As you get your child ready to go outside this winter, talk through each item of winter clothing they have on and what body parts it will keep warm. For example "these are your mittens, I'm putting them on so they keep your hands and fingers warm when it's cold outside." See if your child can help you remember what else they need to put on. Read The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel for a fun story that reinforces your conversations about winter attire. You could also play winter clothing I Spy and look for different people wearing scarves, boots, etc. in various colors.
Early Literacy Practice: Writing
Learn about numbers and sharing in this fun book by
Laura Gehl. It all starts with TWO brown bears and ONE big pair underwear that neither wants to share. What follows is a fun way to learn about numbers through the power of sharing. Easy rhymes make
One Big Pair of Underwear a great book for beginning readers as well.
Get your child ready to hold a pencil and form letters with
this easy activity from
Discover Explore Learn. Letter tracing is a great way to get your child to recognize and form the letters in the alphabet. The cotton swab and paint allows your child to easily trace the letters and build the hand muscles necessary to write before they're ready for a pencil.
Early Literacy Practice: Reading
As snow starts to fall, five excited penguins go searching for scarves, mittens, heavy socks and boots so they can play in the snow. When it's time to go outside, one timid penguin wants to stay home. A simple story with wonderful illustrations.
Early Literacy Practice: Playing
Children learn through play, so have fun with an indoor snowball toss. Use a large piece of cardboard or poster board to draw a big snowman face or pine tree. Have children help color. Cut out eyes and mouth for snowman or random holes in tree. Crumple up paper and toss away!
Singing and sharing the story
Frosty the Snowmanwith your favorite little ones will have you reliving the magic, the sparkle and the spirit of the winter season before you can say "snow!"
While you're in the mood for once-a-year classic Christmas songs, grab a
Kidz Bop Christmas CD! You'll be rockin' around, having a holly jolly good time while you deck the halls with the merriest of melodies.