Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Why is language and communication development so
important?

Children and adults use language to participate in their

culture and in society, and the values of a culture are passed
on to children through the words and conversations of
those around them.

Language is used for communicating and thinking. The

development of a language and the development of
thought are connected. We believe that all children should
spend more time hearing and learning their mother tongue
and that other languages should be seen as additional
rather than the main language for the child.

The language knowledge and skills that children develop

130
from birth to age 4 influences how well they do during
school years and in later life. Children who have a good
foundation in speaking and communicating will find it
The project around collecting coins
easier to solve problems, communicate with others and, as they grow older, move on to
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more formal education.
90th birthday involved all these
children in recording, reading and
How is language learnt?
writing.
All children learn language through interacting with people and the environment.
Children are born ready to learn language. From the first time a mother and child examine
each other’s faces after birth, they are learning the meaning of smiles, laughter and frowns.
The baby’s reactions to the mother and the mother’s reactions to the baby are the baby’s
first conversations. Children’s language development continues as they interact with
familiar and consistent caregivers and later as they meet other children and adults.

From the moment of birth, parents can help children learn to communicate with others.
For example, when parents kiss a baby and play peek-a-boo they are encouraging the
baby to look, hear and feel and are showing the baby that sounds go with actions. This is
a conversation with the baby.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

HEARING AND SPEAKING MORE THAN

ONE LANGUAGE Did you know?

Some children may have a home language that is not the same as the one you speak at 1BSFOUT
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your site. These children will not only have to get used to being away from their family but to a baby’s first sounds by imitating
at the same time will hear a language they don’t understand: them, and adding sounds in a kind of
conversation made of comfort sounds,
Children who learn to speak their home language well, will find it easier to learn
repeated sounds and phrases.
another language. Encourage parents to continue speaking to the child in their home
language even if the child is hearing and learning another language at the site. This help babies learn about the sounds

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child has already learnt. can make eye contact and use a variety
of facial expressions to help babies
It will help if you learn a few words of the child’s home language so that you can
understand emotions.
greet the child and understand her if she asks for something, like the toilet or water.

Allocate a key person to help the child settle in. Make sure that there is lots of Notice how caregivers’ tone of voice
one-to-one support from this person so that the child tunes in to the sounds of the differs when they are with babies.
language and learns some key words. They naturally speak in higher pitch,
repeat their words and speak with
Make eye contact when you speak to the child and, where possible, show her what
more emphasis and stronger facial 131
you want her to do at the same time as saying the words. Repeat key words and
gestures. expression.

Play games to help the child feel comfortable with the second language. Young Talk to babies as you feed them,
children often feel more relaxed when singing an action song or rhyme in their change them, and carry and bath them.
second language, rather than speaking it. A lovely game to play to allow children to Songs, lullabies and soothing speech
use and to hear many languages, is ‘Go and buy some Omo!’ (See instructions on the help babies to calm themselves and to
next page for playing the game.)
adjust to new situations.
Give children puppets so that they can pretend it is the puppet who is trying out
new words.

Keep talking and singing to the child

because the more he hears the second
language, the easier it will be for him to
learn it. So, if you have a radio you can
play it softly so that the child gets used
to the sound of the second language.

Ask the children at your site to translate

for one another. They will enjoy taking
on this role.

Accept that children will speak when

they are ready: never force them!
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tune in to the sound of languages around them.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes Go and buy some OMO!

Children stand in a circle and the leader starts by telling the person on his left to ‘Go and
buy some Omo’ (or tea, or Sunlight etc). This person says, ‘What?’ and the leader replies
‘Omo.’ The person says, ‘Oh, Omo!’ and then turns to the person on her left and says, ‘Go
and buy some Omo.’ He says, ‘What?’ and she turns to her right and asks ‘What?’ and the
original leader says, ‘Omo!’ She says ‘ ‘Oh, Omo!’ and the next child says ‘Oh, Omo!’ and
then turns to her left to tell the next child to ‘Go and buy some Omo.’

A to B: Hambo theng iOmo.

B to A: Intoni?
A to B: iOmo!
B: Oh, Omo!
B to C: Hambo theng iOmo.
C to B: Intoni?
B to A: Intoni?
A to B: iOmo!
B to C: iOmo!

132 C: Oh, Omo!

C to D: Thamo roke Omo.
D to C: What?
C to B: Intoni?
B to A: Askies?
A to B: iOmo! etc.

The beauty of this game is that all players can ask for Omo in the language they are
most familiar with.

Language development in children aged birth to 18 months

What do children do at this age?

New babies are aware of the sounds in the environment.

Babies listen to the speech of those around them, and startle or cry if there is an
unexpected noise. Loud noises wake them, and they often become ‘still’ in response to new
sounds. Newborn babies make sounds that let others know that they are experiencing
pleasure or pain.

Between 0 and 3 months babies learn to turn to you when you speak, and they smile
when they hear your voice.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Babies seem to recognise a familiar voice, and will quieten

at the sound of it if they are crying. Tiny babies (under 3
months) will also stop what they are doing and listen closely
to the sound of an unfamiliar voice.

Babies repeat the same sound a lot and ‘coo’ and ‘goo’ when
content. The baby uses a different cry for different situations.
For example, one cry says ‘I’m hungry’ and another says ‘I
have a pain.’

Between 4 and 6 months babies respond to changes in your

tone of voice, and to sounds other than speech.

For example, they can be fascinated by toys that make

These babies are listening to all the
sounds, enjoy music and rhythm, and look for the source of all sorts of new sounds.
sounds around them.
Gurgling sounds or ‘vocal play’ happen while you are playing with baby or when he is
occupying himself happily. Babies babble a lot at this age. Babies can tell you, using sounds
or gestures, that they want something, or want you to do something.

The 7 to 12 months period is exciting and fun as the baby now obviously listens when
133
spoken to, and turns and looks at your face when called by name.

Babies discover the fun of games like: ‘round and round the garden’, ‘peek-a-boo’, ‘I see’ and
‘pat-a-cake‘, ‘Yema yedw unana’, ‘Thula thu….la thula nana’ and ‘Ngwana robala’. Babies
recognise the names of familiar objects (‘Daddy’, ‘car’, ‘eyes’, ‘phone’, ‘key’) and begin to
respond to requests (‘Give it to Granny’) and questions (‘More juice?’). And at this age,
baby’s first words (probably not spoken very clearly) also appear!

Between 12 and 18 months children point to pictures in a book when you name them,
and can point to a few body parts when asked.

Babies begin to be able to follow simple commands (‘Push the toy!’) and understand simple
questions (‘Where’s the bunny?’). Toddlers like listening to simple stories and enjoy it when
you sing songs or say rhymes. This is a stage in which they will want the same story, rhyme
or game repeated many times. The toddler is learning more words every day. He begins to
ask two-word questions like ‘Where ball?’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘More chippies?’, and combine two
words in other ways to make the early sentences (‘No doggie’, ‘More push’).

(This information is from Bowen 1998, cited in Tassoni 2004.)

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes Activities to stimulate language and

communication development: Birth to 18 months
As caregivers we need to understand how different activities help children develop
and learn. This helps us to plan activities that suit the stage of development of the child
(developmentally appropriate activities). We present activities that help children learn
and then practise a skill before moving on to the next stage in their development.

See Appendix A for examples of equipment and materials that support children’s language,
communication and literacy development.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: NAPPY CHANGE

You can do this whenever you change baby’s nappy.

Age: Birth to 6 months (immobile babies).

Aims:

134 To use routines to talk to baby.

To put into words what baby communicates.

How to present the activity:

Collect everything you need: nappy, cloth and water or

wet wipes, and change mattress.

Lay baby down only when you have everything ready.

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As you wipe baby’s bottom from front to back, talk about what you are doing e.g.
face and on the baby’s face.
‘This is the way I wipe my baby clean…’

Talk about the pictures you see on the nappy pack and show these to the baby.

Talk about the warmth of the water, or the smell of the wet wipes. Ask baby
questions like ‘Does the wet wipe feel cold?’, Do you like this?’

Tickle baby’s toes and sing a rhyme such as ‘This little piggy went to market’.

Challenges/extension activities:

Talk to baby when you bath, feed or put her to sleep.

Rock and sing to baby when it’s time for her to go to sleep.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Talk about what is happening around her, use her name and give her individual Notes
attention.

Babies will feel more secure if you show you enjoy being with them by smiling,
talking or singing.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: TAH

You can do this activity with baby whenever you and he are together and relaxed.

Age: 6 to 12 months (mobile babies)

Aim: To take turns.

How to present the activity:

Play a game with baby by dropping something and then finding it. Show baby that
you want him to give the object to you when you put out your hand and say ‘thank
you’.

Roll a ball with a small bell inside it towards baby. Show by putting out your hand
and saying ‘thank you’ or ‘tah’ or ‘throw it to me’ that he must roll or throw it back to 135
you. He will soon understand what to do.

Maintain constant eye contact with baby when talking to him. Tell him what you are
doing e.g. ‘I’m throwing the ball to you.’

End the game when baby shows you he is tired e.g. when he looks away.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: MYSTERY BASKET

At a site you can play this game either with one baby or with a few babies sitting on
a mat during free playtime. You can put this activity into your language area or your
puzzle and educational toy (cognitive) area.

Age: 12 to 18 months

Aims:

To build vocabulary.

To develop classification skills.

What you will need:

A basket.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes A cloth.

A set of similar toys such as farm animals, dinosaurs, transport or plastic fruit.

How to present the activity:

Invite the child or a small group of children to sit with you.

Put the basket covered by the cloth on the floor.

Uncover the basket and one by one take the objects out.

Talk about each one, make sounds and let the children look at them and feel them.

Challenges/extension activities:

Have another basket with the same objects as the first basket and match e.g. the
duck from the first basket with the duck from the second basket.

Find pictures of the objects and let the children match the object to the picture e.g.
match the plastic duck to the picture of a duck.

Treasure basket – collect a range of natural and found items that a baby might find
interesting. Choose things for their texture, smell, shape etc. Include small pieces
136 of fabric, pine cones, lemons, potatoes, oranges, a set of keys, make-up brushes,
purses, wooden spoons, ladles, empty boxes, soft toys etc. Each day add one or two
new items to the basket. Name these and make up stories about them. Let the child
explore the basket on her own. (See Chapter 2 for detailed discussion of how to put
together a treasure basket for treasure basket play.)

NAME OF ACTIVITY: POINTING OUT THIS

You can do do this activity as you are dressing baby or sitting in the sun. At a site you can
also play this with babies when they are playing outside by calling a few to come to you,
or you can have a small group inside during small group time or free playtime.

Age: 12 to 18 months

Aims:

To identify things.

To learn and say words by copying and repeating.

How to present the activity:

Talk to the toddlers about familiar things, point to these and name them e.g. our
faces; eyes; ears; nose; mouth.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Repeat the activity by pointing to each part of the body once you see the child is
Notes
enjoying participating. Children may make sounds as they do so, as if naming the
parts although they do not use words. At about this time, speech is emerging and
children often have an accessible passive vocabulary of words they understand
although they may not be able to say them.

Challenges/extension activities:
You can use books with pictures of the parts of the body. You can sit the child on your
knee and turn over the pages, naming the parts and pointing to them. Some children
may imitate you in naming the body parts while others will not respond at all and others
will push the book away. Do not be discouraged by this – try the activity with the child
another time.

Choosing books for babies and toddlers

For babies 0 to 6 months
Books with simple, large pictures or designs with bright colours.

Stiff cardboard, ‘chunky’ books, or fold-out books that can be propped up in the crib.
137
Cloth and soft vinyl books that can go in the bath or get washed, with simple
pictures of people or familiar objects.

For babies 6 to 12 months

Board books with photos of other babies.

Brightly coloured ‘chunky’ board books to touch and

taste!

Books with photos of familiar objects like balls and

bottles.

Books with sturdy pages that can be propped up or

spread out in the crib or on a blanket.

Plastic/vinyl books for bath time.

Washable cloth books to cuddle and mouth.

Small plastic photo albums of family and friends.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes For young toddlers 12 to 24 months

Sturdy board books that they can carry.

Books with photos of children doing familiar things, like sleeping

or playing.

Bedtime books.

Books about saying good-bye and hello.

Books with only a few words on each page.

Books with brightly coloured, engaging illustrations.

Books with simple rhymes or predictable text.

Touch-and-feel books.

Animal books of all sizes and shapes.

For older toddlers 24 to 36 months

Books that tell simple stories.
138
Simple rhyming books that they can memorise.

Bedtime books.

Books about counting, the alphabet, shapes or sizes.

Animal books, vehicle books and books about playtime.

Pop-up books, pull-the-tab books and touch-and-feel books.

Books with humorous pictures and words.

For pre-schoolers 3 to 5 years

Books about children that look and live like them, as well as about
children living very different lives.

Counting books or other ‘concept’ books about things like size or time.

Simple ‘science’ books about things and how they work e.g. about rubbish-removal
trucks, flowers or tools.

Books about things they have a special interest in e.g. trains, animals or cooking.

Books about making friends (also books about dealing with the challenges of
friendships – making up after an argument, dealing with a bossy friend etc.).

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Books about going to school or to the doctor. Notes

Books about having brothers or sisters.

Books with simple text that they can memorise or read.

This information is drawn from the website of Zero to Three (n.d.), a US non-profit
organisation that ‘informs, trains, and supports professionals, policy-makers, and parents
in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers’.

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS

Activity What you do What the child learns

Indoor or outdoor picnic Spread a blanket on the floor and have a To develop food vocabulary.
picnic with a small group where you have a To become familiar with different
chance to talk about the food, and what it customs related to food and eating.
tastes, smells and feels like.
Story telling Sit with the toddlers on a mat. Choose a book To pay attention and to concentrate.
with simple, clear pictures they can relate to. To develop listening and memory skills. 139
Show them the pictures as you read. Use your
voice and actions to keep the children focused
on the story.
Pointing out things Talk to the toddler about familiar things, point To identify things.
to these and name them e.g. food: fruit and To learn and say words by copying and
vegetables; events: a plane flying overhead, a repeating them.
bird singing, a car driving past.
Show the toddler books and pictures of the
things you have pointed out in the room.
Name these with the toddler.
Chalk scribbling Use big pieces of pavement chalk and give the To make marks intentionally and with
toddlers a piece each. Let them scribble on a purpose.
wall, cement/concrete or paving. Talk about
their scribbles and ask open-ended questions
e.g. ‘You are drawing a long line, Jess’; ‘Tell me
about that, Tshidi.’

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes
Bunnies lullaby Teach toddlers simple action songs with lots To build vocabulary.
of repetition. An example of an action rhyme To consolidate and build on what is
is: ‘This is the way we brush our teeth/clap our already known.
hands/eat our food…’ To practise new skills.
To learn new words.
Here is a lullaby. Sing the first part very quietly
To follow instructions.
and slowly while the toddlers lie down. When
you say wake up they get up and HOP:

‘All the little bunnies asleep in the hay.

Why so still?

Are they ill?

Wake up little bunnies!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!

Hop little bunnies and STOP!

140

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Language development in children aged 18 to 36 months

What do children do at this age?

By now the toddler will understand instructions with

two parts (‘Please pick up your socks and put them in the
basket’) and will understand much more than she can say.
She understands the difference between, for example, hot/
cold, stop/go, in/on and nice/yucky. She notices sounds like
the telephone or doorbell ringing and may point or become
excited, get you to answer, or attempt to answer these
herself.

Children between the ages of 18 months and 2 years learn

and use from 5 to 50 words – usually about animals, food
and toys. In their second year they learn up to 300 words.
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repeatedly ask ‘What’s that?’ At this age they are able to say what they need. with making marks and will

(This information is from Bowen 1998, cited in Tassoni 2004.)

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chalk boards and paper and fat 141

Activities to stimulate language and crayons and chalk available.

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communication development: 18 to 36 months chalk drawing on the concrete or

NAME OF ACTIVITY: PAPER CUP TELEPHONE painting on a wall or window.

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group time, perhaps in the art area. At home caregivers can do this activity whenever talking on the phone and
the child shows an interest. seeing themselves reflected
back in a mirror.
Age: 18 to 36 months

Aim: To encourage turn taking.

What you will need:

2 sturdy paper cups.

3 metres of wool or kite string per child.

A skewer.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

How to present the activity:

Invite a group of children to work with you.

Give each child two paper cups that you have made a hole in the bottom of with a
skewer.

The children thread the wool/string through the holes and tie a knot on the inside of
each cup.

Pull the wool/string tight and the children can talk and listen through their
telephones

Sound really does travel along from cup to cup.

Challenges/extension activities:

Make ‘cellphones’ from small fruit juice containers.

Using an old phone, let older children practise answering the phone. Model for them
how to answer. Pretend to phone them and have a conversation.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: RHYME – 'THIS IS THE WAY'

142
* A ring refers You could do this activity during the morning *ring or during a music ring.
to caregivers
Age: 18 to 36 months
working with
a large group Aims:
of children or
To follow instructions.
with the whole
class on a To strengthen memory.
planned activity.
To learn new words.
Common rings
are morning ring, To develop auditory memory.
music ring and
How to present the activity:
movement ring.
Invite children to sit on a mat
with you.

Introduce the rhyme.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Note: When doing rhymes with children make sure that they are comfortable,
not crowded, and that all of them can hear and see you well.

Draw their attention by doing actions and showing pictures or objects

relevant to the rhyme.

Let them repeat after you, phrase by phrase, until they are able to say or
sing along by themselves:

This is the way – I clap my hands (x 3). This is the way I clap my hands…
early in the morning.

This is the way – I sleep on the floor (x 3). This is the way I sleep on the
floor…early during the day etc.

Note: You can add your own lines to this rhyme and ask the children to add
their own lines and actions.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: SCRIBBLING ON PAPER

You can set up this activity on big mats or at the art table for toddlers to do during
organised group activity time. At home this activity can be done on the floor.
143
Age: 18 to 36 months

Aims:

To help children to develop hand–eye coordination.

To improve fine motor movement skills.

To show that making marks has meaning (in preparation

for understanding about writing).

What you will need:

Clean sheet of paper (can be scrap paper).

Thick wax crayons.

How to present the activity: This child is telling the adult what

Hand each child a sheet of paper and crayons. to write.

You should also have a sheet of paper.

You and the children draw pictures, talking about what you are doing.

Ask the children to tell you about their pictures, and write down exactly what they
say. Then read it back to them, pointing at the words as you read them

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes Note: At the age of 15 months, children scribble up and down using full arm movements,
and at 18 months they scribble moving from right to left. Later on (from about 32 months)
they draw round figures and can copy vertical strokes down the page, their finger and wrist
movements develop and they can shade in areas.

Challenges/extension activities:

Draw in a sand tray, paint on an easel or tape the paper to a window and paint on the
paper

LEARNING TO WRITE VERSUS TELLING AND

WRITING STORIES
Learning to write involves many different things, but we should not confuse
handwriting with writing for meaning to tell a story.

Handwriting is a fine motor skill (a physical skill). Writing is a language activity (a

language and communication skill).

Scribbling is a very important step in the development of drawing and writing skills,
just as babbling is an important first step in speech development.

144 Children scribble because the fine motor muscles are not yet developed. Scribbling
starts off as uncontrolled marks made randomly with any tool on the ground.
Children start controlling their scribbles as they discover that there are connections
between the motions of the crayon and the marks on the paper (handwriting). They
also start naming their scribbles e.g. ‘My Mom’ or ‘My cat’ (story writing).

By scribbling, children come to understand that marks on paper have meaning,

especially when you say to them, ‘Tell me about this drawing.’ This is the beginning
of writing stories and messages.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

MORE ACTIVITIES: 18 TO 36 MONTHS Notes

Activity What you do What the child learns

Story telling Prepare a story in advance and illustrations To pay attention.

to go with the story. For example, if it is To concentrate and
about a drum draw a big drum, colour it and listen carefully.
cut it out. Ask the children to sit with you. As To learn to remember
you tell the story, place the pictures on the the sequence of events.
flannel board or use prestik to stick them to To have fun with stories
cardboard. Every now and again, stop telling and words.
the story and ask the children open-ended
questions such as ‘How do you think he
feels?’, ‘Why do you think he did that?’,
‘What do you think is going to happen?’
Classified Collect familiar objects e.g. kitchen To notice differences
objects equipment, plastic animals, transport toys. and similarities (visual
Talk about the objects and name these so discrimination).
that the children learn the names of the To learn new words
145
objects. Help them to classify the objects. (increase vocabulary).
Use string to make circles on the carpet. Ask
children to place items that are similar in one
circle, and other items in another circle.
Talking cards Make talking cards by finding interesting To learn new words.
pictures showing an activity and sticking To learn about the
these onto cardboard e.g. a picnic, a world around him.
soccer match, catching a train. Sit with a
small group of children and talk about the
cards and link them to the children’s own
experiences.

Classified Have cards that all belong to one grouping To increase vocabulary.
cards e.g. birds, farm animals, musical instruments, To be able to
dairy products. One by one talk about the categorise objects in
cards and their classification. the world around her.
Telephones Put some spare, old telephones in the To practise having
classroom for children to play with. conversations.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes Language development in children aged 36 to 48 months

What do children do at this age?

Children at age 3 and 4 understand simple ‘Who?’, ‘What?’ and ‘Where?’ questions and can
hear you when you call from another room. They enjoy stories and can answer simple
questions about them. They hear and understand nearly everything that is said to them.

Sentences become longer as children combine four or more words. They talk about things
that have happened away from home, and are interested in talking about school, friends,
outings and interesting experiences. They speak clearly and fluently in an easy-to-listen-to
voice. They communicate easily with familiar adults and with other children. They may tell
fantastic ‘tall stories’ and engage strangers in conversation when you are out together.

(This information is from Bowen 1998, cited in Tassoni 2004.)

Activities to stimulate social and emotional

development: 36 to 48 months
NAME OF ACTIVITY: 'I SPY'
146
You will need to do this activity when it is fairly quiet and you have 10–15 minutes to
spend on the activity. At the site you may call a small group when it is time for organised
or free-choice activities. The little items can be kept in small boxes in the language area.

Age: 36 to 48 months

Aim: To hear the sounds in words.

What you will need:

Pictures or actual objects starting with three different sounds e.g. ‘b’, ‘s’ and ‘m’.

Cards showing the letters matching these sounds e.g. ‘b’, ‘s‘ and ‘m’ (write these in
lower case).

How to present the activity:

Invite three children to work with you.

Put the b letter card down and tell the children its name. Let them each sound it as
‘buh’.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Next to the b letter card put one matching picture or object at a time e.g. a ‘ball’, Notes
‘banana’, ‘boat’, ‘bed’, saying each word as you put it down and emphasising the ‘buh’
sound.

Do the same for the other letters and objects.

Give each child one of the letters and corresponding objects and ask them to name
all their objects in turn.

Now put all the objects or pictures in the middle of the circle of children.

Say ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with “m’’.’ If the children don’t get it
say ‘Moo...moon. Yes, moon.’

The child puts the picture or object next to the m letter card.

Carry on until all the objects have been placed next to the correct letters.

Remember, this is a game and must be fun for the children so give them as much
help as they need.

Challenges/extension activities:

Give more clues to children who are having difficulty like, ‘It starts with “m” and you
147
see it in the sky at night. It sound like moo…?’

When children understand how to play, add more letters and objects.

Have in the environment on the language shelf, the letters and objects/pictures
that begin with the sound of that letter so children begin to hear the beginning
sounds of words and to learn letters. There are many puzzles that match word and
beginning sound that you can buy as well as using homemade games.

Also play ‘Rhyming Games with Children’s Names’ so children learn to hear the
sounds at the end of the word e.g. ‘Uma, puma, ruma, chuma’ and ‘Angela, pangela,
frangela’ or ‘Lebusa, menusa, cadusa’.

Learn and say nursery rhymes and sing songs that have rhymes in them.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

NAME OF ACTIVITY: READING CARDS

You will need to do this activity when it is fairly quiet and you have 10–15 minutes to
spend on the activity. At the site you may call a small group when it is time for organised
or free-choice activities. The cards can be kept in the language area.

Note: Be on the alert for the following signs, which indicate that the children are ready
for this activity:

They enjoy being read to.

They like looking at pictures and books independently.

They ask questions about books.

They ask: ‘What does it say?’

Age: 36 to 48 months

Aims:

To prepare children for writing.

148 To identify things.

To concentrate.

What will you need:

Matching cards with pictures.

Names of objects on the pictures

This is an early language activity that (names written in lower case).

helps children make the link between

How to present the activity:
the real vegetable and the picture
of a vegetable. It is the first step in Use two sets of cards with matching pictures. On one set, write the name of
understanding symbols. the object.

Invite one child, show the child the pictures and allow discussion.

Place one set horizontally and match similar pictures while the child is watching.
Then give the child a chance to do the activity.

You can introduce words after matching the cards.

Challenges/extension activities:

Collect pictures of familiar scenes pasted on cards. The pictures must be clear and
complete and some can be filled with interesting activities and details. Discuss with the

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

child what he sees. Always ask the child questions rather than telling him what is on the
picture but don’t make it like a test; rather, help and encourage the child if he struggles to
answer a question.

NAME OF ACTIVITY: LISTENING GAMES

You can do this activity when you have a circle with between 10 and 15 children.

Age: 36 to 48 months

Aims:

To learn listening skills (auditory discrimination and auditory memory).

To learn to follow the rules of a game.

To learn to sit still.

How to present the activity:

Children sit in a circle with one child in the middle – little Bear – who has a cup with a
spoon in it. All the children say: ‘Isn’t it funny how a bear likes honey. Go to sleep little Bear.’
149
Little Bear lies down and covers her eyes. One of the children from the circle takes the
cup, sits back down, jiggles the teaspoon and all the children put their hands behind their
backs. They chant: ‘Wake up little Bear! Who has your honey?’ Little Bear has to guess who
has the cup by asking the children, ‘Do you have my honey?’ They must answer, ‘No, I don’t ‘,
or ‘Yes, I have it.’ When she finds who has the honey they change places.

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR 36 TO 48 MONTHS

Activity What you do What the child learns

Picture Provide paper and crayons for children to draw whatever they like. To understand that writing is
writing Invite them to tell you about their pictures and write this down a way to communicate with
underneath the picture. others.

Classification Use pictures of familiar and unfamiliar objects. Let the children sort To identify the differences and
and group them. Ask them to give you a reason for the way they similarities of objects.
have classified these. Listen carefully, as they may have interesting To concentrate.
reasons. To give reasons and use new
words.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Activity What you do What the child learns

Getting ready Give children pieces of paper with lines draw wide apart, and To develop hand–eye
to write crayons of different colours. Ask children to draw patterns between coordination.
these lines. To develop left to right eye
movement.
To develop small and big
muscles.

Outings Plan an outing to look at and experience something the children To understand more about the
will be interested in e.g. trains. world around them.
To become familiar with new
Preparation: Talk about trains and find out what children already
words.
know. Show pictures. Sing songs.
To communicate freely.
To develop self-confidence.
Outing: Make sure that you have enough adults to take care of the
group of children going on this outing. Take the children on a short
train trip or to the station to look at the trains.

150 Back at the site: Discuss what the children saw: what the train
looks like e.g. shape, colour etc. Talk about where people go by
train. Talk about what they saw on the train e.g. people, luggage
and things from the windows. Ask the children to draw pictures
of their outing. Ask the children to tell you what their pictures
are about and write this down under the picture. Put these pages
together to make a poster or a book to look at and discuss with the
children.

News Invite children to sit around you in a circle and share their news. To understand that words and
Ask them to draw a picture of their news. Go around and write a sentences have meaning.
sentence for them to describe their picture e.g. ’I visited my sister
on Sunday.’

Grocery shop Set up a make-believe shop in the fantasy area. One child can be To use language socially.
the shopkeeper and the others can be the customers.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

Activity What you do What the child learns

Restaurant Introduce the game and demonstrate how to play it. Then help To build vocabulary, including:
the children to play in pairs: cut 10 magazine pictures of food the
t
listening skills;
children are familiar with. Sit with the children and name all the food
items. Then one child keeps the pictures hidden and the other child
t
memory skills;
asks for a dish e.g. chicken. The child gives it to her. Encourage the
children to use full sentences, saying e.g. ‘Please may I have…’ Then t
auditory memory.
the first child asks for two things e.g. scones and tea, and the child
gives it to her. See how many things the children can remember.
Puppet play Model using puppets with the children. Leave the puppets where To use language.
the children can reach them and encourage them to play with
them. Some children who are shy will enjoy using puppets to talk
‘through’.

How can adults support communication, language and

literacy development?
CREATE A PRINT-RICH ENVIRONMENT: put posters
and pictures up on the walls. Label windows, doors and 151
walls, and objects of interest on the theme table. Write the
children’s names on cards and show these to the children.
Make your own books and let the children help you.
Write the stories the children tell you. Write words and
phrases on their pictures. Read short simple recipes and
instructions to follow for baking, or for doing a craft, and
then do the activity together.

CREATE A LANGUAGE- AND COMMUNICATION-RICH

ENVIRONMENT: make time for children to tell their news
and to share information. Make sure that there is plenty
of time for stories to be told and read. Encourage fantasy
play to enrich language. Write little messages for the
children that they can ask another adult to read. Draw in
See the children’s names and photos
the sand and on other surfaces. Write and illustrate your own stories for the children.
on their lockers
Play listening games. Listen when children speak. Share your own news and interests
with them. Talk with children during daily activities. Describe activities as they occur.

PLAY WITH THE SOUNDS OF LANGUAGE: encourage children to make up words and
to take turns in repeating these. Make up nonsense words that rhyme, e.g. lah, fah, dah.

PLAY GAMES WITH THE CHILD TO ‘TUNE IN’ TO A SECOND LANGUAGE: children
initially learn the ‘tune’ of a language.

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 Chapter 3: Activities to stimulate development

Notes MAKE TALKING CONVERSATIONAL: whenever possible ask open-ended questions

as these encourage children to think and to continue the conversation. For example:
‘What do you think will happen next?’ ‘What can you tell me about this?’ ‘What shall
we do now?’

READ BOOKS: read and re-read the children’s favourite stories. They love fantasy
stories and those with happy endings. They love factual books – about animals
and different cultures – and about what happened in days gone by – how people
hunted, utensils used, clothing worn, traditional costumes etc. Provide magazines, the
inserts from newspapers, and TV guides, maps and recipe books for children to read.
Encourage the children to ‘act like they are reading’ – ask them to look at a book and
read to you. Accept whatever they say.

USE MEDIA: children will watch TV programmes that are factual or fantasy. Younger
children prefer animations that are simple, clear and bright. Music is important and
can be either soothing or cheerful. Sit with children when they watch TV and talk
about what they are watching. The use of a range of media, like putting on a CD, audio
or video tape, supports children’s independence, to be by themselves, separate from
parents, and to cooperate with peers. It can also be time for quiet relaxation for both
children and adults. Children will move, talk, sing, dance or sit quietly depending
on their level of alertness or tiredness. Listening to a story on CD builds children’s
auditory memory and discrimination as well.
152
COMMUNICATE THROUGH EXPRESSION: encourage children to respond in
different ways to what they see, hear, smell, touch and feel. They can express and
communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a wide range of art materials
and tools, through fantasy play and role-play, through music and movement, through
designing and making, and using a variety of songs and musical instruments.

USE TRADITIONAL LITERATURE AND STORIES: this values children’s experience

and culture. Include traditional and culturally appropriate nursery tales and stories
that promote cooperation and demonstrate socially appropriate and inappropriate
behaviour. This helps to establish behaviours and expectations. Oral stories give
children experience in listening, and make them ready to understand the structure of
stories they will encounter in print.

USE LANGUAGE TO IMPROVE SOCIAL COMMUNICATION: Teach children how to

talk through problems of their own using self-talk. Model self-talk by saying out loud
e.g. ‘I would like to sit on the bench, but there is already someone there. What should I
do? I know! I will fetch the other bench!’ Teach children language for solving problems
with others e.g. ’I feel/want… What do you want? How can we sort this out?’ or: ‘I am
sorry. Let’s be friends.’

See Appendix A for more ideas on how to support language, communication and literacy
development.

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 Curriculum 0 - 4 years Chapter 3

REFERENCES Notes
Bowen C (1998) Ages and stages: Developmental milestones for receptive and expressive
language development. From: www.speech-language-therapy.com/devel2.htm, accessed
October 2011

Tassoni P (2004) Diploma in pre-school practice. Oxford: Heinemann

Zero to Three (n.d.) Tips for choosing books for babies and toddlers. From: www.zerotothree.
org/early-care-education/early-language-literacy/choosing-books.html, accessed
October 2011

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APPENDIX A: EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS THAT

PROMOTE CHILDREN’S COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE
DEVELOPMENT
Age Examples of equipment The role of adults
and materials
1 to 2 years Toy telephone, pop-up Adults need to acknowledge children’s communication by smiling,
toys, lift-up jigsaw puzzles, talking to them and engaging them in simple rhymes. Children should be
picture books, and items encouraged to explore their environment and to enjoy seeing the effects
for heuristic play such they have on materials.
as corks, wooden hoops, Heuristic play helps children to learn many concepts by playing with
baskets, metal containers everyday materials.
and plastic bottles.

2 to 3 years Jigsaw puzzles, Adults need to listen carefully to children and act as their ‘language
construction bricks, picture partner’. Adults should not correct mistakes in pronunciation or grammar,
books, pop-up books, but recast the sentence using the same words. Books, nursery rhymes and
water and sand play. songs also help children’s language.
154 Children need time to explore and will enjoy making simple structures,
either by themselves or with a little support. Adults need to be careful not
to intervene too quickly, as children will want to learn by trial and error.

3 to 4 years Radios/tape recorders/ Children’s language should be increasingly fluent and intelligible. Adults
cassette players, picture need to model vocabulary in context so that children can eventually add
books, role-play, dressing- it to their repertoire of words and expressions. Adults should also share
up clothes, floor puzzles, stories with individual children and small groups.
construction bricks and Opportunities to make ‘marks ‘and pretend writing should also be built into
toys, interlinking train sets, play sessions. Adults should seek out interesting objects for children to
objects to sort, magnifying touch and feel, so that they can explore the properties of materials.
glasses.
4 to 5 years Memory games, games Adults need to look for ways of developing children’s vocabulary do they
where children can set their can express their ideas and feelings.
own challenges, a large Adults should provide games and activities that encourage children to do
range of books and stories, some simple problem solving.
feely bags, junk modelling, Adults must be aware that very directed activities will not give children
and board games that scope to explore on their own.
encourage counting and
symbol recognition.

Source: Tassoni (2004: 75).

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Notes

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