Magic Messages

ByKate Fairlie
13 Comments

emergent reading and writing

There is a smallish person in our house who wishes she could read better. She wishes she was reading at the same level as her sister. She wishes there was a magical way for all the words to make sense, for the story to roll out of her mouth and the sentences to run away from her pencil. She wishes these wishes hard and often.

I wish that I was in possession of the reading and writing magic she is after, but sadly I’m not.

Still, there must be a little magic in the air because slowly, quietly and without fuss words have begun appearing in our home.

A pile of magic 200 word cards here, a clean and organized set of word magnets over there. A beautiful alphabet puzzle (from Eco Toys) on the table, some little alphabet beads in the cupboard and a pile of easy reading books that the baby would like read to him on the shelf.

And every now and then someone leaves magic messages for the readers to read.

And every now and then the struggling reader sends one back.

And just like magic she realises she can read and it is awesome!

Joining in with Childhood101’s We Play today – see what everyone else is playing!

Kate is a mum of four, with a degree in early childhood education, and many years experience as an early years teacher and parent educator.
Kate created picklebums to help parents and teachers find lots of play-based activities and printables for kids aged 2-10.

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13 Comments

  4. What a great idea…I have a similar situation with eldest boy finding it difficult and second eldest boy who is two years younger at least a year ahead of his grade. It’s hard for the older one not to compare himself to his little brother. These ideas would be worth a try in my home, the whole, encourage without explicitly saying it thing. Have to give it a go, thanks for the ideas!

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