(EMAILWIRE.COM, August 29, 2002 ) With 3.5 million children entering kindergarten this September, teachers, school superintendents and even the White House continue to raise awareness concerning the importance of early childhood education. Today's parents are taking an active role in preparing their children for the first day of school. But, with so much information and advice out there surrounding school-readiness, parents are often left wondering if they're really doing all they can to give their children the best possible start. To ease the anxiety, Judsen Culbreth, Vice President and Editorial Director of Scholastic Family Custom Publishing, and Charlotte Sassman, the winner of the 2002 Scholastic Early Childhood Award appeared at Toys "R" Us Times Square to discuss these challenges with parents and provided them with easy Kindergarten R-E-A-D-Y tips.

"Parents today realize the importance of teaching their preschool child basic academic skills including the A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s," says Judsen Culbreth, "but many are surprised to learn that kindergarten teachers also look for social and physical skills in children as well. So it is no surprise that parents are seeking advice; the key for parents is simply to think R-E-A-D-Y."

Culbreth recommends parents think of the following Kinder-R-E-A-D-Y Tips to help them prepare their child for that first day of school:

Read to your child as often as possible and invite him to get involved in the story by pointing to words and pictures.
Encourage your child to socialize with other children and practice sharing, taking turns and working together.
Awaken your child's creativity and build fine-motor skills by working together on arts and crafts projects that allow your child to practice cutting with scissors, holding a pencil, and using glue, crayons and markers.
Develop your child's listening and memory skills by helping her learn important information such as birth date, telephone number and address, as well as the letters in her first and last name. Games and fun learning toys like Kasey the Kinderbot can play a key role.
YOU! As one of the most important people in your child's life, you have an incredible influence over your child's academic, social and physical development. By taking the time to help your child develop early learning skills, you are providing your child with the best possible start in school.
"Throughout the years, I have always thought Fisher-Price toys were designed to spark children's imaginations and encourage developing minds," says Charlotte Sassman, the winner of the 2002 Scholastic Early Childhood Award. She knows, firsthand, what to expect during the enrollment process and the first few weeks of kindergarten. "It makes perfect sense that Fisher-Price would design a preschool toy like Kasey the Kinderbot to specifically help preschoolers get a good start in school. After all, the quality of a child's early learning experiences has a tremendous affect on their success in school - and beyond."
Joining the crowd at Toys "R" Us Times Square, the company's international flagship store, was Fisher-Price®'s Kasey the KinderbotTM, an interactive robotic friend that helps teach academic, social and physical skills needed for kindergarten. Children and their parents from the Buckle My Shoe preschool were among the first to play along with Kasey the Kinderbot as he sang, danced the Hokey Pokey, and made learning fun.

Whether it's learning the ABCs, dancing, sharing or giving a "high-five," Kasey helps children develop important school-ready skills in three areas: academic, social and physical. Kasey's curriculum, which includes a total of more than 40 different skills that help prepare kids for success in school, was developed in conjunction with educational experts and teachers from around the United States. With the help of his friend "Chip," an adorable sidekick who appears on his screen, Kasey also models social skills, such as good manners, taking turns, friendship and sharing.

Fisher-Price, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT) and located in East Aurora, New York, is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. Celebrating over 70 years of excellence in children's products, some of the company's best known and "classic" brands include Little People®, Power Wheels® and View-Master®. The Fisher-Price brand includes some of the most popular and widely recognized character brands - from BarneyTM and Blue's CluesTM to Disney, Dora the ExplorerTM, Sesame Street® and Winnie the Pooh. The Company also develops and markets juvenile products called BabygearTM (nursery monitors, infant swings, high chairs and more) that are designed to help families get the best possible start in life. The Company's Web site can be found at www.fisher-price.com, providing valuable articles and resources to new and expectant parents.

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Produced for Fisher-Price, Inc.

CONTACT:
Sue Murphy/Kelley Haughey
Freeman Public Relations
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smurphy@freemanpr.com
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Laurie Oravec
Fisher-Price
716/687-3395
oravecla@fisher-price.com

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