Well back again in the swing of things after holiday school breaks and a brand new year beginning! Today I wanted to write to you all about how to help your little ones to sequence events and stories. This goes along with the last blog post I wrote awhile ago (go back and find the one about story retell from October of 2019), which helps kiddos to be able to easily recognize the components they need to understand sequencing of events. Below are a few tips!
- Try to clump stories/directions/events into three parts
- One easy way to do this is to use the terms “First, next, last”. This can be done during a variety of activities during your daily tasks!
- Examples:
- Daily routines
- Bath time
- First we fill the tub, then we wash our bodies, last we dry off!
- Eating
- First we set the table, then we cut our food, last we eat it!
- Waking Up
- First we open our eyes, then we get out of bed, and last we get dressed!
- Getting ready for bed
- First we put on our pajamas, then we brush our teeth, and last we read our story!
- After school routines
- First we put our coats away, then we unload our backpacks, last we eat our snack!
- Before school routines
- First we eat our breakfast, then we pack our backpacks, then we wait for the bus!
- Playing with siblings
- First we’ll play dolls, then we’ll build legos, and last we’ll play Candy Land!
- Shopping
- First we will go to Starbucks, then we’ll go to Target, and then we’ll go home!
- During games
- Try this out with the little steps kids need to complete to take their turns, or to win the game!
- First we spin the spinner, then we pick our piece, last we move our piece
- First we get our pieces out of start, then we move them around the board, and last we bring them home to win!
- Events throughout the day
- Try this as a bigger picture activity for a road map of the day.
- “First we wake up, then we go to school, and last we eat dinner”
- Events throughout the year
- Give kids a sense of time or order of events throughout the calendar year!
- “First we have Easter, then we go on vacation, and last it’s your birthday!”
- Steps in instructions
- Try this trick when you are giving some instructions!
- “First put on your socks, then put on your shoes, and last we’ll go outside!”
Helping kids to put things into groups of three will really aid in their understanding of stories, directions, events, and ultimately give them a better sense of time concepts within tasks, days, months, and even throughout the year. Visuals or pictures are also VERY helpful. Tell us how this has been working for your child! Tag us in your social media posts with these events as well! Until next time!
-Kasey-
