Ten engaging early literacy activities to engage babies
Early literacy activities for babies
Motherly Collective
Early literacy is a crucial area of development for babies. Early literacy and language skills can be a foundation for a child’s success in the future. By engaging your baby in reading activities, you will not only encourage a love of reading but also cognitive development, vocabulary learning and bonding. As a reading specialist certified, I’ve compiled ten interactive and fun activities to help you set the foundation for your child’s literacy and language journey.
Activities for the first year of your baby’s life: A guide to activities with your baby
Ten engaging early literacy activities to engage babies
- Storytime snuggles
Make story time a part of your everyday routine by cuddling up to your child and sharing stories. Choose board books in vibrant colors or cloth books that have simple texts with repetitive illustrations and simple text. Use different facial expressions, voices and gestures to engage your baby as you read. Your baby will begin to associate reading with love, even if they don’t understand the words. - Play with textures and sensory play
Baby’s learn through their senses. So, give them the chance to experience different textures. Create a sensory bin with books that are soft, crinkly, or have touch-and feel elements. Talk about different textures and let your baby feel them.
- Rhyme and Sing
Nursery rhymes and songs will help your child to learn the musicality of language. Nursery rhymes’ rhythmic patterns, repetitions and phonological awareness are essential for reading success. To make the experience more fun, sing nursery rhymes and play finger games. You can also use hand puppets. The soothing sounds and interaction will delight your baby. - Book Peek-aboo
Babies love surprises! You can use peek-aboo books to get their attention and create anticipation. As you play peek-aboo, lift the flaps to reveal hidden characters or objects. This activity will not only keep your baby entertained, but it will also teach them the concept of cause-and-effect.
- Picture talk
Picture talk will take your baby on an adventure. Choose books that have large, colorful illustrations. Name the objects you see, and talk about their colors, shapes, and actions. Encourage your baby imitate the sounds or gestures in the pictures. This activity improves your child’s vocabulary and language skills, while also strengthening their visual understanding. - Puppet storytelling
Puppets can bring stories to life! Use hand or finger puppets to tell simple stories, or have interactive conversations. The puppets will captivate your baby with their voices and movements, encouraging imagination and creativity.
- Splashy Stories
Introduce waterproof books to your baby’s routine for bath time. They will make bath time fun and educational. These books can be used in the water to create a wonderful sensory experience. Encourage your baby’s bath time to be a fun experience for them. They can explore the pages and splash water while engaging with the vibrant illustrations.
- Word discovery using flashcards
Flashcards that contain simple words and pictures are a great way to start your child’s vocabulary development. Name the animals or objects that are depicted on the cards. Encourage your child to touch the pictures or point them out. Make it part of your everyday routine.
- Rhyme time riddles
Introduce simple rhymes and riddles to your child as they grow. As an example, you can say “I am a cat with a tail, and I call myself’meow’.” Encourage your child to guess and then respond enthusiastically when they get the right answer. This activity helps to develop their critical thinking and their ability of making connections between concepts and words. - Family Story Creation
Include the entire family in the creation of a story that is personalized for your child. You can have each family member contribute to a storyline, or alternate narrating the different parts. This activity will not only help to strengthen family bonds, but it will also introduce your baby different perspectives and storytelling styles.
Early literacy activities for babies
Early literacy experiences will help your child develop a love of learning and reading. These 10 interactive, fun activities will stimulate your baby’s cognitive abilities and imagination. It’s not only about the words that appear on the page, but also about the connection, joy and shared moments. These are what will help shape your child’s literacy journey. Grab a book and unleash your creativity to embark on an exciting journey together.