Early Literacy Activities You Can Do Around the House
Kent District Library, Wyoming branch-Kristin Meyer
There are many things you can do around the house to help your child get ready to read! These activities are free and fun-they do not require you to use flash cards or purchase expensive toys.
Activities for babies:
Read books to your baby. Use board books so your baby can open them, turn the pages, and even chew on them. You don't have to just read either-talking about the pictures and playing with books is great too!
Sing to your baby.
Talk, talk, talk to your baby. Describe what you are doing and point out what he or she is seeing.
Do interactive rhymes like "This Little Piggy" or "Jack and Jill" with your baby. If you do not remember many of these, check out a nursery rhyme book at the library.
Activities for Toddlers
Point out words and letters on signs and labels.
Sing classic kid songs like "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" with your child.
Teach your toddler fingerplays like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider."
Encourage your toddler to talk and start to tell stories. Make a simple puppet out of a paper lunch bag or sock puppet. Help your child make the puppet talk and tell stories.
Encourage "pretending" play-help your child talk and tell stories when he or she plays with dolls, trucks, and stuffed animals.
Read lots of books! Some of my favorites for this age include...
Activities for Preschoolers
Have your child tell you a story, write it down and then read it back to him or her.
Help your child clap the syllables in his or her name "Kris-tin," "Cath-e-rine". After your child has mastered this, help him do everyone in your family. You can also stomp the syllables.
Say tongue twisters like "Toy boat."
Keep grocery ads and old magazines. Have your child cut out letters and pictures that start with the same sounds as the letters in his or her name. Create a collage or a name necklace.
Introduce your child to fun music CDs. Two of my favorite children's musicians are Jim Gill and Laurie Berkner.
Put shaving cream or a thin layer of sand on a cookie sheet. Help your child write letters and draw pictures on it.
Continue to read to your child! Some great choices for preschoolers include...
Check out the Play, Grow, Read page on Kent District Library's website for even more activities!
A Novel Experience: An Evening with John Grogan
Thursday night, 7:00 pm at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center
Listen to the author of Marley & Me.
Tickets are on sale at any KDL branch or local Schuler's Books location. $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Proceeds support the KDL fund, which is used to fund early literacy activities at KDL.
Courtesy of:
Kristin Meyer
Kent Districk Library
Wyoming Branch
www.kdl.org/kids/go/pgr_main
In your voice
