What is the practice?
Travels around your toddler’s community or town will present many opportunities or you to help her begin to understand hat a red sign with the word stop on it means that the car or bus has to stop.
What does the practice look like?
The signs (e.g. stop signs) and symbols (e.g. McDonald’s golden arches) that exist in your toddler’s environment can be used to show her that symbols and words have different meanings. Your toddler will beneft from these activities by developing the connection between symbols and letters, and the objects they represent.
How do you do the practice?
There are many opportunities to help your toddler make this connection as you move about your community with her.
How do you know the practice worked?
- Does your toddler more frequently notice signs or symbols?
- Does your toddler enjoy looking at the signs you show her?
- Does your toddler ask you about the signs or symbols she sees?
- Begin by noticing the words or signs that catch your toddler’s attention. Perhaps she will notice the blinking open sign in the shop window or the red stoplight in the street.
- Follow your child’s lead by commenting on what your child is noticing: “I see you looking at that blinking sign in the window.”
- Explain what the sign means: “That sign says open and it means we can go in the store and buy something.”
- Go to the door and show her that it is open and you can go inside.
- The next time you see an open sign on a store, whether it is lit or not, point it out to your toddler and remind her what it means.
- When you see a sign or symbol that you think your tod- dler will like, point it out and explain what it means.
Take a look at more letters and symbols
The Sign Game
Mariana, who is almost 3 years old, and her dad like to play the sign game when they are out doing errands. When they get in the car and start driving, Mariana’s dad says “I see a red sign. What should I do?” Mariana squeals back, “Stop, stop sign!” Dad, of course, is stopping the car before Mariana tells him, but he says “I’m so glad you know that the red sign means I should stop.” Dad gets to the door at the store and stops, points to the arrow, and says, “So Mariana, what should I do now?” Again she laughs and says, “Go in.” Dad always points out a new sign or symbol explaining to Mariana what it means, and it becomes part of the game.
Ride and Read
Two-year-old Jonathan loves to ride his little push car down the street and play the sign game. His mom has four different signs: a stop sign, an arrow pointing right, an arrow pointing left, and a green light. While Jonathan moves his car up and down the sidewalk, Mom stands in the middle and is the traffc director. If Mom is holding the stop sign up when Jonathan reaches her, he stops; if she holds up an arrow, then Jonathan turns, at the green sign he keeps on going. Jonathan loves the game and wants to play it frequently.
Picture Signs
Nicky, a toddler who sometimes has trou- ble remembering things, and has learned along with his mom that signs can be a fun way to help his memory. Together, Nicky and his mom made signs with pictures and words on the computer, and taped them up all over the house—a picture of Nicky with his name on his bedroom door, a red symbol for fre to help him remember not to touch the stove, his picture on the shelf in the kitchen with his own snacks, and photos of his favorite toys on the shelves where they belong. They make new signs whenever Nicky wants to remind himself or his family of something, and they take down the old ones as Nicky no longer needs them.
