What is the practice?
Having lots of opportunities to play with and read books, vocalize and “talk” to others, join in fingerplays, and play other sound and word games provides infants the building blocks for learning to read, write, and talk. The term for all these different kinds of opportunities is literacy-rich home experiences.
What does the practice look like?
Imagine an infant sitting on an adult’s lap and reading a book, an infant and parent playing peek-a-boo, an infant in a highchair at the dinner table listening to his or her older siblings talk about school, and an infant finger drawing in pudding or yogurt. These are just a few of the kinds of activities that make up literacy-rich home experiences.
How do you do the practice?
This practice is about a child’s involvement in different kinds of activities and opportunities that develop interests in reading, talking, and writing. The activities and opportunities should be things the baby finds fun and interesting. Don’t overdo it. A few highly interesting activities are better than many uninteresting things to do.
How do you know the practice worked?
- Does the child try to communicate using sounds or gestures?
- Does the child show he’s looking forward to the “next words” in a story or rhyme?
- Does he show interest in trying to draw with his fingers?
- Different kinds of commercial and homemade picture books, ABC books, talking books, homemade photo album books, and the like are all good bets for encouraging interest in stories.
- Read to the child as often as he seems interested. Let him take part in reading favorite books by encouraging touching, pointing, showing, and talking.
- Play lap games and fingerplays. Sing nursery rhymes and made-up songs while you play with the child.
- Talk to the child while you are doing routine activities like diaper changing or preparing his meals. Involve him in conversations you are having with other people. Ask simple questions like “What do you think about that?” It isn’t important that the child understand what is being said. The important thing is making him part of the activity.
- Give the child opportunities to draw with his fingers using pudding, yogurt, finger paints, and other materials. Involve him in activities like seeing you make a grocery list or write a note or letter.
- Encourage the child to play with alphabet toys that make sounds when they are shaken or dropped.
Take a look at more fun home activities
A Bevy of Books
Susan became interested in books and other reading materials not long after she was able to reach and hold onto things with both hands. Looking at pictures of familiar things and having mom or her home visitor read her stories are just a few of the reading activities Susan especially enjoys. Susan’s mom wants to promote her interest in books and reading and make sure she has lots of everyday opportunities to play with reading materials. Susan’s home visitor has helped Mom find board books, cloth books, homemade picture-album books, magazines, talking books, and other reading and storytelling materials. They are kept in a plastic bin where Susan can reach them easily. Mom watches for opportunities to use Susan’s interests when she reads to her, tells her stories, and involves her as much as possible in these activities.
Scads of Scribbling
Eleven-month-old Landon has become especially interested in watching Amy, his daycare teacher, when she draws and writes. Amy tries to find all kinds of ways that Landon can be part of these activities and she encourages him to try to “write” on his own. He may only be able to scribble, but Landon likes sitting next to Amy and “writing.” Amy lets him use crayons and magic markers while they are both writing a note or making a shopping list. Landon also gets to finger draw with finger paints on the table surface, scribble with big pieces of chalk on the pavement outside, and play in wet sand at the sand table. As Landon is doing any of these things, Amy talks about, describes, and asks Landon questions to keep him involved in all of these prewriting activities.
Games and Rhymes
Infants like 8-month-old David who is blind and 14-month-old Sarah who cannot hear still enjoy traditional lap games, nursery rhymes, and fingerplays. Any one of these kinds of activities provides lots and lots of opportunities to listen to sounds and words, interact with parents and other people, communicate wants and needs using gestures and sign language, and learn the basics of back-and-forth conversation. Allison, David’s and Sarah’s teacher, involves the children in many of these play activities. As they play, Allison talks about everything that is going on by using simple words and sentences and sign language that David and Sarah have learned to understand.
