Build a word...

Get some magnetic letters or bath letters. Have your child stick them up so he can see them all. Start by you, the parent, posting a word on the fridge:

Cat

Have your child sound out the word or read it. (Make the word fit your child's ability...you could even just do letters).

Then either:

1. Tell your child to change the word cat to....bat, mat, sat, etc. A sequence of words might be : cat, sat, mat, map, cap, lap, tap, top, etc....

2. Or let your child build a word and challenge you to read it. Then go back and forth taking turns building and reading. When I do this Charley I usually build off his word to make a word that rhymes his by just changing a letter.

* Please note that I do these things with Charley because he LOVES it. He begs to play school and enjoys sitting and doing things like this. If he didn't I WOULD NOT force it or shove this down his throat.

Make reading fun!

Make reading fun by having your child keep track of how many books or how many minutes they read. I made a snake...something my son would think is cool. But you can do anything....We also created a place where he can keep all the books he CAN read. This bucket allows him to find a quiet place to practice. He can easily find the books he can read on his own!

Hunting for Treasure...

My friend Molly shared with me a little activity her mom did with her when she was little. And I gave it a try up at the cottage. I wrapped up some little treasures in tinfoil (not necessarily new but match box cars, little animals etc.) You have to make sure they weigh enough to sink. Then I tossed them out into the water and Charley and his friend CJ had to hunt for them. They sparkle like treasures. Once they found them they got to excitedly open them to see what treasures they uncovered. It got them in the water! Then they ended up wrapping up things and tossing them back in. Success!

shaving cream + sunny day =

A happy boy! When I was teaching we would do shaving cream spelling. I had high hopes of doing some letters and sight words with Charley this afternoon. But I ran in the house to grab something and when I returned he was very busy .... covering himself. I think I will just let him have at it and then run through the sprinkler. For those of you who need a fun way to get your kiddos ready for school. Shaving cream and a finger will be the ultimate way to practice spelling words, letters, sight words, math problems...and more. The dollar store sells it for a dollar a large can!