Connecting Past and Present
Here's What To Do
Show your child a photo of a recent event, and see what your child can remember.
Choose activities or events that are familiar, such as visiting family or a favorite park.
Help your child think of details, such as who you were visiting, where you went, and the activities that you did together.
Encourage your child to make connections between things that happened on that day and things they enjoy doing now – such as playing outside, or seeing their cousins.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Have your child lead three deep breaths and then give a high five.
Engage:
- "Look! This is when we went to Grandma’s house last year! What do you remember about that trip?”
- "At Grandma’s, we played outside so much. What games do we like to play outside now?"
Encourage:
- "That’s a great memory! You remembered what we packed!"
- "It’s okay if you don’t remember everything—let’s think about it together!"
Reflect:
- "What was your favorite part about remembering our _____?"
Not quite ready?
Simply describe the picture and object: "This is you with Grandma! We had cookies there, just like we do at home!"
Ready for more?
Let your child help choose a photo for the next memory talk and tell their own version of the story.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to use the words "yesterday, today, and now," and give an example for each.