I can only go here on a leash Give them the feeling they can “read“

“I can only go here on a leash.”, “Clean up after me, I can’t do it myself.” “Be respectful to others.” These are three headings above three pictures of dogs in the park. We always read them when we pass by. Kryštof (3 years old) already points with his finger and syllabifies. He points so exactly, that you at first think he is really reading it.

Just like an older couple which was sitting on a bench in the park. They were calmly sunbathing and looking around. They view us as an object of interest along with Kryštof who was running up to the signs. Without any scruples he pointed and syllabified all three headings. The older man was stunned and maybe he even stopped breathing. He turned wide eyed to his wife and explained to her, incredulously, about the three year old boy that can read. It entertained me so much, that I left them in their dismay and exited the scene :-)

We read more. “Warning” on the little chair, “No entry” on a building site, “wheat pads EMCO” on the food box, “Chicco” on the car seat, “Dinopark” on the gate leading into dinopark or on photos, …. Eli (17 months old) already got as far as standing at the caption and blabbering. She recognizes writing; she points and says she wants “this”, to be read to her.

Besides it being fun for the children it’s also, according to the book “Smart From the Start”* , a suitable activity not only for future reading but also for overall development of language.

April 2011

*Bright From the Start, Jill Stamm, Ph.D.Godham Books

Author: Lenka Míkovcová

Translation: Marek Hubbell