Baby Tips

• Ask questions and answer them. This involves your baby in the conversation and shows them what conversation is like.
• Narrate your life, talking about the things you are doing: "I am going to make a sandwich for your brother. I need bread, peanut butter and jelly." 
• Share wordless books together and make up stories to go with the pictures. 
  

 

Toddler Tips

• Give toddlers lots of opportunities and time to talk, even if they aren't saying many words yet.
• Talk about your day: "First we went to the doctor, then we went to the library and got some books, then we went to the grocery store."
• When reading a book your toddler is familiar with, stop and ask them to tell you what happens next. 
• Make up stories to go with the pictures in books and magazines. 

 

Preschool Tips

• Play pretend! This is how preschoolers learn to tell their own stories. 
• Tell stories, some pretend and some real. Have children tell others about things they have done. "Let's tell Grandma about our trip to the zoo. What did we see first?"
• Retell favorite books and stories out loud. Acting them out with toys is fun, too!
• Write down stories preschoolers tell, or encourage them to write them with pictures and pretend words.