Kindergarten Literacy and Math Games During Distance Learning

One of the biggest challenges for me as an educator during this quarantine is finding ways to deliver the curriculum using hands-on materials.  I want students to be able to use materials they already have at home to play and learn!  Yes, there are times they might benefit from printing a worksheet or game and trying that, but for the most part I really want to take the pressure off of always printing and completing worksheets.  In fact, I encourage students to document their own work, by drawing or writing about it.

Here are a few fun literacy games that your students can play at home!

Ask students to collect a variety of materials around their house (i.e., paperclip, marker, etc.) and sort them according to syllables.  They can write the headers on top.

I used 3 colours of Popsicle sticks (but you can use whatever you have at home) and wrote letters on them.  If you use the same colour sticks, I would write vowels in another colour to help students find medial vowel.

Separate sticks into 3 groups (C-V-C) and pick one stick from each.

Did you make a work?  Does it make sense?

Using a muffin tin and cupcake liners, write sight words in each.  Use a small object (button, coin, pom pom) and throw towards tin.  If it lands inside a word, read it and record it! 

How many words can you get?

Can you find objects around your home that begin with each letter of the alphabet?  You can have your students create their own alphabet chart by drawing in what they found!

If you focus on a letter a week, you might like to have your students brainstorm things that begin with that letter!

Students can create their own letter books!

These alphabet activities are from my new "I Know My ABCs!" pack on TpT if you'd like to see more.

Phonics Song -> such a catchy tune children quickly sing along to!

Storybots -> I love all of their letter songs!  This is a complete collection of the entire alphabet but you can also search for just one letter at a time

Vowel Bat by Sheri Sloane -> I met Sheri a few years ago when I presented at the I Teach K! Conference in Las Vegas and she is just amazing!!!

Sesame Street:  Usher's ABC Song -> ok, so ANYTHING that Usher sings is awesome, am I right?

Phonercise -> Dr. Jean makes everything fun when you can have your students stand up and stretch out the letters

My colleague (Ms. Cipollone) created this wonderful video outlining many ways you can work on sight words at home.  She graciously allowed me to share it here with you!

Try these fun math games!

Choose a domino and write the 2 numbers as an addition sentence.  Solve it!

(I didn't have any dominoes at home - not sure if students do either - so I made these using clip art.  I added this page to my Addition in Kindergarten pack on TpT so if you own that go back and re-download).

Place 10 small objects (I used pom poms) on the table.  Count.  Have your child close their eyes and move some under a cup.  Ask your child to open their eyes and guess how many are under the cup.

TIP:  To make this more challenging, try it using 20 objects or more!

Set up a 3 column grid.  I like to draw an arrow pointing to the middle box.

Roll a die (or 2 to make it more challenging!).  Write that number in the middle box.

Think about what number comes before and what number comes after.  Write them in the remaining boxes.

This is one of those games parents will probably have to print (or at least draw on paper).

Spin the spinner and show that many on the 10-frame.

Add or take away to show the next number.

 I made 2 versions of this game for students who want a challenge!

Download this game for FREE by clicking on the link below.

When You Add with a Pirate -> all of Harry Kindergarten's songs are fabulous!  

Search them in You Tube!

Jack Hartmann songs -> he's another one of my go-to's for all things math!

Counting on (Mr. R's songs for teaching) -> such an important concept to teach little ones!