Emergent Literacy: Language

Tips for parents to increase a child's vocabulary:

1. Talk directly to your child beginning at birth.
   
2. Describe daily events.
3. Sing songs, tell stories, recite nursery rhymes or poems to your child.
4. Read books and point out and repeat the names of things.
5. Name objects in the child's environment.
6. Listen to your child's attempts at words and reinforce them by repeating words or phrases that the child says.
7. Encourage your child's speech with positive responses such as "yes, that is a ball." using the correct word and then add a phrase to expand on it such as "Let's play with the red ball."
8. Play word games to link words with actions. Tickle, touch toes, point to head, hands.
9. Engage in dramatic play with your child.
10. Provide opportunities for your child to interact socially and talk to other children.
11. Participate in story times for all ages and other early childhood programming with your child at your local library.

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