Chalk One Up for Literacy

Did you know that children can practice their reading, writing and math skills while enjoying time outside, exercising and having fun? Sidewalk chalk is a timeless, inexpensive activity that is a great way to reinforce math, writing and reading skills. It’s also a creative outlet and fun way to get children moving. Here are some chalk activities you can try:

• Hopscotch is an effective and entertaining way to work on numerical literacy. During the process of creating the game, children are writing and reading numbers. While they are playing hopscotch they are practicing their counting. By playing hopscotch, they are also engaging in physical literacy, which the International Physical Literacy Association defines as “the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.”
• Encourage children to practice writing their own names, write little notes to each other, or write out their favourite quotes as a way of working on their reading and writing skills. 
• Puzzle games such as Tic Tac Toe and Hangman promote reading, writing, critical thinking and strategy.  
• Drawing pictures with chalk is not only a great way for children to be creative, but also gives them an outlet for expressing their feelings and emotions. If your child needs help drawing, playing a game like Connect the Dots is a great way to get their creative juices flowing. 

If you’re looking for even more ideas on how to promote literacy this summer, the library can help. If your child finished grade one this year, they can come get their free Grade One Reading Kit. All children and adults can participate in our Summer Games. We have books, audiobooks and many educational DVDs available for checkout that are perfect for time at home, a road trip or a camping adventure. We also have physical literacy sports kits available for checkout, including kits for soccer, baseball, dodgeball, games and relays, and horseshoes and lawn toss.

Most importantly, enjoy nice weather, spend time together and have fun! If you decide to give chalk a try, tag us @scl_kids on Instagram so we can see what you created.