Beginning to Read: Go, go, go!

After making our 'A' book last week, Graham asked to make another book. So we made a book called 'I Go.' Here's the text:
I Go.
Go, go, go!
A car.
Go, car, go!
A boat.
Go, go, go!
Stop!
I go, go, go.

It's pretty simple. But Graham loves it. We illustrated it with appropriate stickers from a $1 sticker page of transportation vehicles and stop signs that I found at Target.
So now Graham knows A, a, I, Go, go. He recognized Stop, but only because there was a sticker of a stop sign. Which is fine. He doesn't need to know 'stop' yet. Go! Make a book with your child!

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids page is a fun place to learn about the history of orchestra, practice reading music, and listen to different instruments play twinkle, twinkle little star.

Why I like it:
It's colorful and easy to navigate. Click on the Instrument Encyclopedia on the piano to hear different instruments play. That's Graham's favorite! I found the seating charts for each era fascinating, but Graham didn't seem to care. Maybe next year...

Gingerbread Man

Do you know about Starfall? Graham loves the Gingerbread Man game the best, but there are plenty of other great games for pre-readers and beginning readers.

Why I like it:
It's simple and Graham can choose the parts of the gingerbread man easily. At the end, each word is highlighted as the computer reads 'Run, run, as fast as you can.' That's great for helping kids understand 1:1 correlation in reading (each word we say = one block of letters on a page).

Beginning to Read

Graham has started to show more of an interest in reading. So last week we made a book that he could read. It was so simple, and he was so proud of himself! Try it! You'll be amazed by what your three year old can do!


First, I let Graham take pictures of objects around the house. They weren't fantastic pictures, but he LOVED using the camera. Here's a sample:
Then, we put the card reader in the computer, uploaded them to picasa, and ordered them online to be picked up at our local CVS. An hour later, they were ready. I picked them up that night after the kids were in bed.

The next day, we cut some cardstock for the pages and used photo stickers to stick the pictures on. You could probably use glue and for sure you could use tape, but the photo stickers were fast and didn't make a mess.

After each photo, I asked Graham what we should write on that page. Since this was our 'A' book, we wrote 'A mug.' or 'A phone.' When we got to the frog picture, I suggested that we use the word 'my' because he loves that frog.

Then, we just stapled the pages together. I asked Graham what we should call his book. He said, 'Graham's Pictures.' He loves to read it!

A few little reading tips:

• Stick with eight to ten pictures for this book
• Stick with a pattern, introducing only one new word (my)
• Use both sides of the paper. That way your child will learn to look at the left side of a book before the right side.
• Consider using upper and lower case a's so that your child knows that it's the same word.
• Consider writing the words on one page above the picture and the words on the next page below the picture. This will help your child learn to look at the whole page and not just the bottom. Seems like a little thing, but later on it will make a difference.
• Have fun!
  

Uppercase/Lowercase match

I am convinced that this is the game that taught Graham his lowercase letters.

Uppercase/Lowercase Match

Why I like it:
It's simple. Just a few bells, no whistles, straight forward. Plus, your child can play it independently if he or she knows how to point and click. Graham loves it. Was it a hit at your house?

Deep Sea Memory Game

Here's a memory game from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Graham likes doing the 12 square option, but there are harder versions as well. Enjoy!

Deep Sea Memory Game

Why I like it:
Memory is good for kids. They're successful and it works their brains. I especially like this memory game because it forces kids to pay close attention to details (as opposed to matching simple objects like dolls, balls, bikes, etc). Plus, I knew the names of about two of the sea animals in the game so I learned new things, too.

And while you're there, they have some great print-and-do activities!

Welcome

I have decided to start a new blog. It's called Spinning the Chair because that's what our preschool son does here in the study, in front of the computer. He loves to spin the chair and 'play games'. We generally let him 'play a game' which usually consists of us going to the pbskids site. Actually, usually not. Usually it's something brainless like searching for Berenstain Bears clips on youtube. And I'm sick of it. Because, really, I know better. I taught third grade, first grade, Reading Recovery, and was a reading specialist at a middle school prior to staying home with our children. So I'm disciplining myself to find some decent sites for our son. Here's my plan:

• Find a website that's kid-friendly (i.e. I don't have to stand next to him and help him through every step, because we also have two eight-month-olds and I can't hold two babies and click a mouse all at the same time. I've tried and it doesn't work.)
• Add a website every other day (give or take)
• Include websites that explore concepts in math, letters, authors, music, art, and maybe some other exciting things that I don't know about yet

So, if you have a preschooler, or if you're just bored, come along for the ride!