Tips: Early Child Literacy & Language Development - Part Two

Literacy and language development is unique to each child. These tips are general guidelines. Some children will proceed at different rates than others. Some will reverse this pattern or do it differently. Others who have not been exposed to the opportunities we outlined in our tips for birth through three years old, may still need those experiences before they can progress onto the stages we outline today. Literacy and language development is a growth process, in which the early building blocks need to come before the later building blocks. When in doubt start with the early ideas and activities mentioned in yesterdays blog and see if your child responds well to those. If they are very easy, build upon them with today's ideas and tips for children .
After their third birthday, talking to your child about the events of the day is important. We do not suggest an inquisition style, so questions that can be simply answered yes or no are not the point. Since the idea is to stimulate your child's use of language, ask him or her leading questions, like what did you like best in that book?
Reading books together is still an important part of your day, or evening. The together time spent lap reading, or "right-next-to" reading, continues to offer the close cuddling that nurtures your child in a reading situation. This gives positive feelings about the world of books that will carry with your child for a lifetime. If your child has a favorite book or two, see how much more he or she is able to relate to the pictures and possibly tell you the names and make the sounds and tell you the simple sentences from memory. This would be a good time for you to point to the printed words as you say them. This gives your three year old a clue that the print has something to do with the sounds(words)you make as well as the pictures they describe.
At this stage, children often like to pretend that they are cooking, exercising, making houses out of blocks, or boxes. Using assorted large colored squares of cloth, they can pretend to be in various costumes like, you or the mailman, the doctor, someone in fancy clothes.
Since your child is attempting to speak more words everyday,encourage them to pronounce their words more clearly. You can lovingly say "Mommy's having a hard time hearing your words. Can you say that again, please?"
Enjoy your child. He or she is unfolding in their own special way. This is a tender age and the ideal time to share enthusiasm for life, and experiencing new things each day, as well as continuing favorite things, books, activities.
Tomorrow we'll continue with "After their fourth birthday..."