Dress Up! An Early Reader Book for Girls
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our free email feed. Thanks for visiting!Last month, I shared my packet of 10 early reader books for boys with all of you. I have been thrilled to hear from parents and teachers throughout the US and beyond whose boys have become more motivated to practice reading because the stories are all about things they love: construction equipment, monsters and dinosaurs. After receiving such great feedback, I was excited to design a pack of early reader books for girls. Thanks to Playdough to Plato’s awesome Facebook fans, I quickly...
Read MoreAlphabet Books
As a kindergarten teacher, I always spent the first few weeks of school reading alphabet books to my students because they help children understand that each letter has a special name and sound. (That’s really important for kids to know before they try reading on their own later.) Thankfully, there are options for almost every interest – sports, animals and even American states. However, with so many choices to pick from, it can be hard to know where to start. So I’m excited to share my ten favorites. “Alphabet City” inspires kids to...
Read MoreBest Posts of 2012
I love reminiscing. Whether it’s laughing with friends about what life was like before cell phones (remember wearing those super cool pagers?!) or looking through my boys’ baby books, thinking back on the good ole’ days always makes me smile. As we added another year to the history books, I was excited to pick my 5 favorite early literacy posts of 2012. Check them out by clicking on each of the pictures below. Showdown!! The Pre-Writing Activity Packet Alphabet Cup Hunt 10 Printable Early Readers for Boys Sight...
Read MoreBeats on the Body Game
Earlier this week, I sat in on a tutoring session led by Deb Cooper, a well-respected speech and language pathologist. The activities she used were hands-on, fun AND educational. In fact, the child she was working with smiled from start to finish. {That’s always a good sign!} One of the games they played was a favorite I’d used in my kindergarten classroom too. Deb called it “Beats on the Body” and the premise is simple. Children tap their hand, then elbow and shoulder as they break a word into syllables – an important skill that helps them get ready for...
Read MoreGingerbread Man Hunt
Every year at the start of school, I introduced my kindergarteners to the principal, kitchen staff and other VIPs by sending them on a playful gingerbread hunt. My students smiled from start to finish. (And so did the staff!) Now that I’m out of the classroom, I was excited to share this playful reading activity with my three year old son, C. And, since Christmas is right around the corner, the timing of the activity couldn’t be more perfect. You can download your own free copy of the clues we used here. The Setup To start, I gathered a few supplies: A copy...
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