Mesquite ISD Read Play Talk Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 10

The greatest memories are made
when we play and laugh with our
kids. And there are added benefits to
being silly with your child. When you
play with children through songs or
with toys, you spark imagination and
conversation. Through play, children
learn to verbally interact with the
world around them. Research shows
that playing lays the foundation to
discovery and a large, descriptive
vocabulary.
Here are just a few ways to cheaply and
simply promote literacy through everyday
play:
• Make words using alphabet pasta
• Write letters in shaving cream in
the bath tub
• Keep magnetic letters on the
refrigerator and have your child
spell words out while you are
cooking
• Help mom or dad write a grocery
list or to-do list for the weekend
• Create birthday or holiday cards
for relatives
• Write letters, names or word
wall words with sidewalk chalk
outside, with dry erase markers
and boards or by pressing with
your finger on a sealed Ziploc bag
filled with gel
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• Play rhyming games or sing rhyming
songs while driving
Remember, as you play with your child, movement
is key! As motor skills are developed, learning
pathways in the brain become more defined,
resulting in improved brain processing. Research
shows there is a strong connection between
developing fine motor skills in early childhood and
later success in math, science and reading.
Have a blast playing, and feel free to document
your play using the hashtag #readplaytalk.
Play ideas developed by Austin Elementary
teachers Melody Glenn and Amanda Cason