Chatting with
Children
For
children ages 1 to 6
Continue talking with your older child as you did with your baby.
Talking helps him learn language skills and lets him know what he says is
important.
What To
Do
The first activities in the list below work well with younger
children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But
keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.
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Talk with your toddler often. When feeding and bathing and
dressing him, ask him to name or find different objects or clothing. Point out
colors, sizes, and shapes. |
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Talk with your child as you read together. Point to pictures
and name what is in them. When he is ready, ask him to do the same. |
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Teach your toddler to be a helper by asking him to find
things. When cooking in the kitchen, give him pots and pans or measuring spoons
to play with. Ask him what he is doing and answer his questions. |
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Whatever you do together, talk about it with your child. When
you eat meals, take walks, go to the store, or visit the library, talk with
each other. These and other activities give the two of you a chance to ask and
answer questions. "Which flowers are red? Which are yellow?" "What else do you
see in the garden?" Challenge your child by asking questions that need more
than a "Yes" or "No" answer. |
Talking and having conversations play a necessary part in helping
a child's language skills grow.
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Listen to your child's questions patiently and answer them
just as patiently. If you don't know the answer, have him join you as you look
it up in a book. He will then see how important books are as sources of
information. |
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Talk about books you have read together. Ask about favorite
parts and answer your child's questions about events or characters. |
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Have your child tell you a story. Then ask him questions,
explaining that you need to understand better. |
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When he is able, ask him to help you in the kitchen. He could
set the table or decorate a batch of cookies. A first-grader may enjoy helping
you follow a simple recipe. Talk about what you're fixing, what you're cooking
with, what he likes to eat, and more. |
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Ask yourself if the TV is on too much. If so, turn it off and
talk! |
As Simple as
ABC
For
children ages 2 to 6
Sharing the alphabet with your child helps him begin to recognize
the shapes of letters and link them with sounds. He will soon learn the
difference between individual letters what they look like and what they sound
like.
Try To
Find
Alphabet books (see Resources)
Glue and safety
scissors
Paper, pencils, crayons, markers
ABC magnets
What To
Do
The first activities in the list below work well with younger
children. As your child grows older, the later activities let him do more. But
keep doing the first ones as long as he enjoys them.
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With your toddler by your side, print the letters of his name
on paper and say each letter as you write it. Make a name sign for his room or
other special places. Have him decorate the sign by pasting stickers or drawing
on it. |
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Teach your child the alphabet song and play games using the
alphabet. Some alphabet books have songs and games you can learn together.
|
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Look for educational videos and TV shows that feature letter
learning activities for young children, such as "Sesame Street." Watch such
programs with your child and join in on the rhymes and songs. |
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Place alphabet magnets on your refrigerator or another
smooth, safe metal surface. Ask your child to name the letters he plays with
and the words he may be trying to spell. |
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Wherever you are with your child, point out certain letters
in signs, billboards, posters, food containers, books, and magazines. When he
is 3 to 4 years old, ask him to begin finding and naming some letters. |
When you show your child letters and words over and over again, he
will identify and use them more easily when learning to read and write. He will
be eager to learn when the letters and words are connected to things that are
part of his life.
"Nanook" means polar bear in the Inupiaq
language. The Inupiaq people are one of seven Alaska Native Eskimo
groups.
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When your child is between ages 3 and 4, encourage him to
spell and write his name. For many children, their names are one of the first
words they write. At first, he may use just one or two letters (for example,
Emile, nicknamed Em, uses the letter "M"). |
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Make an alphabet book with your kindergartner. Have him draw
pictures (you can help). You can also cut pictures from magazines or use
photos. Paste each picture into the book. With your child, write next to the
picture the letter that stands for the object or person in the picture (for
example, "B" for bird, "M" for milk, and so on). |
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