Kindergarten Readiness

Readiness for Kindergarten – Recognition = Encouragement

2012/02/01 admin 1 Comment

I’m starting this month’s blog with a big Thank You. I was included for a Versatile Blogger Award by Shelle at Preschool Play Time. My own personal excitement at being recognized and included reminded me that our kids experience those same feelings. My suggestion for a learning and kindergarten readiness activity for today would be to let your little one know that you notice his/her efforts. Learning to cope and grow can sometimes be very challenging for kids and a Wow, Super can be encouraging and motivating for social/emotional development.

According to the rules for a Versatile Blogger Award I now get to send one to 15 other blogs and to tell you 7 things about myself! Here are some other sites (abc order) that I visit for inspiration and hope you will too. Thanks again to Versatile Blogger and to Shelle’s Preschool. Enjoy…

what we all need: A Little Learning For Two

creativity: Casa Maria’s Creative Learning Zone

with handy translator gadget: De tout et de rien

art ideas: Dilly-Dali Art

messy is okay: Getting Messy With Ms. Jessi

handy and footy: Fun Handprint and Footprint Art

fun and sun: My Sunny Side Up Life

fun and play: No Time For Flashcards

fun altogether: PreK + K Sharing

grown-up getting dressed time: Pick Out Artists

science fun: Sci Spark

grow some learning: The SEEDS Network

remember imagination: Spark Your Imagination

and outside time: Sun Hats and Wellie Boots

And 7 things about me include:

-I love teaching little ones (everyone else is taller than I am).
-My house has books in practically every room.
-I sometimes feel like I am in kindergarten when it comes to computers.
-I believe our imagination needs nourishment, too.
-I wish I could draw as well as some kids do.
-I am not always on time or even in the right place.
-My kids gave me “Duct Tape Forever” for Christmas, along with a book
of Knock, Knock and Cross the Road jokes for my quirky sense of humor.

Math and Numbers

Readiness for Kindergarten – Math Songs for Learning

2012/01/31 admin 2 Comments

On a long car ride this weekend we used as many diversions as possible until the time when we had to load Here Comes The 1 2 3’s by the group They Might Be Giants. Once that Cd is playing it’s on for the duration. What is it about the lyrics and tunes that makes the songs echo over and over and get stuck in one’s head? I have no idea but I do know that kids who listen to and sing these songs are more aware of numbers. Math songs can help with number-sense learning and readiness for kindergarten.

As an example, the song about 3 is called Triops Has 3 Eyes. As the Wee One and I washed some strawberries for snack we found one that was oddly shaped; it had 3 points. “It has 3 just like a triops,” giggled my 3-year old helper. “It’s a triops strawberry,” I added. High five to The 1 2 3’s for that brain connection! (That’s another song, too.)

Even when there isn’t a CD of math songs playing, there are other songs. This Old Man,The Ants Go Marching, 10 In The Bed, 5 Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed, 5 Little Ducks, 5 Little Speckled Frogs, and more. As you and your child sing these songs, your child’s brain is learning about numbers and counting and making all kinds of connections. This helps for kindergarten readiness and kinds of math learning later on. Here’s a song that can count anything: 1 little, 2 little, 3 little … math learnings.

If you are reluctant to sing on your own, many of these songs are available in YouTube. Can you add some singing about math to your child’s day?

Children's Books, Math and Numbers

Children’s Books about Math

2012/01/30 admin 1 Comment

Blog posts this month have been about supporting kids as they learn and develop number sense. Last Friday was Family Literacy Day so the timing was just right to find this post from the site PreK and K Sharing on How Parents Can Integrate Math With Reading. Danny Brassell suggests some super books that cover lots of different math and learning ideas. Here is a quote:

Of course, there are tons of great math books available to parents, dealing with concepts like patterns and shapes, operations and equations, time, fractions, problem solving – anything. Librarians and book geeks like me can help you with titles. Your responsibility is to sit with your child and introduce them to an exciting world of mathematical possibilities with great books.

Here is the link to the whole article : https://prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-parents-can-integrate-math-with.html

There are lots of other great books too. If your child has a particular interest, such as dinosaurs, robots, animals, bugs, oceans, etc you will very likely be able to find a number book about that topic and some on shapes and sizes, as well. Books may also talk about other math ideas such as patterns, sorting or grouping. These are all helpful for readiness for kindergarten. Can you spy a number book?

Books and stories about math are 2 for 1 when it comes to learning and kindergarten readiness–premath and prereading at the same time. What are some of your child’s favorite books and stories that help support math?

Cooking and Baking, Math and Numbers

Readiness for Kindergarten – Pancakes for Counting

2012/01/28 admin Leave a comment

Pancakes on a Saturday…learning and tasty! At our house, with more time for breakfast, we sometimes have pancakes. When I saw this snowman pancake post on The SEEDS Network, I thought of ways to include some counting. Using chocolate chips for features, kids can count out a specific number for a grownup to put on. … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Pancakes for Counting →

Math and Numbers

Readiness for Kindergarten – A Tent for Number Ten

2012/01/27 admin Leave a comment

As children play and discover with numbers, they build all kinds of brain connections. These connections are important for number sense and readiness for kindergarten. The key words are play and discovery. We had a very rainy day this week, too wet even for boots and umbrellas. It was an inside day all day long, … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – A Tent for Number Ten →

Math and Numbers

Kindergarten Readiness – A Bottle of Nine, Learning Vintage

2012/01/25 admin Leave a comment

So glad I saw this post at The Green Classroom about not throwing away plastic bottles. The idea is just right for some learning and readiness for kindergarten fun about the number 9. Using an empty water bottle, find 9 objects that will fit inside but aren’t too small to get buried in the filling. … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – A Bottle of Nine, Learning Vintage →

Reading and Writing

Readiness for Kindergarten – Names for Chinese New Year

2012/01/24 admin Leave a comment

Over the weekend, we could have our name written at one of the activity tables at a community Chinese New Year celebration. Many kids, little and big, were in line. Of course, I was excited to have my name done too and thought this was a fun idea for a blog post. (I’ve since discovered this … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Names for Chinese New Year →

Holiday Activities

Readiness for Kindergarten – Lanterns for Learning

2012/01/23 admin Leave a comment

This weekend our city had a multicultural event with Chinese New Year and Robbie Burns Day combined. The eyes of the little ones watching the lion dance and parade followed by bagpipes and a sword dance were big and wide as they watched all the action. All the colors, sounds and movement keep kids and … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Lanterns for Learning →

Math and Numbers

Readiness for Kindergarten – Yummy Fun with 8

2012/01/21 admin 4 Comments

Now this is exploring numbers!! and when someone asks you what happened to 8, you just say you 8 it up!! Just found this yummy learning and kindergarten readiness activity on Deborah’s TeachPreschool blog using M & M’s. https://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/01/exploring-mm-math-concepts-in-preschool/ Using a bowl of small things like Cheerios, fishy crackers, Shreddies and M & M’s let … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Yummy Fun with 8 →