From teaching literacy for dual language learners to establishing preliteracy learning and using music, movement and art to heighten literacy learning, these activities offer the latest and greatest in literacy and language research from the top names in the field.
For our young children, writing serves as a window into their language and literacy development. We want them to feel comfortable and confident in expressing themselves through writing, so we provide a forum for them to take risks and explore written language. Handwriting and letter formation is an important dimension of children's early writing process.
Once children are starting to get comfortable with the global contours of written letters (straight lines, curves, and circles), begin to put these together to form letters. If you have a handwriting curriculum already in place, you can use that. If not, and you are looking for some guidance, get some ideas in Playful Activities for Reading Readiness: Laying a Foundation for Literacy like this activity that allows children to practice forming shapes and letters in "goopy bags".
Literacy Cooking LanguageThis activity will help children develop a sense of his or her family unit—who the members are and how your child is related to them. Children will also use sorting skills as he or she organizes the album, and will learn vocabulary for the relations, word names, family names, and nicknames.
This activity, as well as all the activities in Kick-Start Kindergarten Readiness, is designed to help early childhood teachers involve families in supporting the rich learning that takes place in your preschool classroom. Many parents want to help their little ones in preparing for and getting the most out of kindergarten, and this book provides teachers with the resources to help them do just that.
Literacy Social EmotionalLearning centers are a great way to "set the stage" for dramatic play with the setting, props, and even costumes. In this dramatic play learning center, children can pretend to be vets by helping their stuffed animals. Through dramatic play, children gain social-emotional skills, language and oral skills, motor skills, confidence, and more. Get the book The GIANT Encyclopedia Of Learning Center Activities For Children 3 to 6 for fresh new learning center ideas from teachers who have used them in their own classrooms!
printable Movement and Play Literacy Language Social Emotional Large GroupThis activity from The GIANT Encyclopedia of Art & Craft Activities for Children 3 to 6 is sure to provide some sensory fun for young children using easy-to-find materials! Children will reap multi-disciplinary benefits from this activity from creatively using their senses and learning about primary and secondary colors to gaining vocabulary and pre-literacy skills, math skills, and more.
printable Literacy Art Sensory Individual ChildA variety of loose parts materials can help children bring stories to life. The activity below uses loose parts with Laura Numeroff's classic book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Get the book—Loose Parts Learning in K-3 Classrooms—for more loose-parts reading and literacy prompts and activities that will help children develop a love for reading!
LiteracyFeatured in Let's Take It Outside! by Kathy Charner, Mary B. Rein, and Brittany Roberts, this Mud Dough Letters activity for children ages 3 to 6 connects alphabet learning with hands-on experiences in the outdoors to engage children's excitement about literacy. In this activity children will learn to follow directions, form three-dimensional letters and identify them by sight, and use uppercase and lowercase letters when they are ready. Children are able to do all of this while enjoying the many benefits of being outside!
Literacy Outdoor LearningFeatured in The Possibilities of Play: Imaginative Learning Centers for Children Ages 3-6, by Dr. Jean Feldman and Carolyn Kisloski, this learning center activity is a perfect opportunity to develop technology skills like keyboarding and visual matching.
Program Administration Literacy Summer Learning Technology LanguageFeatured in The Possibilities of Play: Imaginative Learning Centers for Children Ages 3-6, by Dr. Jean Feldman and Carolyn Kisloski, this learning center activity is a perfect way to motivate children to read and develop social skills.
Program Administration Literacy Summer Learning Language Social EmotionalFeatured in The Possibilities of Play: Imaginative Learning Centers for Children Ages 3-6, by Dr. Jean Feldman and Carolyn Kisloski, this learning center activity is a perfect opportunity to develop writing skills like small-motor strength, alphabet recognition, and sensorimotor skills.
Program Administration Movement and Play Literacy Summer Learning LanguageFeatured in The Possibilities of Play: Imaginative Learning Centers for Children Ages 3-6, by Dr. Jean Feldman and Carolyn Kisloski, this learning center activity is a perfect opportunity to practice phonics and writing skills, like upper- and lowercase letters.
Program Administration Movement and Play Literacy Summer Learning LanguageUse "baby talk" with infants to encourage language development. Watch how toddlers lip-read to pick up language sounds. Explore more complex language with preschoolers. Find all these resources and easy activities from Gryphon House experts in literacy.
Browse through lists, author interviews, excerpts, and articles that connect theory and best practice in early childhood education.
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