FM.G.41 LOOKSATA BOOK WITH AN ADULT

This skill is listed at the 9-12 months’ level of development, but of course there’s no need to wait until your child is 9 months old if he’s showing an interest, however fleeting, at an earlier age.

For your child’s very first books, choose books with large, colourful pictures, preferably with only 1 or 2 pictures to an opening. If your child wants to grab at the book, choose some of the excellent cardboard books now available.

How to Assess

Materials: A picture book with large, colourful pictures.

Method: Sit your child on your lap. Turn the pages slowly, talking about each picture to your child.

Score plus if your child looks at the pictures while you talk for at least 2 minutes.

How to Teach

Set aside a time each day to look at books – a quiet time when your child is content to sit in your lap, but is not too sleepy to attend.

Always tell him what you are going to do –‘Let’s look at a book’.

Name each picture and help him to maintain his interest through your commentary. You could make a noise associated with the picture (‘Dog says woof woof!’, ‘Car goes brmmm’) or sing an appropriate song.

Leave plenty of pauses in your commentary so that your child can make contributions to the conversation.

Look ahead now to the next skills in this sequence – you can start teaching these skills as soon as your child is showing an interest in his books.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

Show your child pictures in other contexts too – in photo albums, in magazines, on food packets and so on.

Your child is sure to discover other things he can do with books, besides looking at the pictures. Books are fun to chew and to tear, and pulling out all the books in the bookshelves is many a child’s delight! Decide now on the rules you want your child to follow and begin now to teach these rules. Consider giving your child one book to tear (perhaps an old telephone directory) and one shelf which is his to rearrange.

Remembering and Extending

Continue with the next 2 items in this sequence – FM.G.48 (pats a picture on the page) and FM.G.49 (helps turn pages).