Understanding basic concepts

Color is how we perceive light that is reflected for absorbed by objects. Colors are what make the world colorful and bright!

Color the smaller circle blue.

Color the bigger circle red.

Use colors in daily conversation - “Put on your yellow sweater today.”  “Please, bring me the blue book.”

• Choose a color for the day - “Let’s see how many red things we can find today.”

• Identify colors at meal time - “Carrots are orange.” “Spinach is green.”

• Name colors as you look at pictures in magazines or books - “The car is brown.”

• Play Touch that Color - “Touch something purple.”

The appearance of an object as defined by its outer surface or outline; form.

Color the triangle orange. Color the box green. Color the star yellow.

• Sandwiches can be cut into triangles, rectangles, squares, and even circles (for example, try using a cookie cutter).

• Have your child look for shapes everywhere (for example, wheels, boxes, tabletops, jar lids, dishes, clocks, etc.).

• Cut shapes out of cardboard for your child to trace and then color.

Size is the physical dimensions of anything.

When talking with your child, talk about things that are: tall, taller, tallest; short, shorter, shortest; small, smaller, smallest. 

• Talk about things that can come in a cup: Can cereal pieces fit? Can a chair fit? Why not? Can a book fit?  Why not?

• Talk about: What things are bigger than an apple? What things are smaller than a cereal box?  Who is taller than you?

Children need to learn basic language concepts before they can experience success in reading and mathematics. When learning to read, a child must learn to read from the left side of the page to the right and from the top of the page to the bottom. Left, right, top, and bottom all represent language concepts.

Parents can help by remembering to talk with their children about what they do every day, such as dressing and eating. Below are examples of these everyday activities that present opportunities to help a child develop language concepts.

How does it feel?

Hard, soft, rough, smooth, bumpy, slick, greasy, dry, wet, warm, cold

How does it sound?

Loud, soft, high, low

How does it taste?

Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, warm, like fruit, like vegetables

How does it smell?

Good to eat, burnt, like flowers, like food, like smoke

How does it look?

Tall, short, thick, thin, skinny, fat, narrow, smaller than, bigger than, long, the same as, different

How do you feel?

Happy, sad, mad, unhappy, frightened, friendly, grumpy, silly
 

Children’s understanding of time begins with the sequence of events and personal time as it relates to their daily life.

• “First I have breakfast, then I get dressed.”

• “Yesterday, we went to Grandma’s house.”

• “It’s eight o’clock - time to go to bed.”

• “Today is Wednesday, and it’s a school day.”

• “Tomorrow is Saturday.  There is no school on Saturday.”

Being able to dress themselves is good for your child’s confidence, independence and self-expression. And once your child can dress themselves, helping them get dressed is one less thing for you to do.

“Let’s get dressed for school. Your shirt is in the top drawer of your dresser. Put your shirt on. It goes over your head. You have to put your arms through the sleeves. This is the front of your shirt. This is the back. Put your right leg through your right pant leg. Where does your left leg go? Put your socks on before you put your shoes on. Do your socks look the same? Put your right shoe on your right foot. Which shoe goes on your left foot? Put your hat on top of your head. Put your jacket on. It’s cold outside. Put your scarf around your neck.”

“First, we put the cereal in the bowl. Then we pour the milk on the cereal.  Would you like a whole glass of juice or half a glass? Spread the butter all over the toast.  You make a sandwich by putting meat between the slices of bread.  Peel your banana before you eat it. Spaghetti is long and skinny.  You can twist it around your fork. Would you like a second helping of jello?”