Artifact reflection

A newsletter for parents with children ages 3—5 Supporting your child’s language development is a crucial step in preparing

them for life. You have a big role in being one of their main supporters as they

develop. Keep reading to see what you can do to help!

Reading to your child may have

numerous benefits for developing their

language. This is a fun way to expose

them to new vocabulary words that

they have never heard before. They are

also able to hear proper sentence

structures, which could prepare them to

be more comfortable doing that on

their own.

Beyond this, it gives you time to

connect with your child. What your child

will learn from this experience is that you

care about their education and are

willing to work together with them to

build their areas of opportunity.

Singing to your child also has

numerous benefits, many of them

aligning with those of reading. Singing

promotes literacy development without

you or the child even having to think

about it. The brain’s neuropathways

light up when engaging with music,

which is the perfect opportunity to

introduce a learning moment. Try

singing the ABCs early and often with

them or fun counting songs, such as

“Five Little Monkeys.” The music will

capture their attention and the lyrics will

stay with them throughout their early

development.

Talk with your child! Take every opportunity

you can to make conversation with them. Simply

asking about their day will give them examples of

social interaction that will be foundational for their

development. When you are in the car with them,

playing with them, or are at the dinner table with

your child are great opportunities to connect with

them. Eventually, they will show that they are able

to initiate these conversations independently,

displaying their language development.

For more information on ways you can enhance your child’s linguistic

development, consider visiting the following websites:

naeyc.org

asha.org

childmind.org