Author: GHoffman

How to Use a Computer
Language & Literacy
School Readiness Kits
This kit was created and assembled by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute with funding from the School Ready Libraries Grant ; adapted from the work of the Grant County Public Library.

Language and Literacy– How to Use a Computer
Goals
Uses nonverbal communication for a variety of purposes
Uses language (verbal, signed, symbolic) for a variety of purposes.
Exhibits eye-hand coordination.
Produces marks, pictures and symbols that represent print and ideas.
These goals were taken from Building a Strong Foundation for School Success: Kentucky’s Early Childhood Standards https://kidsnow.ky.gov/families/readiness/Documents/early-childhood-standards.pdf

January 2018
Page 1

Write
Suggested Activities
Read a book about computers and have the children create a computer by drawing that computer on a piece of paper.
Make a keyboard by drawing the keys on a piece of paper or cardboard. Let children practice keyboarding their name or the names of their friends.
Let children use a variety of writing instruments to practice writing skills. They could use crayons, pencils, markers, ink pens, paint brushes, chalk, sidewalk chalk, etc.
School Readiness Asides to Parents and Caregivers
By making a game of finding letters on the keyboard, children can be more actively involved in their own learning.
By using a variety of writing instruments, children are able to build a variety of fine motor skills. For some children a marker or large piece of sidewalk chalk may be easier to use than a pencil or small paint brush.

January 2018
Page 3

Read
Suggested Activities
Read Chicken Clicking by Jeanne Willis and talk about how we can use the computer safely.
Read Hello Ruby: Journey Inside the Computer and talk about all the different things Ruby finds.
Read Unplugged by Steve Antony and have the children suggest things that they can do other than screen time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they're seeing.
For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.

March 2017
Page 2

Sing
Parts of the Computer Song
Let us tell you all about, all about, all about.
Let us tell you all about the parts of the computer.
We click the mouse to move the cursor, move the cursor, move the cursor
We click the mouse to move the cursor on our computer
The keyboard, it will let us type, let us type, let us type
The keyboard, it will let us type on our computer
The headphones let us hear the sound, hear the sound, hear the sound
The headphones let us hear the sound on our computer
The monitor show us what we do, what we do, what we do
The monitor shows us what we do on our computer.
We love the cool things we can do, we can do, we can do
We love the cool things we can do on our computer
For more verses to this song, see the link below
Retrieved from Youtube : https://youtu.be/qNSHlgcPJ84 2/8/18

March 2017
Page 4

Talk
Suggested Activities
After children complete their computer drawing in the write section, have them talk about what they drew and add their dictation to the picture.
Talk about the many different uses for computers.
After singing the computer song, have children describe their computer (or tablet or mom or dad’s phone) by using adjectives such as large, small, heavy,etc.)
Talk about what each member of the child’s family uses their computers for (work, playing games, etc)
School Readiness Asides to Parents and Caregivers
Typical children hear 46 million words by age 4 years.
Children need 20,000 hours of listening to learn to read.

January 2018
Page 5

Citation Page
ALIGNMENT OF STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS. (2003, October 1). Retrieved March 07, 2017, from https://kidsnow.ky.gov/families/readiness/Documents/early-childhood-standards.pdf

January 2018
Page 7

Play
Suggested Activities
Put on a computer game and let the children each have a turn with the game. Setting a timer will make it easier for most children to transition from the computer to going back to playing with something else.
Have a old computer, phone or tablet in the dramatic play area. Children can use them to take orders for a restaurant or pretend they are working in an office.
Play a game of Computer—you tell one of the children a secret and have them pass it on to the person sitting next to them until it gets to the end of the line-talk about how messages have to go through many parts of the computer to get what you need.
School Readiness Asides to Parents and Caregivers
Having the tools that an adult uses during their typical day can strengthen a child’s dramatic play.
Playing a game of Computer can help strengthens a child’s receptive language and listening skills.

January 2018
Page 6

January 2018
Page 8

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January 2018
Page 9

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January 2018
Page 11

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January 2018
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January 2018
Page 12