To really understand stories, children need to use their critical thinking skills to think beyond the words and pictures on the page. Learn how to deepen children’s understanding by encouraging them to evaluate the story.

One of the best ways to build early literacy skills is to add conversation to book reading.  When you read with a child instead of just to them, you give them many more opportunities to understand the story and build their critical thinking skills. Here are a few tips to turn book reading a conversation with a fun, interactive book.

Learning to talk starts long before a child says their first words. In fact, there are many things your child needs to learn about before they’re ready to communicate with words. Here are some of the building blocks for using words, and some tips for how you can encourage them with your child.

It’s never too early to introduce books to children! In this Book Nook, we choose a book that works well for young children and we share a fun strategy to build your child’s early vocabulary while enjoying the book together.  

One of the most effective ways to help your child understand a story is to make connections between what’s happening in the book and something your child has experienced. Here are some ways you can connect a story to your child’s life to build the comprehension skills that prepare them for reading and writing success. 

Welcome to our special page all about Following Your Child’s Lead – a key strategy in the Hanen early communication program, It Takes Two to Talk®. Here you’ll learn all about the importance of following your child’s lead to build their language skills, and you’ll find lots of tips and links to get you started.