| Many preschoolers are not particularly fond of | | | | write with your fingers on steamy windows.c. |
| sitting down at the kitchen table to 'work' on their | | | | Take the opportunity to learn the names of body |
| ABC's, or complete activities in the myriad of | | | | parts. Can they wash in alphabetical order? Wash |
| books available to help your child get that | | | | that ARM before your BACK or CHIN. |
| headstart in learning. Children learn through play, | | | | 3. Penny Pinching... Using everyday items in your |
| games, and modeling. There are lots of ways to | | | | house, and found objects you can easily create |
| incorporate early literacy into your daily lives, and | | | | some quick, fun and inexpensive activities for |
| to make it fun, easy, and inexpensive too. | | | | your kids.a. Let your child play with letters and |
| 1. Driving Around in my Automobile... Ever feel like | | | | pictures cut out from newspapers, magazines, |
| you spend alot of time in the car with your little | | | | and flyers ... and you're helping the environment |
| ones? Driving older ones here and there, running | | | | by using some of those flyers that would just be |
| errands, taking them to classes, you know the | | | | landing in the recycle bin anyways.b. Encourage |
| drill. Rather than popping on that high tech DVD | | | | your children to use real life literacy items in their |
| player to satisfy the boredom of the five point | | | | play. For example, grocery receipts, empty |
| harness, here are some fun and easy games to | | | | boxes, and coupons for playing store or a small |
| play in the car with our little learners.a. Pick a | | | | notepad for taking 'orders' at a pretend |
| letter and see if they can count how many "A's" | | | | restaurant or junk mail and old greeting cards as |
| (for example) they can see on signs as you | | | | mail for the postman.c. Make your own games |
| drive.b. Have them try to find the letters of their | | | | such as match up by cutting out squares and |
| name, or any other word, on license plates. | | | | writing a letter or word on one card (depending |
| Remember that one as a kid?c. Guess the | | | | on child's age) with a corresponding picture on the |
| password - give rhyming clues so your child can | | | | other. Preschoolers can even help draw the |
| guess the right word. "It rhymes with can, and | | | | pictures. |
| starts with the 'fff' sound.d. Recite favourite | | | | 4. Tactile learning... What child doesn't like to get |
| nursery rhymes together, have them do the | | | | their hands into things... well, okay there are some |
| actions (keep your hands on the wheel Mom!).e. | | | | kids who hold their hands in the air and say 'Ick' |
| Make silly changes to rhymes they already know | | | | when they get messy. But many young ones are |
| - Row, Row, Row your car, gently down the | | | | tactile learners and love to play and discover |
| street..... | | | | various textures and mediums. |
| These ideas can also be used on neighbourhood | | | | Use sand in a box to write letters. Form letters |
| walks, on the bus, in the mall or at the doctor's | | | | using playdoh, plasticine, or cookie dough! Scraps |
| office. | | | | of yarn and string can be manipulated to make |
| 2. Scrub A Dub Dub... Bath time is a great time to | | | | letters. Add glitter or sprinkles to a shallow dish |
| introduce literacy activities. You have a captivated, | | | | and 'draw' letters, shapes, or numbers with your |
| somewhat contained audience and literacy can | | | | fingers. Use plastic shapes such as Lego or |
| easily become part of the bath time routine.a. | | | | Megablocks to form letters. |
| Have kids play imagination games and role play | | | | Many of these strategies make for fun, |
| with bath toys. Is that sponge really a fish? A | | | | interactive and inexpensive learning experiences |
| mermaid? A jellyfish?b. Draw with bath crayons. | | | | while helping promote early literacy in the lives of |
| Let kids write on tile and it washes right off. Or, | | | | your little ones. |