Have you ever found yourself in a meal ‘rut’, where you cook the same ten recipes, over and over again? Yes? Well, it turns out that, as adults, we do the same things with words. We get into word ruts and tend to use the same phrases and words time and time again. This is important because we know that the number of words a child is exposed to hugely impacts their vocabulary, which is the biggest predictor of future reading and writing success.
Want to know a little parenting ‘hack’ to help expose your children to more words…knowing that you might be experiencing a word rut? READ TO THEM!
“When kids are with caregivers or parents, they’re exposed to the same language, the same vocabulary words, the same patterns of speaking, which is wonderful,” says Dr. Laura Phillips. “But books allow them to hear new vocabulary and new ways of putting words together.” Research tells us that children who are read to daily become better readers!
So, grab a book and find a nook- your child will thank you for it!
Remember: FORGET ABOUT STEPS….COUNT YOUR WORDS INSTEAD!!
For more Talk, Read, Sing resources click HERE