Reading the World Around You!

Reading with your child

PowerPoint Presentation created by Terry Pino

The following activities can be done by simply looking at the printed words that surround you in the world. Everywhere you go there are words! Take advantage of these worldwide learning experiences and read with your child!

Signs: Print Around Us

Look at the print outside and around your home:Read road signs, store signs, street signs, and billboards.Read names on cans and boxes, directions for making food, and labels on products.

The Mail

Read the mail with your child. Flyers and ads can be read too. Look for pictures of food and other things you will buy.Cut these out.Tape or paste these on a piece of paper.Help your child copy the word.

School

What happened in school? Discuss what your child learned today in reading. Talking about what happened makes it more important.Ask what new words were learned.Try to use these new words in a conversation as you cook dinner or wash the dishes.

Using Different Words

When talking about how your child feels, ask him/her to use different words to describe the feeling.

• Try using these words. Instead of your child saying “I feel bad”, help your child use words like “unhappy”, “ill”, or “upset”. This will increase his/her vocabulary.

Shopping

When going shopping, plan what you will buy.With your child, write a list of things you will get.When shopping, have your child find some of the things on the list.Put these things into the cart and read and mark them off the list.Let your child help put the things away.Put the cans together and the boxes together.

Cooking

Following directions on a package to make a meal. Talk about what you are doing. Let your child help with part of it.Write the name of the meal on a card.Help your child write if he/she liked it.Put the card in a box.Keep cards for meals cooked.

Note This

Write your child a note.Put it in the lunch box, book bag, or pocket.Your child can write to a friend.Ask the person who gets the note to send one back.

Family Names

Names are important to your child. They are something that your child hears a lot.Write the names of family members on a card.If you have a picture, paste or tape it with the name or have your child draw a picture for each name.As you read the cards, talk about the people and who they are.On a piece of paper write “This is ___”. Put the name on line. Now read the sentence.

T.V. Time

Select a TV show together. There are some that your child views often.Watch the program with your child.Talk about what happened.Ask what the show was mostly about.Ask what happened in the beginning, what the characters did, and how it ended.Keep a list of the selected TV programs and times.Prerecord programs you can watch with your child.

T.V. and Reading

PBS programs (WLRN) offer learning for your child. Select a book that follows up an idea or theme that was seen on a children’s TV show. Read the book with your child.

The Library

Go to the library with your child.Take time to look at the books.Pick a book with your child and sit down and read it.Select one with your child to read at home.Check out one for yourself too. This shows that you enjoy reading too.Look for special programs that take place in the library. Go to one and enjoy it.

Home Library

Find a place in your home to keep books. This can be a shelf or even a box placed near your child’s bed.Look for books at yard sales and flea markets.Make your own books from paper, pencil, and crayons.Give books for presents.

Storytelling

Tell your child stories about you as a child, or about grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Recall favorite family memories. Make up stories, too. Let your child add parts to the stories.You and your child can write your own stories and add them to a book of stories.

Walk Talk

When walking to a place (store, friend’s house, school) name the things you see. Talk about these things with your child. Then tell a story about your walk.Write down the names of the things seen.Retell the story and point to the words as you read.

Reading the Comics

Find a comic strip that you and your child like.Cut the strip apart and mix up the frames.Ask your child to put the frames back in order.Help your child with any unknown words.Reread the comic strip and ask your child to explain what happened in his/her own words.

Weather

Find out information about the weather. Books, newspapers, magazines, and television shows can be excellent sources of information.Ask your child to select one particular type of weather (snow, rain, tropical storm, hurricane, etc…) and look for information about it.Discuss the weather topic your child has selected after your child has read about it.Make a list of the things you and your family could or should do in order to prepare for that type of weather.

Clouds

Look up! There are clouds that can take the shape of many things. Talk about these clouds changing shapes.Make up a story about them.See who can add words to describe how they look as they change.

T.V. Critics

Write down the programs you will watch. Write the day and the time, too. Then you and your child play “TV Critic” by rating the program. Talk about what was learned. Think if your family would have done the same thing to solve the problem. Give the program a rating symbol (*, **, ***, ****).

Menu Reading

When you are ordering food at a restaurant, help your child find the item on the menu that he/she is ordering.

• Look at the pictures to get the clues about the food names. You can even do this at the “Drive Thru” window.

Mall Walking

As you walk around the mall, read the names of the stores you are passing. See if your child can tell you the letters in the stores’ name.Look for ad signs in the window.Read the signs to your child.See if your child can find the same words in different signs.

Routines

Everyday your family does many things the same way. Talk to your child about these routines. At the end of the day, see if your child can tell you a story about the day. Help him/her use interesting words to describe what happened. Tell your child about your own day.

Chores Galore

Make a list of things your child has to do in the house. As able, have him/her help in making up the list.As chores are done, have your child mark them off the list.

On the Go

Keep a calendar on your refrigerator.Let your child see you write down important dates (birthdays, doctor appointments, PTA meetings).Read the calendar with your child to see what day of the week it is and what event is on the day.Be sure to schedule some days for family fun!

Colors: Blue Without You

As your child gets dressed, tell him/her the colors of the clothes.Make up a short rhyme for the colors worn (red, red, get out of bed; yellow, yellow, what a funny fellow).Ask your child to make up his/her own rhyme for the color word.

And remember…

help your child reach for the stars one book at a time!