

You could even make your own book with objects your child likes to look at and touch. For babies and toddlers, include lift-the-flap books or touch-and-feel books.Use your finger to guide your child’s eyes from left to right across the page as you read and point out certain words or phrases. Encourage your child to turn the pages and talk about what they see.Many young children enjoy books like Ten little fingers and ten little toes by Mem Fox, Hairy Maclary by Linley Dodd and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. Try books with rhyme, rhythm and repetition.It also helps children learn about the world around them. Reading with children develops their vocabulary, ability to listen and understand, and ability to connect sound and words. If you can’t remember the words, tune or actions to a nursery rhyme, you could spark your memory with our Baby Karaoke. What’s something green I might be looking at?’ For example, ‘I spy with my little eye, something that’s green. This can be fun, especially for preschoolers. Play games like ‘I spy’ using colours.Ask your child to make the sounds for wind, rain, water, airplanes, trains and cars. Talk about objects outside the house – for example, the rustling of leaves, or the sounds of the birds or traffic.At mealtimes, talk about the food you’re preparing, what you’re doing to it, how it tastes and what it looks like.Repeat sounds your child makes, or make up sounds and see whether your child can copy them.You could try ‘Baa baa black sheep’, ‘Miss Polly had a dolly’ or the ‘Alphabet song’. Nursery rhymes teach your child language, rhyme, repetition and rhythm. Use phrases like ‘snug as a bug in a rug’ or make up rhymes about things you’re doing – for example, ‘putting fish in the cat’s dish’. Talking and singing with young children helps them to develop listening and speaking skills. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers: literacy activities Even babies enjoy listening to stories and being part of conversations. It’s never too early to start getting your child involved with literacy activities. It can be as simple as writing a shopping list together, playing a rhyming game or reading a story before bed. The key is to use different times and opportunities to help your child learn. The great news is that everyday activities, like family meals, bath time or shopping, are all fun opportunities for literacy development.Īnd you don’t need a lot of time for literacy activities – five minutes a few times a day is often enough. Talking, singing, playing sound and word games, reading, writing and drawing with your child are great ways to lay a good literacy foundation. Literacy is the foundation for doing well at school, socialising with others, problem-solving, making decisions, becoming independent, managing money and working. Literacy development is important for your child’s overall development.
