What is the practice?
This practice involves exposing an infant to symbols, signs, letters, words, books, and other familiar images that are part of what children typically experience out-and-about in their neighborhoods and communities.
What does the practice look like?
An 8-month-old infant “goes along” to her older sibling’s Saturday morning soccer game. Along the way, the family passes a familiar shopping center, a billboard with a picture of a dog, a fast-food restaurant, and finally the sign with the name of the soccer field. Along the way, the parent says, “Look! That is where we go food shopping” or “See the doggy? You have a dog just like that.” Labeling and pointing out familiar and regularly experienced symbols and signs provides infants the opportunity to make a connection between words and things that they see.
How do you do the practice?
The many sights and sounds that young children experience on trips and visits in their neighborhoods and community are opportunities to help little ones start to associate signs and symbols with words. Here are some things you might try when out-and-about with your child.
How do you know the practice worked?
- Does your child increasingly recognize signs or symbols?
- Does your child vocalize or get excited when she sees familiar people, places, and things?
- Does your child pay attention to the words you use to describe people, events, and so forth?
- Start with three or four things that your child gets to see frequently. This can be anything that is easily recognizable and what is especially interesting to a child (playground, supermarket, a relative’s home, McDonald’s, etc.). Point out the most obvious features of the familiar object or place and describe it to your child (“There’s grandma’s house! Let’s go see your grandma!”).
- Anytime you and your child are in a familiar place (the supermarket, for example), pick three or four things that your child especially likes and which are easily recognizable to your child (such as cereal boxes, fruits and vegetables, milk and eggs). Let your child reach for and hold the familiar objects or foods. Describe and name the items for your child.
- Find two or three places in the community or neighborhood that your child particularly enjoys. This can be a community pond or park, public library, a book store, or playground. Find activities that you can use in each setting to engage your child in interactions and conversations.
Take a look at more out-and-about activities
A View from the Bus
Ten-month-old Paco and his mother take the bus to go food shopping, run errands, and “grab” something for lunch. On the way to the shopping plaza where they can take care of all of these things, they pass by what have become many familiar sights. These include his sister’s school, the family’s church, a playground, billboards, and much more. Paco’s mother holds him on her lap so that he can see everything as they go by. As they approach any one sight, Mom describes what Paco is about to see and asks him questions like “Do you see ______?” and “Where is the ______?” These question-and-answer exercises have become a kind of game that looks something like I Spy. Paco so much looks forward to his bus ride and playing the game with his mother.
Stroll and Chat
Alex’s father and mother push their 5-month-old son down the street in a stroller to pick some things up at the supermarket. Along the way, there are many things to look at and talk about (trees, flowers, animals, people, cars, and so much more). Mom and Dad name and talk about what they and their son see between their home and the store. Whenever Alex sees something that catches his attention, he reaches toward and gestures toward whatever he sees. His parents know that if they stop and “talk about” what has excited Alex, he will listen to what Dad and Mom are saying to him. The more trips they have made to the store, the more Alex recognizes things that are familiar to him.
Shop and Learn
Food shopping is one of 16-month-old Luke’s favorite things to do with his mother. He doesn’t have much upper body strength and cannot sit independently in the shopping cart seat, so his mom uses her hand bag and her coat to prop him up so he can see what is going on. Mom has a routine in how she goes about food shopping and Luke has learned to recognize what they will be seeing and getting next. His mother announces what they are about to do, “Next we are going to get Luke’s favorite food,” and then asks him, “Do you want _____ or ______?” Mom occasionally asks her son to point to things that he recognizes. By the time they are finished shopping, Luke has probably heard the names for 50 different things!
