Five- & Six-year-old Preferences

Five Year Olds
Like stories with animals that talk.
Like simple folktales and some fairy tales.
Like a prince and a princess.
Believe in magic.
Think fairy tale characters lived long ago.
Sometimes confuse real and make-believe.
Recognize some letters of the alphabet.
Can write their name.
Six Year Olds
Recognize the letters of the alphabet.
Can count to 100.
Can write about 10 words from memory.
Are able to read easy-to-read books.
Still like fairy tales.
Like being read to.
Memorize poetry and non-sense verse.
Enjoy alphabet and counting books.
Search for simple informational books.
Like books about dinosaurs.
Write with invented spelling.

As Readers:
Attention span may be nearly an hour.
Are on the verge of reading, asking, "What does that say?"
Are on the verge of independence, school, dressing, and caring for personal belongings.
May be fearful of the dark, strangers, and monsters.
As Writers:
They love to make marks on paper.
They use both pictures and letters.
Invented spelling is a developmental step toward writing words.
Advantages:
Encourages children to figure out the alphabet.
Makes children independent as writers; they don't have to ask others how to spell words; it frees them from depending on others.
Encourages children to write longer, more colorful stories; they can write anything they can say; writing more = writing better.
Moves children beyond words they know how to read; they are not limited to writing only words they can read; it helps them learn to read.
Encourages children to take responsibility for their own learning; they are in control of what they write and how they write it; they make the writing system their own.
Provides extensive practice in phonics; children practice their sounds as they write -- using letters to represent the sounds they hear in words.
FROM: Read to Me: Raising kids who love to Read by Bernice E. Cullinan Ages 5, 6