Teach Your Monster to Read

http://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/

This game's designed to help kids
improve the speed and accuracy with
which they recognize letters & sounds. 

Free,

Colorful,

Safe 

Improve a Preschooler's Reading Ability

"Youth who focused their attention on print had better literacy outcomes than those who didn't." 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/05/29/153927743/small-change-in-reading-to-preschoolers-can-help-disadvantaged-kids-catch-up

Reading Readiness for the PreK Set

http://carrotsareorange.com/reading-readiness-3-year-children/

MORE Kindergarten Readiness Ideas

What's essential knowledge for youngsters entering Kindergarten?
What can we do to help them grow and learn, before that 1st day of school? 

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2012/03/71-things-your-child-needs-to-know-before-kindergarten/

Let's Go to the Store!

Everyday activities are a natural and effective way to begin teaching youngsters about letters and words. Download & print these colorful "take-along" sheets the next time you go to the grocery store or a market.  It will be the start of a reading adventure!


http://www.readingrockets.org/article/33132/

Kids Love StoryPlace!

All preschoolers or perhaps our favorite Kindergartners will have a wonderful time at StoryPlace!

http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/preschool.asp?themeid=21

Cando's Helper Page

This site is for anyone needing activities focused upon practicing and improving primary reading skills.

http://www.candohelperpage.com/

Excellent Instructional Practice

From the Minnesota Public Schools, recommendations and examples of instruction that "beats the odds" while creating learning success for youngsters.   Movies include lessons on phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, oral comprehension & vocabulary development, writing, and resources.

 http://rea.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/teachers_who_beat_the_odds.pdf

50 Ways to Learn the ABC's

"Too much of a good thing is wonderful."  ~Mae West

http://handsonaswegrow.com/2012/08/50-ways-for-preschoolers-to-learn-their-abcs/

Websites for Youngsters

There's a little bit of something out there for everyone.

http://www.readingresource.net/websitesforkids.html

GAME: "Hickety Pickey Bumblebee"

Help young readers by using this easy-to-remember rhyming game.  Let's play "Hickety Pickety Bumblebee" & emphasize the phonemes (sounds) in words.....familiar ones like student names!
Once they master them, the possibilities are endless.

http://www.readingresource.net/support-files/hicketypickety.pdf

The Child Entering Kindergarten

What K-students should know

First and last name and parent's first and last name.

Follow instructions from teachers and parents.

Recognize letters (both lowercase and uppercase) and numbers (up to 10).

Communicate wants and needs (like hunger, pain, happiness) through words.

Know basic colors and shapes.

Be able to be apart from parents during the day.

Use the bathroom independently, dress and undress, and wash hands.

Sit quietly for short periods of time.

Solve problems without hitting, biting or yelling.

Show curiosity and enthusiasm for activities like story or art time.

Source: The Urban Child Institute
Read more:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/28/maturity-key-for-kindergarten/

Maturity Matters the Most

The debate of "when" to enroll a child in Kindergarten is faced continually.  Hold them back, or enroll them?  The research is clear:  AGE does not matter as much as DEVELOPMENT.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/28/maturity-key-for-kindergarten/

Make Reading Fun for Everyone!

Between the Lions

http://pbskids.org/lions/games/

GAME	DIFFICULTY	SKILL	NOTES
“The Quiet Machine”	Matching letters to pictures	*beginning sounds	Phonemic awareness
Leona’s Coloring Pages	Reading and writing	*beginning reader activity	Printable book
“The Messy Attic”	Picture identification	*listen, then follow directions	Pre- reading skill
“Arty’s Smarty Doors”	Rhymes	*rhyming words	Pre-reading skill
“Dub Cubs”	Rhyming words	*word families	Reading skill
“Hopposites”	Opposites	*words with opposite meanings	Reading skill
“Sky Writing”	Letter recognition	*varying styles of the same letter	Reading skill
“Monkey Match”	Match	*letters, sounds, rhymes	Reading skill
“Theo’s Puzzles”	Letter recognition	*consonant puzzles	Puzzles & a video
“Trampolini Game”	Word meanings	*inflectional endings ‘er, ‘est	Reading skill
“Blending Bowl”	Match blends with endings	*-ack, -an, -ap, -ar, -est, -ick, -ig, -ip, -it, -ock, -op, -up, -uck matched up with beginning blends	good for partners
“Synonym Sam’s Lab”	Choose synonyms	*this game is self-checking	good for partners
“ABCD Watermelon”	identify missing letters	*alphabet recognition	Pre-reading skill
“Alphabet Soup”	unscramble letters	*reader uses given letters to find a solution	101 riddles
“Chicken Stacker”	phonemic awareness	*listen and read words with the same short vowel sound	Five sets words
“Flood”	categories	*listen and read book titles	Hints given
“Fuzzy Lion Ears”	phonemic awareness	*letter sounds beginning/middle/ending	Six rounds
“Word Play”	good for partners	*read words and then  “click” to see the action	25 words: three sets
“Talking Gizmo”	recognize parts of a sentence	*readers experiment with sentences and word order	J good for partners
“Pounce”	word matching	*listen, then choose a word	Reading skill
More Literature	Pre-K through fifth graders	http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/	Kids can listen and read along with stories.

Songs and videos:  http://pbskids.org/lions/videos/

Kindergarten Common Core Resources

Teaching Common Core Standards for Kindergarten pupils just got a whole lot easier.  Teachers will find activities, worksheets, and step-by-step research based instructional help to improve learning opportunities for their young learners.


http://corecommonstandards.com/core-curriculum/kindergarten-common-core-workbook/

Just for Kids!

Trust me when I say that this site is so much FUN!  Go for it.........

http://www.abcya.com/

ABC's at the Zoo

Invite "vivid imagination" to tag along on your trip to Bembo's Zoo!

http://www.bemboszoo.com/Bembo.swf

"Listen and Read" Stories

These 54 free stories will be the perfect start to develop vocabulary while building interest in learning and reading.  Older children will find something that interests them because the collection is divided into eight categories: social studies, science, plants and flowers, environmental stories, civics and government, animals, American history, and community.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/index.htm

Too Much of a Good Thing?

You can NEVER have too many good books!  Here's 43 fantastic ABC tales.

http://childrensbooksguide.com/alphabet

Math Talk

Here's some user-friendly ideas on how to easily facilitate the development of math skills.

http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/201205/RockingAndRolling_YC0512.pdf