Activity Ideas

These activities help build early literacy skills.

Something to chew on (Infants)

Give your baby cloth or board books that are soft and safe. Let her feel them with her hands and mouth. Your baby might grab the book as you read to her. That’s okay. Let her grab and play. Look for books with pictures of babies. Babies love to look at other babies.

Look for a coo (Infants)

When you ask your baby a question, wait and look for his response, like his eyes opening wide or a coo. Ask him anything, such as, “Are you hungry?” He won’t use words to answer you, but he may respond with a look or a gurgle. Remember to wait after you ask a question to give your baby a chance to respond in his own way.

Rhyme it, don’t whine it (Toddlers)

Rhyme, rap, and sing your way through the day to make activities more fun.  For instance, you could say, “Johnny, that is you. You put on your shoe. It is blue.” Switch roles and be an audience.  Ask your child to try rhyming.  Cheer when your child rhymes words – even if they are made up.

What a day! (Toddlers)

Ask your toddler to tell you the story of her day. Say, “Once upon a time, a little girl named Alicia woke up. Then what happened?” Help her along. Ask questions to remind your child about the things she did during the day.

Tell me about it (Preschoolers)

Do your child’s drawings or writing look like real images or words? Ask him to tell you about them. Say, “Can you tell me about what is happening in this part of the picture?” Your child may write some letters backwards, misspell a word, or draw a boat under water. This is all okay.

What’s happening? (Preschoolers)

Ask questions that make your child talk and think about the story you tell them. Ask, “What will happen next?” or, “What else could the boy have done?” It’s okay if your child doesn’t have all the answers. Ask more questions to help get to an answer.

Activities from Recipes for Learning (2007) from Born Learning, a book made possible by United Way, United Way Success By 6, and Civitas.  Find more information and activities at www.bornlearning.org.