SOUND CHART:
Read
the alphabet together--sing the alphabet
pointing to the letters as you sing!
Brainstorm and illustrate pictures that begin
with special alphabet letters!
Practice matching beginning sounds: Find a
picture that starts like horse.

LETTER OR SIGHT WORD RECOGNITION:
Use
play-doh or string to practice making
letters/words!
Use
shaving cream or a soap bar to practice making
letters/words in the bathtub!
Stamp sight words!
Cut
letters our the newspaper or a magazine to
create simple words!
Play
Memory or Go Fish with index cards. Write upper
and lowercase letters to match or two sets of
sight words.
Cut
out letters or words from newspapers or
magazines.
Write names of family members and practice those
letters.
Pick
a letter when you are at the grocery store, look
for that letter!

WRITING: (Always refer to the alphabet as a
reference, help your child use the alphabet to
find sounds/letters. We want them to become
independent. Unfortunately you will not always
be around when they are writing. Starting with
one sound is ok until they get more comfortable
to move to 2-3 sounds.)
Write grocery lists, notes to family members,
reminders.
Label objects in your house!
Keep
a notebook and pencil/marker in the car to
practice writing!
Purchase a journal at your local Dollar Tree,
Dollar Store, or Wal-mart and have your child
journal throughout the week.
Write simple letters or cards to grandparents or
friends!

PHONEMIC AWARENESS: (These activities can be
done in the car or anywhere you have 2 minutes)
Say
2 words, have your child tell you if they have
the same beginning sound. If they do, have them
think of a word with that same beginning sound.
Then ask what letter makes that sound.
Say
a word slowly, c-a-t or b-l-o-ck. Have your
child listen and figure our the word you said.
Of your child has difficulty with this, start
where he/she has pictures to look at and choose
a word from a picture he/she can see.
Say
2 words, have your child tell you if they rhyme.
Go to 3 words and pick out the 2 that rhyme.
Make up real and silly words that rhyme. Take a
word family like "at" and go through the
alphabet to make new words (bat, cat, dat, etc).

NUMBERS:
Play
war. Set highest or lowest number to win. Count
the hearts, clubs, ect. if the number is
unknown. Play this with 2 cards for addition
war. Teach your child to count on from the
highest number to get the answer.
Practice counting objects up to twenty. Once
your child can count to twenty, count objects
past twenty!
Practice estimating at home! Have your child
reach in and grab a handful of beans or
cereal...estimate...then check!
Count aloud. Go around the dinner table until
you hit a certain number. Start at 20 and count
to a higher number.
Count backwards like a rocketship! As your child
is getting ready for school or bed count down
and see if they can be dressed or in bed by the
time you count down to zero.
Sort
objects around your house (buttons, toys, socks,
shoes, etc.) remember to resort them and always
classify (tell your sorting rule: color?
size? shape?)

READ, READ, READ!!!!!
Visit with your child at the end of a story.
Visit with them about their favorite part of the
story. Ask your child what happened at the
beginning, middle, and end. Sometimes I stop in
the middle of the story and ask students for
their prediction of what may happen next!
Ask you child these important reading questions!
Who
was in the story?
What happened in the story?
When did the story take place?
Where did the story take place?
Why did the Author write the story?
Let
your child see you reading! You are the biggest
influence in your child's life! If you show your
passion for reading...it is likely your child
will develop a similar passion!


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