Family Fun Night! Each literacy-based Family Fun Night will be held for 1 ½ hours. Whole Group gathering time includes songs, finger plays and a read aloud. 4 center based activities based on literacy practices Refreshments, a book and certificate to be given to each family. Whole Group (15 min) Story Reading read aloud/print and book/language development Sing Along community building/phonological awareness Center-Based Activities (1 hour) Book-making print and book Paper bag puppet language development Name puzzles letter knowledge ABC Bingo - letter knowledge Refreshments and free book distribution w/completed evaluation (15 min) I. Getting Started STEP-BY-STEP SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING FAMILY FUN NIGHT 1. Read overview, mark dates on calendar, confirm location and site workshop partners. 2. Post signs for parents 2 weeks in advance on each classroom door and on office door in Spanish and English. 3. Discuss Family Fun Night with children and invite children to create the invitation in class. Send home invitation one week ahead of time. The entire extended family is invited if they would like to attend. 4. Follow-up with verbal and wrist-wrapper reminders the day before and day of event. II. Preparation and Implementation 1. Arrange for food (simple cookies and milk) for attendees. 2. Arrange to distribute free books to all attendees with certificate at the end of the event. Evaluation forms must be turned in to receive book and certificate. 3. Prepare all handouts and staple together including: agenda, directions for that night s activities, and special informational handouts. Provide certificates, evaluation forms separately. 4. Review activities, determine location and assign a teacher and teacher assistant to facilitate each activity. Teaching staff will demonstrate how to work with the child to do the activity (asking questions, encouraging the child to participate and talk about what is happening). 5. Collect materials for each activity and have a kit available to the teacher/teacher assistant facilitators. Make a sample of each activity to share with parents. 6. Center Directors are responsible for interacting with parents and keeping the event on schedule.
10 Ways to Help Your Young Child Read and Write 1. Use your child s interests as a guide. Encourage your child where he/she is in his/her stage of development. (Ex: Do they like to paint, work puzzles, play with playdoh, build with blocks? Give them this opportunity.) Forcing a young child to write, cut with scissors, or read at too early an age produces frustration, boredom (especially as they get older) and even failure as most young children do not have the muscle development or fine motor control necessary for this skill yet. 2. Read to your child daily. It is especially important to read books they are interested in and have selected even if you ve read them many times before. Include a wide variety of materials: books, magazines, newspaper, shopping lists, mail, signs in the environment, menus, recipes, etc. 3. Let your child dictate stories to you. Write down their stories. They can illustrate the story by drawing a picture, too. It is very important that children see that spoken words can become printed words. 4. Write your child s name on large card or paper. Have them trace name with glue and sprinkle with glitter or cover with yarn. (You can even use jello powder to create a smelly name card.) 5. Encourage your child to act out or retell favorite stories. They especially enjoy acting out nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and stories they have written. 6. Play a board game or card game with your child. This provides a ready-made reading opportunity. Reading the directions and game components with your child helps develop skills while having fun. 7. Check It Off. By making a chart of your child s responsibilities and daily activities, you can help establish routines and read together, too. Have your child read and check off each activity as it is done. 8. Family Memories When your child receives a special card or other momento, suggest making a memory scrapbook. Have your child ~read the scrapbook to you each time you add a new keepsake. A scrapbook of your child s years at Head Start would be a great way to start! 9. Pet Care If your child is interested in a pet, suggest reading together about that animal. You might also read the directions on pet care products. 10.It s More Than a Date How often does your child ask what day it is or how long until his/her birthday? Establish a daily reading habit by reading the calendar together. Better yet, make a personal calendar and fill it in with family birthdays and other special events. Counting down to special occasions will help develop math skills as well. There s no better reason for reading together than reading for fun!! Sharing a good story is a great way to end your day!!
Family Fun Night! Welcome to our Pajama Party! To celebrate a year full of learning, we thought it might be fun to explore together different ways to promote literacy (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) with our children. Our evening will begin with a Sing-Along and Story Time followed by a variety of activities in each of the classrooms. You are free to move from classroom to classroom to participate with your children. We will end our evening together with refreshments!! Sing Along/Story Time Activity Hour Puppets Book Making Name Puzzles ABC Bingo Refreshments 6:30pm - 6:45pm 6:45pm - 7:45pm 7:45pm - 8:00pm Before Leaving: Please turn in your evaluation form to receive a free book and certificate for your family. Thank you for coming and sharing your evening with us!
ABC Bingo What you need 3 Bingo Boards printed on colored cardstock(1 of each color) 1 sheet of ABC stickers 13 3x5 index cards, cut in half 27 Bingo circles Sheet protectors for Bingo Boards Small size baggie to hold alphabet letter cards Black Sharpies Glue sticks Scissors What you do 1.Place 1 letter sticker in each space on the bingo boards (x,y,z in same space)leaving middle space as a free space on each board 2. Write a different letter on each of 26 ½ size index cards 3. Place letter cards in small sized baggies (store in sheet protector). 4. Play ABC Bingo game during Family Fun Night. How you play 1. Place 3 ABC Bingo Boards on the table. 2. Place letter cards onto table, face down. 3. Invite child to select one letter card. 4. Ask them to look for the matching letter on their Bingo Board, the one that looks the same. 5. As the child searches for the right match, you can ask, Is this the same? or Is this different? 6. If the child has a match, he/she covers up that space with a Bingo circle and identifies the letter and sound, if possible. 7. When the entire card is covered, the child wins! Additional versions: Cover up 3 in a row; 4 corners;t shape;x shape; Be creative!! Paper Bag Puppet What you need paper bag construction paper markers or crayons glue or glue stick scissors What you do 1. Decide what kind of puppet you want to make. 2. Decorate the bottom of the bag to look like a face. 3. Add body parts as needed. 4. Put your hand up inside the bag and have fun!! Name Puzzles What you need 3x5 index cards (cut in half) blank envelopes markers, crayons, pens, pencils What you do 1. Write your name on the outside of the envelope. 2. Count how many letters are in your name. 3. Count the same number of index card squares as letters in your name. 4. Write each letter of your name on 1 index card square. (Remember to use an upper-case(capital) letter for the first letter in your name and lower-case letters for the other letters in your name.) 5. Put the letters in order to spell your name. 6. Keep the letters in the envelope when you are not using them. 7. Decorate your envelope!! Other Ideas Use the letters in your name to try to make other words. Use the letters in your name to help you think of other words that start with the same letter/sound. Write them down. Make a Name Puzzle for your last name. Make a Name Puzzle for each member of your family. Baggie Book What you need Small Ziploc-style baggies Permanent marker Magazine / catalog pictures Scissors,Stapler Construction paper for cover Masking tape What you do 1. Lay baggies on top of each other with the opening facing up. (to make it a name book, get a bag for each letter in your child s name) 2. Staple the baggies together across the bottom. Cover the staple line with masking tape to create a binding. 3. Insert pictures or photos into baggies. 4. You can write words to go with the pictures. Seal and read it!
Literacy Night Activity Chart Get each space in this grid stamped or signed as you complete each activity. Fill in the evaluation and at the end of the evening, turn in this page to receive: your free book and certificate ABC Bingo Paper Bag Puppet Name Puzzles Baggie Book Literacy Night Activity Evaluation Child s Name: Parent s Name: Date: Teacher: Center Location: Please circle the activities you participated in: Name Puzzle Puppets Baggie Book ABC Bingo What did you like about these activities? What did you not like about these activities, if anything? What would help improve these activities? Suggest some ways. Thank you! Turn this in for a free book and certificate!
Family Fun Night! Sign-In Sheet Date: Time: Location: CHILD s Name FAMILY Member s Name Number Attending
ABC Bingo For Planners What you need 3 Bingo Boards printed on colored cardstock (1 of each color) 1 sheet of letter stickers 13 3x5 index cards, cut in half Small-size baggies for alphabet letter cards 2 Black Sharpies Sheet protectors for Bingo Boards Glue sticks, Scissors Bingo circles What you do 1. Place 1 letter sticker in each space on the bingo boards (x,y,z in same space)leaving middle space as a free space on each board 2. Write a different letter on each of 13 index cards, cut in half. ( 26 total) 3. Place letter cards in small-size baggies (store in sheet protector). 4. Play ABC Bingo game during Family Fun Night. How you play 1. Place 3 ABC Bingo Boards on the table. 2. Place letter cards onto table, face down. 3. Invite child to select one letter card. 4. Ask them to look for the matching letter on their Bingo Board, the one that looks the same. 5. As the child searches for the right match, you can ask, Is this the same? or Is this different? 6. If the child has a match, he/she covers up that space with a Bingo circle and identifies the letter and sound, if possible. 7. When the entire card is covered, the child wins! Additional versions: Cover up 3 in a row; 4 corners; T shape; X shape; Be creative!! Tips for Facilitating the Activity Explain why this activity is important (see talking points with families). Give out materials in parts: Give family set of three Bingo cards and sheet of letter stickers. Explain that one letter sticker should be placed in each space on bingo boards except the free space in the middle of each board. x, y, and z are placed together in one space. Give family the baggie for letter cards and the index cards. Have them put their name on the baggie. Demonstrate how to help a child fold and then cut the index cards in half. Instruct family members to write a different letter on each of the index cards Coach family as they help child with cutting and communication. Put each set of letter cards in baggie as task is completed. Have each family play bingo game. Talking Points for Families Bingo is a great way to learn the concept of matching, and same and different. Bingo is a great way to learn letter names and review sounds that letters make. If your child needs more experience cutting, have them cut the grocery ads, newspapers, or free advertising catalogs at grocery store Your child can also strengthen his cutting hand by playing with clay or playdough, picking up small items like cotton balls with kitchen tongs or playing with clothespins Be sure and talk to your child during Bingo play and ask questions. Invite your child to show you how to play. Make silly mistakes and let your child correct you. Be sure you show your child how to neatly put up game so all the parts will be available for the next time.
Name Puzzles for Planners What you need 3x5 index cards (cut in half) blank envelopes markers, crayons, pens, pencils What you do 1. Write your name on the outside of the envelope. 2. Count how many letters are in your name. 3. Count the same number of index card squares as letters in your name. 4. Write each letter of your name on 1 index card square. (Remember to use an upper-case(capital) letter for the first letter in your name and lowercase letters for the other letters in your name.) 5. Put the letters in order to spell your name. 6. Keep the letters in the envelope when you are not using them. 7. Now, you can decorate your envelope!! Other Ideas Use the letters in your name to try to make other words. Use the letters in your name to help you think of other words that start with the same letter/sound. Write them down. Make a Name Puzzle for your last name. Make a Name Puzzle for each member of your family! Tips for facilitating the activity Ask children to tell you the letters in their name if they can. Demonstrate for parents how to say each letter as they are writing it. You can also have children count how many letters are in their name so they will know how many index card squares to get. Help them to make the one-to-one connection between letters in their name and index card squares. You can scramble the letters up and have the children unscramble to make their name. You can also talk about the sound each letter makes in the child s name. Talking Points for Parents There are many ways to support children in learning the letters in their names. The most important thing to remember is that it needs to be meaningful to the child. You can use the child s name as a starting point for rhyming activities and alliteration, too. The capital letter is a hint about which letter comes first when putting the name puzzle together. There are also many ways to support the construction of one-to-one correspondence in day to day life Like counting out plates, napkins, cups, etc. at home
Paper Bag Puppet - for Planners What you need paper bag construction paper markers or crayons glue or gluestick scissors imagination! What you do 1. Decide what kind of puppet you want to make. 2. Decorate the bottom of the bag to look like a face. 3. Add body parts as needed. 4. Put your hand up inside the bag and have fun!! Tips for Facilitating the Activity Demonstrate how to place the paper bag so that the face will be right side up.( Open end of paper bag closest to you.) Talk with children about the different body parts that belong on the face eyes, ears, nose, mouth, You can talk about how many you need of each. You can also talk about the 5 senses and how we use each one of our body parts. Talking Points for Parents Let parents know what the value is in playing with puppets. They can be used to extend oral language. They can also be used to encourage story retells with children. Children can be encouraged to put on puppet shows for family members.
Baggie Book for Planners What you need Small Ziploc-style baggies Permanent marker Magazine / catalog pictures Scissors Masking tape Stapler Construction paper for cover What you do 1. Lay baggies on top of each other with the opening facing up. (to make it a name book, get a bag for each letter in your child s name) 2. Staple the baggies together across the bottom. (write the child s name on a piece of construction paper for the cover and staple with the baggies) 3. Cover the staple line with masking tape to create a binding. 4. Insert pictures or photos into baggies. 5. You can write words to go with the pictures. Tips in Facilitating the Activity: Demonstrate how to do the activity with family before giving them the materials. Explain the purpose of the activity to create a book using the letters in the child s first name. Ask parents to help child to find pictures of things that begin with each letter in child s name. Have conversation with the child about the picture. Explain to child, Now we are going to write the name of the picture and then we are going to glue the picture after the word. As you write the word, say the letters out loud ( c-o-w). Be sure and use lower case letters and explain to parents that we only use upper case letters for proper nouns (first letter in child s name). Talking Points with Families: Each child s name is very important to them. Practice writing and saying each letter. Encourage your child to practice but do not be too rigid. It needs to be fun and not perfect. They are just learning! In order to help your child become a reader, he/she needs to know that print has meaning. The word means the same thing as the picture. Each word is made up of letters. It is important to say each letter as you write it. It is important to use upper and lower case print correctly. Young children need to see words written correctly and hear you tell them, we start your name with an uppercase or capital and we use lower-case letters for the rest of your name. We use lower case letters for most words. Be sure and make new books and invite your child to read them to you over and over and to copy the words if they are interested. Make it fun. The joy of learning is what is important to young children, not perfection.
Materials List Books and certificates for families Handouts Registration area: Sign in Sheets / Pens and pencils Baggie Books ziploc-type baggies (HEB brand sandwich bags @.99 for 50) 12 boxes 600 bags masking tape (color, if possible) construction paper for covers any color about 50 sheets - can precut to size of baggies pictures magazines markers (some permanent for writing on baggies) and crayons stapler / extra staples scissors Paper Bag Puppet paper bag construction paper markers or crayons glue or glue stick scissors Name Puzzles 3x5 index cards (cut in half) Blank envelopes Markers, crayons, pens, pencils ABC Bingo 3 Bingo Boards - one of each color 13 3x5 index cards cut in half to make letter cards sheet protectors for Bingo Boards 1 sheet of Letter stickers per game Small size baggies for alphabet letter cards Black Sharpies Glue sticks Scissors
For participation in Family Fun Night The family Is declared a Reading Together Family Congratulations From For making Reading Together part of your family traditions!! Center Director Date
Welcome Families!! Plan to attend our Family Fun Night! When : Where : We are beginning a year of learning together! Come and join us as we sing, read, write and make things together. Your family will have the chance to... make books make games make puppets Each family will also receive a free children s book! Refreshments served at the end.
Getting to Know You Please fill this out and turn in. Thanks!! Parent s Name. Contact Info: Email Phone Child s Name. 1. My goals for my child in Head Start this year are 2. My child s strengths are (He/She is really good at ) 3. It might help you to know that my child 4. I have an interesting hobby or occupation that I would like to share with the class. It is
Sample Parent Calendar SU ND AY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNE SD AY THURSDAY FRI DAY S ATURDAY There are many times during the day that you can play with your child. As you play and talk with your child you are teaching. Remember, you are your child s first teacher. Here are some ways to interact with your child in daily activities. Playing in water 2 It s Dr. Seuss birthday! Read Green Eggs and Ham Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. Abigail Adams 3 Let your child play in the water at the sink. Practice filling & pouring into containers. 4 Let your child play in the sink with soapy water. Ask them how it feels? 5 Add items to the sink of water to see what floats and what will sink. 6 Add sponges to the sink of water and help child squeeze the sponge to fill a plastic cup. 7 Add an eggbeater to the sink of water with little bit of shampoo. 1 Go for a walk to look at treeslook for budding trees. 8 Go for a walk and look for shapes like: circles, squares, rectangles, triangles Riding in a car Taking a walk Household chores 9 Exercise together! 10 While riding in a car, name hot things and cold things. 11 While riding in a car, name big things and little things. 12 While riding in a car, look for signs. How many can your child recognize? 13 While riding in a car, sing songs together. 14 While riding in a car, say nursery rhymes together. 15 Go for a walk and talk about all the colors you can find. Cooking Celebrating the season Tell your child daily how much you love them! 16 Look in the mirror and make faces togetherhappy, sad, scared, hungry, mad 17 Make a peanut butter sandwich together. Ask your child what you need to make the sandwich. 18 Put shaving cream on a cookie sheet. Let your child fingerpaint in it. Practice writing his name! 19 With playdough, make tiny eggs and a basket. Count the eggs. 20 Make letters of your child s name out of play dough. Count the letters. 21 Dye eggs for Easter. Count how many eggs you dyed. 22 Go for a walk and look for signs of Spring. Talk about warming weather. 23 Have an Easter egg hunt. 30 Read a book together. 24 Let your child help wash dishes. 31 Think of rhyming words together. 25 Let your child help set the table. 26 Let your child help dust the furniture. 27 Let your child help fold clothes and put them away. 28 Make a game of picking up toys. Sing a clean- up song. 29 Go for a walk and look for letters and numbers. Talk about the difference in letters & numbers.
Parent Feedback Please answer the following questions as specifically as possible A. List 5 things you wanted your child to learn this year in preschool. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. B. List 5 things your child learned in preschool this year. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. C. List 5 ways we can improve the quality of our preschool. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Parent Survey 1. Do you think a home-school connection is important? Why? Why not? 2. What makes it hard for parents to: a) Attend parent teacher conferences? b) Volunteer during the day? c) Attend evening activities? 3. What would make it easier for you to : a) Attend parent teacher conferences? b) Volunteer during the day? c) Attend evening activities? 4. Which activities would you be most interested in? Please circle. Evening programs: With Children Without Children Both 5. What topics are you interested in learning more about at a parent program?