Miss Allison's Friends

A retelling of a classic folktale, The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis, lends itself well to talking about ordering things by their size. Seriation is an important mathematical skill that can be practiced with a variety of found or created materials. Consider incorporating some outside time by collecting and ordering a set of rocks, leaves or sticks. What objects could show biggest to smallest around your house?   - Allison

The names of shapes are among the first math vocabulary that young children learn. But what I love about this shape book is that those are never even mentioned! Shapes, Reshape!  by Silvia Borando focuses on the fun of creating with shapes. At home, take this idea to the next level by using shape sorter pieces, pattern blocks, cookie cutters or just some good old construction paper to shape and reshape your child’s imagination.  What reshaping materials were hiding around your house?  - Allison

Developing an awareness of sounds in the environment is a precursor to phonological awareness. Simply put, practicing careful listening can improve a child’s ability to understand that both bear and ball go /b/. That is an important pre-literacy skill.  This video gets your child thinking about all the sounds around him or her and then suggests a fun way to practice careful listening.  What did you find at your house that makes a great sound?  - Allison

I hope you enjoy this read aloud of Is Your Llama a Mama? and the rhyming song, “Willoughby Wallaby Woo.” Preschool age children benefit from exposures to rhyming, but don’t expect that your child will understand how to rhyme right away. “Willoughby Wallaby Woo” is a playful way to experiment with rhyming words using some of the most important vocabulary in your child’s life - the names of people they know! - Allison

Here's a way to breathe new life into a toy your child may have played with a million times. Take the basic idea here and apply to a toy you have at home.  Fishing for Pieces Surprise in a Box Pieces Through the Tunnel Pieces Take the opportunity to talk about each piece before your child puts it into the puzzle. This doesn't have to be "quiz time," though! I encourage you to keep it light and fun. Here are some examples that are NOT questions for this puzzle:  "Ooh, you got a letter from your name!...[child doesn't respond with the name of the letter]..."that S is in Allison!" Child gets an A and correctly names it. "Yes! I know someone's name that's begins with A...[wait several seconds]...it's Allison!"  Child gets and A and correctly names it. "Yes! Every letter makes a sound. A says...[wait time].../a/.  Share more examples in the comments below! 

There are so many skills involved in this game! I find that turn taking games of all kinds are so valuable for teaching social skills and self-regulation. This one from "The Dad Lab" also incorporates the following math skills:  1:1 counting correspondence (counting the dots on the dice or the total number of blocks on the tower) Counting out a number of items (counting out the correct number of Dulpos from the bin) Subitizing (recognizing the number of dots without having to count) What other toys at your house could be used to play this game? 

Having a set of concrete universal expectations provides everyone a clear framework of how to behave, interact, and work together. In my classroom we use the “Superstar Code," based on our early childhood program’s values, helping to support positive classroom behaviors.  We take care of ourselves, each other, our school, and our world. This broad statement guides the skills I spend the whole year teaching, modeling, and talking about with my students.  For example, washing hands is a way to take care of yourself and others. Putting toys away when finished is a way to take care of our school. Using both sides of the paper when drawing is a way to take care of the planet. Notice that the Superstar Code and the above examples are stated positively – they say what TO do, not what NOT TO do. This language helps us focus on the “yes-yes’s” way more than the “no-no’s!” Every group benefits from a set of established norms, and home is no different. Kathleen developed the...