Storytelling is an art. Use funny voices and sound effects as well as dramatic facial expressions while you weave your tale, and your child will surely be captivated. It is also fun to make up stories together. For example, you begin, “Once upon a time there was a frog who thought he was a pig.†[…]
To honor this wacky holiday, challenge each member of your family to wear one piece of clothing backward today. You can also reverse the day’s meals, and serve dinner for breakfast, and breakfast for dinner. Make a game of thinking up words that are the same spelled forward and backward (mom, dad, pop, tot etc.). […]
1 Shoebox 1 Cardboard box to cut up (you can also use 6 sheets of heavy card stock available at craft stores) Safety scissors Craft glue 1 5×5-inch sheet of bubble wrap 1 5×5-inch sheet of sandpaper 1 5×5-inch sheet of felt 1 5×5-inch piece of fuzzy fabric 1 5×5-inch piece of aluminum foil 1 […]
There are a myriad of games to help your child develop coordination and language skills. Some of the most fun are action rhymes. Your little one will find the rhymes amusing and will want to play along with you. This leap from passive to active is an important step in your child’s development.    Open/Close […]
At this stage, your toddler learns about reading through everyday experiences with books. Simply through reading with adults, your toddler learns that books contain lots of interesting pictures and words and that stories show her worlds to explore. Â Toddlers who have been read to will invite others to read to them. When adults stop […]
Watching your child learn to write is thrilling. Here’s how you can help her develop this new skill with confidence.  Three-year-old Hannah and her dad regularly have breakfast together. When she heard that he wouldn’t be home from work until after her bedtime, she decided to write him a note about the blueberry pancakes […]
Make your baby the star of his own book for a personal introduction to reading.   • Photographs of your baby • Small cloth or plastic photo album Babies particularly enjoy viewing their daily activities. Search for colorful pictures that show scenes familiar and important to your baby, such as you dressing or feeding him; baby playing […]
A homemade picture book is a personal introduction to literacy.  • sturdy plastic photo album with plastic photo protectors • photographs, greeting cards, and pictures cut out of magazines • heavy card stock • nontoxic glue Gather materials to get started, then let your baby’s or toddler’s interest dictate the content.  Feature family photos. Glue photos to card […]
