Infographics for Caregivers

1) A daily reading habit (even just 5-10 minutes) helps build vocabulary.

2) Narrating during active play ("Wow! You jumped high!") helps give context to adjectives and verbs.

3) Drawing letters during chalk or crayon time while saying the sound the letter makes helps early literacy awareness.

4) Add words to what they say. Child says "Milk!" Repeat back as you get the milk, "I want milk."

5) Repeat what they say, but correctly. Child says: "We runned bo fast!" You say excitedly back, "We ran so fast!"

6) Put words to their actions or gestures. Child raises arms up to be picked up, and you say, "Up? Okay, I'll pick you up!"

1) It practices fine motor skills and coordination.

2) Gives lots of practice with language and speech skills.

3) It allows for safe expression of a variety of emotions.

4) It fosters empathy and understanding.

5) Pretending allows for practicing working together and taking turns.

6) Imaginative play fosters problem solving.

1) Respond to gestures just like you would to speech.

2) Read books together.

3) Get down on the same level as your child when you play, so they can more easily see your face and mouth as you speak.

4) Describe everyday activities to give them more chances to learn and hear words (build vocabulary).

5) Talk about emotions, and acknowledge them (instead of "Don't cry, you're okay!" Try, "Sometimes I cry when I get scared or fall. It's how our bodies tell us they're hurt.").

6) Imitate and describe actions to practice verbs.

1) Make book reading a routine from day one. A few snuggly minutes are great! Allow toddlers to turn pages, even before you've read the full text.

2) Practice drawing letters & saying their sounds during art or play. Try to say the sound itself, "sss" versus "ess", then naming it, "The letter Ess says ssss."

3) Track the words with your finger while you're reading to your child. You can point out only the emphasized or rhyming words if the full sentence is too much.

4) Sing or read nursery stories and songs that rhyme. Songs are a fun way to approach language and sound awareness - and sometimes big body movements or dance can increase engagement.

5) Make-up or retell stories together. This can include talking about the day, or describing the big event of going down the slide at the playground!

6) Talk about where sounds are in words - "T is at the end of CAT!

Narrating the day: Talking out loud about everyday activities to your newborn, infant, toddler, preschooler, and growing child. This includes labeling, describing, and explaining.

Example: Open your mouth. You're eating apples. Mmm I love fruit, too.

Example: Arms up. Shirt on! Now we're dressed.

Narrating the day can change and grow as your child does. With newborns and infants, simple 1-3 word labels and phrases are long enough. As your child's own vocabulary grows, you can expand from "Arms up. Shirt on! Now we're dressed." to something like "Raise your arms above your head. I'm pulling your shirt on. Now you're dressed in your red shirt." 

Increases vocabulary through contextualized exposure to words

Fosters Empathy and understanding of others

Demonstrates thought process for problem solving

Points to most colors and basic shapes when they are named for them.

Understands simple spatial concepts (prepositions): next to, on, under, behind.

Notices and pays attention to their name being called from another room.

Emerging understanding of quantity concepts: Full, empty, a lot, none.

Starting to follow multi-step instructions: Put on your shoes, get your hat, then grab a book.

If your four year old is not yet doing these things, request a speech therapy referral from your doctor, or join us in one of our Speech Groups!

From the American Academy of Pediatrics

Under 18 Months: No screen use aside from video chatting with adults or family for connection.

18-24 Months:

Limit to 1 hour a day of an educational program.

Ages 2-5 years:

Limit non-educational screen use to 1 hour per weekday and 3 per weekend days.

Children that watched more than 2 hours of TV a day and started earlier than 12 months were 6 times more likely to have a language delay.

Decreased white-matter (brain) tracts associated with language and literacy skills on MRI (Journal of American Medical Association Study in 2020)

Correlated: Decreased attention span, dopamine production not linked to biological function, decreased cause and effect awareness, decreased emotional regulation, poor quality sleep

Caregiver control over screen use (select the show, set the timer)

Watch together and discuss the show (practice the vocabulary in human interactions)

Select educational programs that don't reward increased use (e.g., points) or punish lack of use (e.g., losing levels for not playing for a day)

No screen use prior to school

Plan for big body movements or outdoor play before and after screen time.

Remove screen use for at least 1 hour before bedtime.

Reminder: If you allow your child increased screen time sometimes because you: need a shower, need a rest, need to work, etc... You are not a bad parent! This information is not meant to shame; it is only meant to provide facts for each parent to make informed decisions for their home.