TEACHERS AND PARENTS AS PARTNERS
(Developed by the CT State Dept of Education @2003 McDonald's Corporation, McDonald's Fantastic Scholastics)
"Families are their children's first teachers."
During the year your child is in KINDERGARTEN at Horace W. Porter School he/she will learn a great deal. You can play an important role in your child's success! Here are some great activities that you can do with your child/ren to help them throughout the year:
WORD IDENTIFICATION: (Identifies and reads some letters and words)
  • Use magazines to help your child find pictures which begin with the same sound (ex. the sound of m = milk, man)
  • Draw pictures of words that rhyme (ex. bat, cat, hat)
  • Use magnetic letters to practice making words
  • Play or sing children's songs
  • Play "odd object out" (Place several objects in a row. Name each of the objects. Ask your child to find the one that does not have the same beginning sound -- ex. book, bag, towel, ball)
  • Search for items that begin with a specific sound (the sound of t = toothbrush, toaster, television)
COMPREHENSION: (Understands what he/she hears)
  • Read or tell stories, nursery rhymes and poetry to your child every day
  • Have your child use pictures in books to tell what might happen next in the story
  • Talk with your child about other books that have similar characters or events
  • Talk with your child about experiences in the neighborhood, community, or world that connect him/her to the story
  • Ask your child to retell events of the story in order and use details while retelling
  • Have your child identify 3 to 4 steps in a process (ex. get toothbrush and toothpaste, put toothpaste on bruch, brush teeth)
  • Ask your child simple and difficult questions about a book you have read
        • Example story: The Three Little Pigs
        Simple (Who? What? When? Where?): What did the first pig use to build his house?
        Difficult (How? Why?) How do you think the pig felt when his house was blown down
  • Look at a book cover and have your child think of words that may be in the story
WRITING: 
  • Have your child draw a picture and write what is happening in the picture
  • Use a picture or photo and have your child tell you a story using the details of the picture
  • Write a story that a child tells and have him/her reread the story
  • Keep paper, pencil and crayons handy and encourage your child to write
SPELLING: 
  • Print your child's name and have him/her copy it
  • Help your child label an object in a picture with its beginning letter
  • Play "I see" games with your child (ex. I see something that begins with the sound of T. Child says, "table.")
MOST IMPORTANT ACTIVITY:
  • 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!

Last updated: May 29, 2003