Tick… Tock… Boom is an awesome game my son discovered. You flip over a card that has two or three letters on it: for instance, OU or IRD or REW. Then, each person has to say a word that includes those letters. The catch is, after you say your word, […]
Games
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 […]
A cool way to get kids reading
Your child’s Nintendo DS is a reading tool. Betchya didn’t know that. And maybe your child doesn’t either. And just maybe you’re about to be the coolest parent ever. Well, this week. Your child loves the DS, right? Well, there’s a “PICTOCHAT” function that lets two DSs talk back and […]
Scrabble time!
The holidays are perfect for Scrabble. Turn off the TV, get out the board, pour the adults some red wine. Crack open a bag of Doritos. And create a new holiday tradition. Here’s the Scrabble board from our game last night. Because our son’s seven, he gets to double his […]
Singin’ in the Brain
Singing helps children learn to read When my son was little, our life was a musical. If I could sing something rather than say it, I would. “We’re… puttin’ our shoes now, tying up the laces, goin’ to the park!” (to the tune of Top Hat, White Tie and Tails). […]
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, […]
Hallowe’en is for learning
No, not really – it’s for candy and for zombies. But in the midst of our Hallowe’en party today, I managed to sneak in some learning. We had hidden “eyeballs” (bouncy balls with corneas printed on them) in the backyard. Each child had to find five with their initials on […]
Why I love the library: Part I
There are so many great ways to enjoy the library. This post is the first of many, as I share with you a love of libraries. Being enthusiastic about libraries rubs off on children, and the library can become a place where kids feel comfortable and empowered. When my son […]
