Activity Pad wr ~ = ~o/ HOOKED ON RY PHONICS dame SMART & FUN ACTIVITIES Numbers Colors Shapes Letters Farm Animals Wild Animals Pets Things That Go AND MUCH MORE! J / i \ (~ Written by Christopher MedellinThe Hooked on Phonics® FUNdamentals Activity Pad features fun activities that review basic concepts such as the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and much more. Ie also presents activities that help young children develop the fine motor skills necessary for success. Give your child ample opportunities to trace, cut, and draw with pencils, scissors, and crayons. These activities are designed to help make the transition to writing letters and numbers much easier for your child. Children acquire fine motor skills, reading skills, and writing skills at their own pace. Be sure to allow your child that flexibility. Its normal for a child not to cut perfectly or stay within the lines when coloring at first. The more he learns through play, the sooner he will master the skills necessary to become a successful reader. Take your time, Have fun, and help your child learn at his own speed. How to use the activity pad You'll need crayons, safety scissors, and child-safe glue for some of the activities. Show your child how to hold and use them properly. Share meaningful playtime with your child. Relax and enjoy your time together, and help your child associate fun with learning, Holding a pencil or a crayon can be very difficult for young children. Help place your child’s fingers on the pencil or crayon, You may want to show her how you hold it yourself. Have your child hold the pencil or crayon lightly and easily about one inch above the tip. Demonstrate how to cut paper, and help your child use relaxed movements. If your child has trouble using safety scissors to cut out things in the activity pad, give him a piece a blank paper to practice on.Help your child with the more difficulr cutting and pasting activities, so he can learn as he watches and listens to your instructions. This activity pad gives your child practice with skills she needs before learning to read. Model reading by pointing to words as you read them out loud. Move your finger from left to right with a smooth gesture. ‘Ask your child to “read” words and short phrases back to you. Encourage her to underline the words with her finger as she pretends to read them. Tips Here are a few more tips to help you get the most out of the Hooked on Phonics FUNdamentals Activity Pad: Reward your child constantly with words of encouragement, hugs, and smiles. Read words, phrases, and sentences out loud to stimulate your child’s imagination. Point out letters, words, and numbers on the page, so your child will begin to associate words he hears with words he sees. Point to words as you read them, and encourage your child to repeat them after you. Ask simple questions about the activities, such as, “What's your favorite color?” and “Do you like trains?” Be sure to give your child time to answer. As your child begins to recognize some of the letters, ask her to find a particular letter on a page. Encourage your child ro “read” with you from memory. Age up your vocabulary. “That is magnificent!” “That tiger looks ferocious!” At this stage, children love to mimic what they hear around them, including more advanced vocabulary. Safety tips Select materials that are child safe. Look for labels that include words such as child friendly, nontoxic, and washable. Use safety scissors, and be sure your child understands that they are only for cutting paper. Explain to your child that crayons are for coloring paper, not tables or walls, and that glue and paste are to be put on paper, not inside his mouth or on his clothing,