Explore food, recipes, measuring and so much more with our many manipulation, role play, and early science activities. This theme will help you create a special restaurant within your daycare!

Extra Activities

Extra Ativities Archives

Language

Preschool-aged children develop language skills at a very fast pace. In a short period of time, they go from producing simple sounds to speaking very complete sentences. They need your help to acquire these skills. You can provide them with several opportunities to interact with peers and adults which surround them. Conversations allow them to store a great deal of information which contributes to their vocabulary.

However, since all children are unique and evolve at their own pace, a child's language may not be at the same level as other children his age. In several cases, this problem is resolved before the child enters kindergarten. The first thing to do is to ensure the child experiences a variety of activities which will help stimulate him to speak. I have prepared a list of activities which are appropriate for language development.

Activities and interventions

There are many tools available which can stimulate children such as books, music, songs, and rhymes. Here are a few ways to exploit these tools to the fullest.

Books:

Prior to reading

Select books with attractive illustrations. Make sure the illustrations which accompany the story are easy to understand and associated to the text. The illustrations should resemble real-life objects as much as possible.
To increase vocabulary, offer different kinds of books. Most local libraries allow daycares to borrow several books at one time. Why not prepare a treasure chest filled with wonderful books. Change them every few weeks.
Always choose a calm period of the day to read. You must not be rushed by time. Discuss books prior to reading them. Read the titles, have children talk about the covers...

While reading

Encourage children to participate. Give them time to express their thoughts and to talk about the illustrations. Ask open questions.
Pause while reading to explain new words.

After reading

Books are great to present a new theme. You can build your week around a book's subject. Arts & crafts, motor skills, and role play activities can be tied in to a story. Use your imagination and remember to ask children for suggestions.
Let children tell the story. They can tell it as they remember it or tell the story in their own words.

Variations

Audio books are a great alternative to traditional books. Children can use them on their own in a special corner or listen to them as a group.
You can also cut pictures out of magazines. Have children pick a picture and tell a story about it. The other children pick pictures too and continue the story or begin one of their own.

Music and rhymes:

Whenever you introduce a new song, illustrate the theme and organize a discussion related to it. Talk about the content of the song and associate gestures to the lyrics.
Create a songbook for each child. Songs can be illustrated. Include the complete lyrics and make the songbooks available at all times.
Singing can be done anytime and anywhere. Cleanup time, when preparing lunch, prior to naptime, and while taking a walk are just a few examples. Songs are filled with so many words of all kinds! Create songs and rhymes about whatever you are doing. Keep it simple!

Other activities

Circle time is a great time to get children talking. Have them describe an activity they did at home, review the calendar and weather chart with them, and discuss the day's activities, etc.
Play the telephone game. Have one child whisper a word into his neighbour's ear and have the word travel around the circle.

Sonia Leclerc

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