How to Teach Action Words to Kindergarten Children

By Jean Lockwood

Before you can teach action words, you have to teach what “action” means. This shouldn’t be too difficult for most kindergarten age children, but some may have a hard time with this concept. If they have a hard time, they may learn it better by doing some of the words since an action word is something you or another person or object does.

1. Step 1

   Introduce the word “action” to them. You can tell them it means “doing.” You could even set up an action area in your classroom. When the selected students go to that area, they are expected to be doing something. Good things for them to be doing might be coloring, playing, whispering to each other or siting down quiety. You decide which action they should take, and tell them ahead of time.

2. Step 2

   Introduce the action words in groups. At first, have all action words in the group of words. Read them to your students. After they have heard a few sets of action words, tell them you are going to try to trick them. When you begin again, slip a couple of non-action words (nouns or descriptive words) into the list. See if they can pick out the words that are not action words.

3. Step 3

   Have them draw a picture of someone doing an action word. It could be anything they want, as long as it includes action. Then have them present to the class their drawings, one at a time. They can tell what the action is, or have the others guess what it is.

4. Step 4

   Make a bulletin board of action words. The students can actually cut out pictures from magazines of actions that they will put into words to place beside each picture on the bulletin board.

How to Teach Number Writing

Children who are just learning to write numerals are also still in the process of training their fine motor skills. Provide plenty of toys and coordination activities that work finger muscles to help young children learning to write. Get the right paper and show children how each numeral is specifically drawn. Then make up games to enhance your lessons.

1. Step 1

   Find writing paper that has character spacing lines. The pages have a series of writing spaces with two solid lines divided by a broken line.

2. Step 2

   Write examples of the numbers your teaching on the top line of a piece of paper for the child to reference. Then draw each number as dotted outlines for practice. Include several practice outlines of each numeral. Concentrate on three or four consecutive numerals at a time.

How to Teach English to Kids Using Songs

How to Teach English to Kids Using Songs

Summary: Teaching English to kids using songs is a great way to reinforce the language, and different songs can be repeated through similar tasks, such as clean-up time, line-up time and counting time. Teach English through the magic of song with information from an early childhood teacher in this free video on education.

“A wonderful tool that early childhood educators can use when teaching English to children reinforcing skills is the use of songs. The best way to use songs with kiddos is to remember to be repetitive. Practice them often. Present them to the children first. Allow them to sing it along with you, and then do it all the time. For example, you might want to sing the same songs when you are at carpet time in the morning. You might want to sing the same song every time you clean up. You may want to sing the song every time that you line up to use the restroom. Use these songs repeatedly so that children are able to understand and remember thee lyrics

How to Teach Numerals to Kindergarten Children

How to Teach Numerals to Kindergarten Children

Summary: To teach numerals to kindergarten children, first master a base of counting, both forwards and backwards, and then help the children recognize numerals in print. Help kindergartners learn to count with information from an early childhood teacher in this free video on education.

“There are many ways that you can best introduce teaching numerals to young children. The first way is to master a base of counting. So have the children master how to count from one to ten. You may want to display a number line in your classroom that you can use to point to as you count the numbers. Use picture books that use counting. I would practice numbers one through twenty in these picture books. You’ll also want to practice counting backwards from ten down to zero. One way that we often do this is to pretend that we are rocket ship and we start at the very, very bottom with our hands all scrunch up as we do ten, nine, eight, seven, we grow and grow and grow until we get to one and then we blast off and all jump up. After you’ve mastered this, you want to make sure that the children can recognize the numerals in print. When the children are able to recognize them, you may want to move on to writing the numerals. Here are a couple of quick rhymes that you can use when teaching the children how to write numerals one through ten. For one, we always say start at the top and down we run; that’s how we make a one. I have around the track and go right back, two, two, two. Around the tree and around the tree, that’s how we make the three. Down over and down some more, that’s how we make a four. In this one doesn’t rhyme, but the kids will always seem to love it. I always tell the, down, a fat belly and a hat on top; hello Mr. Five. We’ll do, bending down to pick up sticks, that’s how you make a six. Whether or not you choose to do this, it’s up to you, but we always would say, over and down from heaven, that’s how you make a seven. Make an S but do not wait, close the gate, you’ve got an eight. A circle in the line, that’s a nine. And we often tell them that you do one egg laid by a hen, now we have a ten. So that’s just some quick catchy phrases that you can use with your children when practicing how to write numerals. Practice them daily so that your children are able to master all of the numbers.”

eHow Article: How to Teach Numerals to Kindergarten Children

Teaching Kindergarten Kids English

From Preschool to Kindergarten

From Preschool to Kindergarten

When children prepare to leave preschool and enter kindergarten, it can be overwhelming. This article offers tips to help parents reduce the impact of school transition.

Adjusting to new environments, teachers, routines, and peers can be a bit much for children who are making the move from preschool to kindergarten. Fortunately, there are things parents can do to reduce the impact of a child’s transition to “big kid” school.

Get Your Child Excited During the Weeks Leading Up to Kindergarten

• Talk to your children about the positive changes that will occur when they go to kindergarten. Tell them about all of the new experiences and activities that “big kids” get to participate in while they are in school.
• Let her assist when purchasing school clothes and supplies. After bringing the items home, let your child touch them and talk about all of the wonderful things that she will be able to make with her new crayons, glue, scissors, etc.
• If there are older siblings in the household, encourage them to share some of the positive experiences that they had during their kindergarten year.
• Call the school and make arrangements to let your child meet the new teacher, tour the kindergarten classroom, playground, and cafeteria. This allows her to become familiar with the surroundings, where to store her belongings, etc. Some schools have designated dates set aside for parents, teachers and students to meet and interact before the start of the school year.
• If possible, find out if any of your child’s preschool classmates will be attending the same school during their kindergarten year. If so, let your child know that some of her friends will be sharing her new classroom.

Helping Your Child Survive the First Day of Kindergarten

The big day has arrived and you’re probably more nervous than your child. It’s okay – take a deep breath and relax. It’s time to figure out how to ease your child’s first day jitters.

• Let your child decide what she wants to wear to school. Don’t overwhelm her with a million choices, pick out three outfits and let her choose from those.
• Let your excitement show. Reiterate how proud everyone is that she is growing up and starting kindergarten.
• Make sure that your child has a hearty breakfast. She needs to be well nourished for her big day.
• After entering the classroom, help your child put her belongings away and reassure her that you will be back to pick her up when school is over.
• Find the teacher that your child met in earlier weeks, take her over and reacquaint them. After giving your child a great big hug, release her to the teacher.
• Avoid lingering around the classroom. Your child will already have butterflies in her stomach, and you will only fuel her anxiety by hovering.

Teachers welcome classrooms full of nervous little children every school year. Trust that they are trained and prepared to help make your child’s transition to kindergarten as smooth as possible.