| Here are some fun activities and exercises you | | | | 7. Follow the line - you can do this game on the |
| can do with your child to help them get ready to | | | | ground with chalk or on a piece of paper with a |
| read: | | | | pencil. Draw a circle and have your child either |
| 1. Close your eyes and listen - Have your child | | | | walk on the circle or trace over it. Draw a line |
| close their eyes and either make a noise yourself | | | | with an arrow over it and have them trace the |
| or have the child tell you what noises they hear in | | | | line. Always make sure the arrow is facing from |
| the house. | | | | left to right. You can make the line solid or dotted. |
| 2. Tap after me - Use any small object that | | | | Some children enjoy drawing a line from one |
| makes noise and tap a rhythm on a table or | | | | object to the other. Once your child has mastered |
| drum. Then have your child repeat this rhythm. | | | | a straight line, you can make the line jagged or |
| 3. What rhymes with this? Think of a word and | | | | curved if you like, always making sure to go from |
| have your child think of a word that rhymes with | | | | left to right. |
| that word. Read them nursery rhymes and show | | | | 8. Draw simple objects and leave them slightly |
| them how each line rhymes. | | | | incomplete. If you draw a person, leave off the |
| 4. Grab bag - place several object in a bag and | | | | nose or arm. If you draw an object like a flower, |
| have your child put his hand in the bag and | | | | leave off a few of the petals. Then have your |
| identify the object without looking at it. | | | | child complete the picture. |
| 5. Take away - Line up several objects on a tray | | | | 9. Complete the shape - Draw a simple shape but |
| or table. Have your child look at them and then | | | | make part of the shape a dotted line. Then have |
| close his eyes. Remove one of the objects and | | | | your child complete the shape by filling in the |
| see if your child can identify the object that you | | | | dotted line. |
| took away. | | | | 10. What doesn't belong? Place 3 or 4 toys that |
| 6. Describe the picture - Pick a picture from a | | | | start with the same letter on a table or tray. Add |
| picture book and have your child describe it in as | | | | one more toy that does not begin with the same |
| much detail as he wants. Then close the book and | | | | letter. Have your child say the name of each toy |
| hand it to your child and have them find the | | | | and pick out the object that does not begin with |
| picture in the book. | | | | the same letter. |