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Blogging A to Z: “X” Marks the Spot
Whether it’s the big overstuffed chair that hugs you both, your little one’s bed before they go to sleep, or even the dining room table. It’s important to find a special place that you can use as a reading nook for your little one. A few things to keep in…
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Blogging A to Z: Writing
Have you ever seen a child’s artwork with just a row of lines one after the other? Or a row of circles? That’s great! Practicing lines and shapes are the first steps to writing letters! I mean, all letters consist of lines and shapes put together to create each unique…
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Blogging A to Z: Vocabulary
Reading introduces kids to words that you don’t use in every day conversation. These are sometimes called “rare” words, words your child may not normally encounter. But, you can easily add rare words into your daily conversations. Think about synonyms – rather than, “Let’s go eat!” try using other words…
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Blogging A to Z: Underline
Today’s early literacy tip is an easy one! Use your finger to underline words as you read them. It doesn’t have to be every line of text, just pick out a word or two to underline. This helps kids realize that the illustrations connect with the text. It’s easy to…
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Blogging A to Z: Talking
What kind of talking is found most in your home? It is one-sided, directional talking? As in, “Little Billy, go wash your hands for dinner.” Or is it conversation talking? Where you and Little Billy talk back and forth each listening and responding to each other. Both types of talking…
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Blogging A to Z: Singing
Very similar to rhyming, singing helps kids hear the smaller sounds of words. Many songs also tell a story teaching kids about narrative skill – how stories work with a beginning, middle, and end. Plus, where else would you ever talk to your kids about a “tuffet” as in “Little…
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Blogging A to Z: Rhyming
Probably some of my most favorite books to read aloud – rhyming books! Rhyming books have such great rhythm and really are so much fun to read aloud. Rhyming is a great early literacy tool to practice with PreK kids. The skill of rhyming helps kids to distinguish the different…
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Blogging A to Z: Questions
Can you believe we’re already at the letter “Q”? Typically, Q is a hard letter for the Blogging A to Z Challenge, but this year, I knew exactly what to focus on! Questions! When you read aloud to your little one, do you read the book straight through, close it…
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Blogging A to Z: Play
I think Mr. Rogers is an American institution. A man who was truly an wonderful human being who lived by the golden rule. He created Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood and spoke directly to kids about growing up focusing on social and emotional needs. The show ran for 895 episodes! Besides the…
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Blogging A to Z: Openness
Openness can mean a lot of different things, but for today’s post we’re talking about diversity. And the importance of creating a purposeful home library full of books that open your child’s world beyond their lived experiences. On a very basic level, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Because small children…
