Our children work harder than most and could use a really good break more than most. We’d like to hear of ways to continue literacy and numeracy skills without the children even knowing it is happening! We have some ideas ourselves …can you add to them?

With Davis methods in mind: every word has three parts to it… the meaning, the spelling and the pronunciation.

• If you see them drawing a dog, for example, you could ask them how can you tell a dog is a dog (searching for the meaning), can you make up a name for it – their own spelling (asking for the spelling) and say ‘tell me now to say that’ (drawing out the pronunciation).

• Bearing in mind they are predominantly picture thinkers, if you are making a shopping list, ask them to draw what they would like from the shops…again ask if they want to write the name of the item… you can give them the spelling.

• Very creative children might be encouraged to scrapbook the holiday, the camping trip, the summer camp week, photos, brochures etc and suggest they label them. For the older children you could suggest they create a blog/podcast.

• Helping a parent to make something... a treehouse, bench, sewing clothes, create a vegetable garden… be part of a family project.

• If you have a Family Message Board, you could play a game to draw a message, see who is the first to decipher it. The older children could create a coded message.

• Creative children love creating… cooking and baking are great opportunities to not only read a recipe but also use numeracy skills. If you read the recipe encourage them to use Picture@Punctuation which will also follow a sequence. They could create their own recipe book... draw the ingredients and draw the finished item.

• Finding a word in a real dictionary helps to use the concept of sequence. If your child asks a question you can say “I don’t know, let’s look it up.”

• If they like the dictionary, you could suggest they create their own…picture and definition, or take a photo of a clay model and the word.

For Math skills, you could ask them to write down the cost of the items you buy... saying you want to check them off against the receipt…ask them if they would be OK adding them up for you… does it match? They would learn about the taxes.

• Measurements, for example, which is bigger the 1/2 teaspoon or a whole teaspoon or how many teaspoons make a tablespoon can be easily introduced. Basic arithmetic concepts arise, such as basic counting skills, add, equal, subtract and fractions. Even better if the baked goods make someone happy!

Time is a concept without an image for the actual meaning… they could create a sundial, make a water clock…which would lead into our measurements being relative to the earth’s rotation on its axis and around the sun.

Reading will not be on their ‘to do’ list but if you eat out, you could pretend you forgot your glasses and ask them what it says.

• Search for books that really interest them or are funny…Robert Munsch is great for Grade 3 and under. Percy Jackson is dyslexic…reading to them is so valuable and gives them a break. You could ask them to act out what you think a character looks like or sounds like.

Family Games nights …our Christmas Games podcast lists many games to reinforce literacy and numeracy while having a great deal of much needed FUN!!!

Sharon Roberts, Davis Facilitator, Ontario https://dyslexia.ca/