Early Head Start Homework

Language & Literacy

Cooing

1. During daily activities, play a game using vowel sounds.
   
• Say "ah," "eee," "uh," or "oh" using an exaggerated facial expression.
  
• Pause for a few seconds and see if I will copy you or make a different sound.
  
2. When you hear me "coo" throughout the day, pretend I'm using real words and respond back to me with words or by copying my sounds.
   
3. Let me have quiet time to practice making new sounds. A lot of babies practice "cooing" while falling asleep or when waking up.

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Approaches to Learning

Exploring Your Face

1. Help me be curious about how you and I are two separate people! When I was first born, I thought that I was part of you. Now, I will use touch to learn more about you.
   
2. Encourage me to explore your face during a quiet time together.
   
• Let me feel your nose, touch your glasses, rub your beard, poke your mouth, or feel your hair.
  
• Wiggle your nose, raise your eyebrows up and down, open and close your eyes, stick out your tongue.
  
3. Compare your face to mine when I touch to explore it.

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Language & Literacy

Letters Around Us

1. Plan a visit to a familiar place with letters and words in the environment, like a street in your neighborhood or a store.
   
2. Think about what letters your child seems to recognize (or for younger children, pick one letter to try to teach your child, like the first letter in their name). Write up to 5 letters in uppercase on a piece of paper.
   
3. Ask your child to search for these letters in the store. If you see one, give your child hints to help them find the letter.
   
4. Read the full word the letter is in, and celebrate your child finding a letter!

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Social-Emotional Learning

Can You Copy Me?

1. Play a game of "Can You Copy Me?"
   
2. Sit with me and show me a gesture that's new to me. Examples:
   
• drumming your fingers on the table
  
• shrugging your shoulders and raising your hands, like "huh?"
  
3. Encourage me to copy you.
   
4. Repeat! Change your gesture, and see if I'll copy you. Keep playing this game for as long as I'm interested.

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