Children actively construct knowledge through routines play, practices, and language. Children use a variety of strategies to gather information based upon their own individual approach to learning.
The purpose of this webpage is to provide families and the community with related resources for children up to age 5. Literacy isn’t just reading. Literacy also involves communication and writing. The following resources encompass all the domains a young child should be exposed to. Literacy doesn’t happen in a vacuum; rather, literacy is all around us.
When children help in the kitchen, they aren’t only learning cooking skills. They are practicing fine motor skills when dumping and stirring ingredients. They are learning math skills when measuring using cups or spoons. They are learning science skills when ingredients come together to make something new. They are learning literacy skills when following a recipe or talking through the steps with an adult.
Bread in a bag
Ice cream in a bag
Apple pie crescents
Pizza crescents
Easy blueberry muffins
Homemade applesauce
3 ingredient monkey bread
Going on a bear hunt
Children learn about science and the world around them through play. When children play in science, they are also learning literacy skills as they follow directions and talk through steps with an adult. They are practicing fine motor skills when they use droppers and tweezers.
Walking water
How clouds make rain
Fizzy colors
How to make a volcano
Sink and float water play
Water xylophone
Salt painting
How to make bouncy balls
Children learn about math by exploring materials in their world. Number recognition andcounting are only a few ways children learn math concepts. Recognizing colors and shapes aren’t only math concepts; they are also early literacy concepts.
Number toy hunt
Ice cream math
Color graphing
Button Counting
Giant shape match
Shape art
Counting and measuring with Lego
Uno card activities
When children are engaged in movement activities, learning happens across multiple domains. Singing and dancing teach literacy, math, and science concepts. Following movements allows children to practice the concept of speaking and listening (taking turns, giving direction, following direction). Gross motor activities also increase children’s understanding of how their body moves and works.
Cosmic Kids Yoga
GoNoodle
Spin, Roll, and Count
Crossing the Midline
Robot Dance
Hopscotch
Obstacle Course
Balloon Tennis
Fine motor activities help children develop hand-eye coordination, strength, and controlled us of tools (i.e. pencils, scissors, paint brushes). When children practice fine motor skills, they are working the muscles of their fingers, hands, wrists, and arms to ready them for writing.
Art activities can encompass all domains of learning. Science is an important part of artistic expression – how colors mix to become a new color is a scientific concept. Literacy happen when a child draws line or squiggles and “names” what those represent. When a child uses scissors or squeezes out glue, they are practicing fine motor movements.
Straw Blow Art
Fizzy Painting
Hidden Name art
Frozen Paint
Symmetry Squish Painting
Marble Painting
Painting with Bubbles
Cookie cutter painting
Literacy activities encompass more than reading stories. Literacy includes communication and writing. All are building blocks to later learning. Literacy activities also include learning through math, science, gross and fine motor, and social-emotional domains.
Letter Hunt
Alphabet soup match up
Race to a letter
Fingerprint Names
Gone Fishing
Letter Scavenger Hunt
Alphabet Matching
Journals
Social studies concepts for young children include learning about their world, money, and how things work. When creating maps for a bear hunt, children are using their literacy knowledge to write and draw on the map. Play money not only teaches children about the economy but also how to add and subtract numbers.
Going on a bear hunt map
Popsicle Puppets and Communication (will need to download the activity)
Pretend Play Store
Practice learning your address and phone number
Go for a walk in your neighborhood and talk about what you see – when you return home, work to map out your neighborhood – this teaches map skills
Make self-portraits
This teaches everyone is different – make sure to include all characteristics of your child and yourself
Understanding of self and ability to regulate behaviors and emotions are inextricably linked to learning and success. Social-emotional learning happens across all learning domains. Literacy happens when talking with your child about their emotions and reading stories that promote positive social interactions.
Paper Plate Emotion Masks
Make a Face
Facial Expressions (will need to translate as page is in Spanish)
Play a game that requires taking turns – learning to wait and take turns is a huge
learning curve for preschool children
Kind Words Sensory Lesson
Create a daily picture schedule for your child– include meal times but also self-help tasks (getting dressed, brushing teeth, combing hair, etc.)
Pom Pom Turn Taking Game
Howard B. Wigglebottom – online stories and music allows children to learn about feelings and character building
