Korero/Talk
Talking and listening to your child is a super important part of their development. Ask them about their day and listen to their answer. Get them to tell you about the best part, the most challenging part, the funniest thing that happened etc. Through doing this, you are giving your child access to language, which helps to excite them about reading and writing.
Panui/Reading |
Each week your child will have 2 books in their book bag. One will be the current text we are working on in class, and one will be the book from the previous week. Find a quiet time to snuggle on the couch or before bed and read the story with your child. This may be simply talking about the pictures, finding the words they can read, or pointing to each word as they read it. You could also try reading a page each. Make this as relaxed and chilled out as possible!
Tuhituhi/Writing
If your child is keen and interested in writing, get them to list the things you need from the grocery store. Write a letter or postcard to a family member or friend. If you have access to YouTube, there are some great 'sight word' songs that they enjoy using in class. They can also practice writing their Smart Sheep words and letters.
Pangarau/Mathematics
Learning the fundamentals of numeracy can be lots of fun! Baking and cooking are great ways to talk about halves and quarters when chopping and measuring. Playing board games is also a great way to practice counting forwards and backwards. When your child is playing with toys, ask them how many they have, how many are blue, green, black, what shape are they, which one is bigger, smaller etc. In the car, get your child to read number plates and ask the number before and after. These type of activities all support your childs' development.