Developing Your Baby's LanguageWritten by Anil Vij
Children can develop language skills only if they have many opportunities to talk, listen and use language to solve problems and learn about world. Long before your child enters school, you can do many things to help her develop language. You can: Give your child opportunities to play. Play is how children learn. It is natural way for them to explore, to become creative, to learn to make up and tell stories and to develop social skills. Play also helps children learn to solve problems--for example, if her wagon tips over, a child must figure out how to get it upright again. When they stack up blocks, children learn about colors, numbers, geometry, shapes and balance. Playing with others helps children learn how to negotiate. Support and guide your child as she learns a new activity. Parents can help children learn how to do new things by "scaffolding," or guiding their efforts. For example, as you and your toddler put together a puzzle, you might point to a piece and say, "I think this is piece we need for this space. Why don't you try it?" Then have child pick up piece and place it correctly. As child becomes more aware of how pieces fit into puzzle, you can gradually withdraw your support.
| | Learning Activities For Your BabyWritten by Anil Vij
Books and Babies - For babies from age 6 weeks to 1 year Sharing books is a way to have fun with your baby and to start him on road to becoming a reader. What You Need Cardboard or cloth books with large, simple pictures of things with which babies are familiar Lift-the-flap, touch-and-feel, or peek-through play books (For suggestions, see Resources for Children,What to Do? Read to your baby for short periods several times a day. Bedtime is always a good time, but you can read at other times as well--while you're in park, on bus, or even at breakfast table (without food!). As you read, point out things in pictures. Name them as you point to them. Give your baby sturdy books to look at, touch, and hold. Allow him to peek through holes or lift flaps to discover surprises. Babies soon recognize faces and voices of those who care for them. As you read to your baby, he will begin to connect books with what he loves most--your voice and closeness. Continue talking with your older child as you did with your baby. Talking helps him to develop language skills and lets him know that what he says is important. What to Do The first activities in list below work well with younger children. As your child grows older, later activities let him do more. However, keep doing first ones as long as he enjoys them. Talk often with your toddler. When feeding, bathing, and dressing him, ask him to name or find different objects or clothing. Point out colors, sizes, and shapes.
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