Parents: Early Literacy - Playing

Children learn a lot when they play.  Play helps children express themselves and put thoughts into words.  Play also builds imagination and social skills.

• Give your child plenty of time and space to play.

• Your child doesn’t need expensive or complicated toys.  Simple toys and objects like puppets, dress-up clothes, pots and pans, and blocks are best for encouraging your child’s imagination.

• Play “pretend” and other unstructured games.  Your child will learn new words and practice language skills while having fun with you.

• Have your child tell you a story based on the pictures in a book or act out a story using puppets.