August = All around the house. That is, the theme for blogs this month is how to help your child with readiness for kindergarten by doing ordinary, regular activities. Days are already so busy with jobs and household chores that it’s hard to get everything done. But kindergarten readiness can be tucked in with laundry, dishes and vacuuming! (see earlier posts) Now, grocery shopping can be learning time, too.
First comes the list. Kids younger than 3 years old can have a piece of paper and a pencil to scribble on, too, just like the parents and caregivers. To help your little one see that writing is meaningful, talk about the things that you are writing down. Children older than 3 may be able to draw a few pictures of items that are needed such as an orange circle for oranges, or green curvy lines for lettuce, etc.
We take for granted that letters and words on a page contain a message. But children need to learn than these squiggles have specific meanings. Writing out a grocery and using it for shopping is an effective way to help your child learn what writing and reading is all about. Hmm, where did I put the list?