Children need your support and acceptance as they get older and try out new language and literacy skills. Here are suggestions for six fun language activities to try together.
1. Tell and share stories. Children love to hear traditional tales and anecdotes or stories about when you were a child. You can also create your own favorite story characters together and use them as part of a bedtime storytelling ritual.
2. Read books together every day. Talk about the stories and the pictures. Ask your child, "What would happen if ...?" Help your child take out new books with his or her own library card.
3. Make a writing box. Gather items to practice writing: markers, crayons, pencils, index cards, envelopes, and various kinds of paper. Keep the box near where you write letters so you and your child can write together.
4. Sing songs together. Share your favorites, and encourage your child to teach you songs from school. Or make up your own words to such familiar tunes as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."
5. Gather collections. To help your child notice and talk about similarities and differences (which are important to note when learning to read words), collect large buttons, colorful swatches of cloth, and other materials. Talk about color, size, shape, and texture.
6. Use a tape recorder. Listening skills are an important part of early literacy. Have fun together recording and playing back songs, stories, funny voices, and sounds you collect from around the house!
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