Literacy Skill Activity Ideas

When reading a book to your child, have him/her
-point to the title
-after reading a few pages to them, stop to ask questions
  about characters, plot, setting, any problems that are happening,
  how the problems might be solved, if the pictures are matching the words
-at the end of the story, check their predictions against what happened
-ask for an event from the beginning, middle and end of the story
-point out the spaces between words and lack of spaces within a word
-have them look for words that they know
-pick a picture and identify all the known items
-discuss any emotions that happened in the story
-ask if they liked or disliked the story and why they have that opinion
-have them read to you

In a Magazine or Newspaper
-circle words that are known
-find words that all begin with the same sound
-write labels for things in the pictures using their letter sound knowledge

On a Piece of Paper
-draw a picture that has a specific goal (something you like to do, a favorite toy, a kind of weather, something with wheels, etc.)
-label pictures that are drawn
-write words about the picture (remind them of letter sounds, spacing)
-practice letter printing with correct formation

When Outside Your Home
-look for familiar signs to read and talk about their meaning
-find things that have something in common and talk about it
-sing songs, make rhymes, name words that all have the same beginning sound
-name all the sounds that could be heard in a word
-name as many things that you can while standing in one spot
-play "I SPY": looking for the things that have a specific thing in common (such as; I am thinking of something that has blue and red). It needs to be in plain sight.