As your preschooler prepares to start school, you might be wondering how to support their learning at home. Early literacy and numeracy skills are essential for their development and success in the classroom. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple and fun activities you can do at home to help your child build these skills. By incorporating literacy and numeracy into daily routines and playtime, you can set your child up for a positive and confident start to their school journey.
Why literacy and numeracy are vital for preschoolers
Developing literacy and numeracy skills early on helps children build the foundation for future academic success. Literacy skills, including reading, writing, and listening, enable children to communicate effectively and understand the world around them. Numeracy skills, such as counting, sorting, and understanding shapes, set the stage for more complex math concepts they will learn later.
Research shows that children who develop strong literacy and numeracy skills before school tend to have higher self-esteem, better concentration, and improved problem-solving abilities once they start formal education.
Simple literacy activities for preschoolers
Here are some fun and easy literacy ideas for preschoolers that will help your child develop language skills before they start school:
1. Reading together every day
One of the most powerful things you can do to support your child’s literacy development is to read with them every day. Make reading a special time to bond, explore new stories, and introduce new words. You can read books with vibrant pictures and simple text, and ask your child questions about the story to develop their comprehension skills.
Tips for making reading engaging:
- Use different voices for characters to make the story come alive.
- Let your child turn the pages and “read” along with you.
- Encourage them to guess what happens next or talk about their favourite part.
2. Storytelling and imaginative play
Encourage your child’s imagination by setting up storytelling sessions or role-playing games. This will help them expand their vocabulary, practice sentence formation, and develop their creative thinking.
For example:
- Pretend you are pirates on an adventure, or chefs cooking in a restaurant.
- Use toys or household items to create stories and characters.
- Ask your child to tell their own stories and share what’s happening in their imaginative world.
3. Fun alphabet games and letter recognition
Make learning the alphabet fun by incorporating games and activities that encourage letter recognition. Preschoolers will develop an understanding of letter names and sounds, which are essential building blocks for reading.
Try these activities:
- Write letters on index cards and have your child match uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Look for objects around the house that start with specific letters (e.g., “C” for cat, “T” for toy).
- Sing along to catchy songs that introduce the alphabet.
Creative numeracy activities for preschoolers
Here are some exciting and playful numeracy activities for preschoolers that will help your child build essential math skills:
1. Counting games with everyday objects
Counting is one of the most fundamental numeracy skills. Use everyday objects to teach counting in a way that feels like a game. This can be done with toys, food, or even nature items.
Suggestions:
- Count the number of apples in the fruit bowl, or the number of toys on the floor.
- Create a counting challenge where your child needs to collect a certain number of objects.
- Play with counting songs or rhymes that involve numbers, like “Five Little Ducks” or “Ten Little Monkeys.”
- Counting up from 1-10 and backwards from 10-1, and if you think your child’s ready, maybe skip a number every now and again.
2. Sorting and pattern-making activities
Sorting and patterning activities help preschoolers understand concepts like size, shape, and order, which are important for later math learning. You can use different household items to introduce these concepts.
For example:
- Sort buttons by colour, size, or shape.
- Create patterns with blocks or beads and ask your child to continue the pattern.
- Build simple “ABC” patterns with toys, coloured paper, or stickers
- Ordering objects from largest to smallest.
3. Playing with shapes and measurements
Introduce your child to the world of shapes and measurements with fun hands-on activities. Recognising shapes and understanding basic measurements can improve spatial awareness and lay the groundwork for more complex math skills.
Ideas:
- Identify shapes in the environment (e.g., circles in a clock, squares on a chessboard).
- Use measuring cups to “bake” together, comparing sizes of different ingredients.
- Play shape-sorting games with toys or use shape cut-outs to explore different geometric forms.
Combining literacy and numeracy in everyday routines
Incorporating literacy and numeracy into everyday routines is a great way to reinforce learning in a natural and practical way. These activities don’t require special tools or planning; just a bit of creativity!
Suggestions for everyday activities:
- Cooking: Read recipes aloud and measure ingredients together. This combines reading and numeracy by following written instructions and using measurements.
- Shopping: Have your child help you count items in the grocery cart or find letters and numbers on product labels.
- Bedtime: Encourage storytelling before bed and count objects, such as counting the number of bedtime books or toys in their room.
Free resources and tools for preschool literacy and numeracy
There are plenty of online resources and tools that can support your child’s literacy and numeracy development at home. Some of these are free or low-cost and can be used to enhance your child’s learning experience.
- ABCmouse offers engaging activities for both literacy and numeracy.
- Starfall provides interactive games and stories for early readers.
- Khan Academy Kids offers educational games covering a range of topics.
- Literacy Planet provides fun online literacy activities for preschoolers and older children.
- PBS Kids has many math games and activities that are perfect for preschoolers.
Tips for making literacy and numeracy fun and engaging
Keeping your child motivated to learn at home is key to making progress. Here are some tips to keep learning fun and exciting:
- Celebrate small achievements with praise or rewards to boost your child’s confidence.
- Set aside a regular time each day for literacy and numeracy activities so your child knows when to expect learning fun.
- Learning takes time, and it’s important to be encouraging even when your child faces challenges.
- Let your child lead some activities and encourage them to ask questions.
Explore how our kindergarten programs support literacy and numeracy
If you’re looking for more structured support for your child’s early literacy and numeracy development, our kindergarten programs at Uniting Vic.Tas are a great option. Our experienced educators foster a nurturing environment where your child will engage in activities designed to support their growth in literacy and numeracy, ensuring they are ready to start school with confidence.
To learn more about how we can help your child thrive, explore our Kindergarten Programs.
