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Mother and child reading

FEATURED ACTIVITY

Ball Begins With B!

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Reading BrightStart! Screener

Is your 3-, 4- or 5-year-old child on track to read? Find out now.

Take the Screener
Mother and child reading

FEATURED BOOK

The Cow That Went OINK

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Reading BrightStart! Screener

Is your 3-, 4- or 5-year-old child on track to read? Find out now.

Take the Screener
Tools for Educators

It’s Part of the Routine!

Prep: None / Activity Time: 2–3 Minutes

At this stage, you are getting your baby used to a series of routines that include time to get dressed, naptime, mealtime, bathtime, story time and bedtime. Your set of routines may also include driving to a child care center or grandparent’s home, dropping off and picking up siblings from school and even doing some physical activity. Reading about and talking about routines help to make them part of your baby’s life. Sometimes, routines go more smoothly when they become a topic of discussion.

  • Your voice!

Step 1: As you and your baby are preparing for a routine, talk to her about it. For example: 

“Today, you are going to wear your orange shirt and blue jeans. Let’s put your shirt over your head and your arms through the armholes and pull it down over your belly. Time to put your legs in these jeans then … pull them up!  I have some soft white socks. I’ll put them on your feet. You are ready for your day!” 

Step 2: When your baby adds to the conversation with noises, words and gestures, respond and keep the conversation going. 

Step 3: Make talking about the routine an actual part of the routine. Often, just hearing you talk in a calm voice can be very soothing for your baby, and this is especially helpful when you’re working to get her on a schedule. 

Discover more ways to engage your baby with activities that build pre-reading skills, or browse recommended books for babies six to 11 months.