Instructions for Reading Activities
R. E. S. Kindergartens
Letters and Sounds:
Letter Poems (see pages K.9a-b)
Magazine letter find -
1) find pictures that start with any letter/sound of the alphabet.
2) brainstorm a list of words that start with any letter/sound.
3) go on a scavenger hunt finding items that start with any letter/sound.
4) Pick a word from a rhyming word family such as at, op, or ill, and
find pictures that rhyme with the target word.
Fine motor activities: (see pages K.6a-c).
Handwriting: (see page K.7): pick any uppercase or lowercase letter/sound, child’s name, short words, or numbers (see pages K.4a-b) and do one of the following:
1) Squirt shaving cream on a tabletop and practice writing in it.
2) Seal washable paint in gallon Ziploc bag, and write on bag with fingertip.
3) Use fingertip writing on small piece of sandpaper.
4) Write letters in a tray or cookie sheet of uncooked rice.
5) Use dry erase board and dry erase marker (tissue will erase).
6) Use clay to form letters or numbers.
Keep a journal of daily activities. Write 1-4 sentences using inventive spelling.
Read 10 - 15 minutes a day
Read high frequency “sight/word wall” words (see pages K.8a-b):
practice 5 words until able to read, and then do next 5 words.
School-Home Links Reading Activities (see pages K.10a-z and K.10aa-bb)
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/tablek.html
Safe Websites for Children (see page K.5a)
Compiled by R. E. S. Kindergarten Team Oct 2009
Cut out number cards 1-20. (see pages K.1a-b)
1. Put number cards in order 1-20.
2. Put number cards in order backwards from 10-1.
3. Put number cards in order by 5’s or 10’s. (see pages K.1c-d)
4. Add two number cards together using numbers 1-10.
Make patterns with silverware, coins, blocks, crayons, toys, etc.
Sort and Graph (see pages K.2a-b)
1. Objects like Legos or cereal by size, color, shape
2. Sort Coins (see page K.2c)
3. Sort Dots (see page K.2d)
4. Sort Shapes (see page K.2e)
5. Sort and color rectangle and square (see page K.2f)
6. Dice Roll and Graph (see page K.3c)
Coins: penny, nickel, dime, quarter-
1. Name coin and talk about how much it is worth.
2. Count a group of pennies.
3. Review coin poems. (see page K.3a)
4. Coin Toss and Tally (see page K.3b)
Write numbers. (see pages K.4a-b)
Count to 1-30 by 1’s.
Count by 5’s to 100.
Count by 10’s to 100.
Count objects to 20.
Count backwards from 10.
Activities That Help Strengthen Fine-Motor (Hand) Control
* Cut, color, fold or paste paper.
*Tear Paper into small pieces to make a collage or picture.
* Play with jacks and marbles.
*Paint letters, numbers, etc. with tempera paint and brushes.
*Create letters and numbers out of aluminum foil.
*Line up a row of pennies and turn them over using fingertips.
*Have child copy snapping, tapping, and clapping sequence patterns.
*Seal zip-lock bags using thumb and one fingertip at a time.
*Spin tops or coins.
*Use an eyedropper and colored water to color on absorbent paper.
*Use a water sprayer to mist plants or grass.
*Use a holepuncher to make "snow" or confetti.
*Draw with Etch-a-Sketch or Magna Doodle.
*Draw with chalk.
* Play with wind-up toys, or twist bottle caps on and off.
*Squeeze a soft ball to exercise each hand.
*Put coins into a bank.
*Use stencils for writing letters and shapes.
*Play with blocks, puzzles, Lite-Brite, Legos, tinker toys, pick-up sticks.
*Use spring-type clothespins to clip things together: write numerals on index cards, then clip the correct number or clothespins to the numbered index card, or hang small pieces of material on a clothesline.
*Clay and play dough: cut into pieces with plastic forks or knives, or use a garlic press, whisk, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.
*Sort small objects such as nails, screws, bolts, paper clips, and rubber bands into groups.
*Lacing cards can be made easily from small shapes cut out of cardboard with holes poked through them.
*String beads, tube macaroni, Cheerios or Fruit Loops. Child inserts string through the opening instead of pushing object onto string.
*Fasten clothing buttons, zippers, snaps, and shoestrings, or dress up dolls.
*Screw nuts onto matching bolts. Start with the largest size first and then move to the next size down.
* Stand behind a quart jar, and without bending over, try to drop clothespins into the jar.
*Match lids to plastic jars, and then screw them on and off.
*Hook a rubber band around both thumbs. Open and close thumb to stretch rubber band. Repeat with each corresponding finger of both hands.
*Finger Painting: Spray puffs of shaving cream on a cookie sheet, plain plastic tray, or washable tabletop. Child spreads out the shaving cream with hands. Use pointer finger to draw letters, shapes, etc. If pudding is used, it can be eaten when finished.
*Spaghetti letters: Break dried spaghetti in half and cook according to directions. Drain spaghetti and let cool. Give child some wet spaghetti on piece of waxed paper. Form letters on the paper. Make name, numbers, etc. When letters are dry, glue on sheets of dark colored construction paper.
*Salt Box: Cut black paper to fit inside bottom of a sturdy shallow box and attach it in place. Cover bottom of the box with a layer of salt. Use finger to draw letters in salt. Erase letters by gently shaking box from side to side.
*Roll-On bottles: Pry roller tops off empty roll-on deodorant bottles. Wash tops and bottles and allow to dry. Fill bottles with different liquid tempera paint colors, and replace roller tops. Child can use to draw letters, numbers, etc.
* Fill empty plastic squeeze bottles (as used for mustard and ketchup) with colored water (use drops of food coloring). Create lines, shapes, numbers, and letters on construction paper. Outdoors, practice writing on sidewalks or snow with the colored water.
*Outside, using a small paintbrush and a bucket of water, child paints letters, etc. on a fence, outside wall, sidewalk, or picnic table.
*Write with soap crayons on the bottom and sides of a dry sink or bathtub. Crayon marks wipe off with a wet sponge or cloth.
*Write with cotton swabs (Q-Tips): Put small amounts of tempera paint in egg carton. Child dips swabs into paint and makes letters, numbers, pictures, etc. on paper.
*Use a Popsicle stick to practice writing on aluminum foil. To erase, child smoothes out the foil with fingertips.
*Write with glue: Place piece of construction paper inside a large box lid. Squeezing a small bottle of white liquid glue, child creates letters, etc. Child may sprinkle sand or glitter on top of wet glue, shaking off off excess into the box lid.
*Use tweezers or tongs to pick up small objects like beans or rice or cereal and place on a plate.
*Practice lifting and moving sand, cornmeal, salt, rice, cereal or dried beans with spoons.
*Cut plastic foam into small pieces. Using toothpicks, child fastens foam pieces together to create animals, people, buildings, etc.
