Even before they can talk, kids need to hear language. It supports their brain development! Reading and telling stories with your kids is a great way to expose them to a rich variety of words.
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When you read with your kids, they are connecting the words you say to the pictures on the page and to the things in their world. All of those connections are brain connections!
Enjoy Story Time Together
Make funny sounds or sing songs as you read or tell stories. This is also a great time for back-and-forth interactions with your kids.
Reading Daily
Pick a regular time to read together, such as every morning or at bedtime. Routines help children thrive!
Books Introduce New Words
Choose books that focus on different topics, like animals, noises, or shapes. This is a great way to expose your kids to a variety of words, which helps build your child’s vocabulary.
It’s also important to read the books your kids enjoy, even if they choose the same ones over and over again.
Create a Dialogue
Talk to your kids about the pictures in the book. “See the duck? The duck is yellow! What else in this picture is yellow?” This helps your kids build language and thinking skills.
The more words your kids know – from the books you read together and the conversations you have with them – the easier it will be for them to learn new words and understand and gain meaning from the books they read later!
Adapted from Head Start