A short shopping list

A short shopping list



Shopping is one of many ways to surround children with
meaningful talk. They need to hear a lot of words in order to
learn to communicate themselves. It's particularly helpful when
you talk about the "here and now"--things that are going on in
front of your child.


What to do


1. Pick a time when neither you nor your child is hungry or
tired.

2. At the grocery store, put your child in the grocery cart
so that he faces you. Take your time as you walk up and
down the aisles.

3. Talk about what you are seeing and doing: "First, we're
going to buy some cereal. See, it's in a big red and blue
box. Listen to the great noise it makes when I shake the
box. Can you shake the box? Now we're going to pay for the
groceries. We'll put them on the counter while I get out
the money. The cashier will tell us how much we have to
pay."

4. Let your child feel the items you buy--a cold carton of
milk, for example, or the skin of an orange. Talk to your
child about the items. "The skin of the orange is rough
and bumpy. Can Rochelle feel the skin?"

5. Be sure to name objects you see on a shopping trip.

6. Let your child touch a soft sweater or try on a hat or a
mitten. Find a mirror so he can see himself. Talk as you
go. "Feel how soft the sweater is. Who's that in the
mirror? Is that Andre?"

7. Let your child practice his "hi's" and "bye-byes" on
clerks and other shoppers on your outings.

8. Keep talking, keep moving, and let your child "help." "In
this store we need to buy some buttons. You can hold the
cloth next to the buttons so I can find the right color."
Putting your toddler's hands in the right position can
help him learn to understand your directions.

9. Leave for home before your child gets grumpy.



Puppet Magic





Puppets can be fascinating. Children know that puppets are
not alive. And yet, they move and talk like real living things.
Try making one at home.


What you'll need

An old clean sock
Buttons (larger than 1 inch in diameter to prevent swallowing)
Needle and thread
Red fabric
Ribbon
An old glove
Felt-tipped pens
Nontoxic glue
Yarn



What to do


1. Sock puppet. Use an old clean sock. Sew on buttons for
eyes and nose. Paste or sew on a piece of red fabric for
the mouth. Put a bow made from ribbon at the neck.

2. Finger puppets. Cut the ends off the fingers of an old
glove. Draw faces on the fingers with felttipped pens.
Glue yarn on for hair.

3. Have the puppet talk to your child. "Hello. My name is
Tanya. What a great T-shirt you have on! I like the rabbit
on the front of your T-shirt." Or have the puppet sing a
simple song. Change your voice when the puppet talks or
sings.

4. Encourage your child to speak to the puppet.

5. Put finger puppets on your child to give him practice
moving his fingers one at a time.

6. The next time you want help cleaning up, have the puppet
make the request: "Hello, Maria. Let's put these crayons
back in the box and these toys back on the shelves. Can
you get me the ball?"





Puppets provide another opportunity to talk to children
and encourage them to speak. They also help children learn new
words, use their imaginations, and develop their hand and
finger coordination. Children will make many mistakes when they
learn to talk. Instead of correcting them directly, reply by
using the right grammar. For example, if your child says,
"Michael done it," reply, "Yes, David, Michael did it." Speak
slowly and clearly so that your child can imitate your speech.
Use full, but short sentences, and avoid baby talk.


Moving On





Toddlers love to explore spaces and climb over, through,
and into things.


What you'll need


Stuffed animal or toy
Large cardboard boxes
Pillows
A large sheet
A soft ball
A large plastic laundry basket
Elastic
Bells


What to do


1. Pillow jump. Give your toddler some pillows to jump into.
Toddlers usually figure out how to do this one on their
own!

2. Box car. Give your toddler a large box to push around the
room. He may want to take his stuffed animal or toy for a
ride in it. If the box isn't too high--you'll most likely
find your toddler in there, too!

3. Basketball. Sit about 3 feet away from your toddler and
hold out a large plastic laundry basket. Let him try
throwing a ball into the basket.

4. Table tent. Cover a table with a sheet that's big enough
to reach the ground on all sides. This makes a great
playhouse that's particularly good for a rainy day. Watch
out for bumped heads!

5. Jingle bells. Sew bells onto elastic that will fit
comfortably around your child's ankles. Then watch (and
listen to) the fun while he moves about or jumps up and
down.



These skills help children gain control over their large
muscles. They also help children learn important concepts such
as up, down, inside, outside, over, and under.


2 to 3 Years


What to expect


Children this age are

* Becoming more aware of others and their own feelings;

* Often stubborn and may have temper tantrums;

* Developing a great interest in other children and enjoy
being near them (although they are usually selfcentered);

* Able to jump, hop, roll, and climb;

* Developing an interest in pretend play--playing at keeping
house, for example, or pretending to cook and care for a
baby;

* Expanding their vocabularies (from about 250 to 1,000
words during the year); and

* Putting together 2, 3, and 4-word sentences.


What they need


Children this age require opportunities to

* Develop hand coordination (with puzzles or large beads to
string or by scribbling, for example);

* Do more things for themselves, such as putting on
clothing;

* Sing, talk, and develop their language;

* Play with other children;

* Try out different ways to move their bodies; and

* Do things in the community, such as taking walks and
visiting libraries, museums, informal restaurants, parks,
beaches, and zoos.



Read to Me!







The single most important way for children to develop the
knowledge they need to succeed in reading is for you to read
aloud to them--beginning early.


What you'll need


Good books
A children's dictionary (preferably a sturdy one)
Paper, pencils, crayons, markers



What to do


1. Read aloud to your child every day. From birth to 6 months
your baby probably won't understand what you're reading,
but that's okay. You can get her used to the sound of your
voice and used to seeing and touching books.

2. To start out, use board books with no words or just a few
words. Point to the colors and the pictures and say their
names. Simple books can teach children things that will
later help them learn to read. For example, they learn
about the structure of language--that there are spaces
between the words and that the print goes from left to
right.

3. Tell stories. Encourage your child to ask questions and
talk about the story. Ask her to predict what will come
next. Point to things in books that she can relate to in
her own life: "Look at the picture of the penguin. Do you
remember the penguin we saw at the zoo?"

4. Look for reading programs. If you aren't a good reader,
programs in your community like Even Start can provide
opportunities for you to improve your own reading and to
read with your child. Friends and relatives can also read
to your child, and senior citizen volunteers are available
in many communities to do the same.

5. Buy a children's dictionary--if possible, one that has
pictures next to the words. Then start the "let's look it
up" habit.

6. Make writing materials available.

7. Watch educational TV. Programs such as "Sesame Street" and
"Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" help your child learn the
alphabet and the sounds they represent.

8. Visit the library often. Begin making weekly trips to the
library when your child is very young. See that your child
gets a library card as soon as possible. Many libraries
issue cards to children as soon as they can print their
names (you'll have to countersign for them).

9. Read yourself. What you do sets an example for your child.



The ability to read and understand makes for better
students and leads to better job opportunities and a lifetime
of enjoyment.