• Make three sets of cards: one with base words(ex. pack, able, side, care, dark, play); one with prefixes (re-, dis-, in-); and one with suffixes (-ing, -ful, -ness). Have your child make as many words as possible. (New words: repacking, disable, inside, careful, darkness, playful)
• Play a game to find words hidden within a long word (backpack - back*pack)

• Read stories (fiction) and informational (nonfiction) books to your child every day
• As you read to your child, ask different kinds of questions about the book
Example story: Animals in Winter
Simple Why do birds fly south for the winter?
Difficult: Why do some animals hibernate?
Connection: How does your family prepare for winter?
• Play the "Antonyn" game (Ex. Say a word. The child says the opposite word: on - off, hot - cold) 
• Play the "Synonym" game (Ex. Say a word. The child says a word that has a similar meaning: little - small, big - large) 
• Create a book with your child and have him/her draw a picture to illustrate different meanings for the same word (Ex. pound - My mother goufht a pound of cherries. I will pound the nail with a hammer.)
• Look at the pictures in a book before you read it and ask your child to predict what he/she thinks it is going to be about. After reading a few pages, ask your child what might happen next. 
• After reading, have your child retell the story
• Ask your child to draw the parts of the story and write a sentence (or sentences) about each part (Character - Who is in the story?; Setting - Where, and when does the story take place?; problem - What is the problem?; Events - What happened?; Solution - How did the story end?)
• Talk about connections (What other books have similar characters or happenings?; What experiences has your child had that remind him/her of the story?)

Encourage your child to write often in many different ways (lists, notes, letters, stories, journal entries, directions)

Encourage your child to reread his/her writing and make changes such as adding more details

Have a variety of paper, pencils, crayons, and markers available for your child to write

Encourage your child to write his/her own books

Encourage your child to read his/her own writing to others

• Review spelling words with your child
• Review your child's writing he/she brings home and review any misspelled words 
• Provide opportunities to practice words

• Take your child to the public library and select books (both fiction and nonfiction) that he/she is able to read or would enjoy hearing!