IDEAS
FOR THE PARENTS OF A TWO YEAR OLD
Listen to music with your child. Have conversations with your child. Use a good speech model yourself...don't use baby talk. Talk to your child about what you are doing together. When your child learns a new word, repeat it over and over again. Continue reading simple and colorful books to your child. Go out to a variety of places with your child and talk about what you see, what you hear...and what you feel.
IDEAS
FOR PARENTS OF A THREE YEAR OLD
If your child has difficulty saying certain words, use those words over and over again in your own speech. Continue to read to your child every day......read longer stories. Take your child to the Public Library story times programs. Talk about how things are the same and how still they can be different. Encourage your child to tell stories to you. Pay attention to your child when he/she speaks to you.
IDEAS
FOR PARENTS OF A FOUR YEAR OLD
Talk to your child as you would speak to any other person. Do not expect your child
to articulate words perfectly. Continue to show your delight in his/her development of
speech, language and thinking skills' Teach your child to use the telephone correctly.
Let your child help you plan for special events such as a birthday party or a holiday meal.
IDEAS
FOR PARENTS OF A FIVE YEAR OLD
Plan activities that will encourage your child to sing, rhyme and recite from memory.
Use language to communicate feelings, fears, dreams, wishes and ideas with your child....and listen to your child as he or she responds. Make comments on things that are happening... and comment on how you think your child is feeling. Most of the time you can talk to your child as you would speak to an adult.Continue to read aloud. Some children begin to read themselves at this age. Don't let oral reading practice substitute for your reading aloud to your little one because it is through listening to stories that vocabulary and auditory skills will continue to develop.