Supporting Your Child at Home

Numbers activities you can do at home:

Work on numbers 1-3.

• Counting an amount of objects/ fingers/ pictures accurately by pointing/touching each as they are counted. Know the last number counted is the total amount, for example, when your child has counted 3 objects, then ask him/her how many there are altogether and your child should say “3” without recounting the items.
• Getting out the correct amount of items to match a number card. Identify the number written on the number cards etc. and then get out the right amount of items. Your child can use items found around the home, e.g. stones, pasta shapes, bricks, toy cars, pencils, spoons etc.
• Incorporate number into everyday activities, e.g. laying the table and getting out the number of forks, spoons, knives, plates required/ counting the number of red, blue, green cars, counting the amounts of different fruit in the fruit bowl etc.
• Cut up two lots of number cards 1-3 initially. Turn them face down and play “Pairs.” Each player turns two cards over and if they are the same, they keep the pair. If they are different, then turn them both back over and remember where the numbers are for your next turn, he/she can find another pair. The winner is the person with the most pairs. You can play the same game, by drawing the same number of spots on two pieces of paper.
• Give your child a bowl with a selection of objects in different amounts up to 3 initially. Give your child the number cards up to 3. Ask him/her to sort the objects into sets of the same and then to count how many of each there are and match with the correct number card.
• When the number line is ordered, ask your child to close their eyes and swap two of the cards. Ask your child to identify which numbers are in the wrong place and to put them back into the right order.
• Ask your child to count actions or sounds, for example, to count your claps or count the number of stones being dropped into a container.
• Number line- using the cut up number cards on the number sheet in the pack, place them randomly on the table/carpet and ask your child to place them in the correct order, 1-3 initially. Then ask your child questions, such as, which number comes next?
• Number line- when your child has ordered the number line, ask them to close their eyes and take a number card away. Ask your child to identify the missing number. Make it a little more challenging by taking 2 numbers away.

Fine motor activities you can do at home: 

Before your child is ready to write they need to strengthen the tiny muscles in their hands by completing fine motor activities. Things like playing with playdough and using tweezers to move objects like buttons and cotton wool from one bowl to another are great for this. Take a look at some of these other ideas below that you could try at home.

• Thread beads (penne pasta also works in the same way) onto things like string, wool, ribbon, or pipe cleaners etc. Threading string, wool, ribbon, or pipe cleaners into something like a colander is another simple but great fine motor activity!
• Use clothes pegs to pinch together to secure onto an object like a cardboard box. You could turn this into a game by seeing how many they can attach in 1min or by racing another family member to see who gets the most.
• Encourage your child to use different fasteners when getting dressed such as belts, buttons, zippers and poppers. These actions take some amazing finger strength and hand eye coordination. 
• If you have a hole punch at home encourage your child to use this to make holes into pieces of paper or card. Be prepared - they may find this difficult to begin as they need a huge amount of muscle strength in their hands to make it work. The more they practice the easier it will become! Using other stationary such as fastening and removing paper clips, sharpening pencils and removing and replacing the lids on top of pens are other simple but great fine motor activities!
• Spread a shallow layer of sand (porridge oats also works in the same way) into a tray or shallow container and encourage your child to explore mark making using their fingers to create lines, shapes, letters, and patterns. 
• Practising drawing handwriting patterns (zig zags, swirls, spikes, waves etc) will help prepare your child for writing and forming letters correctly.These patterns can be drawn both on a large and small scale. Large to begin with and, as your child shows more control and accuracy, then on a smaller scale.

Your child can use crayons, pencils, paints and paintbrushes to make these patterns.

Your child can use fingers dipped in paint to make these patterns.

Your child can use a stick and draw them in some wet mud.

Your child can use DIY paintbrushes to paint water onto outdoor fences and sheds.

There are so many ways to draw these patterns, so have fun!

The Importance of Play

Play is crucial for developing children’s communication skills, so build in opportunities for play into your child’s day and spend some time playing with him/her.

Here are some reasons why it is so important:

1. Play lays the foundation for literacy. Through play children learn to make and practise new sounds. They try out new vocabulary, on their own or with friends, and exercise their imagination through storytelling.
2. Play is learning. Play nurtures development and fulfils a baby’s inborn need to learn. Play takes many forms, from creating storylines with their small world toys, e.g. figures or vehicles, to hide-and-seek. Play can be done by a child alone, with another child, in a group or with an adult.
3. Play encourages adults to communicate with the children and adults in their lives. Adults support play by giving children opportunities to play, and by knowing when to intervene, and when not to intervene.
4. Play gives children the chance to be spontaneous. You may think your child should be rolling the truck on the ground but that doesn’t mean that truck is not equally useful as a stacking toy.
5. Play gives children choice. Having enough toys or activities to choose from will allow children to express themselves.
6. Play gives children space. To practise physical movement, balance and to test their own limits.
7. Play gives adults the chance to learn how to play again. One of the most challenging parts of play is incorporating yourself in it.
8. Play teaches adults patience and understanding. When you choose to join in your child’s play, make sure that you do not try to take over and let your child lead. Structured adult-led activities have their time and place but remember to allow for time for children to control and decide their own play.
9. Play is fun. Learning to play well, both by themselves and with others, sets children up to be contented and sociable.

How to involve yourself and questions you could ask:

• If your child is building something, ask them to tell you what they are doing. Also, how they are going to make it? Why they are building that model? Why did they choose that shape brick or that colour? When they have finished building, ask your child what they are going to use it for, e.g. if it is a castle, ask questions, such as:

       - Who lives there?

       - What are they going to do?

       - Are they going to have an adventure?

       - What will the adventure be?

• If your child is using figures, choose one and become that character and interact with your child,              taking the lead in the play from your child.
• You could act out a favourite story with your child and take on the part of one or two of the characters. Together you could create your own story based on the characters or change the ending of the one you know.
• You could create a den in your home, using cushions, blankets, covers and ask your child to explain what they are doing. Support your child in solving any problems encountered, e.g. how did that happen? How can you solve your problem? What might happen if you…? Why did…? Could you try…?