America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Caregivers -------------------------------------------------------------------- Acknowledgments This booklet for caregivers of children from birth through age five was developed by the AmeriCorps Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center as a project of the Corporation for National Service; the U.S. Department of Education; and the Child Care Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We wish to acknowledge Derry Koralek as the principal author of this volume, with assistance from Ray Collins and Betty McLeod of the AmeriCorps Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center; Margaret McLaughlin and Jim Ekstrom of the Corporation for National Service; and Pat McKee, Alan Ginsburg, Adriana de Kanter, Val Plisko, Susan Thompson-Hoffman, Manny Smith, Brenda Long, Jessica Ellsworth, and Corey Chatis of the U.S. Department of Education. Other persons who assisted in the production of this booklet include Anne Goldstein, Director, National Child Care Information Center; Jewel Bazillo-Bellegarde, Corporation for National Service; and Joan Lombardi, Jennifer Chang, and Lillian Sugarman of the Child Care Bureau. We also wish to acknowledge the graphic design work of Eve Guianan and Loren Holtkamp of Books and Beyond, with production oversight by Ellie Topolovac and Sue Holtkamp of Books and Beyond. Dear Caregiver: Welcome to READY*SET*READ, an AMERICA READS CHALLENGE booklet that is filled with activities and ideas caregivers* can use every day to help young children learn about language. Children's language learning is rooted in the warm, loving environment of their homes and families. When caregivers work with families to support and build on the language skills children learn at home, children learn quickly. Most of the ideas in READY*SET*READ are simple to do, using materials found in your child care setting or at the library. These activities and ideas can be used with children as you play and do daily activities together. The activities are presented for four age groups: * Young Babies (Birth to 8 months) * Crawlers and Walkers (8 to 18 months) * Toddlers (18 to 36 months) * Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) The ideas for one age group may also work for a younger or older child. Using what you know about each child's skills and interests can help you decide which activities to use. You can read the section for one age group now and save the others for later. Children learn about language when their caregivers: * Offer interesting books and play materials that match the children's skills, interests, and cultures * Read aloud to children every day * Keep reading and writing materials where children can reach them on their own * Show children how they use reading and writing to learn, have fun, and get jobs done * Listen to children's ideas, answer their questions, and model how language is used Parents are their children's first teachers, but caregivers play an essential role in supporting the work begun at home. On the next page are some simple tips to help the children in your care learn about listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These basic, daily activities can make a difference in children's language growth. ------------------------- * In this booklet, "caregivers" refers to family child care providers and the teachers, staff, and volunteers in child development programs. America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Caregivers - April 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting to Know You: Activities for Young Babies (Birth to 8 Months Old) WHAT DO YOUNG BABIES DO? + Cry, make other sounds, and move their bodies. + Listen and respond to the sounds and voices around them. + Coo, gurgle, laugh, and babble to themselves and others. + Enjoy listening to stories. + Smile when people smile at them. + Respond to their names. + Take turns while singing and playing with another person. + Pick up objects with their fingers and thumbs. + Move objects from one hand to the other. HOW DO YOUNG BABIES LEARN? Katie is in the bathtub splashing in the water with both hands. Her father sits on the floor next to the tub making sure she is safe. "Katie, Katie," he says as he picks up a washcloth. "Are you ready to play our special game?" Katie looks up and sees her father's smiling face. She smiles at him and laughs. He says, "Let's play Peek-a-Boo,"; and puts a washcloth in front of his face. Katie reaches out and pats the top of his head. Her father says, "Peek-a-Boo, Katie, I can't see you." He lowers the washcloth so his eyes are no longer covered. Katie squeals with delight. He covers his eyes again and says, "Peek-a-Boo, Katie, I still can't see you." Katie's father holds the washcloth out toward her, saying, "Your turn, Katie." She takes the washcloth from his hand and puts it in front of her face. Her father says, "Where's Katie?" Katie drops the washcloth in the water and splashes with her hands. She babbles to her father, "Dadadada. Babababa." He says, "I think you're saying that you're tired of playing Peek-a-Boo. Let's play with your sponges." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like many young babies, Katie is Katie's father helps her learn learning about language about language: + She knows that it's fun to + He talks with her during a play with another person. daily activity--bathtime. + She looks up when her father + He says her name again and says her name. again so that she will learn to recognize it. + She smiles when her father smiles at her. + He takes several turns in their game and then encourages her to take a turn. + He responds to her babbles as if he knows what she is saying. ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS FOR YOUNG BABIES AGE ACTIVITIES ----------------- ----------------------------------------------------- YOUNG BABIES: Listening and Talking BIRTH TO 8 MONTHS OLD Young babies enjoy being with other people. * Spend individual time talking with and responding to every baby many times during every day. Let babies know that you think that each one is special and fun to be with. * Learn to recognize the meaning of each baby's special cries and gestures. Organize your day so that you can quickly respond to babies' cries and provide what they seem to need--a dry diaper, a hug, a warm bottle. * Introduce babies to taking turns, as they will do when they are older and begin talking with other people. Respond to their sounds and actions by smiling, making noises, or waving a stuffed animal in front of them. Play simple Peek-a-Boo games and sing songs. At first you will take many more turns than the babies do. As they get older, babies will take more turns by making happy noises and wiggling their bodies. How to help families: Always think of families as your partners in helping babies grow and learn. Keep families up-to-date on what their babies do at child care. Young babies coo and babble to themselves and others. * Sing, coo, babble, smile, and laugh with babies during diapering, feeding, and play times. Let them know you notice them cooing and babbling to themselves. Respond to their sounds and actions. "You touched my nose, Carlos. Now I'm going to touch your nose." * Use your voice to make the sounds most babies love best--talking, singing, and laughing. Sing and recite your own favorite songs and rhymes, and reserve a special song or rhyme for each baby. * Ask families to teach you the rhymes and traditional games their babies enjoy at home. Learn a few important words in the babies' home languages so you can comfort them as their families do. Young babies listen to the sounds and voices around them. * Point out the sounds babies hear indoors and outdoors. "That was Inez banging the spoons together." "A train just went by." * Play different kinds of music and move with babies. Respond to the music's rhythm and beat. Sway gently, turn in circles, move the baby's arms and legs, or clap hands together. Talk about what you are doing. * Use babies' names when talking with them so that they will learn to recognize and respond to their own names. "Good morning, Kevin." * Give simple directions to babies by using words and gestures, and by varying the expression on your face. For example, a caregiver smiles and holds out her hand while saying, "Kendra, give me the bottle, please." When Kendra holds out the bottle, the caregiver takes it from her and says, "Thank you, Kendra. Let's put the bottle away now." Reading Young babies like feeling close to special people such as their caregivers. * Make books part of your one-on-one times with babies. Hold babies in your lap while reading to them. Although they don't understand exactly what you are saying, babies love being close to you and listening to your voice. Over time, babies will associate these pleasant feelings with books and reading. * Respond to what babies want to do during reading times. Babies may grasp a cloth or plastic book and put it in their mouth. This is how they find out about books. Be sure to wash the book later, so that germs aren't passed from one baby to another. If a baby wiggles and squirms, stop reading; the baby is telling you it's time to do something else. * Point at pictures in books and name them. Encourage babies when they point at pictures on their own. "James, show me the ball. That's right. That's the ball." Let babies try to turn the pages by themselves. How to help families: Encourage families to read to their babies at home. Tell them what their baby says and does when you read together at child care. Explain that many babies who are read to learn to love reading. Reading reminds children of the pleasant times they spent looking at books with a caring adult. Young babies can explore books on their own. * Display books with other toys where babies can reach them on their own. For example, place books on the blanket or carpeted area where babies play. * Look for books with simple, bright pictures against a solid background. Cloth and plastic books work well because they can be washed. Cardboard books are good for babies who are learning to turn pages. * Make a set of picture cards for the babies in your care. Look for simple pictures of familiar objects in magazines or catalogs. For example, a puppy, a sneaker, or a flower. Paste each picture on a piece of cardboard and cover with clear adhesive paper. Keep the pictures in an open container such as a plastic dishpan. Sit with babies and talk about the pictures. Developing Muscles For Writing Young babies use their hands, fingers, and senses to learn. * Offer a variety of safe play materials that babies can hold, shake, push, pull, lift, and hit. Babies tend to put everything in their mouths. Make sure their toys and play materials are washable and too large to be swallowed. * Babies often like household items just as much as expensive toys. Babies can use a set of plastic measuring cups in many ways. An assortment of textured fabrics give babies something to touch; you can talk about how each type of fabric feels. * Simple homemade toys also are fun for babies. Make cloth balls and sock puppets they can grasp and put in their mouths. How to help families: Show families how to make safe play materials for babies with things they have at home. For example, they could make sock puppets, mobiles, or a textured blanket. Young babies are learning to do things for themselves. * Let babies pat, touch, then grasp their own bottles while you hold them. Babies can hold a diaper, pull off their socks, and raise their arms for you to remove a shirt. * Show your excitement when a baby develops enough eye-hand coordination to reach out and grab something. "Emily, look at the mobile. You made it move. Can you make it move again?" * Keep track of each baby's new skills so that you will know when to make changes to keep the baby safe. For example, when babies can grasp and pull on the mobile over the changing table, you will have to raise it and offer new toys that are safe. Enjoying Our Company: Activities for Crawlers and Walkers (8 to 18 Months Old) WHAT DO CRAWLERS AND WALKERS DO? + Use sounds and gestures to say hello or get attention. + Point at things they want. + Say a few simple words. + Like rhymes and simple songs. + Enjoy reading with a favorite person. + Turn the pages in sturdy cardboard books. + Put objects such as nesting cups inside each other. + Fill containers with water or small objects, then dump them out. + Hold large crayons and make marks on paper. HOW DO CRAWLERS AND WALKERS LEARN? Marcus picks up a book with cardboard pages and a duck on the cover. He puts the book in his mouth for a moment, then waves it in the air. Marcus looks at his big sister, Maria, and makes noises that sound a lot like words. Maria says, "Do you want to read? Bring the book to me. We can read together." With book in hand, Marcus crawls to Maria. She lifts Marcus into her lap and holds the book so that he can see it. She points to the duck on the cover. "That's a duck. Let's see what's inside." Marcus turns the page. He pats the picture and says something that sounds like words. "That's right," says Maria. "The baby is in the bathtub." After looking at a few more pages, Marcus squirms and wiggles. "Okay," says Maria. "Have you read enough? Let me help you down." She puts Marcus on the floor and he crawls away. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like many other crawlers and Marcus's sister, Maria, helps him walkers, Marcus is learning about learn about language: language: + She responds to his sounds and + He knows that people will actions as if he were saying respond to his sounds and words. actions. + She lets him turn the pages of + He thinks it's fun to look at the book. books with another person. + She talks to him about what he + He knows how to wait for his seems to be saying. turn while talking and reading with his sister. + She lets him find something else to do when he has lost interest in reading. ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS FOR CRAWLERS AND WALKERS AGE ACTIVITIES ------------------ ------------------------------------------------------- CRAWLERS AND Listening and Talking WALKERS: 8 TO 18 MONTHS OLD Crawlers and walkers are learning that it's fun to be with other people. * Play games with babies that allow them to take turns--the way people do when talking with each other. You can roll a ball back and forth, play Peek-a-Boo by hiding something under a blanket or behind your back, and imitate babies' babbles. "You made a new sound, 'aba aba aba'." * Set the stage for a familiar game, then wait until the baby shows interest in playing. For example, take out the blanket and toy you use for Peek-a-Boo and sit down on the floor where you and the baby usually play together. Wait patiently until the baby starts the game by covering the toy with the blanket. Then take your turn. "Michael. Where's the bunny? Where did the bunny go?" * Encourage babies to notice each other and what they are doing. "Nina is holding her bottle while I hold her. You can touch her gently. Look, she smiled at you." * Play a game, sing a song, or read a book with two babies at once. They will enjoy being with you and with each other. "Jonathan, here comes the ball. You caught it. Now roll it to me. Sara, here comes the ball. Good catch, Sara. Now roll it to me." How to help families: Tell families about the games their babies play at child care and ask them to tell you about the games babies play at home. Try some of their ideas, and encourage them to try some of yours. Crawlers and walkers use sounds, words, and gestures to express themselves. * Pay close attention to babies' babbles, words, and actions so that you can understand what they are saying. "Lena, I see you pointing to the bear. Do you want me to get it for you?" Be patient. It may take several tries before you understand what a baby is saying. "Oh, Lena wants her blanket, not the bear. Here it is." * Show your excitement when babies begin to talk. Help families keep track of these first words. Provide the names for objects, actions, and feelings. "Truck. Garrett is pushing the truck. Garrett is happy." * Get to know what babies mean when they say a word. Many babies use the same word to send different messages, changing their tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures. Watch and listen, then respond to what you think the baby is saying. For example: Cara looks up, points to the sky, and says, "Up." Her caregiver looks up and sees a kite flying in the distance. He says to Cara, "That's a kite. It's UP in the sky." Cara laughs and says again, "Up." Reading Crawlers and walkers like being read to. * Read babies' favorite books again and again. Doing this helps babies remember the pictures and words. They are comforted by familiar activities such as this. Babies enjoy joining in by naming the pictures on a page. * Read when a baby asks you to. Let the baby pick the book, time, and place for reading. Go to the next page when the baby is ready, and read for as long as he or she is interested. * Read books in English and in the babies' home language. Ask families to tell you about books their babies read at home. Visit the children's room at the library and ask the librarian about books in babies' home languages. * Point to or touch the objects in the pictures and name them. Relate the objects and activities in books to the babies' lives. "That baby has a high chair like yours. That's a ball. Jimmy likes to play with our ball." How to help families: Ask families what their babies like to do at home and elsewhere. Look for books about objects and activities that are familiar to babies. For example, if a baby likes going to the park, look for a book with simple pictures of outdoor scenes. Crawlers and walkers like to look at books on their own. * Provide books with thick cardboard pages that are easy to turn and hard to damage. When the books get torn, put them away until they can be repaired and returned to the shelf. When babies damage books beyond repair, order new copies. * Make it easy for babies to choose the books they want to explore. Store books with covers face up in open baskets on the low shelves used for other toys and play materials. Have babies help put books and toys away several times a day. * Look for books about everyday activities--taking a bath, going for a walk, eating breakfast. Make sure the books show children's cultures, ethnic groups, family life, and abilities in positive ways. * Make books that tell stories about the babies in your care. If you have a computer you can use it for the words and pictures. If not, print the words by hand and use photographs, pictures cut from magazines, or simple drawings as illustrations. Cover cardboard pages with clear plastic and bind with cotton string or yarn. Write new books throughout the year. Developing Muscles For Writing Crawlers and walkers can hold and use fat crayons to scribble. * Introduce crayons and paper to babies. Begin by showing them how to use crayons to make marks on large pieces of paper. Tape the paper to the table so that it will stay flat. If babies try to color on walls, floors, and tables, gently redirect them back to the paper. They will soon learn that crayons and paper go together. * Sit with babies while they scribble, to help and show your interest in their efforts and accomplishments. "Azim, look what you did. You made those marks on the paper." Allow babies to decide when they are finished. Then put away the crayons and paper. Bring them out later for another scribbling session.