| It is important not to make up your own baby | | | | read. |
| language, as it will just confuse, your toddler, using | | | | There have been many studies that show that children |
| simple words is far more effective. | | | | have an advantage when they begin school, across all |
| Put yourself in the position of your toddler when you | | | | areas of learning, when parents and carers have given |
| ask | | | | children, a happy experience with books from an early |
| oureyesOyoursuchalovelylittreboyarentyou? | | | | age. |
| Does that make sense? | | | | At 1-2 years old, your toddler will like to look at pictures |
| Now you can understand why its takes him so long to | | | | in a book, with you as his entertainer and stories teller. |
| talk! | | | | They will enjoy recognising familiar objects and animals. |
| But don't do a Dori | | | | Your toddler will listen to you name the objects and |
| eeeeyyyyyyyooooouuuuu? | | | | animals, and may be able to repeat names and the |
| Talk, Sing and Talk some more to your toddler at | | | | sounds that animals make. |
| every possible opportunity. | | | | From the age of about 2 years old, your toddler will |
| Throughout your day tell him what you are doing, and | | | | enjoy listening to a short story and exploring books |
| ask him what he is doing. Pause briefly, to allow him | | | | with the help of pictures or puppets, talking to your |
| the opportunity to express his point of view, even if its | | | | toddler about the contents and its meaning will make it |
| not with words. | | | | even more fun. |
| Your toddler will understand more words than he will | | | | Any book that deals with events that your child is |
| actually say, so you can practice with simple early | | | | familiar with is usually successful, such as getting |
| learning games, such as naming. | | | | dressed, having a birthday party or going to the park. |
| Where is Johns foot? Where is Johns nose? | | | | Most importantly of all make reading exciting, fun and |
| It is important to reward your toddler when he shows | | | | enjoyable. |
| understanding, acknowledging of his understanding with | | | | As your child gets older this positive start to reading |
| excitement and enthusiasm can do this. | | | | and talking will insure that they will listen, respond to and |
| So in this example, where is Johns foot? | | | | take part in language games, it will help them to |
| When John touches his foot you would say, | | | | associate sounds with patterns in rhyme and song and |
| Yes, there's Johns foot, in an excited and enthusiastic | | | | they will start to recognise letters by shape and sound. |
| tone. | | | | This developed of communication skills is a |
| It also important to repeat the naming game word | | | | key-learning objective, and importance should be given |
| (Johns foot) in your acknowledgement, so that your | | | | to both talking, as well as listening. |
| toddler will associate the word in the question, with | | | | Listening to music will also help their speech and |
| your excited response to his action. | | | | movement, music benefits their self-confidence, |
| There are now many Early Learning Games that | | | | self-expression and helps them to listen and |
| encourages language skills and can hold your toddlers | | | | concentrate. |
| attention, as they are interactive bright and colourful. | | | | Action Songs help your toddler experience music |
| Toddlers love to listen to simple stories and nursery | | | | physically through play, and is great way of interacting |
| rhymes, reading and repeating these stories will help his | | | | between you and your toddler. Your child wont know |
| language development. | | | | that he is actually doing educational music games, its |
| Eventually, your toddler will start singing or repeating | | | | just fun to him. |
| some of the words. | | | | There are many simple action songs that just involve |
| You can encourage his imitation, by pausing briefly | | | | you singing and clapping while your toddler imitates |
| when reading or singing, to give him the opportunity to | | | | your actions. |
| join in and sing a note or two. | | | | Actions songs allow children to take part even when |
| Use simple language, repeating and expanding on what | | | | they cant sing all the words and above all, action |
| your child says. | | | | songs are great fun. |
| Expand his sentences to voice what he is trying to tell | | | | Children love joining in and doing activities with you, an |
| you. If he says Gone, answer Yes, Daddy has gone, | | | | action song can even change their mood, and yours |
| to work with emphasis on Daddy and Gone. | | | | too, making you both happier and content, my personal |
| Over the next months and years he will gradually | | | | favourite for changing my mood is Johnny Taps With |
| expand his language, filling in the little gaps. | | | | One Hammer, it just makes me laugh. |
| First Gone expands to, Daddy gone and then perhaps | | | | You can go to the library and get a range of different |
| Daddy gone work before finally producing the whole | | | | music, so you can find out what music makes your |
| sentence. | | | | toddler tick, and then make up your own educational |
| Reading is one of the most important activities that | | | | music game, to get your child involved more in music. |
| you can do, it opens up their minds to new ideas, | | | | Every child should have a few basic instruments, so |
| explores their imagination, and is a big stepping-stone | | | | that can experiment with music as the wish. |
| for future development. | | | | A child's concentration span can be very short, if they |
| It is not just a book; it is an adventure that opens the | | | | are enjoying a piece of music they may well express |
| door to a whole new world. | | | | this the only way they know how, at this age through |
| Reading to children, especially babies and toddlers, is a | | | | movement. |
| great way to boost development, early reading skills | | | | Singing simple songs teaches your child how language |
| and a great way for you to communicate and bond. | | | | is constructed and repetition helps your child learn the |
| When choosing stories for your toddler, it is so | | | | basic structure of spoken language. They also build on |
| important, to get the appropriate book for their stage | | | | their vocabulary. |
| of development, we all know that it is important for our | | | | Music also offers children a way to explore a whole |
| child to learn to read, but do you know how important | | | | range of moods and emotions they can identify with, |
| it is that our children have a positive start to learning to | | | | but cant put into words. |