Early language and communication skills are crucial for children's success in school and beyond.
Language skills build confidence and encourage social interactions with others. Here are 8 ideas for enhancing the language skills of the children in your program:
1. Get chatty
Engage in conversations with children about anything and everything.
2. Mix it up
Use new and unusual words and grammar to keep children on their toes. Dr. Seuss is always a great resource for this ;)
3. Props, please!
Introduce objects that spark conversations. Puppets, musical instruments, and elements from nature all work well as tools to engage children and get their creative juices flowing.
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Puppets are always a great idea, and we have hundreds!
4. Label it
Provide children with names of objects and actions around the classroom. Labels will not only keep the room organized, they will also help reinforce language skills.
5. Read interactively
Use books to engage with children and encourage them to participate by repeating phrases out loud, making animals noises, or asking questions.
6. Read it again and again!
Reading books more than once helps children with word recognition. They will enjoy participating more when they know what is coming next.
7. Make music
Engage in musical activities. Have children draw, dance, and describe the sounds they hear in any way they like.
Celebrate, communicate, and make a lot of noise with our Gathering Drum .
8. Sign it
Incorporate American Sign Language (ASL) when speaking or reading to teach children about inclusivity and help them begin to learn a new skill.
9. Play Games
There are so many great games and activities out there that utilize vocabulary skills in a fun way. Incorporating games in to learning is guaranteed to always be a hit.
Rhyming Pebbles provide a tactile way to explore common rhyming families and develop phonemic awareness.
