Kindergarten Readiness – B=Balance, Balls

After a good Breakfast this morning, here are some skills that start with the letter B. Balance is the first one; it’s an important ability in motor control. Kids love to challenge their sense of balance as they walk on low fences, lawn edging, benches, and whatever else is nearby. As you go somewhere today is there somewhere your child can balance? Holding onto your hand, if needed. Or try standing on just one foot. Is this easy or hard? Hop on one foot at a time. Standing straight and tall is quite challenging with closed eyes. Make sure there’s somewhere soft to land.

Take a ball to the yard for some throw and catch time. Beach balls are easy for wee little ones to catch. Those vending machine bouncy balls sometimes deserve tickets for their erratic journeys. They go all over! Enjoy a book or more. Mmmm, is that something in the oven to bake? I smell cake. No, not today. C is tomorrow. C U. Add skill ideas Below.

A is for August

Bookstores, both new and used, are a downfall for me. I am most likely the only female that can go to Paris and return home with books instead of fashion. At a recent garage sale I found a whole set of alphabet books for kids. This time, tho, there is some balancing force at work. My first thought was how I could easily use each of these books for ideas for helping kids get ready for school. Now, I’m discovering that finding skills that help prepare children for kindergarten that match with the letters in the alphabet is hard, very hard.  But I will confess to a stubborn streak and a quirky nature so here’s to the letter A for August.

Auditory skills are ones that come to mind for A. Two foundational skills for reading are auditory memory (remembering what we hear)  and auditory discrimination (sorting out the sounds we hear). Some reseach is showing that poor readers struggle with knowing which vowels they hear. What does reading have to do with hearing? We think that reading starts with the eyes, but it really starts with the ears, (Succeedtoread). Today, pay a bit more Attention to talking with your child. Squeeze in some time for some books And stories. Play A few word games such as rhyming, making up silly works like mun, zish, or tafe, and words that start with the same sound. Sing the Alphabet song and say the names of the letters. Listen carefully to All the sounds that you hear as you work and play. A=Awesome. What are some questions that you have this month for other skills?

Kindergarten Readiness – Pirates #12

Pirate Cookie Shape

What is a pirate’s favorite food? Fish and ships!
To finish off this series of learning activities, pirates are going to look for treasure in the kitchen. Just in case they need some food for long trips here is a snack idea: a few chocolate ships, oops, chocolate chips, unsweetened cereal like cheerios, raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, chopped nuts can be used if allergies aren’t an issue, and swimming in all of this some fishy crackers. A little container of Pirate Mix is a nutritious snack. Helping make their own snacks encourages kids to be responsible for themselves, a significant self skill.

Here’s another idea: pirate fruit swords. The swords are kebob skewers. Cut some fruit into chunks and put it on a plate. Bananas, grapes, watermelon, orange sections. pineapple and apple pieces, and strawberries will work. Although it’s more fun to run the fruit thru with the skewer it’s safer to carefully put the sections onto it. Try making a pattern with the fruit pieces, banana, orange, grape, banana, orange, grape, etc. Patterning is a basic skill that comes up in language, math, music, and more. Along with rhyming and word sounds it’s one that requires lots of repetition. When washing dishes, first wash a spoon, then a fork, then a spoon, then a fork. Sorting  the laundry can be pattern practice, too. This goes in the dark pile, this goes in the light pile, dark, light, etc.  When pirates walk that makes a pattern, too. Left foot, peg leg, left foot, peg leg. What would the pattern be if the pirate has only a right foot? Right foot, peg, leg, right foot, peg leg. Right to 123kindergarten! Have you enjoyed this pirate series of learning ideas?

Kindergarten Readiness – Pirates #8

What do pirates collect? Treasure. What do kids collect? Tra…, well, they call it treasure. Seashells, rocks and coins are obvious items to collect. As are stickers, cars and trucks, and ponies. But there are other things, too. Collections can be all kinds of different objects from one place, one event, or from a trip or holiday.  A collection can … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Pirates #8

Kindergarten Readiness – Pirate #6

Why does it take pirates a long time to learn the alphabet? Because they are always at C (sea). One way to practice letters is with play-dough. This helps for all kids, but especially for those who learn best by touch as opposed to visual or verbal learners. Roll out the barrel, er, I mean roll … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Pirate #6

Kindergarten Readiness – Pirate #5

Pirates start with the letter P. The letter P makes a ‘puh’ sound. What else starts with this sound? Pants, pig, purple. Some children may be able to name things on their own that start with the same sound; other children may need an adult to supply a word and ask if they start the same. For example, do … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Pirate #5