The next time you're at the grocery store, help your child find twelve of something, such as twelve apples or zucchinis. Count to twelve as you point to each one. Then explain that twelve also means a dozen. Look for a dozen eggs or a dozen bagels. Whtat else can you find a dozen of?
12 of something is also called a dozen.
Point to each group of a dozen that you see here. Are there enough hats for each bat to have one?
Find the horns that look the same.Find the hats that look the same.
Dine with the number 9! With your child, create a meal where there is exactly nine of something on the plate. There could be nine spaghetti stands, nine carrot sticks, or chicken cut up into nine pieces. Count the food before your eat it, and then count down after every bite.
Grocery Game
Mama Bear’s list goes from 1 to 9; 9 food items for Baby Bear to find.
Will you help him find them: 1, 2, 3?
Go on a nature scavenger hunt and collect sets of eight with your child. Can you find eight small sticks? Eight fallen leaves? Eight pebbles? When you get home, help your child glue what he found onto pieces of construction paper and then write the number eight on each collage. How many sets of eight can you find?
Help collect the eggs!
Count all the eggs on the next page. Then cut them out and put them in the basket.
There are seven colors you can see in a rainbow- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Together with your child, draw a rainbow counting each color as you go! What else can you draw with seven colors?
7 Soapy Socks
My 7 socks are spinning in the washing machine.
My 7 soapy, spinning socks all look squeaky clean.
As a fun art project, you and your child can dip your hands and feet in finger paint and make hand and foot prints on paper or cardboard. Once the paint is dry, count the number of fingers on each hand and the number of toes on each foot. Use markers or crayons to write the numbers 1-5 above each finger and toe.
Point to each Twiddlebug in the big picture. Say which sense it is using. What else can you count 5 of ?
Play a game where you and your child have to remember to say "one" when there is only one of something left. If you're eating carrot sticks, say "one" when there is only one left on your plate. If your're cleaning up toys, say "one" before you put the last one away. If you're setting the table together, don't forget to say "one" when you only have one plate or spoon left to put down.
Wonderful One
One sun up in the sky;
One airplane way up high;
Use bath time to teach your child about hygiene—and letters, numbers, and science! As you talk about getting clean, soap and bubbles can be your teaching tools. Squirt a letter on his hand with foaming soap or draw a shape in the tub with bubbles. Your child may enjoy getting clean as much as he enjoys getting dirty!
Everyone has a “baby in the tub” photo. Together with your child, pull out the photo album. Show him how he has been having tub time since he was a tiny baby. Talk about how being a big kid has changed tub time. Can he use the washcloth to scrub his toes? Can he dry himself off with a towel?
Where do our foods come from? Talk with your child about something on your dinner table at home, such as potatoes. Where were the potatoes grown? How did they travel to your table? Visit the supermarket together and talk about other foods. Did those foods grow on trees or in the ground? Did they come from an animal, as milk and eggs do?
Where does your food come from? Farms! Use your finger or a crayon to follow the delicious journey from farm to market to your table.
Move It
Get ready to jump, wiggle, and sway, because a great way to discover new words and build language is to move while you learn. That’s because when your child explores words with his whole body, he will really feel their meaning, which helps him learn.
TEST YOUR TOSS
Help Ernie hit the target squares! Tape this paper onto the floor and take a step back. Try to toss a medium-sized rock so it lands in a numbered square. Start with square 1 and throw your way to square 4. Keep practicing until your tosses are terrific!
Sock Chaos at the Laundromat
Chris is folding his laundry when he discovers a sock is missing. All socks come in pairs, so he needs to find the matching sock.
Abby appears with a new "two trick" that turns one thing into two things. She waves her wand and makes a pink polka dot sock appear, but it doesn't match Chris' striped sock.
LOOKING FOR LAUNDRY
Choose a room in your home with your child, and look for things that begin with the letter T. You might start right in your bathroom. Point out the toothbrush, toilet, towel, and the turtle, if you have one!
Tub Time!
Read the words in the blue labels. They all begin with the same sound, like the first sound in the word tub. What other words begin with the t sound?
Ask your child to draw pictures of animals that start with "S," like snakes, spiders, skunks, and squirrels. Then together cut out the pictures and glue them on one piece of paper. When you are finished creating the collage, practice making the sound of the letter "S," just like a snake!
Surprise in the Sky
Read the words in the blue labels. They all begin with the same sound, like the first sound in the word sun.
What other words begin with the s sound?
Prepare a breakfast for you and your child with foods that begin with the letter "O." Try eating oatmeal, a healthy omelet, or orange juice. Point out to her that the foods begin with the letter "O" and practice saying the sounds that letter "O" makes. What a great way to start the day together!
Sing along with Elmo and his friends! Then read the words in the bluelabels. They all end with the same sound, like the last sound in the word Elmo. What other words have the o sound?
Talk with your child about the sound the letter N makes. Then together search for things that begin with the letter N in your home. You might find a newspaper, napkin or noodles. If your child needs help getting started, encourage him to begin by pointing to his nose!
Say the words in the blue labels. They all start with the same sound, like the first sound in the word night. What other words begin with the n sound?
GCreate your own "I" book!
ather blank pieces of paper and staple them together. Encourage your child to write an uppercase "I" and a lowercase "i" on the cover. Then, add a picture of something that begins with the letter "I" to each page. If your child needs help thinking of "I" words, you might suggest an iron, igloo or ice cream!
Iguanas on Ice
Read the blue labels. The letter i can make the sound that begins the word ice or the sound that begins the word insect. What other words begin with an i sound?
Together with your child, look through magazines and newspapers for things that begin with the letter F. Help her cut out each picture and glue or tape the images to a large, blank piece of paper. Label your collage by writing the letter "F" at the top of the page.
Fall Feast
Read the blue labels. All the words begin with the same letter, like the first letter in the word fall. What other words begin with f?
When you're in the car or walking around outside, look for the letter E on store or street signs. Encourage your child to find the letter E in words such as "Enter" and "Exit." How many letter E's can you find altogether?
Everybody Eats
The E family especially loves to eat. Read the blue labels. The letter e can make different sounds, like the
first sound in the word elephant or the word eat. Use your ears to hear the difference!
Every day, your child sees words all around him. Help him learn that words are made up of letters, and that letters are symbols for sounds. Use the tips and videos to open up the wide world of words for your child.
Names Are Made of Letters
Encourage your child to notice that letters are the building blocks of words. Start by placing a printed alphabet around the room. Say each letter with your child as you point to it. Try cutting out the letters of your child's name, and ask her to color the letters. Hang the designed name somewhere in her room. From time to time, give examples of words that begin with the letters that make up her name, especially the letter her name starts with.
