Fall is such a wonderful season. From picking out multicoloured leaves with the kids, visiting apple orchards to harvesting our garden, it is definitively my favourite season. What makes it even more glorious (other than the fact that I can wear comfy sweaters and boots) is that it is PUMPKIN season too.
I love collecting gourds of all kinds, especially pumpkins. I also jump on the opportunity to include pumpkins in my therapy activities. Yes, I do. I usually take advantage of the Fall season to introduce the kids seen in therapy to the target goal: COMPARE & CONTRAST”. I’ll start with apples and with leaves. Then, I move them to the comparing and contrasting gourds (What an AH-MA-ZING rare and complex word!). With various gourds available at the store, in the garden, or in our neighbourhood, it is easy to set up the stage.
Why are the “compare & contrast” skills important for your child?
When you compare and contrast two objects with your child, you help your child learn:
- New words (stem, skin, pumpkin, seeds)
- Comparative and superlative words (biggest, longest, most, less, redder)
- Complex vocabulary such as the name of the category (squash, gourds, animals, fruits, toys, etc.)
- To explain similarities and differences
- To develop their thinking skills through language
- To have meaningful two-way conversations.
These kinds of activities are great for preparing kids for learning in daycare and school later on. Children who know how to compare and establish contrasts will find it easier to use it in other contexts, for example in mathematics (big -small, much -less, more-less, biggest-smallest), in reading (to compare characters, places of history or even two stories).
How and when should you start to “compare & contrast” with your child?
Even young kids can benefit from being exposed to this language skill. Start working on this goal with young children in simple games and daily routines. Compare and rank common items available at home.
Simply put, use whatever you have at home to compare and contrast. Give lots of examples to your children throughout the day, the week or the month. You can start with anything at any given time. For example, help your child compare by talking about the similarities and differences between:
- apples and bananas,
- monkeys and cows,
- trucks and planes,
- clothing, etc.
Here are ways we talked, compared, and contrasted gourds this week:
- Name the category: “These are gourds. These are winter squash.”
- Label parts of the whole: pumpkin, stem, tendril, vine, leaf, skin, pulp, seeds.
- Use specific words to describe the different kinds of gourds: “This is a pumpkin. This one is spaghetti squash. "
- Talk about similarities: “Both of these pumpkins have broken stems.”, “These pumpkins are both orange.”, “Both of these squash have bumps.”, “Both these gourds have lines and crevices.”
- Chat about differences: “This pumpkin is small but this one is enormous.”, “This squash is round but this one is long and oval. This gourd is smooth but this one is bumpy.”
- Use comparative and superlative terms:
Young children may need more help with activities like this one. Help them find and practice the new words to talk about a group of objects, their parts, their similarities and differences. Start with household or familiar objects and repeat often. Your child will surely impress you and quickly learn to compare and contrast two objects. As your child gets older, add more complex and rare words. Keep it light and fun to make this language-rich activity a healthy positive experience.
Have fun this fall! After all, it is pumpkin spice season!
Fall is such a wonderful season. From picking out multicolored leaves with the kids, visiting apple orchards to harvesting our garden, it is definitively my favorite season. What makes it even more glorious (other than the fact that I can wear comfy sweaters and boots) is that it is PUMPKIN season too.
I love collecting gourds of all kinds, especially pumpkins. I also jump on the opportunity to include pumpkins in my therapy activities. Yes, I do. I usually take advantage of the Fall season to introduce the kids seen in therapy to the target goal: COMPARE & CONTRAST”. I’ll start with apples and with leaves. Then, I move them to the comparing and contrasting gourds (What an AH-MA-ZING rare and complex word!). With various gourds available at the store, in the garden, or in our neighborhood, it is easy to set up the stage.
Why are the “compare & contrast” skills important for your child?
When you compare and contrast two objects with your child, you help your child learn:
- New words (stem, skin, pumpkin, seeds)
- Comparative and superlative words (biggest, longest, most, less, redder)
- Complex vocabulary such as the name of the category (squash, gourds, animals, fruits, toys, etc.)
- To explain similarities and differences
- To develop their thinking skills through language
- To have meaningful two-way conversations.
These kinds of activities are great for preparing kids for learning in daycare and school later on. Children who know how to compare and establish contrasts will find it easier to use it in other contexts, for example in mathematics (big -small, much -less, more-less, biggest-smallest), in reading (to compare characters, places of history or even two stories).
How and when should you start to “compare & contrast” with your child?
Even young kids can benefit from being exposed to this language skill. Start working on this goal with young children in simple games and daily routines. Compare and rank common items available at home.
Simply put, use whatever you have at home to compare and contrast. Give lots of examples to your children throughout the day, the week or the month. You can start with anything at any given time. For example, help your child compare by talking about the similarities and differences between:
- apples and bananas,
- monkeys and cows,
- trucks and planes,
- clothing, etc.
Here are ways we talked, compared, and contrasted gourds this week:
- Name the category: “These are gourds. These are winter squash.”
- Label parts of the whole: pumpkin, stem, tendril, vine, leaf, skin, pulp, seeds.
- Use specific words to describe the different kinds of gourds: “This is a pumpkin. This one is a spaghetti squash. "
- Talk about similarities: “Both of these pumpkins have broken stems.”, “These pumpkins are both orange.”, “Both of these squash have bumps.”, “Both these gourds have lines and crevices.”
- Chat about differences: “This pumpkin is small but this one is enormous.”, “This squash is round but this one is long and oval. This gourd is smooth but this one is bumpy.”
- Use comparative and superlative terms:
Young children may need more help with an activity as this one. Help them find and practice the new words to talk about a group of objects, their parts, their similarities and differences. Start with household or familiar objects and repeat often. Your child will surely impress you and quickly learn to compare and contrast two objects. As your child gets older, add more complex and rare words. Keep it light and fun to make this language-rich activity a healthy positive experience.
Have fun this fall! After all, it is pumpkin spice season!
