The following link from Zero to Three discusses the role the early years play in literacy and brain development. Why and how does the development of literacy skills begin long before children learn to read and write?
The article also emphasizes the importance of relationships in the early years:
"The development of strong attachment relationships with family and primary caregivers may be the central task of infancy. It is in the context of warm, loving relationships that infants learn to trust, to feel safe exploring their worlds, and to develop a sense of competence and confidence in their own ability to master new skills. This growing sense of self-esteem and personal identity prepares them for later success as communication partners, readers, and writers."
Read the full article here.
One way to encourage creative and imaginative thinking is to help children find ways to expand story topics beyond the pages of a book. When ideas can be transferred from one experience (e.g., reading a story) to another (e.g., a real life experience) they become more meaningful. A child's ability to link abstract ideas to concrete experiences is an important part of early childhood cognitive development as well as the development of higher thinking and reasoning.
With the arrival of spring, many children and families begin to spend more time outside. The book, It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw, is a collection of simple white shapes that all turn out to be a cloud in the sky. This book can easily be extended to an outside activity. What do the clouds in the sky look like to you? With a notebook and pencil in hand, you and your child can venture out and make your own version of a book like It Looked Like Spilt Milk. Encourage your child to look hard and think creatively to see different objects in the shapes of the clouds. If your child is up for the task, have him draw or paint the shapes. Other possibilities include cutting out abstract shapes of white paper or felt and gluing them onto a piece of paper or into a notebook. Add labels (either child-written or dictated to you by your child) to the pictures to complete the book.
If you and your child create your own version of It Looked Like Spilt Milk, feel free to send a copy to us for the possibility of being featured on our website! The first family to respond will receive a copy of It Looked Like Spilt Milk. Happy cloud watching!
Send your submissions to jreid@lucydanielscenter.org.
Click here for additional tips on reading together with young children.
Our current booklist, Imagine that!, features books that encourage and inspire imagination in early childhood. The following article, Developing a Child's Imagination Skills, discusses some of the reasons why imagination is such an important part of early childhood:
"[R]esearch has shown that children who have an active imagination and use it well tend to:
- play better with other children
- do well in school
- be able to handle anger and other emotions better
- be happier
- better able to amuse themselves and play on their own."
The article also discusses how reading plays an important role in the development of imagination skills:
"Reading and developing a long-term appetite for books is one of the best ways of generating a child’s imagination skills. Picture books are great for early learners, helping both language, vocabulary and reading skills, as well as fuelling their imagination. When you’re first developing an interest in books, choose picture books that are colourful, fun and interactive.
Make use of the services at your local library to introduce your toddler to a wide range of different books and try out a range of topics. You’re likely to soon find favourites that he’ll want to hear over and over again."
Read the full article here: Early Childhood Education: Developing a child's imagination skills
For our complete list of recommended books that stimulate the mind and encourage imagination, please click here.
Have you ever wondered how and when children learn to write? What do scribbles mean and what purpose do they serve?
Learning to draw and write, much like learning to talk, is a process that evolves over time. The following article from Zero to Three (National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families) describes some of the steps in this process. In addition, some tips on how to encourage drawing and writing are included.
A Scribble or a Masterpiece? How Your Child's Writing and Art Changes Over Time
The following is an interesting and practical article for parents about play from zerotothree.org. Play is an important part of early childhood and is much more than simply a way to pass time. Discover some of the facts and myths about play with a short true/false quiz, and learn about developmentally appropriate play for young children and why children repeat the same type of play, and more!
The Truth About Play by Rebecca Parlakian and Claire Lerner (Zero to Three)
For more information about the importance of play and to answer other questions related to this topic, check out the following Lucy Daniels Center articles:
Are Toy Guns Ever OK?
Taming Monsters with Imagination
This post has been submitted by Debbie Mugno.
How delightful to snuggle up with a baby and share a book! The soothing rhythm of your voice and the warmth of your body make reading together a positive and pleasurable experience. In the early months of life, babies may seem most interested in touching and mouthing books. At this stage, it is wise to have a few cloth or vinyl books available. Board books with bright, clear images and well defined pictures or photographs are most attractive to very young children. Keep in mind that particularly in this first year, children relate to their world in a very concrete manner, so choose simple stories and picture books with familiar objects. Children will often want to “read” the same book or even the same page repeatedly. Follow their lead. Help young children begin to understand that reading books can generate a wide variety of experiences. Be expressive - even dramatic, and act out the emotions in a story. Exaggerate sounds, imitate characters, and encourage children to join you. Above all, make this a time to share and enjoy – be relaxed, flexible, and focus on the experience!
For more information on reading to and with your children, take a look at our reading tips and recommendations.
Separation at Nighttime
Not everyone thinks about nighttime being a time of separation for children. Even though you are all still together in the same house after bedtime, a “good night” to a child is a bit like a “good bye” until the morning (or until he or she seeks you out for comfort!). Being alone during the night is a particularly difficult task for many children, and feeling strong on your own (autonomous) during the night poses extra challenges. For our current topic on separation and autonomy, Feeling strong on my own, we have included a few books specifically about feeling more comfortable with saying good night.
For books related to nighttime, take a look at Kiss Good Night, Goodnight Me, and My Own Big Bed.
For questions or concerns about nighttime, take a look at the following articles on the Lucy Daniels Center’s main website:
Building mental muscles to overcome childhood anxieties
Helping children with monster fears
Taming nightmares
