Ask Questions, Build Skills
Questions can inspire and help children imagine and wonder. Ask questions and learn how to add new words into your vocabulary with Abby, Elmo, and Buzz.
Watch the video together. Then, throughout the day, ask “what if?” questions to inspire children to imagine and wonder.
- Try questions that lead to back and-forth talking, such as: “What do you see at this construction site?” Build on his answers: “I see the hammer, too. What do you think it’s for?”
- Family meals are a great time to ask one another questions. Try: “What was the best thing about today?” or “What do you think about…?” Kids’ answers will help you get to know their likes and dislikes and can lead to more questions and answers such as, “What are you looking forward to tomorrow?”
- Ask questions that encourage more than a “yes” or “no” answer to keep the conversation going. Go beyond “what” “who” “when” and “where” questions and ask “why” and “how” questions.
- If a bus passes by while you’re outside walking, ask: “What if you were on that bus? Where would you want it to take you?” Silly answers are okay, the goal is conversation!
Terry Crews Is an Artist
Terry Crews, Count, and Abby talk about the word “artist.”
Alphabet Art
Alphabet art is a fun, hands-on way to help kids recognize the shapes of letters. It can also provide an opportunity to layer in learning across subjects. Watch this video and think of ways you might incorporate letter crafts into your work with kids and families.
Abby’s Letter Garden
Prepare children for school success by exposing them to uppercase letters, helping them recognize them, and write them themselves.
I Know My Letters
A printable alphabet coloring page.
Building and Rebuilding Language Skills—and Community!
An article about building children’s language skills by enriching your interactions.
Creating Alphabet-Rich Environments
Alphabet recognition involves learning the names, shapes, and sounds of the letters in the alphabet, and it helps get kids ready for phonics learning. There are so many ways to introduce the alphabet to young children. Adding a little alphabet magic to your environment can be a great place to start.
Building a Reader
An interactive course that explores key literacy goals, strategies, and activities to support learning around language and literacy in children ages 2-5.