June bugs are no fun when camping, but a great resource for kindergarten readiness! Is your child fascinated with bugs? Usually kids are and will watch them, or even collect them enthusiastically. We can use that enthusiasm and build on it with all kinds of learning fun.
Where we live, it rains a lot in June. While spiders are not technically bugs they are creepy crawly and the Itsy Bitsy Spider is a favorite song. Singing supports learning and readiness in several ways. It encourages all kinds of brain connections, the most obvious is language and vocabulary. The notes that go up and down, the rhythm, and the repetition all create patterns. These patters prewire the brain for other patterns, especially in math. Songs stretch remembering: what words come next, how does the tune go, the correct order of words and more. There are important skills and strategies such as auditory discrimination, rhythm, rhyming, language fluency, listening skills, and basic concepts. Singing is a social activity helping kids be aware of others as they sing together.
If you can handle hearing the song over and over (and over) here is a cartoon video that shows the adventure of the Itsy Bitsy Spider starting at a house and continuing on to a farm, a parade and a church. Learning is an adventure too. Stay tuned for more activities this month for your June Bug’s kindergarten readiness. Do you have some favorite bug ideas to share with other parents, caregivers and kids between the ages of 0 to 6?