Literacy First™ October Parent Ideas

Dear Parents,

Happy OCTOBER!

This month we are going to be doing some exciting activities at school, and we want you to be a part of the fun! This month’s theme is PETS AND ANIMALS, and of course, HALLOWEEN, so your child will be hearing new stories about household pets, forest, zoo and farm animals and their various habitats, what they eat, the sounds they make, and so much more. Through a variety of classroom activities, your child will learn how to care for animals and the environment, and other important social skills.

You can extend the learning at home with a few simple and fun activities. Check out the PARENT IDEAS for some ways you can engage with your child at home. Make it fun! Let’s have a great month – together!

• Puppets: Use animal toys, stuffed animals, or puppets to practice how animals interact with one another. Encourage your child to use a voice for each animal. What would the animal sound like? What might the animal say? For example, what would a dog say? “Woof. I want to play. Will you play ball with me?” Let your child pretend to be a dog – throw the ball for him/her to fetch.

• Visit the Animals: Take your child to a local pet shelter and visit the animals. Or, visit the zoo, local farm, or science center. Talk and read signs about the animals. Look for wild animals in your neighborhood – feed the squirrels, birds, and chipmunks.

• Funny Animals: Get on the internet and view some funny animal videos. Cats and dogs can do some unusual tricks!

• Pretend a Pet: Offer your child a new stuffed toy and encourage him/her to pretend it is their real pet. What name fits the pet? Offer a set of plastic food dishes and “pretend” food. Help create a bed for the pet. What kind of fun adventures will your child have with this new pet?

• Costume Fun: Collect old clothing from around your home or purchase a few cheap items at a local thrift store. Create a costume bin for dress-up at home. You might include hats, necklaces, masks, dresses, boots, and so on. Show your child how to make costume with items from around the house; a scarf feather boa, a pillowcase cape, or a basket hat.

• Make a Mask: Help cut eye holes from a paper plate. Let your child decorate the “mask” in whatever way he/she chooses. Or, paint faces with washable markers. What will your child be?

• Halloween Safety: Have a talk with children about safe trick-or-treating. Remind them to stay with a parent in the neighborhood, never go inside a stranger’s house, wait until a parent checks candy before eating, and so on. Dress for the weather and stay safe

Read these other books about pets and animals:

Night Animals by Gianna Marino

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Frog and Toad (series) by Arnold Lobel

George and Martha (series) by James Marshall

Click, Clack, Moo – Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin