Homework Ideas

Story Time:
• Discuss the author & illustrator. Take a picture walk (look at the pictures before reading and talk about what is happening in the pictures). Make predictions about what will happen in the story
• Ask your child to retell a story in their own words
• Discuss story elements (title, author/illustrator, setting, main characters, problem and solution)
• Have your child come up with a new ending
• Look for the kindergarten passwords in the book
• Have your child draw their favorite character from the book
• Act out favorite parts from a book
• Read to your child every day

Language Arts:
• Go on letter hunts to look for different letters of the alphabet
• Make an exciting vocabulary list: (Ex: Instead of happy use elated or excited. Instead of sad use blue or upset)
• Practice Nursery Rhymes (read, act out, look for passwords)
• Make letters out of playdoh
• Practice writing name in shaving cream
• Paint name and passwords
• Build words out of magnetic letters
• Come up with a word for each letter of the alphabet (Ex. L is for lion)
• Practice the sounds that letters make
• Practice rhyming (man, dan, can, san)
• Discuss sequence as you do every day activities (EX: Unloading the dishwasher. First we take the clean dishes out. Next we put the clean dishes in the cabinets. Last we put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.)
• Use vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!

Technology:
• www.starfall.com
• http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
• http://pbskids.org/
• http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
• www.funbrain.com
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The following are ideas you can use for homework to help your child learn their passwords:
• Make passwords out of playdog
• Encourage your child to search for their passwords in books, newspapers, magazines, etc
• Practice spelling passwords
• Use bathtub crayons to write passwords in the tub
• Write passwords in simple sentences (Ex: We can swim. I like the dog. I am in the park.)
• Quiz your child over the spelling of passwords
• Put passwords in a hat, bag or sock and have your child read the passwords as they pull them out
• Rainbow write passwords (use a different color for each letter in a word)
• Use magnetic letters to build passwords
• Play "I Spy" with passwords
• Write passwords in shaving cream

Math:
• Practice sorting objects into groups (by color, shape and size)
• Practice writing numbers
• Practicing counting to 20 and backwards from 20 (use objects to help)
• Practice skip counting (counting by 5s, 2s, and 10s)
• Count objects to 20 (or more of course)
• Use math vocabulary words to locate objects (Ex: Look above the table. Put your toys to the left of your bed)
• Go on a color scavenger hunt
• Use describing words to describe objects (big, huge, tiny, small, medium, heavy, light)

Science:
• Go on nature walks during the day and at night, discuss what you see around you

Just for Fun:
• Cook with your child
• Watch their favorite cartoon or tv show with them (Don’t read a book or do another activity – sit with them and watch it.)
• Talk them on a walk
• Ride your bikes together
• Go shopping together
• Play a board game (Candy Land, Hungry Hungry Hippos, etc)
• Play a card game (Go Fish, Uno)
• Work on puzzles
• Spend time together :)