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Chatterboxes - Week 4

1. Week 4 - Monday

‘Room on the Broom’ film  (BBC iPlayer)

Age 2–3

Watch the ‘Room on the Broom’ story or read it with your child if you have a copy at home. (See the links below)

Model simple sentences to your child, ensuring that they hear how to link words together. For example, listen to and answer your child’s questions about the names of objects and people.

Don’t ask your child too many questions but make comments to explain what is happening in the story. A good guide is to ask one question, supported by four comments. Remember that your child may need up to 10 seconds to think about what you have asked and reply with an answer.

Add a word to the words your child is using. For example, if your child comments ‘hat’ reply ‘yes, a tall hat’.

Watch this video for some tips for book sharing with younger children.

Age 3–4

Watch the ‘Room on the Broom’ story or read it with your child if you have a copy at home.

Explain some of the action words to your child as you hear them in the story. For example, do they know the meaning of “bounded”, “clambered”, “searched”, “fluttered”?

Play a game of charades and act out the action words. By using gesture and emphasising these words again, you are really helping your child to remember them. Try also to repeat the words in day to day life.

Age 4–5

Watch the ‘Room on the Broom’ story or read it with your child if you have a copy at home.

Help your child to practise their good listening behaviours and make sure there are no other distractions whilst you share the story. Think about any new words that are being introduced to your child and explain what they mean.

Introduce more prediction and “why?” questions as you listen to the story and model the answers to your child if they’re not sure.

For example:

  • What might happen next?
  • What could the witch say when she loses her hat?
  • What will happen if they can’t save the witch from the dragon?
  • How might they fix the broom?

Emphasise the rhyming pattern throughout this story. Lengthen the long sounds at the beginning and ends of words so your child really tunes into these. These may still be tricky for them to say at their age.