The Tiny Toes

Importance of Reading and ways to cultivate it

2019-03-17T10:04:00.004+05:30

Importance of Reading and ways to cultivate it

Reading skills benefit students not only academically, they are also a skill required for lifelong success. Reading develops vocabulary, increases attention span, and promotes stronger analytical thinking.To help your child understand the importance of reading, start reading stories, bedtime stories from an early age (by 1 year). Start a routine with some short stories, fairy tales or fables .

Ways to encourage reading:

Use interactive books

Expose her to books from a variety of genres.

Take her to the local library.

Set a daily reading time.

Let your chid select her favourite books and authors.

Demonstrate your love of reading to your kids.

Read their favourite stories again and again.

Ask questions to encourage speaking skills.

Think out of the box

2019-02-24T11:36:00.000+05:30

Think out of the box!!

" We teach children

To color inside the lines

And then,expect

Adults to think out of the box."

A child doesn't stay within the lines when coloring an image in outline. The implied meaning is that they aren't following the rules.

Staying within the lines means a child is following the order, but it does not allow thinking beyond the boundaries. It has it's value, absolutely, but it shouldn't be the only message a child gets.
It is good in teaching discipline but does little for encouraging imaginative thinking.
Children are amazing thinkers before we silence them.
Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Imagination is the door to possibilities. It is where creativity, ingenuity, and thinking outside the box begin for child development.
Ask open-ended and thought-provoking questions
that will provoke imaginative and creative thinking and invite the child to express his ideas and share his visions.

2019-02-10T12:00:00.001+05:30

Shyness-A misunderstood emotion

Some children are slow to warm up or uncomfortable in social situations. We often say they’re naturally shy.
Shyness is a common, but a misunderstood emotion. All children are not extroverts, every child is not popular. Not all parents can accept this fact with a smile. They fail to see this as a personality trait, and treat it as a drawback. Many a times, even school teachers call on the shy child, encourage, and at times, indirectly force the child to talk or interact with other classmates.

Shyness is not a problem or disorder which needs attention. Most shy people outgrow their shyness with time.

A few tips to help the child overcome shyness:

- Give your child time to feel comfortable..
- Stay with your child in social situations, like playgroup or parents group, while encouraging her to explore. As your child gets more comfortable you can gradually move away for short periods. Build up their confidence slowly and gradually.
- Be patient and listen to them.
- Build a relationship of trust with your shy child.
Know, accept and love your child.
- If other people say your child is ‘shy’, gently correct them in front of your child. For example, ‘She’s not shy – she just takes a little while to get comfortable and then she’ll join in’.
- Avoid negative comparisons with more confident siblings or friends. Instead help to build your child’s self-esteem by focusing on even small steps towards being less shy.
- Dont discuss the child and her problems in front of the child or the other children or adults in the family.

How to develop Active Listening Skills!

2018-01-11T12:27:00.003+05:30

A child’s ability to actively listen has a major impact on building the communication skills needed both inside and outside of the classroom.
Active listening is an important “soft skill”, like problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork. It’s a skill that can be acquired and developed — but it takes time and patience to master!

Try these activities to help develop and sharpen your child’s listening skills.

1. Read stories to your child - Ask him or her to predict what will happen next. The prediction requires your child to listen to the details to make a logical guess.

2. Cook with your child - Read the recipe to him or her, having your child listen to and follow each step to complete the recipe correctly.

3. Get creative with “follow the directions"- Give short, simple instructions and have your child draw according to the directions they hear.

4. Enjoy telling jokes & encourage re-telling of them.

5. Take time to answer your child's question- model being a good listener!!

2017-11-16T11:44:00.000+05:30

Child Development:

Children are most relaxed while drawing, or playing, and that is when they end up sitting or lying in various comfortable positions.
But, if you notice your child sitting with their knees bent, feet tucked under, and their legs splayed out to the side in a ‘W’ like position; then that’s DANGER written all over it!Children consider ‘W-sitting’ as a standard position, and because nobody stopped them doing this, it becomes their habit and then they end up feeling secure and supported with this arrangement.
But, letting a child sit in this position for too long can adversely affect their growth and development.
Not only it leads to them suffering through orthopedic issues, but also sees delayed development of Refined Motor Skills.

Happy Diwali.

2012-11-13T08:52:00.001+05:30

A very Happy Diwali to my Tiny Toes Family. May God bless us with a beautiful life filled with love and laughter with our families and friends...May the light in me see the light in you.

A happy Mom.

2012-09-10T11:51:00.003+05:30

It feels like yesterday when Aryan started going to a neighborhood preschool. And these 2 years have been just beautiful. But the task of getting him enrolled to a regular school, far from home, where he would be spending a major part of his day, was a daunting one. I had a few requirements. The school shouldn't be too far away from home. I hate the prospect of children traveling many kilometers just to reach the school. Secondly, I did not want a huge set up for my child, where among 100's of classmates, his identity will most likely be lost. Children flourish in comparatively small setups where the teacher student ratio is healthy and where the teacher gets a chance to know and understand her students. After months and months of stressful days and sleepless nights, one cold december evening on my way back home, I came across a huge hoarding that announced the opening of Geetanjali olympiad school on Sarjapur road. It felt like Santa was generous this Christmas.

Very soon, we decided to have a look at the school. After spending some time studying the curriculum, the fee structure and the teacher student ratio, we finally enrolled Aryan with Geetanjali Olympiad School.

Today, it has been almost 2 months since he started going to Geetanjali. And I am a happy parent. I got a chance to spend a day at the school and make a few observations. Let me share them with you.

The Team:

The Geetanjali Educational Institution is founded by Shri P. Srinivisa Rao, who aims to accommodate the school with world class education along with latest technological amenities. The Bangalore school division is headed by Mr. Gurajala Jagan Rao and Mrs. Sireesha.

Mrs. Bela Murthy, the school principal, is an intelligent and a charming lady. She brings with her the knowledge and the work experience from other reputed schools like NPS, Dhirubhai Ambani School and India International. She quit her corporate career and is dedicated to the field of education.

Ms Shilpa K is the vice-principal of the school, but it would be apt to call her the face of the school. Extremely friendly, she is very much approachable by parents, and deals with the functioning of the school meticulously. I very much appreciate her open mindedness when dealing with children and their problems.

The teachers are well trained as per the x-seed curriculum. I found them to be very kind and loving towards students. Every class room has a subject teacher and an assistant teacher. Emphasis is laid on giving personal attention to every student.

Curriculum and Education:

The school follows CBSE syllabus. The curriculum focuses on the holistic development of the child. Olympiads exams are mandatory for all students, beginning from class 1 and a lot of emphasis is laid on every student’s participation. The lessons are project based. Children are not burdened by too much home work and are encouraged to learn using a hands on approach. All classrooms are equipped with smart boards. The teacher student ratio is very good and teachers are very involved with the students. Every student gets personal attention and the teacher parent communication levels are very high. The school policies are very transparent and clear.

Campus:

The school building is spread over 2 acres. The campus is child friendly. The classrooms are spacious and airy. As the school is new, some of the facilities are under construction. The computer lab, auditorium and the library hall is ready, while the swimming pool, basketball area, and the play area for children will be ready soon.

Overall:

All class rooms are equipped with CCTV and Smartboards.
Housekeeping, Sports and Dance based activities are done in coordination with professional agencies.
The fee structure is affordable when compared to other high end schools in Bangalore.
The transport facilities are up to the mark too.

Conclusion:

Geetanjali Olympiad school in Bangalore is in its infancy. Most of the facilities are ready and the remaining ones are due to be completed shortly. Given a couple of months to settle down, I think the school campus will be complete soon. The school is very well located. Surrounded by IT offices and premium residential buildings, it is bound to be popular among young parents in the Sarjarpur Outer Ring road area very soon. The school team is dedicated and hardworking and the future looks to be very promising.

All these reasons, and many many more, make me a happy parent for having chosen this school for Aryan.

2011-12-30T16:42:00.002+05:30

On vacation...a long long vacation :)

The 'Fl' Blend

2011-08-20T22:33:00.001+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'Fl' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child about the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the Fl blend:

Flash, Flashlight, Flawless, Flew, Flight, Flips, Flops, Floor, Flung, Fly.

Reading for the 'Fl' blend:

I saw a fly at night.

I took my flashlight,
To catch a fly at night,
I saw it fly up high,
I saw it sit on the floor,
I flashed my flashlight,
To see if it flew anymore!
Then, I saw it take flight,
And do flawless flips and flops,
Until I flung my flashlight,
To find it lying flat on the floor.

Take care.

Click here to view the phonics program from the beginning.

The 'Cl' Blend.

2011-08-13T23:23:00.000+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'Cl' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child about the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the 'Cl' blend:-

Clad, Claim, Classy.

Clear.

Cling, Climb, Climate, Cliff.

Cloud, Clown, Closet, Clothes, Cloak, Clock.

Clue.

Reading for the 'Cl' blend.

Clingy, the Cloud.

Clingy, the little cloud, loved to climb up high.
Clingy, the cloud loved to clown in the sky.

Clingy, the cloud had clothes in his closet,
His clothes gave us clues on our doorstep.

When clad in a grey cloak, he made rains,
But when clad in white, he made a classy sight.

Clingy, the cloud claimed to clear our days,
Clingy, the cloud, changed the climate his ways.

Clingy, the cloud, followed no clocks,
Clingy, the cloud, stood tall over cliffs and rocks.

Clingy, the little cloud, loved to up climb high.
Clingy, the cloud loved to clown in the sky.

Take care.

The 'Bl' blend.

2011-08-06T14:55:00.001+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'Bl' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child about the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the 'Bl' blend:-

Black, Blanket, Blast, Blame.

Bleat, Blew.

Block.

Blizzard, Blink.

Blue, Blush, Bluff.

Reading for the 'Bl' blend :-

Baabaa black sheep wanted to bleat all night,
Baabaa black sheep blew his blue nose tight.

Baabaa black sheep wore a blue blanket,
Baabaa black sheep wanted to block the blizzard with might.

When Baabaa black sheep heard a big blast,
Baabaa black sheep did not blink a while.

When Baabaa black sheep saw a blocked road,
Baabaa black sheep blamed the black smoke.

Baabaa black sheep loved to bluff,
Baabaa black sheep liked to blush.

Baabaa black sheep wanted to bleat all night,
Baabaa black sheep blew his blue nose tight.

Take care.

Click here to view the phonics program from the beginning.

The 'Sw' Blend.

2011-07-30T12:44:00.000+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'Sw' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the 'Sw' blend:

Swallow, Swamp, Swarm, Sway
Sweet, Sweat, Swept
Swim, Swine, Swift.

Reading for the 'Sw' blend:

Sweety, the sweet Swallow.

Sweetie was a sweet little Swallow
Who loved to swing all day.

She loved to see the fish swim,
She liked sound of the swine.

She loved the swamps,
She liked the insect swarms.

She loved to see the branch sway,
She liked the feel of the swift wind.

She loved to sweat in the sun,
She liked the sweet light of the moon.

Sweetie was a sweet little swallow,
Who let her heart swept away.

Click here to view the phonics program from the beginning.

Take Care.

The 'St' Blend.

2011-07-23T15:39:00.000+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'St' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the 'St' blend:

Statue, Stadium, Stage, Stars, Stairs, Stared,

Steady

Still, Stiff, Stinky.

Stone, Stockings, Stopped, Stomach, Stood

Style.

Reading for the 'St' blend:

Stony, the stone statue.

Stony was a stone statue,
Who stood steady all day.

Sometimes, he stood in the stadium,
Sometimes, he stood on stage.

Somedays, Stony stared at the stars,
Somedays, Stony stopped by the stairs.

Standing still and stiff all day,
Would give poor Stony a stomach ache!

Although Stony loved stinky stockings,
He loved to live in Style.

Stony was a stone statue,
Who wanted to be a part Stonehenge someday!

Take care.

Click here, to follow the phonics program from the beginning.

The 'Sp' blend.

2011-07-08T23:07:00.001+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'sp' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

The 'Sp' family of words:

space span spare spark spank spat.

speak spear, speed speck speech spell spend spent.

spike spill spin spine spire spirit.

spoil spoke sponge spoon sport spout.

spur spy.

The 'Sp' blend:

Spacy, the space spoon.

Spacy, a spoon in space,
Took part in a special race,
Got ready on a sparkling day
And was sporty all the way.

But in a spoilt temper,
He had a spat with the spear,
He spanked the sponge,
And threw sparks all along.
He spied the spout,
And spilled water from his mouth.

But Spacy, the spoon in space,
Was not a spoil sport.
In the end, he spoke in a manner,
That pleased the spanner,
He fixed the spear,
He sparkled the sponge.

This is how Spacy, the spoon, ended his day.

Take care.

To follow the phonics program from the beginning, click here.

The 'Sn' blend

2011-07-02T13:21:00.000+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'sn' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

The 'Sn' family of words:

Snack, Snap, Snake, Snail, Snare, Snag, Snarl, Snatch

Sneak, Sneeze

Sniff, Snip

Snob, Snoop, Snore, Snout, Snow

Snug, Snuggle

Story for the 'Sn' blend

Snobby, the Snobbish Snail.

The Snobbish snail had a snack,
The Snobbish snail had load on it's back.

The Snobbish Snail stopped to sneeze,
And the Snobbish Snail took a sniff.

The Snobbish Snail snuggled in it's shell,
The Snobbish Snail snored in a well.

The Snobbish Snail had no snout,
The Snobbish Snail could sneak about!

The Snobbish Snail saw the silly snake,
The Snobbish Snail sobbed all fake.

What a Snobbish Snail was silly Snobby!

Take care.

The 'Sm' blend.

2011-06-24T20:00:00.001+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'sm' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

The 'Sm' family of words:

Smack, Small, Smart, Smash.

Smear, Smell.

Smile.

Smoke, Smooth.

Smuggle, Smudge.

Story for the 'Sm' blend:

Sam, the small boy.

Sam was a small boy, who smudged toys.
Sam was very smart and loved to smear art.
Sam loved the smell of smoke, and smiled when the alarm broke.
Sam wore smelly socks, and smashed big rocks.
But when Sam got a smack on his face, he smashed a big vase!

What a small smiling boy was Sam!

Take care.

The 'Sk' blend

2011-06-20T22:17:00.002+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'sk' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words for the 'sk' blend:

Skin, sky, skate, skim, sketch, skilled, skyscraper, skunk, skid, skull.

A silly story for the 'sk' blend:

Sally, the skinny girl!

Sally, the skinny girl liked to ski,
Sally, the skinny girl liked to skate,
Sally, the skinny girl, drank skim milk,
Sally, the skinny girl, loved to sketch.

Sally, the skinny girl, was very skilled.
She wanted to touch the sky,
She went to a sky scrapper,
And decided to sky dive!

But on her way to the skyscraper,
Sally the skinny girl, saw a skunk,
And she skid!
And broke her skull,
She scratched her skin!

Sally, the skinny girl liked to ski,
Sally, the skinny girl liked to skate,
Sally, the skinny girl, drank skim milk,
Sally, the skinny girl, loved to sketch.

Take care.

The 'Sc' blend

2011-06-11T00:54:00.000+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Write the blend 'sc' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Words with 'sc' blend:

Scaffold, Scale, Scalp, Scan, Scar, Scarecrow, Scarlet, Scarf

Scold, Scoop, Scorn, Scope, Scorpion

Scuff, Scuffle, Sculpture, Scurry

Story for the 'sc' blend:

Scooty, the scarecrow.

Scooty the scarecrow, stood on a scale,
Scooty, the scarecrow, scanned pig tails.

Scooty, the scarecrow, wore a scarlet scarf,
Scooty, the scarecrow, scolded the scorpion hard.

Scooty, the scarecrow, sculpted small sculptures,
Scooty, the scarecrow, scribbled on scooters.

Scooty, the scarecrow, scratched with screwdrivers,
Scooty, the scarecrow, scuffled with pliers.

Scooty, the scarecrow, scared the boy scouts,
Scooty, the scarecrow, loved scary hideouts.

Scooty is the scariest scarecrow ever!

Take care.

The 'Tr' blend

2011-06-03T22:28:00.002+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Trap, trace, track, train, trail, trash, tray

Treat, tread, tree, trek.

Trick, trim, trip.

Troop, trot, trout.

Trump, truck, true, trumpet, trunk, trust, truth, try.

Write the blend 'tr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for the 'tr' blend-

Tracy the truck.

Tracy, the truck loved running on the tracks,
Tracy, the truck, fell on the trash.

Tracy, the truck, took long trips,
Tracy, the truck, loved big tips.

Tracy, the truck, was trust worthy truck,
Tracy, the truck, had a big trunk.

Tracy the truck, loved to play tricks,
Tracy, the truck, banged with trees.

Tracy the truck, said the truth,
Tracy the truck, loved little troops.

Tracy, the truck, is my best toy truck!

Take care.

The 'Pr' Blend

2011-05-20T20:00:00.003+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

The 'Pr' blend.

Practice, praise, prance, pray.

Prepare, present, press, pretty.

Price, pride, prince, print, prize.

Probe, prod, proof, prop, proud, prowl.

Pry.

Write the blend 'pr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for the 'pr' blend.

Penny, pretty princess.

Penny, the princess, had a lot of pride.
Penny the princess, had no petty sides.

Penny the princess, loves to get a prize,
Penny the princess, loves to give a surprise.

Penny the princess, prances all the time,
Penny the princess, pranks a while.

Penny the princess, did not like to probe or pry,
Penny the princess, was prune and wise.

Penny, the princess, is very pretty,
She is a proud precious beauty.

Take care.

Buddha-Purnima

2011-05-17T13:41:00.002+05:30

The founder of Buddhism, Lord Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) was born in 563 BC in Lumbini, Nepal as a son of Shuddhodhana, the king of Kapilavastu and his Queen, Mayadevi. Unfortunately, Mayadevi died only seven days after the birth of Siddhartha and so, He was brought up by his stepmother, Gautami. When Siddhartha was born, the astrologers had predicted that the prince would renunciate the comforts of the materialistic world and instead, opt for a path of his own. When the King Shuddhodhana came to know about the prediction, he became extremely cautious and he did not let Siddhartha even move out of the palace. It was the deepest desire of the king that his son would fulfill his father's dream one day by becoming a King.

Gautama Siddhartha led a very luxurious life as a prince and at the age of sixteen was married to Yashodara, who gave birth to a son named Rahula. One day, he witnessed illness, old age, death while moving on his chariot in his kingdom and decided to leave all the worldly pleasures to live the life of the ascetic.

After leaving his kingdom, Gautam Buddha lived the life of austere for six years and realizing that it was doing him no good, sat under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, where he achieved Enlightenment and came to be known as the 'Buddha' or 'Awakened One'. He is also referred to as the 'Sakyamuni Buddha'. For 45 years, Gautama Buddha travelled across Gangetic Plains and spread his message of spiritual life. He gave emphasis on the purification of mind, heart and ultimately, soul by following the Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths and the Five Perceptions. This path included the right speech, understanding, determination, deeds, efforts, awareness, thinking and living. As per Buddhism, if one follows these paths, one could overcome desires, which were the reason for all sorrows and miseries. Buddhism spread across the world and Gautama Buddha came to be regarded a revered saint.

After spreading his message to the world successfully, Buddha died at the age of 80 years in 483 BCE. at Kushinagar, India. Today, Buddhism has a strong following in various Asian countries and is gradually finding its feet in some of the western countries as well.

Buddha Purnima is observed to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. Buddha Purnima is celebrated in the month of Vaisakha of the Hindu calendar, on the night of the full moon during the month of April or May. To celebrate this auspicious day, people gather in Bodh Gaya. Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is a city in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place of Gautama Buddha's attainment of nirvana (Enlightenment).

Buddha Purnima is counted as one of the chief religious festivals of the Buddhists. The day is celebrated to commemorate three significant incidences of Lord Buddha’s life which took place on this single day. It is on the day of Buddha Purnima that Lord Buddha was born, attained enlightenment and achieved Nirvana during the time of his death. This day is of great importance to the Buddhists all over the country.

People pray and utter summons related to the life of Lord Buddha. Meditation is a major event that is observed on this day. Colourful processions are taken out to mark this auspicious day. The sacred Maha Bodhi tree is wonderfully decorated and decked up with fresh flowers and colourful flags. People light up their homes, streets and temples. Colourful lanterns and electric lights are used for decoration. Birds are freed from their captivity on this day. People distribute food, clothes and other basic amenities to the sick and poor people.

Apart from India, this festival is celebrated in other Buddhist countries like Laos, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tibet, Burma, Bhutan, Thailand, Korea, Mongolia, China, Cambodia, Nepal and Japan.

A festival awaited by the Buddhists all over the globe, Buddha Purnima is celebrated with a lot of pomp and show.

By Miss Shreya Dhruv.
Shreya is a teacher at kindergarten classes of K. J. Bhalodia School at Rajkot, Gujarat.

The 'Gr' Blend

2011-05-13T20:00:00.002+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

The 'Gr' Blend:

Grab, grace, grade, graft, grain, gram, grand, grant, grapes, graph, grasp, grass, grate, grave, gray, graze.

Grease, great, greed, green, greet, grew.

Grid, grill, grim, grime, grin, grind, grip, grit.

Groan, groceries, groom, ground, group, grow.

Grub, grudge, gruff, grump.

Write the blend 'gr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for the 'gr' blend:

Grata, my grumpy grandma.

Grata, my granny, had a lot of grace,
Grata, my granny, had a grin on her face.

Grata, my granny, used to groan a lot.
Grata, the granny, had no greedy thoughts.

Grumpy, the granny, loved to grind grains,
Grumpy, the granny, liked green grapes.

Grata, my granny, loved green grass,
Grata, my granny, gave Grandpa odd tasks.

Grata, my granny, had a great grip,
Grata, my granny, took great big trips.

Grata, my granny, greeted me with a great hug,
Grata, my granny, loved greasy bugs.

Take Care.

The 'Fr' Blend

2011-05-06T20:00:00.004+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

The 'fr' blend:

Frail, frame, frank

Freak, freckles, free, freeze, freight, fresh.

Friday, friend, fright, freight, frill, fringe, frizz.

Frog, frolic, from, frost, frozen, fruit, fry, frying.

Write the blend 'fr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for the 'fr' blend:

Freeny, the fret frog.

Freeny, the frog, is a good friend,
Freeny, the frog, wants Friday, as the weekend.

Freeny, the frog, loves frills and frizz,
Freeny, the frog, has a big fridge.

Freeny, the frog, is a freak, and is frank,
Freeny, the frog, is full of pranks

Freeny, the frog, likes french fries,
Freeny, the frog, loves all food fried.

Freeny, the frog, has a frail frame,
Freeny, the frog, frolics on freight trains.

Freeny, the frog, is a good friend,
Freeny, the frog, wants Friday, as the weekend.

Take care.

The 'Dr' Blend

2011-04-29T20:00:00.005+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Words for the 'dr' blend:

Drab, draft, drag, dragon, drain, drake, drank, draw.

Dread, dream, dress, drew.

Drift, drill, drink, drip, drive.

Droop, drop, drove.

Drug, drum, dry.

Write the blend 'dr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for 'dr' blend:

Drake, the dragon

Drake the dragon, is my dream dragon.

Drake, the dragon, likes to draw and drive,
Drake, the dragon, loves to keep dry.

Drake, the dragon, loves to dress,
Drake, the dragon, likes to drill and make a mess.

Drake, the dragon, likes to drink,
Drake, the dragon, drips and drools, while he sips.

Drake, the dragon, beats drums all day,
Drake, the dragon, dreads all things grey.

Drake the dragon, is my dream dragon.

Have a nice day.

The 'Cr' Blend

2011-04-22T20:00:00.003+05:30

Consonant clusters or blends are two or three consonants that appear together in a word with each consonant retaining its sound when blended.

Words containing 'cr' blend:

Crab, crack, cradle, craft, crane, crash, crawl, crayon, crazy.

Creek, creep.

Crib, cricket, cried.

Croak, crook, crop, cross, crow, crowd, crown.

Crumb, crunch, crust, cry.

Write the blend 'cr' set of words on individual cards. Underline the blend in every word. Explain your child that the set of two letters that needed to be spelt together or blended and help him in reading the first few words. Once he is comfortable reading individual words and recognizes the reading pattern, encourage him to read the story under your supervision.

Story for the day :

Crusty, the crafty crab.

Crusty, the crab, is one crafty crab.
Crusty, the crab, crawls by the map.

Crusty, the crab, has crooked ways,
Crusty, the crab, loves to wear a crown always.

Crusty, the crab, is cross with the crow,
Crusty, the crab, plays cricket, with his bro.

Crusty, the crab, loves cribs and cradles,
Crusty, the crab, likes crazy fables.

Crusty, the crab, got crushed by a crowd,
Crusty, the crab, lay all crouched.

Crusty, the crab, is one crafty crab.
Crusty, the crab, crawls by the map.

Take care.