People say talk is cheap, but for babies, talk is priceless. Talking with babies has been shown to have an amazing impact on the growth of their brains and development of language, key to their future success in school and in life. And, unlike products that are advertised to parents as critical to making their babies smart, talking is free!
Take a look at this one-minute Words Count video.
Words Count—read, talk, sing, and play with your child every day!
- The number and variety of words a child knows makes a difference – a child’s vocabulary at age 2 can predict whether she will become a good reader.
- Have conversations with babies and young children to help them learn language. This is sometimes called “serve & return” — baby begins to babble, adult talks back, baby vocalizes again.
- Reading picture books with children expands their vocabulary even more. They often include words families may not use often. For example, Audrey Wood’s The Napping House provides many synonyms for napping: sleeping, snoring, dreaming, dozing, snoozing, slumbering – a great way to expand your child’s vocabulary.
- Sing special songs, have fun telling stories with wordless books, and play together!
Have fun with these Words Count materials:
- Picture Frame
- Placemat
- Refrigerator Magnet (limited supply available) – contact us
Right From Birth: Eliminating the Talk Gap in Young Children – the word gap and “active ingredients” for making a difference.
We Can’t Talk Too Much – a short video about the importance of talking with young children.
Another resource to reinforce Words Count ideas, Babies on Track uses delightful images of Alaska babies on location around the state, in two wordless board books and a 14-minute DVD, to foster early learning and healthy brain development at home in easy, convenient ways. Learn more and view a preview of the DVD.
