Reading

Reading with your child will help develop the skills that children need to become independent readers. Gradually increase the length of time spent reading as your child gets older.

Ask library staff to assist you in picking books to share with your child if you need a place to start and let your child choose their own books too- let them take ownership.

Children like to emulate what they see, so let your child observe you taking time to enjoy reading, too!

Writing

Reading and writing go hand-in-hand. Encouraging your child to put their ideas on paper such as their favourite part of their day, a list of favourite books or even a grocery list will assist in both the cognitive development of your child as well as their fine motor skills.

Scribbling is the first step to writing and everything all starts with a scribble.

Singing

Singing is a great way to expand your child’s vocabulary. Singing slows down language so children can hear smaller sounds in words as the words tend to be drawn out (think about Row, Row, Row your boat).

The tempo and pronunciation is deliberate and allows children to hear words that may not be common in everyday vocabulary.

The repetition of songs, actions and words stimulate early childhood learning as it encourages language and memory development.

Playing

“Children learn best when they are fully engaged in active exploration, play and inquiry.”

Ontario Ministry of Education.

At the Petawawa Public Library, we offer a wide collection of tactile resources for children and families to utilize.

We offer young children a play area to socialize and engage in that also exposes them to a variety of materials that are accessible for children to discover on their own play-based learning. This allows children to view the library as a place not just for books but also for resources that they can utilize.

Talk, Talk, Talk!

It doesn’t matter what is being said, just talk. Children can hear sounds before they can make them. Making animal sounds and pointing out environmental objects, saying nursery rhymes, point out and talk about words that rhyme gives them an association of object to a word.

Point out sounds you hear as you go for a walk. Talk about letters—start with letters in the child’s name; talk about shapes.

Talking in a way that encourages children to talk will help them understand what they later read. It is exceptionally beneficial that you start speaking to your child so they can become comfortable with vocabularies and build competent conversational skills as they grow.