Early Literacy By Two: A Snapshot

Time flies when you can tell a good story. Your child has enjoyed their first year of hearing your stories and reading books together. They are beginning to explore the wonderful world of reading stories on their own, and have started taking their first steps into the new world of writing (or scribbling!). By 24 months of age you can see your children doing the following:

Reading

• Makes sounds/proto-words when looking at pictures in books (e.g., ‘wawa’ for water).

• Makes sounds or sings along with songs and nursery rhymes (e.g., Old MacDonald).

• Points to pictures in books when you label them.

• Turns pages in a book (it is okay is they turn more than one page!).

• Listens to simple stories for a short time (e.g., The Three Little Pigs). These often have simple structures to help them follow along (e.g., “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and blow this house down.”) or repeated letters to aid in recall (e.g. Big Bad Wolf, this is known as assonance).

• Starts to name colourful pictures in books with one or two-word answers.

Writing

• Holds a large marker or crayon sometimes.

• May scribble, especially when you are writing too.

• Look at a drawing you sketch.

Tips & Tricks

• Conversation: Talking to your child helps promote awareness of sounds and new concepts.

  • Talk to your child about objects around them and what people are doing nearby. Talking this way prepares your child to read and write in the future.

  • Repeat the sounds your child makes (e.g. dada, muma).

  • Add more sounds and words to their utterances (e.g., daddy, mummy hug)

  • Teach new words during new experiences (e.g. on holidays) or visits to new places (e.g., the zoo, the shop)

• Read To Your Child: Immerse your child in the world of books by reading, singing and rhyming.

  • Read picture books to your child.

  • Read things with sounds and rhyming words.

  • Sing nursery rhymes.

  • Read food boxes and words on T.V. Look at magazines together.

  • Read your child’s favourite books over and over again.

  • Point to words and pictures as you read. Say them out loud.

• Get Drawing: Encourage them to draw with you.

  • Give your child drawing supplies for scribbling/drawing.

  • Skribble on the same piece of paper together

  • Make it fun by talking about what you are drawing and what they are drawing.

Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.

References:

• P Roth, F. (2006). Getting Your Child Ready for Reading and Writing. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/uploadedFiles/Getting-Your-Child-Ready-Reading-and-Writing

• Speech Pathology Australia (2024). Literacy and Communication. www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au. https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Communication_Hub/Resources/Fact_Sheets/Literacy_and_communication.aspx

Suggested Resources

FREEBIE Hickory Dickory Dock: Auditory Comprehension

A classic nursery rhyme auditory comprehension and WH question activity for early learners.