Talking over meals, sharing familiar books and repeating songs can help toddlers settle into care while building the language skills that support later reading and learning.
Starting care is a major adjustment for young children and their families, but it is also an important window for language growth. The Teach Mama guide argues that the first weeks in a new setting can shape how confidently a toddler listens, speaks and learns, especially when they feel settled enough to explore. That message is strongly supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which says shared reading and other language-rich interactions should begin in infancy and continue through the early years.
The stakes are high. The guide points to national figures showing that 8.9% of children are starting school behind in communication skills and general knowledge, a share that has risen since 2021. It also cites Australian data showing that nearly one in four children were developmentally vulnerable in at least one area in 2024, up from 22% in 2021. Taken together, those figures underscore a simple point: the earliest routines in care are not just about settling in, but about giving children the best possible start in language and learning.
One of the easiest ways to support literacy is to make ordinary moments more talkative. The guide recommends using mealtimes to name foods, describe textures and ask simple questions, turning the table into a place for vocabulary-building conversation. That approach aligns with early literacy guidance from the AAP and other child development resources, which stress that back-and-forth interaction, storytelling, rhyme and sound play all help children build the language skills that later support reading and writing.
Books can also help bridge the gap between home and care. The guide suggests reading stories about starting care before day one, sending a familiar book along with the child and borrowing the same titles from the setting so the child hears them in both places. The AAP says interactive book-sharing is especially valuable because it strengthens both language development and the parent-child bond, while Head Start materials similarly encourage continuity between home and early learning settings through storytelling and family engagement.
Routine matters too. Repeated goodbye rituals, songs, rhymes and simple narration throughout the day can make transitions feel safer and give children repeated exposure to language. The guide also encourages parents to share their child’s favourite words, songs and comfort strategies with educators, which fits with Head Start’s emphasis on open communication between families and staff. In practice, that partnership helps teachers reinforce the same sounds, phrases and routines children are hearing at home, making the new environment feel more familiar and less overwhelming.
The broader message is reassuring for parents: supporting early literacy does not require elaborate materials or expensive programmes. It depends on small, repeated acts , talking over meals, reading the same books, singing the same songs and giving children time to respond. As the AAP has noted in its early literacy guidance, these ordinary exchanges are exactly the sort of warm, responsive interactions that help young children build the communication skills they will carry into school.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
