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The right development of children is important, and therefore it should be initiated in the right way. And, it is believed that Preschool is an important part of a child’s development. As these are initial phases or a sort of introduction to a learning environment, the right syllabus with the right strategy must be taught to your child.
That’s where checking the syllabus, and curriculum before getting your kid enrolled in preschool becomes important. And, it is often advised to check for sight words in the curriculum!
What are Sight Words?
Sight words are words that repeat frequently in the text but do not have a proper meaning, or context. These words can have a variety of meanings depending on their usage, and placement in writing sentences. Examples of sight words for Preschoolers are who, the, he, does, their, be, etc.
And just because these basic sight words do not have a specific or “universal” meaning, it is important to learn these words right from the start. Wonder why?
Why is it Important for Preschoolers to Learn Sight Words?
Think of a situation when you don’t know the reappearing words in the text, it would indeed be difficult for you to read with the correct flow, context, and tone. And, if once in the starting you miss the concepts on reading, your coming years will be difficult at school.
Therefore, just because preschoolers are in the initial phase of learning, it is recommended to imbibe this art of reading, and understanding sentences during this time.
Further, sight words for Preschoolers also boost their confidence, and help them recognize, and relate language phonetics. It assists them to build a strong academic foundation that stays with them for the rest of their lives.
And, it is also said that learning the types of sight words also ignites the spirit of learning new things in preschoolers.
These factors make it important to get your toddler to learn basic to advanced, and common to rare sight words for kids during preschool time.
Common Sight Words for Preschoolers
There is a range of common sight words for preschoolers. These generally are grouped in a list of 50, or 100 words. Here are some of the common sight words-
● Two Letter Sight Words
It, If, my, so, do, or, as, at, an, go, no, etc.
● Three Letter Sight Words
The, may, big, get, had, has, day, did, not, all, and, are, can, come, for, one, out, oil, her, see, she, etc.
● Four Letter sight words
first, more, some, said, have, away, into, like, down, from, about, etc.
But, the challenge arises, how to teach these preschool sight words to preschoolers, keeping in hand that they are new to the learning environment! Let’s discuss!
How to Teach Sight Words to Preschoolers – Tips for Parents
Though this might sound tough, there needs to be a different strategy to teach anything to preschoolers. And sight words for kindergarten to be precise have to be taught in a fun way. Here are some of the ways in which parents can ensure their toddler learns sight words with the right strategy-
1. Alphabet Magnets, or Toys!
This is one of the most basic, and initial steps in teaching your child kids reading words. Using alphabet magnets, and toys with alphabet parts can not only engage your child but can also let them learn while they play. This also keeps their interest alive in learning, and balances motivation that too without burdening them a lot in terms of imbibing new concepts, and lessons.
2. Shaving Cream, or Clay Play!
Believe it or not, preschoolers love playing with “Filthy” household things. And that’s where you shall use clay, and shaving creams like things to teach them. These things spread over a platform easily, and also let children make shapes, and write the alphabet over them. You just need to leverage this!
To keep your toddler’s interest alive, spread shaving cream, or clay over a surface, and write sight words. After that, let your toddler play, identify, and also recite these words. This would keep your child engaged, and involved in the learning process.
3. Recite Poems, Songs, and Short Stories
How much a toddler loves listening to songs, poems, and stories is unmeasurable. And, that’s where as a parent you should hide lessons.
Recite poems, bedtime stories, and songs to your child with sight words for preschoolers. And also along with reciting, also make them notice new words, identify sight words, and remember to repeat words. For the same, you can also buy books with sight word poems, and stories.
4. Finger Paint, or Salt-box!
As said earlier, preschoolers love hand coloring games, and to keep their interest, and motivation for learning, one has to incorporate learning into games. To teach sight words, one can try finger paint drawings, saltbox activities, and other art & craft plus learning activities.
5. Time & Practice!
One of the foremost, and most essential tips for parents teaching their child sight words is; to keep patience and practice!
Incorporate sight word practice in children’s daily schedule, and make sure they practice it every day or on an alternate day. To keep the fun alive, don’t set a rigid schedule, and let them practice while they play.
6. Make Flashcards
While practicing, it is important that your child recognizes sight words for preschoolers amidst many of them. To ensure this, make flashcards, and let your child practice them every day. But, don’t do this in bulk.
Start with 2, 3, or 4 letter words for kindergarten flashcards every day, and slowly scale up! Doing this in this way would not confuse your child, and would keep the enjoyment, and learning alive!
7. Take From Basic to Advanced Strategy!
It is always advised to start from the basics and take it to advance slowly. And, sight word teaching is no different. It is therefore recommended to parents to start with basic two-word sight words like he, it, we, etc. And then slowly (depending on the learning abilities of their child) move to the advanced concepts like three, or four word sight words for preschoolers.
8. Play Games!
Yes, learning through games is preschoolers’ favorite activity. And, luckily there is a range of games that can help you teach sight words to preschoolers. Further, these games can be easily arranged in the household, with basic items like ice cream sticks, craft sticks, toothpicks, clay, colored papers, etc.
Some of the games are Kaboom, Jenga sight words, roll a word, sight word snowball fight, etc. And, never forget the fun activities you can have with your child to make them learn sight words!
Fun Sight Words Activities for Preschool Kids
Fun activities are healthy for keeping preschoolers’ motivation, and interest in studies. And, teaching sight words can also be a part of fun activities. Here are some of the fun activities to teach sight words to preschoolers-
● Clay work classes
● Sandbox fun time
● Singing Poems, and stories
● Do-A-dot Painting Activity
● Coloring worksheets
And many more. All these activities can help keep your preschooler indulge, entertained, and motivated throughout the learning time.
But, as preschoolers can be difficult to handle, parents often send them to preschool or nurseries. And, that’s where the trouble of selecting the best school in Bangalore starts. Don’t worry, GIIS is your ideal choice.
We have the right faculty for your toddler so that your child learns everything essential from learning sight words to advanced concepts like identifying shapes, colors, and patterns. Get the complete information on preschool admission in GIIS here!