Yucky!

Using a gallon size Ziploc bag, create a monster. I printed this monster from The Listening Room. To play, gather 12-20 itsy-bitsy miniatures; they can be food items, vehicles, clothing, etc since monsters eat just about everything. Play and "I Spy" type game by saying, "I see something yummy to eat....." and give a description of one of the itsy-bitsy miniatures.

Once your child finds the item, pretend to but mustard or ketchup or BBQ sauce on it and eat it up by placing it in the monster's mouth. Then let your child have a turn to describe an item.

Brooke had some great descriptions today. For French Fries she said, "You hold it with your fingers, it is red and yellow." She described the ice cream cone by saying, "It is white and brown and has a cone." I thought those where great descriptions!

Table Learning

These are some of the other things we do during the day. I call this time of our day Table Learning since the kids are at the table with me to help and instruct them.

Learning Poster I use this teaching poster every morning. On it I have an envelope to stick our home0made letter books, a letter poem, the Awanna memory verse for the week, our nursery rhyme, and a spot for letter flashcards, number flashcards, shape flashcards, and color flashcards.

Letters

We complete a Capital Letter craft for each letter. I print out a block letter and fill it with items that begin with the sound. For letter Nn, we filled it with numbers. Letter Ll we filled with ladybug stickers.

Sounds and Auditory Activities

Here we are sorting itsy-bitsy miniatures by beginning consonant sounds

Writing

Letter hunt from confessions of a preschooler

a coloring sheet from first schools

a d'nealian handwritting worksheet

a learning letter sounds worksheet

a What begins with ___? worksheet

Patterns

Sometimes we do patterns at the table before give it to the kids as a magnet tray.

Thinking Skills

In this activity, we are looking for one that is different.

Computer Skills

Big Brother

/m/ and /o/

objective:
a. to recognize beginning sounds
b. to sort objects according to beginning sounds
points to remember:
1. make sure you review with your child the letter name and letter sound before they begin sorting.
2. use a fun container to hold the objects...today we used an Easter basket since it is close to Easter - it just makes it more fun for the kids
3. Write out the letters on paper for your child to sort...we use sandpaper letters.
Lesson:
1. Use your itsy-bitsy miniatures and gather objects beginning with 2 sounds. Today we did /m/ and /o/
2. One at a time, have your child pull out an object, say the name of the object, and put it under the correct letter.

3. Help your child as needed. Here is a video of Kate (Brooke was not interested in being videotaped so Kate offered to help)

Letter S

objective:

a. to recognize the beginning letter /s/ sound

Points to Remember:

1. Even though a word begins with "s" doesn't mean it makes the /s/ sound such as shell, sheep, and ship - they make the /sh/ sound. Do not include these in your Letter Ss bag.

Lesson:

1. Today we introduced the letter /s/ sounds. The girls pulled one object at a time out of the Ss bag. Some they knew and some I needed to give the correct word. We listened to the letter sound and said, _______ begins with the letter S for each object.

2. In the itsy-bitsy miniature bag we have sponge, Santa, soda, spider, spatula, spoon, snail, seal, star, square, stamp, spools, strawberry and snake.

Modifications:

1. I plan to bury the object in a tub of sand for Brooke to dig out and identify.

2. Later in the week, we will sort the object that begin with the letter /s/ and those that do not by adding a few extra itsy-bitsy miniatures into the bag.

Beginning sounds

objective:
a. to recognize beginning sounds of 4 words
b. to point out the initial sounds that are the same

Points to remember:
1. This skill is typically a kindergarten skill and may be not possible for younger children. I am trying it with Brooke since she is beginning to notice beginning word sounds
2. Make sure the sound is the same not just the beginning letter: for example, grape and giraffe both start with "g" but make different sounds.

Lesson:
1. Set out an itsy-bitsy miniature.
2. Ask you child to name the object. "Nailpolish"
3. Say, "Yes, nailpolish begins with /nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn/. Listen to these words. Magnifying glass, octopus, needle. Which one begins with /nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn/?"

4. Before she makes a choice, I review the words and really stress the beginning sounds. Nnnnnnnnailpolish - mmmmmmmmmmmagnifying glass.
nnnnnnnnailpolish - ooooooooooooooooctopus
nnnnnnnnailpolish - nnnnnnnnnnnneedle.
5. Try again with another set of choices. Set out the milk and ask you child to say the word milk.

6. Say, "What begins with the same sound as mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmilk? Is it monkey, nailpolish, bear.
7. If your child needs some help, say the words again and stress the beginning sounds.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmilk - mmmmmmmmmmmonkey
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmilk - nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnailolish
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmilk - bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbear
8. Here we tried owl with the choices of bear, otter, and nailpolish.

Modifications:

1. If you are focusing on a letter, use that as your first item 2. Only do 3-4 the first time around so it is not an overwhelming task.

I'm Thinking of an Animal

objective:

a. practice thinking skills

b. practice listening skills as the child listens to clues about an animal

c. promote listening to language and communication skills

points to remember:

1. Only use animals that your child knows.

2. Introduce some new vocaulary such as "paws" instead of feet and "snout" instead of nose

Lesson:

1. Set 4-5 itsy-bitsy minuature animals in front of your child

2. Give clues that helps you child figure out which animal you are asking her to pick

"I am thinking of an animal that is large."

"It is brown"

"It has large paws"

3. Your child will pick the animal

4. To once your child understand the nature of the game, try playing without any visual clues. Take away the itsy-bitsy minatures and play with just auditory skills.

Modifications:

1. This is a great game to play in the car or while away from home.

Magnet trays

Monday through Friday, Brooke and Kate have Magnet Trays to complete. I set up 3 trays each day that encourage them to work independently on certain skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, real-life skills, cutting, and more.

The reason I call them Magnet Trays is: 1) the activity is on a tray and 2) they get a magnet for completing it. Once they collect 45 magnets, it is a trip to the toy store to purchase a small toy or treat. Now, 45 may seem like a lot of magnets but remember I have 2 girls earning 3 magnets each so we get up to 6 magnets in a day. I do not force them to do an activity if they don't want to, but they don't get a magnet unless they do complete the activity. For example, Kate does not like Lacing activities and often will not do that tray.

Coloring Sheets

Lacing Letters

PlayDough Mats

Small Motor Skills

Dot Painting Letters

Shape or Size Sorting

Tracing

Numbers and Counting

Real-Life Skills

Alphabet Practice