The ability to read and write is important for children to interact with their surrounding world. Without it, they risk not being able to communicate their needs and formulate their thoughts. When planning your child’s literacy career, it’s never too early to start!  For parents who are looking for affordable childcare methods to encourage literacy learning, here are five fun games and activities your child can participate in!

Kick The Letter Cup

Kick the letter cup is a fun and easy literacy activity that helps a child correspond to a written and spoken letter. Take plastic cups and write a letter on each cup. Line up the cups, and instruct your child to kick a ball towards the cup. Whichever cup they knock over, have the child say the letter out loud! To make the challenge more difficult, say a letter and have your child kick the ball towards that letter!

Grocery Lists

While this is a chore, a little enthusiasm can turn grocery list-making into a fun activity that encourages literacy! Have children go around the house to create their grocery list by identifying what’s missing. Afterward, take them shopping! Have the child identify each object that goes in the cart and correlate it with the written list! This activity will boost identification, reading, and writing skills, while also teaching them the relationship between the literary and real world.

Storytime

Sit down with your child and help them come up with a story. To keep the story rolling, ask them questions while they tell the story—such as what happens next or who did what. This activity is an easy way for children to boost their creative thinking skills while encouraging them to incorporate new or difficult vocabulary into everyday speech. To challenge your child, have them write while they talk!

Magic Letter

Get a white wax canyon and a notecard, and write a letter on the notecard. Have your child use watercolor to paint the notecard and watch as their face begins to light up when the letter magically appears! To make it educational, have your child say the letter aloud and words that start with the letter, then have them write the letter on their own!

Fingerprint Letters

It’s time to get a little messy! Grab some paint or ink and large bold letters. Have your child dip their fingers in the paint and trace the outline of the letter with their fingerprints! Children will enjoy the opportunity to get a little messy while being encouraged to learn how to identify and write the alphabet. To challenge your child, have them fingerprint the letter afterward without a guide!

Enroll in Childcare

As a parent, it’s not unheard of to be busy and not have time to help your child’s literacy daily. That’s where childcare programs come in. Childcare programs and schools can boost a child’s literacy by giving them an environment where they’re encouraged to learn.

If you’re a parent looking for childcare in San Francisco, a search service is a great way to find quality childcare. Wonderschool is an all-in-one childcare search service that puts education first. Visit Wonderschool to find a San Francisco childcare program that suits your child’s learning style.

Image: Potrero Hill Pre-K SF