The preschool years are crucial for language development · Web viewMamas like to stay close to...

SNP Parent Lettersby Allison Soncrant, SLP, 2013

Contents1. Introduction to literature2. 10 Little Apples Up On Top3. 10 Little Lady Bugs4. All By Myself5. Apples and Pumpkins6. Bear Snores On7. Berenstain Bears on the Moon8. Big Red Barn9. Blue Hat, Green Hat10. Does Your Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?11. Eating the Alphabet12. Eight Silly Monkeys13. Froggy Learns to Swim14. From Head to Toe15. Glad Monster, Sad Monster16. Go Away Big Green Monster17. How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?18. I Went Walking19. If You Take a Mouse to School20. In The Tall Tall Grass21. Is Your Mama A Lama?22. Lemons Are Not Red23. Mama Cat Has 3 Kittens24. Mary Wore a Red Dress25. Mouse Mess26. Napping House27. Polar Bear, Polar Bear28. Rainbow Fish29. Raindrop, Plop!30. Round is a Mooncake31. Skeleton Hiccups32. Snowy Day33. Spot’s Windy Day34. Take Me Out to the Ballgame35. Ten Little Rubber Ducks36. The Little Engine That Could37. The New Baby38. The Rain Came Down39. Time For Bed40. Very Hungry Caterpillar41. Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea

The preschool years are crucial for language development. Since most children spend the majority of their time with a parent, it’s important that parents become active participants in their child’s language development. Two easy ways for parents to become involved are through children’s literature and play.

Children’s literature: Sharing books with young children creates a love for books at an early age. Reading together allows a child exposure to new vocabulary, sentence structure, and phonemic awareness. Books allow children an opportunity to learn language with the support of visuals. Finally, books provide repetition which is fundamental in language development.

Children are made readers on the laps of their parents. Emilie Buchwald

Play: Play is the way in which young children explore their environment. It is the way in which a child learns. Play allows children to learn language in context. By involving parents in play, learning language becomes fun and convenient.

Play is the beginning of knowledge.George Dorsey

By using the context of a particular book, parents can engage their child in several language and play based activities. Through the activities parents will learn several language intervention techniques which can be applied to other situations. The strategies include: self talk, parallel talk, expansion, the use of visuals, and teaching language through music.

1

We will read 10 Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss.

Eat apples together. Cut the apple into small pieces and encourage your child to request the apple pieces. Talk about the different parts of an apple (the stem, seeds, core, etc.).

Talk about the taste and texture of apples using words such as “juicy”, “sweet”, “sour”, and “crunchy.”

Cut an apple shape from red paper. Use a hole puncher to punch a hole in the apple. Your finger will be the worm crawling through the apple. Have the worm crawl under, beside, on top, next to, and over the apple.

Point out apples at the grocery store to your child. Talk about the color and size of the apples. For example, “I see green apples.” Or “Look at the big apple.”

Sing the following song about apples. Emphasize the word “in” each time your child places an apple in the basket.

Picking Apples (Tune:Frere Jacques) -use when picking up legos, blocks, etc.

Picking apples Picking apples One by oneOne by one

Put them in a basket Put them in a basket

Oh, what fun! Oh, what fun!

(from perpetualpreschool.com)

As always read, read, and read!Allison Soncrant, SLP

2

We will read 10 Little Ladybugs by Melanie Green, This book introduces the concept of counting backwards. One by one the ladybugs disappear on each page.

Target Vocabulary: ladybug, butterfly, caterpillar, grasshopper, bee, breeze, turtle, and bird

Make an edible ladybug. Slice a red apple in half vertically. Attach raisins with peanut butter for the spots. Have your child request each ingredient. Describe each object and action while making the ladybug. Talk about the concept of half vs. whole as you slice

the apple. Talk about what we do with a knife. Ask, “Why did we need peanut butter?” Count the spots on the apple.

Play a lady bug matching game. Cut circles from red construction paper and make black spots on one side of each circle. On the opposite side, write a number 1-10 on each ladybug. Make a set for each number. Have your child pick a ladybug and find a ladybug with the same number. Talk about which ladybugs have the same number and which ladybugs have a different number.

Sing “10 Little Ladybugs” to the tune of “10 Little Indians.” Simply replace the word ladybug for Indian. Try singing the song backwards. Periodically, pause during the song and hold up your fingers to represent the number of ladybugs. Ask your child, “How many ladybugs, now?” Make sure that your child is using regular plural forms by adding an “s” when there is more than one ladybug.


3

We will read All by Myself by Mercer Meyer. A little critter describes all of the things that he can do by himself.

Target Vocabulary: button, brush, tie, pour, pull, kick, and pound

This book is full of action words. Typically, children acquire nouns before verbs. Verbs tend to be abstract in nature making them more difficult to learn when compared to nouns Try singing about verbs as a part of your daily routine. When you or your child begins a task, sing about it. For example, sing about brushing your hair. Using the melody of “Row, Row, Your Boat,” sing the following: Brush, brush, brush your hair, brush your hair with a brush, brush your hair, brush your hair, brush your hair with a brush. Replace the action of brush with another action and sing about the action when it occurs in your routine. Your child will be learning verbs in context and with many opportunities for repetition.

Encourage independence in your child. Allow extra time so that your child can begin to take care of his own self-help needs such as buttoning, zipping, and opening containers. If your child becomes frustrated, remind him/her to use his/her words and ask for “help.”

The little critter in the story enjoys pounding with a hammer. Have your child pound golf tees into a piece of Styrofoam with a toy hammer. Practice and talk about putting the nails in and taking them out.


4

We will read Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell. A family visits the farm to pick apples and pumpkins.

Target Vocabulary: farm, farmer, tree, apple, pumpkin, basket, vine, and turkey

Cut out an apple shape from red paper. Use a hole punch to create a hole in the apple. Your child’s finger will represent the worm. Have the worm crawl through, under, beside, and over the apple.

Eat apples together. Talk about the different parts of an apple (the stem, seeds, core, etc.). Talk about the taste and texture of apples using words such as “juicy”, “sweet”, “sour”, and “crunchy.”

Create a pumpkin vine in your living room. Spread yarn or string across the floor to represent the vine. Add orange paper circles of varying sizes to represent the pumpkins. Have your child pick big and small pumpkins from the vine and put them in a basket.

Point out pumpkins and apples at the grocery store to your child. Talk about the size of the pumpkins. For example, “I see a short pumpkin.” Talk about the colors of the apples. For example, “I see green apples.”


5

We will read Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson. A bear is sleeping in his cave during the winter. His animal friends have a party around him while he continues to sleep. Nothing seems to wake him until a fleck of pepper reaches his nose and makes a big sneeze. Soon, he joins in the fun. In the end, the other animals become tired and only the bear can’t sleep.

Target Vocabulary: bear, cave, winter, mouse, popcorn, badger, nuts, mole, pepper, and sneeze

Create a cave in your living room. If you have a pop-up tent, it can easily represent a cave. If you do not have a pop-up tent, drape sheets or blankets across several chairs to create a cave. Turn out the lights to make the cave dark inside. Crawl inside and talk about the darkness. Bring some stuffed animals inside the cave. Have your child shine a flashlight on the animals and name each one. Reverse roles, and describe one of the animals to your child and have him/her shine the flashlight on the appropriate animal. Talk about why you need a flashlight. Explain to your child that bears take a long nap in the winter called hibernation. Ask your child, “When do you sleep?”

Read other books about bears such as Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming and Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson.

Go on a bear hunt. Pretend to look for things that might be desirable to a bear such as nuts and berries. Use prepositional words as your describe your hunt. For example, “We’re climbing over a rock.” Pretend to climb up and down trees. Swim across a river.

As always, read, read, and read!Allison Soncrant

6

We will be read The Berenstain Bears on the Moon by Stan and Jan Berenstain. The Bears become astronauts when they take a trip to the moon.

Target Vocabulary: moon, rocket, earth, stars, and space helmet

At night, point out the stars and moon. Talk about the shape of the moon. Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Ask your child “When do we see the stars?”

Pretend to walk on the moon. Place several pillows on the floor and then cover with a sheet. Use a bike helmet for a space helmet. Walk on top of the moon and talk about how it feels.

Make a sun from handprints. Color a paper plate yellow and trace and cut out your handprints and your child’s handprints from yellow paper. Glue the handprints along the edge of the paper plate to create the rays of the sun. Talk about which handprints are big and which ones are small and why they are different sizes. Use descriptor words such as yellow, round, hot, and bright as you talk about the sun.

Make moon toast. Using a circle or crescent shaped cookie cutter cut shapes from sliced cheese. Place the cheese on top of a slice of bread and place in the toaster oven and bake. Name each ingredient. Talk about the temperature of the toaster oven and talk about what happens to the cheese in the oven.


7

We will read The Big Red Barn by Margaret Brown. This book describes what you might see on a farm. Many illustrations of farm animals are provided throughout the book including their actions during the day and night.

Target Vocabulary: barn, farmer, tractor, cow, horse, sheep, pig, rooster, scarecrow, and hay

Play with a farm set. Name each animal and talk about the noises and actions of each animal. Talk about the location of the animal. For example, “The horse is in front of the barn.”

Sing “Old McDonald had a Farm.” Let your child request which animal to sing next. According to your child’s ability level, have him/her request with a sentence such as “I want + (animal’s name)” rather than just naming the animal.

Read other books related to the farm such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See? by Eric Carle or Giggle, Giggle Quack by Doreen Cronin.

Make an edible sheep. Spread peanut butter on an oval shaped cracker. Place miniature marshmallows to represent wool on the peanut butter. Use thin pretzel sticks for the legs. Label the different parts of the sheep such as the wool and the legs. Have your child request each ingredient as needed. Ask your child, “Where does a sheep live?

See if your child can name 5 animals that live on the farm and then give him/her a “High Five.” If your child is having difficulty remembering the names, give cues to help him/her. For example, describe the animal, make the sound of the animal, or say the beginning sound of the animal to help your child recall an animal’s name.


8

We will read Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boyton. This book is full of repetition as it presents various types of clothing. A color accompanies each article of clothing.

Target Vocabulary: hat, shirt, pants, socks, coat, and shoes

Take turns trying on hats together with your child. For each turn, say ”my turn” and “your turn” to model simple pronouns. Look in the mirror. Young children love to look in the mirror and play dress-up. Who is wearing a hat? Describe the hats to your child. Are the hats black, red, tall, big, or small?

Try on different shoes. Children enjoy trying on adult-sized shoes. Describe the shoes and tap them on your child’s feet as you repeat the following chant: Black shoe, black shoeOne, twoContinue with other shoes of varying colors.

Allow your child to help with the laundry. Describe each step as you perform it. For example, “I’m putting the dirty clothes in the washing machine. Now, I’m adding some soap.” Talk about putting the clothes in the washer and taking them out of the dryer. Explain that we wash clothes to get them clean. Name each article of clothing as you put it in the washing machine and take it out of the dryer. Once the clothes are out of the dryer, have your child sort them into 2 different piles such as pants and shirts.


9

We will read Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle. The text is simple and repetitious. The reader is assured that each animal has a mother and that the animal mothers love their babies just like our mothers love us.

Target Vocabulary: mother, kangaroo, giraffe, penguin, swan, fox, dolphin, sheep, bear, elephant, and monkey

Take this opportunity to share with your child about his/her family including mommy. Here are some ideas:

Most children enjoy looking at photographs of familiar people, animals, and objects. Make a simple photo album of pictures including each member of your family and pets. Place the pictures in a small inexpensive photo album from a discount store or drug store. The small albums that often come with your developed photographs would work well, too. Name each person while your child looks at the pictures. Depending on your child’s motor skills, have him/her turn the pages. Flipping the pages in these books is often more difficult than flipping pages in other books. Try adding a piece of Velcro or a felt dot (the kind that go under furniture legs) to the bottom right hand corner of each page. This will make turning the pages easier for your child. The photo album should be small enough that you can carry it along with you while you wait for doctor’s appointments, therapy visits, etc...

Encourage your child to look at him/herself in the mirror. Then, have a parent or sibling stand behind the child with the mirror in front. Name each person that you see in the mirror. Recite the following poem while you look in the mirror. Look in the mirror

And who do you see?Mommy, mommy

(replace mommy with daddy, the names of siblings, or your child’s name)Looking back at me.


10

We will read Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert. This book introduces a variety of fruits and vegetables. Each letter of the alphabet presents a fruit or vegetable that begins with that letter.

Target Vocabulary: artichoke, avocado, banana, celery, eggplant, fig, grapefruit, lime, pumpkin, radish, strawberry, watermelon, and yam

While you’re at the grocery store, point out and name fruits and vegetables that you see to your child.

Create vegetable art. Various types of vegetables can be cut, dipped in paint and stamped onto a piece of paper. Also, use asparagus as paintbrushes. Broccoli can be dipped in paint and brushed on paper. Be sure to name each vegetable and have your child repeat the name.

Try some exotic fruits which are presented in the book such as a star fruit, mango, and kiwi fruit. Name each fruit as you present it to your child. Talk about the texture of the fruits using words such as soft or crunchy. Remind your child that fruits taste sweet. If your child enjoys a certain fruit, have him/her request more of the fruit with a simple phrase/sentence such as “I want more star fruit.” This will allow your child the opportunity to use the vocabulary in context and practice combining words. Cut out several images of vegetables from magazines, grocery ads, or the computer. Scatter the pictures on the ground. Have your child pretend to be a butterfly and land on each vegetable. Name each vegetable. According to your child’s ability level, work on using describing words by having your child tell you 1 thing about each vegetable (ex. the shape, color, or size of the vegetable).


11

We will be read Eight Silly Monkeys by Steve Haskamp. This book is a version of the song “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.” The eight monkeys start out jumping on the bed. Then, the doctor tells the mama to make the monkeys stop. The monkeys continue by performing a new action on the bed for each verse.

Target Vocabulary: monkey, mama, doctor, bed, jumping, skipping, tumbling, dancing, eating, swinging, sliding, and spinning

Sing “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” with your child. Hold up 5 fingers to represent the 5 monkeys. Bend one finger down as each monkey falls of the bed. Replace the word jump with one of the actions listed above. Have your child choose which action the monkeys will perform next. Name two of the actions and have your child choose between the two. For example, “Do you want the monkeys to dance or skip?” Perform the actions with your child as you sing the song. Performing the action while singing the action word will help your child remember the meaning of the action word.

Act silly with your child. For example, put a shoe on your head. Ask your child, “Do we wear shoes on our head?” Encourage him/her to respond no. Then say, “No, that’s silly. We wear shoes on our feet.” Continue this dialogue with other silly antics.

Eat bananas like monkeys. Show your child how to peel the banana. As your child peels the banana, narrate what he/she is doing by saying “You’re peeling a banana.” Explain that we don’t eat the peel. So, we have to peel the banana before we eat it.


12

We will read Froggy Learns to Swim by Jack London. Froggy doesn’t want to swim. His mother tells him that frogs are great swimmers. After Froggie splashes into the pond, his mother teaches him to swim. Now, Froggie likes it so much that his parents can’t get him to leave the pond.

Target Vocabulary: frog, pond, swim, float, flippers, snorkel, and bathing suit

Create a pond in your living room. Spread out a blue blanket on the floor to represent the water. Add a few green sheets of paper or green pillows to create the Lilly pads. Jump and swim just like frogs. Talk about the actions as your child performs them.

Play with plastic frogs, fish, or ducks in the bathtub, Have your child imitate the noises of the animals. Make the animals swim in and out of the water. Talk about which animals are swimming under the water and which animals are swimming on top of the water.

Many discount stores carry pool products. When you’re out shopping, point out and name each item to your child such as flippers, goggles, and bathing suits.


13

We will read From Head to Toe by Eric Carle. This book teaches body parts through the actions of various animals.

Bath time provides a great opportunity to talk about body parts. Ask your child to wash his ankle, nose, elbow, etc…

Sing songs such as “The Hokey Pokey” and “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” to learn about body parts. Singing is a great way to improve both language comprehension and expression in preschoolers. It presents language in a rhythmic format and often with gestures which makes it easier to remember.

Play with a Mr. Potato Head. Name each part as you add it to the potato. Talk about the function of each part (Ex. we see with our eyes and smell with our nose).


14

We will read Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Anne Miranda and Ed Emberley. It introduces and describes many feelings. It talks about situations, activities, and items that produce specific feelings.

Target Vocabulary: monster, sad, glad, silly, loving, angry, scared, lonely

Make magnets for your refrigerator. Cut out circles and make faces on each one to represent a different feeling. Place a magnet on the back of each one. Name each feeling. Have your child put up the magnet that corresponds to the way that he/she feels that day.

Look in a mirror and create different expressions with your child. Make faces that show happy, scared, angry, etc…

Sing, “If you’re Happy and You Know It.” Add additional verses to include more feelings such as If you’re sad and you know it say, “boo-hoo” or if you’re mad and you know it stomp you’re feet.

Remember to encourage your child to use his/her words when he/she is mad. When your child begins to hit, bite, scream (or any other negative behavior) tell him/her “no hitting, you can say I’m mad.”


15

We will read Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly. Each page of the book reveals a different part of the monster such as his sharp white teeth and his big red mouth until the complete monster is shown. Then the story reverses and the body parts and monster disappear one by one.

Target Vocabulary: monster, big, green, teeth, sharp, white, scary, hair, scraggly

Use a flashlight to make monster shadows on the wall. Make noises that a monster would make.

Trace your foot onto construction paper and cut out the prints. Have your child follow the “monster footprints” around the room. Where do you see footprints? Use prepositions such as on the floor or under the table when describing the location of the footprints. The footprints could lead to some of the attached pictures. Have your child label the picture when he/she finds it.

Sing the monster song. This is a great way to learn the names of body parts.

The Monster Song(to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)

The feet on the monster goStomp-stomp-stompStomp-stomp-stompStomp-stomp-stomp

The feet on the monster goStomp-stomp-stompAll through the town

Then, eyes/wrist/ankle/shouldersBlink-blink-blink/bend-bend-bend/twist-twist-twist/shrug-shrug-shrug

(taken from Early Childhood Themes through the Year by Teacher Created Materials, 1993)


16

We will read How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon by Jan Yolen & Mark Teague. This book describes what happens when a dinosaur becomes sick and how he should behave when he is sick.

Target Vocabulary: dinosaur, tissue, medicine, juice, pail, doctor, and rest

Play doctor. Take a stuffed or plastic dinosaur to the doctor. Act out and talk about all the things that might happen at the doctor’s office. Place a bandage on different parts of the dinosaur such as his knee, claws, or nose. Explain that we go to the doctor when we’re sick.

Dig for dinosaur eggs. Explain to your child that dinosaurs hatch from an egg. Bury plastic eggs in the dirt or sand. Have your child dig for the eggs. Present a plastic shovel. Ask your child to label the shovel and then ask, “What do we do with a shovel?” Sort the eggs by color. Which color has the most eggs and which color has the least eggs?

Make dinosaur cookies. Make a simple sugar cookie recipe or use slice and bake sugar cookies. Make dinosaur footprints on the cookies. Have your child press the foot of a plastic dinosaur into the cookie to make a footprint. Remember, to name each ingredient and talk about all the steps while baking cookies.

As always, read, read, and read!Allison Soncrant, SLP

17

We will read I Went Walking by Sue Williams. A young child takes a walk and discovers many animals. The book uses the repetitive lines of “What did you see?” and “I saw a (animal’s name) looking back at me.” The predictability and repetitiveness of the story helps to keep the attention of young listeners.

Target Vocabulary: walk, cat, horse, cow, duck, pig, and dog

Go for a walk with your child. Talk about the things that you see on your walk. Use the repetitive lines from the story. For example, ask your child, “What do you see?” Then, reply “I see a mailbox, tree, dog, etc… looking at me.”

If your own a digital camera, take pictures of the things you see on your walk. Then, look at the pictures together on the camera or the computer. Have your child name the objects. Expand on your child’s utterances by adding an adjective for the named object. For example, your child may say “bird.” You can respond back by saying, “Yes, I see a blue bird.”

Talk about the animals from the story. Where would you have to take a walk to see a cow, horse, or pig? Did you see any of the animals from the story on your walk?


18

We will read If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff. The book describes the adventures of a mouse when he attends school. A chain of events takes place during his day at school. There is a lot of repetition and predictability in the story to keep the interest of preschoolers.

Target vocabulary: school, sandwich, lunch box, notebook, clay, pencil, bell, soccer, skateboard

Pack a lunch box using an empty baby wipes box or any other box. Cut out pictures of food from grocery ads and name each food as you place it in the box.

Pack a book bag. Look around the room for items that are appropriate for school. Name each item as you place it in the bag. Talk about the function of each item. For example, “You found crayons. We color with crayons.”

This week, sing “Wheels on the Bus” with your child. Act out all the verses together. Have your child request which verse he/she would like to sing next. Set up chairs in rows in your living room to resemble a bus. Choose a driver and passengers for the bus (stuffed animals make great passengers) Use a round plastic lid for the steering wheel. Talk about who is sitting in the front, middle, and back of the bus. Talk about what you would see out the windows of the bus.


19

We will read In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. A boy discovers many animals that live in his backyard. He hears the sounds of the animals and watches their actions. The animals include insects and small creatures such as bunnies, snakes, and frogs.

Target Vocabulary: caterpillar, hummingbird, bee, snake, mole, beetle, frog, firefly, and bat

Hang green streamers from the ends of a table to create grass. Have a bug crawl. Encourage your child to crawl like a caterpillar in the grass. Place plastic insects under the table and have your child name each insect as he/she finds one.

Make a firefly by cutting small hearts from white paper. Glue the hearts to the top of a Popsicle stick for the wings. Then, Shine a light under the hearts and watch the firefly light his wings. Have your child help one of the fireflies “fly” to different parts of the house. Give directions such as “fly the firefly under the table, through the doorway, and next to your shoe.”

Point out insects as you see or hear them with your child in your yard. Name each insect and talk about their actions. For example, “Look, I see a caterpillar crawling on the

ground.” Talk about the noises that insects make. For example, “I hear a cricket chirping tonight.”


20

We will read Is your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarion. A llama asks his animal friends about their mamas. The animals reply with the name of their mother. The book is full of rhymes to help the reader guess the mama for each animal.

Target Vocabulary: mama, llama, bat, duck, swan, cow, seal, and kangaroo

Mamas like to stay close to their babies. Act out the action of each animal in the story with your child. Pretend that you are the mama animal and your child is the baby animal. For example, “Let’s clap like a seal. Clap, clap, clap.” Repeating the action word several times while you play will help your child remember word meanings.

The illustrations in the book show children that mamas are bigger than their young offspring. Trace your hand and your child’s hand. Which hand is big? Which hand is little? Do the same for your foot.

Look through a family photo album with your child. Who do you see? Name and talk about the members of your family including parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Explain that at some time everyone has a mama. Find the mamas in the pictures.


21

We will read Lemons are Not Red by Laura Seeger. This book introduces two important concepts. First, it focuses on colors. Next, it focuses on the concept of negation (Ex. A lemon is not red). This is a language concept that is typically expected around age 3. Many children with language delays have difficulty understanding negation. This is an important concept needed to follow directions (Ex. Do not open the door).

Target vocabulary: not, lemons, apple, carrot, eggplant, flamingo, elephant, reindeer, snowman, grass, sky, and moon

Give your child an appropriate magazine or book and call out a color. Have him/her look for that color and name the item which is the desired color. Then, reverse roles.

Make a rainbow by cutting the rim from a paper plate. Have your child glue on different colors of torn tissue or construction paper. Name each color as you put it on the rainbow. Talk about which color is on the top and which color is on the bottom of the rainbow.

Sort objects around the house into two piles:red and not redfood and not foodanimals and not animals


22

We will read Mama Cat Has 3 Kittens by Denise Fleming. Two of the kittens in the book choose to play while the other takes a nap. In the end, the kittens reverse roles.

Target Vocabulary: kitten, fluffy, paw, nap, stone wall, chase, leaves, sand, stretch, yawn, wash, and lick

Work on following directions by playing the Mama Cat game. Play Simon Says except it is a Mama Cat. You could use lie down, roll over, scratch your ear, etc… for directions.

Visit a pet store and look at the cats. Describe each cat that you see with descriptor words. For example, “I see a striped cat.”

Play vet. Have your child take a stuffed cat to the vet. Talk about the unique features of a cat such as paws and whiskers. Ask your child some simple yes/no questions about cats such as “Does a cat say ruff-ruff?”

Talk about the things that cats like to eat and drink including tuna. Make a tuna sandwich with your child. Name each object as you use it and describe each step as you perform it. When you’re finished, review the steps for making the sandwich.


23

We will read Mary Wore a Red Dress by Merle Peek. The story takes place at a birthday party. Each animal that attends the party dresses in a different color. They all enjoy typical birthday activities such as playing games, eating cake, and opening birthday presents.

Target Vocabulary: dress, bandana, pants, hat, cake, and balloons

Sort laundry by color. Name all the clothes as you put them into different piles based on their color. Use descriptors such as “red socks,” “soft sweater,” and “long pants.” Encourage your child to use pronouns such as mine, yours, his and hers during the activity.

Play dress-up. Pretend that you are going to a birthday party. Choose what color to wear. Talk about the clothing as your child puts them on. Use verbs such as zipping and buttoning and describing words such as pretty and soft.

Play “I Spy.” Place 3 different colors of clothing in front of your child. Describe one of the items. For example, “I spy something blue and long.” Have your child point to and/or name the item. Reverse roles and have your child describe the clothing to you.


24

We will read Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley. It tells the adventures of one mouse who finds his way into the kitchen. He explores many different types of foods.

Target Vocabulary: crackers, milk, cheese, peanut butter, olives, ketchup, cookies, and jam

Try some of the food from the story. Talk about how the food tastes. Is it salty, sweet, or sour?

Play grocery store. Plastic food or food cans/boxes make great props. Your child can be the customer and you can be the cashier. Then, reverse roles. Name each food that is purchased at the store. Talk about why we go to the grocery store.

Cut out pictures of food from grocery ads. Have your child create his/her own dinner by gluing the pictures onto a paper plate. Name and describe each food as your child glues it onto the plate. Talk about the categories of food. Is it a fruit, vegetable, meat, etc…?


25

We will read The Napping House by Audrey Wood. This is a cumulative story that takes place on a rainy day. A granny sleeps in a cozy bed and is joined by animals. One by one they pile on top of the granny. Finally, they all awaken when a tiny flea joins the scene.

Target Vocabulary: house, rain, sleep, snore, granny, dream, dog, cat, mouse, flea, and bed

Make your own napping house. Have your child pile stuffed animals one at a time on his/her bed. Name each animal as he/she places it on the bed. Talk about which animal is on the bottom of the pile and which animal is on the top of the pile.

Most of the animals in the book are presented with some type of adjective such as a gray dog, striped cat, and tiny mouse. Use adjectives to describe the animals as your child removes them from the bed. For example, “You’re taking off the brown bear, big elephant, spotted cat, etc…”

Re-create the rain from the story by filling an empty squirt bottle with water. Next, draw a simple house shape on a piece of paper including windows and a door or use a dollhouse. Have your child squirt “rain” on the windows, roof, and door of the house.


26

We will read Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin.Using the repetitive phrase “What do you hear?” various zoo animals and their sounds are introduced to readers.

Check out a book from the library about zoo animals. Combine reading with side comments (pointing to relevant objects/actions in the pictures) and involve your child in pointing to the animal that you name.

Play with animal puppets. Have a monkey, giraffe, or lion puppet eat or tickle various parts of your child. Most young children enjoy this game. For example, tell your child, “The monkey wants to eat your hand.” Continue to do this for several body parts. If your child enjoys this activity, have him/her request each turn.

Sing one of many songs about zoo animals. Try “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.” Sing “Old McDonald” but replace the names of farm animals with zoo animals. If you have toy animals, let your child choose which animal he/she would like to sing about next by touching or looking at the animal from a choice of two animals.


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We will read The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. A rainbow fish covets his shiny scales. He believes that the scales are too beautiful to share with the other sea animals. In the end, the rainbow fish learns that by sharing his scales he is able to make friends which bring him happiness.

Cut out pictures of every day objects or pictures related to the sea from magazines, the computer, or coloring books. “Fish” for the pictures by poking a paper clip through the pictures and picking them up with a magnet fastened to the end of a string. Name each picture caught.

During bath time, play together with your child using plastic fish, boats, and cups. Name each object and have your child request an object to play with in the water. Point out objects that float and sink. Talk about the cups which are empty and full.

Make an edible fish tank. Spread blue icing on a graham cracker. Place goldfish crackers on top of the icing. Count the fish. Talk about which fish are on top, in the middle, and on the bottom. How does it taste? Use words such as sweet and salty to describe the taste.


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We will read Raindrop, Plop! by Wendy Lewison. The book is written in a rhyming text. It describes the adventures of a girl on a rainy day as she counts objects around her until the sun comes out again.

Target Vocabulary: rain, rain boots, raincoat, umbrella, bathtub, towel. marshmallows, pretzel, squirrel, sun, bird

Go for a walk in the rain and talk about the rain puddles, rain drops on the flowers, and the rain that flows from gutters. Jump in and over rain puddles. Talk about why we use an umbrella.

Poke holes in the bottom of a plastic tub (a margarine tub works well). Pour water in the container and let the rain begin! Talk with your child about the concepts of empty/full and wet/dry.

Each day, talk about the weather. Look out the window and ask your child, “What’s the weather like today?” If he/she is unable to provide an appropriate answer, provide him/her with several choices including the correct response. For example, “Is it rainy or sunny?” Children with language delays may have difficulty with word retrieval. One strategy is to provide the child with several words including the desired word. Don’t forget to talk about the temperature, too!

Sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” It contains weather words such as rain and sun. Emphasize the words rain and sun while singing by making motions or gestures to represent the rain or sun. Encourage your child to imitate both the words and gestures.

As always read, read, and read!

Allison Soncrant, SLP

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We will read Round is a Mooncake by Roseanne Thong. This book is all about shapes and has an Asian influence. Many of the shapes are described through objects which are prevalent in the Asian culture.

Target Vocabulary: circle, square, rectangle, triangle, checkerboard, tofu, window, pencil case, envelope, ticket, tea cup, and bowl

Play “I spy” with shapes. Look for shapes while riding in the car or while waiting in line.

Go on a shape hunt. Cut out different shapes from paper. Hide the shapes around the house. Talk about where your child found each shape using prepositions. (ex. behind, next to, in front of, etc.)

Bake cookies with different shape cookie cutters. As you’re cooking, talk about each step as you perform it and name each ingredient as you use it. Have your child name each shape. Or cut out shapes with play dough.

Play in shaving cream. Draw different shapes in the shaving cream.

Draw shapes on your driveway with sidewalk chalk. Practice following 1-2 step directions by naming one or two shapes and having your child jump on the appropriate shape(s). If your child jumps on the incorrect shape, have your child move to the correct shape and affirm him/her by saying, “Good, now you’re standing on the square, rectangle, etc…”


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We will read Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler. A skeleton wakes up with hiccups. His hiccups interfere with his daily activities. Also, the hiccups make special fall activities such as carving a pumpkin and raking leaves more difficult. His ghost friend tries to help him get rid of his hiccups. In the end, the skeleton’s reflection in the mirror scares away his hiccups.

Target Vocabulary: skeleton, hiccup, shower, brush teeth, carve pumpkin, rake, drink, mirror, and scream

Some fall activities are introduced in the book. Take the opportunity to rake leaves with your child and carve a pumpkin. Let your child touch and feel a pumpkin as you describe it. Then, cut it open and talk about what’s inside the pumpkin. Carve a face on the pumpkin. When the face is completed, re-tell the steps for carving a pumpkin or depending on your child’s ability level have him/her tell you the steps.

Collect several types of leaves from your yard. Mix them together and help your child sort them into piles by color or size. Make leaf rubbings by placing a leaf under a sheet of paper and coloring the paper while the leaf remains underneath the paper. Talk about the size, color, and shape of each leaf.

Introduce the concept of a reflection. Using a handheld plastic mirror, look at objects around the house with the mirror. Name each object that you see in the mirror. Repeat the following phrase each time you look at an object: “Look in the mirror and what do you see? A (object’s name) looking back at me.”


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We will read Snowy Day by Ezra Keats. This is a story about a boy who wakes up and sees snow outside. The boy walks around the city making footprints, angels, and snowballs.

Target Vocabulary: winter, snowball, snow angel, pocket, melt, snowman, mountains, and tracks

Play in the snow with shaving cream. Make tracks in the snow or draw snow scenes. Describe the tracks that you make together using descriptive words such as long, short, straight, and curvy.

Make snow cones. Use a blender to crush ice cubes. Have your child scoop spoonfuls of ice into a small cup. Pour fruit juice on the ice. Name each ingredient as you use it and describe each step as you perform it. Use descriptive words such as cold, hard, and crunchy during the activity.

Pretend to pack a suitcase for a winter vacation. Decide what types of clothing you would need for the trip. Name each piece of clothing as your child places it in the suitcase. Ask your child, “when do we wear a coat, mittens, scarf, etc.?” Point out to your child when the suitcase is empty and when it is full.


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We will read Spot’s Windy Day by Eric Hill. Spot flies a kite on a windy day. His kite gets stuck in a tree. Suddenly the strong wind blows a hat on his head. Whose hat is it? Well, along comes a kangaroo looking for his hat. The two animals are able to help each other. Spot caught the kangaroo’s hat and kept it from flying away. In return, the kangaroo was able to rescue Spot’s kite from the tree.

Target Vocabulary: kite, windy, leaves, dog, tree, hat, and kangaroo

Talk about the wind. On a windy day, go outside and feel the wind. What changes do you see? Talk about the leaves in the trees. Take a scarf or streamer outside in the wind and watch it blow. Fly a kite together in the wind. Name the kite and label parts on the kite such as the string, tail, and handle. What made the kite fly?

Create wind using your breath. Blow bubbles. Make the bubbles go high and low. Which bubbles are big and which bubbles are little? Catch the bubbles. Pop the bubbles. Stomp on the bubbles with your feet. Make a strong wind by blowing a cotton ball across the table. Describe what happens to the cotton ball.

Make an edible kite. Make toast with a slice of bread. Have your child spread jelly on the toast. Describe each action as your child makes the toast. Cut the crust from the bread and angle it on a plate to resemble a triangle. Add a piece of licorice to the bottom point of the bread to create a string for the kite. Talk about the diamond shape of the kite. How does the toast taste?


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We will read Take Me Out to the Ballgame illustrated by Alec Gillman. Also, John Stadler has produced a pop-up version of the book. All the books illustrate the popular song.

Target Vocabulary: ball, crowd, peanuts, crackerjacks, strike, bat, and glove

Sing the song together with your child. Act out various parts of the songs such as cheering for the home team. Have your child repeat parts of the song such as counting “1,2,3” strikes and holding up his/her fingers for each number.

Play ball with your child. Take turns catching and throwing a ball. Distinguish turns by saying “my turn” and “your turn.” Throw balls of varying colors and sizes. Describe each ball. For example, “now, let’s play with the big blue ball.” Practice throwing the balls “high” and “low.”

Create a ball field by setting up bases in your yard. Run to the bases with your child and describe your actions. For example, “We’re running fast to first base.” Or if your local area allows, visit an empty ball field and run the bases and play ball.

As always read, read, and read!Allison Soncrant. SLP

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We will read 10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle. A cargo ship full of rubber ducks spills them in the sea. The rubber ducks go in a variety of directions. The ducks encounter other sea animals. In the end, they follow a mama duck and as she leads them around the ocean.

Target Vocabulary: duck, dolphin, seal, polar bear, flamingo, pelican, octopus, seal gull, whale, ocean, and cargo ship

You guessed it! Play with rubber ducks in the bathtub. Make duck noises, Have the ducks swim on the water and under the water.

Play with boats in the bathtub. Make some boats go fast and some boats go slow. Talk about the different types of boats such as a sailboat, tugboat, and cargo boat. Sing “Row, row, row your boat” as you play in the water.

Learn action words by imitating the actions of sea animals. Jump like a dolphin. Clap like a seal. Fly like a seagull. Blow like a whale. Climb like a polar bear. Swim like a duck. First, perform the actions with your child several times. Next, perform the action by yourself. Ask your child, “What am I?”Then, reverse roles.


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We will read the classic story, The Little Engine that Could.

Target Vocabulary: train, track, mountains, clown, flag, shiny, strong, toys, and giraffe

Make a train. Cut an egg carton in half leaving a long row for 6 eggs. Turn the carton upside down. Add an empty toilet paper tube on one end for the smokestack. If desired, have your child paint the train. Point out and talk about the smokestack and the caboose of the train. Explain that trains go on tracks. When the train is dry, it’s time for a ride. Have the train go under tables, around chairs, and through doorways. Set up a train station in your living room. Line up several chairs to represent the train. Have your child be the engineer and sit in the front of the train. Tear sheets of paper to make tickets for the train ride. Allow other family members to be passengers on the train. Have them hand the engineer a ticket and find a seat on the train. Start the ride by having your child say, “All aboard.” Next, make the sound of a train. Talk about the things that you might see out the window of a train such as mountains, rivers, and cars. Wave to people who you may see through the window on your train ride. Talk about who is sitting in the front, middle, and back of the train. Finally, have your child slow the engine and bring it back to the station.

If you live close to a train station or train tracks, watch the trains with your child. Talk about all the things you see such as the engine, caboose, and tracks. What sounds do you hear? Describe the size and color of the train.Was the train long or short?


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We will read The New Baby by Mercer Mayer. A little critter welcomes home a new baby. What do babies like to do? The little critter offers some of his favorite toys to the new baby but the baby shows little interest in his toys. Soon, the little critter discovers that the baby has some favorite activities of his own and that he is very lucky to have a new baby at home.

Target Vocabulary: baby, cry, diapers, cuddle, rock, tickle, and rattle

Take care of a doll or stuffed animal. Dress the doll and talk about where the clothing goes on the doll. For example, “Let’s put the socks on his feet.” Feed the baby. Name each food as your child presents it to the baby. Rock the baby to sleep. Have your child sit in a rocking chair and hold the baby. Sing a song to the baby as you rock it such as “Rock a Bye, Baby.” Put the baby to bed. Talk about how the baby feels. For example, “the baby is sleepy.” “Let’s put him to bed.” Don’t forget to have your child turn out the lights and say, “Goodnight, baby.”

Create a baby bag. Find an empty overnight bag, big purse, or anything else that would hold baby things. Look around the house for things that a baby might need or enjoy. (Ex. blanket, spoon, lotion, bowl) Pack the bag with the items. Have your child remove the items from the bag, label each item, and talk about what a baby might do with each item. For example, “You found a spoon. A baby eats with a spoon.” Next, see if your child can label each item and tell you the function of each item. If your child is unable to verbally complete this task, continue to label and describe each item for him. You will be modeling appropriate language for your child.

Look at your child’s own baby pictures. Describe what he/she is doing in each picture. Remind your child that he/she is growing each day and that you love him/her very much!


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We will read The Rain Came Down by David Shannon. This book introduces several community helpers and their vehicles. When a surprise rainfall occurs, all the workers are affected by the weather.

Target Vocabulary: rain, painter, police officer, taxi driver, barber, pizza delivery man, baker, and beautician

Sing the following song about community helpers/workersThis is the way (to the tune of “Mulberry Bush”)

This is the way the barber cuts,The barber cuts,The barber cuts

This is the way the barber cutsEveryday at work

-Replace the words about the barber with other workers and their actions.

Gather objects used by a variety of occupations and put them in a box. Let your child select an item from the box and guess the worker to whom it belongs (ex. a comb for a barber or a pot holder for a baker).

Make an edible painter’s ladder using thin pretzel sticks. Break the pretzel sticks in half to create the rungs of the ladder and place 2 whole pretzel sticks on each side of the rungs. Talk about which pretzels are long and which pretzels are short. Talk about which pieces are whole pretzels and which pieces are half of a pretzel. Describe the taste and texture of the pretzels using words such as “crunchy” and “salty.” According to your child’s ability level, you may just want to have him/her simply request “more pretzels.”


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We will read Time for Bed by Mem Fox. A special rhyme tucks in each animal as darkness falls and the animals prepare to sleep.

Target Vocabulary: dark, mouse, goose, calf, cat, foal, fish, sheep, bird, bee, snake, pup, deer, and stars

Make a bed for stuffed animals. Pretend to tuck them in. Take turns with your child saying goodnight to each animal. Have your child say, “Goodnight + the animal’s name. When it’s your turn, make sure to add a descriptive word about the animal as you place him in the bed. For example, “Good night, fuzzy bear.”

Talk about time concepts such as day and night. Draw a sun on one index card to represent day and the moon on another index card to represent night. Talk about events that happen during the day such as playing outside, going to school, and the sun shining. While you talk about these events show your child the picture of the sun. Next, talk about night. Explain that the moon and stars shine at night. We sleep at night. Again, show your child the picture of the moon as you talk about these events. Ask your child a few questions about day vs. night. For example, “When do we sleep?” If your child is unable to answer the question, try having him/her point to the appropriate card or show the appropriate card to cue your child to give the correct response.

Establish a bed time routine with your child. Routine is important for young children. It sets expectations and gives them a sense of comfort. Act out your bed time routine with a doll or stuffed animal. First, pretend to give the doll a bath, next, brush his teeth, and last tuck him in the bed. Use transitional words such as first, next, then, and last.


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We will read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. A hungry caterpillar eats a different type of fruit each day. On Saturday, the caterpillar eats numerous types of food and gets a stomachache. To relieve the stomachache, she munches on a leaf. Then, she spins into a cocoon and changes into a butterfly.

Target vocabulary: butterfly, caterpillar, cocoon, apple, strawberry, orange, pear, plum

Talk about the fruits that you see at the grocery store.

Make fruit salad. Choose several types of fruit and chop them up and place them in a bowl. Name each fruit as you put it in the bowl and describe each step as you perform it. Have your child stir the fruit.

Feed a hungry caterpillar. Use a sock to make a caterpillar puppet. Have your child decide what to feed the caterpillar.

On index cards, draw a caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly. Spread the cards out on a table. Have your child place the cards in the correct order. Talk about each stage with your child.

Make caterpillars using your child’s finger. Dip a finger in green paint and place it on a piece of paper. Repeat this several times placing the prints next to each other to form a caterpillar. Talk about which caterpillars are long and which caterpillars are short.


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We will read Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck. A small boy takes a bath and pretends to go in the sea and look for a treasure. He encounters many sea animals during his trip. In the end, he finds treasure and brings it back to his mom.

Target Vocabulary: treasure, sea horse, crab, starfish, turtle, octopus, dolphin, swordfish, and whale

Cut out pictures of everyday objects or pictures related to the sea from magazines or coloring books. “Fish” for the pictures by attaching a paper clip to the pictures and picking them up with a magnet fastened to the end of a string. Name each picture caught.

Fill a plastic tub with water and play with your child in the water. Add plastic fish and cups. Point out objects that float and sink. Talk about the cups which are empty and full.

Make blue juice together to represent the sea. Have your child pour and stir the juice. Describe your child’s actions to him/her. For example, “You’re stirring the juice. Eat Goldfish crackers with the juice. Divide the crackers into 2 uneven piles. Talk about which stack has the most crackers and which stack has the least crackers.


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The preschool years are crucial for language development · Web viewMamas like to stay close to...

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