Getting Ready to Read and Write
Developing
the skills necessary to read and write actually starts in your child’s
earliest months of life. Take
a look at this new ZERO TO THREE booklet which offers ideas for
nurturing these skills in your everyday interactions with your young
child. The information is presented in easy-to-reference tables,
organized by age from birth to 5 years. This booklet is available
exclusively online.
Let us know what you think!
How to Make “No” Really Mean “No”
How do you handle an
extremely persistent child who just won’t take “No” for an answer?
While persistence is great for helping children hang in there when they
face a challenge, a very persistent young child can also make
limit-setting no fun at all for parents. Learn
how to be clear about limits and how to avoid negotiations with
your stick-to-it toddler.
Persistence in Action
This short video clip shows how even young babies can be very
persistent in going after something they really want. (The baby in this
clip is 9 months old.) While young babies, like this one, often respond
to redirection—or distracting them from what is not allowed—older
toddlers don’t usually go for this trick. If you have a young baby,
think about how you might use distraction the next time he wants
something he can’t have. If you have an older toddler, what have you
found to be the best way to shift his interest from what is “forbidden”
to what is acceptable?
|Watch
Video|
Developmental Assessments
During the course of early childhood, parents or caregivers
sometimes have concerns about how a child is developing. It is
important to share your observations and concerns with your child’s
health care provider. The next step may be seeking a developmental
assessment to help you understand your child’s strengths and areas
where she may need support. Learn
more about developmental assessments—your role, the professional’s
role, and your child’s role—in this online resource.
Fun
for the Under 3 Set
Here are
some fun playtime ideas just right for our favorite young people.
Birth to 12
Months:
On Your Feet. Gather several pieces of
material with different textures. Hold baby upright (with hands
under your baby’s arms) with his feet touching one of the fabrics. Try
a few different fabrics to see which textures he prefers. Sensory
games like this enhance your baby’s tactile and body awareness.
12 to 24
Months:
Freeze! Toddlers love freeze
dancing. Play music and encourage your child to dance or move in whatever
way he likes. Then instruct him to stop when the music ends. This
kind of activity encourages listening skills and self-regulation as he
practices stopping at starting. (This is a very useful skill for
when he goes to school and has to follow a lot of directions!)
24 to 36 Months:
Instant Authors. Staple
5 or 6 pieces of paper together. Ask your child to tell you story
as you write the sentences down on each page. Your child can then
draw in the “illustrations”. This activity helps your child develop
logical thinking as he weaves a story. To guide him, ask, “What
happens next?”
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