Figure III-7: Interactive Literacy Activities for Parents and Children

Home Literacy Activities

  1. Read your child's favorite story to him/her in a comfortable, quiet place. Ask your child to predict what will happen next. (A, B, C, D, F, H)
  2. Start the day by reading the newspaper. Point out interesting pictures to your child and read the captions together. (A, B, C, G, H)
  3. Read a story with your child, such as Is Your Mama a Llama? Pick a word from the book and make a rhyme with each consonant in the alphabet—"bat, cat, dat..." (A, E, F, G)
  4. Boost your child's word power by taking a "naming walk" indoors or outdoors, naming each item you come to—dog, chair, car, tree, etc. (A, B, C, F, H)
  5. Art day: Think of ways to expand vocabulary with description words—color names (as found on crayons) and words like "oozing" and "dripping." (A, B, C, F, G,H)
  6. Make a photo album by pasting photos or magazine pictures on construction paper. Write captions or record your child's story about the pictures. (A, B, C, D, F, G, H)
  7. Dance the ABCs! Sing through the alphabet and move about, clapping and making up dance steps. (A, E, F)
  8. Visit the library together. Let your child pick out a book to read, and let her turn the pages for you. (A, B, C, D, G, H)
  9. Ask your child to help you "cook" today by reading a recipe together or carefully cutting out coupons in the newspaper. (A, B, D, G, H)
  10. With your child, look for things in your home that begin with the first letter of your child's name: "J is for Jack—what else starts with J? Jelly, jar, juice..." (A, B, E, F, G)
  11. Teach your child a song or nursery rhyme you remember from your childhood. Sing it, chant it, and clap it! (A, C, E)
  12. Ask your child about her day using open-ended questions: "What did you have for breakfast? What was your favorite part of the day?" (B, C, H)
  13. Try a new book. Take a "picture walk" through the book, looking at and talking about the pictures with your child. (A, D, F, G, H)
  14. Play with magnetic letters or big letters cut out from a magazine. Show your child how you can add or take away letters to make new words. (A, B, E, F)
  15. Make up words that rhyme with your child's name—it's okay if they're silly! Make up rhymes for other family members' names. (A, C, E)