When setting up a special thematic dramatic play center, like this Hospital, always look for ways to incorporate extra literacy elements. A clipboard with paper and a pen, small notebooks, an eye chart…all are great additions. Adding magazines, newspapers and catalogs make a dramatic play center feel more “real world” to students with budding imaginations….
Literacy
Alphabet Write & Wipe
Our preschoolers need lots of opportunities to practice writing in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Sometimes we practice writing the letters of the alphabet in salt trays and, of course, we always practice writing our names. Another way that our students like to practice is with dry erase markers. We made these Alphabet Practice pages to…
Free Penguin Emergent Reader Book
One of the things that I most often hear from parents when their child is learning how to read is, “She’s not really reading. She has just memorized the book!” Guess what?!! That is reading! That’s what emergent readers do! They pretend to read just like they see parents doing! They read books over and over…
Name Books
We spend a lot of time learning to recognize, spell and write our names in preschool. I am always looking for hands-on ways that the students can practice. They love things that they can practice in class and take home, like their Name Folders. When I saw the idea for Name Books on Fun-A-Day I knew…
Alphabet Sensory Play
Preschoolers love sensory play because it meets their sensory cravings and provides a stress-free way to play. They also love to do simple wooden puzzles. We combined these two favorites to make an alphabet sensory play center. We filled a sensory bin with dry alphabet noodles. They are available at many grocery stores in the pasta aisle….
How Children Learn their Names
Learning our names is the springboard for literacy learning in preschool! Children’s names are the most important words to them, and learning them leads to all other types of learning. When we talk about teaching children their names, it is important to consider these three stages. Recognization The first stage of learning names occurs when…
Should Children Write their Names with Capital Letters?
When I created our Name Folders, one of the many ways that we teach children to recognize, spell and write their names, I did not anticipate such a stir about the fact that our younger students write their names with capital letters. People ask, “Why are you teaching in all capitals?” and comment, “Nice idea,…
Name Folders
One of our first important literacy goals in preschool is to be able to recognize and spell our first names. Younger preschoolers (3-year-olds) practice spelling their names every day at school. We use a different name game each month. Now it’s the end of the year and most of our students are able to identify…
The Importance of Pretend Writing
Do your young children scribble or pretend to write? Good! That’s a terrific sign that they are on the road to becoming readers and writers. When young children scribble, they demonstrate how much they know about print. They are practicing important fine motor skills and strengthening their hand muscles. Learning to write is a developmental…
Salt Tray Writing Practice
It is so important that our preschoolers practice writing with lots of different materials and utensils. They found these salt trays to be irresistible. To set up the center, we placed a set of alphabet flash cards (as a model) next to shallow trays of salt. The students could choose to use a paint brush…