Family Literacy Play Date

Play Literacy supports the idea that children learn best through play. Young

children can learn the fun, as well as the importance, of reading and writing

in everyday life through imaginative play.This new program is based on the work of early childhood educator Gretchen Owocki, author of

Literacy Through Play (Heinemann, 1999).

At each Family Literacy Play Date, there will be manipulatives and literacy materials related to a theme, such as Restaurant, Doctor's Office, or Ice Cream Stand. We will read a story related to the theme and then model the activities that go along with the theme.

Pretend reading and writing are incorporated into the program through group-based and individual literacy activities. For example, parents might write a grocery list or a letter and read a menu or a fishing map, and then help the children to do the same. Children and adults then have the opportunity to play with the toys ("go shopping," "take pizza orders," "play post office.")

We stress purposeful play which incorporates literacy.

Our first event was Bank Night which was generously sponsored by Franklin's Bank Mutual.

We read about what bank tellers do and a short story by Mercer Mayer, Just a Piggy Bank. We looked at different coins with this fun little rhyme...

Penny, penny,
Easily spent.
Copper brown
and worth one cent.

Nickel, nickel,
Thick and fat.
You're worth five cents,
I know that.

Dime, dime,
Little and thin.
I remember,
you're worth ten.

Quarter, quarter,
big and bold.
You're worth twenty-five
I am told.

Then we played! Fun and learning go together!