That precious little person in your life is definitely the cutest thing on the planet earth, and positively the most intelligent! Why, he was born speaking Greek, and you don't even know any foreign languages!
But seriously, language is one of the first ways developmental growth in children is noticed by the general population. Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa know this baby is the next Baseball Hall of Famer or Albert Einstein, but the cashier at the supermarket won't know diddly squat about that adorable big blue eyed baby unless she can speak intelligently while strapped safely in the shopping cart.
So how can one help promote language skills besides reciting the abc's and Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over and over again?
Starting with finger plays, action rhymes, and songs to sing, there will be numerous activities listed. Each will explain the multi purposes of and the age of the child for which the activity is intended. More will be added over time as they are found.
FOR MOTOR SKILLS WITH TODDLERS:
Start with clapping and tapping your hands and feet. Let your toddler mimic your actions.
Read the following rhyme, clapping and tapping when indicated:
I have two little hands that clap, clap, clap.
I have two little feet that tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap.
Tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, tap.
Encourage your child to SAY "Clap" and "Tap" as you say the rhyme.
FOR SELF-CONCEPT BODY AWARENESS WITH TODDLERS:
Sing the following song to the tune of "The Farmer In The Dell."
Where are your piggy toes?
Where are your piggy toes?
Oh no, where have they gone,
(pull off socks)
I see your piggy toes.
Pulling off socks is one of the first skills a toddler learns. Sing this song while pulling off your child's socks, then let your child pull them off by himself. Encourage your child to pull off the socks without any help while you sing the song.
SELF-CONCEPT AND MOTOR SKILLS FOR TODDLERS:
One of the most challenging things a toddler is learning is how to dress herself. Somehow it always seems the diapers come off easier than the shoes go on!
Encourage your child to practice motor skills and begin recognizing opposites by giving her a hat that fits easily on her head. Have her put the hat on and take it off, saying Hat on, hat off, hat on, hat off as she does.
SELF-CONCEPT AND BODY AWARENESS FOR TODDLERS:
Sing the following to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?"
Head and shoulders,
Head and shoulders.
Knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Eyes and ears,
Eyes and ears.
Mouth and nose,
Mouth and nose.
Have your child touch each body part as it is sung, then repeat the song naming different parts of the body.
THINKING SKILLS FOR TODDLERS:
Recognizing that an object is still there though it can't be seen is a significant milestone for toddlers. Play peek-a-boo often with your child, and play games where an object is hidden with a blanket, scarf or bandana, or inside another object.
MOTOR SKILLS FOR TODDLERS:
Recite the following rhyme with your toddler sitting on your knees. Move your knees and toddler up and down following the lyrics.
Marching, marching,
Up we go.
Marching marching,
Nice and slow.
Marching, marching,
Down, down, down.
Marching, marching,
Through the town.
Let your child stand and stretch up high and bend down low, or be lifted high or put down low as you recite the poem.
MOTOR SKILLS, LISTENING, AND EXERCISE FOR TODDLERS:
Large motor skills are needed in order to develop as well. Sing the following song to the tune of "The Farmer In The Dell" and let your child giggle and wiggle as you both do the movements to the song. Substitute different body parts and actions.
Shake your arms like this,
Shake your arms like this,
Clap your hands and turn around,
Shake your arms like this.
MOTOR & THINKING SKILLS, EXERCISE FOR TODDLERS AND ALL AGES:
This is a great one to do when you're super busy, yet your child is demanding your attention. It is also a great activity to do for transition times such as after story time getting ready for lunch, after playtime getting ready to go to the store, and other difficult times when you just HAVE to do something else besides hold your toddler on your hip.
Recite the following actions, doing the motions slowly at first, then quickly. The kids will dissolve into peals of laughter and free you up to get a few things done.
Clap, clap, clap your hands as slowly as you can.
Clap, clap, clap your hands as quickly as you can.
Rub, rub, rub your hands as slowly as you can.
Rub, rub, rub your hands as quickly as you can.
Roll your hands...
Wiggle your fingers...(sometimes I wiggle my fingers accidentally on their ribs!)
Twiddle your thumbs...
Stomp your feet...
Wiggle your body...
Wiggle your eyebrows...
Slap your knees...
Blink your eyes...
ACTION AND LANGUAGE BUILDING POETRY FOR THE YOUNG CHILD:
Poetry is a clearly delightful way to introduce children to new words and language skills. Here are a couple of poems that have not only lots of fun words to learn, but to act upon, too!
JUMP OR JIGGLE
Frogs jump
Caterpillars hump
Worms wiggle
Bugs jiggle
Rabbits hop
Horses clop
Snakes slide
Seagulls glide
Mice creep
Deer leap
Puppies bounce
Kittens pounce
Lions stalk-
But-
I walk!
~~~by EVELYN BEYER~~~
WHISKY FRISKY
Whisky frisky,
Hipperty hop,
Up he goes
To the tree top!
Whirly, twirly,
Round and round,
Down he scampers
To the ground.
Furly, curly,
What a tail,
Tall as a feather,
Broad as a sail.
Where's his supper?
In the shell.
Snappy, cracky,
Out it fell.
ANON
THINKING SKILLS AND SELF-CONCEPT BODY AWARENESS FOR TODDLERS:
Counting repetitively to two with a toddler gives him a boost in premath skills. Have your child point to his ears, eyes, hands, feet, legs, knees, cheeks, elbows, thumbs, big toes, or heels, and count each one with him: One, two, one, two, one, two...Progress to 5 fingers or toes.
FUN HUGGING CUDDLING GIGGLY TIME WITH YOUR TODDLER OR CHILD OF ANY AGE:
The following rhyme is a favorite with kids of all ages.
Round and round the garden runs the little mouse. (Hold your child's hand palm up, running your finger in circles very lightly on his palm.)
Up, up, up he scampers, (Touch your child's arm on wrist, inside of elbow, and upper arm on each "up".)
Into his little HOUSE! (Tickle your child's underarm on HOUSE!) This is almost guaranteed to be a favorite of both you and your child!
Fun TICKLY KNEE Activity:
All ages of my daycare kids have loved this over the years. Very simple for people who don't memorize things well, it's a great standby for just about any child! Just tickle the child's knee above and to the outside of his knee while reciting the following, and be almost 100% guaranteed that squeals of delight will follow, along with constant begging for MORE, and DO IT AGAIN!
Tickly knee, tickly knee, if your laugh, you don't love me! (That's it! See, I told you it was simple!)
FUN SEASONAL FINGERPLAYS AND ACTIVITIES:
Tune-The Mulberry Bush
Jumping in the pumpkin patch, (jumping through the whole verse)
Pumpkin patch, pumpkin patch,
Jumping in the pumpkin patch,
So early in the morning.
**Substitute clapping, stomping, flying, swaying, winking, etc.
SIMON SAYS FOR HALLOWEEN:
1. Fly like a bat.
2. Stomp like a monster.
3. Walk like a skeleton.
4. Hop like a bunny.
5. Pounce like a cat.
6. Dance like a ballerina.
7. Roll like a pumpkin...
COUNTING FIVE LITTLE PUMPKINS:
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
One fell down and broke his plate.
Four little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
One fell down and lost his skate.
Three little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
One fell down and lost some weight.
Two little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
One fell down and said "Don't be late!"
The littlest pumpking sitting on a gate
Fell down and said, "No more pumpkins sitting on the gate!"
FIVE LITTLE OWLS:
The first little owl has great, round eyes. (Point to one finger at a time.)
The second little owl is of very small size.
The third little owl can turn her head.
The fourth little owl likes mice, she said.
The fifth little owl flies all around,
And her wings make hardly a single sound.
FOUR SEASONS POEM:
Spring is showery, bowery, flowery.
Summer is hoppy, choppy, poppy.
Autumn is wheezy, sneezy, freezy.
Winter is slippy, drippy, nippy.
ANON
MUD poem:
Mud is very nice to feel
All squishy-squash between the toes!
I'd rather wade in wiggly mud
Than smell a yellow rose.
Nobody else but the rosebush knows
How nice mud feels between the toes.
by Polly Chase Boyden
Thunder Finger Play:
Thunder crashes. (Clap hands.)
Lightning flashes. (Move hands with zigzag motion.)
Rain makes puddles. (Flutter fingers.)
So I can make splashes. (Jump.)
Fun, new words, even if they're not real, can be a great way to get a baby or toddler exposed to different sounds. The earlier a child is exposed to the sounds of different languages, the easier it will be for him to pick up on them and learn them more fluently. Here are some fun poems with silly words to share with your child:
The Cow Poem:
The cow mainly moos as she chooses to moo
and she chooses to moo as she chooses.
She furthermore chews as she chooses to chew
and she chooses to chew as she muses.
If she chooses to moo she may moo to amuse
or may moo just to moo as she chooses.
If she chooses to chew she may moo as she chews
or may chew just to chew as she muses.
by Jack Prelutsky
And a silly one for an older child, Eletelephony:
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant--
No! no! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone--
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right.)
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The more buzzed the telephee--
(I fear I'd better drop the song
of elephop and telephong!)
Songs and fingerplays are so much fun, and are a great bonding activity between a child and her parents, grandparents, and other caregivers.
More songs, poetry, and fingerplays will be added to this guide over time as I run across them and as I myself have time. Thanks for looking, and be sure to mark this as one of your favorites for easy reference!
