Can you believe ….

90% of brain development happens by age 5

(Heckman, 2011, Zero to Three, 2014)

From birth children are developing the knowledge and skills that are important foundations for later literacy development, even though it may be some time before they will develop the skills to read, write and verbally communicate in the conventional way. As educators & parents we need to support the development of children’s emerging literacy skills through a variety of daily experiences and activities that show children that speaking, reading, writing and listening have a real purpose and are an enjoyable part of daily life. It is important to use the child’s interests and current level of understanding to guide you in supporting your child’s literacy development.

How can we do this with babies and toddlers?

• Talk with them about everyday experiences and what is happening around them, including explaining what is happening during routine activities such as feeding, bathing and nappy changing.
• Sing songs and say poems and rhymes with your child.
• Provide simple and sturdy books for your child to explore on their own, and look at books with your child, and talk about the pictures.
• Point out signs, pictures and logos. Older babies and toddlers often enjoy ‘spotting’ familiar images that relate to things they have seen in books or on television.
• Celebrate early mark makings- these may appear as ‘scribbling’ but in actual fact are the first stages to drawing & writing.
• Show children that you enjoy reading with them and make this a special time for cuddles and one-to-one time. Reading stories can become a part of settling routines such as rest and bedtimes.
• “Screen time” such as iPads, phones, computers, TV do not support literacy. A recent study suggests that too much screen time during infancy may lead to changes in brain activity, as well as problems with executive functioning — the ability to stay focused and control impulses, behaviors, and emotions. https://answers.childrenshospital.org/screen-time-infants/

How can we support literacy with pre-school age children?

• Write in front of children and explain what and why you are writing such as letters, shopping lists, ideas etc…
• Encourage children to “read” their own books- they will use the illustrations to do this and that is the perfect way to learn how to read
• Have children draw pictures and ‘write’ their own shopping list and take grocery shopping
• Access a variety of quality children’s books such as story books, factual books, visual. You can even buy these from your local post office or ask your child’s educator for suggestions
• Read books every day and discuss the illustrations and context of the story, asking questions throughout such as “what do you think will happen next?”
• Encourage children to create their own stories whether it is verbal / told or drawn as a picture
• Sing songs & play with rhyme- this can be fun in the car!
• Provide high-quality drawing and writing materials to encourage children to develop their fine motor skills as well as representational skills (large paper, lined paper/ notepads, pencils, pens, crayons)
• Have toys which encourage fine motor development such as Lego, Playdough, Mobilo, Train tracks, dressing dolls.
• Talk to children about their ideas and thoughts
• LIMIT your child screen time to no more than 1 hour/ day and it needs to be age appropriate- hence G-Rated.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies states for children younger than five years, there is strong evidence that screen time has negative effects on weight, physical and cognitive (academic) development, social and psychological wellbeing. Screen time in this age group has also been associated with problems in later childhood including emotional problems in girls and family functioning for both boys and girls. 

It is recommended families implement ‘screen time’ rules including:

• Timers so children know when their time is finished
• G-rated programs only 
• ‘Family-time’ games & activities to replace screentime

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” 

‘The first five years of life offer a critical window for learning, with rapid brain development that does not occur at any other time. During the early years, children acquire the ability to think, speak, learn, and reason. Young children’s ability to use language and understand the meaning of spoken and written words is related to later achievement in reading, writing, and spelling.’  https://www.cpliteracyfoundation.org/about-us/why-early-childhood-literacy-is-so-important/

If you would like more information on this, please reach out to your child’s educator