As a member of the Netflix Stream Team, we receive a subscription and surprises in the mail. Of course, my love for Netflix started long before this.
You know I love my Netflix binges, but of course… it’s not just for me to catch up on new shows and find old ones I missed (but you should totally watch Cedar Cove if you haven’t). Netflix introduced a new original animated series for preschoolers, Word Party, on July 8. It’s yet another hit from the magical, interactive world of Jim Henson.
Inspired by the Thirty Million Words initiative, Word Party introduces Netflix’s youngest watchers to a vocabulary extravaganza. Netflix wants to help foster an environment where learning is fun for you and your preschooler.
Our friends at Netflix sent us a few surprises in the mail in honor of Word Party‘s release. The boys really enjoyed the masks of their new friends from TV. They both love playing dress-up anyway, so these were perfect for a little word party of our own!
I really like the Melissa & Doug Wooden Alphabet Magnets they sent over. I came up with a few great ways to use these to sneak in some learning with the kids, while still having fun. And… I’m not forcing it.
Ideas for using Magnetic Letters with Kids:
- Find a letter. Ask your little one to find a letter. I think giving a couple of choices is a good idea because they have a great chance of succeeding this way. For example, “Can you find the letter “B”? vs. “Can you find the letter “A” or “C”?
- Family names. Often the first word a child can read is their own name. Work on adding Mom, Dad, and siblings to the mix, too.
- Word families. A word family is a group of words that has a common feature or pattern. For example, -AT. You can put the consonants nearby that form words: B, C, F, H, M, P, etc. to make lots of words that your child can read just by adding a new letter to the front.
- Matching upper + lowercase. If you have a letter set with both upper and lowercase letters, have your child match them up.
- Crosswords! Your child can start to make crosswords on the fridge using simple words.
Example:
c a t
o
w - Change vowels. Your child will be able to make new words just by changing the vowel in a 3-letter word. Example: c a t –> c o t
- Dinner Menu. Write out the words of what you’re having for dinner: chicken, rice, peas. This is a great way to add new words that will quickly become familiar.
- Alphabet Train. The little ones will love lining all the letters up. Use this opportunity to help put them in order. It’s okay, I have to sing the song, too!
Once you’ve made some new words with your magnetic letters, don’t forget to have a word party while dancing around the kitchen!
Brenda says
I loved magnetic letters! My kids enjoyed playing with them when they were younger. I often came into the kitchen and saw an interesting word spelled out. I like all of your ideas of how to use the letters. It’s definitely a great start to spelling and reading. It’s a good idea to have a dance party and have fun too because everyone needs a break from learning sometimes.