Do you ever find yourself comparing your child’s progress to other children their age, even though you know you shouldn’t? As a parent, you want the best for your little one so it’s only natural to worry if you think that they are not learning as quickly as other children their age. However, having worked as a primary school teacher for 10 years, I can reassure you that every child is unique; they all learn at their own pace and will inevitably all start school with with their own combination of strengths and interests. Just like adults, some will prefer to climb, explore or build whilst others enjoy games that involve talking and listening. I’m often asked for advice by parents who are worried that their child is not making the progress that they expect with Phonics (letters and sounds). Please don’t worry if you feel you are in this
Learning through play: Gloop!
Keeping little ones busy is a challenge, especially when you want to make sure that they are learning at the same time. At First Steps Phonics, we want to support you by sharing free activities that will help your child to learn as they play. If you like this post, please like and share it. This will help us to learn what types of activity you find useful and we can write some more. Thank you! Gloop is loads of fun! It also gives your child the opportunity to explore their creativity and learn as they play, developing their fine motor and mark making skills; these are the skills that children need in order to be able to hold a pencil and learn to write. If you and your little one are taking part in our online sessions, you can also use gloop to practise writing our letter of the
Mark Making with Water
What is Mark Making? Mark making describes the scribbles that young children make. As children grow and develop, they begin to learn to better control their movements. They practise using the muscles in their hand in order to draw and their hand-eye coordination develops. These are essential skills for learning to write. Mark making also gives children the opportunity to express themselves, communicate their feelings and explore their environment. Through making patterns and swirls, children develop their creativity and imagination. Children can mark make using a variety of tools, including pens, pencils, paint brushes, sticks or just their finger tips. You don’t even need paint; water can be just as fun! Try this with your little one Take your little one into the garden, give them a paintbrush and a cup of water and encourage them to draw on the path. After giving them time to play and explore, encourage
A Springtime ‘listening walk’
When you are social distancing, keeping your little one entertained all day can seem like a daunting prospect. At First Steps Phonics, we are keen to support parents through this challenging time so we will be posting regular suggestions of activities that you and your little one may enjoy. This activity works really well if you go for a family walk, getting some much needed exercise whilst you learn. However, if you are currently self-isolating at home, your could also do the activities in your garden, or even through your window or around your home. Learning through play The first steps in learning to communicate involve listening to, and identifying, different sounds. With its emerging buds and singing birds, Spring is the perfect time to take your little one on a ‘Listening Walk‘ to help them to practise these important skills. Try this with your little one Sometime this week,
Learning Through Bubbles….
Fine motor skills are really important. We use them every day; every time that we write, fasten a button or tie our shoelaces. Children begin developing their fine motor skills early in life. They gradually learn to coordinate the small muscles in their hands and fingers, allowing them to develop key skills that they will rely on throughout their life. There are lots of ways that you can support your child in developing their fine motor skills. Many of these involve play and can be as simple as blowing bubbles. Whether you fill the room with bubbles using a machine or simply use the old fashioned method of a wand in a tub of washing-up liquid, as the bubbles float around the room, encourage your child to pop them in the following ways: poke the bubble with their fingers splat the bubble between their hands pinch the bubble between their
An Autumn ‘Listening Walk’.
The first steps in learning to communicate involve listening to, and identifying, different sounds. With its beautiful colours and crispy leaves, autumn is the perfect time to take your little one on a ‘Listening Walk‘ to help them to practise these important skills. Sometime this week, wrap yourselves up in your warmest hats, coats and gloves and venture outside. As you explore your local area, encourage your little one to listen to the sounds around them. Can they hear… the crunch of the leaves beneath their feet? the tweet of the birds as they sing their songs? the beep of the cars as they drive up the road? the swoosh of the wind as it blows through the trees? the snap of the twigs when they walk through the woods? the giggle of the children as they play in the park? the plop of the stone as it lands in
First Steps Phonics: First Class!
Thank you to all of the children and parents that participated in our very first class yesterday. We all had a great time and are excited to share more of our activities and ideas with you soon!