Kiptown Restaurant • Standards • Books • Websites • Off-Screen Activities

The Kiptown Restaurant focuses on literacy skills. Through play, children learn to create meaning from language and communicate with others using verbal and non-verbal language, pictures, symbols and print. At the Kiptown Restaurant, children practice letter recognition, print awareness, story comprehension, and oral language skills.

 

Standards

Restaurant Main Screen

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 4: Approaches to Learning Concept 1: Curiosity The child is inquisitive about new experiences. b. Shows interest in learning new things and trying new experiences. Back to top

Restaurant Activity 1

The child practices letter knowledge skills.

Standard: Language and Literacy Strand 2: Pre-Reading Concept 4: Letter Knowledge d. Recognizes and names at least ten (10) letters of the alphabet. Back to top

Restaurant Activity 2

The child practices listening and understanding skills.

Standard: Language and Literacy Strand 1: Oral Language Development Concept 1: Listening and Understanding The child listens with understanding to directions, stories, and conversations. b. Comprehends finger-plays, rhymes, chants, poems, conversations, and stories Back to top

Restaurant Activity 3

The child practices speaking and communicating skills.

Standard: Language and Literacy Strand 1: Oral Language Development Concept 1: Speaking & Communicating The child uses verbal and nonverbal communication to share ideas for a variety of purposes (e.g. ask questions, express needs, and obtain information). b. Recites finger plays, rhymes, songs, or short poems. Back to top

Restaurant Activity 4

The child practices print awareness skills.

Standard: Language and Literacy Strand 2: Pre-Reading Process Concept 1: Print Awareness The child knows that print carries messages. g. Seeks information in printed materials. Back to top

Books

Ada, Alma Flor. Gathering the Sun An Alphabet In Spanish And English. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.

Barbour, Karen. Little Nino's Pizzeria. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,1990.

Gazet, Denys. Born in the Gravy. New York: Orchard Books, 1993.

Martin, Bill Martin Jr. and John Archamabault. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. New York: Aladdin Library, 2000.

Sierra, Judy. Wild About Books. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

Sturges, Philemon. She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2004.

Yolen, Jane. This Little Piggy: Lap Songs, Finger Plays, Clapping Games and Pantomine Rhymes. Boston: Candlewick Press, 2006.

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Websites

• PBS Parents “Creating a Literate Home”
  
  
• PBS Ready to Learn Initiative “Raising Readers”
  
  
• Reading Rockets
  
  
• PBS Parents “Going to School”
  
  
• Reading is Fundamental “Read Along Stories & Songs”
  

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Off-Screen Activities

May I take your order please?

Children become aware that print contains messages in a variety of ways. They may notice signs in a grocery store, words on a street sign, or recognize logos. You can foster this growing awareness by pointing out examples in your everyday life. One way to do this is to create a menu with your child by using ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry. You can ask your child to choose five items that they would like to select for the menu from your kitchen, and place them on a table. Then, record their choices on a piece of paper. The final step is to act out a scenario where both you and your child take turns acting as a waiter and customer. This gives your child an opportunity to see that print contains meaningful information.

Tell a story/draw a story!

Listening is a blend of building relationships and processing information. Whenever you engage in fun, nurturing and stimulating experiences with your child, talk about what happens to foster the development of oral language skills. One way to do this is to tell your child a story, and then, together, create a sketch. The story might be a folk tale you remember from childhood, a birthday party you recently attended, or a funny thing that happened at the grocery store. Communicate the joy of sharing a story to your child. As you begin to sketch, continue to prompt your child by asking additional questions. For example, you might use open-ended questions such as “What happened in the story?” and more guided questions such as “What color was your balloon from your friend’s birthday party?” You can also encourage your child to draw pictures after sharing a story you read together.

Label it!

Children begin to recognize letters of the alphabet through repeated interactions with print. A fun way to provide these interactions is to create labels and signs for everyday household items and places in your home. For example, you may choose one room in your house, provide strips of paper and tape, and ask your child to select ten items to label. You can write the words on the label, or have your child write any letters he or she is familiar with. Emphasize the beginning letter in each word by using a distinct color or a larger size. It is helpful to have your child draw a small picture on the label or sign. You can continue to add new words each week. You might also ask your child to create labels for his or her toys or stuffed animals. Another option would be to make signs to hang on the doors of rooms in your home. This would also give your child an opportunity to practice writing his or her own name. Talk about the names of the letters as you create the labels and signs, and ask your child about the letters at different times in your daily activities. When you have visitors, ask your child to give a tour and share all the signs and labels.

Extravagant words!

Children develop language skills as they hear common words and uncommon words. A fun way to develop this skill is to play a word game with your child. Begin by saying something simple, and then use increasingly uncommon words. For example, you might say, “You look tired. No, wait, you look droopy. No, you look exhausted.” Other words you might use include variations on hungry (starving, ravenous), happy (delighted, exuberant, thrilled) or hot (blazing, scorching, blistering). Say each new word with exaggerated emphasis. Encourage your child to use the uncommon words you introduce in different situations.

Record rhymes

The sounds and rhythms of language are an important part of early literacy development. The sounds of familiar stories, games, chants, poems and songs can help children learn about language in fun ways. One way you can help this learning is to create an audio-taped recording. You may want to record your child telling a story. You can also have an adult record a story. Recording a song together, acting out a finger play, or recording a chant can also be fun. You can also make a recording of the Kiptown song. Listen to this tape when your child is falling asleep, taking a nap, or riding in car.

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