It is natural to think that children struggling with beginning reading may just need more time to settle in and that they will catch...
You can spark your toddler’s interest in the alphabet simply by talking and pointing to letters while you share a cozy reading session!
As a newborn, your infant’s communication consists mainly of cries and burps! However, it is not long before he starts making noises and sounds that are close to the sounds you make as you talk (coos and oohs). As you react to these sounds your infant makes, you will have your first “conversations” with your little one.
Toddlers love simple rhymes, especially ones that end with a kiss!
As you are searching for new toys for your infant, consider concept books that focus on colors, shapes and letters as well as plastic and cloth blocks with a variety of textures, shapes, and letters. Your infant needs lots of playful opportunities to explore colors, shapes, letters, and textures.
When your infant is able to lift her chest when placed on her stomach and starts to hold her head up steadily, you can provide supervised tummy time each day. This will help to develop the neck and shoulder muscle strength she will need to roll over, sit up and crawl, and helps to develop her hands through weight bearing.
Being able to distinguish how objects are the same or are different is an important skill that children will need as they grow. One way to introduce same and different to babies is to talk about their toys.
Babies love music and instinctively move to the beat. Using hand motions to music promotes dexterity, builds self-esteem and increases confidence.
Play simple games where your baby can discover the “rules” of the game by your positive response. Creating these positive experiences with learning will be important as your baby begins to explore print, letters and words.
Songs are a perfect way to introduce even the youngest babies to syllables, because in music, each syllable gets one beat. Being aware that words can be broken into smaller parts is a critical pre-reading skill – and this can be introduced just by singing to your infant.
At this age, toddlers have begun to understand the value of language as a means of communicating. Although you will likely understand only about half of what your child is trying to tell you, you can still encourage her language development in a variety of ways.
Babies and toddlers are constantly listening to and absorbing the sounds of language they are exposed to in the environment. By encouraging your child to listen carefully as you speak, you are helping to nurture his listening skills.
