Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD
Explore opportunities for curiosity, creativity and communication while creating masterpieces from recycled cardboard, making flying machines, and building robots.
LISTENING
TALKING
EXPLORE: Sequencing Steps: "First, Next, Then, Last"
ENRICH: Language Organization and Narrative Ability
ENGAGE: Tell the order of activities s/he did in order of attendence.
PARENT PROMPT:
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While making a creation, or after finishing a project, ask your child, "What is/was the first step we take/took?" or "What activities did we do today, starting with the first one?"
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Go over the project using time-related (temporal) terms: First, Next, Then, Last. You can start them off with a carrier phrase, i.e. "FIRST we ripped up the carboard pieces, NEXT we attached the makedos...THEN....
EXPLORE: /r/ Sound
ENRICH: Articulation of Individual Sounds for Clear Communication
ENGAGE: Practice R words with /r/ at the end and beginning of word.
PARENT PROMPT:
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For final /r/ words, encourage your child to pronounce "MakeR FaiRe" with his/her best speech sound.
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Have your child find 10 items that begin with /r/ at the Faire, i.e. "Robot."
BONUS Parent Tip: Explore ways to help your child elicit the /r/ sound by using some methods here.
h Sounds
EXPLORE: Understanding "WH" Questions
ENRICH: Comprehension of Various Grammatical Forms
ENGAGE: Listen to specific questions starting with “WHERE,” "WHAT," and "WHICH" question words. Answer with a one word answer or by pointing or gesturing.
PARENT PROMPT:
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Ask your children relevant “WH” questions based on location of a station in the hall/plaza, or about a project being worked on, e.g. "Which object is the heaviest/lightest in the wind tub?" or "What color wire did you use to make the robot come alive?"
WORD PLAY
SOCIAL LANGUAGE SKILLS
EXPLORE: Greetings
ENRICH: Interaction Skills when First Meeting a New Person
ENGAGE: Practice greeting the volunteer/worker running a booth.
PARENT PROMPT:
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Review with your child that a greeting makes the other person feel good, and more inclined to interact with/help you.
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Have your child think of 3 different ways to greet a new person at the faire e.g. "Hi," "How's it going?" and "Hello," and use different ones at each booth.
BONUS Parent Tip: Explore more about ways to help your child with greetings here.