BUILDING LANGUA

GE & LITERACY WIT

H INFANTS & TODD
LERS
(0-2 YEARS OLD)
 At birth, aninfant's brainis
still developing and the experi
ences that we provide determi
ne how the brain is developed.
Literacy activities for infants in
volve more than just reading.
Almost every activity that you
do with infants can be conside
red a literacy activity.
 USE TEACHABLE MOMENTS
Language is best learned during f
amiliar, daily routines.
- The diapering table is a lanpag
e-interaction opportunity par exc
ellence! As you diaper a child, coo
and smile. Use "self-talk."
Explain what you're doing to mak
e the little one more comfortable
with a clean diaper. Pat a baby's t
ummy as you admire how delicio
us and beautiful he looks! If a ba
by coos while you are cleaning an
d diapering, be sure to respond w
ith pleasure and delight to these
vocalizations.
While you are dressing and
undressing or bathing a litt
le one, be sure to talk abou
t what is happening - how y
ou are putting ON baby's s
hoes or how you are ZIPPI
NG up a toddler's jacket.
While you are dressing and
undressing or bathing a litt
le one, be sure to talk abou
t what is happening - how y
ou are putting ON baby's s
hoes or how you are ZIPPI
NG up a toddler's jacket.
As you use words while sho
wing by actions, children ar
e learning the meanings of
the words. Talk about what
is going to happen next. "W
e are getting ready to go o
utdoors. You can play on th
e slide.
You can play in the sa
ndbox with a pail and
shovel. I will help swin
g you in the swing bac
k and forth, back and f
orth."
Children learn to anticipate
and to picture activities tha
t will happen next by your
descriptions and your expl
anations. As you vividly sha
re such experiences, you ar
e giving language power to
your little ones!
Exclaim admiringly, "You ar
e trying so hard to put one
block on top of another blo
ck. You are building a towe
r. Good work!" If the child i
s staring with a worried loo
k at a crying peer, use reas
suring words.
"Tamar tumbled on the f
loor. She is feeling a littl
e scares We will comfort
her and help her feel tha
t she is safe. Let's give h
er a gentle pat and we w
ill help her feel better."
 PICTURE BOOK SHARING
During the first years, adults need to
"Hook babies on books!" Be sure to s
ettle cozily with a baby for a book sha
ring experience every day. Settle a ba
by comfortably on your lap. Let toddl
ers lean against you as you choose a
book and snuggle on a comfy chair a
nd then open and share the book's tr
easures.
Choose books with bright colo
rful pictures. For very young in
fants, make sure there is only
one picture per page. Then the
y can focus without distraction
s on a puppy, a baby in a crib,
or a nursery rhyme character,
such as Little Boy Blue sound a
sleep leaning against his hayst
Even when the old nursery
rhymes seem quaint, babie
s enjoy the rhythms and m
eter of traditional nursery
poems. By 9 months, some
babies can even point to Lit
tle Boy Blue and exclaim "B
oy!"
 When you read frequently
with little ones, they look f
orward to their favorite pic
tures and the poems and w
ords that go along. And the
y often are more easily abl
e to memorize the words t
o familiar poems.
 VARY YOUR VOICE!
Change your voice tones as yo
u talk about the pictures in a b
ook. Use delighted tones, puzzl
ed tones, exclaiming tones, cur
ious and wondering tones.
Infants and toddlers will
learn to love books and
book reading because y
ou have made their exp
eriences with books so p
leasurable and so intere
sting.
ACTIVITIES FOR INFAN
T AND TODDLERS
 Talk

Smile and make eye contact

Sing and dance

Recite nursery rhymes

Respond to baby's cries

Listen to different types of music

Blow bubbles.

Act outfinger-plays

Go for a walk.

Make funny faces

Learn sign language

Take abath

Play ball.