by Esther Jantzen, guest poster Kids have lots of different reasons for asking questions. Sometimes they want attention or they want to argue with the family rules. Sometimes they are seeking new information and understanding, and those are excellent questions to encourage. The trick is to notice thoughtful questions when they are asked, and praise children for them with a response like, “That’s a great question!” If you can answer those questions right away, do that. But sometimes you don’t know the answer or the timing…
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READ A PICTURE
by Esther Jantzen, guest poster We can get lots of information from the pictures we see in ads, signs, books, billboards, and television. Often children don’t know the names for things they see. Naming things in pictures is a great way to build vocabulary. Children enjoy being asked what they think about what they see. Just listen to their ideas, whether they are reasonable or not. It helps them develop thinking and observation skills. Here are some ways to do it: 1) When you open a…
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USE ANOTHER WORD
by Esther Jantzen, guest poster This game can be played anywhere, anytime, for as long as it feels fun! It’s good when you are driving in the car, walking to school, eating supper, reading together, or just relaxing. It’s a synonym game. A synonym is another word for something. For instance, “lad” is a synonym for “boy.” Learning new synonyms can really build a child’s vocabulary rapidly! Here are some ways to play this synonym game: 1) When you are reading a book to a child…
