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Part 2 - Activities
For Developing Reading Skills In Your Preschooler
Baby Talk - For Babies From Birth to 1
Year
Even though they are very young,
infants ARE able to recognize a familiar voice.
In-fact babies love to listen to
voices rather than other sounds. They love to hear the
different pitches and tones of words over and over again.
Engaging infants in communication begins to provide a solid
basis for later success in developing strong reading skills.
This pathway to literacy starts
with everyday adult behaviors as simple as talking to an
infant about what you are doing while changing his diaper,
dressing him, or fixing a bottle.
Hearing your familiar voice also
reassures an infant of your closeness and love.
General Advice: What to Do
1) Talk to your baby often. Answer her coos, gurgles, and
smiles. Talk, touch, and smile back. Get her to look at you.
2) Play simple talking and touching games with your baby. Ask,
“Where’s your nose?” Then touch her nose and say playfully,
“There’s your nose!” Do this several times, then switch to an
ear or knee or tummy. Stop when she (or you) grows tired of
the game
3) Change the game by touching the nose or ear and repeating
the word for it several times. Do this with objects, too. When
she hears you name something over and over again, your child
begins to connect the sound with what it means.
4) Do things that interest your baby. Vary your tone of voice,
make funny faces, sing lullabies, and recite simple nursery
rhymes. Play “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake” with her.
It’s so important to talk to your baby! With your help, her
coos and gurgles will one day give way to words.
Preschool Reading Activity: The Name Game
Knowing the names of things is important to learning about the
world. Children learn the names of things mostly from their
parents and teachers. One of the first things children can
learn is their own name.
What you'll need:
You and your child.
What to do:
Ask your child, "What's your name?" If your child answers
correctly, say, "Yes, that's your name. Your name is Calvin."
If your child doesn't know his or her name, say, "Your name is
Calvin. What's your name?" and repeat it until your child says
it correctly.
Once your child knows his or her name, you can have fun with
it. Look at your child. "What did you say your name? Calvin? I
thought your name was Snicklefritz." You can also say, "My
name is Mother Goose. Is that my name?"
Preschool Reading Activity: Sounds Around
The sounds of words are very important to reading. One way to
help children learn the sounds of words is to introduce them
to real sounds in the world around them.
What you'll need:
Knowledge of the sounds of animals, objects, and the letters
of the alphabet. A picture book of animals, objects, and
letters.
What to do
Find a picture of a dog. Point to the picture and say, "The
dog says, Woof, woof, woof." Find a picture of a cow. Say,
"The cow says, Moo, moo, moo." Repeat this with pictures of
other animals or birds. Then point to an object that makes
noise, such as a car or a motorcycle.
Once your child knows some sounds that animals and objects
make, show your child the sounds for individual letters. For
example, write the letter m on a piece of paper, and say,
"This is the letter m. When we see this letter, we make the
sound, mmmmmmmm. What sound do we say for this letter? Yes.
Mmmmmmmmm."
As your child learns the sounds associated with some objects
and animals, you can introduce more letters.
Preschool Reading Activity: Rhyme Time
Children love words that rhyme. Rhyming words are important to
reading because they call children's attention to the sounds
inside words.
What you'll need:
Some words that rhyme.
What to do:
Think of words that rhyme. Say two words that rhyme, such as
cat and hat. Then say, "Listen to these two words that rhyme,
cat (pause) hat." Then say, "Now I'm going to say other words
that rhyme with cat and hat. Here's another one, rat. Now you
tell me another word that rhymes with cat, hat, and rat (such
as fat)."
Repeat this game with other words that rhyme, such as:
pot, tot, lot, hot pin, tin, fin, in tag, rag, sag, bag
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