At 5, your child knows thousands of words and can say most of them clearly. She can describe people and events in detail and uses more complex sentences. In fact, 5-year-olds are often nonstop chatterboxes who like to tell stories, ask questions, or simply share with you every thought that pops into their heads. They're practicing all the language skills they've been picking up over the past few years, and their questions and comments reveal that they're also developing new ways of thinking.
Your 5-year-old is fairly reliable about using proper verb tenses now (run, ran). Help her practice using future and past tenses by asking her about what happened at yesterday's playdate or about that upcoming trip to the zoo. Talking with and reading to your child are still the best and most important ways to keep language skills blossoming.
You'll also notice your child picking up conversational etiquette. For example, she may be more patient in conversations and more willing to take turns talking. She may also be more engaged, looking at the speaker and nodding her head. Keep modeling politeness and emphasizing the importance of "please," "thank you," and "excuse me."
"Find the good and praise it," writer Alex Haley once said. That's great advice for steering your child toward the behavior you'd like to see more of. A few words of approval or nonverbal gestures like a thumbs-up or an affectionate tousle of the hair let your child know that she's on the right track.
At the same time, don't go overboard. Save your praise for very specific behaviors. ("I like how you picked up your brother's bottle" is more effective than "Good job.") And use it when your child goes above and beyond rather than for doing routine things like finishing her milk or getting dressed.
~babycenter.com~
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