Early Literacy in Everyday Places: The Movie Theater

Taking preschoolers and elementary schoolers to the movie theater can be a great way to keep them warm and entertained on those cold afternoons during Winter Break. While you're there, try out some of these quick and easy early literacy activities.

• Review size words at the concession stand.Popcorn and soda come in small, medium, large, and even extra large sizes. Point out these words on the menu board, and explain the differences between them. For added fun, connect these concepts to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
• Point out letters and sight words in the preshow reels.Many theaters project celebrity trivia and other information onto their screens even before the previews begin. Help your child find familiar letters and words by playing "I Spy" or another guessing game. See how many words you can read together before the lights go down. 
• Guess at the plots for upcoming releases.Take a look at the posters for forthcoming films and have your child explain to you what is happening in each picture. When you see previews for these movies, your child will find out how close he came to figuring out their storylines. This activity also encourages kids to make predictions based on context clues, which is important for reading comprehension. 
• On the way home, ask your child to recall his favorite parts of the film.By asking your child to tell you about his favorite scenes from the movie, you support his narrative skills. As he describes for you what he remembers about the movie, he is practicing expressing his thoughts in an organized and interesting way. You can help him further by asking leading questions to prompt him to develop his thoughts and explain them clearly.