Preschool Activities: The Letter S and the Sea

It is back to school time for daddy, so that means home preschool time for the girls and mom!

We keep it simple and relaxed at our house, but I like to feel that I am purposefully doing things with my girls that will help prepare them for more traditional schooling.

This week we are focusing on the Letter "S"  and the "Sea".

I have two great books to recommend:

 

Harry by the Sea

 by Gene Zion

This is a really sweet book about how a hot dog wanders away from his family while trying to find some shade and gets lost on the beach. The topics in the book are ones a small child can relate to, such as being lost or left out and feeling hot. Also, things they will see if they visit the seashore make prominence in the scenery and text: beach umbrellas, sand and sand castles, seaweed, crowds, shells and birds, and food stands. 

It is literally FULL of "S" words:

Spots

Seashore

Sun

Shade

Sand Castle  

Sudden/ly

Seaweed

Sea Monster

Shrieked

Screamed

Sea Serpent

Sandworm

Stripes

Smoke

Sea Slug

Sun Hat

Sunglasses

Suntan oil

Shouting

Stand

Maisy Goes on Vacation

by Lucy Cousins

The Maisy series continues to find it's way into our home. This particular book is an excellent resource for teaching young children about travel and vacations. Maisy packs, rides a train, checks into her hotel, plays at the beach, has a snack, writes postcards, and then gets ready for bed in her hotel room. Again the sights and sounds of the sea are ones that young children can witness and relate to: traveling, playing in the sand and water, and going to bed in an unfamiliar place. I like that several different names for the sea are used: Seaside, Seashore, Ocean, Beach.

"S" Words:

Suitcase

Seaside

Sun Hat

Station (Train)

Snacks

Shells

Shore

Sand Castles

Splash! Splish!

Other activites to try:

• Color a picture of a seaside scene: We pulled a great one out of our Melissa & Doug Jumbo Coloring Pad that depicts a sand castle and star fish by the sea.
• Play in a sand box (visit a park if you don't have one at home!)
• Have a splash day in the yard.
• Examine shells.
• Visit the zoo or aquarium. 
• Trace the letter "S", or better yet draw it with sidewalk chalk along with some starfish and other sea creatures!