Milestones are an exciting part of parenting. Those that arise in the toddler years can be somewhat daunting, though. Remember that amidst those temper tantrums are lots of exciting moments of growth! During your child’s third year of life (from ages 2 to 3), he or she will have huge gains in social, emotional, and physical development. You’ll notice that your child begins imitating the actions of adults and peers, identifying and sorting objects, and following two- and three-step directions.

This is the perfect time to start building a foundation for early reading! Here are some ways to capitalize on these new abilities and develop pre-literacy skills:Milestones are an exciting part of parenting. Those that arise in the toddler years can be somewhat daunting, though. Remember that amidst those temper tantrums are lots of exciting moments of growth! During your child’s third year of life (from ages 2 to 3), he or she will have huge gains in social, emotional, and physical development. You’ll notice that your child begins imitating the actions of adults and peers, identifying and sorting objects, and following two- and three-step directions. This is the perfect time to start building a foundation for early reading! Here are some ways to capitalize on these new abilities and develop pre-literacy skills:

  • Engage your child in day-to-day conversation and describe events in detail to help strengthen his or her vocabulary and language skills. 

  • Schedule time each day to read, play, draw, and explore together. While reading, ask your child questions that go beyond simple “yes” and “no” answers, like “Tell me about your favorite part,” and “Why do you think this happened?” 

  • Include pretend play in your child’s schedule. This builds the imagination and shows him or her acceptable ways to interact with others in social situations. 

  • Sing simple songs and recite rhymes together to encourage your child’s understanding of the natural rhythm of language. Register with Osceola Reads and get free access to songs and rhymes that are perfect for the toddler stage.
 

Children learn more during the first three to five years than during any other period of their lives. Give your child a head start with the free reading app Footsteps2Brilliance by registering with Osceola Reads today. If you register between now and November 15, your child could win an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet! Join the Ultimate Reading Race now!