Want to Make Reading an Adventure?

The hot, humid summer is behind us. It’s the perfect time for some outdoor learning! So now that the air is getting crisp and the leaves are changing colors, take some time each day to get some fresh air, sunshine, and reading—y’all knew I’d sneak that in!

Try these easy and fun activities to celebrate early literacy with your little ones:)

1. Enjoy Reading and Writing Spots– Look around and see if there are any cozy places to journal, draw, or read a few pages. A little blanket and some quiet time-a great combo for learning!
2. Play Word Hide and Seek– Write letters or words on index cards (or draw pictures) and hide them outside. When your child finds them, help her say the words and use them in sentences.
3. Paint Brush Writing– Ask your child to dip a paint brush into a bowl of water and practice his name or new words he’s learning. Even drawing pictures is developing those fine motor skills!
4. Jump Rope Rhyming– Jump rope, play hopscotch, or hop on one foot as you say rhyming words. We all remember “Miss Mary Mack”!
5. Create Stationery or a Personalized Journal– Gather leaves, flowers, and twigs to glue to paper. Definitely worthy of a “refrigerator-hanging”!
6. Take Pictures of Letters– Print your pictures in black and white to spell out your child’s name or new word she is learning. Ask her to trace the letters with her finger. Using different mediums stimulates learning.
7. Go on a Scavenger Hunt– Make a word or picture list to search for in your neighborhood or local park. What could you find in your own yard or favorite park that starts with /b/—the “buh” sound? What is blue or red?
8. Act Out a Book– Push through the tall, tall grass, swim in the ocean, and fly like all types of birds as you learn outside. Physical activity promotes kinetic learning.

The great outdoors is a wonderful learning environment. It gives minds a new setting to learn in and bodies plenty of room for movement.
Enjoy yourself! Make reading an adventure!!!

Happy Reading!

Lisa Davis, Early Literacy Coordinator

Resources

For great information about learning outdoors, visit: https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/nature-and-outdoors

For more activities for outdoor learning, visit:  https://childhood101.com/outdoor-literacy-ideas/

For information about free book resources for your family visit our website

The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation is dedicated to fostering systemic transformation to ensure a solid base for the enduring health, education, and well-being of all children in North Carolina. Discover more by visiting their website.