If you’re the parent of a toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener, you’ve likely heard about the buzz to increase early learning experiences for your child and lots of other talk about early literacy. No need to panic…, because it’s really quite simple to do. In fact, most parents are surely already doing most of these things.
But, just to reiterate, I ran across this article recently from the Pierce County Library which sets forth a clear and concise summary of the most effective day-to-day ways to help your child achieve a rich and satisfactory early learning foundation. And they’ve included some great examples too!
1. Talking– Talking thoughtfully and often with your child develops their oral language skills which form the basis of all their literacy skills. Talking is the seed from which language and brain development grows. Starting at birth, talk to your child about the world and your life in it. Explore, describe, question, and wonder.
2. Singing– Singing also includes rhyming, and increases children’s ability to hear the smaller parts of words. This is a vital pre-reading skill. Singing helps language seeds grow. The words your child hears are broken into smaller parts when you sing or rhyme together. Language ability and brain connections grow.
3. Reading – Sharing books together remains the most effective way to grow a reader. Reading increases vocabulary, word concepts, emotional understanding, and discovery.
4. Writing – Hand-in-hand with shared reading, experimenting with writing helps children realize the importance of print in our information-filled world. Scribbling and drawing and practicing with markers, crayons, pencils, and keyboards help children understand the importance of printing and writing in our everyday life.
5. Playing – Play is children’s work! Through play, they discover the world and their place in it. Playing with others is the most effective way to help children develop healthy social/emotional skills.
P.S. – Don’t forget to check out all the opportunities for early learning experiences at your own local library. And get your kiddos a library card asap so they can begin choosing their own books.
