Reading is the cornerstone of education. Everything in our society is built upon literacy. The best start we can give our kids is to prepare and equip them to read and comprehend what they’ve read early in life. So much of what we do is preparing our kids to read. Many simple daily activities ready our little ones to read. Learning to identify and discover shapes in everyday life is a skill that will later transfer into letter discrimination and word identification.
Early literacy activity: go on a SHAPE HUNT!
Simply identify a few shapes to hunt for. Start with one and count how many you can find. Then go onto the next shape. Work alongside your kiddo or let them to do it independently.
A shape hunt can happen anytime and anywhere. However, my favorite time to do a shape hunt is when Josiah is starting to loose his patience. Turn a meltdown moment into an educational moment. Use a moment when your little one has to wait. Shapes are everywhere. Running an errand, standing in line, or waiting for just about anything makes for a perfect opportunity.
Incorporate hunting for shapes into reading as well.
Activity extensions:
- Identify shapes and talk through their characteristics
- Ask your little one to trace the shapes with their finger
- Compare and contrast different shapes (example: square and rectangle)
- Use cookie cutters to create shapes in sandwiches
Freeschool Mama 