Today Tile Triggered Content

As children’s cognitive development progresses, they start to be able to enjoy symbolic play, as they can understand that what they see is representing something else. Although it might not seem closely linked to learning about the alphabet, developing an understanding of symbolism is in fact an important step towards being able to read and write in the future. Here’s why.  

Your child might have started out understanding symbols using physical items which can be held and moved, perhaps by holding a toy brick to their ear as a phone. As their understanding of symbolism grows, they will be able to make more abstract links like realising that the numbers on a clock are showing adults what the time is and that the squiggles on a page which we call letters represent sounds, and even words.  

There are so many opportunities to develop the language which is at the root of early reading skills throughout the day.