Click on this image for a larger version. (It’s worth the click.) Disney has put its trailer for Alice back on YouTube. (They musta read my blog post telling them to put it back…) The trailer is quite something. Very exciting and Burton-esque, dark and whimsical, with that heart-pumping music […]
5-min. ideas
Explain the exclamation mark!
This activity will boost your child’s reading in five seconds. One of the most exciting things about reading is the exclamation mark. The other day, I was reading a book to a couple of kids in a kindergarten class. When I got to a sentence with an exclamation mark, I […]
Likes video games, running
There are lots of fun literacy activities for active kids. I was talking to a mom yesterday who said she has two sons – one of whom isn’t a good reader. He likes video games and is quite physically active. Here are some fun suggestions: * Write a simple sentence […]
Great website – reading and math
I love Soft Schools. A wonderful kindergarten teacher told me about it years ago, and I’ve used it ever since. At Soft Schools you can create fun puzzles, tailor-made for your child, and then print them out or let your child do them online. For instance, there are:Word ScramblesUse your […]
Lunchbox surprise
Put a note in their lunchbox. I like to put a little note in with my son’s lunch. Notes are great for kids who aren’t that into reading because they’re short, they’re fun, and they’re from mom. I keep my notes to the point, and very upbeat. Something like: “Hope […]
Motivate with a reading reward chart
Kids love rewards. If you’re having a tough time getting your child to read, try a reading reward chart. Make a graph with a week’s worth of days. Your child puts a sticker on each day you read together. (Fifteen to 30 minutes is ideal.) Or, your chart can be […]
Reading – more fun than making your bed
I often let my son break the rules by reading. When I tell him, “it’s time for bed,” he knows that if he grabs a book, it’ll buy him an extra half-hour or so. As long as his teeth are brushed and he’s in his jammies, I’ll extend his bedtime […]
"I’m bored!"
We said it to our parents – your kid says it to you. You’ve hated hearing it in the past. But the next time he says “I’m bored!” you’re going to love it. Here’s what to do: The next time you’re in a book store or a corner store, check […]
For kinesthetic learners
Reading doesn’t have to be on a page. If your child is a kinesthetic learner – he learns by touching and doing rather than by seeing or hearing – here are some great ideas. Use letters made from blocks, cards, fridge magnets or Scrabble tiles. Toss seven large letters (blocks, […]
Literacy is more than reading
Have you taught your child how to read a newspaper? I don’t mean the words themselves. I mean how a newspaper works. What a headline is. Where the author’s name is, and how to tell what’s happening in the pictures. Where does the rest of the article go off the […]
