ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST ACADEMIC READINESS

Practice writing his/her first and last name

1. Have your child write /her first and last name using a variety of tools such as a Magna Doodle.crayons, pencils,and markers. Check that your child is gripping the writing utensil correctly. You may even consider having your child practice writing his name using different items around the house such as rice,shaving cream,sand and pudding on a cookie sheet.

*****Be sure that your child usea a capital letter only at the beginning and lowercase letters for the rest of the name.

2.Write your child's name in large letters (or use magnetic letters). Say each letter aloud as your write or place it so your child can associate the name of the letter with the shape of the letter.

3.Cut apart the letters of your child's name (or use magnetic letters) and have him put them back in the correct order saying the name of each letter while doing so. (Start with just the first name, addding the last name only when they have mastered the first name.)

4. Label your child's door or other objects so his name can be seen in print.

Practice recognizing and writing the numbers 0-10 (or higher)

1. Read and enjoy counting books together

2. Point out numbers in license plates, in the store, in your home, and all around you.

3. Use magnetic numbers to have your child practice naming them. Have your child put the numbers for your

phone number in order saying each number while doing so,

4. Practice writing numbers with a variety of materials such as sidewalk chalk, paint,and colored pencils

Practice counting orally and practice counting objects(to 10 or higher)

1. Have your child count his own snacks such as pretzels, grapes, and goldfish crackers.

2. Count each item as you pick up 10 things to put away in the house or bedroom.

3. Count the number of stair steps in your house or the number of steps from your car to the house.

Practice naming and correctly writing the letters in the alphabet

1. Read and enjoy alphabet books together.

2. Help your child recognize leters of the alphabet in everyday life(ex. restaurants,road signs, store

signs, cereal boxes,etc.)

3. Explore with magnetic letters.

4. Practice recognizing and writing both upper and lowercase letters.

Practice book handling skills

1. Discuss how to open the book from the front. Point out the front of the book and then the back of the book.

Discuss that the front of the book is where the story begins and the back is where it ends.

2. Discuss how to hold a book so it is not upside down. Show your child where to start reading and how to turn the pages correctly.

3. Read with your child on a daily basis.

Practice recognizing the eight primary colors

1. When your child is coloring, ask what colors were used.

2. Have your child draw objects on paper and ask him to color the objects in certain colors

3. Have your child sort objects or food by colors such as clothes, blocks ,Skittles, M&M's or Fruit Loops

then name the colors.

4. Discuss colors of things in the world around you such as the sky, the grass, cars. clothing items.

Practice naming and drawing the six basic shapes( circle,triangle,square, rhombus, ellipse, and rectangle)

1. Point out objects in your houseand environment that have the basic shapes such as

doors, windows, clocks, can tops.kites,etc....

2. Read and enjoy shape books together.

3. Have your child draw the shapes on chalkboards, paper,etc. and then cut them out and name them. Show them how pictures such as a house or sun can be drawn using basic shapes.

Practice your phone number and address

1. Have your child practice the phone number on a play phone.

2. Make up a rhyme or a song to go along with your phone number that your child can remember.

Practice it regularly.

Practice coloring neatly and cutting on the line

1. Have your child cut out coupons.

2. Have your child cut out pictures from magazines of things that he is interested in.

3. Have your child draw simple objects with some detail (including self, family, house, pets).

4. Explore making illustrations with a variety of resources incluing paint and chalk.

5. Practice coloring an object back and forth making smooth strokes that cover the entire

object,discouraging scribbling and encourage doing their "best" coloring.