Have you ever listened to someone tell a story that is difficult to follow because the timeline is disconnected? Or perhaps you have gotten frustrated while watching a movie where the creators thought it would be neat to have ten flashbacks within a fifteen minute stretch of film? The reason these situations can catch us off guard is because we are accustomed to having stories and events told to us in the order in which they took place.
Although children are often able to given an account of an event in the correct order, the task can become more difficult when the child is asked to sequence a series of pictures documenting the event. This activity is more challenging because the child must now identify what is happening within each picture and then think about where each picture fits in relation to the others. It is no longer as simple as thinking, “next…next…next”.
You can purchase sequencing cards to practice with your child or you can make your own. Take pictures of sequenced events, such as eating an apple, and take pictures of each step. In the apple example you could have a picture of the whole apple, and then a picture of the apple with a bite or two taken out of the side. Finally, show a picture of just the core.
Get creative, but try to keep the sequence to three steps to start. Once this level is mastered, move on to sequences with four or even five steps.
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on May 26, 2010
It is probably safe to assume that most people played the game “I Spy” is some form or another during their childhood. The version of the game I am most familiar with involves having one person locate an object in the room and then revealing only its color. “I spy something green,” the person would begin. The other players would then take turns asking “yes” o
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by Laura on April 29, 2010
Parents of preschoolers are busy people. Our little ones keep us on our toes twenty-four hours a day. So fitting in extra learning activities can be challenging. Here is one you can try at home that is simple, and it teaches three important readiness skills with one activity. Give your child an opportunity to practice rhyming and categorizing while forming word families. Use clip-art or magazi
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on April 13, 2010
Word families are groups of words that have the same ending sound. They are typically three or four letter words such as hug, bug, jug, mug, etc. You can help your child gain confidence in reading using simple word families because he will quickly realize he can read a lot of words when he knows the ending sound. Here is a quick activity you can do with your child to create word family flip boo
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by Laura on February 28, 2010
When I think back to my elementary school days, I can clearly remember being told to stop daydreaming. I was one of those students whom a teacher made a special point not to sit next to the door or, heaven forbid, the windows. I loved to stare at the clouds using my imagination to create pictures in the sky. Although my timing was not appropriate, encouraging a child to use their imagination ca
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by Laura on January 29, 2010
It is fairly safe to say that no two children learn in the same exact way. In other words, you can’t use a “cookie cutter” approach when it comes to teaching children. However, the following activity does just that. But don’t worry…I am talking about literally using a “cookie cutter” approach to teaching critical thinking skills.
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by Laura on December 8, 2009
Have you ever gotten to the end of a pile of laundry you are folding and still had a bunch of socks that needed to be sorted? You must then go through the pile matching pairs of socks and putting them together. Although this skill may seem mindless to you, your preschooler may enjoy this simple challenge. The activity also provides your child the opportunity to practice his sorting skills all w
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on December 2, 2009
Although young children are consistently egocentric, when it comes to describing their own physical features, they may be at a loss for words. Help your preschooler get up close and very personal with her own image by simply handing her a mirror. Ask her questions about what she sees. Have her name her eye color and hair color. Ask her to describe the shape of her nose, lips and ears. Then, m
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on November 13, 2009
You may be able to think back to your elementary school days and remember organizing lists of words into alphabetical order. The lists would start simple with words that all had a different beginning letter. They would then get more complicated and you would have to look to the second or third letters in a word. Although you certainly wouldn’t give a list that difficult to a preschooler,
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on August 7, 2009
When it comes to creating imaginative activities for your child, there is no need to go out and buy expensive toys or gadgets. Instead try to utilize items you may already have in your home or that you may be able to get for free from businesses in your area. One example of an activity you can create at home for you little one is a phone book balance beam.
Digg Delicious Favorites Blogmarks Magnolia Google Newsvine Reddit Technorati
Written by BRWI Staff on July 31, 2009
Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence to teach your preschooler the joy of reading and writing.
Sponsored by Bridges Reading & Writing Institute -- teaching the JOY of reading and writing to students in preschool through 12th grade.
