Playtime Language Boosters
Author: Nell R. Carvell
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Take a Walk
Head outdoors, and talk about what you see. Start by naming objects ("tree", "squirrel", "car"). As your child's skills grow, ask questions that encourage multiple-word answers, such as, "What is that squirrel doing?" Collect leaves, acorns, pebbles and other little treasures. Describe the items you've found while your child handles them.
Sing Out
Voice a little flat? Don't worry. "Children don't know or care if an adult can carry a tune," says Carvell. "What they love is the closeness and the repetition." Sing during the day, and make a song part of your child's bedtime ritual.
"Publish" Mini-Books
Make copies of several photos of your child (or use duplicates), and tape the left-hand edges together. "Very young children enjoy looking at pictures of babies-especially themselves-while an adult offers commentary," says Carvell.
Nell R. Carvell, director of Southern Methodist University's Preschool Initiatives Program, in Dallas, and author of the popular Language Enrichment Activities Program (LEAP).