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

Subdomain: Learning to Communicate

Goal: Children understand communications from others.

Skill Progression: Understand communication from others

Age: 36-42 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 36-42 Months.

Giving unrelated directions is often awkward. Make it a game at the end of the block play.

Begin by building structures with the various blocks next to the child, while commenting on what he is doing. For example, “I’m going to put this square soft one on the bottom, then put a hard one on top. What are you doing?” Listen to the child’s description of his actions and ask questions or make comments as appropriate to elicit concepts. “I like your barn. I think it needs some animals in the field behind it.” “Can you hand me two smooth blocks?” At the end of block play, the adult can say, “I’m going to add a surprise to our blocks. Stand up. Now, close your eyes and turn around three times. Don’t peek.” (two-step unrelated direction) Then let the child give you directions. Ask questions such as “Why did you wrap the baby up?”

The child follows two-step unrelated directions.

Parents are used to giving directions, but they may not know that multistep directions may be too difficult for the child to remember. Once the child has one-step directions down, then two-step is next. Help parents understand that saying, “Get your coat on, put on your boots, and go get your lunch box” is too much for the child to handle. Frustration and conflict can be avoided by understanding the child’s level of comprehension.