Early Literacy Tip of the Month: “Rhyming Ride”
Hi parents! Remember you can turn any situation into a learning experience! The car is a great place to communicate with your children and teach them something too! Next time you’re driving in the car turn down the radio and start talking about your surroundings and some of the things you see. Make a game out of it! Ask your child to point out different objects they see outside the car window and then try to find words to rhyme with the objects they have chosen. This is a wonderful activity that builds on your child’s observational skills as well as their literacy skills by naming different objects and using rhyming words! Also remember silly words count too! Made up words are lots of fun and still help your child learn different sounds to the alphabet!
Example: “Oh look Billy a red car! Can you name something that rhymes with car?" (Possible rhymes: jar, tar, far, etc.) If you have more than one child, have them take turns.
Children always enjoy these kinds of games especially with their parents, and it turns a boring ride home into a fun learning experience for you and your child!
Also remember read to your child at least 20 minutes everyday! Try to leave their books out in a basket on the floor or some place they can get to them so that they can take the opportunity to open and read the book on their own as well. Perhaps while they are waiting for you to come and read to them!
Remember you are your child’s best teacher, and anytime you may be able to spend reading, playing, and learning with your child will be wonderful memories your child will hold for a lifetime!
Past Tips...
Picture walk
Sometimes children, especially younger ones, do not have the patience to sit and listen to you read through all the words on a page. While we always encourage you to continue to read the words of a book, next time when reading a book with your child try a “picture walk.”
- This is when you and your child just look at the pictures in a book and talk about what you see. This allows for you and your child to explore and create stories together, it gets your child’s imagination going and it makes an “old” book seem new again!
- Remember to ask open ended questions when doing a “picture walk” with you child such as: Where do you think they are going? Why do you think they are sad? What do you think will happen next?
- Also try to have your child’s books easily accessible to them, have them on the lower shelves of book cases, or in baskets on the floor. So that they may pick one up whenever they desire.
- When reading with your child remember to let them pick out the book themselves! It give them a sense of importance that they are able to make that decision for themselves, and it will always ensure a much more pleasurable experience when they have picked out the book they wanted to read because they will be more interested!
- Remember whatever story you and your child create make sure you always encourage them and have fun, in a “picture walk” nothing is wrong because it is your own story to tell!
Remember to read to your child 20 minutes everyday!
Check back next month for our next Tip!
