Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Language Development and Communication (LDC)

Subdomain: Learning to Communicate

Goal: Children describe familiar people, places, things, and events.

Skill Progression: Use of narrative skills to describe

Age: 33-36 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 33-36 Months.

Observe the child in dramatic play with peers in an area with props related to a theme.

No elicitation may be needed, but if the skills are not observed spontaneously, the adult may join the play to prompt ideas (“Now what happens?”)

The child dresses as a character, acts out a series of actions within a sequence of events, while interacting with and reacting to peers, using dialogue and commentary related to the play sequence.

Children of this age benefit from play with peers. They build on each other’s action, language, and perspectives. Encourage parents to arrange play dates with relatives or peers. They can also provide materials to stimulate play ideas, such as household materials, action figures, and other props. Early childhood educators and parents can also encourage children to think about the results of their actions with their play characters. “How would they feel?” “What will happen to X character if you do that?”