Our Family Dinner Menu
Here's What To Do
1
On a large piece of paper, draw 5 big squares and label them with the days of the week.
2
Share what you plan to serve for dinner each day and allow your child to help you plan if appropriate. Ask your child to draw the food that will be served each day on the chart.
3
Help your child label the drawings. Tell them how to spell the word. Say one letter at a time, and ask them to write the letter. Celebrate when they've written a whole word!
4
Display this poster near your kitchen, dining room, or in the area where the family eats dinner.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Get excited, smile at your child, and announce that you need their help creating a family dinner menu.
E
Engage:
- "On Monday we're having chicken and rice. Can you draw a picture of that right here in the Monday square?"
- "Let me help you write the label for chicken. First is C, can you write a C? Then comes H, I, C, K, E, N. Wow, you wrote 'chicken' all by yourself!"
E
Encourage:
- If your child isn't sure how to write a letter, write an example on a scrap piece of paper. Most children will be more familiar with writing uppercase letters.
- Your child may draw the foods in ways that are not accurate or recognizable, which is expected!
R
Reflect:
- Was it fun writing out whole words? Should we make a menu every week?
Not quite ready?
Have your child write the first letter of each word, and you can fill in the rest.
Ready for more?
Practice writing the food names in lowercase letters.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to write more and more uppercase letters.