OBSERVE: Watch your child and notice what has their interest. WAIT: Wait 5-10 seconds for your child to process what they are observing. They may start talking when you wait. LISTEN: If your child talks, you can restate what they shared and affirm what they notice going on around them.
Even before your child can talk, they are learning to listen and learning about the world around them. When you use simple language to describe daily activities, it will help your child make sense of their world. Eventually, they will learn to tell you about what’s happening around them.
Children often practice new words until they get the hang of them. Although not clearly articulated, the parent is restating the attempted word (splat) for the child in order to encourage her to keep practicing the word. This also teaches your child how to comment on what they are doing.
Take turns reading and interpreting the story together. This may simply mean letting your child notice things in the book, or having the parent take the lead reading the story, pausing to ask the child what they see or provide an idea.
Browse age-appropriate activities that support healthy child development in the areas of emotions & self-awareness, social skills, character, literacy, and math. Activities feature your child’s favorite characters like Daniel Tiger, Curious George, Sesame Street, and more!
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) website provide information and resources about adoption, early learning, child care, foster care, kinship caregivers, child development (including the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers [ESIT] program), and much more.
