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Video transcript

[Mum and daughter are playing with a doll’s house]

Mum: That looks like the mummy horsey and the baby horsey there. This one’s big, and another little one, isn’t it?

Daughter: This is a little one.

Mum: That’s a little ... sheep, is it?

Narrator: Pretend play, such as playing with a doll’s house or Lego, helps your preschooler to learn how to share. It also develops your child’s thinking and problem- solving skills.

Mum: What’s this one?

Daughter: A little boy.

Mum: A little boy, yes. Two little boys.

Daughter: And here’s a little horsey and a big horsey.

Mum: Yeah, you’ve got little and big.

Narrator: Playing together shows your child that you care for her and at the same time it’s a learning opportunity.

[Another mum and daughter sit at a table looking at the girl’s drawing. The girl is talking about the story in the picture]

Narrator: You can help your preschooler develop communication skills by letting her tell the story in her own words.

Daughter: Mr Brown went outside to the apple trees. When he got there, there was a whole tree full of them.

Mum: There was a whole tree full of them?

Daughter: Yeah. [Pointing] See?

Mum: Oh yeah. They’re your apples aren’t they? They’re really pretty.

Daughter: And that tree I did dark and light.

Mum: Oh yeah, dark and light leaves.

Daughter [pointing]: and the mouse

Mum: And a mouse. Was there a mouse in the story with Mr Brown?

Daughter: Yeah. And then he went up the tree and chop, chop, chop, and one fell down.

Mum: The mouse did? Was he trying to pinch Mr Brown’s apples?

Daughter: Yeah.

Narrator: It's important to listen, repeat what your child has said and add in a few words if she gets stuck.

Mum: Oh, Mr Brown pinched one for himself too? Or the mouse pinched one?

Daughter: Umm, [points] him.

Mum [pointing]: that’s Mr Brown, that’s the mouse.

Narrator: Ask ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ questions. This will encourage your preschooler to use more words.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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