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Core Skills for Language

Click on the skills below to see what you can do at home to help your child develop essential art skills.

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• Develop fine motor skills and strokes used in writing (e.g., draw lines -- vertical horizontal -- point, circle, spiral; string beads, etc.) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Lines Across Lines Down Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of fine motor skills and early writing strokes with this activity focusing on horizontal and vertical lines.
  99 ¢		Making My Mark Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of fine motor skills and early writing strokes with this free form writing activity. Additional paper required.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Finger Painting with Table Salt Parent Created Activity Pour a lot of salt onto a cookie sheet and have your child practice their numbers or ABCs with their finger.
  FREE		Face Collage Parent Created Activity Take a stack of old magazines and cut out eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and hair. Then, draw an oval on a piece of drawing paper or construction paper. ...more Give your child the cut-out facial features and the blank oval for a face, and let him or her create a face. Younger children think it's fun to create a silly face. Older children enjoy the task of trying to create a face that looks like someone they know. You can also use this craft to help younger children learn the names of facial features, and older children can work on their cutting skills by helping you cut out the images. All children will work on their fine motor skills by manipulating the pieces of paper and gluing them down. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $6.95		Toy	My First Book of Uppercase Letters This workbook gives children the opportunity to develop basic pencil-control skills while learning the shapes of the uppercase letters of the alphabet. The book begins with easy-to-write letters, like the ...more letter L, and then gradually progresses to more difficult letters, like the letter A. Children learn the shapes and concepts of letters by writing and tracing them again and again. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Write his or her own name (first and last) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE

  This Is Me Expert Created Activity Support your child's name writing skills with this self portrait activity.

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $6.95		Toy	My First Book of Uppercase Letters This workbook gives children the opportunity to develop basic pencil-control skills while learning the shapes of the uppercase letters of the alphabet. The book begins with easy-to-write letters, like the ...more letter L, and then gradually progresses to more difficult letters, like the letter A. Children learn the shapes and concepts of letters by writing and tracing them again and again. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Write all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Meet Letter G Expert Created Activity Support your child's letter identification and letter writing skills with this letter G activity
  99 ¢		Meet Letter F Expert Created Activity Support your child's letter identification and letter writing skills with this letter F activity

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Circles in the Sand Parent Created Activity Looking for something new and different to encourage learning while playing outside with your child? Create your own "learning board" out of sand. If you do not have a ...more sandbox, purchase some sand and place it in a large, flat container like a baking pan. Help your child collect small items from around the yard. Use each item to press into or drag across the sand. Talk about the kind of impression or design each item makes. Older children can practice drawing ABCs or numbers using their fingers or small sticks. Wet sand can also be used for longer-lasting impressions. (less)
  FREE		Learning to Write Parent Created Activity This is a good activity for parents whose children are not in a preschool yet but are interested in learning to write letters, or where the preschool is not teaching ...more at that level yet. My daughter loves to "trace" letters that I write to practice her form, so I make hand-made simple worksheets for her using dashes to form the letter and then give her a sticker for the sheet when she's done! (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $6.95		Toy	My First Book of Uppercase Letters This workbook gives children the opportunity to develop basic pencil-control skills while learning the shapes of the uppercase letters of the alphabet. The book begins with easy-to-write letters, like the ...more letter L, and then gradually progresses to more difficult letters, like the letter A. Children learn the shapes and concepts of letters by writing and tracing them again and again. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Match a letter to a spoken sound (e.g., parents says /b/. Child points to a card with "b") (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  What Letter Sound? Expert Created Activity Support your child's phonemic awareness (awareness of the sound structure of our language) with this activity that has him matching letters to sounds.

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.99		Toy	Phonics Bus This little bus is one of those LeapFrog toys that just plain works. It speaks toddler-ese with clearly spoken words and sounds and catchy little tunes, and it's a ...more cute little yellow bus with a kid-sized handle on top. What's not to love? Your littlest preschooler can cart it around the house, pushing all the individual letter buttons to hear (depending on the mode selected) the name of the letter, the sound the letter makes or a song associated with that letter. There are removable LeapFrog characters in the seats of the bus, and the little wheels actually roll along, playing three different versions of "Wheels on the Bus." Which means that when it's stuck in your head in the middle of the night, you'll have three different versions to cycle through as you drift back to sleep.. But never mind, the point is that your little one will love it. And if the alphabet song is running through his or her head in the middle of the night, just think how lucky you are. (Note: The Alphabet Pal caterpillar and the Letter Factory Fridge Magnets from LeapFrog are other similar toys, although not quite as grab-able as the little yellow bus.) (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $59.98		Toy	Letter Factory DVDs Some kids are bound and determined to learn things all on their own, and the more they sense that you, their well-intentioned parents, are trying to teach them something as ...more you chat, the more they resist. Got one of those? We're here to help. And frankly, even if you've got one of the more amenable kids on the block, sometimes we all have to turn to an outside source for either teaching or reinforcement. These two videos, sold separately or as part of a five-part set by LeapFrog and bundled by Amazon at a discount if you buy both together, are amazingly effective in teaching the hard part about letters - the sounds they make and how they fit together to make words. Again, LeapFrog works magically in this area. Give the kid a little time with the DVD - and we are the last people to be advocating tv as surrogate teacher or parent, but the fact is, sometimes things are taught really, really well by smart people behind a video - and you'll be astounded by how quickly they start to get the way this whole alphabet thing works. We can't make this stuff up: One of our associated little ones conquered the whole thing during a car trip with a DVD player, and another one was driving his parents a bit nuts when they were awakened at night by his muttering from the next room of various phonic noises as he taught his stuffed animals the way it all worked. We can't guarantee the same success for you, but we sure know where to tell you to start…. -- Review by Being Savvy (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Write the correct letters to represent a sound or sequence of sounds, up to three consonants or two consonants and a short vowel sound (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE

  Grocery Store Expert Created Activity Support your child's creativity and writing skills as you write about a trip to the grocery store.

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  FREE		Toy	LeapFrog: Phonics Writing Desk Learn to write your ABCs on an electronic lap-sized desk. Featuring six innovative games that make learning interactive and fun for your child, the Phonics Writing desk helps kids practice ...more their writing, phonics and spelling skills, including how to spell (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Read three letter words (e.g., cat, sit) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  I Can Read Expert Created Activity Support your child's literacy skills with this activity that has you making and reading 3 letter consonant-vowel-consonant words.

  Sample Activities

  FREE

  Word Search Parent Created Activity Make a simple word search for your beginning reader. On a piece of paper, hide simple, familiar words in rows of letters. Let your child find and circle ...more them. If you have quad-lined or "graph" paper, it's even easier. This is great for times when you're waiting at a restaurant or doctor's office, even a long plane trip. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $8.99		Toy	The Cat in the Hat Galvanized by the 1954 Life magazine profile "Why Johnny Can't Read" lambasting the uninspired Dick and Jane primers, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) meant to teach kids how to read ...more by using clever phonics to hold their interest (of all novel concepts!). The Cat in the Hat is now (and has been for decades since its publication) the paradigmatic beginning reader book. Yes, there are unexplainable happenings, starting with why these kids were left home alone, but this is supposed to be fanciful, remember?! Setting a little imagination afire is exactly what reading is all about! So, let the Cat (a stand-in for Geisel himself in many unrelated doodles) barge into your house on a rainy afternoon (or any ol' afternoon at all, frankly), and enjoy the antics that ensue. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $4.99		Toy	There's a Wocket in My Pocket No list of Dr. Seuss specials could omit this wordplay masterpiece because - well, frankly because we do have a feeling that there's a zamp in the lamp. Not to ...more mention a nink in the sink... And we are pretty sure that the next time you speak with that zelf up on that shelf (we know, you talk to her yourself), she'll tell you that your little one will simply adore this book. Like the best of the Seuss genre, it makes no sense at all and all the sense in the world, both on the very same page. Get lost in it, laugh, delight in the nuttiness. It's just great fun! (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Develop an awareness of letter sounds (e.g., which starts with /s/ -- snake or cup) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Starting Sounds Expert Created Activity Support your child's phonemic awareness as you demonstrate the sounds made by letters, and help her to identify pictures starting with each sound.
  99 ¢		What Letter Does It Start With? Expert Created Activity Support your child's phonemic awareness as you demonstrate the sounds made by letters, and help her to identify pictures starting with each letter/sound.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Whose Name Is It? Parent Created Activity On a piece of paper, write the name of your child, a family member, friend, pet, favorite character from a book or TV show, etc. and ask your child to ...more guess whose name it is. If she needs help you can give her clues (example: it is someone in your family, it's a girl, etc.). Be sure to talk about the sounds that the letters make. This activity has kept my daughter entertained while waiting for her food in a restaurant many, many times. (less)
  FREE		Hiding Letters Parent Created Activity This is a new way to use your magnetic refrigerator letters. Place a few on your kitchen table and cover each one with an object that starts with that ...more letter (e.g. cover "C" with a cup, "B" with a bowl, etc.). Then ask your child to guess where each letter is before looking. (Or you can start with just one letter but several objects.) New readers will delight in showing off their skills. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.99		Toy	Phonics Bus This little bus is one of those LeapFrog toys that just plain works. It speaks toddler-ese with clearly spoken words and sounds and catchy little tunes, and it's a ...more cute little yellow bus with a kid-sized handle on top. What's not to love? Your littlest preschooler can cart it around the house, pushing all the individual letter buttons to hear (depending on the mode selected) the name of the letter, the sound the letter makes or a song associated with that letter. There are removable LeapFrog characters in the seats of the bus, and the little wheels actually roll along, playing three different versions of "Wheels on the Bus." Which means that when it's stuck in your head in the middle of the night, you'll have three different versions to cycle through as you drift back to sleep.. But never mind, the point is that your little one will love it. And if the alphabet song is running through his or her head in the middle of the night, just think how lucky you are. (Note: The Alphabet Pal caterpillar and the Letter Factory Fridge Magnets from LeapFrog are other similar toys, although not quite as grab-able as the little yellow bus.) (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $59.98		Toy	Letter Factory DVDs Some kids are bound and determined to learn things all on their own, and the more they sense that you, their well-intentioned parents, are trying to teach them something as ...more you chat, the more they resist. Got one of those? We're here to help. And frankly, even if you've got one of the more amenable kids on the block, sometimes we all have to turn to an outside source for either teaching or reinforcement. These two videos, sold separately or as part of a five-part set by LeapFrog and bundled by Amazon at a discount if you buy both together, are amazingly effective in teaching the hard part about letters - the sounds they make and how they fit together to make words. Again, LeapFrog works magically in this area. Give the kid a little time with the DVD - and we are the last people to be advocating tv as surrogate teacher or parent, but the fact is, sometimes things are taught really, really well by smart people behind a video - and you'll be astounded by how quickly they start to get the way this whole alphabet thing works. We can't make this stuff up: One of our associated little ones conquered the whole thing during a car trip with a DVD player, and another one was driving his parents a bit nuts when they were awakened at night by his muttering from the next room of various phonic noises as he taught his stuffed animals the way it all worked. We can't guarantee the same success for you, but we sure know where to tell you to start…. -- Review by Being Savvy (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Develop an awareness of letters (e.g., recognize initial letter of name) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE		Learn Your Initial Expert Created Activity Support your child's awareness of the structure of print and foster his recognition of his own name and first initial with this letter identification activity.
  99 ¢		Matching Game Expert Created Activity Support your child's recognition of words as you label the items in the illustrated room.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Creating an ABC Book Parent Created Activity Help your child to create his or her own ABC book. Start by cutting paper into even sizes (like cutting 8 1/2 by 11 inch pieces of paper into half). ...more These will form the pages of the book. Over the course of a week or so, create the pages in the book. Start with 'A', write a capital 'A' and a lowercase 'a'. Talk about an item (that you can draw - like apple) that starts with an 'A'. Draw the item next to the letters. Talk about the item and the letter; if you can find it in your house, find the object. Make this something special that your child can look forward to doing every day. Get stickers (with letters and objects if you can) and have your child decorate the pages with stickers and crayons. Do three letters a day. At the end of the alphabet, punch holes on the side of the paper and put ribbon through the holes to make a book that your child can keep. (less)
  FREE		Letter of the Week Parent Created Activity A fun way to learn the alphabet is to focus on learning one new letter each week. You can use letter flash cards and letter magnets to reinforce the ...more shape of the letter, and print a page that relates to the letter from the internet for your child to color each day. There are many sites available; it is easy to find seven different pictures for the letter you are working on (apple, alligator, etc.). And each day after your child colors he picture, he or she can put the picture on the refrigerator. A couple of times a day, point to the magnet or picture and ask your child what the letter is. If your child is correct, you can give your child a small reward, like one gummy bear or a star on a chart. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.99		Toy	Phonics Bus This little bus is one of those LeapFrog toys that just plain works. It speaks toddler-ese with clearly spoken words and sounds and catchy little tunes, and it's a ...more cute little yellow bus with a kid-sized handle on top. What's not to love? Your littlest preschooler can cart it around the house, pushing all the individual letter buttons to hear (depending on the mode selected) the name of the letter, the sound the letter makes or a song associated with that letter. There are removable LeapFrog characters in the seats of the bus, and the little wheels actually roll along, playing three different versions of "Wheels on the Bus." Which means that when it's stuck in your head in the middle of the night, you'll have three different versions to cycle through as you drift back to sleep.. But never mind, the point is that your little one will love it. And if the alphabet song is running through his or her head in the middle of the night, just think how lucky you are. (Note: The Alphabet Pal caterpillar and the Letter Factory Fridge Magnets from LeapFrog are other similar toys, although not quite as grab-able as the little yellow bus.) (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $59.98		Toy	Letter Factory DVDs Some kids are bound and determined to learn things all on their own, and the more they sense that you, their well-intentioned parents, are trying to teach them something as ...more you chat, the more they resist. Got one of those? We're here to help. And frankly, even if you've got one of the more amenable kids on the block, sometimes we all have to turn to an outside source for either teaching or reinforcement. These two videos, sold separately or as part of a five-part set by LeapFrog and bundled by Amazon at a discount if you buy both together, are amazingly effective in teaching the hard part about letters - the sounds they make and how they fit together to make words. Again, LeapFrog works magically in this area. Give the kid a little time with the DVD - and we are the last people to be advocating tv as surrogate teacher or parent, but the fact is, sometimes things are taught really, really well by smart people behind a video - and you'll be astounded by how quickly they start to get the way this whole alphabet thing works. We can't make this stuff up: One of our associated little ones conquered the whole thing during a car trip with a DVD player, and another one was driving his parents a bit nuts when they were awakened at night by his muttering from the next room of various phonic noises as he taught his stuffed animals the way it all worked. We can't guarantee the same success for you, but we sure know where to tell you to start…. -- Review by Being Savvy (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Alphabet Mural Expert Created Activity Support your child's upper and lowercase letter recognition with this activity that has her naming the letters you find on this alphabet mural illustration.
  99 ¢		Meet Letter D Expert Created Activity Support your child's letter identification and letter writing skills with this letter D activity

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.99		Toy	Phonics Bus This little bus is one of those LeapFrog toys that just plain works. It speaks toddler-ese with clearly spoken words and sounds and catchy little tunes, and it's a ...more cute little yellow bus with a kid-sized handle on top. What's not to love? Your littlest preschooler can cart it around the house, pushing all the individual letter buttons to hear (depending on the mode selected) the name of the letter, the sound the letter makes or a song associated with that letter. There are removable LeapFrog characters in the seats of the bus, and the little wheels actually roll along, playing three different versions of "Wheels on the Bus." Which means that when it's stuck in your head in the middle of the night, you'll have three different versions to cycle through as you drift back to sleep.. But never mind, the point is that your little one will love it. And if the alphabet song is running through his or her head in the middle of the night, just think how lucky you are. (Note: The Alphabet Pal caterpillar and the Letter Factory Fridge Magnets from LeapFrog are other similar toys, although not quite as grab-able as the little yellow bus.) (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $59.98		Toy	Letter Factory DVDs Some kids are bound and determined to learn things all on their own, and the more they sense that you, their well-intentioned parents, are trying to teach them something as ...more you chat, the more they resist. Got one of those? We're here to help. And frankly, even if you've got one of the more amenable kids on the block, sometimes we all have to turn to an outside source for either teaching or reinforcement. These two videos, sold separately or as part of a five-part set by LeapFrog and bundled by Amazon at a discount if you buy both together, are amazingly effective in teaching the hard part about letters - the sounds they make and how they fit together to make words. Again, LeapFrog works magically in this area. Give the kid a little time with the DVD - and we are the last people to be advocating tv as surrogate teacher or parent, but the fact is, sometimes things are taught really, really well by smart people behind a video - and you'll be astounded by how quickly they start to get the way this whole alphabet thing works. We can't make this stuff up: One of our associated little ones conquered the whole thing during a car trip with a DVD player, and another one was driving his parents a bit nuts when they were awakened at night by his muttering from the next room of various phonic noises as he taught his stuffed animals the way it all worked. We can't guarantee the same success for you, but we sure know where to tell you to start…. -- Review by Being Savvy (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Read simple phrases or sentences (e.g., "Cat ran up", "Sam sat") (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  Let's Read Expert Created Activity Support your child's literacy skills with this activity that has you making and reading phrases and sentences from simple words.

  Sample Books and Toys

  $8.99		Toy	The Cat in the Hat Galvanized by the 1954 Life magazine profile "Why Johnny Can't Read" lambasting the uninspired Dick and Jane primers, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) meant to teach kids how to read ...more by using clever phonics to hold their interest (of all novel concepts!). The Cat in the Hat is now (and has been for decades since its publication) the paradigmatic beginning reader book. Yes, there are unexplainable happenings, starting with why these kids were left home alone, but this is supposed to be fanciful, remember?! Setting a little imagination afire is exactly what reading is all about! So, let the Cat (a stand-in for Geisel himself in many unrelated doodles) barge into your house on a rainy afternoon (or any ol' afternoon at all, frankly), and enjoy the antics that ensue. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $4.99		Toy	There's a Wocket in My Pocket No list of Dr. Seuss specials could omit this wordplay masterpiece because - well, frankly because we do have a feeling that there's a zamp in the lamp. Not to ...more mention a nink in the sink... And we are pretty sure that the next time you speak with that zelf up on that shelf (we know, you talk to her yourself), she'll tell you that your little one will simply adore this book. Like the best of the Seuss genre, it makes no sense at all and all the sense in the world, both on the very same page. Get lost in it, laugh, delight in the nuttiness. It's just great fun! (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Develop an awareness of written matter/print in everyday surroundings and its many uses (e.g., identify letters in signs, books, newspapers, bill boards; follow a recipe with words and pictures, etc.) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Dear Swallow Expert Created Activity Support your child's awareness of print and its uses and foster good manners with this activity that has you writing a Thank You letter to the swallow who gave Thumbelina ...more a ride. (less) Created by Core Knowledge
  99 ¢		Dear Goldilocks Expert Created Activity Support your child's awareness of print and its uses and have fun as you write a letter to Goldilocks.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Dollar Daze Parent Created Activity This is a great activity if you are waiting at an airport, the doctor's office, or for a bus. Take out some dollar bills (or higher) and have your ...more child find the numbers and letters printed on them. For older children, you can ask them to tell you the number that follows the number they just read to you and the same goes for the letters. More than working on just pre-reading skills, you can also use this as a way to teach your child to identify money. (less)
  FREE		Shopping List Parent Created Activity Little ones always seem to be interested in going to the grocery store and being in charge of the shopping list. But since most kids under the age of 5 ...more can't read, you can create a special shopping list just for them. With your child, take old newspapers and circulars and look for pictures of the items you need. Help your child to cut out the pictures and glue them on to a piece of paper. For older kids, you can help them write the names of the items next to the pictures as well. Now you will have a list that both parent and child can 'read.' (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $16.95		Toy	H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet This well-done alphabet book takes the abc's of baseball to another level, offering words and phrases as well as definitions and explanations of key baseball concepts. Famous players and stadiums ...more are highlighted (J is for Jackie Robinson, W for Wrigley Field), as well as elemental features of the game (O, of course, is for three strikes you're Out). The youngest novice will enjoy the catchy rhymes and lovely pictures. Older preschoolers will delight in the baseball facts jam-packed into the book's margins: did you know that twelve former little leaguers have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame? If you needed any inspiration to get your tee-ball set up in the back yard or at the playground, here it is. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $6.99		Toy	Baseball ABC If you're looking to weave baseball lingo into you child's consciousness from the very beginning, here's where to start. This board book is perfect for the youngest baseball enthusiast. You ...more know, the kind who would just as soon gnaw on a ball as throw or catch one. With this book as a primer, your tot will be spouting terms like "flyball," "grounder," and "strikeout" before you know it. Who wouldn't be proud of a baby who could say "home run" before "hello"? (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Listen to nursery rhymes, poems, fingerplays and songs and respond with appropriate gestures (e.g., clap, fill in the words the rhyme) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Who Am I? Expert Created Activity A guessing game based on well known stories and nursery rhymes including Peter Piper, The Little Red Hen, The Gingerbread Man, The Muffin Man, and Wee Willie Winkie.
  99 ¢		Tell The Spider's Story Expert Created Activity Support your child's use of nursery rhymes and gestures with this illustrated Eensy Weensy Spider activity.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		The Wheels on The Stroller Go... Parent Created Activity We all know the old "Wheels on the Bus." Next time you go for a walk, try singing "Wheels on the Stroller." Some sample lyrics: The visor ...more on the stroller goes up and down. The girls in the stroller go whee, whee, whee (or wah wah wah, depending on the day. The doggie by the stroller goes bark, bark, bark. The mommy pushing the stroller goes huff and puff. The people on the street say 'Look how cute!' all through the town! Younger children will build their vocabulary by listening to you name the different things you see; older children can help by offering suggestions for lyrics. (less)
  FREE		Going on a Bear Hunt Parent Created Activity With your kids, sing the old summer camp song 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt.' (If you can't remember the words, you can find them here www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/teddy/bearhunt.html). Afterwards go ...more back through the song and discuss (depending on the age of your children) each environment they go through on the bear hunt (grass, tree, river, cave). Then explain that they will color and create each location using construction paper and crayons, markers, etc. Then take their artwork and place it throughout your house with the ending place being a bed (I usually just get a few blankets and lay them on the floor and we dive into that). Now as you go on your 'bear hunt' sing the song and go through each 'station' of their artwork as the scene and end the song by jumping on the bed and pulling the covers up over your heads. It's guaranteed your child while ask to do it again because they love jumping in the bed and pulling the blankets over them. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.95		Toy	Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
  $19.95		Toy	Where Is Thumbkin: Over 500 Activities to Use with Songs You Already Know Sing over 200 familiar songs and learn new songs set to familiar tunes. Organized by month, with a special section just for toddlers, teachers and parents will find easy-to-do, ...more song related activities that span the curriculum in areas such as math, art and language. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Develop memorization skills (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  Memory Expert Created Activity Support your child's memorization skills and have fun with these card games.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Where I Live Parent Created Activity All kids should know their address, but sometimes it's hard for little ones to memorize it. Help them by making your address part of a rhyme. Here are ...more some examples: When I see my house I start to holler: 'That's where I live, #57 Waller!'; I do not live in a cave or canyon, I live right here at 33 Stanyan; I like Oak Street, it likes me, My door has the number 673; I live on 3rd Street, it's just like heaven, and the number on the door is one thirty seven." (less)
  FREE		For the Dora Lover Parent Created Activity Whenever you need to explain that you have to go somewhere to your little one who loves Dora, make it into an adventure! When we go to the bagel shop ...more I say, 'We have to go up the hill, through the park, to the bagel shop.' My daughter loves it and we chant it like Dora and Boots on their adventures. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.95		Toy	Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
  $19.95		Toy	Where Is Thumbkin: Over 500 Activities to Use with Songs You Already Know Sing over 200 familiar songs and learn new songs set to familiar tunes. Organized by month, with a special section just for toddlers, teachers and parents will find easy-to-do, ...more song related activities that span the curriculum in areas such as math, art and language. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Understand and use nonverbal features of communication (e.g., rise in voice at end of sentence) (show details)

  Sample Books and Toys

  FREE

  Toy

  Record-A-Voice Cellphone BATTAT®Parents® Record-a-Voice Cellphone Toy The toy engineers at BATTAT® have created a line of toys that are so durable and well crafted that we can safely let even very little ...more ones enjoy the the discovery of toy play! These well made toys will last for years and years allowing them to be passed from child to child and generation to generation while maintaining their allure for childs play. BATTAT® engineers have been at work designing high quality toys for over 35 years. We are very pleased to be able to offer fine toys from their line to you and your family. For Ages 18 months and up. At 18 Months your child's language skills are growing by leaps and bounds.  Pretend play allwows them to gain confidence, express themselves and develop a better understanding of how the world works. From Battat®, the Record-a-Voice Cell Phone has features just like mom's and dad's. This stylish flip phone allows you to record voices, playback messages, and hears songs and sounds galore! Parents can record their voices and baby can push to hear over and over again. Dimensions 6 inches by 1.25 inchesRequires 3 AAA (Included).Comes in a variety of colors.  We will select yours from our in stock supply.  If you order more than one; we will send a variety of colors. (less) Review provided by Amazon

  

• Understand and use language to communicate (e.g.,state need to go to the bathroom, express emotions, describe pictures being drawn, give directions) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  Call Your Storybook Friends Expert Created Activity Support your child's use of language to communicate on the telephone as you "talk" to storybook characters. Familiarity with Goldilocks, the Gingerbread Man, the Tree Pigs, and XXX helpful ...more for this activity. (less) Created by Core Knowledge

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Favorites Parent Created Activity A specialized game of questions, 'Favorites' is a great way to pass time. Simply take turns with your child asking to hear each other's favorite whatever - color, animal, ...more cereal, drink, sport, book, etc. It passes the time and children of all ages usually enjoy sharing with you their secret and not-so secret favorites. We play again and again. (less)
  FREE		Pass the...Centerpiece: Inspiring Dinnertime Conversation Parent Created Activity Have each family member bring a small object that's important to them to the dinner table. It can be a toy, a picture, anything. Take turns talking about ...more the importance of each object and why you wanted to share it. Listen patiently to each person without interrupting. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  FREE		Toy	Record-A-Voice Cellphone BATTAT®Parents® Record-a-Voice Cellphone Toy The toy engineers at BATTAT® have created a line of toys that are so durable and well crafted that we can safely let even very little ...more ones enjoy the the discovery of toy play! These well made toys will last for years and years allowing them to be passed from child to child and generation to generation while maintaining their allure for childs play. BATTAT® engineers have been at work designing high quality toys for over 35 years. We are very pleased to be able to offer fine toys from their line to you and your family. For Ages 18 months and up. At 18 Months your child's language skills are growing by leaps and bounds.  Pretend play allwows them to gain confidence, express themselves and develop a better understanding of how the world works. From Battat®, the Record-a-Voice Cell Phone has features just like mom's and dad's. This stylish flip phone allows you to record voices, playback messages, and hears songs and sounds galore! Parents can record their voices and baby can push to hear over and over again. Dimensions 6 inches by 1.25 inchesRequires 3 AAA (Included).Comes in a variety of colors.  We will select yours from our in stock supply.  If you order more than one; we will send a variety of colors. (less) Review provided by Amazon
  $7.00		Toy	Who Hops?

  

• Understand and use increasingly varied and complex vocabulary and syntax (e.g., bread: biscuit, muffin, roll, slice; talk: speak, shout, whisper) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE		At The Grocery Store Expert Created Activity Support your child's transition from labeling, to describing, to narrating with this illustrated grocery store scene.
  99 ¢		What's Happening? Expert Created Activity Support your child's vocabulary and story development skills with these photographs of active children.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		What's Your Middle Name? Parent Created Activity This is a fun game that helps kids learn their letters. We have an imaginary friend named Samuel Serendipity and we continually change the first letter of his middle ...more name and then think of all the words his middle name could be. Ex. For Samuel P. Serendipity, my son and I brainstorm all the words we can think of that start with the letter P. Everything from Peter to Parachute to Paper. When we can't think of anymore we change his middle initial to T and then think of Turtle, Teardrop, etc. It's a great way to learn new vocabulary words and associate sounds with letters. (less)
  FREE		Fun with Flashlights Parent Created Activity Hide one of your child's favorite toys, turn off the lights, and let her find it with a flashlight. Start out with obvious hiding places and then make it ...more harder. Be sure to give your child clues like "you're getting closer" or "it is behind you." These will help develop your child's vocabulary and listening skills. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.95		Toy	The Daddy Mountain When brilliant cartoonist-author-playwright Jules Feiffer turns his keenly observing eye to the relationship between a little girl and her daddy, you know you are in for a treat. This little ...more girl isn't looking to twirl around the kitchen floor on the tops of her dad's shoes; this little girl is looking to summon her strength, channel her focus, keep her balance and ... climb the daddy mountain. Oh, and if she just so happens to horrify her mother with her escapade, so much the better. The illustrations are of course superb, and the sweetness underlying the patient father who bends his knees to help and who has asked in advance. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $5.99		Toy	Mice Squeak, We Speak

  

• Understand and use language to think: organize, relate and analyze information (e.g., answer what if we went outside without our coats) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Are You Really Listening? Expert Created Activity Support your child's listening and comprehension skills with this game that requires your child to select the picture that matches your description.
  99 ¢		What Will Happen? Expert Created Activity Support your child's use of logic to answer questions with these illustrated "What will happen if?" scenarios.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Ancient Times Parent Created Activity While walking my 6 year old to school, we play a game we made up called 'Ancient Times.' He'll pick a time in history, for example, The Ice Age. ...more Then we'll describe what we see. He'll pretend to see a woolly mammoth behind a parked car or a glacier behind a tree. It is such a great way to inspire imagination and to learn about history. Of course, the times don't have to be that 'ancient' or impersonal. You could also play 'The time mommy was a kid' or even more fun 'The time grandma was a kid' and he could tell you what he would see then -- or what he wouldn't see -- like people walking with cell phones and iPods! (less)
  FREE		What's That Sound? Parent Created Activity Try this activity to help your child learn to identify different sounds. Gather different noisemaking props in advance and don't let your child see them. Stand behind your child's ...more back and make different noises with your props. Then see if he or she can guess what is making the noise. If your child has trouble guessing, make the sound again and give him or her clues: This is something I use to drive the car or This is something that we read every night. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $14.99		Toy	Who Is Driving This charming little book is a great choice for the younger set, the kids who are already wildly obsessed with wheels but can't yet speed their own trikes across the ...more backyard. It is part vehicle parade, part race and part guessing game, as the reader tries to figure out which animal should drive what car. It is all fun, though, for all little ones. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $16.99		Toy	If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

  

• Given a spoken word, produce another word that rhymes with the given word (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		Gingerbread Rhymes Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of literacy skills with this activity that focuses on matching rhyming pictures.
  FREE		Find The Rhymes Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of literacy skills with this activity that focuses on matching rhyming pictures.

  Sample Books and Toys

  $8.99		Toy	The Cat in the Hat Galvanized by the 1954 Life magazine profile "Why Johnny Can't Read" lambasting the uninspired Dick and Jane primers, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) meant to teach kids how to read ...more by using clever phonics to hold their interest (of all novel concepts!). The Cat in the Hat is now (and has been for decades since its publication) the paradigmatic beginning reader book. Yes, there are unexplainable happenings, starting with why these kids were left home alone, but this is supposed to be fanciful, remember?! Setting a little imagination afire is exactly what reading is all about! So, let the Cat (a stand-in for Geisel himself in many unrelated doodles) barge into your house on a rainy afternoon (or any ol' afternoon at all, frankly), and enjoy the antics that ensue. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $4.99		Toy	There's a Wocket in My Pocket No list of Dr. Seuss specials could omit this wordplay masterpiece because - well, frankly because we do have a feeling that there's a zamp in the lamp. Not to ...more mention a nink in the sink... And we are pretty sure that the next time you speak with that zelf up on that shelf (we know, you talk to her yourself), she'll tell you that your little one will simply adore this book. Like the best of the Seuss genre, it makes no sense at all and all the sense in the world, both on the very same page. Get lost in it, laugh, delight in the nuttiness. It's just great fun! (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Orally segment words into syllables and blend syllables into words (e.g., /c/ - /at/ -- cat) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE		Counting Words Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of literacy skills with this activity that focuses on determining the number of syllables in a sentence.
  99 ¢		Funny Fish Expert Created Activity Support your child's development of literacy skills with this activity that focuses on creating compound words.

  Sample Activities

  FREE

  The Name Game Parent Created Activity With a group of children have them sit in a circle and have them take turns clapping out the rhythm for a name, especially their own, while saying the name. ...more The other children should repeat the name while clapping the rhythm. For example Mi-chael would be Clap clap or Ma-lin-da would be Clap clap clap. An excellent introduction to the concept of syllables. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $16.99		Toy	If Not for the Cat You could easily think that a collection of haikus is well beyond the ken of our adored preschool set. You could also be wrong. Yes, this is a book you ...more should keep around on the shelves for some grade school project when your much-grown former preschooler is writing her own haikus. But yes, this is also a book you will dive into right now, long before your tiny one can count syllables. From the title haiku ("If not for the cat, / And the scarcity of cheese, / I could be content"), you and your very own little mouse will enjoy these little sketches of the natural world. And they just might be concise enough for our parenting-addled minds to remember, so you can rattle off a few when trapped in traffic with a wiggler in the back seat who needs distracting. Mr. Prelutsky was named the first ever Children's Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation, and another of his collections, Good Sports, is an especially good choice for engaging a child who might be otherwise daydreaming of getting outside with a ball and an open field. It too is a charming collection. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $12.99		Toy	20 Word Picture Puzzle This colorful set of 20 three-pieces puzzles teaches children to recognize simple words. A great first spelling tool!

  

• Distinguish fantasy from realistic text (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢

  Real of Fantasy Expert Created Activity Support your child's ability to differentiate between real and fantasy with these story excerpts and accompanying questions.

  Sample Activities

  FREE

  Create your own Superhero Parent Created Activity Is your little one a fan of Batman, Superman or any other Superfriend? Add some individuality by helping your child create her own superhero. What would her name ...more and super power be? How would her costume look? Draw a picture of your child's superhero, or help your child write a story. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $7.00		Toy	Who Hops?
  $15.99		Toy	Skippyjon Jones

  

• Tell in his/her own words what happened in stories or parts of stories and predict what will happen next in stories (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE		Home Alone Expert Created Activity Support your child's ability to tell stories in his own words with this illustrated story sequence.
  99 ¢		What Happens Next? Expert Created Activity Support your child's understanding of story development with this extension of Thumbelina's Story.

  Sample Activities

  FREE

  Stuffed Animal Stories Parent Created Activity Put various stuffed animals in a bag. Have your child tell a real or make-believe story about a trip to a zoo or farm while pulling stuffed animals out ...more of the bag one-by-one. Prompt them with questions to help the story along: "What animal did you see next?" "What sound does the lion make?" "How tall is the giraffe?" (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $19.99		Toy	Really Big Words Your little one is fully versed (pun intended) in the joys of rhythm and rhyme, so let him loose! Speak his mind (or write it) and see what clever little ...more thoughts he's got in there. You already think his spare little spoken sentences are poetry, so deem them so officially. Okay, okay, your preschooler can't write yet, but you can slap these over-sized magnets up on the fridge and help him string some thoughts together. And while he's just playing with the shapes like a black and white train, or maybe spotting some letters here and there, you'll be able to read his train of thought (again, pun intended). Watching him play with words and seeing the beginning of what just might be a lifelong love of language - ah, that's poetry indeed. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Listen to stories read aloud (e.g., turn the pages at the appropriate time, listen to stories for increased windows of time) (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE		Piggy Questions Expert Created Activity Support your child's recall and retelling of stories with this Three Little Pigs activity.
  99 ¢		Listen Closely Expert Created Activity Support your child's listening comprehension and vocabulary development with this illustrated story and accompanying cut-outs.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		I See My Little One Looking at Me Parent Created Activity There is just something magical about the cadence and content of Eric Carle's books. My kids loved Brown Bear, Brown Bear so much that we have made several book ...more adaptations in our house. One is a book of friends and family members: "Katie, Katie, who do you see? I see Aunt Deb looking at me!" This is a great way to remember family that you may not see all the time. We have another book that is "Katie Turns Two at the Zoo." We took pictures of many animals and printed them out for the book. Each page began with "Katie, Katie what do you see?" "I see an elephant... giraffe... gorilla... looking at me!" The last page was "I see a birthday girl looking at me!" It is a favorite read in our house. The best way to keep it intact is to use a very small 3-ring binder or presentation folder with clear page protectors. That way, your child's story can be 2-sided, just like a real book. (less)
  FREE		Tall Tales for Your Toddler Parent Created Activity Try just starting a story in a quiet-ish moment. It can be a total non sequitur, no moral, no point, no lesson. Look at your little one and ...more start with 'Did I ever tell you about ...' and just take it from there. The funny cat that used to live next door to us, the day we moved into this house, the first time I met your father, etc. And of course, since there is no topic more compelling to our little ones than themselves, you could always go with the day we brought you home from the hospital or the first time you ate baby food or something like that. Just start talking. It's amazing, flat out amazing, how much they like listening to just a story. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $19.95		Toy	Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
  $16.00		Toy	Read Aloud Handbook

  

• Develop an understanding of storytelling (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  99 ¢		The Strawberry Jam Story Expert Created Activity Support your child's understanding of story development with this adaptation of The Little Red Hen.
  99 ¢		Things Change Expert Created Activity Support your child's understanding of story development with these illustrations of 3 sequence events.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Family & Friends Photo Album Parent Created Activity Have your child put together an album with pictures of their family and friends. I like to start with many pictures and allow my daughter to select the ones ...more she would like to include in 'her' album. While we are selecting the pictures, she also tells me a story about the picture that I include in the album. This activity makes her feel like a BIG girl! (less)
  FREE		Dress Up and Learn Parent Created Activity This is a great interactive way for kids to learn about people or events. Choose a local museum or art gallery, then take a trip to your local thrift ...more shop and choose clothing, accessories and props that are applicable to where you will be going. For example, if your museum has a great portrait collection, you might look for a fancy hat or suit jacket. If you're going to the natural history museum, you might look for an "explorer" hat or "archaeologist" hat. You might even create a story about who you are and where you are going. Dress up and head out for fun and learning. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $15.99		Toy	Create Your Own Books This kit gives the youngest storytellers the chance to put words and pictures to paper in two attractive, hardcover blank books. One book is 8 1/4" x 11" and the ...more other is 6 1/4" x 8 1/4". The smaller book includes a die-cut frame to add a photo and create an "all about me" book, or perhaps a biographical study of a favorite pet or relative. The kit includes story starter ideas, an assortment of markers, clip art, sticker sheets with story enhancement stickers, number stickers and the alphabet. For preschoolers and their parents, this kit offers many opportunities for creative collaboration. Mom and Dad can take dictation, or maybe design a page of their own. While they may not end up on the best-seller list, these books are destined to become treasured family keepsakes. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source
  $15.95		Toy	The Daddy Mountain When brilliant cartoonist-author-playwright Jules Feiffer turns his keenly observing eye to the relationship between a little girl and her daddy, you know you are in for a treat. This little ...more girl isn't looking to twirl around the kitchen floor on the tops of her dad's shoes; this little girl is looking to summon her strength, channel her focus, keep her balance and ... climb the daddy mountain. Oh, and if she just so happens to horrify her mother with her escapade, so much the better. The illustrations are of course superb, and the sweetness underlying the patient father who bends his knees to help and who has asked in advance. (less) Review provided by The Savvy Source

  

• Participate in stories read aloud (show details)

  Sample Core Knowledge Activities

  FREE

  Tell Me About The City Mouse Expert Created Activity Support your child's recall and retelling of stories with this The City Mouse and the Country Mouse activity.

  Sample Activities

  FREE		Calling all Budding Thespians Parent Created Activity Instead of simply reading your child's favorite book again, make it interactive. Let him/her choose a page or scene from the book and act it out. For example, ...more my son loves construction equipment, so he goes through his books and tells me to be one of the bulldozers and he pretends to be one of the dump trucks. We crawl around on the floor and pretend to scoop up dirt with our hands and then sit upright as if to dump it out. (less)
  FREE		Picture Toast Parent Created Activity Read a book with your child. In a small cup, mix 1/4 cup of milk with a few drops of food coloring. Use a Q-tip to paint the ...more colored milk onto a piece of bread. Ask your child to paint their favorite part of the story or their favorite character. You can mix several different colors of milk to make a more colorful piece of bread. When you are finished painting, toast the bread in a toaster and watch the colors become more vibrant on the toast. Be sure and ask your child to verbalize what is in their picture. This activity helps to develop language and comprehension skills. (less)

  Sample Books and Toys

  $16.00		Toy	Read Aloud Handbook
  $16.99		Toy	Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She was Extinct Everyone in town knows Edwina. She is the dinosaur who plays with the kids. She is the dinosaur who helps little old ladies cross the street. And best of all, ...more she bakes yummy chocolate-chip cookies. Everyone loves Edwinaexcept for Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. Reginald knows dinosaurs are extinct and is ready to prove it. But will anyone listen? And if they do, what will happen to Edwina? (less) Review provided by Amazon