Embedded Files
Our Quiet Time Music: Relaxing music can be very helpful for kindergarteners.
Helps kids calm down and feel safe, especially during rest time or transitions
mproves focus and attention during quiet activities
Reduces stress and big emotions, supporting emotional regulation
Moose Math helps young kids learn math through fun games.
It teaches counting, adding, shapes, and problem-solving while kids play and explore. The app is easy to use, doesn’t require reading, and helps build confidence without pressure.
Starfall helps young children learn to read and practice basic math in a fun, playful way.
It uses songs, stories, games, and animations to teach letters, sounds, early reading, and simple math skills. The activities are easy to follow, build confidence, and let kids learn at their own pace.
Raz-Kids helps young children build reading skills in a fun and personalized way.
It gives kids access to lots of leveled digital books that match their reading ability, so they’re reading just the right level of text — not too easy and not too hard. After reading, children do short quizzes to practice understanding what they read.
Reading Tips At Home
Reading Tips At Home
Choral Reading: as you are reading with your child, whenever you come across a star word or a CVC word (e.g. cat, map) you can have your child read the word. It becomes a shared reading experience where they feel like they’re contributing to the reading.
Keep Reading Fun: if you find that your child doesn’t want to read or seems bored when it’s reading time, that means it’s time for us to change it up. Some things that help get their engagement in reading back up are:
Change the Scenery: It can be something small such as reading a book during bath time or laying on the living room floor instead of at the table. It can also be something big like making a tent in the backyard or living room and reading books there. Anytime we do small reading groups and I feel like I’m losing the kids’ engagement level, we move to the carpet or read outside.
Piggie Mindset: read your child the book “Today I Will Fly” by Mo Willems (I have 4 copies if anyone wants to borrow from class) and remind them to have a mindset like Piggie where she believes she can do anything! And then whenever you lose them during reading, just remind them to be like Piggie! She believes in them. They can do hard things.
Besties Book Swap: we have so many wonderful friendships forming in kindergarten and anytime these kids give something to each other (usually a picture from quiet time) their faces light up as if their entire day was just made. So just imagine how excited they would be to know that they’re reading a book that their best friend chose. Find a bestie in class to swap a book with and return back to the buddy when you’re done with it. One year students would return the books back to each other and write a little thank you note for their bestie.
Using Sound Power: when reading CVC or tricky words, you can use sound power a few different ways and the students have these:
pretend that you are on a train and you are going to hold the sound of the first letter until you get to the second letter and then the last letter (e.g. cccccaaaaaaatttt-cat)
have them use their pointer finger to point under each letter and say the individual sound and then blend them (e.g. c—a—t-cat)
**if sound power is too hard** have them use the frame “__ makes ___” (e.g. M makes mmmm, A makes ah, D makes duh) for each letter and then slowly blend the sounds together (e.g. mmmm-ah-duh-mad)
Star Words: Because learning star words can be challenging, it’s best to get creative and do activities that you know will motivate your child. Some activities that I have found successful in the past for my own godchildren are:
using chalk outside
shaving cream on a baking sheet and using your finger to spell out the words
making the word with playdough or kinetic sand
using magnetic letters to spell words on the refrigerator or baking sheet
foam bath letters to spell words during bath time
using outdoor objects such as sticks or rocks to spell words
coming up with a song to remember the star word (e.g. t,h,e spells the, the, the. The, the, the. The, the, the. T, h, e spells the, the, the. T, h, e spells the).
using dance moves to remember words (e.g. making your body move down for the star word -down and then jumping up for the star word -up)
Rhyming Words: Another tricky thing for kindergarteners to learn so doing fun, engaging activities where they can make the connection that we are listening for the same ending part (rime) of the word (e.g. c-at, b-at). Here are some activities:
start with the -at word family: it’s the easiest one for kids to practice with. You can even find objects in your house that match the -at family and that do not match the word family. This way it becomes a little more fun for the kids and having visuals increases the chance that they will retain the practice of finding words/objects with the same ending sounds (e.g. objects in the house for -at: bat, cat (if you have one), mat, hat. Objects in house NOT for -at (I still try to choose CVC words): cup, toy, jar, pan) You can introduce one -at word and then hold up an object next to it and have your child say both words (e.g. bat, hat-yes! Bat, cup-no!) Some people include a thumbs up or thumbs down for showing if they rhyme or not, but it’s really up to you. I use yes and no.
Rhyme and Jump: say two words out loud. If the two words rhyme, your child jumps. If not, they freeze. Last year I had a student practice a karate kick if the two words rhymed so you can really do any movement as long as your child is engaged and having fun. Also, they really think it’s funny if YOU do these silly movements with them.
Find words/nonsense words that rhyme with their name: a silly activity that kids love and find funny (e.g. Cici-Bici, Nici, Mici, Lici, Dici, Wici, Gici, Vici)
Math Tips At Home
Counting forward beginning from given number
Activity:
What Comes Next?:While on a family drive to the store (or anywhere), you can play a game where you say a random number other than 1 and your child has to figure out what number comes after (e.g. I say 8, they say 9).
- Today’s Date: go over today’s date with your child and figure out what number for the day of the month will be tomorrow and the day after.
Writes numbers to 10 and 20
Activity:
Chalk
- Fill in the blanks
- Number Formation Poems:Here is a free link to number formation poems to help kids practice writing numbers 1-10. The actual poems are on pg. 31. I can also make a copy for you if you want one. Number Formation Poems
Recognizes numbers out of order to 20
Cards:
Add and subtract numbers within 5 fluently
Activities:
Cooking or Baking together: any cooking opportunity where the kids can help add ingredients-you can figure out how many ingredients you need altogether to make something yummy. Now if you make something yummy like cookies, you can use them to practice adding and subtracting.
Class Newsletters
Class Newsletters
May Newsletter.pdfClass Wish List
Class Wish List
Black Fine Point Sharpies Amazon Link
Mr Sketch Scented Markers Amazon Link
Paper lunch bags (for puppets) Amazon Link
Elmers Glue Sticks Amazon Link 30. Amazon Link 60
Ticonderoga Pencils Amazon Link
Lysol or Clorox wipes Amazon link
Baby Wipes
Kleenex
Calico Critters (or other dollhouse characters)
Hot Wheels Cars
Lego People
Lakeshore or Amazon gift cards are always appreciated!
THANK YOU!
Report abuse