DIY Literacy with Osceola Reads

Any hands-on activity to help young children while they are learning to read is appreciated. We have come up with a few learning activities for preschoolers that you can do as a family with supplies that you already have around the house.

Baking

Who wants dessert? Most boxed baking recipes include "picture reading," and learning to navigate the kitchen is a life skill, including how to do the dishes when you're finished. Bonus: you can practice social distancing by leaving a sweet treat on the neighbor’s doorstep.

Letter Matching

Recycle those plastic Easter eggs to create a literacy game. Simply write an uppercase letter on the top half and the lowercase letter on the bottom. Once all of your eggs have been created, throw them in a bag or spread them out on the floor and let the matching begin. If you have more than one child, use this literacy activity to practice working together and taking turns.If your child can already identify the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet, you can use the eggs to practice word families.

DIY Kinetic Sand

Kids love kinetic sand and as parents, we love that there isn’t nearly as big of a mess. This is a great sensory experience that can be used as an alphabet activity by burying magnetic letters. When your child finds a letter, ask them to name it, practice the letter sound it makes, and tell you a word that starts with that sound.To make kinetic sand, mix together:

• 1 ¼ cup sand
• ¾ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup baby oil (vegetable oil works too)

Cloud Clay

Two ingredients but TONS of fun and learning opportunities. This simple activity can be used to help your child practice forming letters and numbers, spelling their name, or just using their imagination. To make cloud clay, mix together:

• 1 cup corn starch
• ½ cup conditioner
• 4-5 drops food coloring (optional)

*If the cloud clay has a sticky texture, slowly add more corn starch

Color Scavenger Hunt

After reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear together or listening to our read-aloud, it’s time to have a scavenger hunt! Write color words on blank paper (you can use colored construction paper too) to make the “base” for each color, then ask your child to find at least five items of each color. This practices literacy skills and math skills.

Educational Resources to Use at Home During COVID-19

Preschool and kindergarten are important foundational years, but homeschooling can be used as a time to connect with and make memories with your child. If you have any other great ways to practice literacy at home during school closures, share them with us so we can then share with our community using the hashtag #OsceolaReads. Remember, we’re all in this together.