklet
Notes on food: By making lunch and snacks, youth gain experience in self-care skills. If you
choose to have youth bring a lunch, make sure youth should get the experience to make a
snack for themselves and one snack for themselves and adult care giver (if possible). Youth
enjoy making and trying new foods. Our experience is youth have limited experience
preparing food. We had youth that tried some different fruits for the first time through our
program. Food costs were less than $100 for lunch and 2 snacks for 20 youth.
Need food substitutions for snacks/lunch? Contact your regional Food and Nutrition Specialist
or Answerline 1-800-262-3804 (in Iowa) hotline1-800-854-1678 (in Minnesota)
hotline1-888-393-6336 (in South Dakota)
Dear Caregiver/Parent/Grown-up,
There isn’t a magic age at which an individual child is instantly mature enough to stay home by
themselves for a limited amount of time. The “On Their Own and OK” project offers information
to help parents determine if their child has the skills, maturity and
confidence to safely stay home alone.
While no one can promise that your child will do all the things you want them to do when
they’re home alone, the “On Their Own & OK Checklist” developed by Iowa State University
Extension in Linn County and the “On their Own & OK Parent Guide” can help you with a
variety of topics, including:
• Ideas for rules to have in place when your child is home alone.
• Setting a basic schedule you want your child to follow when home alone.
• Knowing what you want your child to do if someone comes to the door when you’re gone.
• Knowing what appliances to let your child use (if any) when you’re away.
• Ideas for managing the ever-present squabbles that occur between siblings.
• And more!
___________________ will be hosting a daycamp for youth in grades 4-6 on ___________ at
_______ from _________ to____________.
Please arrive at ____________ (30 minutes prior to end of class) for youth presentations and
snack sampling time. If you aren’t able to attend, consider having another caring
person in your child’s life attend.
The success if this day camp is follow up by you at home. Your child will bring home
family homework to complete. By working with your child to complete the homework – the
skills taught through our day camp are more likely to sink in and be practiced when your child
is home on their own.
Registration information is attached/found at www.______________
Sincerely,
EVALUATION EVENT
Consider concluding your daycamp by having parents/grown ups arrive 30 minutes
early before conclusion of daycamp. During the last 30 minutes, ask youth to share snacks
they made and comments around what they learned. Let youth know at
beginning of day that an end of the day performance is going to take place.
ADULT EVALUATION
QUESTIONS
Follow up survey for adults:
Could be Survey Monkey or by paper/phone.
1. Which of the topics has your child used the most when home alone?
2. Are there topics we should have
covered during class that would help your child be more successful
when home alone?
3. What’s the biggest “Ah-ha” your family has as a result of this class?
Example: Use routine, use weather radio, etc.
A special publication to help families look at this issue is available.
PARENTS LIKE US
Visit Iowa State University’s Parent
Guide for “On Their Own & Ok” at
http://www.parentslikeus.com/on-their-own-ok-parent-guide/