For even more helpful hints like these, click over to the website for Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children.
Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of providing Pennsylvania’s young children with access to quality early learning opportunities. Their website — papromiseforchildren.com — is a site complete with information and tools to help parents of those who’s child is either in early learning or in the process of getting early learning. This month, for example, PA Promise for Children suggests strategies parents and guardians can use at the grocery store depending on the age level. As you shop, describe to your baby what he is seeing. Use different words to describe the colors, shapes, smells and noises he may experience. Tell him what you plan to do with the items you purchase and how many you will buy. Expand the sensory experiences; for example, touch items of varying textures and temperature to your child’s skin. Use facial expressions to enhance your experiences. Using the signs within the grocery store, help your toddler pick out different letters, numbers, colors, etc. Point out the letter that begins her name, or the number that matches her age. Use the web, a book, or even an app to introduce simple sign language to read signs and spell out words. As you put away your groceries, talk about the items that were purchased. Help your preschooler describe each item-hard, soft, rough, smooth, red, green, etc. How many different words can he use to describe the item? Each of you can take turns coming up with a new word! Create a shopping page on a tablet with pictures and descriptive words. During the next grocery trip, have your kindergartner assist you in matching the coupon with the item. Point out the name of the items and the picture on the coupons. Translate the amount on the coupon into money. “50 cents is two quarters” or “$1.00 is the same as four quarters or one dollar bill”. Make your own play money and coupons and practice shopping. Allow your child to shop in your kitchen with their coupons and money to prepare for shopping in a store. Below are a few simple everyday activities to try in order to improve and maintain language skills. Encourage your child to read stories or listen to stories you read to him/her and retell. A student’s reading comprehension skills are measured by their ability to RETELL the story they read. Following a recipe requires attention to key elements and small details, as well as following multiple step directions. Use words like: first, then last, next, more than, until while making your special dish! Also don’t forget to label the items that you are using and describe them with as many details as you can. This will help to build vocabulary skills. Objects can be defined and described in a variety of ways. The simplest way to describe an object is by telling its category, what it is used for and what it looks like. FOR HELP WITH STUTTERING, click the link: www.stutteringhelp.org. Also, this is some helpful information from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding stuttering in toddlers and www.westutter.org
Therapy Solutions Inc.
Babies
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Kindergartners
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
Read and Retell Stories
Cooking
Describing Objects