It happens every January...

I buy a new planner.

I read the reviews, compare layouts and convince myself this one is going to be the thing that helps me feel more organized, more focused, more on top of life. When it arrives, those blank pages feel full of possibility.

And then… by March, it’s sitting on a shelf.

Not because the planner was bad, but because no single tool can magically change our habits, our priorities, or our day-to-day reality.

What actually helps is something much quieter. Reflection. Noticing what’s working, letting go of what isn’t, and making a few small, intentional shifts we’re actually ready to try.

Research on learning, behavior change, and teaching consistently shows that small, reflective adjustments are far more effective than sweeping overhauls. When we pause to notice patterns and respond intentionally, we’re more likely to stick with changes and see meaningful growth.

The same thing happens in preschool classrooms.

We’re often tempted by the newest toy, the latest resource, or the next “must-have” preschool literacy activity or product. We hope it will instantly lead to more engagement or stronger learning (and it will if it is a Moving Little Minds product)! But real progress doesn’t usually come from adding more. It comes from refining what we’re already doing and aligning instruction more closely with how young children learn and how their brains develop.

As we step into the new year, this isn’t about fixing what’s “wrong.” It’s about pausing long enough to ask:

• What’s working well?

• What can we let go of?

• And what tiny shifts are worth our energy right now?

   

Below, I’m sharing a few Stop → Start instructional shifts to help reset preschool literacy in a way that feels purposeful, realistic, and supportive of both teachers and children.

Let’s dive in.

6 Stop → Start Research-Aligned Preschool Literacy Activity Shifts

→ Stop Doing This: Teaching Only Letter Names or Only Letter Sounds

→ Start Doing This Instead: Teaching Letter Names and Sounds Together

Why this matters: Research shows that letter names and letter sounds are closely connected in children's learning. Children often learn letter names more easily when the sound is embedded in the name (like b, d, j, k, and p).

When children see a letter, hear its name, and practice its sound together—over and over—their brains start building connections between all three. This repeated practice creates stronger learning pathways than teaching names and sounds separately. The more children experience the letter, name, and sound together in different activities, the easier it becomes for them to remember and retrieve what they've learned.

Try this in playful ways:

• Alphabet Playground: Treat letters like characters. When a letter appears, children say its name and then make the sound using a voice or body movement (buzzing, popping, stretching).

• Mystery Letter Bag: Pull a letter from a bag. Children act out something that starts with the sound (slithering for /s/, bouncing for /b/), then everyone names the letter together.

• Letter Path Hop: Tape large letters on the floor. Children hop to a letter, say its name, and make the sound while moving their bodies.

→ Stop Doing This: Teaching Only Uppercase Letters in 2s and 3s Classrooms

→ Start Doing This Instead: Introducing Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Early

Why this matters: While straight lines may be easier to draw, fine motor readiness is not the same as cognitive readiness. Letter recognition is a brain-based, visual-language task, not a handwriting task.

Most print children see in books is lowercase. When lowercase letters are hidden too long, children often experience confusion later when they are suddenly expected to learn what feels like a new alphabet.

Try this in playful ways:

• Letter Twin Hunt: Hide uppercase and lowercase letter pairs around the room. Children search for matches and bring the "twins" back together.

• Uppercase/Lowercase Freeze Dance: Play music while children move. When the music stops, hold up a letter card—children shout whether it's uppercase or lowercase.

• Letter Delivery Truck: Children "deliver" lowercase letters to their uppercase partners using toy trucks or by crawling, hopping, or tiptoeing across the room.

→ Stop Doing This: Worksheets to Show Learning

→ Start Doing This Instead: Hands-On Literacy Play

Why this matters: Research consistently shows that young children learn best through active, social, and meaningful experiences. Literacy development in early childhood depends on opportunities to talk, move, manipulate materials, and interact with others.

Worksheets limit language use, reduce problem-solving, and offer little insight into children’s thinking. They often show whether a child can complete a task, but not how the child understands the skill.

Play allows children to explain their ideas, negotiate meaning, test skills, and apply literacy concepts in flexible ways. These experiences make learning visible and provide richer information for instruction.

Try this in playful ways:

• Sound Sorting: Provide objects or picture cards and invite children to sort them by beginning sound or number of syllables using bowls, trays, or hoops.

• Toss & Say: Toss a soft ball. Say a word. The catcher responds with a rhyme or a word that starts with the same sound.

• Story Retell Bin: Place props from a familiar story in a bin and invite children to retell the story during center time in their own words.

→ Stop Doing This: Expecting Writing Before Hands Are Ready

→ Start Doing This Instead: Building Fine Motor Strength Through Play

Why this matters: Writing is a complex task that requires postural control, shoulder stability, wrist strength, and finger dexterity. When these foundations are not yet developed, writing becomes frustrating and often turns into a task of endurance rather than learning.

Research shows that fine motor development supports later writing fluency, but it develops best through play, not early pencil use. When children build strength and coordination through hands-on experiences, they are more prepared to write comfortably and confidently when formal writing is introduced. Play-based fine motor work supports readiness without placing pressure on children before their bodies are developmentally ready.

Try this in playful ways:

• Playdough Pinch & Roll: Challenge children to make snakes, balls, and pancakes using only their fingers—no palms allowed.

• Easel Art Challenge: Draw or paint on a vertical surface (easel or taped paper on the wall) to build shoulder and wrist strength.

• Tweezers Rescue Mission: Use tweezers or tongs to "rescue" small toys from one container and move them to another. Add a timer for extra challenge.

→ Stop Doing This: Waiting to See If Children “Pick It Up”

→ Start Doing This Instead: Teaching Literacy Skills Explicitly

Why this matters: Reading is not an innate skill. Unlike spoken language, the brain does not naturally wire itself for reading. Children need explicit instruction to understand how sounds, letters, and words work together.

Research consistently shows that clear modeling, guided practice, and repetition support stronger literacy outcomes, especially in early childhood. Brief, intentional instruction gives children the tools they need to engage more successfully during play and prevents small gaps from becoming long-term challenges. Explicit teaching strengthens play by making learning visible and accessible. It does not replace it.

Try this in playful ways:

• Echo & Repeat: Model a sound, word, sentence, or clap pattern. Children echo it back using silly voices, whispers, or exaggerated movements.

• Mini Skill Groups: Pull 2–4 children for a quick 5-minute focused activity: letter naming, vocabulary practice, rhyming, or story sequencing.

• Teach-It Transitions: Turn transitions into brief teaching moments. Practice a letter and its sound before lining up, introduce a new vocabulary word at snack, or retell part of a story on the way to the playground.

→ Stop Doing This: Ignoring Phonological Awareness Red Flags

→ Start Doing This Instead: Teaching Sound Skills Every Day

Why this matters: Phonological awareness is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success. Difficulty with rhyming, syllables, or sound awareness is not a developmental phase to wait out — it is an early signal that a child needs more instruction.

Research shows that daily, intentional sound play strengthens the auditory processing skills children rely on for decoding and word recognition. Addressing these skills early reduces the likelihood of reading difficulties later on. Early support changes trajectories.

Try this in playful ways:

• Name Beats in Line: While lining up or moving between activities, clap or tap the syllables in one or two children’s names. Keep it quick and rotate names over time.

• Sound Walk Moments: During hallway walks or outdoor transitions, pause briefly to notice and name sounds you hear (doors, footsteps, birds). Ask children to identify or imitate the sound.

• Clean-Up Sound Sort: As children clean up, invite them to group toys by beginning sound (“All the /b/ toys here”). Keep it flexible and playful.

→ Stop Doing This: Assuming Play Automatically Builds Literacy

→ Start Doing This Instead: Designing Play with a Literacy Purpose

Why this matters: Play is powerful in so many ways, but some skills simply require instruction to be mastered. Without adult intention, play may support social development while missing opportunities for language and literacy growth.

Research shows that children benefit from all forms of play. When adults intentionally embed language, vocabulary, and sound awareness into play experiences, children thrive. Purposeful play increases the quantity and quality of language children hear and use, which directly supports comprehension and later reading success. Intentional play preserves joy while strengthening learning.

Try this in playful ways:

• Sound Kitchen: Pretend to "cook" while clapping syllables or blending sounds. "I'm making /p/-/i/-/zz/-/a/—pizza!"

• Build & Describe: Challenge children to build something, then describe it using specific words like "tall," "pointy," or "next to." Can a friend recreate it from the description?

• Story Problem Drama: Add a simple problem to dramatic play (the baby won't stop crying, the restaurant ran out of pizza). Children act it out and retell what happened.

Grab All 10 Tips in Our Stop → Start Shifts Guide!

Final Thoughts...

January resets don’t need to be big to be effective.

Just like that planner, real change doesn’t come from starting fresh with something new. It comes from noticing what’s already in front of us, letting go of what’s no longer serving children, and committing to a few small instructional shifts we’re actually willing to try.

You don’t need to overhaul your classroom. One intentional change, practiced consistently, can shift learning in powerful ways over time.

I’d love to hear from you! If you’re up for it, hit reply and tell me:

• One practice you’re ready to stop

• One tiny shift you want to try this month

Even naming it matters. Reflection is often the first step toward real change! Let's make 2026 the best year yet!

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We believe that every child deserves a bright future, and this begins with a strong foundation in early literacy skills.  At Moving Little Minds, we are dedicated to providing research-based literacy activities in fun and engaging ways!  By merging instruction with play, we ensure that children are reaching their full potential and embark on their educational journey well-prepared for the

future! Let's build those KEY emergent literacy skills together.

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